City trippin

As much as I love my home, the walls sometimes seem to be closing in on me. Probably because I didn’t take any time off during the summer or even for Autumn break. A vacation in your onesome is so new to me it feels like taking a leap into an abyss. Did I mention I have a fear of depths and the dark.. But then I saw this hotel and a shift occurred. Maybe, just maybe I could manage a smaller step? 

Say a midweek or weekend break, not too far away but definitely somewhere designed, cool and oh-so happening. Well this is the destination for me! The Bold designhotel in Munich. Minimal, clean lines and functional but with loads of design details.I love the mix of modern pieces from Hay and mid-century finds. Yes please, time to pack a bag and discover with this city is all about.

P.S. The hotel has a webshop so no need to steal the towels or bathrobe..

Work mood (board)

I spend a large chunk of my working and free time behind a computer screen. At work preferably at the lounge desk with its adjustable couch and at home in total lazy mode meaning lounging on bed in a spine-unfriendly position while staring at my desk which is only a couple of meters to the right. I’m a total lazy queen and a normal desk just does not call out ‘come hither’ to me despite my back whispering 'help me'. And so my workspace is definitely on the list for a corner fix but just right now…I want to do the kids spaces first. That’s OK though because it gives me time to make a plan of attack. What is an inviting workspace? How can I achieve this in my own space? With minimal changes? This is ‘my get my butt out of bed and into the deskchair’ mood board. 

Even in the store I was torn between a black and a white desk and ending up going for black. Guess what..back from black. The desk is going white. And my wall of art is great but time for a change. Time for some fresh inspiration. I’m loving the prints from Mydeerartshop (the dipped girl art is stunning but out of my price range). And then there is my undying affection for Therese Sennerholt. Her customer edition and don’t play with me postcard sets just click. 

Same goes for the desk top..less is more and so is subtle. I want to switch out the bright colour for subtler, softer shades. Winter whites, greys and black. Still with a bit of colour, just not orange and pink. I’m thinking a hint of dark purple which is my favourite colour. So how perfect is this storage box from Housedoctor? Less storage, more space, a few choice accessories and some greenery for an extra oxygen boost. And then, then comes the chair. I still love the look of the Maui desk chair but super comfortable for hours on end it is not. So why not soften it up with the old favourite; a sheepskin throw in grey to keep it soft and lush. What do think? Is this good to get upright & get to working? I’m thinking yes but we’ll see once completed. Stay tuned.

The concrete house is from Applicata via Emma B. The giant glass bell with white foot is from Store Without a home. The hourglass is from Hema. The concrete tape dispenser is from Areaware via Fonq. The sheepskin from Livv Lifestyle.

A leather brief

I love leather, just check out some of my previous fashion post. I even mentioned wanting a pair of skinny leather trousers to cement into my wardrobe staples that I still haven't purchased. But guess what, now I want a pair of loose leather pants as well.Not the super wide kind but loose fitting and relaxed. The style in combination with the material just says effortless cool. Classy yet casual. Sexy yet understated. Just a loose blouse, simple tee and a pair of minimal heels or cool classed-up kicks and you’re there, say save a statement accessory. Here are my top (affordable) picks for a pair of my own as well as the shoes I’m coveting at the minute..

 Green leather pants from Zara. Drawstring trousers from Mango. Tight-fit ankle pants from H&M. Legging with ribbing from Y.A.S. Sneaker with band from Zara. Lipstick red bow stilettos from Bionda Castana (hey, they're on sale so not totally unaffordable).  Pony hair Stan Smiths. Asymmetric snakeskin pumps from Zara.

Rub a dub dub...

...I no longer have a tub. I have toured all the spaces in my home besides the wash spaces, otherwise known as the loo, bathroom and laundry room. These are the spaces that needed the lest work but I only just completed the bathroom with the hanging of the Teti lamp and floating tray. 

This is a rental so I couldn’t go hog-wild like I did in my previous bathroom but I did make a few improvements to make it ours. Sticking with the white base, all the functional accessories including the lighting are white. I then added a hanging cabinet in dark wood for contrast which lends us some much needed storage. I oiled the kids toothbrushing stool back to life, added my super plush Vipp towels in eggplant (a fave colour is a fave colour) and out came the blue Seletti submarino because fun is the way to go with six am wake-up calls. A few accessories I already owned including a textural laundry basket that is over a decade old, my beloved handcrafted dish and porcelain orchid from Singapore and several candles because tub or not I still love a candlelit wash. 





















Even the kids toys are out and displayed because this is their home to, climbing the radiator to tap the roof is mom-cringing love of theirs. A last little detail that I love is the tiny hanging shelf which holds a single item, in this case a water cup with a single pink flower. I love this space for the light that streams through the huge window as bathrooms with no or tiny windows drive me too close to the edge on winter mornings. I do miss my Jacuzzi bath but have to admit I’m a fervent showerer and everything just feel so spacious without that a bath would probably have made it cramped.

The loo has the exact same color as my last as I still (even now) love that rich dark blue. And same as the bath, all the functional accessories are in white. The framed pictures were bought while in Penang and the towel holder is a gym hook from Hay. A fun detail is the giant brass nail that the keyhole mirror from Raumgestalten is hanging on. I’m thinking of carrying the blue up to the ceiling and adding some hanging art to emphasise the height of the tiniest room in the house.

I love that I have a dedicated laundry room. Out of sight is the minimalist credo. Piles of wash and sorting just get the door shut on them till I’m ready for laundry duty. I won’t lie..I really dislike ironing. But when I do, I enjoy another big window and the hippest Scandi-inspired ironing board out there. Yep, I can excited about an ironing board and laundry storage rack. Bring on your inner housewife! And then take a long, warm shower..

Scheduled

This week I want to show you;

•  The last non-documented interior space in my home,
• A wardrobe piece I’m slightly obsessing about purchasing,
• The inspiration for a coming corner fix,
• A place to stay so fab it makes me want to take a midweek vacation asap!

Work in progress

I couldn’t resist taking a picture looking outdoors while doing the fall restyling post. The best items are bought out of season! I just purchased my outdoor dining table despite it now being decidedly Fall. I love this sturdy table in galvanised steel and Italian slate that despite the heft still looks sleek and well-balanced. So with half the planting, patio areas and table I’m halfway there!

Sack it to me!

I mentioned this new brand on Facebook but it's so good it warrants it's own post. I'm talking about kids bedding brand Sack me!

Super cool and fun. Kids rooms should be fun but still cool enough that they last longer that that season's favourite TV show and very important are not ugly or cheaply made. Seriously I would keel over if I had to put a kids tv show personality duvet like Cars Tank or Peppa Pig in my kids rooms. I'm sorry but I feel no need to have anyone's head stuck in large format on any of the beds in my home.

This brand delivers: cool designs, fun prints, bright colours with a distinct edge! Think ice cream, pasta xo's, confetti and super-hero vegetables. Even the styling of the rooms is inspirational.

Linear lights

I use the sentence 'I have a thing for..' more often than I choose to admit but can I help it if I have an eye for beauty? It's a good thing, I swear, if one also has the trait of keeping ones purse strings shut.. But I do have a thing for lighting. I have a few on my wish list that I would love to have. The fine line led lighting from Iina Vuorivirta is one of them. These are so striking, simple and sculptural in all rigidly straight angles, I can't help but wish to live a minimal concrete home just so these babies could shine at their brightest!

P.S. Check out all of Iina's work. Not only are her lamps gorgeous, but also her mirrors and ceramics!

Work it, wear it

Work-out gear is no longer reserved for sports and so no longer only available by sports brands and/or in shapes more suited to a dude. The kicks selection is rocking.Yet every time I seem to try something from a brand that has a women's line but is not a women's brand, I end up thinking I look like a block, colour or not.

But luckily It seems like every women's highstreet fashion brand, think H&M, Mango, Twist & Tango now has a line or at least a few pieces of work-out gear.Then there are the brands that specialise in super smoking hot workout gear with ditto pricing. So there is zero reason to look like you purchased your stuff from the men’s department. My work-out gear is a mismatch of brands and price ranges and more towards the lower range but if I could choose, here’s what I’d be wearing for working out;

Grey Inah sweater and black Anne trousers from Twist & Tango are almost too good for the gym. You might want to save them for after the workout, so you can be fit and fabulous leaving the gym. 

I have quite a bit of kit from H&M but what can I say they have a great choice of fun, good quality gear for a reasonable price but right now want I want is protection for my fingers (too practical/ugly for a pic), winter-hardy leggings just in cause and heck yeah, I need that extra bit of oomph..

A bit of a newcomer but no the less good. I am loving the feel of the Mango collection, everything seems so comfy and effortlessly cool. And since my goal is too look cute while contorted in my power yoga class, I figured a devore shirt and teal figuring-enhancing leggings are a good place to start.

& Then there is Michi. I won't lie...I'd rock that in a snap. Every single piece is has something unexpected and every single piece is unapologetic sexy woman, down to the most smoking sports bras ever! No mistaking this line is not for wallflower. It says get up, get out, get moving, get noticed and that's exactly how strong I feel when I work out! Top favourites are the Illusion jacket, Valor tank and Empress bra.

Fall restyle

I picked my home for the lightness (and the giant master of course). I live for sunshine and don’t mind it being cold as long as the sun is shining. Even on a cloudy day it still feels like spring in my living space which is exactly what I want, most days. However going into fall I want warm and cosy albeit with a modern aesthetic. Something as warm and comforting as jammies and that will hopefully lull me into more time spent lounging and recharging. On that note I decided to do a little fall restyling of my living space. 

On the media I did a bit of regrouping and added the super cute Muuto leaf lamp in pink because girls rule! And also a necessity because with 3m ceilings my lighthouse becomes a cave after sunset and I definitely don’t have nighthawk vision. Plus the vase and bowl look stunning lit.

Gone are the brightly-coloured Hay dot  and Tas-Ka cushions and replaced with a more muted and smaller pair that I bought eons ago in the US and I moved the bunny cushion to the couch for just a touch of color. Less cushions than before because kids are like guys when it comes to cushions. Check out this clip from an old yet still so funny episode of Coupling that explains the cushion conundrum. 

I kept the current blanket because it has the most soft cushiony inner lining but moved it to the arm of the couch because that is where it sits 23 hours of the day. Only now flipped so you can see and feel the white downy softness.To gain even more hidden storage and add some extra life to my media cabinet, more books came out to play and are joined by two tea light holders I spray painted white for more contrast to the brass interior and a newbie I picked up after the Woonbeurs at Studio de Winkel with the cool name Mr. Fahrenheit! This candelabra is so modern with the chunky unworked concrete and brass pipe fittings. And topped with the coolest gradient candles from Mo Man Tai. And since I was busy lighting candles I also lit the ones in the 'wall of flame' candleholders.

I tightened the grouping of tables and poufs so it feels like an island amongst pebbles. To finish it off I added some decorative items to the Hay Bella coffee table. Though I will probably have to move those during the day and back at night as Mika plays endlessly with everything I place on that table. I moved one of the Hay geometric trays down from my master, added a vase from storage that holds a pair of autumn coloured Calla lilies (my favourite flower)  and pictured with my 'wash me' coffee cups. I finally found these at Designlemonade in sale at the Woonbeurs after clumsily dropping mine and swearing endlessly. Total score.

This is my kind of cosy. Still lots of light and winter white but with bit of extra warmth. Now to snuggle in and catch up with some telly watching and popcorn eating!