Modern Interior Design & Home Decorating

Welcome back the 70’s - Marimekko’s Spring/Summer 2010 doesn’t disappoint Marimekko fans.

Bold, colorful, modern. Some of the old favorite prints like Maija Isola’s Unikko, Sateenkaari and Melooni have gotten new bright colors for the summer, thanks to designer Kristina Isola.

This spring I see Marimekko fabrics in the kitchen, in curtains, table clothes, tea towels.

And what I really like is the modern classic Oiva dinner ware.

Oiva dinnerware, including the Siirtolapuutarha plate $34 and coffee mug $20 - great with the Siirtolapuutarha table cloth.

Photos: marimekko

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Pantone announced the 2010 Color of the Year: TURQUOISE.

Was I ahead of the time when I recommended all the following products here and here last spring?

It was aqua that I really liked - but many of these actually look more turquoise now when I think of it…

Photos: Interior-design-it-yourself.com, Domino, MyHomeIdeas.com

My favorite is my own living room’s design board

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Hermitage is a Seattle-based wallpaper store and caught my interest by their great modern wallpaper selection, with some of the favorite brands like ferm Living and Hygge & West.

Wallpaper has been trendy the past few years, and it is not going away this year either.
My best tip is - go bold but only wallpaper one wall. That way you will get the modern and trendy look that you want, but you don’t have to spend as much money or time in wallpapering the entire room. And it will be easier to do it again in two years.

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Nesting Newbies online Magazine’s Winter 2010 issue is one of my favorite new reads. And not just for home decorating and design articles, but the recipes… aah, the recipes!

Great real home decorating and entertaining ideas, that you can actually do (and afford) and recommended resources, products - and my favorite - bloggers. Check out Nesting Newbies - these pictures are all from the Winter 2010 issue.

Thanks for tip for Material Girls.

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Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland movie will premiere on March 5th. In the spirit of Alice and her story continuing, I scouted for “a few” items how you can bring the Alice in Wonderland spirit to your home.

“Where shall I begin, please your Majesty?”

“Oh my ears and whiskers, how late it’s getting!”

The enormous wall clock will keep you on the track of time.
The striped fabric from IKEA is great for any sewing project - big or small.
What’s a tea party without proper lighting? The Tea cup chandelier is from Posh Tots and would be great for any girl’s room.
Looking for more modern look? The checker game table and IKEA’s heart shaped mirror are great starting points.

Speaking of checkers….
Whether you go for whimsy or modern - or modern-whimsy-wonderland-look - checkered floors is a great look.

“Come, we shall have some fun now!”

Fish Eddy has Alice in Wonderland dish series, and it will brighten up any tea party of yours.

Nuka sells Alice in Wonderland themed pillows in her Etsy Shop, lovely, handprinted.

“If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn’t. And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn’t be. And what it wouldn’t be, it would. You see?”

Now, that’s furniture that makes you grin.

“Read the directions and directly you will be directed in the right direction.”

More Etsy-finds…

Prints to frame from The Poppy Tree’s Shop”, coasters from The Painted Lily and mushroom wall decals by Beanepods.

“Oh, how I wish I could shut up like a telescope! I think I could, if I only knew how to begin.”

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IVANAhelsinki is a Finnish fashion brand by designer Paola Suhonen.

IVANAhelsinki & Love Contemporary Magazine Pop-Up Store opened in New York City’s Nolita (238 Mulberry Street, between Prince & Spring) on Friday. The IVANAhelsinki store will be open in New York City only until March 17th.

I attended the grand opening of the NYC store on Friday, and wanted to share a few pictures from the store and the event. You can read much more about IVANAhelsinki at Skimbaco Lifestyle in my much longer blog post about the brand and the fashion collections.

While IVANAhelsinki mainly creates fashion, I was able to spot a few home products as well - the delightful table clothes & both fabric and paper napkins. The prints represent Finnish design, and you can maybe see some Marimekkoish elements, but IVANAhelsinki really has its own look that is very different - playful and airy, or can you find better words to describe?

The store itself represents Finnish Design very well. Simple, even rustic, and somewhat bare letting all the colors and the fashion clothing shine through.

Also, representing the finest in Finnish design was Eero Aarnio’s Ball Chair inside the store, and also Eero Aarnio’s Double Bubble lamp in the store window. The store couldn’t get any more Finnish than this, and you gotta love it.

The event itself was supi suomalainen, very Finnish as well.

It’s actually quite interesting that there are a few elements that almost always are present in Finnish culture and art, however posh it may be. It’s naked people, often with reference to sex, the usage of bad language, nature, drinking vodka (well, often the Finnish equivalent Koskenkorva) and something to do with the epic national collection of poems, Kalevala, which was collected in the nineteenth century.

Like said, IVANAhelsinki store opening event was very Finnish.

Guests were pampered with Finnish vodka Finlandia, which is a bit stronger in taste than the Chopin and the Grey Goose, which the American fashionistas are used to drinking.

Partnering with a sex toy company created the shock value Finns like to bring in. The store is joint venture between IVANAhelsinki and Love Contemporary, a new lifestyle magazine just launched - IVANAhelsinki’s Paola Suhonen is the editor-in-chief of this magazine.

“The mental landscape of Love Contemporary is a unique mix of innocent Scandinavian purity, Slavic melancholy and sixties vintage sensuality, combined with a contemporary urban edge. Love Contemporary is frivolous but intelligent, easy but shameless, naughty and Nordic erotic cool” says Paola Suhonen.

While we Finns are a nation who doesn’t like the touchy-feely talk about feelings and emotions, we have no trouble talking about sex, and nudity comes naturally for Finns. After all - we are people who live for sauna.

I was also not surprised to see a picture of a naked woman in a lake on the wall. While she was placed right next to the “toys”, to me the artistic picture really just looks like a woman who is going for a swim in one of the tens of thousands of Finnish lakes, and she is little chilly after being in a hot sauna before her swim.

The natural elements and the rustic look of the store made the IVANAhelsinki store look very Finnish. My favorite in the store - the back wall with deer head art and birch nailed on the wall. I could skip the deers, but I would love to recreate the birch wall even in my own home.

Oh.. and the “missing element” in the event - I didn’t hear anyone say perkele even once. IVANAhelsinki gathered around Finnish elite in New York in deed.

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The winter storm is still visiting most of you across the nation, and it sure is cold here in New York. In fact so cold that today we decided to skip skiing, and stay home and watch Olympics instead. And what’s more romantic than cuddle up on the couch with your Valentine..?

Some ideas how to create a romantic fireside picnic or cozy up in the front of TV to watch the Olympics.

Stay Warm
Plaid blanket brings on the Canadian log house charm, and makes a perfect indoor picnic blanket on the floor. The ones pictured: top one from Roots, the one in the box from The Scottish Weaver. Felt slippers by Pia Wallen keep your toes warm.

Bring Snacks
Whether it’s champagne and strawberries or hot cocoa and marshmallows, you will need some snacks. The tea kettle is by OXO from Crate and Barrel and the cute twig forks are from 3 Events.

Lit up the Candles
Light up the fireplace - or if your don’t have fun, fill the room with candles. I also love lanterns to bring the cozy log cabin feel into my living room. The one pictured is from Pottery Barn - and they look great indoors during winter and outdoors during summer.

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I was able to get modern nursery decorating tips from interior designer and a clothing designer Molly Payne for my upcoming Lifetime Moms blog post, but I couldn’t help but share the photos here as well. Molly Payne owns Zeal Interiors, and is a co-owner of A.Bird, a children’s high-end clothing brand, which I could call “modern heirloom” style.

Molly’s daugther’s name is Ayla, and her nickname is Bird, thus the A.Bird brandname was born. When Molly designed her daughter Ayla’s nursery, the birds were also an important part of the design. The hand-carved bird-mobile and the bird wall stickers on the wall make the nursery a perfect nest for Molly’s little Bird. The 200 year-old heart peck cypress wood crib is made by Molly’s husband.

The A.Bird children’s clothing collection is now available for pre-order at Zeal Baby and here are a few adorable pictures of the line.

And stay tuned for my upcoming post at LifetimeMoms.com/home for modern nursery decorating tips from Molly.

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I just wrote a post about my secrets to saving up to 80% on designer clothing - and a lot of the same secrets go for home design and decorating products.

IDEELI

ideeli.com is an invitation-only (click - that’s your invitation code) shopping destination for anything designer. New brands are featured each day at up to 80% off and sales last 36 hours, or until items are sold out. Ideeli doesn’t offer all that many home products, but when they do - they are good! Usually they have about one home decorating/design brand a week.

NOTE WORTHY: Orrefors art glass sale, up to 52% off starting February 2nd.

HAUTELOOK

HauteLook is yet another great invitation-only site, but probably the most versatile. They have great home products, designer clothing, fashion accessories and this week even Omaha steaks!

NOTE WORTHY: Moe’s Home Collection, including decorative pillows starting at $14.

GILT GROUPE

Gilt Groupe is another invite only site. They also have a new travel site Jetsetter.com where you find luxury travel for over 50% off. And they have some amazing home brands on their weekly sales. You need to be quick though - good stuff goes fast.

NOTE WORTHY: Kosta Boda Swedish designer glass up to 50% off. Ends tomorrow.

RUE LA LA

Rue La La is also an invitation-only site and you never know what luxurious finds you will make, up to 80% off. Fashion yes, but also everything for luxe life from caviar and champagne to home goods. This is probably the best site for interior design and home products.

NOTE WORTHY: Thomas Keller by Raynaud dinnerware

ONE KINGS LANE

One Kings Lane is the only invite-only shopping site for home decor, and also the most expensive one. The luxurious home decorating and interior design products are over 50% off but still most of them on the expensive side.

NOTE WORTHY: Brenda Houston’s designs with natural stones - expensive even as discounted, but worth it.

TOTSY

Totsy is mainly a place to find clothing, toys and everything else for the little ones in the family. I have also seen great children’s bedding and furniture at Totsy’s weekly sales.

NOTE WORTHY: This week - Child size recliners by Dozydotes

QUICK LINKS:
ideeli
HauteLook
Gilt Groupe
Rue La La
One Kings Lane
Totsy

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