Happy Interior Blog

Ideas For A Happy Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Igor Josifovic) — Sat, 25 May 2013 06:30:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Igor Josifovic) — Fri, 24 May 2013 05:30:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Igor Josifovic) — Thu, 23 May 2013 06:32:00 +0000

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!

noreply@blogger.com (Igor Josifovic) — Wed, 22 May 2013 05:30:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Igor Josifovic) — Tue, 21 May 2013 05:30:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Igor Josifovic) — Sun, 19 May 2013 22:16:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Igor Josifovic) — Sat, 18 May 2013 06:30:00 +0000

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

Book Review: Gypset Travel

noreply@blogger.com (Igor Josifovic) — Thu, 16 May 2013 22:13:00 +0000

Hello there my friends! I am back after a whirlwind of travels - from Paris to the Provence, the French Riviera, back to Paris, then Munich and then Berlin. Phew, what an itinerary! Well you can imagine that it was beyond beautiful and inspiring (more about my trips soon on the blog). I took my recent travels as a good reason to present you a book I've recently bought upon recommendation by my friend and fellow blogger Olivia. 'Gypset Travel' appealed to me by its title alone as I consider myself a savvy traveler.

'Gypset Travel' is a travel diary by New York based journalist Julia Chaplin that delves into the glamorous bohemian world of artists, designers, and bons vivants through intimate photography and personal anecdotes. It takes us on an inspiring voyage to little-known enclaves around the globe and mixes fashion, interiors and travels into a magical concoction of a bohemian lifestyle.

'Gypset' is a term defined by the author Julia Chaplin as an unconventional, bohemian approach to life. It is characterized by a fashionable exoticism and a down-to-earth ease. It thus combines the wiles of a gypsy with the sophistication of the jet set.

So whether you're a boho traveler, a gypsy inside or a style savvy jet setter, this book will take you on an inspiring trip to enchanting places by highlighting the beauties on the go and gathering inspiration for your home.

As you can see on my pics I dove into the book over a freshly brewed cup of coffee and got myself taken away to new and unseen places. And after my last sip of coffee the lingering taste confirmed - I am a little 'gypset' traveler myself.

Photography by Igor Josifovic

Happy Birthday 'Salut' From Cassis, France

noreply@blogger.com (Igor Josifovic) — Mon, 13 May 2013 06:00:00 +0000

Champagne for my friends! Where are you? I am waiting for all of you right here in the swanky little town of Cassis on the Côte d'Azur, France. I have a chilled bottle of bubbles waiting for us. So if you are not just around the corner, I am toasting with you virtually directly from the south of France. Today is my birthday and I am spending a de luxe day in Cassis before I head back to Paris tomorrow. I hope your week is off to a great start, too! Stay happy & cheerful and I will see you back here on Friday later this week! Bises à tous!

Illustration via Traffic

Happy Voyage: Off To The Provence!

noreply@blogger.com (Igor Josifovic) — Fri, 10 May 2013 06:00:00 +0000

Hello my dear friends! While you read these lines I am in the TGV train on my way from Paris to the Provence! I am so excited as this is my birthday present - five days of sheer bliss in the south of France! I will be discovering swanky towns, rustic villages, cosmopolitan beaches. I will dive into the perfumes of the Provence, indulge in lavender and roses' scents, enjoy the sunshine, good food and a feast of love and joy! I will pop in here on my birthday on Monday just for a short hello. In the meantime, if you want to come along and discover the Provence in real time, follow me on Instagram! À tout à l'heure mes amis!

Illustrated Map via L'Occitane

Happy Cushions For Happy Homes

noreply@blogger.com (Igor Josifovic) — Thu, 09 May 2013 06:00:00 +0000

These days I am busy scouting for the perfect new sofa for my home. I was considering colourful sofas, big sofas, small ones, dark ones, bright ones. For the moment, I've come to one conclusion: I want a neutrally coloured sofa cause I am too much in love with cushions. I mean all kind of cushions. Ethnic ones, graphic ones, bold ones, pastely ones and so on. Hence, I need a neutral background to make them work on the sofa.

So I thought it's cool to share some new cushion designs with you that I've spotted recently and really liked. So here we go with a little European 'cushion tour':

France: Juliette Beaupin

The charming, Paris based French designer adds happiness to your home with colourful cushions with geometric patterns (see also top image). Simple yet playful, the cushions by Juliette Beaupin are all created in her little Parisian studio with lots of passion. For the future, I will put happy French cushions right next to macarons on my souvenir list! HERE you can see more of Juliette's work.

England: Chocolate Creative

The folks at Chocolate Creative are dead-on when it comes to cushion design. The cushions with photographic prints of nature sights and landscapes perfectly transmit the hipster vibe of 'back to nature' and taking the outdoors in. These cushions will not only make a statement on your sofa but on your bed, too. I fell like I need one…

Germany: Philuko

Philuko is the design label of Germany based Julia Schenk. She creates unique handmade home accessories and her cushions combine her various design approaches - from typography, to photography and illustrative art. These cushions seem very urban and cool to me. Want, want!

Hope you liked today's little 'cushion Eurovision'. Let me know which label is your favorite!

Photography via Juliette Beaupin (room shots by Premier Reg'Art), Chocolate Creative, Philuko

5 Happy Inspirations: Giftlab.com

noreply@blogger.com (Igor Josifovic) — Wed, 08 May 2013 05:00:00 +0000

Think of all those holidays and birthdays, all the weddings, bar-mitzvahs, baby showers, home warming parties and so on. There is always that very moment when we tell ourselves that nothing is more difficult than choosing and buying the right gifts for our friends and beloved ones. Of course, the internet has made things way easier and quicker. We are not bound to store opening hours, we don't have to cross the entire city while chasing for the perfect present.

When I was asked by Giftlab.com to have a closer look at their website, I was pleasantly surprised how easy it is to shop for lovely gifts online. Truth be told, Giftlab.com offers a wide range of products, but I've focused on the home section. I really like the wide range of designers and brands represented and the smart price range selection to pick the right gift. You should definitely have a closer look for your next gift shopping.

Of course I've selected five happy gifts which could easily go on my wish list. Which one would you pick?

P.S. As usual, scroll over the image to get to the direct shopping links!

This post is kindly sponsored by Giftlab.com

Photography: Fish bowl, coasters, Hermès poster, hammock, Missoni cushion all via Giftlab.com

Why This Room Caught My Eye

noreply@blogger.com (Igor Josifovic) — Mon, 06 May 2013 22:23:00 +0000

My ongoing obsession with kitchens must have two crucial reasons: First, ever since I moved away from my parent's place I've lived in apartments with tiny kitchens or better said kitchenettes. Even now I only have a sort of two square meters kitchenette where you constantly bump into sort of everything if you try a half turn. Second, I sort of discover my little passion for cooking healthy food. Now this is still largely undermined by the aforementioned kitchenette, so show me any lovely kitchen that is bigger than five square meters and I am all about to swoon and dream a dream of a decent kitchen for myself.

So when I spotted this kitchen shot by Adriaan Louw Photography I was more than enchanted. I think I would also go for a signal colour kitchen to make a little style and personality statement and this fresh green has a strong impact on my eye. But let me begin from the top:

Green Kitchen Fronts: A fresh and invigorating green for kitchen fronts and shelves? I would say YES! I imagine a kitchen as the heart of a happy home with lots of happy cooking, chatting, eating, meeting, working, partying. So yes, a green kitchen could be a real option for my future home.
Stainless Steel Gas Stove: Imagine this - I am working at a home appliance company and haven't got any decent ones myself due to my tiny kitchenette. If I had the option to choose, I would definitely go for stainless steel appliances and most certainly for a great gas stove.
Copper Pots and Pans: Vintage copper pots and pans on a hanging rack - this is the perfect style statement in a modern, playful colour kitchen. It adds a notion of heritage, of history - the omnipresence of a kitchen as the heart of a happy home is underlined by the addition of vintage kitchen accessories such as these great copper pots and pans.

What has caught you eye in this kitchen? Are you a colour kitchen person or would that be too much for you? Let me know!

Photography via Adriaan Louw Photography

Ideas For A Happy Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Igor Josifovic) — Sat, 04 May 2013 07:00:00 +0000

When you read these lines, I will already be in Austria at my family's place - I am staying until Monday eve as we will be celebrating orthodox Easter this weekend (yes, we're celebrating Easter very late this year). Hence, I am signing off until Tuesday when I will see you back here on Happy Interior Blog. This Monday I took you to Honfleur and promised to show you the enchanting hotel where I was staying coming week. Now, since I forgot I'll be in Austria I will make up for it a bit later, promised! Up to then, I wish you all a fabulously happy weekend - with your family, your partner, your friends, your pets, or with just yourself!

Photography via Rad Lady

City Poster Contest: My Favorites

noreply@blogger.com (Igor Josifovic) — Fri, 03 May 2013 05:30:00 +0000

It's no news that I am an avid traveler. Sometimes time and budget restrictions put a constraint on my globetrotting quest, but there are ways of discovering the world that do not involve days off and extra money. Yes, sometimes we can travel visually. One of my favorite German online shops for fashion and home accessories, Human Empire Shop (also one of my beloved 'Happy Sponsors'), has launched a city poster contest and received 185 fabulous submissions but only three of them will actually go into sale online. And the best is yet to come: You can vote until tomorrow, May 4th, for three of your favorites and thus enter a little raffle and win a 50 Euros voucher for Human Empire Shop (which ships internationally by the way).

So, here are my three favorites: Obviously the Paris poster by Natasa Vuckovic wins my heart - first of all it features my favorite city of all and the design just rocks my world with its hand-lettered typography, wonderful colour combination and delicate Eiffel tower silhouette.

The Palermo poster by Rita Kohel is a sheer holiday treat in itself. The warm Mediterranean colours, the loving couple on a Vespa, the palm trees - I feel like I could jump into this poster!

And last but not least, the Munich poster by Maria Otterbein with its vivid green hues and the accentuated city skyline makes me happy to live in this beautiful city.

HERE you can see all 185 poster entries. Which ones are your favorites?

Photography via Human Empire Shop

Funky & Happy Home: Peek Into A Colorful Book

noreply@blogger.com (Igor Josifovic) — Thu, 02 May 2013 05:30:00 +0000

Last week I was invited to the press launch party for the German issue of Charlotte Hedeman Guéniau's book 'Happy Home' or as it is entitled in Germany 'Funky Home'. Now many of you know that Charlotte is the founder, owner and creative mind of the Danish brand RICE, offering the probably happiest, quirkiest and most colourful selection of home accessories. Charlotte's creativity has now found its way into a book and it is absolutely great if you love colour, quirk and that funky bit for your home.

What I love above all in this book is its positive attitude. Charlotte advocates an approach to interior design that is detached from any design rules and trend parameters. She tackles interiors by experimenting with colours and shapes, solely listening to her inner voice and measuring the success by its fun factor. The result are funky and happy homes that represent her personality and ban every sort of monotony.

The book is structured into chapters that focus on the rooms' functionality from a very human perspective - hence the chapters have adorable names like 'Living, Loving, Laughing' or 'Cooking, Eating, Sharing'. I enjoyed the colourful feast with this book but above all I loved meeting Charlotte personally at her book launch party in Munich (alas, I didn't have my camera with me). She is as positive, happy and adorable as her book. Which proves the book's authenticity - I could definitely see Charlotte's personality on the book's 200 pages.

The only question remaining: How funky & happy is your home?

Photography by Igor Josifovic

5 Happy Inspirations: Fresh Into May!

noreply@blogger.com (Igor Josifovic) — Wed, 01 May 2013 05:30:00 +0000

Here we are, May 1st. A new month, a new board of happy inspirations for even happier homes. A chair, a cushion, a bowl, some cups and a cheerful illustration - that already makes a pretty happy home! Whenever you acquire a new thing for your home, always ask the one and only relevant question: Does it make you happy? Does it make you smile? If yes and yes, go for it! These five goodies make me happy and smile…I hope I won't give in and buy all of them instantly!

Happy May first, friends!

P.S. Scroll over the image above for the direct shopping links!

Photography: 1. via Amy Sia; 2. via Norr11; 3. via Modernica; 4. via Pedlars;

5. via Serena Olivieri.

Why This Room Caught My Eye

noreply@blogger.com (Igor Josifovic) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 05:30:00 +0000

Ready for some Tuesday interior candy? In good tradition, here is a room that absolutely caught my eye this week for - I'd say - obvious reasons. This is such a wonderful example to showcase the vast power of colours in interior design. This composition is like a painting - every hue seems carefully chosen, every placement thoughtfully arranged. Don't get me wrong, I truly believe that a monochrome interior can expel a similar visual power - but here we talk colour, right? But let me point out the three points that caught my eye in particular:

Colour Coding: The commitment to a precise colour palette does the trick here. A white setting as an ideal background make the warm orange and yellow pop to the max. The warm yellow is perfectly enhanced by the saturated tangerine and the colours reflect not only the larger pieces but also the decorative details.
Happy Shelves: I love this kind of open shelves in such a happy colour. First of all, they just look so decorative and secondly you can display your favorite magazines, books, prints and change the little gallery from time to time.
Timeless Eames Chairs: Yes, I agree, they are like everywhere. But truth be told, the timeless design of an Eames chair is a safe eye-catcher!

What do you think of this room? What caught your eye?

Photography via Bo Bedre

From Place To Space: Honfleur, France

noreply@blogger.com (Igor Josifovic) — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 22:07:00 +0000

Once I was asked why I'm blogging about travels too when my focus is interior design and homewares. Well, first of all, besides interior design, traveling is another strong passion of mine. And secondly, I always bring back inspiration and ideas for my home and interior styling after my trips. So here is another little virtual trip for you my dear readers - today's destination: the quaint town of Honfleur on the coast of the Normandy in northern France.

Honfleur is a mere 2.5 hours car ride away from Paris and thus a very popular weekend getaway for the Parisians. The little town is famous for its picturesque old port lined-up with colourful, slate-covered houses and its reputation among artists. Wandering the streets of Honfleur will leave you with the impression that at least half of France's artists must have been citizens of Honfleur during one certain time in their lives. Consequently, many houses carry the names of renown French artists and a good deal of small museums pays tribute to them.

Moreover, Honfleur is known for its good food (like the Normandy in general). The city is located in the department called Calvados hence the correspondent liquor stems from this region as does the famous French cidre - try the cidre rosé, it is amazing! Excellent cheeses and salted butter are among the region's specialties and apples play a major role in the local cuisine. But seafood is the real highlight in Honfleur - you will be tempted by dozens of seafood dishes for incredibly reasonable prices so if you like it, dig into the delicious Noix de Saint-Jacques, oysters, mussels and so on.

As charming as the old town is with its historical buildings, the unique St. Catherine's church with its old wooden bell tower and wooden interior, don't miss out a beach walk during the low tide. You will enjoy a fab view of the famous 'Pont de Normandie', a huge, modern bridge, and on the other side you will spot the silhouette of the neighbouring city Le Havre. Moreover, many many shells will trigger your decoration instinct and call for a little souvenir collection.

Speaking of souvenirs: I brought back a few goodies from the Normandy for you. The traditional salted butter caramels, famous chocolates called 'sardines' and of course a few hand-picked shells from the beach. You will find a picture on my Instagram account and by leaving a message on Instagram until Tuesday midnight you are in to win the little Normandy goodie bag. Join the giveaway HERE.

So, how did you like today's little virtual trip? Oh, and next week I'll tell you all about the charming hotel I was staying.

Happy Monday!

Photography by Igor Josifovic

Ideas For A Happy Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Igor Josifovic) — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 07:30:00 +0000

It's weekend time (I am screaming of joy, you can't hear it)! My weekend is kicking-off the way I like it: with an extended breakfast which I prefer to call a 'breakslow' on the weekends. 'Fast' is not a weekend concept to me. So after the joyous treat of yummy and healthy food combined with a hot cup of freshly brewed coffee, I will be off to one of my favorite interiors store here in Munich to shoot a few pictures. On my way back I will stop over at the famous 'Viktualienmarkt' for some cheese and fresh olives before I head home and take a few more pics of my apartment. You might wonder what this picture thing is all about - well, I am working on a really, really exciting project - I promise to reveal more soon! Just a little bit more patience. For the time being, enjoy a beautiful and above all happy weekend wherever you are, my friends!

Photography by Olga Bennett via Stampel

Happy Sponsor: Home Accessories by milanari.com

noreply@blogger.com (Igor Josifovic) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 05:30:00 +0000

Today it's time to present you one of my very new 'Happy Sponsors', the German online shop milanari.com with a beautiful selection of furniture and home accessories. milanari.com is pretty new on the German market and covers a wide array of interior styles: from vintage pieces, over colourful accessories to modern furniture. The two charming ladies and owners, Jutta Syben and Nicole Mahnel, founded milanari.com in Munich and what I love is that their passion for furniture and home accessories shines through - they pick every piece by themselves and thus create a personal marketplace for happy homes, don't you agree?

1 / 2 / 3 / 4

For this blog post I've compiled some of my favorite finds from milanari.com and grouped them into 'interior personality' boards - being a guy I've opted for a 'masculine' typology, but of course this applies to all you beautiful ladies out there, too!

1 / 2 / 3 / 4

I am the kind of guy that easily gets lost in online shops with home accessories. I browse, get inspired and eventually I discover something new and beautiful that I want for my happy home. So let's do a little guessing game, shall we?

1 / 2 / 3 / 4

Here is the little guessing game: One of the above depicted home goodies from milanari.com is now in my home. But which one? What do you think? I am curious to see who knows me that well by now to guess right!

This post is kindly sponsored by milanari.com.

Photography: Vintage room via Minna's Playground; Modern room via B&B Italia; Colourful room via Homelife; all product shots via milanari.com.

Before & After: Home Styling Part Three

noreply@blogger.com (Igor Josifovic) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 05:30:00 +0000

Styling your home can be the best activity ever. Trust me. It is so fun and so challenging at the same time. During my interior styling online course by Justina Blakeney I was asked to restyle five areas of my home: The coffee table and sofa (part one, see HERE), the console and bookshelf (part two, see HERE) and the bed & nightstand - today's final part three!

As you see on my pics, my rooftop apartment has pitched roofs and my bedroom is literally stuck under one of those droops. My bedroom furniture is white and a nautical bunting (can't be seen on the pics unfortunately) sets the tone for a maritime vibe in my nook. So I've decided to take the bunting's theme as a key and style a nautical bedroom corner for the 'little sailor' in me.

For the bed I used various textiles to play with textures, patterns and colours. Understandably, the colour palette is muted with blues, off whites, soft greys and a dash of yellow. I combined striped bedsheets with a navy blue knit throw and a Hamam towel. My anchor cushion from H&M Home and the Whitby cushion by Mini Moderns complete the look and call for a seaside dream.

The nightstand is simple and as I would say 'happy'. The nautical themed painting that I brought back from Provincetown sets the frame whereas the coral, the little colourful lighthouse and the succulent in the happy dotted pot recall coastal joy and and add texture, colours and the magical power of botanicals.

What do you think of my bedroom styling? It is simple, I admit, but isn't it happy?

Photography by Igor Josifovic

5 Happy Inspirations: A Dash Of Spring For Your Happy Home

noreply@blogger.com (Igor Josifovic) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 05:30:00 +0000

With spring in full swing I am thinking of new colours, textures and patterns for the home. Have you done your spring cleaning? Have you sorted out those deco items that have been like forever on the sideboard? How about the selection of home textiles in your home? Time for a revamp? With spring I feel the desire for an airy feeling at home, for fresh colours and blissful textures. In order to give you a more visual idea of what I think, here are this week's five happy inspirations. Oh, and simply scroll over the image to click and shop! As easy as that!

Happy spring day!

Photography: 1. Sophisticated Living; 2. Shade On Shape; 3. Lime Branch Studios;

4. Milanari; 5. H&M Home

Why This Room Caught My Eye

noreply@blogger.com (Igor Josifovic) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 05:30:00 +0000

Have a look around the room where you are right now - what catches your eye immediately? Those salient visual cues are the essence of my Tuesday blog series 'Why This Room Caught My Eye'. There are always a few visual cues that stand out and make a real design or styling statement. I've committed myself to three elements that catch my eye so today again I want to line out why this room caught my eye. Let's roll:

Colourful Illustrations: I am a huge fan of illustrations and I've recently started my little gallery wall. This cute selection of colourful illustrations in the kitchen caught my eye immediately. I like the neat order here and the dominance of kitchen related topics. Cute!
Happy Kitchen Appliances: Kitchen appliances haven't got to be dull or boring. Whether you like the sleek look of stainless steel surfaces or you prefer a happy dash of colour - a statement piece of kitchen appliance can brighten up any home! Love the happy yellow here!
Stripy Sweater: Ok, I admit, this is not an interior design or styling factor. But hey, after all don't forget that you and your beloved ones make part of a happy home (yes, the most important one). So if your home is a happily styled, so should be you! And there's hardly anything happier than a stripy sweater!

Happy home styling & happy Tuesday, friends!

Photography via Ikea Family Live

BLOGST Munich: Teaching A Blogger Class

noreply@blogger.com (Igor Josifovic) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 06:30:00 +0000

The German blogger workshop series called BLOGST came to Munich a few days ago. The workshop in Munich was entitled BLOGST PRO - blogging for advanced bloggers. Ricarda, the mastermind behind BLOGST, asked me whether I'd be interested an co-lecturing the workshop with her and it took me two seconds to consider - I said yes!

Teaching my first blogger class was pretty exciting. First I was a bit nervous, then uncertain what to teach and then I just had so much fun cause we had the best student bloggers ever in Munich. The days before the workshop I clicked through 22 German lifestyle blogs spanning from DIY over food blogs to fashion blogs and wondered what to teach those advanced blogger ladies.

During the workshop I talked about time management for busy blogger bees with full-time jobs or families, about editorial calendars, prettying up the blog with Photoshop and about networking. I revealed a few personal tricks and tweaks to blog efficiently, a few freebie sources and networking tips. The feedback was positive so I felt happy and relieved after a long day.

Beside the fact that I was the only guy among 23 ladies, I couldn't help but admire the funky co-working space Combinat56 with its 50s decor. It was the perfect location to let the creative juices flow and work on our blogs.

After a super long workshop Saturday we rounded the things up by having dinner in a downtown restaurant and I felt like I not only accomplished my dreaded task of teaching my first blogger class, but I also gained 22 new blogger friends! I'd say that was worth all the hassle!

Thanks again to Ricarda for making me part of the BLOGST experience! We were a great team!!

Photography by Igor Josifovic