Happy Monday blog friends! Say hi to my blog friend Susann who is the face behind one of my favorite blogs in Sweden -  Purple Area. This is a must read blog for anyone who is interested in a contemporary, more minimalistic design style with a Swedish slant. Talented Susann who has had her well read blog for several years also runs her interior design company and is busy writing regular blog columns about design for a couple of leading Swedish morning papers.

When I need to check the design temperature in Sweden, Purple Area is one of the first blogs I go to. And when I need some new but simple design inspiration for the winter holidays I also trust Susann will provide some great ideas. Let me share her take on holiday decorations with all of you!

Susann, what is your design approach for the winter holidays?

I love decorating for Christmas, without going overboard. Less is definitely more for me. 

I like it simple and enjoy using natural materials and objects like wood, fleece, fir branches, moss and nuts which give a room a genuine and earthy feel. Holiday knick knacks are not my thing, instead I prefer real candles, beautiful flowers and something that lights up my windows. I tend to go with fewer things, of larger scale to make an impact.

 Anything in particular that inspires you this year?

This year I feel that the trend has been somewhat divided. I have seen a lot of pure white but also black and strong colors. I also see a lot of nostalgia going back to a more 50′s and 60′s retro look with a lot of vintage and great patina. The retro patterns with dots, checks and flowers are so in vogue. But so is also wood.

Personally, I am drawn to a white palette which I combine with things from nature. White is so elegant and green adds a lovely freshness. A large, classic star will hang in my window as usual. A plate with simple candles and walnuts and clear vases with pine cones and Christmas bulbs are all very appealing to me.

(I am so going to copy this wonderful December idea. Just attach vintage metal numbers and strings to simple white candles and place them on a tray with walnuts. I love this idea! -Monika’s comment. Image via the Swedish blog Hemmariket).

How do you decorate for the holidays at your own home?

Lots of hyacinths, amaryllises and poinsettas that I plant in clear vases. Both for the look and the wonderful smells. I use lots of candles, stars in the windows and of course a real tree. I will decorate the tree with white bulbs, silver stars in metal and a few things with sentimental value that my children have made.

What can you not live without during the season?

My family, the tree, the open fireplace and something good to eat is pretty much all I need! A few years ago we decided that we would not bring a lot of musts to this wonderful season and run around all stressed. We only do what we really enjoy, prepare food we have a hankering for at the moment and only decorate with things we like. It is pretty much only the kids’ gifts that are still a must. Since we always celebrate at our house – the rest of the extended family gets to share in the same way of celebrating. And they don’t seem to mind!

 Any special design gifts on your wish list?

I have just ordered a gray, lovely sofa that will arrive in the new year. I guess that will be my Christmas gift! But I wouldn’t mind some things from Swedish designers such as Filippa K. and Ingegerd Råman. Or why not some wonderful pillows from Day Home to go with my new sofa!

Thank you so much Susann for sharing some great holiday ideas. Happy holidays to you and your family! Please make sure to visit her blog here. Finally, below is an image of Susann’s stair case and book shelf at home. She lives as she teaches! Simple and lovely!

Interior Images:  Image No. 1 Bordsdekorationer (table decor), Image no. 2 + 8-11 Susann’s private, No. 3-4 Trine Thorsen, No. 5 Living Etc, No. 6, Tine K, No. 7 Hemmariket,No. 12 Ahlens via Purple Area, No. 13 (sofa) Eilersen DaCapo, No. 14 (Filippa k) Dukat Bord, No. 15 Orrefors, No. 16 Day Home, No. 17 Photo by Peo Olsson for Residence.

“Some People Are Always Grumbling Because Roses Have Thorns;

I Am Thankful That Thorns Have Roses”

Happy Thanksgiving (for those of you celebrating)!

Sending you lots of love and happy thoughts.

Have a lovely week dear blog friends!

I am taking a few days off to spend quality time with my fun & lovely family.

See you on Monday!

Images via Southern Accents and  Martha Stewart

Happy Monday lovely blog friends! Are you crazy busy like myself this time of the year? (I find myself running around in circles). A dose of Swedish might just be what we all need. Here are some lovely Swedish white rooms to keep you calm and collected this busy season!

This apartment is for sale (wish I could buy it today as our retreat when we go to Sweden on a yearly basis) and it is located in the vibrant neighborhood “Vasastaden” in Gothenburg (the second largest city in Sweden). My very first own apartment was located in Vasastaden in Stockholm (same vibrant neighborhood, same look and feel). Maybe this wasn’t such a good post after all. Now I get all emotional and home sick…!

Post inspiration via Designfragment

First of all, I am so sorry I have not been very alert and active lately but the family was hit hard by the flu (5 out of 5 family members!) but we are all up and running in happy circles again!

While I was under the covers lovely Greet at the blog Belgian Pearls sent me this Honest Scrap Award. Belgian Pearls is a must read blog for anybody who gravitate towards truly elegant interiors with a Belgian Twist. Greet is an accomplished interior designer and her blog offers a wealth of design information & inspiration. Visit her often! 

With this award I am supposed to share 10 things about myself that my readers may not know about me. And then send this award to 7 other lovely blogs.  (But I really should have sent this to all the blogs I read and comment on. They are all WONDERFUL! And so are the people behind those blogs!) Here goes!:

1) I have no sense of orientation. None, zip, nada. I can’t tell you how many times I have gotten totally lost in major cities and somehow managed to apper on the complete opposite side of the city, without any understanding of time and place. On a positive note: I thrive on meeting people and seeing places, so getting lost is nothing I fear. On the contrary!

2) Every night before I head for bed I drink a jumbo cup of silver tea. That is a fancy name for hot water with nothing in it! It probably sounds terribly boring to you but I crave it with such intensity that my whole family gets nervous if they don’t hear water boiling late in the evening.

3) I married a really good man. He is a super hero in my eyes. Intelligent, kind, generous, accomplished, an out of this world great dad, loving and witty. He has oodles of hidden talents that I still after 10 years of marriage am discovering. It took me years to figure out that he is brilliant saxophone player, scratch golfer, a great skier, he’s a human dictionary, and he is a really good cook. And he puts up with me!

4) My favorite cities in the world: Stockholm and New York. We have permanently put down our anchor in Seattle which is a beautiful & fun city with incredible people. But Stockholm and New York make my heart race extra fast.

5) I’d rather put my money on something for the home, than something to wear.

6) I love black, salty (really salty) liqurice. The first thing I buy when I land in Stockholm is to get a bag before I even reach the passport control. It is also the last thing I buy before I board a plane on route to the US. You can actually buy containers of vanilla ice cream with swirls of salt liquirice at just about any ordinary grocery store in Sweden.

7) I consider myself happy & content. I laugh often! To me life is beautiful! But I don’t take if for granted.

8) I crave really good and well written suspense novels.

9) When I travel I always try to find good local restaurants off the beaten path. In Taiwan I once ended up in small local hangout (think hole in the wall) where only snake was served in different concoctions. I love dining adventures like that. And yes, it tasted pretty much like chicken!

10) I love peonies and dark bing cherries. I always tend to go a little crazy when they are in season. 

That was my contribution! I am now sending this award to the following 7 blogs (in no particular order). Let’s find out more about them!

1) Mochatini

2) Belle Vivir

3) Design Fragment

4) Space for Inspiration

5) Vintage Simple

6) Otis & Frank

7) Swedish Antiques 

Images by: 1.  Gak’s , 2. flickr, 3. Desiree Swanson, 4. Olof S , 5. Nicoatridge,  6-8. Domino, 10. tamaki, 11. flickr, 12. pieter, 13. rabbee, 14. flickr, 15. superhoop, 16. Shortcake scraps

Good new week to you dear blog friends! In five and a half weeks Christmas is here for those of you who are celebrating. I am so behind it is almost funny. The furry rats and shiny pumpkins are still sitting outside my front door, people! And don’t even get me started on Holiday cards, parties thrown at me, a good amount of gifts that soon need to be on Santa’s sleigh on his way to Europe not to mention all the preparations for the holidays at our own home. Is anybody aware of a button that can be pushed that sets you in the right Holiday mood? Nope, still not in the mood.

Instead I would rather sip wine at a fancy art gallery having a fun and relaxing time without any do’s & don’ts messing with my joyous state of mind.

A few months ago my lovely blog friend Di over at Designersblock wrote a post about the artist Paul Villinski. I can’t get his artwork off my mind.

Just look at these butterflies made out of old beer cans! I love these installations and could easily see a butterfly art piece on a large empty wall space where some drama and beauty is needed.

This is what Paul Villinski has to say about his butterflies: “Our grandchildren will laugh in disbelief at the vast resources we squander, manufacturing a plastic bottle for a pint of water, or mining aluminum to surround 12 ounces of beer with metal. One generation’s trash will be another’s treasure. These littered beer cans are humble, but worthy materials, and it’s gratifying to take this “trash” and turn it into something of beauty and meaning.”.

Showing you this artwork is also appropriate since I just found out that my dear Swedish friend Kiki is moving to Sweden with her husband. Kiki is the owner of the store, Swedish Heirlooms in Seattle, a popular destination for people interested in old Swedish furnishings and good antique reproductions. Her lovely store is now up for sale. Sad news for so may of us in Seattle but what do you do when your hubby gets a top job on the the other side of the planet? I am sure talented Kiki will come up with a brilliant business idea that allows her to work with both countries. But I am not sure I am ready to let her go. I just don’t like when good friends move!

For more of Paul Villinkis’ portfolio – go here.