Now I’m off to London! But why..? To see my dear sister Henen of course! :) A stroll through all the lovely interior design boutiques of Islington is on the agenda as well as a trip to funky Brighton. See you soon.

| pics via sköna hem & the style files |

These first two weeks of 2011 I’ve gone from not knowing who Dexter is, to full addiction. Mike bought the first 3 seasons at London Stanstead on the 2nd, and now (at 16 th) we’ve watched all available series…(i.e. 60 episodes) Can’t wait for the sixth season! And I can’t help but love Amy Lau’s Dexter chair, above. Hand-embroidered with blood design. Lost original source of this table decor inspiration below, but it’s just…..bloody marvellous ;)

Now for the holidays, and not least for New Year’s, many tables need to be decorated -  so I just wanted to forward a few tricks in giving the table that joyous and festive spirit.

The always inspiringly creative gal Underbaraclara has put tealights on the cake stand and in small baking tins scattered around on the table. Simple, pretty and cozy. As placemats she uses something sheer and intricate: cake paper! The odd porcelain and the napkins have a uniform colour scale. Conclusion: You don’t need to spend a fortune to make the table festive! Make the best of what’s around and you’ll get that personal feel that make hearts warm.

This very evening, at the Royal Palace, Stockholm.

Oh so beautiful! Oh so trendey!

Just a few notes on the decor: The tables are decorated with mirror plateaus, above the table surface. It is lined with flowers in various shades of pink and creme. Candelabras, candlesticks, vases and silver bowls are placed on the tables, and flower arrangements are in the colours pink, green, purple and white. There are different varieties of flowers, not mixed, e.g. roses, lilacs, peonies, sweet peas, green lady’s mantle and lilies of the valley (fresh picked in Ockelbo). I can not imagine a finer table decor.

In conjunction with the 2010 Milan International Furniture Fair, opening today, the YoungDesignerBook exhibit is held. In this arena, two young Italian designers, L.Bregoli and M.Fanelli, are presenting their first design collection under the brand Rocket. These designers believe in design that’s fun, original and unconventional; design that reminds you that life is anything but dull. [we fully embrace this!].

The 2010 collection was born ’where the indie scene brought rock back to its heights’, between Milan & London’s east-end. That same electrifying vibe is expressed in the Rocket design. Inspiration is, quite obvious!, derived from their infatuation for rock n roll and disco culture. Out of the 10 design items in the 2010 collection, three items are awarded trendey points:

First, the GuiTray, a shot tray in the shape of a colourful guitar. It’s a little tray ’dedicated to all those who, every now and again, savour a cheeky drink’:

True rockstarness with a twist! A functional yet playful decor item. It will easily blend and immediately give the situation a rock vibe. Compared to the coffee table in similar design, whose steel legs and overall feel don’t appeal to us as much, these mini guitars are lively and fun. Not for eveyday use maybe…(?) but definitely something to bring out for the party. Trendey points: 7,5 out of 10. GuiTray is made of Plexiglas® and aluminium alloy, and is available in transparent, translucent orange, translucent red, and translucent violet. It includes 6 glasses. Price tag approx. EUR 59/$80.

Secondly, the wine rack, Wine Jack. As the designers state, it is ‘an innovative interaction between container and content’. Any music nerd of a home decorator would embrace this! It is set to be a focal point of any room. A statement item. Late 80′s early 90′s feel: it’s nostalgia. And it’s smart.

The nerd factor is obvious, but you know what, there’s nothing trendier these days than being a nerd! Design shows a high level of originality, but because it only hits *the true music geek* straight in the heart it gets trendey points 6 out of 10. Wine Jack is made of metal and Plexiglas®. Price tag EUR 149 (approx.$200).

Lastly, but not leastly, the coaster set Nap(kin)ster. It’s a cheerful set of 6 headphone-shaped napkin holders. Material: Plexiglas®. Music nerdiness is again (as with GuiTray) well-balanced to playfulness.

Also, the strong colour trend is observed; the vibrant colour mix will actually bring joy to any dull table. Some may see an underlying message of ‘sit back, relax and be yourself in your own world’ or maybe… ‘at this table, we listen, we don’t just babble on about us and ours’. Hah, either way, a nice decor item! Trendey points: 6,5 out of 10. Price tag EUR 29 (approx.$ 40).

Have a further look @ Rocket and for purchases visit Yook.

Tea pot is on, the cups are waiting!

I just have to share with you these peculiar next-generation teapots. At WebUrbanist you can find a collection of 19 exceptional teapots that clearly shows the future design direction. More examples and details here. They all come from Britain you think? I found out my favourite, below, can be bought at The Teapottery, and oooh, they surely have a full range of odd tea-design! Anyhow, the Toaster Teapot seem highly multifunctional. Design must be functional, right?