Pillow Talk By Wool And The Gang

One of the advantages of social media is bonding with likeminded people. Yes you could call it the gangs of the 21st century. One of those gangs that unites people with a love for knitting or knitted goodies is Wool and the Gang. I had the opportunity to meet the creative minds of Wool and the Gang during our Bloggers Tour in London in March and I even managed to knit a row - can you imagine! I still officially claim that I have two left hands when it comes to any kind of DIY! But Wool and the Gang caters to all people with a passion for cosy knitwear - even to those who are happy with ready knit goods.

Wool and the Gang is above all known for its knitwear - it can be bought either ready made or as knit kits for talented hands. When I met Wool and the Gang during our visit to Heal's in London (thanks to the interiors community at{mine}), I heard their news about launching a new home collection and it's launched by now - they extended their collection with knitted cushions, pillows and a blanket.

I've been cuddling up with their knitted pillow for a while now and I can confirm that it has become my favorite sofa cuddle buddy - while I am working, watching a movie or simple cozying up with a good book and coffee. The pillow is super soft as it is made of a unique yarn that has been made from up-cycled t-shirt scraps.

Are you a talented knitter (unlike me)? Or do you prefer the ready-made version? Whatever version you opt for, one thing is for sure: it is super cosy and comfy. And you'll be part of the gang - Wool and the Gang.

Photography by Igor Josifovic, second image by Wool and the Gang

This post has been brought to you in collaboration with Wool and the Gang

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Ready For Summer With West Elm

My favorite season of the year is right now, it's spring. One of the many reasons is also the pleasant anticipation of summer with its promise of warm summer nights, barbecues with friends, poolside fun and beach time. It also means making the home ready for summer - everything is airy and breezy, the colours are brighter and happier, there is a wonderful lightness in the air. West Elm is getting ready for summer too - with a bright and cheerful collection for the warm season of the year.

West Elm launches a great selection of outdoor furniture for your balcony, garden or veranda including some very beautiful mosaic bistro and coffee tables - I love the absolute summer vibe of the mosaic bistro tables, they remind me of summer fun on the Greek islands, don't you agree? But not only your outdoors will be beautifully equipped for summer, West Elm also offers a great range of furniture, home accessories and home textiles for your indoors. I love the Steven Alan striped collection of home textiles in particular - look at the gorgeous rug! And do I spot some Happy Interior Blog colours on the rug's diamond pattern?

Moreover West Elm features currently a great range of terrariums, planters (look at the fantastic mid-century turned leg planters) and small cacti and succulents. I need not mention how much I love that as an Urban Jungle Blogger, right?

I also had the great opportunity to attend a terrarium workshop at West Elm in London during our Bloggers Tour thanks to at{mine}, who invited us to create our own terrarium with West Elm. And yes, I was very proud of my little terrarium (as you can see) and I brought it back to Munich where it resides happily on my windowsill - awaiting summer just like me!

Photography by West Elm, last pic by Susanna Vento

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Liberty's Secret Garden

If I asked you to name one London department store that is the most awesome, most traditional and iconic, most refined and pretty luxurious, I bet many of you would name the one and only Liberty in London on Regent Street. This London landmark will make anyone's knees weak and you will have the hardest time ever leaving the store empty-handed. During our recent Design Bloggers Tour in London we had the fab opportunity to team up with the London based interiors community at{mine} (still in private beta phase) who invited us to visit one of their beta members, Liberty London.

We were welcomed in the design premises around the corner from the store where we met a real design celebrity - the iconic Head of Design Emma Mawston and her team. Anyone of you who is really into textile design will now make big eyes! Yes, it is a rare and privileged opportunity to get a presentation of Liberty's latest textile and wallpaper collection named 'Secret Garden'.

Inspired by the book of the same title by Frances Hodgson Burnett, these fabrics and wallpapers come in lush and leafy designs evoking secret gardens full of colourful blooms, rich foliage and exuberant opulence. We were amazed to see all of these designs being hand-drawn before they eventually find their way onto rich and sumptuous fabrics and wallpaper. Suddenly you realize how much inspiration and work is woven into each and every piece of this collection.

As an Urban Jungle Blogger I had quickly found my favorite prints - the Wallace Secret Garden Linen in Green Gauze and the Orchard Wallace Secret Garden wallpaper. Now I only need a big apartment with a room for all my plants and one wall would definitely be covered in this fantastic wallpaper. Up to then I'll keep on dreaming of my secret garden.

Photography by Susanna Vento, last image by Linda Elmin

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Inspired By Africa: Rugs For Modern Homes

One aspect that I love most in interior design is drawing inspiration from cultures, traditions and handicraft. Often I like to think that I hide an archaeologist and an ethnologist in myself - mostly because I am fascinated by history, ancient arts, traditions and cultures. Remember my kilim love? My obsession with vintage ceramics? My apartment is full with traces of my passion. So it comes as no surprise that the new 2015 rug collection 'MUM's loves Africa' from Finland based 'MUM's' got my full attention. They launched new graphic rugs inspired by the Kassena tribe of Burkina Faso, where every building is a piece of unique, handmade art (you can learn more about it HERE).

The Kassena tribe decorate their clay houses with graphic patterns by hand. Their vernacular architecture is amazing and sparked the inspiration of Finland based Outi Puro, the founder of 'MUM's'. She loves African patterns, traditional Indian carpet weaving and Nordic simple and pure design. All three passions were combined for the new 'MUM's loves Africa' collection: The rugs feature African patterns as seen in the villages of the Kassena tribe, the rugs are made fairly in the hands of skilled artisans in Northern India and feature natural hues that are typical for Scandinavia too.

This entire story is even better: Not only these rugs are inspired by a fascinating people in Africa and made fairly by artisans in India, but the entire story of 'MUM's' is based on helping and supporting other women and mothers in less developed countries. 'MUM's' itself was founded back in 2006 as an art project in Africa.

I think 2015 is the year in which we all should bring a piece of traditional art into our homes. Why not such a wonderful rug? I am totally smitten by the patterns, the graphic look and the wonderful, inspiring story behind them. Luckily, these rugs are available worldwide through their webshop.

Here's to our wonderful and inspiring world - against all (current) odds!

Photography: Rugs via 'MUM's'; African images by Rita Willaert

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Happy Interior Blog Recommends: Smood

Today's blog post comes with a few excuses and apologies as a preface. First of all, apology for inviting you unintentionally into my messy bed (ooops), excuse me for the chaos and ignore the fact that I have no sheet on my mattress. It all has a meaning. A good one. A very good one. Because the mattress is the leading cast today. Let me introduce you to Smood, my latest revelation to enhance my (too short) sleep hours!

To be honest with you guys: I have never paid attention to my mattress. Frankly, I bought my old one when I moved into my apartment seven years ago and all I did was flip it from one side to the other after a few years in use. So when I was approached by the Home24 team announcing the introduction of a brand new mattress called 'Smood', my passion level was lukewarm. A mattress? What's so special about a mattress? It was not until I watched their fun promotional video (see it below) that my interest was piqued. I wanted to know more!

I will spare you the adventurous story of receiving a huge mattress by mail, but once it was here and up on my bed, a new love story has unfolded. No worries though, this bed story is not risqué at all! By now, I've slept for two weeks on my new Smood mattress and the effect is amazing - believe me or not, I am not saying this because I got the mattress for a test! If it was terrible I would have not mentioned it on my blog at all. But this pretty thing called Smood is doing me good!

The mattress has a foam and gel body and a removable and washable cover and is higher than other mattresses - at least here in Germany. No need to mention that I've slept really well on Smood. But it also keeps me in bed on weekends. Spending late mornings in bed with a nice book (lately that is 'In Detail' by Swedish stylist Hans Blomquist) is a sort of ritual during rainy winter weekends for me.

What's the essence of today's story? Maybe just a little reminder that we should think about our mattress a bit more and put it in focus. After all it's where we lay our tired bodies for a good night's sleep. I won't give away my Smood anymore. No, no, no! It's here to stay!

Photography by Igor Josifovic

This blog post has been brought to you in collaboration with Home24

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Urban Jungle Bloggers: Cosy & Green Bedroom

November is reaching its end and it has been a real cliché here - lots of grey and foggy days, cold and wet. It's the kind of weather that makes you want to stay in bed all day and just not go out. Probably this was the idea about our November topic for Urban Jungle Bloggers: Creating a cosy bedroom with green plants to make those dull, grey November days bearable seemed like a nice task. For me it was literally a last minute task: I was running from work to grab the last bit of gloomy November daylight to make a super quick styling and shoot the pictures.

I have shared images of my bedroom a few times already and I always have plants there. This time I have shuffled my plants a little bit and changed the selection: I have moved the monstera plant next to the bed, I have added my aloe vera plant, my purple succulent, my white fluffy cactus and my latest addition, an offshoot of a plant called purple heart that I received from my Urban Jungle Bloggers partner in crime, Judith. Additionally I have added a cutting of a succulent on my Kimidori stool (I actually nicked that cutting in a Greek restaurant) and I hung an air plant above my bed. 

Colour wise I love mustardy hues this time of the year. I have added a brand new bedspread from Urbanara in a soft and tactile waffle structure, paired it with a few blue cushions - that's it. I matched it with my yellow desk lamp, a mustard hued kitchen towel and I served myself a cup of green tea in my new, handmade Japanese mug also from Urbanara. Add a great new magazine (The Happy Reader) and voilà - after the shooting I jumped into bed and had a good read and finished my tea.

Since we're approaching the festive season I am continuing my Santa mission today too: I have teamed up with Urbanara to offer you the same bedspread in the wonderful mustard colour too. All you have to do to join the giveaway is leave a comment under this blogpost. The giveaway will be open until Sunday, November 30, 2014, midnight CET. It is open to all European readers.

Here's to a calm and happy weekend in our cosy and green bedroom!

Urban Jungle Bloggers is a monthly series initiated by 2 bloggers: Igor (Happy Interior Blog) and Judith (JOELIX.com). Every month we share ideas to create an urban jungle through styling ideas, DIYs and green tips & tricks. You can find additional inspiration on our Urban Jungle Bloggers Pinterest board and keep up-to-date on our website and Facebook page. Want to join? Use #urbanjunglebloggers on Twitter and Instagram. Or let us know and we'll share the badge and upcoming topics with you. Let's bring some green into your homes and blogs!

Photography by Igor Josifovic

This blog post has been brought to you in collaboration with Urbanara

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