One thing (among a zillion!) that I love about Sweden is that you can go into almost any home decor store and buy ready to install blinds/Roman shades for different size windows. They come in great pure materials like cotton, silk and linen and in the best neutral colors – white, light gray, raw linen etc. And they are very affordable. Every time I go back home I want to stock up, but the dimensions of my own windows are so different.

The ones in the two pictures below are store bought. (As I am sure many of the other ones in the images I am showing).

Himla in Sweden sells nice Swedish Roman blinds such as this one.

If you are in need of darker rooms at night, these window treatments can easily be combined with simple roller shades with blackout linings.

As a contrast Swedes also love “a touch” of color with all that Swedish white though the actual design is always simple. Nothing frilly. And very rarely do you find heavy, full length curtains.

This blind with butterflies would look beautiful in my daugther’s bedroom. (A tad more colors but still soft).

If you are looking for very authentic Swedish 18th century style blinds, you can buy special kits that have all the components for these attractive blinds which allow you to recreate the same look found in Swedish castles and mansions centuries ago.

Here is a great little DIY window treatment project. Raw linen fabric (rough edges) on a simple rod with leather belts as fabric holders. I can see this in my future summer home in Sweden!

What do you think of window treatments, Swedish style? Too plain and simple or just right?

Hugs to you all! And…

Happy Mother’s Day to all beloved Mothers/Mothers in training & Daughters!

Images: No. 1 via Flex Inredning. All others via Skona Hem.

Dining and art (and/or books) marry so well. Ledges and shelves to display art – and easily move them around - are brilliant. I love the vibe of this eating nook. I love the layered look of the photo art. I immediately saved this image into the inspiration file for my own home.

Hugshugshugs to you all.

P.S Ilse Jacobsen’s flip-flops in BLACK now in my shop. Hardly dare to mention… Many of you keep me insanely busy! Smiles.

Image 1 via Coastal Living.

I am thankful every day for the many fun, interesting, kind and lovely people I have met and meet, on a daily basis. I have a fun gig in cyberland, I must say!

There has been a lot of customer interactions in the last couple of days. And let me just tell you that there will be a lot of styling women wearing Ilse Jacobsen’s flip-flops this summer (see previous post)! My shop has already sold out of many sizes/colors. (Upon request I will soon carry them in black). Thank you for trusting me with your business.

A person who makes me purr (sorry Marianne, I know you prefer doggies!) is Marianne with Style For Living who has become a really good, close friend who I can chat design (and other phenomenally important things !) with, 24/7. There are a lot of phone calls and running between houses with family members in tow. All great fun. Marianne decided a while ago to put her high-paying corporate job aside and instead focus entirely on her design business. I am so proud of her. Her business is growing and lots of exciting things are happening for her!

She just gave a client’s ottoman a much needed makeover.

Before

After

Can you all say in chorus – OH MY! Can you even believe it is the same piece. What a transformation!

For more on her design services — hop over here. Marianne gets my highest recommendations (well of course!).

In cyberland I also recently met another fabulous lady, Ms. M. She bought not one but two of my Scandinavian wool blankets.

She told me she is a designer and of course I got quite curious. She sent me this picture the other day and sent her back an e-mail saying – yes, just that! - OH MY!!!

I mean hello! She lives in a super cool loft (with a working fireplace which apparently is rare in loft spaces). And do you see my blanket on the chaise? Ms. M (I am keeping her name a secret for now) is a well established designer who is busy with all kinds of fun design jobs (including set design for TV shows). Soon, very soon, I will show more of of her home and you will all flip out! This girl also treasures Swedish antiques. I am just saying…. I can’t wait to introduce her to all of you! You will love her as much as I do.

More Oh-My’s. I am always out treasure shopping in cyberland. Yes, I am still collecting vintage leather postcards. Here is my latest purchase! Ha ha! (Purr purr).

My very latest crush is antique wax seals. I just came across a good sized lot and I am quite content over here.

I love the texture and the history behind these antique beauties, they add that extra punch of color to a room. I just have to figure out how to best frame them.

Do you know what is so cool about both of these collections? They work in both traditional and contemporary rooms. I like that.

That’s it for now. Need to roll up my sleeves and get more flippies out the door!

I hope this post finds you well.

Hugs to you all!

Images: No. 1 via Ticklish From a Distance, no. 2, 5, 6-9 via Splendid Willow/Splendid Willow Avenue, no 3+4 via Style For Living.

It is heating up. Spring is finally here (this is Seattle, folks). Summer is around the corner. Prime time to head outdoors.

In most major cities around the world, walking and public transportation are how you get around. I was fortunate to grow up in beautiful Stockholm where biking is also a big part of the city planning. There are bike lanes everywhere in the city. You bike to the office, you bike to a date with your friends, you bike from bar to bar! When you visit oh-so trendy Stockholm in the summer you will see gorgeous and fashion conscious people everywhere, proudly parading their city bikes.

The concept is harder here in the US where so many cities and towns are built for cars only, it seems. But I have a bike, and I’m dusting it off as we speak. And that is how the kids and I will get to many coffee shops, parks and libraries this season.

A functional bicycle basket is a must for most bike loving Scandinavians and I am glad to see the trend catching up here in the US too.

Orders for trendy Swedish bicycle baskets are just starting to trickle in to my shop – a good seasonal sign!

I carry 3 colors. Black, white and green. (I have the green one myself).

This is also the season to get those feet ready for public display.

Brand NEW in my store are Ilse Jacobsen’s (Danish fashion icon) rubber flip-flops. No bad & unfriendly plastic here.

These well made rubber flip-flops have a braided texture. They are cushioned and very comfortable. I’ve picked 6 muted colors for my store. They all have a touch of sparkle on the straps for some summer glam.

(As you can see from my own picture above, the sole is more substantial than the following pictures, taken with a camera from above, show. Please note that I do not carry the YELLOW color in my store).

SilverGold

Stone Blue

Rose Pink

Creme

Brown

I will only carry a limited supply. When they are gone, they are gone. The sell for $39/pair.

On their way to my store are also these Danish Princess/Prince, Bride/Groom bunnies. They are so adorable and I can’t wait to push my kids away and play with photograph them!

Fairly new in my store, but I have not mentioned them to you before, are the Cowboy and Native American mice + Tee-pee. Yes I know. Super adorable and guaranteed many hours of imaginative play for the young ones!

Find all the items in my store Splendid Willow Avenue – here.

 Hugs & sunny thoughts to all of you!

Images: no. 1 via Fun Xite, no. 2-4 via Skeppshult Bikes, no. 5 via Posh24, no. 6 via Zimbio, no. 7-18 + 20 via Splendid Willow Avenue, no. 19 via Maileg.

Did you hear about the close to a million images of New York going back to the mid-1800s that have been made public for the first time on the internet? New York city’s Department of Records (/or go here) recently announced the debut of the photo database. Since NY is one of my favorite cities and I love history, I find this incredibly fascinating.

Among the many historic (and sometimes eerie) photos is this one that I keep coming back to over and over again. It shows Brooklyn Bridge with 10 brave painters (!) posing from suspended wires (perhaps the first time they ever got the attention from a camera). No hard hats or safety ropes in sight!

A friend of mine thought it was a scary and sad image. To me it is totally the opposite! A brutal and unglamorous job back then, I am sure, (and I don’t want to know about how many lost their lives) but I know well paid Wall Street guys who are driven around in safe and fancy cars, who make a ton of money and are a lot more depressed than these guys appear to be! I see humor and pride and freedom in this image. I also feel some sort of camaraderie between those brave men. And then of course the picture itself is stunning. Perhaps it is only me — but I absolutely LOVE this historic NY photograph.

So much that I want it enlarged on a MEGA canvas. I can totally see this take center stage on a wall at my house. I am allowed to enlarge it, right? It is over 50 years old. And as long as it is not for financial gain. I better check the copyright laws with my photographer friends. Or do you know? 

I am also obsessing about artsy ice! Swedes are so good at this and I promise myself every summer that I need to add some berries and herbs to the water for some ice making. But I always forget because our ice comes straight from the refreigerator’s ice machine. Note to myself: Get some good ice trays and add some organic fun to the summer drinks. Easy breezy!

Lastly, I snapped up some chic & pretty, vintage bracelets from my very good & creative friend Michele’s Etsy store.

They will be my summer obsession! Love the look of them all and the sound of the bangles! Will get a lot of use out of them. Just need a great sun tan and a couple of cold drinks (with fancy ice cubes! Ha!). Hop over here and find something pretty for yourself. Vintage jewelry is hot, people!

Hugs to you all.

Images: No. 2 via Matt over Matter, no. 3 unknown (sorry), 2 last images via Splendid Willow.