Hege in France

Styling love

2013-05-25T21:00:00.000+02:00

I just love all of this. Fab furniture and accessories. White and red is definitely a nice combo, but I think I prefer subtle details like here and not too much red. Not so long ago I saw a show home where somebody had gone a bit crazy.. There was red and I mean a lot of it in every room in the whole house.. House staging gone wrong if you ask me. It kind of looked like a crime scene..

How cool is the masking tape frame on the wall?

photo Rolinda Windhorst
styling Stijlbloem

I'll be back stronger next week! Sorry about the lack of posts..

Happy Weekend to you all!

Tuesday Tips - Large Posters

2013-05-21T13:40:00.000+02:00

As you've probably seen lately oversized prints are very trendy. I love personalising, so my tip to you is to have your own photos turned into large posters. That way you've got your own personalised art.

If you order a poster of one of your photos you can put it onto a piece of chip board with some spray glue or frame it. I've seen poster formats of up to 2 meters tall, so if you really want to go big you can.

photo Nina Pohl

photo The ten cent designer

photo Katty Schiebeck

photo Fantastic Frank

I think it's all about finding what you like and not just copying everybody else.

Some nice posts about oversized art French by Design, Mechant Design and Oliver Yaphe.

Hope you liked this Tuesday Tip.

Australia

2013-05-15T09:35:00.001+02:00

It's time for the Australian House Awards 2013 and here's the shortlist.. There are 125 residential projects across eight categories. Yes, they are of course all out of this world. Here's a selection of them.

photo Shannon McGrath

photo Derek Swalwell

Any favourites?!

Tuesday Tips - Flooring

2013-05-14T10:01:00.000+02:00

I didn't really know what to call today's Tuesday Tips, but I was instantly drawn to this hall and the effect the flooring has. In these wonderful before and after photos you can see how much nicer it looks to use only one type of flooring. By changing the floor and creating a large opening instead of a normal door this space has been completely transformed. It appears much more spacious and you've got to love the light detailing along the floor and ceiling. I'm also for painting everything white, but if you're a regular reader of my blog you've probably noticed that already... I do love all this light.

It has a much better flow now, don't you think? It also looks like a much larger and more open home than before, not to mention very trendy. There was a large budget spent here, but the idea of the continuous flooring wouldn't necessarily be a huge expense. There are lots of good alternatives out there for all budgets.

If you would like to see the all of the Before and After photos from this apartment you click HERE. This apartment was transformed by very talented Italian architect Carola Vannini.

Hope you like this little flooring tip.

Thank you so much to Minni for giving us last Tuesday's Tip.

Have a lovely day!

all photos credit Carola Vannini

New magazines

2013-05-12T20:23:00.000+02:00

You've left so many sweet messages. Thank you so much! It feels like the right decision for us, so I'm sure Scotland will be fine. It will be very different to living in the French countryside, but to be honest we're all looking forward to going somewhere a bit more busy.

Tomorrow I'm starting my new medication and get to spend the whole day in hospital, so I've stocked up on new interior design mags. ;) I'll show you more details from them soon. I think I found some really good ones.

I'll be back on Tuesday with more Tuesday Tips.
Have a look at my Pinterest account if you're in need of some inspiration.

Have a nice start to the new week!

ps! To all my blogger friends, I promise I'll come by to say hello soon. I've been very bad lately, but it's also been good spending less time on the pc.

We're moving to..

2013-05-10T20:44:00.002+02:00

Scotland!!! Well done to Deborah for finding the little clue. The Rennie Mackintosh detailed windows. Well done to Nicki too for guessing Scotland. I'll be able to show you lots of cool places to visit, stay, eat, drink, shop you name it..! I studied in Glasgow and worked in Edinburgh before we came to France, so I know Scotland quite well. I'm sure lots have changed though. Were we had our first date there's no longer a pub, but a fab Italian. :)

As I mentioned, we'll be renting a flat first to find where we'd like to settle. It's all very exciting and quite strange leaving France, but we miss family and friends. It'll even be much easier for us to see my family in Norway as they'll only be a short flight away. So time has come to say bye to France after 9 years.. I'm sure we'll be back for holidays though.

by Rural Design Architects

by The Design Practice

So, in a few months I'll be blogging from trendy coffee shops, sipping macchiatos and taking you round the country. Until then, I shall enjoy the French weather as the Scottish weather won't be quite as good..

photo All that is solid

Have a brilliant weekend!!

For rent in..

2013-05-08T11:31:00.001+02:00

So would you like to know where we're moving to?! We've decided that we'll be moving early August, so Magnus can start school in ...... :) We'll be renting for a while to find out which area we'd like to live in.

Here's a fab home for rent. No, no this isn't the place we'll be renting.. It's a bit over our budget especially as our house isn't sold yet. Don't think we'd have enough furniture for this place anyway. It's pretty cool though, don't you think?!

There's a little clue to where we're moving here. Can you see it?! It's just a little detail.

Have a nice day! We're having Magnus's 6th Birthday party this afternoon. Should be good fun.

Tuesday Tips - DIY Doily Baskets

2013-05-07T09:35:00.002+02:00

Hi, I’m Minni from a blog called Nimidesign. I’m so excited to share this easy DIY project with you today on Tuesday Tips!

This doily basket project is very easy and simple to do and the results are fun!

Things you will need:

Crochet doilies

Bowls in different sizes and shapes

Cling film

1 dl of water

1 dl of sugar

Crochet doilies are easy to find from thrift stores and they make great diy material for different projects. I noticed that the ones made with thicker yarn work better for making baskets. Instead of using glue or toxic hardeners, we’re using sugar as a hardener. The fun thing about using sugar as a hardener is that it can be washed away with water. This means that you can use the doilies for other projects in the future if you want! How great is that?

Instructions:

Wrap the bowls with cling film. The cling film makes removing the baskets easier. Boil the water and mix with the sugar until the sugar is completely dissolved. Put the doilies to the sugar-water mixture. Remove from the mixture and squeeze the doily gently so that it’s not dripping but still wet. Set the doily on a bowl and smooth out the wrinkles. Let the doily dry for at least 24 hours and remove from the bowl carefully. You have a finished doily bowl! It can be used to hold small treats and items or it could make a great gift if filled with sweets or other treats.

Have a lovely day everyone and thanks Hege for having me as a guest blogger!

Minni

A visit to Japan

2013-05-06T12:18:00.001+02:00

Let's start the new week in Japan with this unique home. I love the mix of concrete and wood.

found via lovely blog Harmony photos by Suppose

You've got to love this beautiful shade of green next to the concrete.
It looks like a great place to either work or sit and enjoy a coffee.

I'm excited to be blog of the month on We heart home! Thank you so much to Holly and Trisha. Pop over to We heart home to read the interview.

Here the sun is shining and we're going to have lunch outside. Should I mention that we had breakfast outside too? I could get used to this weather.

Happy New Week!

All Swedish

2013-05-03T14:22:00.002+02:00

Well, this looks like spring to me. All the photos I've chosen have got one thing in common they're all by very talented Swedish ladies.

by Concept by Anna

by Daniella Witte

by på min gata i stan

photo Lina Östling by Johanna Flyckt Gashi

Is that a metal pot they've put the tree in? It looks great! It did give me an idea.. you could actually use a tote bag couldn't you? It's not like you need to water it.. hm..

What you need more fab photos?!

You want to see an amazing factory conversion.. well click HERE then. :)

Happy Weekend!

It's Fantastic Frank again

2013-05-01T10:08:00.000+02:00

This apartment is for sale in Vällingby, Sweden. I have to say that some countries have a lot to learn when it comes to photos and styling before selling.. I won't go into deatails, but if you like I'll do a post with some of the worst photos I've ever seen.. It could be fun, couldn't it? One that sticks out was of a blurred livingroom with a man ducking down behind the sofa. Classy! It really doesn't take that long to take another photo.. and of course the house or apartment might just sell that little bit quicker.

This apartment styled by Fantastic Frank is slightely different and I'm sure it'll sell quickly. I love the white walls and of course the tiled wall in the kitchen. The plants make the apartment look so fresh and ready to move into. Did you know the average house buyer has decided if the house if for them or not after about 2 minutes? Every second counts!

photos Fantastic Frank

Have a lovely day!

Tuesday Tips - mood boards

2013-04-30T14:54:00.002+02:00

I've found some good ideas for mood boards or idea boards that are useful when planning to decorate a room. I quite often I have ideas that I have ripped out of magazines and but I aslo like writing notes next to them. When I found this I was sold. I think it's perfect!

Foto Lina Östling VINTAGE

If you don't have a board, here's my idea. Get a huge cardboard box and get to work. Quite often you can get them free in shops.

All you need is a sheet of cardboard, a marker pen, masking tape, some magazine pages and off you go. You can start planning your space, a new project or even your blog posts!

photo by me

Or simply use a bit of grey paper and some masking tape like here.

by A concept by Anna

Have fun decorating and being creative!

photo Lauren Bamford

For more Tuesday Tips click HERE.
As usual if you have posted or seen something similar please link below.
We'd love to have look!
hx

A bit like summer..

2013-04-28T22:12:00.002+02:00

We've had such a nice break. It was great being away from the pc. We had 30°C one day, so I've got a sunburned nose to show for it. We've been to markets, the lake, coffee shops and we've done a lot of work in the garden. We even ate most of our meals outside, so yes it was a bit like summer. Tomorrow it's back to the nursery and back to work. I've even got a house viewing lined up tomorow afternoon, so I need to do some last minute finishing touches. Wouldn't it be great to start the week with a sale?

I had a quick look at Pinterest and here are some things that caught my eye.

photo Annie Decor

photo My Attic

photo Paulina Arcklin

Have a nice new week!

Tuesday Tips - JuJu Hats

2013-04-23T13:27:00.000+02:00

Yes, this is my 2nd Tuesday Tips post dedicated to feathers. This time it's about a new trend - JuJu hats. The JuJu hats originally came from Africa, Cameroon to be exact. Tribal Chiefs and other leaders wore these hats in an effort to stand out and set them selves apart. The feathers of the JuJu hat represent Prosperity and Wealth. Now JuJu hats are used as wall decor and I think they are nice bold statements.

by Safari Fusion

by Jean Allsopp

by Francesco Lagnese

by Safari Fusion

by Oh Happy Day

by Kronbali

Here's a tutorial by Love Maegan.

Are you a fan of this trend?
hx

Relaxing weekend

2013-04-22T14:46:00.000+02:00

I've had a nice and relaxing weekend and I hope you did too. My parents are here from Norway and Magnus is on holiday, so we've spent lots of time outside in the sun. My parents were in Spain on holiday a while back and bought me an interior design magazine. In my Spanish magazine I found an article called Flamingo road that I found quite funny after my flamingo post last week. I also got a Norwegian magazine and two new Menu cups. Lucky me!

The purple flowers are wild orchids from the side of the road and my new green bag is from yesterdays huge bric-à-brac.

Thank you so much for your messages. I'll be round to say hello at some point. I've decided to

take it easy this week as I'm in a lot of pain. There will be some posts, but not like normal. I'll be going to the hospital on Friday to learn more about medication for my AS. It's really difficult at the moment as nothing is helping, but if the new medication works it could actually stop my condition from getting worse. So, let's hope that it works, as this is not much fun. I'm exhausted and feel a bit like an old granny.. Anyway, I didn't mean to get really heavy, but I just wanted to explain why I'm not visiting blogs etc. and being really antisocial.

Here's a really cool living room found via Michelle Halford on Pinterest

and the coolest restaurant I've seen in a while from Emmas Design blogg. Apparently this place has been ruined as it's become a sports bar with lots of flags on the walls. I could cry!

I also found this lovley (staged) living room. Love it all and find the shelf very interesting and think it would be quite easy to make. I think it's a definite DIY for the future.

photo Beck

Happy New Week!

Happy Weekend!

2013-04-19T19:26:00.000+02:00

photo Nuevo Estilo

I'm just stopping by to say Happy Weekend! My back and shoulder really aren't my friends just now, so I'm taking the weekend off. See you Monday?!

A canvas seat anyone?

2013-04-19T08:57:00.000+02:00

Presented at Milan Design Week 2013, this is collection Canvas 2D wall art by Japanese design studio YOY. It's not just a fab print, but it's actually also a seat.

The collection is a series of 2D furniture pieces with the frames made of wood and aluminum. The pieces are then covered with an elastic fabric with screen-printed illustrations of various types of furniture. Each piece can be used by leaning it against a wall and applying weight on it by sitting on the flexible fabric. The collection comes in three sizes, a stool, a 1P sofa and a 2P sofa. Found on PSFK photos by Yasuko Furukawa.

I wonder if these comfy looking seats are actually comfy?!

Street art

2013-04-18T08:01:00.001+02:00

A while back I mentioned that I like graffiti and street art. Today I've got the pleasure of introducing talented artists Kritsin Gaudio Endsley and Hannah Adamaszek.

The two artists have started collaborating under the name KHcollaboration and they have kindly agreed to give us a tour of their workspace and artwork in London.

Here are some facts about the artists

Kristin Gaudio Endsley is an abstract artist whose work has quickly caught the eye of critics and collectorsalike. Her work has been showing consistently since arriving in London in 2011.

Influenced by organic and manmade patterns and colors found in both internal and external environments, her works ask the viewer to participate in interpretation. This starts with most viewers’ first question regarding abstract art: What am I looking at? Beyond the basics, viewers are also asked to contemplate more existential questions: What’s inside? What’s outside? What’s intentional? What happens by chance?

Raised near the rolling shores of Chesapeake Bay, Kristin’s perspective was strongly shaped by the visual clash of industry and nature in and around the bustling American port town of Baltimore. Descended from a long line of artists and craftsmen, Kristin has a family history in highly tactile expressions of creativity. Her grandfather was a furniture maker; her mother is a mixed media artist. Family influences in materials and craftsmanship helped fuel Kristin’s interest in textiles— both natural and synthetic textures and patterns. As a result of this interest, in addition to her fine arts work, Kristin obtained her Bachelor of Science in Fashion Design at Virginia Tech.

Hannah Adamaszek is an up and coming street artist, handpicked by top international galleries. She has taken part in projects for Brandalism, Vans and Art on Snow.

She paints her own representation of the world around her. Her style being a fine line between street art and fine art. Her tool box contains decorating brushes, inks, acrylics, spray paint and plenty of water. She favours her work finished crude and gritty leaving the layers of progress to be admired. Large scale canvas works that search for whats hidden under the surface of everybody's life.

The serene feeling in her work reflects her personality influenced by the love of being outside and the mountains. Native Indian dress and jewellery influences stems from her father, who was painting them whilst she was growing up. The dark, rebellious side comes through, with influences from the punk scene and her photographic past working with street performers and the homeless.

I think this is a really interesting mix of styles and hope to see a lot more graffiti and street art like this in the future.

Tuesday Tips - Adding walls

2013-04-16T07:30:00.002+02:00

This has been one of my "I have to try this" projects since we lived in Edinburgh, Scotland about year 2000. Yes, I wripped this out of a copy of Livingetc back then and I still have it on my wall. It must have been very much ahead of it's time with the concrete. I fell in love with this photo and have kept it ever since. In this bedroom they have added a wall and the dressing area is behind it. Brilliant.

photo Livingetc

In our next home I would love to add a wall behind the bed and have my office there. It would be like a secret little place. Not that I would want it to be secret, but it would be out of the way and you wouldn't know it was there. The bedroom wouldn't feel cluttered as the desk and all that goes with it would be hidden behind the wall. It's also a way of not needing another room.

Photo Espen Grønli

Photo Armelle Habib

If you prefer you could of course do something much more simple by adding curtains behind the bed. This is also a great way of faking a four poster bed. Put up four curtain poles in the ceiling and hang your curtains... It doesn't get much easier than that.

Photo Joe Fletcher

Hope you've enjoyed todays Tuesday Tips. :)

Architect Igor Sirotov

2013-04-14T10:36:00.001+02:00

If only.. the library at my University had looked like this..

Ok, probably better it didn't or I would have got no work done.. This is a co-working center by brilliant architect Igor Sirotov.

Did I ever tell you that I studied Human Resource Management and Economics and not Interior Design. Biggest regret of my life, but it's never too late right?!

Enjoy Sunday! We're having our first picnic of the year at the park. :)

all photos credit Igor Sirotov

I think it's finally spring

2013-04-13T19:07:00.002+02:00

It's time to scrub the patio and get the furniture out! :)

I'm pleased that my painted rug has survived the winter and is still lookig intact.

It just needs a good scrub and it'll be good as new.

Thank you to Norwegian Interior Blogs for this! :)

Coolest thing I've seen in a while is THIS. Need more lampshades NOW!

Happy Weekend!

Flamingo love

2013-04-12T08:15:00.000+02:00

It's been a long week and I needed something to cheer myself up. ;)
I'm seing flamingos everywhere! New trend?!

photo Est Magazine

1. Tim Pascoe 2. Anthropologie 3. Pinterest 4. Society6

photo Lasse Decker

by Etsy shop PosterPop

photo Puxxle

Love it or hate it?! I think it's kind of fun.

Yes, I'm sure my brother will let us have before and after photos of his apartment. I can't wait to get started.. only a couple of months to go.

I've got a busy day lined up and tonight I'm going to a Birtday Party with lots of creative people. Should be fun!

Happy Friday!

Black and white apartment

2013-04-10T09:36:00.000+02:00

I'll be updating my brother's Oslo apartment in the summer and this is how I picture his kitchen. It would be a massive change as his kitchen has now got units on 3 walls. I'm completely in love with the large island and the pendants above. You understand why, right?! I need to convince him, don't I? I hope he'll let me go mad and change his apartment completely. Would be fun, right?!

Stay Copenhagen

I would also put a shelf / desk under his window and change his massive sofa to a smaller one and add a comfy chair.

photo Kristofer Johnsson

Striking black lamp in the bedroom, yes please!

Bodie and Fou

Wish I could start today, but it's rented out while he's travelling..

Tuesday Tips - DIY by Pierre Lota

2013-04-09T10:53:00.002+02:00

Today's Tuesday Tips is a short video by Pierre Lota to remind us to be creative.

It's incredible what you can do with so little. Enjoy!

credit Pierre Lota found on This Home Sweet Home

photos and video credit Pierre Lota

Hope this put a smile on your face.
Happy Tuesday!

Vårforberedelser

2013-04-08T19:48:00.002+02:00

I år har jeg ikke gjort så mye ute, fordi vi skal selge huset. Isteden har jeg konsentrert meg om å lage det lysere inne og særlig på kjøkkenet. Jeg har malt skapet hvitt, men bare på insiden. Ting jeg har fremme kommer nå mer frem. Jeg har også noen knall grønne detaljer. Det frisker også opp med litt grønne planter nå på våren, så jeg er ofte ute å henter noen kvister.

Med dette bidraget deltar jeg i NIB's April utfording.

This is my entry to the NIB April challenge - Preparations for Spring. As we're selling our home we're not preparing so much outside. I've been busy making our kitchen brighter by painting our large grey dresser white inside. I've also added bright green details and green plants.

To see all the other entries click HERE.