Book Review: The New Boho Book

I have been a passionate follower and reader of Justina Blakeney's blog over the past few years. I love her unconventional style, her eclectic collections, her love for plants and colors. She is a sort of a beacon who reminds me that styling a home is a personal matter, it allows for all aspects to be included that reflect your personality, it is your playground to get creative. She is something like the antidote to the overstyled interiors devoid of personality as seen in some glossy interiors magazines. All those inspirations, ideas and decor tips including some cool and simple DIY ideas are now condensed in one wonderful book: The New Bohemians - Cool & Collected Homes, shot by the impeccable Dabito (have I mentioned I am a fan of his work too?).

The New Boho Book takes us on a tour through various cool and collected homes. By guiding us through inspiring real homes, Justina highlights the aspect that boho or bohemian is not a fixed, determined term. It is not you are either boho or not. Bohemians come in various forms of expression and intensity if you want so: You could be the modern, the earthy, the folksy, the nomadic, the romantic or the maximal bohemian. After going through the entire book you are tempted to look around you and ask yourself: Am I a bohemian?

If someone asked me to define my bohemian style after consulting The New Bohemians, I'd say I'm a modern bohemian with slight influences of the earthy bohemian. What exactly defines those styles? Well, I think you simply have to grab a copy of this amazing book and look it up for yourself!

Photography: First pic by Igor Josifovic, others by Dabito 

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New Interior Book + Giveaway

My friend and fellow blogger Stefanie Luxat comes with many talents. As a journalist, as an interior stylist, as a wedding expert and businesswoman. Yes, I think she's quite a woman. So it was just a question of time when she'll publish an interior book (after her successful wedding book) and - drumroll - here it is! The German title reads 'Wie eine Wohnung ein Zuhause wird', literally translated as 'How an Apartment turns into a Home'. So let's have a little peek into the book of homes.

What I like about interiors is the story of its owners. I try to 'read' the interiors and imagine the dwellers, their character and lifestyle. Stefanie's book tells this stories by portraying the home owners and introducing us to their abodes. 

In her new book she not only presents inspiring interiors and personalities, she also shares decoration and styling tips for your home, shopping addresses for home accessories and DIY ideas. As a book focusing on the visual aesthetic of interiors, it is dominated by beautiful, full page photographies. Oh and last but not least: I like the book because it is a slice of real life. Admittedly, beautiful and stylish real life, but real. Not overly decorated and styled. Just as beautiful as life gets in our everyday adventures.

If you read/understand German, get a copy of 'Wie eine Wohnung ein Zuhause wird', published by Callwey, HERE. And no matter what language you understand, if you like to win one copy of this interior book just leave a comment under this blogpost and tell me what makes your apartment a real home? Join in - the giveaway is open for a week and the winner will be chosen randomly.

Happy reading & good luck!

Photography by Brita Sönnichsen via Callwey

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Interior Inspiration In 91 Magazine

A regular fix of mine for interior inspiration are the numerous e-magazines available. One of those is the British 91 Magazine - it features home stories, thrifty and crafty ideas for the own home, interviews with creatives and more. Moreover, it is probably the e-mag with the strongest vintage focus of all e-mags I know. Well, whether you know 91 Magazine or not, I thought it would be nice to share some of my favorite tear sheets from the current June issue with you.

In this issue I was smitten by the home tour entitled 'Scandi Boho' for its vibrant colours, lively patterns and eclectic decor. I also loved the home story named 'Culture & Romance' for its mellow, soft and almost elusive styling. 

Well, if you like interiors, crafting, vintage ideas and more, take the time and enjoy the latest issue of 91 Magazine. Here is another preview if you want to see more content.

And if you like home tours, check out the home of my friend and fellow blogger Bridgee who I interviewed for Roombeez!

Happy Thursday, friends!

Photography: Scandi Boho by Kerry Layton/91 Magazine; Culture & Romance by Jemma Watson/91 Magazine, styling by Pippa Blenkinsop

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Book Review: 'Home For Now' By Joanna Thornhill

I've been living in a rented apartment for seven years now and that includes all restraints of a rented space - double-checking before painting the walls, reconsidering every nail hammered into the wall, no major changes regarding layout or buying customized furniture. Because it's a home for now. Not forever. And that's exactly where interior stylist and writer Joanna Thornhill has stepped in with her new book - 'Home for Now' published by Cico Books.

With this book, Joanna is filling a gap in the exuberant interiors books market with many interchangeable titles. Her book offers a blend of inspiration and practical advice for renters as well as first-time buyers with limited funds for decoration or renovation. The book guides the reader through five consecutive chapters covering all major rooms of a home-for-now: living spaces, kitchens and dining, bedrooms and bathrooms, creative workspaces and plants and outdoor living. Of course I was totally smitten that houseplants got their own chapter (with outdoor spaces)!

The book offers a plethora of real-life interiors and practical step-by-step projects for anyone - even the DIY-phobic dwellers like myself. What I really liked while going through the book is its great variety in styles and ideas - it showcases that even a home-for-now has the full potential to be a beautiful home. No matter whether you have poor floors or walls, limited daylight influx or a disadvantageous layout - a few tweaks and you'll create a home to be happy and comfy in it. And the book 'Home for Now' is an excellent guide and inspiration source to help you along the way of decorating or renovating your home.

As a home-for-now dweller I love having this book in my shelf - and I am pretty sure I will reread it over again when I feel the need to change my temporary home.

You can buy the book HERE.

Photography by Igor Josifovic

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Creative Chit-Chat: Coffeeklatch

Just yesterday I talked about how much I love to peek into people's interiors, be it friends or foreigners. As an interior design loving guy it is sheer pleasure for me to see how others dwell and how they create the most intimate space - the own home. Luckily, it has never been as easy as today to enjoy in various interiors without becoming an intrusive weirdo. One of the easy-access options are fantastic websites that visit creative folks in their homes. Just like the Belgian blog 'Coffeeklatch' by Magali Elali and Bart Kiggen.

'Coffeeklatch' stands for slow journalism using a fast medium and features interesting interviews of creative people in their inspiring homes. Over a cup of coffee we get the feeling that we readers are part of the chit-chat and actually sitting next to the home owner's, learning about their creative endeavors and personal style.

I invite you all to enjoy a quiet moment this weekend with 'Coffeeklatch'. Brew yourself a fresh cup of coffee, sit down and be invited to inspiring homes of creative people. I also warmly recommend you to follow them on Facebook, Twitter and above all their fab Instagram accounts - the one of Magali and the one of Bart.

Have a great one, friends!

Photography via 'Coffeeklatch'

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Home Tour: Swiss Chalet

It is still wintertime and some of us might envisage a little ski trip to the cosmopolitan Swiss Alps. Well, if you do, I hope your accommodation will be as sophisticated and refined as this Swiss chalet - the stunning refuge of Belgian antique dealer and interior designer Axel Vervoordt. 

A symphony of wood and stone at the end of a winding and steep pathway to an alpine peak in Swiss winter resort Verbier combines traditional architecture with sublime interior design and thus redefines the notion of a winter chalet. 

The amazing fact here: This chalet was built ten years ago by local artisans to preserve the typical local architecture with stone and wood. This whole concept was transferred into the chalet's interior, too. And here you can see the owner's passion for antiques with valuable treasures set in scene within a quiet and laid-back interior. The reduction to the essentials plus the breathtaking location with a fantastic view over the Alps - what else can you wish for a wintery dream in a Swiss chalet?

Photography via Westwing Magazin

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From Place To Space: Marseille

With every new Monday I am more than happy to take you on a new, little voyage within my blog series 'From Place To Space'. Many of you have realized by now that France is one of my favorite countries to visit. So this time I've decided to take you to the Mediterranean metropolis Marseille in the country's south. 

This was a real last minute trip a few years ago. A friend and I decided on a Friday we need a little inspiring break over the weekend. So we packed our suitcases and went off to the airport on Saturday morning. We approached one of the travel agencies at the airport and had a little talk to the travel agent, flipped through a few city names on his screen and picked Marseille due to the best departure and return times. A few hours later we arrived on the shores of the Mediterranean. During the trip we booked a hotel via our phones and here we were: without a travel guide, without any special plans or ideas. And it was perfect. It was an ideal combination of relaxing and discovering a new city with all its charms. We took one of the open-top city tour buses and visited the main sights like the Vieux Port (Old Port) where we enjoyed a glass of the local Pastis (an anise liquor), the local fish market, the famous Notre-Dame de la Garde cathedral on a hill top. We set off to the close by island Ile d'If and visited the famous Chateau d'If with its prison. That's where Alexandre Dumas set the scenery for his novel 'The Count of Monte Cristo'.

To take you from place to space I researched the web for some inspiring interiors in Marseille, too. And I found two amazing examples. This 1950s inspired Marseille home of Emma François bursts with mid-century vintage finds and a typical 50s colour range. The big round hole in the living room connects the home with its porch and adds to the mid-century look and feel. 

The second interior is a light flooded home designed by Marseille based interior designer Maurice Padovani. It combines a rustic and modern feeling with natural hues and materials and many open spaces that let the unique Mediterranean light into this stylish home. I am drawn to this home with its interesting vibe set alive with vintage furniture combined with design classics such as the Eames chairs or the stunning Zettel'z chandelier by Ingo Maurer. 

Have you enjoyed this week's little trip? Hope to see you next Monday again!

Photography: Emma François home via Interior Design Files; Rustic and Modern Home via Maurice Padovani; all other pics by Igor Josifovic.  

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Home Tour: Scandinavian Gallery Home

After yesterday's trip to southern Europe, I am taking you today on a home tour up in the north. This Scandinavian home has caught my eye. This arty home does not showcase the typical cliché Scandinavian interior design with a dominance of white, airy spaces and a mix of mid-century and modern furniture. 

Here, I was drawn to the classic space (man, do I admire the height of the ceilings) and the eclectic mix of furniture and exposed art. An industrial desk lamp, pop art on the wall, and a crystal chandelier? Sounds weird? Yeah, but the outcome in this home is stunning. The refined combination of styles and materials demonstrates a very personal approach by juxtaposing art, gems, tchotchkes and furniture to a gallery kind of interior styling.  

Photography via Bo Bedre

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