Gr e y is certainly one of the hottest wall colours now that white is increasingly set aside in favor of more interesting options. As grey often is a bit cold, I love when it’s combined with warm purples, reds and pinks. And brown leather & woods. Here’s some great examples! Oh and I like the frame hanging to the left – a fun alternative to the gallery style.

There’s some exciting things going on at the Trendey headquarters right now! A stylist just vistited and tomorrow photo shoots will take place in my little abode. Stay tuned :)

| pic 1 & 3 via  living etc, feb 2012 issue / pic 2 via hus & hem |

And some info: We get quite a few questions on how to decorate a specific room. It’s nice to hear from you and our answers are found here. Now, we have been using our imagination on the basis of your descriptions, but in order for us to deliver advices and ideas that’s at least fairly appropriate, please attach a photo of the room in question (it is now possible via the contact form too) if you want us to think & feedback. Happy week!

 

The festive days are getting closer! This one is those of us who loves when it sparkles! Gorgeous colour scheme, via living etc. Merry, Merry Christmas Time to all of you!

| by stylist marcus hay |

Hello! Here’s some happy hues for you.

| from residence magazine # 11 – 2011 |

I find all of these schemes & styles very appealing and nice, especielly on a November day…

| from vårt nya hem 11-2011 |

Gorgeous colour combos. The wall colour (above ) is F&B:s Calamine.

| via residence magazine |

My feelings are very warm for typical Stockholm beauties like these. With the wide plank flooring, the tile stove and the generous ceiling height creating such wonderful sense of space. Decorating a home under conditions like these is a sheer delight. Walls kept ‘Stockholm-white’ (like above) or painted, wallpapered…Any style works.  | via estate agencies fastighetsbyrån & susanne persson |

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.

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Welcome to my place! And where better to start off a housetour than in the hallway? My favourite items here are the quirky clown bust and the vintage-find mirror.

Another view. I really enjoy the colour infusion from the purple wood floor (painted in Farrow and Ball’s “Pelt”) and the roughness of the diy branch chandelier – which casts great shadows in the nighttime.  Still a lot of unfulfilled decoration potential and empty walls around, but slowly and surely I aim to fill them up!

Finally, a glimpse below of the living room… The glam flowers in the Chinese urn are from my husband on our wedding anniversary last week – regrettably not a permanent fixture in this room! :) That’s it for now, but the housetour will continue shortly. Next up, dining room and kitchen!

| photos by mia @ trendey |