The room is almost done! I will show you next week. It might not be high design nor super creative but I think it is very fresh and charming for a 3 year old little boy. And hopefully you will like it too.

Just wanted to share that I went with warm white walls and as a contrast I had the ceiling painted in a very soft, pretty light blue/gray. One of my readers actually planted the seed with the support of some of my closest blog friends.

A few weeks ago, I learned from my dear blog friend Laura that there actually is a term for blue ceilings (specifically porch ceilings). I had no idea! I dived into Laura’s educational blog post and this is what she wrote:

The name for the blue of a porch ceiling is “ Haint Blue“. According to Louisiana legend, a “haint” is a spirit or a ghost. The blue paint represents water through which evil spirits cannot pass. Some say a blue porch ceiling helps extend daylight as dusk begins to fall, and others still believe that it helps keep bugs away. When the tradition began, bugs were deterred by the lye in paint – today many theorize that insects do not nest on blue ceilings because they think the blue paint is the sky.

Interesting, right? In many homes of the south the tradition lives on.

And many designers have taken the blue ceiling idea indoors for an extra and unexpected pop of color.

Dear Charlotta sent me this  image. The room wouldn’t even be the same without the blue ceiling.

Admit that it is growing on you!

I don’t mind bringing some of that myth/tradition into William’s bedroom — more for pushing evil spirits away than the bug effect! William’s room already feels like a happy room with real good Karma!

Hope your week is going well.

Warm hugs to you all.

Images via: No. 1 + 2 via Laura Casey Interiors, No. 4 via Willow Decor,  No. 5 + 6 via House Of Turquoise

Do you recall my search for the perfect light fixture above our new kitchen table? Well I am probably going to disappoint a few of you but I could not get that industrial looking glass pendant out of my head. I am talking about the one I fell in love with over at Restoration Hardware. Some of you liked it, some of you not so much. But I personally love the style! A little bit of an edge to my gray trestle table won’t hurt.

I was however a tad worried about the scale and many of you echoed my concern. It was simply too big for the table. But I just found out that Ballard Designs carry a very similar pendant which is perfect in size and only$399 compared to $950 for the one at RH! It has been ordered and I can’t wait to have it installed!

For a warmer effect I am going to order Edison filament bulbs with a more yellow light. I don’t want a cold and sterile feeling kitchen area. A kitchen should be cozy in my opinion. I will get mine through our fabulous local store, Velocity.

I have never bought any furniture at Ballard Designs but I feel that they have some pretty neat accessories. I think this floor runner could be a fun accent piece on our dark hardwood kitchen floors. I am going to inspect it a little bit further. I like the poem written on it.

Warm hugs to you all. (My kids are having mid winter break. We will spend a lot of time away from the house and even try to find some snow!).

Inspired by the whole industrial vintage look and many talented peoples’ DIY projects, I have been on the hunt for a vintage wooden crate to use as a toy bin in William’s “new” bedroom. Here is some lovely inspiration.

Via Komma Hem

Via Lisaroy.

I have been looking for a while and was getting  ready to buy one on E-bay (for about $50 + shipping) when I stumbled upon this beauty at a local garage sale. I paid $5 and could not believe my luck! A good clean and four casters (from Home Depot at $4.98/each) and we are in business! (And this one is all about Lucerne Milk and not wine or hard liquor. A more appropriate message for a 3 year old!).

Prince William will soon get his own cool, rolling toy bin!

The room is now painted and I am getting ready to pull it all together. Now the fun begins! More on the progress soon.

Warm hugs to you all.

Image no. 1 via The Stir.

Last week beautiful Greet sent me an image asking me if lanterns like these could be something to hang above my new kitchen table. (My friend, I would take the whole room if I could!). This time I think I am going to go a tad bit modern, though. I like to mix.

But what Greet’s picture made me realize is that I am actually already an owner of a beautiful old candle lantern similar to the ones in the picture. It has been sitting in a box for 15 years! I bought it at an auction in Sweden right before I moved to the US and have never hung it. Not even once! Earlier today I saved it from its yellowed cardboard box.

This Swedish candle lantern is from the 1700-hundreds and I really wonder why I have neglected it. What is wrong with me?! No more! It is going to be cleaned and hung in a lovely and most visible spot!

And then it occured to me that I have quite a few lovely things stored away in the oddest places, being totally ignored. It is time to give them some respect.

For instance I have a pair of these beautiful Swedish Empire frames (1800-1850). One is sitting on our chest in the foyer but the other one has been stored behind a futon in a storage area! How crazy is that! They are beautiful, hand carved gilded frames and have never been restored. They were meant for paintings so glass has been/will be added.

Since the glass is not original, I can allow myself to play a little. Now the time has come to finally do my mirror quote (see my old post here) that I have been wanting to do for a long time. Note: Never paint on old, original glass!

And why on Earth is this poor Swedish plate rack (original 1700-hundreds) moving around in the house like a neglected ghost? I honestly don’t even know what to do with it. But one of the most prominent antique dealers in Sweden, who I purchased it from, told me that I could not sell it. It used to belong in the kitchen of an old Swedish castle and apparently these standing plate racks are rare to come buy. (Hanging plate racks from that era are more common). No, do not suggest that I paint it gray! This is a rare piece and this is its original color = do not touch!

This is the environment it should be in! I apologize for the bad scanning job. (From Lars Sjoberg’s book The Swedish Room).

I have now promised myself to give this plate rack a new purpose. What, I don’t know yet (and I’m running out of walls in my dining room!) — but I won’t  let it stand sadly along a bare wall in an unused room any longer. That’s for sure!

In an odd corner of the stairway sits an antique writing chest that I, up until recently (do you remember Kikki!), was willing to give away. I thought is was ugly and everyone ignores it and bumps into it. Today when I was walking around my house with “open eyes”, I found it quite charming and saw that it could totally be a focal point in our guest room. It just needs some lovely art and a nice chair. “I will move you my friend and give you the attention you deserve — I promise!”

And then I also re-discovered this candle holder behind a door. (I have four of them!). It is new but it is handmade by an artist in Sweden and inspired by a royal 18th c. plack hanging behind the Museum of Music in Stockholm. Why I am not using all four of them - is beyond me! I am now on the hunt for a good spot.

And then finally, I dragged in this antique, Swedish Empire candle pendant from the garage. It is all dusty and needs a good polish but look how pretty the golden acorn is and the green shell. It will look lovely with some nice candles. To think that this poor thing has been sharing a dark corner with ski boots and old roller blades…

No more buying new! I have plenty to work with at home. (And I have even more….). I am so looking forward to re-arranging and mixing with more modern pieces. I think we all could take a closer look at what we already have and give things we grew tired off or simply forgot — new life and new purpose. In most homes there is at least a little lamp, frame or kitchy porcelain figurine that can be spray painted white (or why not a bold color) and all of a sudden look fabulous again! Just walk around your home with open eyes.

If you are interested, I will later show you where the pieces ended up.

Warm hugs to you all. And Happy Valentines Day/Weekend!

 Images no. 1 via Belgian Pearls, 2-6, no. 7 via here, no. 8 + 9 via Splendid Willow, no. 10. Swedish Room,  11-15 via Splendid Willow. Last image via Zyprezz.

Do you remember my search for an affordable and handsome kitchen table, one that can take a lot of beating from 3 kiddos and a slew of guests? See old post here. Most of you voted for this solid oak table from Cost Plus/World Market (yes, really!) — and that is also the one I went for! It was delivered a couple of weeks ago — and I love it!

At Cost Plus

At Home (it is actually a tad more gray than my camera can show). Sorry for my mediocre pictures.

The table easily seats 8 people and is very solid.

I have ordered two original French bistro Tolix chairs to be mixed with my slip covered ones from Ikea. (The Pantone chairs that I wanted at first would have looked totally out of place, I decided). I will show pictures soon.

Lately I have been focusing on a new pendant to go over the table. I REALLY like this lamp from Restoration Hardware. Isn’t is handsome?  A little on the pricey side ($895), but since the table was a steal at only $550 (on sale), I feel I can splurge a bit.

But my questions is. Is this light fixture too trendy? Is it part of this retro industrial chic look that I will grow tired off soon? What do you think? I am also thinking it might be too long. Decisions, decisions…

In general I am very excited about our kitchen eating area. I still have a way to go but it feels to me that I am on the right track!

I am equally excited about the mention of Ilse Jacobsen’s boots and my shop over at the fantastic blog Two Ellie. How special is that! I absolutely adore Paula. She is creative and fun, has a great design eye and on top of that she is just a generous and wonderful person. She is yet another blog girl I would like to meet in person.

Look  how adorable she is in her new rubber boots! She chose Camel color and I think she found the perfect color for her!

So one stylish kitchen table and one stylish friend! I am very grateful.

Warm hugs to you all.