Let's go outside....

...in the sunshine! It's a four day weekend here (don't you wish every week could be like that?!) and the sun's shining here in Southern Sweden - wooohoooo! So today I'm taking things outside for a little al fresco dining inspiration...

Tia Borgsmidt

Nordic Day

Oslo terrace - Photo: Birgitta Wolfgang Drejer / Sisters Agency - Interiormagasinet

http://divaaniblogit.fi/

Spanish house outside Barcelona - Nuevo Estilo

Nuevo Estilo

Zhenya Grid

Ooo, I do love evenings out on the deck don't you?!

You can see a complete tour of the Oslo terrace here. Anyone would think you're in the med?!

And speaking of the med...there's a tour of the inside of the Spanish house, located just outside Barcelona, on Nuevo Estilo - so beautiful, don't you think?! 

Take a tour of Nordic Day's terrace here.

And what about this hanging bed in the garden?! Bliss!

My outdoor space is tiny, but I dream big...and if I were to wave my magic wand and create a garden of my dreams it would have an interrupted view of the ocean (obvs), my sailboat bobbing on a bridge waiting to be taken out, and a hammock or possibly just a swing like this one. Occasionally I'd put down my book and go for a dip. Or maybe in my swimming pool which would look like ANY of these (really, I'm not fussy....). And in the evening we'd all get together like this. Who's in?!

How would your dream outdoor space look?!

Have a wonderful weekend and see you Monday!

A relaxed apartment with a touch of blue

I love blue. It's not a colour I've used in my own home but I grew up in a house with blue velvet chesterfield sofas exactly like this one (for a modern update check out the one in this apartment). I particularly love the combination of dark blue and beige or cognac, it looks so smart don't you think? It was the blue sofa (from Funky Furniture) and rattan rug which inspired me to show the San Francisco home of Kate Davison and her partner Jesse today. There's something extremely relaxed and yet very cool about their space over all. I could pad around here today, how about you?

Kate Davison, Craetive at Mashery

I have to say, I love the string lighting in the back garden. My sister recently bought this outdoor string lighting for her garden. probably the nicest I've seen. Although I do love some twinkly fairy lights  at Christmas too (remember my 'dream' party post?!).

You can find out where nearly everything in this is home is from here.

For more blue and beige / cognac / copper inspiration it's well worth taking a look through all of these lovely home tours.

 A big thank you to Kate for sending me the images for today's post, I do love to receive home tour pics in my inbox - please do send me yours too!

Have a lovely day!

PS I'm excited to see Great.ly are offering free-shipping from now until 2nd December. The right time to pick up a cushion or print?!

A dreamy little space to call home

One of my dreams is to have a a work studio in my (future) garden which doubles as a pretty guest house for friends and family. Do you share a similar dream?  Then I came across this shed conversion on Design Sponge and my idea was immediately brought to life! Over the space of two months designer, stylist and artist Paige Morse converted a shed in her back garden into a stunning Scandinavian inspired black and white retreat. Her goal was to create a space from which she can work, She was so thrilled with the outcome she now actually lives in the 'Casita' and rents out her house to afford the lifestyle she so desires: to work on her creatives full time. What an inspiration?!

Before:

Photos Cody Ulrich. Paige Morse. Via Design Sponge with thanks. 

Be still my beating heart!

This really is the casita of my dreams! The only thing I would add is a turf roof as seen on this and this home. How about you? Could you see yourself working / living here?

You can see the full before and after shots over at Design Sponge and read more about Paige's work here.

Other fantastic, unusual and alternative garden shed conversions here and here.

Have a lovely day!

The perfect Norwegian home for a summer's day

When the sun shines in Sweden I feel the need to spend the entire day outside (I guess this isn't the case when you live somewhere warm and sunny all year round?!). But there is an exception to this. The Norwegian home of blogger and photographer Elisabeth Heier is one of those spaces where you could easily flit between inside and outside on a beautiful day, depending on your mood. Not only is the home bright and airy but it also has several different places you can sit and relax with a book or magazine - window nook, dining table, outdoor terrace....and still enjoy the warmth of natural sunlight and the nature beyond. I could spend a summer's day here could you?

Elisabeth Heier with kind permission

Elisabeth is such a wonderful photographer and her blog is almost entirely made up of pictures she has taken of her own home. So impressive!

See previous posts from her home here, here and here.

I spy a few classic items I love: Knoll Diamond chair and Eames side chair DSR.

I hope you have a lovely Wednesday!

'Glad Midsommar'

Studio Impressions / photographer Marcus Bell and team, Brisbane, Australia. Bali Wedding - Angie and Ben

“I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,

Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows,

Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine,

With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine.” 

― William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream

Happy Midsummer! And a great weekend (for those of you in the Southern hemisphere!). See you Monday! x

PS - for midsummer floral hair garland inspiration see today's post by 79 ideas and this page on Pinterest. Beautiful alfresco table settings here and here.  And a Swedish garden you'd want to spend midsummer in. 

The out house retreat of a Nashville author

It's that time of year when everyone starts last minute summer holiday bookings (OK I speak for myself - can anyone recommend anywhere last minute to stay in the Dordogne?!). Of course there are always hotels, B&B's and holiday cottage rentals but I also love to go quirky too and often consider glamping, tree houses and unique stay alternatives. And that's how I came across this cool 1962 Shaster camper.  Sitting in the back garden of 'Carry My Bones' author J. Wes Yoder in East Nashville, Tennessee, the camper has been lovingly renovated inside and out and includes an outdoor shower, bath house and terrace. When it's not in use as a work studio the author rents it out through Airbnb. Nashville anyone?!

Photography: Laura Dart via Remodelista

What a cute place to stay and a fabulous idea for an out house!

It's not the first time I've come across an unusually cool outhouse. Do you remember this  alternative garden shed for example?! I'm a big fan of outdoor bathroom's too, for inspiration take a peek at this outdoor bathroom post.

Other holiday sites I love right now include Alistair Sawdays Canopy & Stars which offers a collection of wonderful and quirky places to stay and Kid & Coe which makes travelling with children a whole lot easier - (what's not to love about that?!)! And if you're considering SouthWest England - one of my most memorable holidays ever was at Polgreen Glamping in Cornwall.

Do you have great holiday accommodation tips?

Could you while away summer days in this Swedish garden?

I know it's only Thursday but I'm already gearing up for the weekend and looking forward to some down time in the garden with my family. We've got so much to do to our outdoor space so I've been pouring over inspiration lately (I'd probably do this even if we didn't have anything needed doing...!). Today I'm inspired by this outdoor space. It's a beautiful Swedish which fills me with ideas from the roses over the door, and the hollyhocks lining the wall of the house, the different social areas (cute kid alert) and 'secret garden'. I hope you get some ideas too.

Photography: Jonas Ingerstedt (with kind permission. Sköna Hem. 

Could you while away a summer's day in this garden?

In my (small) garden I've decided the key requirements are: a comfy area for lounging, a social yet relaxed covered (possibly using white linen) dining area, making it as green as possible, beautiful scents wafting from flowers in bloom, the sound of running water, and candle lights. Achievable in 5 metres square? Hmmmm, optimistic. But dream big as they say....

What are your outdoor space essentials?

More garden inspiration can be found on my Alfresco board, as well as previous posts of this beautiful Montreal oasis, eating alfresco and outdoor showers /bathrooms.

Have a lovely day!

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