Why This Room Caught My Eye

Whenever I get asked to describe my interior style, I use expressions like 'Scandinavian inspired', 'ethnic elements', 'colour pops'. I think I have never used the word 'retro' to describe my own style. Of course the reason is: My personal interior style is not retro at all. But I've noticed one phenomenon, especially on Pinterest: I also like interiors that represent a style that I wouldn't want to live in constantly. Maybe that's what retro means to me in interiors. Anyways, this intro aims at today's room that caught my eye: a very retro inspired bedroom.

In fact, I've slept in that bed for quite a few nights last year when I went to Vancouver, Canada. It is a very retro inspired airbnb apartment in a historic building in downtown Vancouver. The dominating colour was a petrol hue with blue and earthy hues, giving the entire apartment a sort of quirky 60s vibe. You can see the whole tour of the apartment in my guest post on Roombeez. The bedroom caught my eye in particular as I was fascinated by the spacey wallpaper design and the blue hues. But let me put it in bullet points:

• Retro Style Wallpaper: The wallpaper is an instant eye-catcher. It has the perfect grayish blue colour to suit the rest of the room and the pattern is sort of delirious - pretty fun!
• Soft Bedding: Something I appreciate in North America - the bedding is always super soft and comfy. Here too, a great mix of textiles create a multi-tactile feeling and super soft sleeping base.
• Colour Coding: The interior design is carried out with utmost care. It is reduced but the shapes, colours and materials are well coordinated - the quickest eye-catcher being the blue colour coding in this bedroom.

Are you a retro person? Or is it too crazy for you?

Photography by Igor Josifovic

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From Place To Space: My Friend's Hamburg Apartment

A few weeks ago I spent a blogger event weekend in the northern German city of Hamburg. I not only looked forward to some blogger fun with fellow bloggers (I wrote about it HERE) but also to meet one of my ex colleagues and friends who recently moved from Munich to Hamburg. She invited me for a brunch on Sunday noon and I used the opportunity to snap a few pics of her new dwelling.

When in Munich, my friend used to live in a tiny apartment just like mine. With all its limitations. Now she's at home in a typical Hamburg 'Altbau' building (historical building) with a big living room and a long row of round-arched windows and an abundance of daylight. Yet again I was amazed how good it is to take pictures in a bigger space with lots of natural light. So I snapped on.

I focused on her living room cause I loved the 'retro meets vintage' vibe there. The vintage dining table found on a local flea market is made of teak wood and looks totally contemporary in the combination with those translucent chairs that remind me of the famous 'Ghost Chair' by Philippe Starck. Perfectly matched for this personal corner is the floor lamp recalling the swinging 1960s. Those large and widely arched chrome floor lamps were used back in the 1960s for lighting 'conversation pits'. 

In the living room area she combines raw, vintage leather furniture with wooden elements and mixes textures such as plain cotton cushions, wool blankets and furry sheepskin. The brown leather and wooden hues are freshened up with feminine zests of purple and pink - an ideal playground for her roomie, little Yoshi. 

As you see I focused on her living room as her moving is not yet finished and this part of the apartment was ready to be caught on camera. Apart from the lovely interior design we enjoyed a good brunch and a great conversation before I headed back to my tiny rooftop apartment in Munich.

Have a fab week, friends!

Photography by Igor Josifovic

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Happy Guest: Happy Mundane

I love finding interior inspiration from magazines, blogs, websites, and stores, but one of my favorite sources is vintage decorating books. I've been collecting these books for many years and can not resist checking out the interiors/decor section of any used bookstore, thrift store, or vintage shop I pass by. My favorite eras are generally from the late 60s through the 70s and 80s. One of my favorite finds is this book: Young Designs in Color, by Barbara Plumb. It was originally published in 1972 (here is the link). Here's a few of my favorite pages: 

Pic 1:  I love the overall white scheme. The use of pop colors only in the pillows and artwork is something that I've actually used in my house as well. All the tonal textures, such as the ceiling and the mix of natural leather, wicker, and textiles give the space warmth (not to mention that awesome long fireplace!).

Pic 2: While the first pic was all about white - this room goes the opposite direction and gives you full drama of super dark walls. I love the high contrast use of white moulding paired with the wood floors. Interesting that they kept the insides of the built-in book cases white. It breaks up all the dark and allows the accessories to stand out. Also love the oversized leather sofa and the fun and unexpected use of a Matisse painting as a piano bench cover!

Pic 3: How amazing would it be to live in all this natural light?! Excellent mix of textures, and a great reminder that rugs can act as large scale artwork and bring depth and interest to a big wall. I love the graphic painted bench/low cabinet! This could be an easy DIY idea!

Pic 4: Another amazing home with so much natural light. Similar to pic no. 3, a great mix of textures and although the 70s are notorious for the use of wood paneling, I feel like the way it's used here still feels fresh and gives the space a "modern rustic" feel. Love the bright yellow sofa in the back and bold modern artwork scattered throughout. I could imagine spending a wonderfully relaxed weekend afternoon just lounging in this space.

I hope you've enjoyed taking a little step back in time with me. It just goes to show that good design is timeless. Maybe some ideas from the 1970s will inspire you today in 2012?

Thank you again Igor for having me on the blog today, and please follow more of my mundane musings over at Happy Mundane (happymundane.com) as well as find me on Instagram and Twitter (@happymundane).

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