One of my favourite DIY departments is lamps & lighting [check out our DIY sub-category named Creative lamps]. The coolest lamps consist of various stuff put together (be it bottles, odd china or well, anything), handicrafted lamp shades (knit wool, braided birch bark, etc) or just some old thing made into a lamp (like a hat – think Jeeves & Wooster). Or a lamp shade hat put on a porcelain dog (- think Abigail Ahern’s lighting collection). Or perhaps a reclaimed neon sign. In this field of decor (as any), only creativity’s the limit.

And, most importantly: you can Do It Yourself! It’s one of the greatest way to create something unique because lighting can hardly ever look ugly or wrong. Especially not if you’ve put your soul in it. Few people have too many lighting sources in a room, problem is usually the opposite. Best of all, there’s plenty of inspiration around. Personally, I still love the idea of painting a globe, I think my wor(l)d would be o y s t e r :) And just take a second look at Henen’s DIY:ed hallway lamp: Purely made of branch, tape, paint and a good dose of creativity (there’s also a white smurf hidden among the twigs (!)). And it certainly casts both personality and amazing shadows at night. Interestingly, many of the brand new lamps in the market are upcycled, hodge-podgy and/or homespun. Definitely DIY-friendly.

Good examples: A creation of vintage rulers  /

a bunch of old lampshades (similiar cluster spotted at the AW 2011 Formex fair)…

And lastly, a slightly odd (but simple) one – to light up the kitchen of course – a colander.

| sources: 1, 2 & 3, 4 |

Rag rugs have gone from being a standard element in (at least Swedish) homes, to almost oblivion, to newly awakened wide popularity. Just have a peek though our rag rug tag, there’s quite a lot of fresh decor scenes with this feature. Like well, our hallway! ;) Of course, rag rugs are right on target in today’s passion for reusing and recycling. Personally, I have always loved – and lived with – these handicrafts, which are often a hodgepodge of old t-shirts, bed sheets and other scraps of fabric. And I’m happy I managed to save the ones woven by Grandma from being thrown away. And also, that we got some – beautiful blueish ones – form Mike’s Grandma. Fine as stuff, as we say in Sweden.

A neat manufacturer in this rag rug wave is the Swedish company RugCycle, with the (from the name obvious) concept of recycling rugs.  Their new 2nd collection is actually a homage to rag rugs, designed in collaboration with the TV-profile and Northern Swedener Linda Lindorff. The staring point has been simple, countryish rag rugs, crafted by local women, often with local designs and techniques. These traditional rugs are hand-picked in Northern Sweden and sewn together in various combinations. The fascination of the craftsmanship and female force behind the rag rugs was crucial throughout the design process. So, the most Scandinavian of flooring traditions is here adapted to modern homes and needs by reusing the old and beautiful crafts. Available for purchase this Autumn. Hurray for this!

Update: And I just need mention this other new rag rug – product. From Danish super-brand Nordal‘s summer 2011 collection: rag rug placemats !

Kitchen decor winds are blowing this style in Trendey’s direction. Basically simple with nostalgic hints. Retro, recycle and charm summarize this kitchen blend. Open shelves, fresh flowers, some 50s details and happy accents are all parts of the mix.

| picis via marieclairemaison & sköna hem. the wonderful still life pics by photographer trine thorsen |

Take just anything you like, mix it together, assemble, glue and – pcch…..just spray it! Like in the lovely creation above via Sköna hem or the cake dish below made of different parts of old china and candle holders, via the DIY-show Äntligen Hemma. Easy picey. Your own design is the very best design.

I've got some news for you
Fembots (fembots) have feelings too

Are-n’t the-se fo-bots lo-v-ely! Found object robots - in artist Amy Flynn‘s versions made up of various bits and pieces such as old tins, handles, tea infusers, a pocket watch and hydraulic fittings. Very creative, quirky and fun. An assortment of Amy Flynn’s Fobots can be found at Anthropologie.

I think there are several elements that make retro robots, and fobots in particular, an interesting decor item of our time. It’s recycled waste: Old parts transformed into something new through pure creativity. Each piece is unique. Vintage. The retro look of these robots has aesthetics of a bygone era: Reminiscent of technology beliefs in the 50s and 60s that maybe, around the distant year 2010, robots like this will be serving us humans…(!) Hm, wouldn’t that be something! :p

The fobot is charmig and an excellent eclectifying detail. Retro robots of course feel at home in an industrial vintage style, and may for sure add interest and fun to any scheme. There are quite a lot of robot stuff around, including some nice posters/prints. Below are some examples: Doreen Box Art Robot Print and The Warmth of Your Metal Heart Print from John W. Golden and a Vintage Robot Retro Pop Art Print from Moster Gallery. Also, I couldn’t let this cute thing out, a Robot Corkscrew from Urban Outfitters.

The Swedish fashion company Boomerang has, since the start in 1976, said to define “Scandinavian Preppy”. Their concept is a preppy style with a Swedish heritage – less sporty than the American style, yet more casual and less formal than the British style. Tonight, the Boomerang Home Collection will be previewed.. and from tomorrow Friday, it will be sold at Boomerang stores. Exiting!

| photo from Design Delight |

Those stools look very appealing! The Home collection is developed in collaboration with designer Jens Fager. And there’s a Boomerang Effect – lamps, carpets, stool-seats, etc, are made from recycled clothing and fabrics – waste material from the production of Boomerang clothing. The Boomerang Effect also means that you can return your old Boomerang garments to the store and receive a 10% discount on your next purchase – some of the returned garments will be given a second chance. Super – thank you Design Delight for sharing this news – I feel an urgent need to go there tomorrow and check it out!