The Poster Club x Silke Bonde

Sometimes there is this feeling when you see something and you say: match made in heaven! Well here we go with one of those examples, maybe in this case it's a match made in poster heaven. Denmark based The Poster Club has launched two new posters created by the fantastic Copenhagen based artist Silke Bonde.

The two watercolour art prints called 'Cove' and 'Leaf me' are exclusively made for The Poster Club and come in a limited edition of 300 signed prints. So, if you want one of these two beauties you better hurry up and go to The Poster Club and secure yourself one signed art print.

Silke Bonde's work is wonderfully light and airy - her art seems as elusive as a fresh breeze and as invigorating as cold waters. And on top of it all, it just looks amazing. Having said this, my heart goes out to the art print 'Cove'. What about you?

Photos by Enok Holsegård, styling by Sofie Brünner

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Side Effects: Art Prints From The Balkans

Some of you know that my family is of Serbian origin and thus I like to peek to the Balkans from time to time and observe what is happening in the design scene over there. Belgrade has become a sort of center for the Balkans design scene with various cool concept stores like THIS one ore fab design cafés like THIS one. Now the first online store for art prints by Balkan based designers has been launched - Side Effects.

Side Effects has curated a fine selection of large scale art prints by local designers and every print is a carefully created silk screen art print and it comes in a limited series of 100 pieces with a hand-signed serial number. And the collection of art prints is constantly growing and so is the pool of young artists.

When I browsed through their current collection I was particularly drawn to the work entitled 'Layers of Needs' by artist Sandra Milanovic and 'Golden Boy' by Mane Radmanovic. But I also fell for the art print called 'Field of Rhombus' by Danijel Savovic - it looks a bit like a giant sketching in a very orderly and designy manner. Now I wonder: Which one is your favorite art print?

I think we will have to look more often to the southeastern edge of Europe in the future. There is lots of interesting happening there right now, many young, creative people are emerging on the design market and I think we all can handle a little bit of a fresh breeze from the Balkans!

Photography via Side Effects

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Happy Interior Blog Recommends...

A few weeks ago I read an interesting story about the life and work of the French novelist Marguerite Duras. Ever since I feel the urge to read one of her most successful novels entitled 'The Lover' (L'Amant). It is an autobiographical story and placed in what nowadays is Vietnam. This might seem like a far flung intro, but this story came back to my mind when I saw the work of Chinese illustrator Oamul on my friend Anya's blog a few days ago. The above shown animated illustration is my favorite and makes me think of a happy life somewhere in southeast Asia. But I digress.

Maybe the whole Asian touch has influenced a tiny little bit this week's recommendations. Or I would rather say an inspiration drawn from nature. That's why I opted for one of the lovely baby zebra prints from 'The Animal Print Shop' (1), the fantastic Botan vases and watering cans by Scandinavian designer Kristina Stark (2), the simple and beautiful tea pot with bamboo base by Bredemeijer (3) and the wonderfully sleek Aiken lounge chair by Furnie (4). 

Well, what would you choose for your home? I could go with all of these. As usual.

Happy hump day!

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Giveaway: Art For Your Walls!

Currently I am in the midst of my own little restyling project at home. One of my tasks is a little gallery wall above my new sofa. Since I have quite a few framed art prints at home I started playing around with them, holding them against the wall and marking the desired placement with masking tape to get a better feeling for the look of the upcoming gallery wall. Little did I know that nowadays you simply pull out your iPhone, use an smart app and get an instantaneous impression of your future gallery wall. Sounds rad? Well, imagine my happiness when I discovered Artfully Walls, a new online shop for art with a smart application.

My friend and photographer Sivan Askayo emailed me a few weeks ago to introduce me to a project she's involved in as an artist - Artfully Walls. Since I am a huge fan of art prints and all kind of illustrations, I was interested in learning more. 

Artfully Walls offers a unique portfolio of art prints hand-picked by professional curators and showcased on beautifully styled gallery walls. This is a new way of seeing art prints in a more holistic concept of a gallery wall. You know, sometimes it feels so hard to group the right art pieces together without arriving at the deliberate chaos ending. The best thing is you can choose to either buy a single art piece or an entire gallery wall - all online, all with a single click.

To get even fancier, let's talk about the handy mobile app. I've tried it at my home and I've literally spent half an hour swapping gallery walls on my living room wall via the mobile app. The app uses augmented reality and recreates a realistic image of a gallery wall in your home. Fabulous!

And to top now everything I am happy to offer a fantastic giveaway with Artfully Walls to you my dear readers. We are giving away five art prints picked by me - so please feel free to tell me which is your favorite and you are in the draw for a free art print!

To join the giveaway:

• Leave a comment under this blogpost stating which art print you want to win.
• Like Artfully Walls on Facebook.
• Five winners will be drawn through random.org. The giveaway is open worldwide and closes on Friday, November 15th, midnight CET.

Good luck!

Photography via Artfully Walls

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City Poster Contest: My Favorites

It's no news that I am an avid traveler. Sometimes time and budget restrictions put a constraint on my globetrotting quest, but there are ways of discovering the world that do not involve days off and extra money. Yes, sometimes we can travel visually. One of my favorite German online shops for fashion and home accessories, Human Empire Shop (also one of my beloved 'Happy Sponsors'), has launched a city poster contest and received 185 fabulous submissions but only three of them will actually go into sale online. And the best is yet to come: You can vote until tomorrow, May 4th, for three of your favorites and thus enter a little raffle and win a 50 Euros voucher for Human Empire Shop (which ships internationally by the way).

So, here are my three favorites: Obviously the Paris poster by Natasa Vuckovic wins my heart - first of all it features my favorite city of all and the design just rocks my world with its hand-lettered typography, wonderful colour combination and delicate Eiffel tower silhouette.

The Palermo poster by Rita Kohel is a sheer holiday treat in itself. The warm Mediterranean colours, the loving couple on a Vespa, the palm trees - I feel like I could jump into this poster!

And last but not least, the Munich poster by Maria Otterbein with its vivid green hues and the accentuated city skyline makes me happy to live in this beautiful city.

HERE you can see all 185 poster entries. Which ones are your favorites?

Photography via Human Empire Shop

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Why This Room Caught My Eye

Have a look around the room where you are right now - what catches your eye immediately? Those salient visual cues are the essence of my Tuesday blog series 'Why This Room Caught My Eye'. There are always a few visual cues that stand out and make a real design or styling statement. I've committed myself to three elements that catch my eye so today again I want to line out why this room caught my eye. Let's roll:

• Colourful Illustrations: I am a huge fan of illustrations and I've recently started my little gallery wall. This cute selection of colourful illustrations in the kitchen caught my eye immediately. I like the neat order here and the dominance of kitchen related topics. Cute!
• Happy Kitchen Appliances: Kitchen appliances haven't got to be dull or boring. Whether you like the sleek look of stainless steel surfaces or you prefer a happy dash of colour - a statement piece of kitchen appliance can brighten up any home! Love the happy yellow here!
• Stripy Sweater: Ok, I admit, this is not an interior design or styling factor. But hey, after all don't forget that you and your beloved ones make part of a happy home (yes, the most important one). So if your home is a happily styled, so should be you! And there's hardly anything happier than a stripy sweater!

Happy home styling & happy Tuesday, friends!

Photography via Ikea Family Live

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Ideas For A Happy Weekend

For this weekend I just wanted to leave you with a short note on art. These days I've stumbled upon these two great illustrations by my fellow blogger and artist Barbara Ismailovic of the Krishka design studio from Belgrade, Serbia. Her two illustrations are named Silent 1 (her self portrait) and Silent 2. And despite their name, they spoke to me. In the way only art can speak to its beholder.

These illustrations speak of all those words and thoughts unspoken. Things we dare not articulate because we are insecure, we are afraid, we are ashamed, we are intimidated. And it is a reminder to speak out. To communicate. Not to shut up. So go out there, speak out, tell your story, be yourself. And enjoy some good art this weekend. Hugs to all of you!

P.S. You can buy those prints & more here.

Illustrations by Barbara Ismailovic / Krishka Studio

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Give-Away: Win A Ylva Skarp Print

Personality, Creativity, Integrity, Curiosity. These characteristics describe a good human being. Or the latest work of the Swedish designer Ylva Skarp. She was one of the big shooting stars at this year's Formex, the Stockholm Interior and Design Expo, and the 'talk of blogs' all over Scandinavia and beyond. Her inspiring prints speak of her passion for letters. After studying calligraphy at the Roehampton Institute in London, she decided to combine calligraphy writing with traditional Swedish craftsmanship. The result are sleek yet playful, bold yet delicate prints.

Now can you imagine how thrilled I was when my friend Marianne from Nordic Bliss offered the unique opportunity of a give-away on Happy Interior Blog. Well yes, happiness galore! Nordic Bliss not only is one of the most beautiful and best treasure chests for Scandinavian home accessories, but also the first UK store to represent products from Ylva Skarp's collection. And Marianne is offering one of the four 50 x 70 cm big art works to one of you, my beloved readers!

If you'd like to add some state-of-the-art Scandinavian bliss to your home, all you have to do is like the Facebook page of my friend and sponsor Nordic Bliss and confirm it with a little comment here. Don't forget to mention in the comment which print you'd like to win - simply pick one of the four shown here. A winner will be chosen randomly and announced here on Happy Interior Blog next Tuesday. Due to VAT restrictions, this give-away is open to readers across the European Union. Big apologies to my readers who can't join in - hope you don't mind too much!

So, what else to say? Like, comment, and keep your fingers crossed for one of the great Ylva Skarp prints offered by Nordic Bliss! Good luck!

Photography via Nordic Bliss / Ylva Skarp

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Happily Ever After: Illustrator Blanca Gomez

Let me tell you how I decide on what to feature on my blog. I either see something in a magazine, I get inspired on-the-go or - yes - I browse the internet for inspiration. Then the progression goes something like this: I open a website and then it happens - the first sight puts a big smile on my face. Yes, beautiful and inspiring content makes me happy. And then it is more than clear. That has to go up onto Happy Interior Blog. Now that exactly happened when I opened the site of Blanca Gomez, 'Cosas Minimas', a talented Spanish illustrator and designer from Madrid. 

Her playful illustrations inherit a healthy dose of happiness and cheer. Bright colours, fine lines and a pinch of wit makes her illustrations the right choice for a happy home. Don't you agree. And the best: Her designs are all available through her Etsy shop. Well, sometimes happiness is just a click away. 

Photography via Cosas Minimas

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Happily Ever After: Olaf Hajek

I have already shared my passion for arty illustrations and art prints for interior decoration. Today I want to present one of my favorite German illustrators - Olaf Hajek. Olaf Hajek's work is marked by an extremely original style and working process. None of his illustrations is digital, he rather works as a painter and uses acrylic on paper, cardboard or wood. Thus, each of his illustrations has a refined touch of handmade art. Ever since, Olaf Hajek has become an internationally renowned artist and has been commissioned illustrations for big clients such as Financial Times, The New Yorker, Carrefour, Rolling Stone, Coca Cola and many more. His work exhibits a striking array of vibrant colours and his style recalls memories of Frida Kahlo and other folk art interpretations. The illustrations surprise with unexpected combinations of elements coming from different cultures and convince with a unique and lively interpretation of nature and people. An amazing round-up of his artwork can be seen in his book 'Flowerhead'. For the record: I have his book and one of his illustrations (the very first presented in this blog post). Isn't his artwork simply stunning?

Photography via Olaf Hajek

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Happily Ever After: Lisa Congdon Art

I'd like to live happily ever after...with art by fantastic San Francisco based illustrator and fine artist Lisa Congdon. While reading some of my favorite blogs I spotted Lisa's work and fell instantly in love with it. The vibrant colours, the extraordinary motives, and her love for detail made me go weak and with Christmas approaching I've put one of her amazing prints right up on my wish list. Her art draws lots of inspiration from nature yet it is so urban - this amazing juxtaposition of feelings evoked by her art made me a huge fan of hers. So, here is my ode to Lisa Congdon in San Fran from remote Munich, Germany.

Photography via Lisa Congdon

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New Etsy Shop & Give-Away: TexturedINK

Last week I was approached by a talented graphic designer named Ankita Kejariwal who recently opened a new Etsy shop called TexturedINK (click on the name to visit the shop). She saw my blog featured as 'blog of the week' on decor8 (thanks so much, Holly) and asked me if I'd be interested in featuring her work on Happy Interior Blog. I jumped over to Etsy to see her work and loved her illustrations instantaneously. She offers beautiful prints, many of them personalized and ideal for events such as weddings, birthdays, and other festivities. Plus I thought that a newbie Etsy shop and a newbie blog are a great match to support each other - and here we are!

But looking at her work was not enough for me, so I asked Ankita about her background and work. She's lived in India, the UK, and the US - a fact that can be seen in her art. The rich colours and vibrant contrasts (influenced by her Eastern upbringing in South Asia) are tamed and held within crisp and simple lines - a clear impact of the Western design aesthetics. Ankita is attracted to simple, clean art and draws inspiration from the many cultures she's embraced while traveling. Her love for typography, colours and layouts is clearly visible in her work. Moreover, her Etsy shop is a culmination of her different creative careers - she's been a copywriter, an interior designer and a graphic designer - great professions to combine and boost creativity, don't you think?

Ankita's work convinced me, but she's upped the ante by offering one of her paper goods (no wood panels or canvas) as a give-away to one of you! All you have to do is put a little comment in the comment section and tell me what you think of Ankita's work. All comments until  Thursday midnight CET will be taken into account and a winner will be chosen randomly with random.org on Friday. Be the happy winner!

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Happily Ever After: Arty Illustrations

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I’d like to live happily ever after with...arty illustrations!

Tight budget, limited space, no time. Constraints that often challenge our inner desire to reinvent the space we live in. At least I am constanly faced with those restrictions. However, there always seems to be a way to appease my inner thirst for interior bliss. Like arty illustrations. I love how easy it is to add a tad of sophistication or humour to any kind of interior – from romantic over rustic to urban. I personally love the use of retro designs, carefully chosen colour palettes and whimsical illustrations to evoke interest and to weave in a pop of colour. I do have a few at home by myself and I can hardly beat my desire to acquire new ones.

With illustrations you get triple interior fun: First, the adventure of spotting and choosing one, second the fun of picking a suiting frame and framing the artwork (you can add so much drama with adequate framing), and last but not least the fun of deciding for the right spot in your home to feature your latest arty finding. There are so many beautiful examples out there – here I’ve made a little selection of some of my highlights. Currently, Etsy is one of my main inspiration sources for colourful, arty illustrations, and Swedish artist Therese Sennerholt for sleek and eye-catching black and white illustrations. Do you like to decorate with illustrations?

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