Get The Look #10: Swedish Family Style

Inspiration

Christopher and Jennie are partners in life as well as business. They started  ‘our children’s Gorilla‘ in 2002 by designing and producing home accessories and toys. They’re united in the belief that their emphasis should be on products that encourage imagination and creativity. This carries over into their own home in Stockholm.

Their rooms are filled with color, texture and family history. In the living room a bright apple-green sofa and assorted wicker chairs are covered in vintage floral fabrics. Artwork on the back wall is done by Jennie.

Beautiful Alvar Aalto chairs and bench surround a picnic style maple table to seat twelve comfortably. A wedding gift of a sculpture by Lisa Larsson acts as a centerpiece.

Vintage floral paper covers the wall behind the bed.

If you have kids, you need a play room. Their son enjoys this space with an Alvar Aalto table and chairs scaled down just right for him.

Get The Look!

Interior Details-

1. & 2.- Family portrait and Living room

3. Vintage wallpaper- Second Hand Rose

4. Black forest carved trophy plaque c. 1900- ebay

5. Sofa- Crate&Barrel

6. Industrial pendants- West Elm

7. Wicker chair- 1st Dibs

8. Photo pillow- etsy

1. & 2. Dining room and master bedroom

3. Lisa Larsson Sculpture

4. Vintage fabric on bench

5. Alvar Aalto chair 66- artek

6. Yellow Tivoli radio- Amazon

1. Playroom

2. Plastic dinosaur- Micheal’s Craft Store

3. Snoopy cartoon character poster- ebay

4. Monkey hanger- our children’s Gorilla

5. Albert the robot hook- silly dilly tot spot

6. Nordic table and chairs set- Remodelista

(Photos- Stellan Herner for Milk Le Magazine De Mode Enfantine, 2008. Collages- Martha B.)

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Downsizing

Garden Note #67: Metal Insect Pins

From the North Carolina Museum of Art.

(Photo- Martha B.)

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Garden Notes- Moth Collection, Nature Guides

Update- 11/25/2011- You can purchase these pins online here.

Update-11/11/2012- How to wear these insects! Photo by Vanessa Jackman

Spring Stripes

This spring the spotlight is on stripes whether it be on…

…a vintage inspired hat…

(Kokin hat & Versace cotton dress)

...a loose fitting jumpsuit…

(Oscar de la Renta silk jumpsuit & jacket)

…a sleeveless rugby dress…

(Prada cotton dress & hat)

…or down the side seam of a pair of pants.

(Céline’s silk pants & blouse)

(Photos- Craig McDean for W Magazine)

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Take Notice

Hair barrette by Rodarte, spring 2011.

Then&Now: Paper Dolls

A Brief History

900 AD- Japanese paper figures are used in ceremonies.

1700-1800- Large scale paper dolls show clothing for sale in London and Parisian shops

1857-  McLoughlin Brothers opens and begins selling paper dolls with tabbed clothing. Later they become the largest manufacturer of paper dolls in the U.S. The company is sold to Milton Bradley in 1920.

1859- ‘Godey’s Lady’s Book’ magazine carries its first…and last black & white printed paper doll that can be painted.

1900-1970- Magazines like ‘Good Housekeeping’ and ‘Ladies Home Journal’ have their own special page for paper dolls. Often they’re based on movie stars or fictional characters.

Then- Figure paper doll c. 1900- 1920 from my collection.

Then- Betsy McCall is introduced to the public in McCall’s Magazine, May 1951 .

Then- Celebrities permitted companies to sell paper doll likenesses and enjoyed the promotion they got from it. Here’s the box containing my paper doll of British model Twiggy, 1967.

Now- In their current issue, Lula Magazine brings back the fashionable paper doll. Model Dorthea Barth Jorgens is the ‘doll’ with clothing from the designing sister-duo at Rodarte.

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Twiggy’s Outfit #10: Fall Cape

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Lil’Pix#102: Knitted Quilt

A knitted quilt is such a great way to use leftover yarn from previous projects.

(Photo- French Elle Decoration)

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Book- ‘Rowan Knitting #4′

A Page From…

…Knit Knit Issue #6, 2005.

The cover from the limited zine edition of ‘Knit Knit‘ founded by artist Sabrina Gschwandtner.

(Photo- Martha B.)

Take Notice

Novelty Postcards

I enjoy collecting postcards but nothing beats these wonderful English novelty cards created and used during the Edwardian era. They often had whimsical covers humorously depicting places visited by tourists on holiday. And much like a book the cards opened to reveal accordion style pages of photographs.

I have one card very similar to these. What’s funny is that it’s the size of an actual orange.

(Top photo- World Of Interiors Magazine, 2011. Bottom- Martha B.)

StyleFile#59: Details From John Derian’s Home

Decoupage artist John Derian bought a wonderful, old house in Provincetown, Massachusetts and has left it blissfully untouched. Here are just a few details that I love-

1. Texan tumbleweed fills an unused 19th century fireplace. On the mantle is a wooden rope bed key (used to tight the rope supports in colonial beds), a collage by Paul Lee and a vintage seascape painting. A bright blue painted floor has drops of other colors done with a dry brush.

2. The previous owner’s wallpaper is left intact to provide a backdrop for a 19th century tufted French bench & c. 1850 tattered horsehair and muslin chair. Check out the wood block that stands in for a coffee table.

3. An early 1800′s American dining table does double duty- as surface for meals and a place for impromptu games of ping pong!

4. Not only does this antique round butcher block table look great but it also helps provide a spot in a kitchen with limited counter space.

5. Why cover up a beautiful maple bed with a canopy or dust ruffle? Some other unexpected touches include replacing the predictable bedspread with a vintage sari and using an 1800′s French washstand for a side table.

(Photos- 2,4&5 by Eric Boman for American Vogue Living. 1 &3 by Martyn Thompson for Australian Vogue Living)

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StyleFiles