Summer trend 2012 - Electric Romance

Berried hues by Design Seeds

Do you know Design Seeds and the wonderful Jessica behind the color palettes? If you are in Pinterest and interested in Home Decor, it is impossible to miss her work, of course. This one she brought up yesterday again, as it is SO SUMMER! I saw it and immediately got these images to my head about a summer picnic :). (And this Sunday morning I really REALLY rather look at my computer screen and her inspirational colourful palettes than the cloudy weather outside which does NOT remind me of a summer picnic...)

As written also before, one of the spring/summer 2012 trends was named 'Electric Romance' in Ambiente 2012 show. I wrote about it again in back to basics, that time taking our daughter's babuskas as a product to describe the trend.

Also the June 2012 edition of ELLE decoration brought up the trend very strongly the ELLE way (congrats, a very solid edition, by the way). One of their major articles introducing a beautiful home in Brooklyn was actually named 'back to basics' ;). My next post will be from ELLE and their article 'Signature style', a wonderful home in Sweden. It is really signing the trend :).

My mind enjoys the lightly softer colour interpretation, like above. I'm trying to learn to make nice collages (learning, really trying to...), and this time wanted to do it around a summer picnic. Have a beautiful Sunday, my friends <3!

Inspirational images and their sources can be found at http://pinterest.com/weranna/summer-2012/
Cottonhut blue linen napkins
Cottonhut striped linen cushion

Himla linen cushion
Rice bread basket
Cottonhut chip basket
Rice shopping bag

We are leaving for the summer house in a few days - let's see what kind of a picnic we are able to arrange with these elements :). Photos will follow...

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Kesäloma, kesäloman aktiviteetit, piknik, kesä 2012 trendit

Rusty stuff

Inspiration on this post photographed at Zetas and Ulriksdal

One of the summer 2012 trends is definitely RUST. When I first saw the gigantic, rusty garden decorations (like horse-size grasshoppers and such) at a fair about a year ago, I must admit I was thinking - seriously...

But now - my eyes have kind of grown used to the rusty stuff, and must admit - it looks even nice. Like the rusty woven basket above. Not indoors, and not for benches (the practical me couldn't take it...), but for flower pots and other garden stuff - NICE.  I would love to have an old rusty gate like below and have some plant climbing it...okay, need to remember to pin it to my shopping list - and please don't ask what it is about the tan coloured shoes on that list...

I am still a bit hesitant how it acts with rainfall - will there be a nice rusty ring on the patio forever after, or have they done something to prevent it? Rust is nice when it doesn't act like rust does...

Rusty flower vase on a rusty flower bench in Ulriksdal

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Ruoste, kesä 2012 trendi, kukkaruukku, puutarha

Geranium Geek

Geraniums continue to be my favorite flower during summer time. This love story began during the six years we lived in Istanbul (red ones, always), and has now continued throughout the 3 years here in Sweden.

The biggest reason, obviously, being that we sort of have made an agreement; they try to stay alive despite my not-so-systematic watering and nourishing - and I admire them every time I walk by (and promise to water them the NEXT time I walk by).

 Last year Geraniums started become fashionable in Sweden again, and now there are so many varieties available it is really hard to make your pick! So I went for white ;), despite all these beauties around me.

I can recommend all the below arrangements, as I've had them myself during the previous years, and they have bloomed, looked beautiful, and survived the annual sweden-summerhouseinfinland-sweden trip (yes, in our trailer). My husband has happily organized his management team meetings so that he is always gone the week his wife transfers the family (including the flowers) to Finland for 6-7 weeks...well, I don't enjoy it too much either, so he has my full understanding.

The below white flowers grew and grew last year, and bloomed until end of October. They did seem to get another life after we moved back from Finland in August - I don't know anything about the zones and everything, but apparently our summer house, which is located geographically about 200 km north of Stockholm, is a bit too north for these cuties.

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pelargonia, kesäkukat, puutarha, istutukset

Bamboo and rattan indoors

http://www.skcnis.com/2012/02/hennie-rattan-chairs/

This is now a quickie in between all the flower power - have to get it out!

It's here <3. Flipping through some magazines during the weekend made me very convinced (Of course I ripped out the pages from the magazines where there were some nice images, and now the pile has disappeared :( ).  Anyway - match your balcony chair with a self-made blanket made of grandma squares and bring it indoors, and you couldn't be any trendier :). Or use some batik or ikat cushions.

Natural colored rattan, preferably vintage. I love this Svenskt Tenn one.

http://www.svenskttenn.se/sv-se/product/ma10024/fatolj-311-rotting.aspx

Or black. Chairs, hanging chairs. Haven't managed to get this black one from Ikea, I guess every time they get a delivery it is sold out the same day.

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20201682/

Pendants and lanterns. This is a true DIY - I bought a basket for 25 euros in a garden shop the other day, and will make one to our showroom kitchen. Spray paint it black, if needed, and you have a beautiful piece.

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rottinki, rottinkituoli, rottinkivalaisin

Obsessed with orchids

What is it about orchids that just makes you ADORE them? No idea. Perhaps the whisper of paradise they seem to be bringing to your home? Makes you remember those holidays in Thailand or somewhere else warm when you completely loose track of time after a few days?

These photos are taken in Ulriksdal, there is someone who adores them, as well :). The below striped one is beautiful:

And what about these ones - they look great with a concrete wall, don't they?

Some baby pink:

And COLOR!

And my very favorite this year:

Had to bring one home to accompany my other 10 or so :), and adore it every now and then when working. Yes - Hans Cristian Andersen is very right;

Just living is not enough -  one must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower.

Ulriksdal Ultimatum

Again in Ulriksdal - impossible to stay away! (you can nicely see my reflection on that lunch tray taking the photo, ELLER HUR ;)?)

What was new this time? Well, they were out of violets, first of all. No wonder, as every single place in Stockholm and its surroundings is decorated with violets. In all possible colors :)! True 'must' this summer.

Second of all - they had made nice rustic installations in different colors.

Green.

Yellow.

Orange.

There will be 3 more posts about my visit still. Obsessed with Orchids. Geranium Geek. Pink Power. Yep, yep - true flower empowered...;)

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puutarha, puutarhaideat

it's been a week full of flowers

What a wonderful week filled with flower energy!! Beautiful outdoor living, beautiful flower arrangements, beautiful gardens...and sunshine <3

I've posted about this beautiful garden before http://www.werannas.blogspot.se/2011/06/summer.html last year, and this year it again offers true eye candy. This time I thought to focus on the arrangements which the green heart of the house has planted.

Beauty in self-made flower boxes:

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puutarha, istutukset, piha