Feeling sleepy and undecided? In need of a vitamin injection? Here’s good news. Paint your wall(s) in a brave red-pink and your heart will beat stronger, faster and happier. It’s hotter than ever! Not pink the girlie-girlie way, but ethnic, country, eclectic – whatever style you fancy.

| photo: mikkel adsbol |

| photo via house to home |

| photo via house to home |

And yeah, it’s the colour of the year 2011.

This weekend has held the Autumn 2011 Formex Fair. As always with these fairs – and maybe with this one in particular – there is much ado about nothing. Of what makes this event, fresh ideas & insights, trends and innovations are extremely small parts. Actually, you almost only find it in the marketing material! This of course is beneath contempt, since Formex could be The Place for inspiration, clearly ahead, like a fortune-teller-market. Instead, the exhibition is mainly blah when it comes to fresh new thoughts. Luckily enough though, we stayed for a lecture by Lotta Ahlvar, the CEO of Swedish Fashion Council. This very inspiring talk outlined some upcoming trends. Again it was confirmed that the Swedish white minimalist era is over. It belongs to the 00s. The successor can not be understood and defined already, of course, but Ahlvar spoke of somethng like “down-toned and cozy” as the present new concept. An anti-trend of course, after all the whiteness in this country. With the 70′s as style reference, nature as the source and the farmer as guru, a bit of style- and view-shifting is afoot.

Lotta Ahlvar highlighted a clearly growing trend in Sweden – the urban farmer. Or at least, the urban cultivator. The city is transforming into Farmville. Think potato plantations in the window and warp chickens on the balcony (and maybe a dairy cow in the garden?) Long passed are those multi-equipped fancy kitchens people never cooked in, just showed off the occasional sourdough. Now it’s time to plant some uniquely rare beans. In a cozy and 70s nostalgia environment. Crafts belong to the new (new-old) movement too and wool was noted as a trending material; knit, crocheted or tangled. Recycled. And wood! Lots of wood. Even more of the Swedish pinnstolar and Windsors (especially appropriate as one of our main resources and exports is wood). Moving on to the trend colours,  the charts for 2012-2013 contained lovely reds and 70s yellows together with gold and copper (i.a., this is only one / my selection). I really believe in Brandy orange + brass. There was also charcoal and clay. Now this was some of the trend news, let’s await a greater impact! I personally am convinced Lotta Ahlvar is right on track in her trend spotting (and n.b. I’ve fueled some of the content; all excesses are on me, not the lecturer). If not already, in due course (the style-anxious) Swedes will take the new trend line very seriously. Furthermore, this path is a natural consequence of our eco-thinking, conscientious waste sorting & recycling and not least given the ongoing trendification of the countryside.

As mentioned above, the innovativeness and trend sensibility demonstrated in the Ahlvar speech (and in the written Formex material) was not very much reflected in the Formex fair’s main content: the exhibiton. Some nice things were spotted – pictured above, though seen before -  but the overall impression was just as shabby chic as 2005. Loads of factory-worn or whitewashed signs with positive messages and other “newly-made antiques”. Not one single eye-opener, which leads me to conclude that the Swedish (mainstream) market for interior design products is pretty dull. Do It better Yourself – my next mission is to find/invent and share some DIY-ideas.

And speaking of, I like the DIY fair Hem & Villa and the Home fair way better. This year [Oct 13-16] it’s themed – tadá! – Close To Nature. Trend report follows.

Share

Although I still love Chesterfield sofas, I must confess I’m having an affair with the Knoll sofa at the moment. It’s just so simple, elegant and classy that I can’t help myself! Designed by Florence Knoll in 1954, it has never really gone out of fashion – and it still looks amazingly sleek and modern today.

This sofa has experienced a huge surge in popularity recently as part of the general trend favouring mid-century modern classics (a trend still going strong!), so if you don’t want to fork out on an original (at least 8-9,000 USD), there are masses of reproductions and cheaper interpretations of this sofa out there. For example, IKEA’s very good value version, the Karlstad range. Below left in white leather for 599 GBP. Also check out Sater to the right at only 239 GBP – now that’s cheap for so much style!

It seems the British Patrioric/Union Jack trend that Henen wrote about on September 2nd ’09 is remarkably durable (it was not even new by then). By mere coincidence the other week, I was just strolling through Debenhams heading for another shop, I spot this sweet cushion, that got to accompany me to the pay desk – and now it’s happily fused with the others in the sofa cushion collection. I enjoy seeing Union Jack around, it’s nice flag and a nice decor item! It has some special edge to it.

Even more, I like the Olde’ English Chesterfield sofa. Always trendy or trend-free, a classic. Below combined with, amongst other things, a nice Union Jack cushion.

..oh, and I have to include this one, the limited edition Union Jack version the Falcon 1092 Deluxe range cooker. A statement item for the kitchen, to put it mildly.

Ruuuuule, Britannia!

My favourite sofa right now has got to be the Chesterfield sofa! And judging by the many Chesterfields featured in interior design magazines recently and the fact that most fashionable furniture stores seem to have at least one version in their catalogues and window displays , it is clear that I’m not alone and that this type of sofa is experiencing a surge of popularity at the moment. And no wonder! The Chesterfield is sophisticated and timeless and evokes images of ‘Olde England’, of gentlemen’s clubs, cosy libraries and elegant sitting rooms.

These are some of my favourite Chesterfields: a bold purple velvet number from Sofa Workshop; a version from John Lewis in brown leather; and a delicious dark liquorice edition from Heal’s. (See also the gorgeous mustard-coloured Chesterfield in Mia’s post Yellow Spots)

As summer fades and evenings are getting darker, yellow is the perfect accent colour to illuminate our homes. No other color expresses hope and reassurance more than yellow. This was said when the Pantone Mimosa yellow was selected the Color of the Year for 2009. Bright sunny yellow, warm golden yellow, orange-and green hued yellows, they are all super-trendey sparkles ready to enlighten any interior.

Around a photo of a balcony (taken today @ Norr Mälarstrand, Stockholm) I’ve gathered some yellowish favourites. Clockwise starting from 1 o’clock it is the Toldbod Pendant 120, yellow blossom, from Louis Poulsen, followed by Magazine Racks and the stool La Bohème by Kartell. From 6 o’clock going towards 7, a yellow Atelier Chesterfield and a Suzani Sprig Cocktail Napkin from Anthropologie. The Yellow Statue at 8 can be found in Supermarket Sarah and finally at bedtime, the Trollsta side table from Ikea.

Discuss!