The bright and happy home of a Dutch blogger

I love a unique home. One where you can immediately tell something about the owner when you walk in (or see the home tour in a post!).  That's why I love the home of Dutch blogger Marlous Snijder (also founder of Oh Marie! magazine),  shot by Holly Marder for her 'Homes with Heart' column on Decor8. This home certainly has heart, and bags of it. I love the pops of colour, the quirky touches, and the slightly bohemian feel. I could hang out here all day drinking tea. How about you?! 

Home Marlous Snijder. Photography: Holly Marder. Decor8. 

How cute is the 'This morning, with her, having coffee, Johnny Cash' art?! One to get custom made through Geek Chic Prints?!

I think what I love most about this home are the bright bursts of yellow, such a cheerful colour to add to a home don't you think? One day I'll be brave enough to add a pop of yellow to my own home and when I do I'll also be taking my inspiration from this and this home. 

A SMEG fridge always goes down well too...!

Is there anything you love in particular about this home? 

More wonderful Dutch homes here, here and here (in case you missed them!). 

Have a lovely day!

Fabulous bright and zesty inspiration from Inside Out

I have several favourite interior magazines which I've followed for years but lately I've started to branch out a little. All the way to Australia in fact. Here are some pictures from the recently launched September issue of Inside Out magazine.  I think they give you a great idea of the kind of fabulous contemporary spaces the team at Inside Out find. Whether it's the bright zesty colours, the odd designer pieces or simply the cool take on the latest design trends and of course the cute dog, I'm all over Brunswick House, designed by Clare Cousins Architects. Perfect inspiration for the weekend don't you think?

Styling: Marsha Golemac, photography Brooke Holm. Clare Cousins Architects. Inside Out via Fancy with thanks

Styling: Marsha Golemac, photography Brooke Holm.  Clare Cousins Architects. Inside Out via Fancy with thanks

Styling: Marsha Golemac, photography Brooke Holm. Clare Cousins Architects.  Inside Out via Fancy with thanks

Styling: Marsha Golemac, photography Brooke Holm. Clare Cousins Architects.  Inside Out via Fancy with thanks

Styling: Marsha Golemac, photography Brooke Holm. Clare Cousins Architects.  Inside Out via Fancy with thanks

Styling: Marsha Golemac, photography Brooke Holm.  Clare Cousins Architects. Inside Out via Fancy with thanks

Do you know what? I absolutely love a statement splash of yellow, it makes such a great impact! I love the way the yellow geometric prints on the wall are balanced by a bunch of bananas on the table too, very cool styling by Marsha Golemac!

Is there anything that stands out to you or that you love about these spaces?

Very brief I spy: Hay cushion in yellow, Muuto The Dots hooks, Thonet 214 chairs around the dining table, and the Forså chrome desk light from IKEA.

I hope you have a really great weekend, see you Monday!

A cheerful small Swedish apartment

Hello! If there's one thing Swede's do well, it's make the most of every cm of a small apartment and still make it look spacious. Take this 45 metre square space for example. The owners have managed to include a beautiful sitting room, sleeping area and home office in one room (see the plan here). The space comes together thanks to the monochrome scheme and yellow and pink accent colours through out. Such a cheerful home don't you think?

Bjurfors via Planete Deco

Your kind of place?

I spy a few great pieces including the Stockholm rug, PS Cabinet and Forså lamp by IKEA. The Kudde Linus is similar to the cushion on the sofa. Try LiveAuctioneers for mid-century funriture and vintage lamps. Eames DAW chair (15% off with code MYSCAN).

If you're challenged for space and need a little more inspiration  take a scroll through these home tours - such unbelievably clever use of space!

I hope you have a lovely day!

The happy home of Jenny Brandt

Friday definitely calls  for colour. I've shown other images of this fab home before and now new pictures have emerged in the wonderful April edition of Inside Out magazine (available at Google Play and the Apple Newstand). It's the bright coloured and relaxed family home of Swedish blogger, illustrator and photographer (yes, she's one multi-talented lady), Jenny Brandt here in Skåne. Jenny and her family renovated the home from scratch, painting the floors (if you look closely, they're different throughout the house), adding more windows to create natural light as well as a unique personal stamp to everything within. Perfect inspiration for the weekend!

Photography / interior design Jenny Brandt, Shoot styling Kicki Wieslander via Desire to Inspire 

I love the wall of prints. I spy the Fine Little Day Apple Papple and Pirum Parum prints from Mokkasin as well as the Blushing Carl print from Jenny's shop.

For more happy homes with a splash of colour I'm loving Elina Dahls family space, this bright coloured Malmö home, and a vintage inspired Swedish apartment.

Speaking of happiness, do you have any plans for the weekend? P and I have been invited to a 'Lost at Sea' themed party. We're thinking if going as Life of Pi - with P as Piscine and me as the zebra (I definitely got the short straw didn't I?!).  The problem is we'd like to go for a pre-party drink in town and call me a party pooper but I'm not sure I'm willing to do that clad as a zebra? What do you think?  Other ideas welcome!!

Also the clocks finally go forward this weekend. This definitely calls for a celebration so I'm throwing a very exciting give-away here on Sunday. Make sure you stop by - it's open to all!

Have a very happy couple of days and see you Sunday!

Hot seats

Dining rooms have a tendency to be formal affairs with matching table and chairs. but that doesn't mean they have to be. You can shake it up with unique styles and colours.    Here are some of my favourite Wow dining "sets" from my Pinterest collection. 

Make it  patterned

These luxurious chairs invite you to cozy up to the table. I'm a sucker for texture, and I would totally enjoy having a meal at this table.  Think of how soft the fabric would be!   I like the fact that the chairs  are patterned on the back and  plain on the opposite side.  The tufting supports the more traditional design and the high back chairs at the ends work well with the size of the space and the curves of the other chairs. The  hobbled roman shade is is a soft but clean window treatment in this room.  Lots of ideas to steal in this set up.

Repeated curves

 Lately I'm very attracted to everything aqua. Doesn't this colour look great with dark wood?  Curves abound in this room - in the draperies, the stairs, the chair arms, the vines in the carpet and in the light fixture. A soothing room all around with an unconventional chair colour.

 Popping yellow

Who could ignore these canary yellow chairs? I love the way everything else in the room plays second fiddle to the chairs and allows them to be the star. I want to whisk those red flowers away though. Don't we all have our opinions about what looks best.

Serene colour scheme

This room is different in every way from the one above. I love the clean lines of the benches and chairs . Remember that you need a central leg or an X leg if you want to move easily to and from a bench style seat. Armless banquettes are the most versatile.   The texture on the front of the buffet;  the circular ceramic vases with  twigs, and the rounded edges of the table add interesting lines and some complexity to the room. The colour and lines of the light fixture work well with everything else.  Doesn't this room look serene?

 Repetition of curves

More  banquettes, but this time paired with patterned chairs and a curvy table. The four leg table design will make getting into the banquette a little more difficult.The arms will add to the problem.    The chair  shape is repeated in the  mirror and the doors of the buffet.   An interesting mix.

There's nothing formal about this room! It will definitely appeal to the colour and texture lovers out there. I want to see a more substantial table with all this colour, but that's just me.

How do you feel about chairs and tables not matching?

White, black and ...

YELLOW!

The colour of energy, sunshine and brightness.

It's difficult to ignore the high contrast colour scheme of white, black,  and primary yellow.    My personal preference is to have mostly white with hints of black and yellow, but the scheme plays out in different ways. You can tell from the images I've selected that it is a very contemporary look and not one you see often  in traditional decor.  A quieter look would be created if you substituted the black for gray- my all time favourite combination.  You can have a little or a lot of yellow through accessories. I've stayed away from the obvious choice of painting walls yellow which seems to be just too much yellow  for my taste.  Perhaps you disagree.
 How do you like yellow in......

Dining areas

 

  Atmosphere Interior Design Inc.

Only yellow art work makes this room vibrate.

 Bedrooms....

 Atmosphere Interior Design Inc
.
This yellow is more toned but still effective with white and black.

Tracy Murdock Allied ASID

 Madison Modern Home


Atmosphere Interior Design Inc
.
Finding the right accessories finishes a space.  Imagine the tables in the two rooms above  without the hit of yellow. 
 

Martha O'Hara Interiors

Only yellow pillows in the bedroom and yellow flowers in the bathroom but it's enough to lift the spirits of these two rooms.

 Living Rooms

 Emily Elizabeth Interior Design

 Painted furniture brightens every room but you can't get any better than a yellow hue.

 source 

Yellow is a very commanding colour for chairs.  You certainly won't be ignoring this one.I love the way your eye moves from the chair to the art work and then to the accent pillows.  Perfect colour scatter.

Bathrooms 

Decor Pad 

One bright yellow chair speaks volumes and it's waterproof!

t De Meza + Architecture

White and black small mosaic tile with splashes of bright yellow to enhance it.  Lining the drawers with yellow is an extra surprise . 

 Palmerston Design Consultants

Imagine this room without the commanding art work.
 

 Tobi Fairley

Porches 

Sometimes one perfectly placed accent makes a room sing.  

Blue Tangerine Art

Don't forget the power of art to move a space from boring to exciting. This is one of my favourite images to show how art can lift any space to something special. 

Did you find inspiration in any of these rooms?  If you don't like yellow you could substitute yellow green, magenta, coral or turquoise.