trendey

Gorgeous and trendy, black walls provide a dramatic backdrop for light coloured furniture, art work or accessories. I particularly like the sharp contrast between black, or really dark grey, and white and/or gold. It really makes the objects pop out!

The above photos come from Apartment Therapy, Living Etc and Marie Claire Maison, The last bedroom pic, which is a favourite of mine featured before in Go French in the bedroom, also comes from Living etc.

Finally, after nearly ten years in a smallish two-bedroomed flat and one looong year of very active house-hunting in London, my husband and I have had an offer accepted on a new place, yay!! We’re so excited!! =) =) =) We’ll be getting some more space and a small garden at last!  As the deal is not 100 per cent final until the contracts are signed and the fat lady sings, I’m not sharing any pictures yet for fear of jinxing it, but in CELEBRATION please join me in drooling over three truly inspirational London homes which feature the best of London style – oodles of creativity, fearless individualism and plenty of eccentricity!

No 1: Victorian townhouse in North London (Hampstead Heath) owned by Sam Roddick – daughter of Body Shop creator Anita Roddick and owner of erotica shop brand Coco de Mer. The boldly blue living room is a very original and personalised space with family pictures, drawings, paintings and vintage furniture. Underneath a glimpse of the trendy industrial style kitchen (love those lights!) and of an inviting seating area with more well-loved vintage furniture. Striking, unique and rather cosy!

No 2: Equally original, but in a completely different way, is this quirky and colourful home of furniture designer Lisa Whatmough (of London label Squint) in Hackney, London. Here, uniform and minimalistic backgrounds allow the happy, multi-coloured granny-esque lamps and vintage-style furniture to take centre stage and really sparkle joy and friendliness. A brightly bohemian and homely fantasyland!

No 3: Third up, is this 1930s arts and crafts house in Brondesbury, London, owned by Joy and Daniel Isaacs.  While a little more “sober and grown-up” than the other two houses, this home is still full of charm and eccentric touches. I love the dark blueish grey on the walls together with the deep red accessories and the vintage stag head - which contrasts beautifully with the modern coffee table. I also really like the minimal yet full impact hallway. It’s bright, uncluttered and spacious and the zebra hide looks great in there.  All in all – a stylishly decorated home with a robust and timeless feel!

[all_images _via Marie Claire Maison and Living Etc]

Grey can work wonders for bedrooms as it’s such a neutral and calming – as well as sophisticated - colour. Below are examples of rooms where grey tones have been used in one way or the other and resulted in really stylish, relaxed and comfortable-looking rooms. Would happily have a snooze in any of those beds, yawnn…

[pics from top left: 1 - Zimbio; 2 - BkkHome; 3 - Marie Claire Maison; 4 - Living Etc; 5- Marimekko; 6 - Aura by Tracie Ellis]

I really like the look created by mixing items from different eras in a completely current way. The contrast is fun and interesting and makes the old look older and the new newer! Mid-century classics (like the Saarinen tulip chairs from 1958 in the pic below for example) are great to use in an eras-mix as the 50s “space-age” style tends to look more modern than modern items!

To me, this “retro-vintage-antiques-modern” mix is all about recycling and reusing great designs from the past – disregarding as many rules about consistency and coherence as possible – and in the process creating interesting and elegant rooms fit for modern living. This eclectic style (which might be easiest to pull of in a period property), ought to have real staying power. So many combinations to try! Posssibly stay clear of the most heavily used 50s classics at the moment to avoid it all looking predictable, but overall I can’t see a room with a successful and harmonious vintage-modern blend going out of fashion any time soon!

Here’s more from the same stylist…

All of the above pics come from stylist Aaron Hom.

I find these images fun and inspiring. What I like best is the yellow/deep pink colour combo and the granny-esque lampshades (I so would like a bedside reading lamp like the pink one! :)) However, while I would love to stay in a boutique hotel or visit a friend’s home which is decorated like this, I don’t think I would like to copy this interior design style wholesale myself. Mostly because I want more modern design classics in the mix and am not overly keen on quite such colourful walls, but also because I know I would struggle to get away with it as my husband would absolutely hate this style ;D

[upper right pic from Canadian Home & Country magazine via Brabourne Farm; upper left and bottom pics from photographer Chris Court]

| image via Shootfactory |

| photo: pia ulin |

There is no secret by now that I am crazy for French-style carved headboards. I do not have one in my possession, but I yearn for them. Big time. However, I’m planning to introduce a little boudoir feel to the bedroom now that the new storage furniture is in place. Our bedroom, which is not altogether Stockholm White with naked windows – it actually has both dark wood furniture, an Indian style colourful bedspread, heavy red velvet drapes and lace. To this, I am thinking of adding a touch of ladies’room, where I can have a petite rest, relax the taut bustier and powder my nose wearing negligee …;) I actually did not find so many nice boudoir photos, they were all too white, but a string of the sensation can be found in these:

I will start at IKEA. Their Edland dressing table has been on my mind since I first saw it. Now I know how to use it. And another very nice IKEA product I stumpled upon is the Årstid lamp. It speaks Faded Glamour. Ok, here we go! Story to be continued :)

Out of the frying pan, into the fire. Again. I just can’t get enough of these carved headboards. They haunt me. Or I hunt them :) Feminine, Romantic, Parisian Chic…the more French, the better.

| pics: living etc |

| this new-find at Graham & Green isn’t too bad either..Cravings!!|

To decorate with your favourite things. That’s unbeatably trendey.

…and the livin’ is easy.

Relaxed summery vibe

| upper photo: Sköna hem, below: Marie Claire Maison |

Something that’s pretty sparse in Sweden, is beautiful beds and headboards. Perhaps the flamboyant French is regarded as a miss-match to the sleek Scandinavian style, perhaps it is the lack of tradition of the grand that’s showing. Either way, never have I seen a Louis XIV-headboard in a Swedish shop. Swedish beds are simple or in carved pine. That’s why I love these.

| pic: 1st option |

| pic via Megan Charland @ Pinterest |