Homeward bound

Just a quick post to let you know I'm back from London. The trip ticked all the right boxes for me with the Flight of the Conchords show at Wembley Arena topping everything off. (It was beyond hilarious.)

A London purchases and inspiration post will follow shortly. For now you'll have to settle for a couple of 'coming home' images.

Head in the clouds.

Arriving at Aker Brygge by midnight and a full moon.

Guess where, guess what?

I'm going away for a couple of days this coming week...

Left: Sightseeing Bus Tours by Victor Galbraith, 1960.
Right: Sightsee London by Abram Games, 1968.
(I was lucky to witness this fantastic artist give a lecture at Ravensbourne college back in the early 90's).

And I will be seeing these guys :-)



Have a nice weekend!

Scrapbook inspiration

I've been keeping scrapbooks with pages from interior magazines for quite a few years now. Every now and then I flick through them and I still love what I see. Here are some of the pictures that were quite influential when we decorated our house.

Vintage scandinavian front doors

These photos were taken by my dad at a building fair ca. mid 1960s. They don't make them like this anymore.

Sweet Paul Magazine – first issue out now

My friend Paul Løwe has published the first issue of his very own online magazine Sweet Paul. Hooray! Congratulations are in order! It looks stunning, and is full of great receipts as well as tips on decorations. There are lots of funny little stories in there too – all from Paul's life and love for food. You can check it all out here.





Paul enjoyed a very successful career as a food- and interior stylist (and author of many great cook books) here in Norway. Then, about 3 years ago he decided to try his luck in New York. It looks to me like he's done all right for himself so far :-) Way to go, Paul! XOXO

Funky Friday

Wishing you all a jolly nice spring weekend!
This is one of my all time favorites – Funkin' for Jamaica by Tom Browne.

New vintage finds

A week and a half since my last post... Not good. Sorry, folks! Hopefully I will be a bit more active posting as my work schedule is significantly reduced at the moment.

Fleamarket high season has just been, and I purchased these bits (and then some):

Arabia or Finel coffee pot (not stamped). I've been looking for this for a looong time...

Small ceramic dishes (ashtrays, probably) by Norwegian ceramist Konrad Galaaen
for Porsgrund.

I've featured this ashtray/dish before, but now it has a big and wonderful vase to accompany it. Both by Norwegian ceramist Finn Hald.

Now, this hanging disc decoration is signed, but I can't make out the name. I'm not sure I love it, but I think it might grow on me...

Cabin fever

I have seen a lot of nice cabin interior images, but I think this one beats most of them. Love the plywood walls and the mix of Ikea and Eames furniture.

I'm sure my Arabia Ruska collection would be perfect in this cabin environment :-)

OK, so I don't own this whole collection. I wish, though.

In good company with Marimekko

The design team behind this new Marimekko table set have really been clever. All the various pattern designs can be mixed and matched to your own liking - and it will never clash. It makes you want to buy it ALL – at least that's the effect it has on me. Maybe just as well I can't afford it. Or make room for it.

These are some of my favorite patterns and dishes from the series. Make sure you go over to the Marimekko website to see the rest.

I will buy this and put it on the wall, I think.

I got this one :-)

Thank God it's Friday. Now boogie.

Can't get this one out of my head. Have a funky weekend!

Spring at Marimekko

These are my favorite dresses from the Marimekko spring/summer 2010 collection:

Above left: Uma 1 dress designed by Samu-Jussi Koksi, Unikko pattern.
Above right: Basilika dress designed by Mika Piirainen, Keisarin puutarhassa pattern.

Above left: Fold dress by Rinne Niinikoski, Dart pattern.
Above right: Launa dress by Mika Piirainen, Lanketti pattern.

Favorite Marimekko accessories:

'Travel case' by Virva Launo.

Lanketti umbrella by Mika Piirainen.

Happy Easter!

Hope you're having a nice Easter. I'm about to make crème brûlée for our dinner guests tonight - that will be the grown-ups sweet treat – these eggs are for the kids.

Korulen, Prunus and a yellow rose

For those of you who check in regularly: Sorry for the absence! Hopefully you're into vintage pottery patterns – then you might find it worth the wait...

First up is the latest addition to my orange collection – it's an Egersund pitcher, the sunflower pattern is called Korulen. It sits really well with my other orange Egersund items (featured in an earlier post) and brightens up my breakfast every day.

This next item is a little gem, although it's just a lid and not really usable on its own. But: it's pretty, it's by Stig Lindberg, it's the Prunus pattern. If you know what the funny shaped lid is for, please let me know! Stripey fabric – oven mitt, to be exact – is by Marimekko, and a very usable item :-)

I have featured this pattern before – the creamer was in an earlier post on yellows and greys. I recently found the sugar bowl to go with it :-) It's by Barratt's, Staffordshire of England. The little spoon is Skaugum – a vintage (but still in production) Norwegian cutlery series with teak handles. Also available in rosewood, white and black. The tray in the background is by Habitat (I think) and is called Tesso.

A Single Man

Last week I went to see A Single Man directed by Tom Ford, previously of Gucci designer fame and now also a great film director. The film is enjoyable in every way; great story, fantastic actors, moving music, and of course – the set, the locations, the interiors and the fashion... Impeccably styled and nothing left to chance. Obviously. Even the dogs are stylish! But I would say that, wouldn't I, having a smooth fox terrier myself ;-)

I read somewhere that the two dogs in the film are Tom Ford's own.

It wasn't easy finding good interior shots from the film, but this one above sums it up quite well, I think. Lots of muted colors, big side table lamps, dark wood panelling and clean lines.

The house used in the film as the home of main character George (Colin Firth) is known as the Schaffer residence in Glendale, California. It was built in 1949 and the architect is John Lautner (who I intend to feature in a later post).

Julianne Moore's character represents the more opulent style input in the film.

All in all, the best film I've seen so far this year. A definite future dvd purchase. If you haven't already seen it, I recommend you do. It's a feast for the eye but also so much more.

Saturday on skis

Admiring his new gear.

Posture...

10 minutes later and the skier's had enough.

His master’s toys

Kurt thinks it's so unfair that he's not allowed to play with the slinky or chew the lovely new longhaired sheepskin rug or even pull on the curtains. He will do his best to get away with it, though.

Mad Men meets Barbie

I'm still waiting for season 3 of Mad Men to be launched on dvd (it will probably be out on video before shown on TV in this country). I know it's out on March 23rd in the US, so hopefully we will have it in the stores here before too long. Meanwhile, how about this?:

From amctv.com: Available to consumers July 2010. Designed by Barbie designer Robert Best, the Mad Men Barbie doll line features key players from the Sterling Cooper Advertising Agency: creative director and leading man Don Draper; his wife Betty Draper; Sterling Cooper partner Roger Sterling; and bombshell office manager Joan Holloway. (Via Obsessilicious blog).

Brangelina meets Mad Men

These images have been making the blog rounds but I still think they're worth another post. The photography is as fab as the interiors. Images by Steven Klein for W magazine (click on the link to see all 33 images). Found via Whorange blog.




I have to agree with Whorange blog - dysfunctional never looked more desirable.