I have been going back and forth a zillion times on how to update our guest suite. I know I want the room to be soothing, fresh and classic looking with a good mix of old and new. Just came across this picture and I love everything about this bedroom!

 What I am attracted to (look closely – it is not the best picture):

1) The simplicity of the room.

2) The colors: yellow and black mixed with browns and whites.

2) The tufted headboard (every single bed at our house is upholstered – but not one is tufted!).

3) The contemporary lamp mixed with an antique chest and heavy duty iron urns.

4) The planted trees in the window.

5) A bold rug.

6) Simple, non fuzzy silk panels for a little bit of flair.

The shopping can begin! Some sources to start with:

Headboard at Restoration Hardware.

Artimede Tolomeo table lamp at The Conran Shop. (Comes in 2 sizes).

 Stenciled zebra rug at Live Like You.

Handsome, double lined, well made curtains can, as we all know, cost a fortune. I came across the shop Martha & Ash at Etsy who custom make lovely, lined, panels without the hefty price tag. I might try them this time around.

Now for that yellow throw/blanket/coverlet. It really gives the room a little color pop – and I will look long and hard for something nice and unique. (I will most likely add an upholstered chair with some more of that yellow color).

Coverlet via Crate & Barrel.

Urns and an antique black chest will be the the most fun to shop for! Because that involves going to lots of neat and personal little shops.

I am not sure you like the room as much as I do. (You are probably all yawning!). But to me this room is so calming and also pleasing on the eye without a lot of stuff (to dust!). This one will be my inspiration room for sure.

Happy new week!

 Images: no. 1 via Splendid Willow, no. 2 via Skona Hem.

Time to add more loveliness to my series featuring real people and design. Nothing contrived, nothing staged. Just lovely people, unique styles and lots of personality.

A few years ago my husband was part of a panel debate at a hightech conference in LA. The moderator of the panel was a well respected market analyst — Monica.

Last year my husband contacted her again for something business related and would you know she lives with her husband down the road from us in Seattle. Literally 3 minutes away!

Monica and Dan graciously invited us over for dinner.

Here were the instructions:

Pass the garage and the main house.

 Take the side door into the garden and bring a flash light!

Follow the pathway to the very back of the garden.

In the very back you will see a green house. That is where we will be having dinner.

Do you know what they built in their backyard? A …

Not a barbeque. Not a fire pit. Nope, a Pizza Kitchen! With pull up garage doors, concrete floors and an imported Italain pizza oven. Monica is from Italy so it all makes sense.

We had  great time and ate the best pizzas in town with toppings galore! It was a social and fun evening! (You will have to imagine this place at night around the pizza oven with candles on the table and the doors open to a lovely lit backyard).

William and I trotted down the other day to take some daytime pictures.

Most of the ingredients on the house pizzas come from their own garden. What a lovely way of living!

They also use their pizza oven to make lovely home made bread and wonderful desserts.

I really enjoyed putting together this post. I love anything that is unique, authentic and personal. A private Pizza Kitchen – how fun!

Warm hugs to you all.

All images via Splendid Willow/Monica & Dan

At the end of this windy road stands a home in the midst of construction. I have seen a lot of nice homes in my days, but this one is pretty spectacular.

Tina is the lady behind this house/mansion/castle! She is a happy, proud, family oriented  mother of three boys and a super energized blogger who shares her interior design passion with her readers via The Enchanted Home. I can’t claim that I check in all the time (I can’t possibly keep up with all her posts and pictures!) but on Thursdays she shares her house updates and I find them incredibly inspirational and informative (whenever my dear friend Marianne and I get together we talk about this home!).

It is a good thing that I don’t have a jealous bone in my body because everything is pretty amazing. I mean hello! This is what Tina and her husband are building from scratch.

This is where the patio is going in.

Family room in the works.

Living room. Look at the paneling.

This is going to be the kitchen. Love the beams.

Butlers pantry.

Tina generously shares all her materials and design idea (and edits, mishaps, re-orders etc.) like flooring and marbles and tiles.

Potential wall paper in the powder room.

Stunning Versailles parquet floors.

This is the area assigned to Tina’s new tub!

Amazing natural light everywhere.

Talk about a dream home. I can’t wait to see how she actually will decorate all the rooms.

What is even more amazing about Tina’s blog journey is none of this seems to have gone to her head. In the most natural and endearing way she blogs about her runs to Target and small treasures she sees and come across. And she does not take herself too seriously. One of her favorite things to do is to spend quality time with her close ones and to hear her husband laugh out loud during a funny movie. I find that very heart warming and refreshing.

You are in for a real visual treat and tons of architectural and design ideas when you visit Tina and The Enchanted Home — here.

Happy New Week, Friends. My next post will be about a very small and unique house I found in a local backyard!

All images via The Enchanted Home.

Did everyone see Mr. Genious himself, Eddie Ross’ bulletin board? He used sisal rope and a recycled fiberboard material called Homasote, which makes pinning up memos easy. Click here for instructions. I absolutely love the look (look at the rope around the frame) and I love his color choices (orange against navy walls — how sexy!).

It got me inspired to try something similar to display the family’s winter holiday cards. I see gray linen and rope and little bit of red. I want to make mine quite large. Hmmm… something is already brewing in my head. I must try this. (Give me a nudge if you have not gotten a status report by the time the first snow falls!).

I am so proud of my very good friend Jill with Live Like You who this week is launching her new signature bedding. Hello?! Who can casually claim that???! A signature bedding line! This girl has excellent taste and is so creative and hard working and (+ has a really good heart). I wish her nothing but tremendous success.

Photo credit: Tanya Malott

Her stylish KEY line comes in 4 different colors.

They will go perfectly in my guest room and I am thinking that the navy blue (what else?!) color will be lovely. If you see something you fancy and want to order from her store. Just tell her that you are coming via Splendid Willow and she will graciously offer you a little ”That’s Splendid” VIP discount.

Happy rest of the week!

Images: No. 1 via Eddie Ross, no. 3, via Tanya Malott, 2-5 via Live Like You.

Like any true Swede I go extra nutty this time of the year and just want to spend hours of valuable time hunting for yellow, heavenly tasting chanterelle mushrooms. I used to pick baskets full of them in Sweden. Here — not so much. Not for lack of trying. For three years in a row I have bribed (forced) the family into the deep forests with the goal to find our own secret chanterelle spot.

We always come home empty handed. Instead I have had to humiliate myself and walk into the nearest, local fine food market and buy a good amount so we can save the day and have that CHANTERELLE TOAST I have been craving since the previous season!

1. Clean mushrooms with a dry brush. Do NOT wash them.

(If the chanterelles are large, slice them; otherwise leave them whole).

2. Finely chop some Shallots and a garlic clove (1/2). And a little bit of parsley for garnish.

4. In a pan heat olive oil and butter.

5. Sauté the mushrooms over high heat until browned (3-4 minutes).

6. Add the onions and garlic and cook for another minute or two.

7. Remove from heat and season well with salt and pepper (I like them salty).

3. Grill bread slices (in pan) on both sides lightly, rub one side with garlic, drizzle with olive oil.

8. Top the grilled bread/bruschetta a with the warm chanterelles, sprinkle some parsley on top and serve immediately.

 (Serve with a glass of good white wine!)

Enjoy!

In celebration of fall, I now carry Ilse Jacobsen’s fabulous rubber boots in orange (with black laces) in my store. They stick out (just like all chanterelles should – ha!!) and I personally love that about them.

Happy new week friends!

P.S I went to a fun and wild Swedish craw fish party this past weekend (imagine 100+ ABBA grooving Swedes). Thank you Ulrika, Sofia + the entire gang – you are the best! So many friends I had not seen all summer. Very fun!

Images: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.