…if you dare. 2012 seems to be the year we see colours used in new exciting ways. Pink might be the most burdened colour, carrying heavy girlie-girlie luggage. Finally it’s set free, perfectly used and cooler than ever!

| pics: living etc. check this round of hot red-pink too!  |

Or Nomad – Bringing Your Travels Home is the title of Sibella Court’s latest book. It’s a photographic collection of travel shots and styled spaces. She has globetrotted and treasure-hunted to Japan, Italy, India, Syria and Mexico. Each place make a flavour with colour palettes and misc. stories. Room settings are inspired by ideas, photos and mementos, showing that any decorative background can be restyled with travel touches.

I realized I haven’t written a review about Sibella Court’s book Etcetera, but in comparison, Nomad is (imho) much more interesting. While Etcetera represents what I regard as typical Sibella Court-style – the glass jars, treasures from the bottom of the ocean, and ethnic-eclectic on smokey white vintage backdrops – Nomad takes a global step forward and delivers insprition from all over the world, still Sibella Court-ish and very likeable. My personal favourite among the exotic interior travels in the book is, at least after a first glance, Mexico!

Decorating a home is – like many other things in life -  a journey. But one needs not go travelling all around the globe in order to embrace the globetrotter approach to interior style. No tickets needed, just open this book and indulge! Or any other book, or movie or people’s home or nature or whatever inspires you. It is actually, in Sibella Court’s words, a matter of seeing things in a new way. And bringing it home. Sibella’s decor philosophy is about adding and subtracting, rearranging and recycling, transforming and rethinking a space to reflect your personality, lifestyle and adventures. The ideas can be as simple as painting a wall or creating a new ‘art wall’ or layering different textiles on your bed or hanging a new piece of fabric over your window. What the book Nomad wants to do, and does, is help open your eyes and fuel your imagination. After all, decor is all about stories and things reflecting you and your life. After reading Nomad, I feel the need for a touch of Mexico in my home.

And I’ve updated my top 5 of places I’d like to travel to:

1. New Orleans, Nashville & Memphis (by a big American car, listening to Townes Van Zandt and June Carter)
2. Clearwater Beach, Florida (for a loooong sunny vacation)
3. Paris (been there once, 20 years ago; must go back and stroll along the bridges nighttime)
4. Sri Lanka (the land of my brother-in-law)
5. Buenos Aires (to exercise the Argentine tango)

Where would you love to travel? And would you bring it home? :)

Anyone who tells me decorating a room is difficult and they (think they) can’t create an interesting & harmonious whole I say: choose a wallpaper. It does the job, wonderfully. Especially in bedrooms, I think!

| via hotel stelor |

| via fine little day |

| via fantastic frank |

I know these lovely bedroom pics – from the Spanish magazine Nuevo Estilo – have been around the blogosphere for a while, but they haven’t been here yet! So here it goes: An example of how marvelous the colour green can be and what it can do to a room.

I would use another rug (and another bedside lamp), but other than that, it’s such a nice composition.

Oui, the door and details and foremost – the dress as decoration – makes such a lovely vibe.

To emphasize the beauty of greenish hues: a seascape photo print by Irene Suchocki.

Hepp, I got a second summer house! In my mind…that is. A green oasis and energy booster retreat! It has the loveliest windows (above, via igotasweettooth), cool details such as the vintage lamp (via etsy) and loads and loads of fresh flowers and lively popping colours:

And of course, a huge huge garden, almost a forest. With some seating areas here and there.

| pics: click to source |

Mm, that’s my summer hideaway!

I went to have a quick glance at AT’s Small/Cool 2011 contest and I stayed for like…an hour! Lots of nice homes to watch! I didn’t go though them all (thank god) but I really need to feature this one…

Kim & Scott spent close to four years turning their contractors seemingly “perfect” beige-box into a place they love to call home – spaces that reflects their, sometimes clashing, personalities. It totally captures a light, fresh and joyful spring mood I think – and the bold-coloured details makes it all interesting. Also, this is another of the very many proofs of the superiority of coloured walls, compared to white :)

Kim & Scott’s Yellow Brick Home. Lovely. Let it win.