I am very proud to have been invited to be a regular columnist for the hugely popular Houzz, which is the Internet’s largest database of design and decorating ideas. Here you will find literally hundreds of thousands of interior design & garden photos from homeowners and design professionals that you easily can put in your Houzz ideabook for personal home inspiration. Perfect if you are remodeling your home or just needing some great design ideas. It is all there.

It was humbling to see that my own little blue chest project from my bedroom has ended up in some 1500 different idea books. Who would have thought!

In my first Houzz segment I am sharing:

“20 Chic & Affordable Furnishings For The Living Room”

Pop over and see my suggestions if you have a moment. Go here.

More sharing. My recharged store, Splendid Willow Avenue, is off to a flying start and I could not be happier!

Now is the golden time to acknowledge some fantastic and creative people who helped me give “voice” to my vision.

Firstly Ms. Shari who I started following a long time ago (she has an incredible eye for design). Blog communication ended up in friendship and now professional collaboration! She helped me with my lovely new banners and various online design elements including my new business cards! Easy to work with and such a pro. I adore her.

Rachel was introduced to me by a lovely friend. I had a really hard time finding a web designer/developer and had almost given up when Rachel came along, and with a great attitude took everything over and built my entire on-line shop. I love everything she came up and will team up with her again! She is wonderful!

I met Dorothee when she came to my home to take pictures for the Rue Magazine. (Dorothee seen to the right next to her business partner Annabel). We clicked right away and a few days later I put her in charge of my store’s front page images. With offices in NY and Seattle, this pro is asked to capture weddings and events all over the planet. She is fantastic!

Susan (who I met thanks to our kids!) just recently decided to take her photo hobby to the next level and is now focusing on photographing families and pets. She helped me with my new product images. For my Seattle friends, you might want to team up with her before she gets too pricey because this girl is really good and also easy to work with!

And finally a big thank you to my dear girlfriend Stacey (our kids brought us together and now also our hubbies hang out!) my beautiful model. It makes my business so much more meaningful and personal if family and friends are involved. Stacey is stunning on the outside and inside and has been one of my strongest supporters. She is used to my high energy and nutty Swedish behavior and we always have the best of time together!

Thank you all, ladies! You are the best.

Tomorrow you need to stop by again. And I really mean it. I have teamed up with a couple of other phenomenal ladies and you do not want to miss what we have in store for our readers!

Warm hugs. See you tomorrow!

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!

Happy new week friends! I spent the weekend relaxing after a very busy week and also took some time to go through a pile of interior design magazines which have been staring at me for a while, wondering if I did not love them anymore. But I do — and I found so many lovely things in them! Here are just  a few (some scanned with less quality) that made me stop in my tracks.

I adore this Charcoal stripe ikat pillow from Madeline Weinrib Atelier. Like an art pice. (Really like the “bleeding” edges). Just wish my wallet was a tad ”fatter”.

How cool & unusual is this vintage gymnastics pommel horse as a bench in the foyer. (The legs have been shortened). Why did I not think of that! I must find one! And if any of  you say that you have — I will be so envious! (Just found a vintage one that sells for $3,000 on 1st Dibs. A girl can dream…)

This lovely gray velvet sofa by Jonathan Adler is getting my attention. I am helping my good friend Eva to decorate her living and dining room. And this sofa will be one of my candidates. Classic and current, feminine and masculine. It has sit all. I envision two of these facing each other with the fireplace in between, on the short end.

Here is another is another favorite sofa choice of mine. The always so classy “Chesterfield sofa”.

Another Chesterfield sofa, in a library setting. So perfect — for me!

This image works as a great reminder for me that my book shelf/cabinet can work double duty as a bar. Perhaps an idea for your own home during the holidays?

Oh, how I love this bathroom. I don’t like my bathrooms to be sterile and unwelcoming. This one is both elegant, current and inviting. Love the color choices.

A few times now, I have seen pieces of framed fabric identical to the one over the sofa. Someone told me that they are “money holders”. Help? Does anybody know? I don’t even know what to search for! (No, it does not say in the magazine).

Before I let you go, I would like to say Thank You for all the tremendous support and encouragement you offered me before my little design speech at the Nordic Heritage Museum last week. You gave me the self confidence I needed. My presentation was very well recieved ( I did not faint!) and I got quite a few comments afterwards from audience members telling me they felt ”inspired” and wanted to go home and make changes to their own homes, which is everything I had hoped for. I owe that to you.

And finally, An Extra Big Thank You to the talented and generous Tina over at the Sweden based blog Komma Hem. Tina featured my home in her Sunday post. It always feels a little surreal to see your own living space through somebody else’s eyes. But I am honored and touched. If you have a moment, pop over and say hello here. (Tina, you are such a sweet heart!)

(Blog friends: I did not visit one, single blog last week. I am quite behind. I am diving in this week and am looking forward to catching up. I know that you have tons of  inspiration up your sleeves!)

A warm hug to you all.

Magazine images: No 1 scanned from Country Living, no. 2 scanned from Elle Decor, no. 3 + 4 + 5 via House Beautiful, no. 5 scanned from House & Home.

This family desperately needs a new kitchen table. Ours is looking more sad by the hour. This is the criteria:

One. a table that is rectangular and seats at least 6 people, two. it needs to be kids friendly & forgiving (think a 3 year old showing off his latest tricks with sharp utensils), three. it can’t cost $3000 ( with 3 young kids and a slew of young visitors, it will be trashed before we know it and I simply can’t justify the cost), four. white and grey are my preferred colors.

One of my all time favorite inspiration pictures is this casual dining area by Vicente Wolf. I have so much respect for this enormously talented designer. He can put rooms together like nobody else and I would love to camp out in his head —  if even for a minute – and learn how he thinks!

Another outstanding room by Vicente Wolf.

My fifth and final criteria is that the table needs to work well with a combination of these two chairs – the classic design icon white Panton chair (it is 50 years old!) and as you can see, also one of Vicente Wolf’s favorites. And the slipcovered Henriksdal from Ikea (looks better than the picture and it so easy to throw the slipcover in the wash after the green peas have been flying).

Now to the tables.

I have a beautiful, antique tavern at home, but it is unfortunately too small. So, on my hunt for the perfect table, I have been all over table land and have even been thinking about having one built ($2500 minimum). But now I have found two that I think might do the trick until the kids (and their parents!) are moving up in age.

First up, this white one from Ikea (Norden). I like the simple lines and the color and well hello (!), the price is only $279. I have been over to Ikea twice to see  first hand what the table is all about. And it is surprisingly sturdy. Now picture this table with the two different chairs.

Just stumbled upon this brand new beauty from Worldmarket/Cost Plus (who would have thought!). And it is not some cheap veener. It is solid oak, folks. It is very sturdy and looks wonderful with its gray color and rustic style. The price is $699.99 but it looks and feels custom made.

Two completely different styles but I think both work well with the two different chairs.

So, which one, in your opinion, is the winning table? (Bring it on, I can take it!) Or do you have any other recommendations? Any help is greatly appreciated. This family will soon consume their meals on the floor!

More about the Panton chair: Verner Panton created it back in 1960, and with the assistance of Vitra developed a version ready for series production (1967). It was the very first fully plastic chair made from a single section. Since its market launch, the Panton Chair has undergone several production phases. Not until today was it possible to produce it in line with Panton’s original idea – namely from consistently dyed, tough plastic with a matte surface. The Panton Chair has won various design prizes world wide and graces the collections of numerous renowned museums. Its expressive shape makes it a true 20th-century design icon.

Images. No. 1 via Weiweisbabies, images 2+3 via Vicente Wolf.