My Living room Make-over

Being an interior designer you are constantly looking for new projects in your home. I bought these 2 IKEA KRAMFORS chaises for my living room. In the last 2 years I experimented on how I could get the best use out of them.

Keeping them together like this is great if you watch TV and movies with your partner. My most resent project I started right before Christmas. I was about to start preparing for my annual Holiday Party and decided to make more space and create better seating. I ended up turning the chases against the wall and decided to change the decor on the wall. I bought 3 green IKEA RUBRIK green glass Kitchen cabinet doors and hung them on the wall hoirzontally combined with one of my existing framed prints. It looked a little plain so I desided.....

to turn it into art. I got these sticky vinyl sheets that I cut up in stripes with different thicknesses. I stuck the stirpes on the cabinet doors going of onto the wall. First I started with just green but after I was done I thought It needed some color so I added a different shade of green and red.

It almost ended up looking like the cabinet doors are held up by the stripes onto the wall.

Creepy Art

My Art Pieces

Buenos Aires

While on a roll of sharing pictures from my travels I figure I show some that I took in Buenos Aires a couple of years ago when I was there on vacation with 3 of my girlfriends.





Puente de la Mujer (Bridge Of The Woman) the bridge is abstractly meant to illustrate a couple dancing Tango, the man towering over the woman who is leaning back horizontally.

Dwell on Design

If you missed Dwell on Design here are some pictures that I took of some of my favorite things.

Milan

Barcelona

It's funny to see the contrast between new and old architecture. In the background you can see a building that Is a large phallic symbol (or at least I think so) standing erect in the center of Barcelona.

This Jesus Statue is standing on top of a church that is on top of the highest point of Barcelona, embracing the city with his arms.

Barcelona is included in the top 10 list by the Travel Magazine under the category of must-visit places in Europe, mainly because of it's interesting architecture by Gaudi developed between 1885 and 1950. Below are some of his master works.





Touring the Joan Miro museum here were some interesting things that I found in the gift shop.

The adorable little SMART car is everywhere in Europe! It's the cutest thing!

This was a patio where I used to go and have breakfast.

Walking around I came across this great furnishing store called VINCON
which had some very interesting designs, check out their website.

Right in the center of the city they have HABITAT which is one of my favorite home furnishing stores, I'm crossing my fingers that one day they will open a store in LA!

Europe here I come!

I will be on a plane to Spain/Barcelona on monday, april 21 then on May 1 going to Italy. I promise to take lots of pictures and share with you all when I get back.

XOXO

The Brewery Art Walk

Twice a year, more than 100 of the Brewery's residents throw open their live/work lofts to show off some of their Art work. The Brewery Art Walk took place this past weekend, so me and my two girlfriends that were visiting out of town decided to drive downtown to check it out.

Below are some of the artists that that caught my eye:

Jill Sykes

Kelly Reemtsen

Barbara Kolo

As interested I was in the art, the interior designer that I am was even more interested to get a good look at the lofts, and how one-time brewery had been adapted.

The Brewery functions as a mini community, which hundreds of residents creating a wide range of art. The doors open during the Brewery Art Walk, in which artists show off and sell their works; several studios also sell clothes at sample sale prices, among other things. Parking and admission is free.

It's obviously too late to attend this past weekend's events, but another one is scheduled for fall.

WESTWEEK @ PDC Los Angeles 2008

Wednesday I spent my whold day at the PDC. Here are some pictures from the WESTWEEK event, take a look.

My bedroom make-over

For the last few years I have been in a gray phase when it comes to the interior of my bedroom, but something happened this year where it became all about the whites and the cloudy soft look. I wanted my bedroom to look like heaven on earth. I choose to leave 3 of my walls the gray color i had before and paint the one behind the bed in a grayish blue, which symbolizes the sky.It took me a long time to find the right shade, and still I feel it's a little too bright. I recovered my headboard in a very soft furry fabric, It's almost like a big rectangular teddy bear that comforts you at night. The nightstands are dressers from IKEA that i put casters on, and attached my own choice of handles (also IKEA). Before I found these drawer units it was almost impossible to find something long with drawers in the right hight. The lamps are my favorite thing of the make-over. With the big round glass base and the little hat on the shade + dimmer included they give just the right amount of light at any time. A dimmer is crucial in a bedroom setting! I love the little hat on top of the shade which prevents you from being blinded by the light bulb. These lamps are brand new to IKEA and a little bit on the pricey side ($80 each) but very well worth it. My other favorite thing in the room is the crocheted throw on the bed that I found at a thrift store, It reminds me of my grandma who did crochet as a form of relaxation or meditation. The three little owls that sit on one of the night stands, I got for my birthday. They are meant to be used as tea cups, but I thought they were so adorable that I thought it was a shame to have them hidden in a kitchen cabinet. Owls are usually awake at night, so I figured if I put them in by bedroom they would watch over me. :)
I don't know if i'm imagining or if i'm actually sleeping better in my new heavenly bedroom, but I wake up every morning feeling like a new person.


Below is how my old bedroom used to look like. For my last birthday I made a tribute to my closest friends by having their faces printed on canvas and stretched on frames and hung over my bed. The thought was to be reminded every morning and every night about what great friends I have and how much they all mean to me. Not having any family here in the US my friends are like my family away from home.

Abbot Kinney

Over the weekend I took my scooter and drove down to my favorite street to walk around and get inspiration from. Abbot Kinney have the best stores and a no chain store policy. Here are some pictures of some interesting "stuff" that I found and wanted to share.


I'm usually not a fan of glass and that's mainly because I'm very clumsy and I would most likely end up braking it, but this store had some amazing hand blown glass vases. http://neptina.net/




This store is called Altered Space Gallery and you can see more of their design, art and craft if you get on their website: www.alteredspacegallery.com



This painting is from my friend's Vanessas furniture store www.turquoiseLA.com


Further down on my blog i'm talking about a splash of yellow and here at http://www.plantationla.com/ is an example of it.

A Splash of YELLOW!

Yellow is one of those colors that makes us feel happy. I bought a yellow scooter last year and people always smile when they see me on it. When trying to incorporate yellow into your decor only do one item, don't try to spread the color out everywhere. Think of it as the sun that brightens up the universe or in this case "your home".

Branches

Bling Bling

When living in Tokyo I was amazed by the city's modern architecture. One building that I fell in love with was the striking PRADA glass crystal. The reason they call it a crystal is because at sun down when the sky is pink and the sun reflects it's rays on the buildings diamond shaped glass panels, which vary between flat, concave and convex bubbles this building looks like a giant piece of expensive jewelry.

Birtday Celebration

Today March 8th is my birthday! When you reach a certain age birthday's are not as exiting as they used to be....but where ever there is a birthday there is a party! In this post I want to give some ideas on how to throw a birthday party. Balloons are always fun, but limit it to one or two colors. It would be nice to use real plates and silverware, but who wants to spend the next morning doing dishes?! Target has a nice "Delux Party Kit" in different colors to chose from.
When serving drinks, wine or beer it's a good idea to have drink tags, this way you will not have any orphant drinks sitting around. Here are some fun examples of those:


Another good idea is to make a fruit punch that you can serve as a welcome drink. Make sure to keep a bucket of ice near by, having the punch sitting on the bar or the counter it will get warm pretty quickly.
Last but not least there is the birthday cake! My favorite food blog is: http://www.acatinthekitchen.com/, here you can find some good recipes if you like to make your own. Don't these cakes look yummy! :)

Thank you Danielle from "the Style Files" for referring to my blog. I really appreciate the Blog love. :)

http://www.style-files.com/2008/02/28/inspired-by-delfts-blauw-part-2/

The Ultimate TV watching experience!

I don't know about you, but when I watch TV I usually lay down on my couch. If you are 2 people it always gets a little tricky to both fit on one sofa. Here is a great solution, not only to be more then one laying down watching TV but also for a whole family with a bunch of kids and friends to be hanging out. Not having a sofa table, it's important to have some side tables that you can rest your drink or plate on. The bottom picture is just two chases (a left and a right) pushed together to make one big couch. If you like you can also separate them like the picture above and put a side table in between. So far this has been my best buy!

Clocks = Function+ Art

I'm a clock addict, I have them everywhere....love them, the only thing is their sound: tick-tock, tick-tock! At night before falling asleep it tend to get a little loud and distracting. I can't find a clock that doesn't make any sounds. Do you know of any?

Dinner wear

I have been in the mood to change out my dinner wear and make it a little bit more fun. There are so many different choices out there, but I haven't decided in what direction to go. Any advise? Here are some different options.

Fun Wall

My friend Luis just moved to LA from Austin Texas. He wanted to spice up his new rental, so he got creative and painted the walls! I love it....also, don't miss the yellow TV on the right! :)

Sharing Blog Love

I wanted to thank Apartment Therapy and Desire to inspire for recommending their readers to view my blog....Thank you Gregory and Kim, you made my day!

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/la/look/look-creating-picture-frame-collages-043061

http://desiretoinspire.blogspot.com/2008/02/more-winks.html

Oriental china

The blue and white china has made it's comeback. These pictures out of the Interior Magazine; Maison Francaise are hot off the press. Personally I'm not a big fan or these type of porcelain, but I can se how it can be more interesting in a modernized version.

Cloudy Whites

Lately I have been considering integrating a lot more whites to my decor, I'm tired of the dark heavy woods that has been the dominant interior for the last 5 years in my home. The temptation to just paint all the dark wooden furniture in a crisp glossy white has been lingering in my mind for a while now and by the way; the dust shows less on white, which is another reason to add why I should go ahead and pursue this big makeover project. Here are some of my white inspirations. I don't think I would go ALL white, some color would be nice to add to it, but haven't decided how much or which ones. I do love the contrast between black and white and would love to paint all my window frames black. For some reason I can see orange and bubble gum pink with the black and the white....and maybe some splashes of grass green in form of a nice big plant...and maybe some smaller ones as well. For some reason, pink cherry blossom comes into my vision, maybe as a wallpaper on one of the walls. If and when I decide to do this, it will be a fun project.

Kokeshi the Japanese wooden doll

These two I bought in Tokyo

About a year ago when I was staying in Tokyo it was the first time I had ever seen a Kokeshi doll, and I fell in love! I bought a bunch to bring back home for myself and for gifts. The lady I bought it from asked me if I was single and I said Yes, then she responded in broken English; The Kokeshi doll will bring you a man. Wow I thought, I better keep two for myself just to increase their powers....but so far still no Mr. Right! :(
The Kokeshi doll reminds me of the Russian nesting doll "babushka", but a much cuter version.
If you are interested in buying one but are not going to Japan any time soon, i'm sure you can find one on Ebay or you can check out Wahooya.com that sells a wide variety at their online store.

Shelving/Bookcases

I prefer most things stored behind doors, it will look least cluttered. Some of us do have some nice books or some nice collections we like to show off. There are a few ways to arrange your collectibles in a way so it will look organized. If you are displaying books, arrange them by category. Another way to do it is by size or color. If you are a collector of things, display them by what I call "form language" it's a term we use in Sweden to describe things that have the same shapes or materials. I think it looks best if you separate it by materials, where you cluster all your ceramics in one area, all your glass in one... and so on.
I love this idea of hanging a ladder on the wall, using it as a bookcase! I think it would stand out even more if it was painted in a shiny bright color like grass green or bright yellow!

Dressing up your walls

Given that wallpapers are reaching their peak on the fashion scale, the new trend will be to create unique, personalized wall coverings - be that a large digital image, a mural, customized wallpaper, creative stenciling (yes, it’s back!), wall hanging or installation art. When considering incorporating wallpaper or wall decades in a room there are so many choices to choose from, anything from bold design to flamboyant tones. Update tired looking neutral schemes by using one bold pattern. When combined with earth tones, this will guarantee definition and interest. Leathers are gaining in popularity as a wall finish, these can be applied directly to the wall or to a panel for a warm look. Trends swing back and forth and wallpaper designs were very minimal, but now there is an interest in decorating walls a little more elaborately. You can also use stickers or images on your walls instead of wallpaper.

Although wallpaper is back - it is not to be put on all your walls. They are used only on one wall of a room to create a feature wall or a canvas of focus. So don’t go over the top!.. Besides funky and retro patterns, there is a growing tendency for traditional patterns - but, again, with a modern twist. Check out these collections:

http://www.etsy.com/search_results.php?search_type=tag_title&search_query=wall+decals

http://www.fermlivingshop.us/

http://www.walnutwallpaper.com/index.php

http://www.cole-and-son.com/

http://www.grahambrown.com/us/store/viewPage.do?page=index&language=en_US

The other direction that has influenced wallpaper design are the Orientals. These designs will continue to thrive. They can be very seductive, feminine and exotic.
Check out The blueprint collection by Florence Broadhurst.

To get a better view click on the picture and it will enlarge.

Making a Picture Wall Collage

Do you have a big empty wall but not a large art piece to dress it up with?

Gather all your framed photos, posters and pictures. Stick to a color pallet to avoid visual chaos. If you are doing all black and white art, maybe paint the frames in different colors. If your art is in different colors, stick to one color frames. Measure out the wall area that you are planning to use for your collage. Measure out the same size on the floor and start laying out your pictures within that area. Play around with different configurations to se what you like best. Make templets of the frames out of Newspapers and tape it to the wall. Be careful leaving to much space between the frames or even putting to close together. I find that leaving about 2” between the frames tends to work best. You want the collage to feel like one art piece, not like a wallpaper.

If you are brave and want to make the collage look even more interesting mix in 3 dimensional objects to ad some visual interest. You can also incorporate a clock or a mirror. Start with larger pieces in the center and work your way out. It looks great to mix in one round item with all the frames just to brake up the shapes.

Below are some different examples of bad and good collages, you be the judge! IKEA have a great selection on frames if you need to ad on to what you already have.

PS. The secret to make the pictures look straight is to use a LEVEL + hang each picture on 2 nails instead of one.

There are a few ways to make your collage look easy on the eye.
Work with your pictures within a large square or rectangle. Another way is to have a invisible line go through the middle of the collage and work your way up and down from it. You can also keep the line on the bottom if you are hanging the pictures above a bed, dresser or a sofa. Se pictures below:

When making a collage going up a staircase keep in mind to mimic the staircase lines in your collage. Also make sure to measure on every second or third step the distance from the collage to the stair to make sure it has the same distance consistently.

Bedroom Ideas

My friends just added on a master bedroom, walk in closet and a master bathroom to their house. I can't wait to se it. Here are some pointers when it comes to decorating a bedroom.

Colors: Neutrals are a sophisticated choice for a bedroom and it creates a calming atmosphere. If you are brave throw in a little splash of a muted color. Dark colors such as charcoal, chocolate or olive are nice when used as a contrast with a light color. It will create a dramatic, warm and sensuous feeling. Think of your textiles (bedding, curtains and rugs) as part of your color pallet. Some people prefer all white. For the white color to look clean and crisp use a light gray or a light beige as an accent color, this will also prevent the room from looking flat. Avoid using bright colors in a bedroom.
Functions: Storage is essential in a bedroom. If you are not one of the lucky ones to have a walk in closet, built-in under bed storage is becoming very popular and it's very practical. Keep a low profile in a bedroom so instead of a high 6 drawer dresser, get 3+3 double dresser. A full length mirror is a good idea considering most of us dress in the bedroom, it will also ad some depth in the room and make it feel bigger. If you have a big bedroom, it's nice to ad a chair (ultimately an armless one). This can act as a reading corner or a place to sit down to put on socks and shoes.
Bedding: Spend the money to get thread count over 200, or get Egyptian cotton which is on of the softer kinds. If you are unsure what color bedding to use, you can never go wrong with crisp white and use throw pillows that will go with the accent colors of the room. When adding throw pillows, don't be afraid to use organic or graphic patterns.
Lighting: ...is what sets the mood. Rather then having one general light source use a few. Avoid using florescent light bulbs, they tend to give out a cool, blue light. Dimmers are essential, especially in a bedroom. Don't assume that lights next to the bed have to be table lamps. You can make it interesting by using Directional floor lamps which would also work as a reading light.
Inspiration: There are many places you can go to find inspiration. When I was looking to rent an apartment in Argentina, going there for vacation, I went on VRBO.com They have apartments all over the world that you can se pictures of. There's also some inspiration you will find in Designer Hotels. DO NOT buy a bedroom set when buying your bedroom furniture. You will risk that your bedroom will turn out looking like a Residence Inn.
What do you put on the wall above the bed? If you have a nice big head board the space above the bed will be filled out. If you chose to put a shelf, and you live in California, just make sure not to put things on it that can fall and hit you in the head during an earth quake. I personally prefer to use 2 larger or 3 smaller framed pictures.

Swede Dreams! ;)

BIG indoor plants

The time has come to get rid of the Christmas tree that added that extra light and comfort in your home. You will also have to deal with an empty space or a corner. Empty corners are sometimes hard to work with when decorating so why not replace your Christmas Tree with a big nice plant in a big pot. A big pot will make the plant look more substantial and give it some hight. Indoor plants are an important part of decor in your home, here are some suggestions below.

Buddhas Belly Bamboo

Chinese Fan Palm

Kentia Palm

Dragon Tree

Bird of Paradise

Creative framing

If you have a painting on a canvas that needs a frame, make your own! The one you see in the photo I painted about a year ago. First I hung it up without a frame, but I didn't like how it looked. I went to home depot, got 2 by 4's and had them cut to the exact measurements of the canvas, then sanded them a little and stained the wood in a ebony stain.Finally I connected all the wood pieces with flat brackets to each other and the frame. It enlarged the painting and gave it some substance to rest in.

Out with the Old and in with the New!

Starting a new year makes me feel like cleaning out my closets, re-inventing myself and re-decorating my place. There are a few things you can do that doesn't require that much money or work.

• Clean out your closet
  

If you haven't worn something the last 2 years get rid of it! There are places that will buy your old clothes like; Crossroads Trading Company
http://www.crossroadstrading.com/cm/Home.html They are very picky though, so don't get disappointed. There is also Buffalo Exchange http://www.buffaloexchange.com
If for some reason you don't get it sold, you can always take it to Goodwill http://www.goodwill.org or Out of the Closet
http://www.outofthecloset.org and donate it. They will give you a receipt that you can use to deduct when doing your taxes.

• Reinventing yourself

Get inspired, join a group that relates to your profession, like for example: http://designersnetworkinggroup.blogspot.com/ is a design networking group that gets together once a month it's founded by Interior Designer and Furniture Store Owner; Vanessa De Vargas http://turquoise-la.com/, or join Agape which in Greek mens unconditional love, an international spiritual center http://www.agapelive.com/ , get some guidance and spiritual lead way. If you just want to reinvent your self a tiny bit, read a book that will inspire you. I just got this book for Christmas called The Female Brain by Louann Brizendine, it suppose to be a road map for women looking for scientific explanations for their behavior that can effect everything from who we fall in love with to making career decisions. Thank you Tanja :)

• Redecorating
  

It doesn't have to be big projects. It could be anything from moving your furniture around and reposition them in a different way, to repainting one or two of your pieces in maybe a lighter color that will brighten up your place for spring. Maybe chose one room and repaint the walls or just one of them. Another thing could be to redecorate your closets or kitchen cabinets. Make it organized. Get see through plastic containers that are stackable. IKEA have some great options http://www.ikea.com/us/en/ and so does the container store http://www.containerstore.com/ How about changing out your textiles like your curtains, pillows, bedding or get a new rug. Have fun with it, take before & after pictures, send it to me at pkswede@gmail.com and I will post the make-over on my blog. You can also send me pictures of your problem areas to get advise on how to make it better and more functional.