I have admired grasscloth wallcoverings for a long time. They bring beautiful texture to a room. But I must have been nodding off or something because I have totally missed that there is so much grasscloth wallpaper with patterns. Color yes, but designs — and lovely ones too – my eyes are perking up! (Things have changed since the 70′s, folks!).

My very good friend, talented designer Jill with Live Like You, gave me lots of eye candy and inspiration last week. I am shamelessly recycling many of her blog images!

Grasscloth with key link pattern.

Phillip Jeffries (above and below) offers a great selection. Printed grasscloth.

Holland & Sherry’s designs (below). You will find lots of patterns.

I am thinking I must try something along those lines in our smaller living room/study. Those walls are ready for a  makeover. I will let you know what I settle for. I can already see it — and I am getting kind of excited.

Happy New Week!

P.S I blogged about this sexy silver metallic grasscloth wallpaper a loooong time ago. Still a favorite of mine. Called Liquid Metalic Wallpaper (Madagascar) via Crezana.

Ever since I saw this room I have been on the hunt for some pretty tie-dye pillows for my own home.  They add that extra little updated edge that I so like. And they are quite the trend now (also a mega contender on the fashion runway). Lots of colors and unique patterns out there. I personally tend to gravitate to the black and white ones.

The gorgeous pillow on the chair above by Kevin O’Brien.

I know that my very good friend Donna, likes this one below! (Me too!).

Source: Houzz 

Oh boy. They are pretty in pink as well!

Source: all from ABC home

Source: West Elm

Source: The Interior Collective

Source: Posh Living

Source: Connected Fair Trade

Source: Mercado Global

From the runway to a home. Could a Tie-Dye pillow live in yours?

Finally, I have to apologize for my absence from blog land. With a long slew of flu-sick family members (incl. myself who ended up with Pneumonia), busy store, and a crazy life in general, I have had zero, zip, no time to allow myself to be inspired. And posting just to post is not for me. I need to be in the zone, people! Otherwise I am/feel useless. Hopefully you can get something out of me now!

Warm hugs to you all.

Iconic. Been around since 1962. I have been drooling over this Italian floor lamp off and on for decades. Of course I am talking about the Arco lamp by Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos.

It is back in my head again after having seen it in a lovely customer’s home and now in this stunning home (inspiration via Vintage Mulberry). And in gold too!

Stately yet sassy.

Sigh, and sigh again. $2950 for this puppy but this lady works HARD and I intend to make this dream a reality in not too long (and my kids will  thank me later for this timeless piece of modern, functional art).  I will place mine in our dining room and get rid of the antique, Swedish chandelier above the gray Swedish table. Yes really! (Love the beautiful almost library like light it gives off).

Busy times over at the shop, Splendid Avenue. Lots of new things in stock. For those of you who are interested, here are a few recent additions:

We have a hard time keeping the high quality Swedish reindeer hides in stock. A new shipment finally arrived (I will tell you about importing nightmares some other time! The goods got lost in Paris!).

The immensely popular birthday tees — now in several new lovely Spring colors.

Ilse Jacobsens’s classy leather bag now stocked in a lighter spring color.

And lots of Easter goodies!

The perfect tin eggs for all those Easter treats!

And finally we have added adorable satin fabric carrots to our Easter offerings (yes I have been using them as Easter decor for years!). Hang them on Spring branches or as I do (on the Swedish chandelier) for some extra Easter fun!

Wait!? Didn’t  I just say that I am moving that chandelier!? Wherever I move it — carrots will follow every Easter. Ha!

Visit our store, Splendid Avenue – here.

Hugs to you all.

The one and only”Rothko”, sure knew what he was doing.

Full speed ahead with all my big projects and so little zero time for any domestic design fun right now. My two girls are patiently waiting for their long overdue room re-do’s and keep dreaming about how their new nests will look and feel. My eleven year old wants a “good vibe Swedish” bedroom. And my nine year old longs for a happy room with “not too much pink and absolutely no purple”! Swedish I can handle but the happy room has given me a major brain freeze. Until last week when I ran across these darling burlap pillows. I showed them to my nine year old who was weepy happy over the color combination (and that her Mom finally has started to move a little)! Yeah, I feel we have the perfect room inspiration piece!

The entire room will be designed around her existing floors and these new pillows. I think you can see where I am going with this. A happy but soothing bedroom! And just the perfect amount girlie!

Pink and Orange + (creme/white) rock together! Very “tasty sorbet”!

More Pink and Orange loveliness:

(Personally I need lots of white for these colors to work perfectly. Otherwise I feel it will be one heavy sorbet…).

Back to the pillows, I found them at World Market while looking for a great step ladder of all things. I LOVE the pattern and the fabric (they are well made and come with zippers). And they cost so little it is ridiculous. (I would have paid a lot more but don’t tell World Market!).

Speaking of lovely fabric.

My good blog-sis Donna with A Perfect Gray hit a home run with her chair makeover. She found this sad French chair for a song at a Thrift store…

… and gave it a much needed makeover (beautiful fabric and gray paint).

Lovely or what! 5 stars Ms. Donna! Hop over here for the entire post.

Hugs to you all.

Images: No. 2+3 via Splendid Willow, no. 4 via SF Girl By Bay, no. 5 via Flex Inredning, no. 6 via Tory Burch Blog, no. 8+9 via A Perfect Gray.

The flu entered our home and boy did it hit us hard. Kids have been taking turns being home from school for days at a time (I don’t know when I got some fresh air last) and now I’ve got it too. I have not been t h i s  sick for 15 years. But that is of course peanuts compared to what so many of my my friends and partners are going through on the East Coast. (And now I understand another storm is on its way.) My heart goes out to all of you. Thinking of you and sending you all good energy. They need all the help they can get over there. The Red Cross is a good venue for offering some financial support. That is the least I could do. (See this as a friendly reminder).

Well, being stuck under the covers allowed me some minimal shopping time.

First I shopped for air tickets to Sweden. My 10 year old Frida and I are hopping over to spend some quality time with my Mom and close family and friends. We are leaving in a couple of weeks. Can’t wait! Hoping to show Frida a Holiday decorated (and hopefully snowy) Stockholm! So genuine and pretty. (Let me know if I can get any of you anything from the old Homeland).

I have been looking EVERYWHERE for some handsome Christmas stockings. I found these burlap ones today and placed my order (before you discovered them!). Understated and pretty, I hope. (I will let you know when I receive them). Lined too. And affordable. I found them here.

I ordered all different ones.

I have been shivering like crazy and I told Hubby yesterday — “I only want one thing for Christmas. A stylish water bottle/warmer!” Yep! I like it warm and I have a feeling all family members will be fighting over this handsome Canadian Hudson’s Cashmere Hot Water Bottle (based on the iconic Canadian blanket) during the cold winter months.

That is all you will be getting from me today. Stay away from the Flu. It is a bad one this year.

Hugs to you all.

 Image no. 1 Comic Strip.