I just got back from a trip to Portland, OR. (I will tell you more about my trip in my next post). My wonderful sister-friend Kendra took me to the Pearl District for some lunch and from the corner of my eye I noticed a rug store in a wonderful warehouse setting. The name is Kush Carpets, and it is a local Portland store offering handmade rugs from all over the world, with quality and eco and social environment in mind. I just had to pay a visit.

I had a little chat with one of the store owners, Rebecca, and I must say that I was quite impressed. Rebecca, together with her business partner Brian have been in business for a decade and many interior designers team up with them – and rightfully so. They offer a selection of stunning, handmade rugs of very nice quality. (The pictures on their website do not even do the store justice). Trust me when I say that there are literally hundreds of stunning art piece you just want to take home.

I really took a liking to these felt rugs made  in Kyrgyzstan. They are known as “shyrdaks” and use shapes from the natural and spiritual worlds. The designs represent harmony and coexistence. I wouldn’t mind one of these.

Hard to not like this Suzani patterned rug. For $6000 it wasn’t exactly a steal but it is so beautiful.

The owners scout the world to find hand-spun wool and resilient dyes in modern area rugs and traditional oriental carpets to add to their unique collection of hand-knotted carpets. Kush also offers custom designs.

I ran my hands through a very similar rug (below), and what a feeling. It felt so incredibly soft — like butter. Amazing workmanship and material. Imagine landing your feet on a piece like that when you wake up in the morning.

Another lovely carpet is the Antique Agra. It is hand-knotted in China with hand spun wool. The field and the patterns are hand-trimmed, giving the rug real depth and texture ( looks even better in real life). .

Rebecca was one of the designers behind this contemporary rug. The design is based on a photo of a rusted fence dripping down on a concrete wall. The rug is hand-knotted with Himalayan wool in Nepal. 

Once you get a chance to feel real quality carpets, it is hard to want anything else.

I am so going back to this store on my next visit. And if you ever visit Portland, I recommend you do the same. You will not be disappointed.

Thank you for all your sweet comments & e-mails regarding our Swedish midsummer tradition. It warms my heart to hear that so many of you are interested in learning more about my culture. I am a very proud Swede!

Warm hugs to you all!

All images via Kush Carpet.

Midsummer. Coming up this weekend is one of the most important holidays for a Swede. This Swedish tradition originates before Christianity. It is THE time when Swedes get a chance to celebrate the lightest day of the year (solstice). Sweden is dark for months at a time in this very far north located country so it is no wonder that there is a serious need to celebrate the light days. Summer time is the opposite, it is light for 21 hours/day. (At 3 o’clock in the morning you will find people biking (home from the bars that stay open all night in full day light!). Light needs to be celebrated!

The entire nation celebrates. Midsummer pole raising, lots of dancing & singing, eating & drinking and homemade flower wreaths on everything. Everyone is on the schedule.

Because Midsummer was thought to be one of the times of the year when magic was strongest, it was considered a good night to perform rituals. An old Swedish tradition is that unmarried girls, before going to bed midsummer’s eve, should pick seven kinds of flowers and jump over seven round-pole fences (!) and then sleep with the flowers under her pillow. During the night she will dream about the boy she will be married to. (I did that many times myself as a young girl, minus the fence jumping!)

So, Happy Midsummer/Glad Midsommar to all fellow Swedes and Swedish loving friends!

Images: No. 1 via  Slottsträdgårdsmästaren no. 2+ 3 unknown, no. 4 via Blomsterpassion, no. 5 unknown,  no. 6 via Story of Me

Always fun to see what the talented Mitchell Gold & Bob Williams design duo is up to. I have a yellow settee by them in my formal living room which I have had for nine years and can’t see myself ever parting with. Comfort is the key word for the company. They have been driving that design concept successfully for some 20 years.

I have a serious crush on this beautiful leather/steel coffee table. I think it is absolutely stunning.

GW’s classic Chesterfield sofa. Comes in many colors.

This elegant lamp has my name on it!

So, imagine how happy I was to receive a personal invitation to a fun Champagne mingling event at GW’s flagship store in Washington, DC with presentations of elegant and chic tabletop decor (I could use some help in that department) from none other than my close friend Manvi of the stylish blog Mochatini. (I told her it was held  in the wrong WA — or I would have been over in a heartbeat.). She asked for some “hand holding”, which she does not exactly need. The girl is a style rock star and she can hold her own. I am very proud of her. She is co-sharing this event with the the creative LaFabulousVida. I am sure it will be a smashing event!

The event is taking place on Wednesday June 29th. If you are in the area, don’t miss this evening. You will be rubbing shoulders with a lot of  design happy people and will learn many new design tricks. I have heard they are also going to offer some really wonderful goodie bags. I mean really nice. Promise to say hello to Manvi from me if you do attend.

Go here to learn more and to register.

Hugs to everyone!

Only one main image today friends — but I find it tremendously inspirational. A must try for me for sure!

Well of course! Why did I not think of that! I got very inspired when I saw this. Look closely - a simple bench to display planted herbs and a few veggies. A little corner to tend for some organic plants with aromatic goodies to be used in summer cooking. I am pretty hopeless with anything green but I have learned that if I gather plants/flowers in one collective area – then I tend to not forget them. (I need to see a forest in order to see anything it seems…).

So to me this is a brilliant idea!  Friendly, functional and so pleasing on the eye too. And it works in both large backyards and on tiny balconies.

For a little bit of organization these chalkboard plant markers from Crate & Barrel might come in handy.

Or why not a chalkboard rock project together with kids or friends?

Admit it, these are pretty tempting summer projects — even for you!

Inspiration for this post via Purple Area. Images: no. 1 via Purple Area, no. 2 via Crate and Barrel, no. 3 via Just Organize Yourself.

For years I have been collecting classic white and blue dinner plates by Royal Copenhagen. Founded in 1775, Royal Copenhagen is one of the world’s oldest companies. For more than 235 years the Danish company has been renowned for its exclusive quality porcelain products and its immaculate design.

We have a good size collection of plates, bowls and serving plates of “Blue Fluted Half Lace” (the less ornate version of all the series). We use them for more festive occasions.

“Blue Fluted” was Royal Copenhagen’s very first porcelain dinner service, (adopted in 1775). It takes 1,197 brush strokes – no more, no less – to paint a Blue Fluted Half Lace dinner plate.

A few years ago a young, aspiring designer, Karen Kjældgård-Larsen, contacted Royal Copenhagen. Her dream was to design a reinterpretation of the classic Blue Fluted pattern. She suggested blowing up the classic pattern and - voila! – Mega was born and took the world by storm. (Good for Royal Copenhagen for being brave enough to take such a legendary pattern and put a modern twist on it).

I personally love that more modern look. And I love the idea of mixing the different epoques. I can’t wait to start investing in some of these myself. (Before someone decides to shrink that pattern again!). I wanted to buy a few pieces when I recently visited Stockholm but my suitcases were already full with items from my Mom’s home.

I will get them for sure (and I might even get them in the US. I will look into the different price points). I am thinking of starting with the coffee and tea cups + saucers and the dessert plates. If you decide to do the same – your kids/grandkids will thank you. Royal Copenhagen will never go out of style. And they always do well at auctions.

I also dug out these articles I had saved from Country Living. Here you will find some DIY projects saluting Royal Copenhagen MEGA. Go here to learn how to  make your own wall decals and a lamp shade (paper cut outs) of that beautiful pattern. Tempting!

Have a royal rest of the week! (You will find me in the backyard weeding like crazy!)

P.S And Happy Father’s Day (Sunday + US) to all wonderful fathers and fathers in training!