"Peep"-ing at Orange

Peeps, the marshmallow chicks that are an American spring tradition!

This year in keeping with the design trends, Just Born, makers of Peeps, have joined in by releasing a new color: Orange Peeps. They are a lovely shade of soft orange.

Although I am very partial to neutral palettes, the Peeps inspired me to take a look at some orange drenched rooms.

Home and Garden
Here is a wonderful breakfast nook with soft coral walls. I love how the black iron chairs pop in the space. Also notice the unexpected use of bright green chair cushions and animal print pillows
Kips Bay
This bright orange gives me electric shocks! Though not at all my style, I appreciate the talent of the designer of this room. Raspberry, turquoise, bright green and orange! Wow, so much color with so much going on and it still really works. This is a happy space. I like the stenciling on the walls, but I really could not live in this space.
Dutchboy
Here is a very traditional room with bright pop of color. The black table really anchors the space . Notice how the yellow upholstery on the chairs is repeated again with the yellow plates on the wall. Martha Stewart

A sweet little girls room orchestrated by Martha Stewart. Fabric panels stretched over canvas add a designer touch at fraction of the cost! A good idea because surely when she turns 13 she will insist on changing her room ! Rafter Tales
Perhaps this is our 13 year olds' room - The little girl in her can't let go of the orange and pink but the colors are repeated in a more mature way. I can hear the cell phone ringing...
Elle Decor

In this dining room we again see orange paired with bright green. I love the interesting lights, candlesticks and wall art. I also like the rug. This color will surely encourage lively, spicy conversations!

Pottery Barn
And finally Pottery Barn gets into the game! I really like this dining room ! It has wonderful elements: the trestle style table, a current rug and those orange chairs! The topiaries, light fixture and clean white walls, even make neutral loving me, a bit more open the color of the season.

Which do you like? Or do you think orange is just too trendy?

French Country Living in Normandy

Built in about 1800, in a village close to Normandy coast this elegant brick manor is the very essence of French country living. In 2003 when Hamburg interior designer Peter Nolden bought the house, the interiors were in terrible shape and the grounds were filled with ruined farm sheds. So began his labor of love where bricked-up windows were reinstated and all the plumbing and electrical wiring was replaced. Let's have a closer look. The fabulous entry - Notice the wrought iron railings and marble tile floors. Marble is set on the diagonal to give the illusion of a larger space. I love the formal entry with the rustic elements of the slat chair and tin topped table.

Nolden salvaged every possible item he could re-use and found much of the original decorative panelling could be repaired. I really like the splashes of unexpected color in this living room; the green upholstered chairs, the red painted table and the chartreuse lampshade. I also adore all the light fixtures in this room - notice the sconces and the chandelier.
What a kitchen!!! The brick, the chandelier, the stove, the skirted cabinets, scalloped apron farm table and copper pots - so very french!!
Enter the sunny Breakfast Room - I love the plates hung on all the walls and the wonderful architectural detail on the windows. Cafe Au lait and croissants?
All the paint colours are from Peter's own range of paints, furniture bought in France, Sweden and Italy as well as certain pieces that he designed and had made for the house. I usually like neutral colors but I adore this room! Perhaps its the pair of paintings of the french countryside.

What french manor would be complete with out a toile bedroom. I like the touches of antique toile fabric framed and on the pillows.

Views from the window showcase the beautiful formal gardens.

Or enjoy the gardens from the shade of the outdoor patio. A labor of love by Peter Nolden and spectacular French Country home tour for us!

Swedish Style Country Homes

Designer Sasha Waddell from England is famous for pioneering the now highly recognizable and very popular Swedish Style. Below are two homes with her trademark style.The first is a wonderful country home in the UK that she decorated in muted blues and greens, although the room has color and pattern it is very subdued. Notice the different scaled Swedish checked fabric on the chairs, ottoman and pillows.

Here is a lovely bedroom! Notice the wall of closets along one side of the room. I love the bed linen and the classic blue and white striped chairs. Wood is painted white or natural stain. Curtains are sheer white.

The guest room has a sweet desk and chair for correspondence. I love the addition of the blue Swedish cupboard and the interesting mirror above the desk. Again wood is painted and floors are light. Again curtains are sheer white.

Here is another Country Home in London by Waddell - This one is designed all in white
Notice the wide planked painted floors and classic blues and white rag rug. Again her trademark white sheer curtains.
Here you see a classic Swedish style chair. Looking to the kitchen you can see white cabinets and natural wood counters.

The bedroom, adorned with white linens accented in raspberry also has the white sheer curtains. The addition of the antique Swedish bench is lovely.

Sasha also has a wonderful line of Swedish inspired furniture. For more details about Sasha Waddell visit her website at www. sashawaddelldesign.com.

A Dreamy Artist's Loft

I take a painting class every Friday. I love to paint seascapes. The teacher puts on some wonderfully soft music and brews us Cinnamon Tea. I sit on my stool and try to imagine the real sea. While I paint my mind wanders and I dream of where I would paint if I was "real" artist. Here is a picture of an artist's loft in NYC. It comes pretty close to my dream.

All photos Ochs Design

The 2700 sq ft abandoned warehouse space was converted and renovated into an artist's loft by Ochs Design. The painting studio retains the original industrial asphalt floor. The light is incredible!

The studio work table was fabricated from stone and wood left behind by former commercial occupants decades earlier. Only the steel frame is new. I love the wonderful mix of textures every where you look.

Platforms replace walls to define the living space. To the right is the painting studio to the left the living area. Raw industrial surfaces provide the backdrop for art and sculpture. A large skylight lets in daylight to paint by.

The client's desire to leave the space as open as possible led to this luminous fabric sleeping enclosure. Isn't this so romantic?

I love the spare furnishings - what a wonderfully unique side table.

The client likes to cook and entertain. The spacious open kitchen features a 1925 bistro table that seats 16 people. I could have some great parties here!

Just wanted to give you a peek of where I dream about painting when I finally get discovered!

Ski Chalet in Chamonix

Off for a weekend of skiing in New Hampshire, but I leave you with a few photos of a wonderful ski chalet near Chamonix, France.

Have a lovely weekend!

Beautiful Norwegian Design - Helene Forbes Hennie meets Slettvoll

all photos from Slettvoll website

I spend time each week reading the Scandinavian blogs and watching new design trends . Two names keep coming up consistently: Slettvoll and Helene Forbes Hennie. Slettvoll, a case goods and upholstery company that has several locations in Norway and has recently opened 3 new stores in Sweden. They have over 23 locations and been in business since 1951. Its sort of Norway's' equivalent to Design with In Reach. Lets have a look!
They offer wonderful lines of furniture in several styles for classic, beach and modern interiors.

The above photos represent more of their classic line. I really love the fitted slipcovers and textured, linen fabrics. The mix of chairs and the bench around the trestle cross dining table is an all time favorite.

The above photos show a more beachy feeling. They also carry an outdoor furniture line.

Above is the more modern side of Slettvoll. Notice the diffrent mix of textures in the room above.

Now Slettvoll is a savvy company. In their own Norwegian backyard they have famous designer, Helene Forbes Hennie. Hennie is Norway's premier interior designer a recent recipient of the Andrew Martin International Designer of the Year Award. Winning that award is similar to winning the Academy Awards for interior designers. Together they have teamed up and launched a wonderful line of furniture.

Here is the most popular Hennie photo for Slettvoll, perhaps you recognize it. It has appeared in several blogs over the past few months.
Wonderful! I just love this dining room. I adore the slip-covered chairs -the lines are slimmer with a modern feeling. Brooke Gianetti at Velvet and Linen has designed furniture with a similar feel and offers it for sale in her store, Gianetti Home. (http://www.giannettiarchitects.com/Giannetti/Giannetti_Furniture.html).

Classic Hennie designs
Modern Hennie designs

Sadly Sletvoll has not expanded to the United States. We will just have to hope we see more of Helene Hennie and Slettvoll in Scandinavia.