Ideas For A Happy Weekend

On a weekend things seem to be simpler, easier to handle or live with. The same counts for the miserable weather out there. I mean seriously, this morning I wanted to put on my gloves while going to work. But I don't want to nag about the weather. This week was way too cool and fun as to be in a nagging mood.

This week I've announced my participation for a blog tour in Copenhagen, Denmark for the Design Trade show, I gave two interviews this week, one for 'The Sofa & Chair Company', the other one for the blog 'Style Mummy'. I had a fun food blogger event for my employer and cooked heaps of asparagus and yesterday I enjoyed a great evening with my friend Claudia over sushi and cake. So, who could complain about the weather, right? I will cuddle up this weekend with tea, some favorite movies, a book in bed and I'll be grateful for all the good things that happen in life. 

Happy weekend, friends!

Photography by Igor Josifovic

Happily Ever After: Artist Serena Olivieri

What happens if you put a charming Italian into the Spanish capital Madrid? I tell you what - creativity happens! Serena Olivieri is Italian, lives in Spain, is charming and super creative! I've followed Serena's  work through her blog and social media for quite a while and fell in love with her whimsical paintings and delicate watercolour illustrations. Patterns, colours and even textures come to a vibrant mix and you can sort of see the warmth and easiness of a south European mind as well as the vibrancy and delicacy of a female artist. 

What I admire about Serena's work is the way she is inspired by the world around her. Whether it's her mother's herbs on the balcony, an afternoon in the park, a bike ride in the city or a summer outfit - she transforms those moments into witty illustrations. 

I've selected a few of my favorite works of Serena Olivieri here. For more inspiration and colourful happiness make sure to visit her website.

Happy Friday, friends!

Photography via Serena Olivieri

Quick Home Decoration: Simple Console Styling

With today's post I would just like to stress how easy it is to redesign a certain area of your home by just switching through a few things. I live in a super small apartment and it's always refreshing to change the vibe and atmosphere - and this can be achieved in just a few steps!

I am not highlighting the exceptional vignettes on my little living room console, I am rather drawing the attention to the fact that both stylings worked in my apartment and changed the atmosphere consequently. Whereas the first styling is more neutral and and with references to the Mediterranean culture, the second one is vibrant, exotic and colourful. 

In both cases the vignette was rooted in one central piece - the pictures. In the left styling it is a black and white photography of cubic buildings on the Italian island of Stromboli. This inspired me to create a Mediterranean atmosphere by adding blue hues (the books, the blue eye from Greece, the Aloe Vera and cactus, the vintage elements). The second styling was rooted in the large canvas print with a Mexican theme (kindly offered by AllPosters.de, thank you!). It brought its colours into the vignette as well as the use of fruits (handy as a snack in the living room) and again my beloved Aloe Vera plant from Spain. One, two, three and it was done. All with things that you have at home. So what about you, do you like to create little vignettes at home?

Photography by Igor Josifovic

5 Happy Inspirations: Simple Pleasures!

This week I've collected five happy inspirations that recall the feeling of simple pleasure to me. I don't know why. Maybe it's the rustic, vintage look of some of them. Maybe it is the idea that they evoke in my head of a lazy day at home with a good cup of tea, an interesting new magazine and little bells above the window rang by the warm breeze that blows into the home. A summery afternoon where sweet fruits scent the air. Well, I am daydreaming, I know. But aren't these '5 Happy Inspirations' just ideal for such a dreamy day at home?

1. Storage basket via Sunday Morning Shop; 2. Vintage bells via Sunday Morning Shop; 3. Chest of drawers via milanari.com; 4. Handmade tea bowls via Leif Shop; Mood Magazine via Sunday Morning Shop.

Happy hump day!

Why This Room Caught My Eye

Like every Tuesday I like to play 'visual cues' with random rooms I find online. Today, I've picked a pretty stylish example: This room combines a vibrant and a more masculine look in one. At least this is what I think. But let me guide you through the visual cues that caught my eye in this particular room:

• Abundance of natural light: To start off, can we please speak about the abundance of natural light in this interior? I mean seriously, who wouldn't love such a light flooded home? In interior design nothing beats natural light. This is the Alpha and Omega of any good interior, right?
• Velvet sofa: This grey velvet sofa looks so cosy and inviting that I'd like to jump on it instantly. But more importantly it adds a certain cool, urban vibe to this room. The grey colour is ideal to match any other colours through decorative elements like cushions or rugs (which is why I am going to buy a new grey sofa soon, too). Speaking of rugs, let's get to point three.
• Colourful Boucherouite rug: The Moroccan Boucherouite rugs seem to be the new must-have when it comes to interior design elements. They are suddenly everywhere and the colours and patterns appeal to many tastes. Their fluffy texture is also ideal to add interest in interiors. 

So what caught your eye? What do you like or maybe dislike in this room? Let me know!

Photography via Fossik

From Place To Space: Hotel L'Ecrin in Honfleur, France

Traveling is one of my unrivaled passions besides interior design. Traveling the world invigorates my senses, liberates my mind and deeply inspires me - in any aspect of my life including the decoration and styling of my own home. Now when it comes to choosing a suitable hotel at my destination, I tend to favor hotels with a designy edge. Last month, when I went on a weekend to the Normandy in northern France, more precisely to the quaint town of Honfleur (I blogged about it HERE), I'd gone for a completely new approach: I picked a hotel that took me on an inspiring nostalgia trip to past eras. Welcome to the hotel L'Ecrin in Honfleur!

The hotel L'Ecrin is a former mansion and located in the old town of Honfleur. The building reflects the traditional Normandy architecture and its surrounding garden full of blossoming trees and flowers is more than inviting for a sunny breakfast alfresco. 

The entire atmosphere commences right at the check-in. The reception desk is located in a former salon with a huge marble fireplace and ancient furniture. The ground floor consists of two more salons for the guests - these are fabulously equipped with a decoration of the French bourgeoisie of the past century. A piano, massive chandeliers, big oil paintings, busts and voluptuous flower bouquets reminded me of a film set. To be honest, I felt a bit like in Downton Abbey, one of my favorite TV series.

The rooms are on the first floor and take you back to the 19th century, too. Canopy covered beds, massive wooden furniture, huge mirrors, chandeliers and heavy velvet curtains as well as classical lamps and vintage rugs make for a full 360 degrees experience - you'll feel like a lord or lady, hello Downton Abbey!

Well, for the rest I'll let the pictures speak. Even though this is not the kind of decoration and interior design I would ever consider for my own home, it was beyond beautiful and inspiring to be surrounded by a completely different look and style than I am used to. Sometimes we need this kind of contrasts to clear our mind and freshen up our view on new endeavours. Happy new week, my friends!

Photography by Igor Josifovic

Ideas For A Happy Weekend

A long weekend is ahead and I have loads to do. After my last holidays in France I have heaps of pictures to sift through and select for my upcoming blog posts. So be prepared for very French coming weeks. I will kick start on Monday with the enchanting hotel in Honfleur (see the travel report HERE) and then continue with weekly posts from the Provence and Paris. But as you see, I couldn't keep it all for me until then so I am sharing a wild mix of shots from my last trips, among them a store front in Aix-en-Provence, colourful soaps from Marseille, a real 'Salade Niçoise' from Nice, the beach in St. Tropez, a vegetable market and roses in Grasse. Be inspired, be happy and enjoy the long weekend! À bientôt!

Photography by Igor Josifovic