Todd Selby has visited the New York City home of Colin Tunstall, co owner & creative director Saturdays NYC, and I cherish the laid-backness! A melodic and interesting tune is what I hear. Detailwise, I Iove it that he’s got a beautiful Dala horse in the window (actually there are more Swedish details if you look further at the Selby – e.g. some bottles of fine Swedish snaps. Good choices).

Lived-in and hodgy-podgy. On the verge of messy, yet I still hear a good tune, fine lyrics. Love this display below.

This picture from the front cover of World of Interiors June 2011 issue really appeals to me. It steams vacation and relaxation. In an exotic faraway place (like Morocco :)) The ethnic/grobetrotter trend that smashed in late spring seems to have gone on holiday but I am convinced it’ll be back full furce once it’s Autumn.

I tried to find a song for these lovely moody beigeish interiors – via from the right bank – and keep thinking it’s something by Anna Ternheim. What does your ears tell you?

Some time ago, I pondered whether there’s a correlation between people’s tastes in music and – not only clothes they wear, but also – interior design styles and home decor choices. And yes, I figure it may very well be so. All are expressions of personal preferences and surely they can be more or less consistent but it boils down to the same core. As for myself – a lover of alt.country and music with storytelling/folk roots – I’m not really sure how this translates to my interiors, but I have traced some signs :) Defining a song or a music style for each room is indeed an exciting project! Try it. I can’t stop doing it now that I started… Anyhow, I found a song by Swedish singer-songwriter Annis Brander that – if we downsize the cabaret influences – offers great eclectic-boho inspiration. There’s a country base, with folk tunes, elements of clean Swedishness, boho-charm-gypsy as well as my much-loved circus-theme and old glamour. Perfectly missmatched.

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.

Are you, like me, pretty tired of the “panel curtains” that can be seen in each and every home? In Sweden, at least, panel curtains have been extremely popular the last decade. They are often in linen, and they look and hang very exact, one on each side of the window. There is something with the squariness and stiffness of the fabric and hanging that acts as a stop sign on my mind… I want curtains to be alive! Below are two examples of inspirational variations, from the magazine Sköna Hem. Pic to the left shows an asymmetric variation of the traditional linen curtain. Different colours, lenghts and types of fabrics are mixed and some straps and decorations are added. Result: much more fun and lively than the traditional straight panel style. To the right, six lenghts of a thin white curtain (from IKEA btw, named”Lill”) gives the room a soft light and a smooth feel. As curtain holdbacks, something originally made to hold a canopy is used. I like that idea.

This photo below has actually nothing to do with home decor, it’s a press photo of the Swedish folksinger/songwriter Sofia Karlsson. But I do like the curtains! They look beautiful, romantic, delicate and pleasant. Just like the music of the woman in the foreground.