Saturday, 24 March 2012

Ideal Home Show in London 2012

My dear Neighbor My was kind to invite me to Ideal Home Show withe her, it was amuzing.
We wondered around a little tried some delicious foods, and sat down for proper English afternoon tea, to the tearoom they had created to the show space. it was quite nice I thought. I specially liked their dishes! Little cups and cup holders and all where different. Some new some old and those tea pots where all different! Just what I like. It would be my ideal way of dishes.. nothing matches so if something brakes, you may by what ever you wish to replace as long as there are some kind of floral theme going on.
I will not keep you longer on my ever long texts.. so see what we where lucky enough to see!



there was lot of all kind of things for sale.. I like these ones a lot!

This must be British thing.. as they really don´t exist in Finland.

Loved the dishes! ...and menu.

My and me having afternoon tea! (look My´s new dog print bag! I love it!)

These little garden houses where fab but expensive..

Lanterns made from old gasoline tanks. Nice idea!

 Ideal Home Show Home. I did not like it.. I felt it was too much like Ikea, and already seen so many times. 

Kitchen.. what is with all this Black and white theme..


I kind of like sofa and collection of those pictures but still IKEA..

This could be nice with different colors.. too restless with all these contrasts.

These little chairs are cute!

Again not my kind of bathroom, but sill , ok, some new ideas.

Would feel claustrophobic in this room.. and colors, no need to say more.

This house was my great favourite, it was Princes Art and craft house, it had such a welcoming feeling that I could have just go and take a nap on a sofa.. I loved it´s soft colors and fact that there was so much things that where hand made, specially to this house. Wall papers where amazing and they really had payed attention to details. Enjoy! 

House from outside



Little bathroom just next to main entrance, great location!

Loved these seating areas that where created to windows.

 I love this bench, would be easy to make one, if finding old garden bench, just little sanding and white paint, and new cushion and pillows it would be perfect! 


House was full of symmetrical details and setups.

In reception room there was also this seating area.. think cool winter nights..

Light in a house was warm and soft, which made taking photos little difficult, but hope you get my idea how this was. I love those two dogs on a window. I had one like that when I was a child.

Linen curtains long enough to hang on the floor.

Pay attention to the way they have hanged art work on the walls above. I really like it. 


This little utility room was my favourite!

  This little "work space" was between kitchen and reception room. I like it´s old fashioned feeling, and open shelves.

Kitchen was made from separate units!
 
Great idea was to make Kitchen from this kind of separate cupboards that you can move. It seemed to be very functional and gave nice feeling to the space. 

I have always liked having arm chair in Kitchen.

Look at this beautiful wallpaper! Whole house was just like one kind of dream world for wallpaper lovers.. like me.  They all where prints of old originals that are found from old houses.


One of my friends like this one quite certainly.

Staircase leading to first floor had beautiful painting! Love that board up there!

Master bedroom had lot of floral theme but it was still calm.

I think it was Brilliant the way they had done  certain things in the house. Much Floral theme here but all colors where matching and it made it still calm and interesting, and very warm and elegant.


...and again wooden bench here.. and 4 poster bed.

Same color theme continued in master bedrooms bathroom.

Look how furniture and wall paper are matching!

Nursery had sheepskin on a floor, and lovely antique bed

Whole house had a bit of a Tudor type of Hunting cabin type of a feeling going on, 
but very elegant and soft. Take a special glimpse again to wallpaper below. One of the fun ones ina house. Nice idea also to hang pretty dresses on a wall!


Second bathroom in 1st fl. I like this Art Noveau pot!

This was my favourite bedroom. Insect prints everywhere.

I am not a big fan of insects.. but in a prints they work amazingly well! Even on rugs, and pillows, everywhere. It had sense of humor the way I like it, but it was still very elegant. It took while to realize that everywhere was just insects...sounds scary but in real it is lovely! There was some kind of seating place made to every window, I think it is nice idea, you can sit, admire view, read a book and take a glimpse to outside world time to time.

Lovely place for reading!

Butterfly wallpaper in "insect room"

Love this wall paper too, why did I not take better photo out of it!

Second room for little older kid upstairs was lovely also, it had fun colors but it still looked some what calming and soft.  After this last bedroom there was stais (out side the building) to go out.. I wonder what is there in real life if wanting to build up this house.


Little Garden area, and doors leading from kitchen to patio.


I hope you enjoyed the photos of my favorite things in ideal Home Show.. there was so much to see that it was hard to decite what to show to you. But I think it was fun to show how differently people think from "what is good and nice interior designing" some like more modern "Ikea style" and I.. love old fashioned style that will never go off from "trend".  


There was also quite nice things to garden, but most of the little Garden houses that where fabulous where build so close to each others that it was impossible to take sensible photos of them.


..oh and I did by something to my self from there: different kind of Lily tubers and also some other flowers... so will have lot´s of color in my little garden soon!

Monday, 27 February 2012

Our journee with this lovely old house is close to the end!

Hard, so hard it is to think we are going to move out from here.
our housa has had several leaks, pipe work is done by some monkeys I suspect.. (sorry any monaky to hurt your feelings).
We have had several times situation where water is floting in a downstairs coming through spot lights, and electricity and water.. never a great combination.
Because of all the damp and water in a structures of the house.. I assume there is Mold, and I get quite agressive allergic reactions from that.
I am gutted, but we really need to move out from here.
I said, I will never going to move in to one of those new sky scrapers in our area, but I am starting to be rather fund of thought of living in a place that does not kill me (literally).
So here I am again, thinking of new ways to make our home to look like it is our home.
Moving out from here we loose fireplace that we LOVE, and all these features that old Victorian houses has, but, I just need to find new thing that I like.. it can not be so rustic as nefore as most of the new houses have shiny bright white everything.. (not like here.. pink walls, yellow walls, wooden floors.. etc.) so I thought I must adapt my style a little.. and make it suitable for modern apartment.

My conclusion was: 5* Hotel Suite style, in old Glamorous style.

I have searched some ideas, and will post some very inspiring pictures.
I think we will give up from our huge sofa, and I try to find two matching arm chairs, and by long footstool to give more temporary seating places if we have friends coming over, I have already found us beautiful antique french coffee table (small and oh so elegant) french mirror, with fabulous golden frame, and some Glass vitrine for books.

I also need to think how can we use those items that we already have.
We have nice mantel mirror above fireplace with wooden frame, and I will paint it golden, I bought Golden Liquid paint, and tryed it already for some smaller frames, and they look fabulous.
So, lot´s of golden details, dark wood, and white luxurious fabric.
(but keeping it rather elegant and fresh.. I try to avoid Russian palace effect)
I have two beautiful table table lamps they are 1930´s Tiffany style, but I (idiot) broke lamp shades from both of them when we moved here, so I need new elegant lamp shades, pleated and square , white or golden.

Thursday, 1 December 2011

1st of December.. best time of the year


I love Christmas,
it is not secret to anyone..
I am Christmas fanatic, and I proudly admit that. I drink Glögg in the middle of the summer if I just have it and it is never bad time to listen some Christmas carols.
Last Christmas I was decorating my windows with Paper doilies, went actually little over the top with them.. haha we could barely see out of the window.. But they where magical.
This year I will decor also our boring kitchen doors (ones that are going to terass) As I am spending so much of  my time in kitchen that it is nice to have some beauty in there as well.
I prepared well this winter.. early in the autumn bought Ikea´s delicious Glögg and it is sort of Inspiring me when doing decor for Christmas.
I have also practised and experiment with my own personal Christmas cake, so I am starting to know what I like there, I will share the recipe as soon as I start baking ( soon) and my version of Vinter/Christmas Vodka is already on it´s way. Have you done yours?? Recipe is in my last Christmas postings. it is just so good..
So, wait and see what new I have for the Chirstmas this year!!

I will share some inspirational Christmas photos with you!! These are around the world!











Saturday, 1 October 2011

Lavender Cup Cakes.. they taste divine.

I have been travelling quite a bit whole summer and finally.. I have time to bake and be at home a little.

I baked Lavender Cupcakes just while a go, and as so many of my friends have requested me to write down who to make them..  I mus do it now.

First of all you need:

115g Caster Sugar
115g Softened butter ( not totally loose, but soft)
2 Eggs, beaten
2 tbs finaly chopped Lavender Flowers
1tbs Vanilla Sugar
175g Self raising flour ( if you don´t have just add baking soda in portion)

1) Chop Lavender Flowers!

Smaller you get them, better!
This gives you 10-14 cupcakes depending on size of your cake cases.

Ikea has amazing little cake cases!

"Cream" Butter and caster sugar together until they are  pale and fluffy.
Gradually beat in the eggs, Stirr in Lavender, vanilla sugar and Carefully fold in the Flour.
Doug should be quite stiff. I am using dough dispenser to get dough nicely to small cake cases..


I like it!
..if you want to keep little of this shape on your cupcake put it in to freezer for good 10min. and then bake. Only if you don´t want to do icing.

Cute!
Cupcakes are ready when they are golden color, and sponge bounce back when pressed lightly.

I do my icing like this:

50g Softened butter ( I use salted one because salt add´s a nice taste)
...and I mix and whip icing sugar in to butter as long as it has nice and steady texture. I have never measured how much it actually is!
I love pink in cupcakes so I add a little pink coor to my icing.. actually do 2 different shades of pink to make it look like flower inthe end..  I put them in to dispenser so that I have lighter stripe of icing on 2 sides put first, and then I fill rest with dark pink icing.

Like this.. I wish I had add little more light pink.. Even to 3 different spots!

Then start from middle and circulate dispenser so that you get nice rose shape!

Enjoy your result!
I love these.. might need to do  more!!! This dough you can use to any other cupcakes! Just add Blueberries, rasberies, or anything you really wish with dough!!