From Place To Space: Capri

Here is a recipe from paradise: Put a rock in the crystalline Mediterranean, set a little town with colourful houses atop, add zesty lemons, and stir it gently. The result is called Capri. A true delight. A dainty Italian island that makes you yearn for more. 

Once you've decided to appease your appetite for this lush island, you will need to hop on a ferry and approach this rocky beauty from the sea. Quickly you will behold its edgy shape, the vivid port and a line of colourful houses climbing the hillside. Most tourists discover the 'three levels' of Capri. The port and its surrounding coastline with little beaches, many restaurants, the inevitable souvenir shops and - in summer time - a little open market. The second level can be reached by foot (good way to stay fit and get tanned), by bus or - the preferred way - by a cablecar that is worth every cent. Not only will you get up to the center of Capri Town, but you will also be rewarded with spectacular views of the Mediterranean. Once there, you are in Capri proper. 

The little town is a real gem. Capri is incredibly clean (which you will appreciate even more if you just came from Naples - see my report here) and the density of luxurious restaurants, hotels and boutiques is dizzily high. Hold on to your wallet, glue your credit cards and try, just try to resist. Pick one of the beautiful restaurants with a breathtaking panorama of the sea and the gulf of Naples to enjoy every bite and every sip double, triple and quadruple. 

The third level is Anacapri, the village atop of the rocky mountain. Take a bus from Capri Town and be brave. Cling to the seat in front of you and try to smile while the little, shaky bus is driving in super speed up the winding street to Anacapri. Try to enjoy, the view is really, really amazing (though take some tissue to dab your sweaty forehead). Anacapri is a sort of antipode to Capri Town. Quiet, tucked away, residential. You can easily get lost in the narrow little alleys. Look out for old churches, cute details on the houses (lots of adorable ceramics and tiles) and enjoy a somewhat cheaper coffee up here before you head down into the Italian version of Beverly Hills. 

Oh, but above all, enjoy. Just enjoy!

Photography by Igor Josifovic; Capri cushion by Jonathan Adler; Capri candle by Anthropologie; Capri vintage poster via Found In Mom's Basement.

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Ideas For A Happy Weekend

Some of you have already noticed my constant cant regarding my teenie-tiny kitchenette. While I would love a somewhat more spacious kitchen to be finally able to experiment slash cook properly, I would also love to have a huge kitchen like this one on the pic to host a fun and cool 'kitchen party'. You know, the easy going kind of party with really good friends where everyone is cooking a bit and most certainly everyone is having a good and relaxed time. Now wouldn't this be a great idea for a happy weekend? Ok, let me get this straight. Friends? Checked. Food? Checked. Kitchen? There we are again. Can I nag about my little kitchen? Have a happy weekend, friends!

Photography by Ashley Capp

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Happily Ever After: Robyn Thompson

Happy Friday, friends! Time to dedicate some space and time to a talented person. In my blog series 'Happily Ever After' I try to find interesting and inspiring artists who catch my eye and attention with their work. This week, I got all dreamy and inspired while browsing through the sublime portfolio of the photographer Robyn Thompson. 

On her website you will find beautifully curated folders with topics such as Marrakesh, Paris, the Mediterranean or a leisurely weekend. Click here to see more of her impressive work. 

Do you wanna get enchanted by the colours of Marrakesh? Wanna get seduced with the savours of the Mediterranean or rather stroll the cobbled streets of Paris? Whatever you feel like today and wherever you are, Robyn Thompson takes us there with the click of her camera. Do you feel inspired?

Photography by Robyn Thompson

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Sophisticated Design: Matthias Ferwagner

Last week I talked about German design here and many of you responded very positively to it. Thus, I thought it was a good idea to highlight yet another young and aspiring German design talent: Matthias Ferwagner. Not only was he born in the city of Happy Interior Blog, in Munich, but he is also a master of sophisticated design. His ideas expel an airy lightness, a playful twist and a refined attention to little details. All this can be seen in his latest two designs: The side table 'Minimato' and the coffee tables 'Paul & Paula'.

'Minimato' is a sophisticated idea that reminds me of the simplicity and functionality of Japanese design. It consists of five wooden sticks and one tabletop. Stick them together and you have a super sleek and stylish sidetable. It is my absolute favorite and I would definitely go for one of these in my living room. 'Paul & Paula' is a smart coffee table set that strikes with reversible tabletops in black and grey and a cool red tightrope construction. Alone or together, these tables are ideal to become statement pieces in any modern home.

What do you think of these German designs?

Photography and Copyright by Nils Holger Moormann GmbH and Jäger & Jäger

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5 Happy Inspirations: Eye-Catcher

Sometimes it just takes a little to catch my eye - a beautiful hue, a quirky design idea, refined materials. And this week is not different from the other weeks - I am constantly smitten by the beauty of those little things around the world wide web. And these '5 Happy Inspirations' caught my eye this week:

One: The handmade and happily coloured square colour chip boxes by Leif are on my wish list.

Two: The delicate and sumptuous watercolour paintings by American artist Malissa Ryder make for a great art piece on any wall.

Three: This apothecary like scented Apolis candle is absolutely my kind of thing. Want!

Four: If you have a soft sport for nautical goodies just like me, you'll love this turquoise driftwood frame by Butlers.

Five: The soothing composition of natural materials, soft colours and gentle fragrances are a winning combination. These precious scented sachets are made by Paris based Mi-Septembre. 

Anything you like in particular? Happy hump day, friends!

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Home Sweet Home

Do you know the feeling when you arrive home after several trips or a long vacation? Well after quite busy past days and a few trips I really enjoyed returning to my home. And though this is not my home but a beautiful Scandinavian living room as seen on Alvhem, I do appreciate the cosiness and intimacy of my home (and I promise to do a home tour of my tiny abode soon). Nothing beats the feeling when you snuggle up in your bed or on your sofa. When you walk around and you see yourself in all those little details at home. I truly understand the saying 'Home Sweet Home'. Enjoy every bit of YOUR home sweet home!

Photography via Alvhem Makleri

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From Place To Space: Bloggers In Hamburg

Today I am taking you to a super fun trip – a blogger meet-up in Hamburg. The past weekend some great German bloggers organised a meet-up in the northern German city and set the basis for a personal get-together of some of Germany’s finest lifestyle bloggers writing about interior design, DIY, food, styling. Our Hamburg ‚home base’ was the stylish design hotel 25 Hours Hotel.

For me it was a pretty exciting trip. First of all I got to meet some fellow bloggers that I’ve been following on the net for quite a time. Secondly, I had the opportunity to get a better introduction to the cool city of Hamburg.

Our blogger weekend kicked-off with a urban breakfast in a superb location called ‚Fabrik’. On Saturdays this industrial hall hosts a local farmer’s market, live music and delicious breakfasts and brunches.

After gallons of coffee and heaps of yummy food we headed to explore the western borough of Altona – a cool mix of suburban culture and non-mainstream shops like the ‚Kaufmannsladen’ or the famous candy store ‚Bonscheladen’. Later on we continued downtown to the so-called ‚Hafen City’, the harbour area with its huge cruises, a mix of old and modern architecture and a brisk ‚North Sea’ type of breeze.

After a good deal of fresh sea breeze, we went back to the famous Eimsbüttel area for some more shopping and interiors and decoration inspiration. We discovered the beautiful boutique ‚Interiör’ with a refined selection of design items and DIY materials like happy ribbons, witty gift tags and colourful packaging thread. I couldn’t resist and bought a roll of pastel blue packaging thread and an aqua-hued dip-dyed and handmade Raku candleholder. Just around the corner is another gem, the ‚Kongehus’ store with a stunning selection of paper, stationery and decoration items. I bought a few rolls of beautiful paper and the cutest hand-made cards with quotes from literature written with an old typewriter. A few steps further you will find ‚Lecker Wohnen’, a store with a rich selection of Hamburg inspired goodies and decoration. All these goodies will be featured later on here on Happy Interior Blog.

To add more fun we ended up in a tiny yet adorable little café called ‚Osterdeich’. This location is known for its signature cupcakes – and we were invited to design our very own cupcakes which was big fun. Now I know I am the chocolate-blueberry type. We had all the afternoon to network, exchange experiences, plan new projects and get to know each other more thouroughly which was a unique experience. Moreover we received some amazing goodie bags. Saturday was rounded up with a delightful dinner in the stylish restaurant ‚Klippkroog’ which made our interior design loving hearts skip a beat. A cool mix of urban and Scandinavian style with stuccoed ceilings and eye-catching pendants as well as old, bulky wooden furniture made me enjoy my dinner twice as much.

The entire blogger meet-up was brought to an end with a delish breakfast at the cute ‚Tarterie’ café in Hamburg’s entertainment quarter St. Pauli.

What else can a blogger wish for a weekend? Meeting other bloggers, discovering a new city, shopping in inspiring interior and decoration stores, eat in stylish restaurants? Have a happy week, friends!


P.S. Thanks to Clara, Ricarda and Susanne for the excellent organization!

Photography: Igor Josifovic

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