Black, white and pastel inspiration from Norsu

Oooo, it's a lovely day here in Sweden. I'm feeling especially happy as I'm enjoying it from a cafe by the sea.   I may be celebrating my day in the sunshine but there's someone else that is celebrating a far greater achievement - Norsu Interiors is celebrating it's first birthday. Norsu (meaning 'elephant' in Finnish) is an online shop founded by three mothers who realised they had a common appreciation for all things beautiful and Scandinavian (hang on, I recognise that, don't you?!). The Australian brand is opening a physical store in Melbourne in October but for those of us far away, we'll be admiring your inspirational lifestyle images from a far.

Styling Julia Green, Photography Armelle Habib via Decordots with thanks

I spy: the Pia Wallen Cross Blanket, Leather Strap hangers by Mathilde Clahr (also featured here), Some fabulous prints and items by Hay and Ferm Living. Pretty much everything you see is available in Norsu interiors.

I actually have a little exciting news and something to celebrate myself too! I have just launched my own GREAT.LY boutique. For those of you who are not familiar with GREAT.LY, it is an online marketplace which connects beautiful hand-picked items by 'tastemakers' made by 'makers'. I had so much fun selecting the items for my boutique but my favourite picks (right now, at least) are the neon pompom geometric cushion (perfect for my little girls room?!), a cognac tote (yes please) and the overlapping circles print. Thank you to the GREAT.LY team for inviting me to be involved, I love to support entrepreneurs and small businesses in the design world.

Have a lovely sunny day!

PS This weekend I'll be running a give-away, I can't disclose the prize right now but I think you're going to love it. Make sure you pop by on Saturday or Sunday for your chance to win!

The (truly beautiful) Line Apartment

You may already be familiar with The Line in New York but in case you're not, it's a beautiful online store selling pared back items and latest finds from emerging names across fashion, home and beauty. Already sold? Well, there's more. The Line believe objects gain new meaning and greater dimension through context and as a result have created The Apartment to showcase items in the intimate setting of a home. And what a beautiful home it is, don't you think?!

Copyright: Apartment34.com. The Line Apartment. Photography: Aubrie Pick via Seventeen Doors.

The Line has recently introduced Toteme the fashion brand created by Swedish stylist and blogger Elin Kling and Karl Lindman on their site which is well worth a look here.

And how cool is that blue velvet modern take on a chesterfield?! My parents have always had blue velvet chesterfields so they always remind me of my childhood. Keep an eye on LiveAuctioneer for similar. I pinned a space on my 'Moody' board the other day which had a surprisingly beautiful sitting room colour combination of dark blue velvet, dark grey and brass. You can see the image here (what do you think?).

Is there anything you love in particular about this space?

You might also want to take a peek at The Apartment in Copenhagen which works with the same concept. Also beautiful!

Are you doing anything great this weekend? I am at home with my sick three year old today (poor little thing) but I hope she'll be better by the weekend so we can do something fun in the sun.

Have a wonderful couple of days and see you Monday!

PS don't forget to enter the Rosendahl Monkey give-away which closes Sunday

A very cool Toronto apartment

Hello! I hope you had a wonderful weekend? Did you get a chance to enter the give-away to win the t'shirt soft bed linen yet? This fabulous Victorian Toronto apartment belongs to John Baker and Juli Daoust and is located directly above their beautiful shop Mjölk (meaning 'milk' in Swedish). -how's that for a commute?! You can definitely see John and Juli's love of all things Scandinavian and Japanese shining through and I also like the brown accents they've used throughout. I once featured their cottage on here which is equally beautiful but in a different way.

Johan Baker and Juli Daoust of Mjölk, Featured in Dwell. Via Miss Moss

*sigh* such a perfect way to brighten up a Monday morning don't you think? Is there anything you love in particular about this space?

I'm all over that wall of dried wild flowers (could this image be from their shop?), I wonder if this can be re-created as a DIY project? It would be so fun for spring.

By the way, I came across a competition over at FinnStyle at the weekend asking people to choose which Marimekko pattern they like the most. They're now down to the final four and would love some help choosing the winner, one lucky participant could win a 100 dollar gift card for their efforts (please let it be me....or you...or me....!)

Have a lovely Monday!

PS Thank you to Miss Moss and Dwell for the inspiration. 

The 2014 romantic pastel home

It seems like pastels are back in a big way for 2014. My personal take is 'pastels with a romantic touch'. I came across these inspirational images from H&M Home and think they really hit the mark.  Do you have an H&M home near you? We don't have one in Southern Sweden sadly but there's one over the bridge in Copenhagen so I always take the time to stop by when I'm in town. Last time I picked up this moss coloured knit throw for my bedroom. Seeing these pictures make me feel perhaps it's time for another visit?!

H&M Home via Flying House

If you fancy a little more pastel inspiration I love this Swedish home and this home of a French fashion designer.

Are you a pastel person? I'm definitely more pastels then bold colours although I do sometimes think I should throw in an element of surprise like a bright yellow chair!

Incidentally this is not a sponsored post, I just happen to love the H&M Home lifestyle images, how about you?!

Have a lovely day!

Very cool inspiration from OYOY

I'm a big fan of the Danish brand OYOY. Any company who has a vision 'to design functional products in high quality materials with beautiful colours and shapes' has my vote! And they're true to their word. I love the way they have styled these images with items from their Autumn/Winter 2013 collection. If you love accessorising your home with cushions, candle holders etc like I do (my husband has actually put a ban on me buying any more cushions - luckily he's not terribly observant!), you'll love this company.

OYOY via Riazzoli with thanks

If you're on the look out for some cool black and white prints like the ones you see here, Lotta Agaton's webshop is a great source. I also love art by Danish graphic designer Silke Bonde. 

Before I head off into the gloomy Southern Swedish weather this morning I'm extremely excited to introduce my new sponsor The Linen Works.  The Linen Works sells relaxed washed bed and table linen in soft muted tones, as well as kitchen linen and fabric by the metre for creating curtains, blinds etc and the good news is they ship worldwide. I absolutely love high quality linen which only gets softer and more beautiful the more you wash it but I'm having a hard time choosing between the Cassis Rose bed linen and Toulon Grey bed linen for my bedroom what do you reckon? Both?! Ha! A big warm welcome to The Linen Works! 

Have a lovely day - hope it's not pouring with rain where you are too?!

The beautiful home / showroom of Father Rabbit

When Claudia and Nick launched Father Rabbit in 2010, they had no idea the business would take over their home. But this is exactly what happened. Items from their online shop proved so popular the New Zealand couple decided they needed a showroom. The solution was to divide their beautiful home in two and use half for private space and the other half as a showroom. The result is pretty cool.

Louise Hyatt of Tilly & Friends and Duncan Innes via Remodelista with thanks. 

Pretty beautiful don't you think? I particularly love the kitchen and bedroom - how about you?

Claudia and Nick have now reclaimed the show room space and are burrowing their way over to BLOC on Normandy road, Mt Eden where a new Father Rabbit showroom will open soon (for the lucky Aucklanders out there!).

Here in Southern Sweden it's become popular to turn a 'Skånegård' - an old farm house in a horse shoe shape - into a destination for people to lunch, 'fika' and shop at the weekend. My current favourite is Slättarps Gård. When I see the above interior I dream of starting a business like this myself! Imagine?!

Have a lovely day!

Monday DIY - the simplest, cutest idea ever.

Hello Monday! I hope you had a great weekend? If you're looking for a simple way to update your home this week or even just something creative to do, how about this incredibly simple yet cool textile / wallpaper project? It's the brainchild of Frk Hansen who was inspired by Ferm Living's beautiful half-moon wallpaper. Frk Hansen used a fabric marker, textile paint, and a potato to create the monochrome design. Yes, a potato! I'm on it! 

Photos 1,2,3,4 Frk Hansen - with kind permission. Photo 5: Ferm Living. 

Pretty cool project don't you think? You could always swap the half moons for hearts like in the image below (or buy very cute heart stickers from Ferm Living). 

Ferm Living

And while we're on the subject of children's rooms (although even as an adult I could definitely have those half-moons and hearts on my wall, couldn't you?!), I'm extremely excited to introduce my new sponsor Babyssimo who sells the most cute children's things ever. Cue gorgeous baby pyjamas, accessories (mittens with faces anyone?!), and measuring giraffes. Oh and there's their Tocoto Vintage range too....*sigh* can one of my friends have a baby soon please so I can get shopping?

Have a lovely Monday!

Lovely work by stylist Sania Pell

Sania Pell is one very talented stylist. I've been browsing her portfolio and blog for hours (as you do on a cold wintery day in Sweden). She's lovely too (I know as I sent her a mail about sharing a few images and she couldn't have responded quicker and been more helpful) we're also both London girls and it transpires that we both studied in Edinburgh too so I have taken an even bigger liking to her work now - ha! But seriously, don't you love these images Sania styled for Cox & Cox last Autumn?

Styled by Sania Pell, Photographs by Emma Lee for Cox & Cox

Sania also has a couple of books out; The Homemade Home for Children and The Homemade Home. How cool. I have a dream to write an interior book one day. Do you have a dream like this? Perhaps we can write one together :)
These images set the tone nicely for my weekend. I've promised to bake cakes with my girls, although I'm feeling a little ill-equipped now that I see the cute footprint cookie cutter! Oh and I'm also missing a sweet and soft looking cat too. Hmmm.

Have a really lovely weekend! (see you on Pinterest!).

A pop and a fizz in Paris

Tjohoo! It's Friday! The Parisien home of Anna Huber, the designer behind children's shop la cerise sur le gateau is the perfect weekend inspiration.  It's full of fizz; with brilliant blues, fuschia pinks and canary yellow and a sizzling touch of je nais ce quoi! I smiled the whole way through the tour so thank you Milk magazine (and SF Girl By Bay) for the inspiration!

Milk Magazine via SF Girl by Bay

Do you have any bold bright notes in your home?

PS I'm very excited as our new Erik Magnussen Porcelight pendant lights have just arrived from Malmö Modern. I've just been to the electrical shop to buy all the extras, not always easy - my understanding of all things electrical is limited enough in English let alone Swedish! If I bought the right stuff (errr) we'll hang them this weekend. Yay! Promise to share pics soon!

Have a great weekend all! (see you on pinterest?!)