Year: 2016

Who needs curtains when you have a philodendron?

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Philodendron instead of curtains. Photo. ©nini.tjader.2016

Who needs curtains when you have a philodendron? I have this old philodendron plant instead of curtains in my kitchen.

My kitchen has two windows, one to the south and one to the west. There is plenty of light in the kitchen.

The philodendron plant, which someone in one of my FaceBook groups said is called philodendron tuxla(num), has been around for many years. I know it is a philodendron, but there are many in its family so I cannot swear on it being just that kind.

I originally got my philodendron when I lived in Vårby Gård at Bäckgårdsvägen, and it came with me when I moved to my present flat in November 2009. It is at least 15-20 years old by now and was cut down a couple of times in my former flat as I didn’t have any good way to keep it up when it got too tall/long. I have no idea how long I had it in my former flat.

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Philodendron 28th December 2010.

This (above) is how the philodendron looked on December 28th, 2010, a year after I moved to my present flat. It was much smaller then than it is today. The philodendron was later moved from that position to the livingroom.

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Philodendron in the kitchen. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

Some time in 2013 I moved the philodendron from its corner in the livingroom to the kitchen as it didn’t get enough light in the livingroom. Plan was that it should get more light in the kitchen and more space.

I stopped using curtains in the kitchen already in October 2011. They were just in the way and stole too much light. I have shades and half-transparent blinds in the kitchen windows in case I need to protect plants and the kitchen from the sun. But no curtains. I prefer plants to curtains.

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Philodendron in the kitchen. Photo:©nini.tjader.2016

As soon as the philodendron came to the kitchen it started growing again. I measured it the other day. It is now 3.80 cms long, counted from its pot on the floor. It has got several stems. The philodendron hangs and is fastened on to the curtain-rods, which I kept despite not having any curtains here, and covers one and a half window. It will soon cover the top of both windows.

It just keeps on growing…

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Philodendron in the kitchen instead of curtains. Photo:©nini.tjader.2016

I guess it also creates a good climate in the kitchen in addition to the greenery it ads.

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Philodendron in the kitchen instead of curtains. Photo:©nini.tjader.2016

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Philodendron instead of curtains. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

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Philodendron in the kitchen instead of curtains. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

 

Posted by nini in decoration, House plants, Plants, Urban Jungle Bloggers, 1 comment

Red amaryllis “Merry Christmas”

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Red amaryllis “Merry Christmas”. Photo:©nini.tjader.2016

I just realised I haven’t shown you my red amaryllis “Merry Christmas” here. Yes, that is its name. I got four of the red amaryllis (and one white that is documented elsewere).

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Red amaryllis “Merry Christmas”. Photo:©nini.tjader.2016

It started its life on November the 3rd when I woke up its roots over a glass of water for 48 hours.

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Red amaryllis “Merry Christmas”. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

I planted them into a large, round pot that originally came with a tomato-plant. I’ve had this kind of red amaryllis before, last year actually. Then also planted in this pot.

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Red amaryllis “Merry Christmas”, 2016-11-17. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

It started to grow pretty fast.

Below are more pictures of its growth and development. The flowers became 20 cm in size in diameter. Heights 60 cms.  At first two of the bulbs had 2 stems, the other two one. Now a second stem comes in one of those with one stem. Each stem has had 4 flowers. The flowers are now beginning to die and their most beautiful period is over. I am now only watching it dying… The lifespan is around two months from when you awake the roots of the bulb.

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Red amaryllis “Merry Christmas” 2016-12-26. Photo:©nini.tjader.2016

I haven’t decided yet if I should try to keep them for next year. If I do, I have to keep it somewhere light, give it water, and let the leaves grow out. Then take it outdoor over summer, cut it back in September and put it somewhere dark without water… Then start over again by end of October/beginning November…  I will probably NOT do all this. Too much work.

I love this amaryllis for its very red color and its beautiful large flowers. I will probably have the same kind next year as well.

Click on an image to see a larger version.

Posted by nini in amaryllis, Flowers, House plants, Plants, 1 comment

Plants & Light

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Plants & Light. This years red amaryllis on the kitchentable.  Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

Plants & Light

We are at the peak of the dark season. It won’t get any darker now. Winter solstice was yesterday. Now it will only get lighter. But until it does…

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Plants & Light. My kitchen-jungle. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

Until the light comes back, you have to help the plants and give them some additional light.

Some lights are for Xmas decoration and don’t give all that much light to the plants, other lights for keeping the plants alive over the dark winter months.

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Plants & Light. The figtree in the livingroom. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

For the latter I use a lamp called SUNLITE that comes from Venso Eco Solutions. It costs SEK 349, so not cheap. One is used for my figtree when it is indoors over winter. I got the first one about two years ago at a garden fair and used it over winter for the first time last winter.

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Plant & Lamps. The olive-tree in the bedroomn. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

This year I got a second one, for my olivetree. This time at a regular plantshop. Both have white shades, but you can get it in other colors. 

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Plants & Lamps. In the livingroom-window. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

The lamp has a periscope stand that you “plant” in the pot and drag out to desired length. The cord is really long so you can get it into the nearest electric outlet. The light is LED, with specific strength for plant-needs.

It kept my figtree alive the entire winter-period last year and I hope it will do that also this year, as well as for the olive-tree.

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Plants & Light. The olive-tree in the bedroom. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

In the bedroom, where the figtree stand, I also have a decorative star lamp in the window, as is usual this time of the year. It doesn’t do all that much good for the plants, but it gives a cozy light.

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Plants & Light. The livingroom window. Photo: ©ninni.tjader.2016

In the livingroom I also have lights in the window that are more seasonal than for the good of the plants. They co-work with the plant-light. There are also various candles here.

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Plants & Light. In the livingroom window.  Photo:©nini.tjader.2016

When I shot the pictures we had snow outside. That is long gone now and there is no snow presently.

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Plants & Light. The bedroom window.  Photo:©nini.tjader.2016

Both the plantlights and the decorative Xmas-lights are connected to timers that turn them on and off at the times I set for them. Very convenient.

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Plants & Light. The livingroom window, Photo:©nini.tjader.2016

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Plants & Light. My figtree in the livingroom, Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

The light is coming back though as from today onwards. I’m looking forward to some more daylight. This time of the year it is really dark.

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Plants & Light . My kitchen-jungle. Photo:©nini.tjader.2016

Posted by nini in decoration, House plants, Lamps and light, Plants, Plants and light, Urban Jungle Bloggers, 0 comments

White Amaryllis Alfresco 2016

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White amaryllis Alfresco 2016-11-01 Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

It all started on November 1st 2016 when I woke up the roots of my white amaryllis Alfresco by putting its roots over water in a jar. That takes minimum 24 hours. I kept it there for around 48 hours.

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White Amaryllis Alfresco 2016-11-03 Photo:©nini.tjader.2016

I then planted the white amaryllis Alfresco in its own pot with earth and gave it some water. Not too much water, just a little to make the earth moist.

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White Amaryllis Alfresco 2016-11-03 Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

Then you wait and don’t give it any water at all until it starts to grow. It already had a small green top when I bought the bulb.

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White amaryllis Alfresco 2016-11-03 Photo:©nini.tjader.2016

I placed the pot in the livingroom and waited for further development.

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White amaryllis Alfresco 2016-11-17 Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

On November 17th it had started to grow and I dug out the amaryllis support from storage to have it ready for when the stem would go up. When it starts to grow, it grows really fast.

Below is its further development until today. It grows real fast when it starts growing. In the end it got four (4) stems. Each stem got at least 3-4 buds. It is a very beautiful amaryllis. This is the third year that I am growing this particular white amaryllis.

PS 2016-12-26. I’ve added some new pictures to the gallery,

Click on an image to see a larger versions or as slideshow.

Posted by nini in Flowers, Plants, Urban Jungle Bloggers, 0 comments

From one iMac to another

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Problematic graphic card. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

Problematic graphic card

I’ve for a long time had problems with my i old iMac 24″ from early 2009. Its graphic card somehow got sick. So, each time I did something that had to do with graphics it either totally froze, or suddenly crashed and restarted the iMac, or showed images similar to the one above where all the content of the screen was like a mosaic from all applications that were actively running. At that stage a forced quit via the button on the Mac was the only way out. Over time it got worse and some days I had crashes about 5-6 times a day. It was very hard to get anything done.

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My new iMac. Screenshot from ElGiganten.se website.

Getting a new iMac

So I decided I just had to get a new iMac to be able to get anything done when at the computer and also to be able to update to current OS and to have a graphic card that was supported by all my graphical software. Took a bank loan to be able to pay for it. That was easily and fast approved.

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My new iMac Photo ©nini.tjader.2016

Last week I bought it and brought it home.

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Connections on the new iMac. Image screenshot from Apple.

As Apple has changed almost all connections at the back of the iMac since my last 2009 model, and built it without a CD/DVD drive, I also had to buy some extra stuff. It says it can have 16MB RAM, but mine has 8 GB RAM. If I had wanted 16GB, I would have had to order that before purchase. You cannot change it afterwards as you used to be able to in older iMacs.

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External CD/DVD drive and adapter from Thunderbolt to Firewire. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

Bought an Apple CD/DVD drive and an adapter from Thunderbolt to Firewire. My 1TB external WD MyBook harddisk which is my main backup disk only connects via Firewire.

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Apple powerplug. Photo:©nini.tjader.2016

Noticed when I unpacked the new iMac that the powercord had a really nicely designed powerplug. Nobody but Apple might be doing beautiful power plugs…

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Old and new iMacs on kitchentable. Photo:©nini.tjader.2016

Transferring content from the old iMac to the new with Migration Assistant

Next was to transfer my content from the old iMac to the new one. Some swear by beginning from scratch and install everything new from the beginning. I don’t. I use the Apple Migration Assistant. It is reliable and good and I have never had any problems with it. During my years at the technical department at Aftonbladet we always used that to transfer content from one machine to another.

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Old and new iMacs ready for content-transfer. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

I set up the two iMacs on the kitchentable.

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Old and new iMacs connected via Ethernet cable. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

I connected the two iMacs via a short Ethernet cable. Then I started the Migration Assistant on the old iMac, got a number on the screen of the old Mac to connect the machines to each other that I input on the new iMac, and made the choices for what to transfer.

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Transfer via Migration Assistant. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

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Choice of what to transfer. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

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Transfer of content starting. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

It prepares to transfer for a very long time. When you, like me, has a lot of content to transfer, it takes it time. Have patience.

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Preparing to transfer… Photo:©nini.tjader.2016

After a very long time it starts the actual transfer.

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Transfer has started. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

When it actually starts the transfer the Migration Assistant shows how long it might take to do the transfer. Do not trust that. It usually takes much longer than it initially says. How long depends on the number of files that are beings transferred and the size of the files. Many small files takes longer than large files. 

At times it looks like it is doing nothing and as if no transfer is being made. But be patient. It IS doing what it should even if there is no sign of it. Do not touch it during the transfer and do not cancel it in the middle of being done.

My transfer started early afternoon one day and was done around 11 AM the next day. It was successful. I worried that the old iMac might crash when doing this, as unstable as it was, but it didn’t crash and it didn’t freeze. That was a relief.

If it hadn’t worked, I would have used the backup on my backup disk and the application Carbon Copy Cloner to transfer the content from the old to the new Mac. It would probably have been much faster.

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Cleaned computer table. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

Took the opportunity to clean the computer table when the Macs were on the kitchentable. It is now dust-free and clean. As long as it lasts…

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The new iMac on the work-table. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

A new wireless keyboard and mouse

With the new iMac also came a new wireless keyboard and a new wireless mouse. Both run via Bluetooth and are paired to the iMac already at delivery. They come with a special small cable for charging them.

The mouse I got used to pretty fast even though I find its edges a bit too sharp for my liking. The tiny, short keyboard without a numerical pad is another thing. I don’t really like the short keyboards. I am used to have a numerical pad for numbers. i keeping hitting the wrong keys on the tiny keyboard because they aren’t placed as I’m used to. and, when I am using a lot of numbers, or certain key combinations I keep crossing the hands and arms to reach them. My fingers have to relearn.

Otherwise, everything works just fine. Had to do a few updates of certain applications and to re-apply passwords in certain situation, and updated the OS to Sierra, but otherwise all applications work as they should. Even all my Adobe applications work just fine after the transfer. It is also a pleasure to finally be able to work without crashes and freezes. That was a long time ago I could do that.

What to do with the old iMac?

Haven’t decided yet what to do with the old 24″ iMac. It presently rests on the kitchen floor. I will eventually empty it. If anybody is interested in buying it from me, contact me. It does need a new graphic card though to work properly without crashes and freezes. And it won’t be possible to install the latest OS on it. But…

New wireless short keyboard and wireless mouse. Photo:©nini.tjader.2016

Posted by nini in Macintosh, Nerdish, 0 comments

My entrance hallway

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My entrance hallway. Photo:©nini.tjader.2016

This is my entrance hallway. It is very small, only 170cm wide and 200cm long. In that space there are 2 doors, one is the entrance door behind the black and white curtain above, the other is the door to my storage room which is to the right in the picture. Then there is the opening from the hallway into the flat itself, and my second hallway.

Entrance hallways need a lot of functions, like storage, somewhere to hang your jackets and coats and visitors jackets and coats, somewhere to put shoes you take off, somewhere to sit, a mirror, and good lighting. In my case, the lighting is in the ceiling and contains three spots that can be directed to the areas in the space where you need the light to be. The smaller a hallway is, the more important is it to keep order there and to think through which functions you need in a hallway.

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My entrance hallway. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

It isn’t all that simple to get all functions for an entrance hallway in such a small space, but I think I’ve managed well enough. There is a bench with show-storage to the left in the picture, a chair to sit on when you put on or off shoes and a cupboard to the right where I store outdoor jackets and coats and shows and such which aren’t presently used, but still used during the current season.

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My entrance hallway. Photo. ©nini.tjader.2016

The bench I bought from Stalands not long after I move into this flat. No longer sold, but they have similar furniture for hallways. Small, but two shelves for shoes, a cushion on top to sit on, or as here to throw your bags on when you come in. It also have two drawers (the white ones) where you can put smaller things.

Above the bench I have to tall and thin mirrors that originally were bought at Ikea very long ago. They are there both so you can see yourself before going out/or when you come in, and also give the impression that the space is bigger than it actually is. They also brings in light.

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My entrance hallway. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

The cupboard to the left comes from IKEA and is still sold. It is called ANEBODA. On top of them I keep two large paper-boxes (from IKEA, where else?) for safekeeping of various largish plasticbags).

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The entrance hallway. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

When I bought the flat the walls in both hallways, this one and the next. had orange wall paper. Before I moved in I painted the walls dark grey. I dislike orange in interiors.

As you can see from the image above my office-corner in the second hallway is very close form here and on the way to the kitchen.

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The entrance hallway. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

Floor is oak. There are two carpets for dirty shoes.Just inside the door a large red one, and on the way further into the flat the above round one from IKEA.

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The entrance hallway. Photo:©nini.tjader.2016

Beside the door curtain (cloth from IKEA) hangs a clock with figures by Olle Eksell that IKEA sold until recently. Below it hangs a small shelf that IKEA sold temporarily. I bought two. They were originally red but I’ve painted them white as it makes it easier to place them.

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The entrance hallway. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

In that corner I have large picture of Picasso on the wall. It is a poster from Apple Computer that I got many years ago. It was part of one of their advertising campaigns. I have some other posters from that same campaign. 

Below the large picture is a short pictureshelf from IKEA that I use for smalls tuff I need to put somewhere, like keys and such.

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The entrance hallway. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

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The entrance hallway. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

Just under the Picasso picture and the picture shelf is the chair and whichever shoes are used in the current season. And more IKEA items: the wastepaperbasket and the shoehorn. The red carpet comes from MIO and is one of those kinds that can absorb a lot of sand and snow and wetness. Was expensive but worth it. The chair is HOLMSEL from IKEA.

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Hang up in the entrance hallway. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

On the door to the storage room I hang the current jackets, coats, bags and such and coats and jackets of visitors. I use an over the door hanger for this purpose.

As small as this entrance hallway is, it contains all functions you need in an entrance hallway. But small it is. If we are more than one person there, one of us need to move on towards the second hallway. But otherwise, it is functional.

 

 

Posted by nini in decoration, Furniture and Decoration, hallway, Interior Design, 0 comments

Creative Plant Pots

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Creative plant pots? Photo. ©nini.tjader.2016

Creative Plant Pots? That is the subject for the Urbanjunglebloggers task for November. Do I have any creative pots? Not really… Can creative plant pots be the way you use pots for your plants, or does it have to be the look of the pots themselves?

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Creative plant pots? Photo. ©nini.tjader.2016

If we talk about the use of the pots rather than the look of them, then I will show you mine. The above ones are from IKEA and called BITTERGURKA. You can hang them one under the other. I have two connected and could have three if I give up the space on the windowledge under it. (Just beware that the plants are not too heavy and that they initially hang on something that can take the weight of the connected pots).

The pots is for hanging plants. But, as I my orchids do not grow upwards but to the sides and downwards I came to the conclusion some time ago that they are better off placed in these hanging pots. And the three I’ve put there love it.

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Creative plant pots? Photo. ©nini.tjader.2016

My other three orchids are to be moved into these glassvases in the near future. Presently they live in those semi-transparent boring plastic pots that all orchids are sold in. The two vases in front are from IKEA, the one in the back is a cheap find at the shop of the Salvation Army the other day. I will follow up with a post about how and how it looks when done with the re-planting.

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Creative plant pots? Photo. ©nini.tjader.2016

Most of my plant pots are simple and white without any decorations whatsover. My idea of plant pots is that they should not be what you see first. First should be the plant itself. The pot should be as uninteresting as possible. The above one is somewhat an exception with its pattern of a hanging cloth. I have no idea where I got it from.

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Creative plant pots? Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

This (above) is what I like. White. Simple. No adornments…

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Creative Plant Pots? Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

This big, white, but lightweight, pot with its own plate I got from a neighbor when they moved north summer before last. They didn’t want to risk it when they moved. This kind of pot comes in several colors and sizes and some variations as well. It is usually sold at various fairs or at the ceramics shop where they are made. It comes from STUREHOFS KRUKMAKERI. I love it.

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Creative plant pots? Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

This one (above) is not very creative, I agree. It is where my large climbing plant in the kitchen lives. it covers one and a half window presently. The plant pot is from IKEA and is one of their very first self-watering plant pots. They don’t do them in black any more, only white. Today it is called FEJÖ. 

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Creative Plant Pots? Photo. ©nini.tjader.2016

In the living room the pots do not get any more creative than in the kitchen… But, you can add things around them that makes the arrangment more creative.

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Creative Plant Pots Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

The plant in the middle for instance has a stand under its simple white pot that is not as simple as the pot. I found that stand in the garbage where I previously lived and have used it ever since.

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Creative Plant Pots Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

In my livingroom window and the sideboard there I put various decorative items in between the plant pots to make it more interesting to look at. The glass candle holder above is from IKEA.

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Creative Plant Pots? Photo. ©nini.tjader.2016

Otherwise, my plant pots in the livingroom are white and simple… The one above for hanging plants comes from HORNBACH. it is smart as comes with metalwires to hang it up. Makes it strong to hold the plant in it. It also has a structured outside that I like.

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Creative Plant Pots? Photo. ©nini.tjader.2016

Usually my plant pots do not get more interesting than this white one…

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Creative Plant Pots? Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

Or this dark blue one and the big white one with my largest cactus. The latter is from IKEA (not sold any more) and has an irregular shape in a triangular form. That is creative, right? I is perfect for the cactus as it is rather wide.

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Creative Plant Pots? Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

My smallest cactus – babies from the big one – has a flowershaped plant pot in green, Makes it stand out beside my white ones… I don’t know where I got it from. Have had it for years.

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Creative Plant Pots? Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

So, if the pot is white and simple, you can always decorate the plant itself with a metal colorful butterfly on a stick, right?

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Creative Plant Pots? Photo:©nini.tjader.2016

My olivetree also got a butterfly and a dedicated plantlight to survive the winter indoors. The plant pot is one of those I use most: simple and white with a plate just as simple and white. Can be bought in most stores that sell plant pots.

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Creative Plant Pots? Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

My plant pots do not get more creative than this. My plants have the lead role, not the pots they live in. I like them white and simple, but they may come in different shapes. Is that creative?

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Plant pots in the living room window. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

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Posted by nini in greenery, House plants, plantpots, Plants, Urban Jungle Bloggers, 2 comments

Kitchenplants in November

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My kitchenplants in November 2017. Photo. ©nini.tjader.2016

The kitchenplants in my kitchenwindows look their best in the morning, provided the sun is shining. This time of the year is usually dark and gloomy with very little daylight. So, when there IS som daylight I try to use it to shoot some pictures. In November the Xmas decorations etc are not up and around yet. They will be very soon. Those days when the sun shines – long in between – the light in the kitchen is beautiful in the mornings.

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My kitchenplants in November 2016. Photo:©nini.tjader.2016

I cannot get enough of that light.

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My kitchenplants in November 2016. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

The plants in the kitchenwindows vary over time. This is the situation just now. Some die, new ones are added, some move from these windows to other windows.

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My kitchenplants in November 2016. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

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Plants in my kitchenwindows in November 2016. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

I’ve got six (6) orchids. Three of them nowadays are placed in the plant-hangers, two in one of the windows, and one has moved onto the plantstand where I earlier had the muelenbeckia (now removed and in the trash). All six of the orchids will soon bloom. Flowerstems and buds are on their way.

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Kitchenlants November 2016. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

Before the orchids open their flowers I will have re-planted them, cleaned their roots and placed them in some new pots. (I’ve been collecting/assembling some nice glass vases for this purpose). All my orchids are growing horizontally and have huge bundles of roots, some alive, some not.

My ginkgo biloba above is losing leafs presently and some of those that have not fallen off are getting somewhat yellow. I guess that is normal? I don’t think it is supposed to be green the year around.

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Kitchenplants November 2016. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

The hanging plants – including three of the orchids – are those plants that look the best presently. Despite the normally grey and dark November-light. It is only this light when the sun is out and it is morning.

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Kitchenplants November 2016. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

I’ve restarted the above plant. Its stems got all naked and had leaves only at the end of them. So I simply reduced their lengths and put them into new soil. They get roots very fast and now look just fine.

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Kitchenplants November 2016. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

Its green relative has never looked better. I love it the way it looks just now.

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Kitchenplants, November 2016. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

Even this small plant is looking good. It even got “flowers”, lots of them.

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Kitchenplants, rosemary. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

One of my two rosemary plants – which both live outdoors during the warm season – is still having flowers. Both seem to be at good health indoors so far.

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Kitchenlants, white pelargonia November 2016. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

I only kept one of my pelargonias when it was time to move them indoor. Simply didn’t have space for all of them. The one I kept is the white one. I kept the smallest of them. It keeps on getting new flowers…

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Kitchenplants November 2016. Photo:©nini.tjader.2016

And this one… I divided it into two in the spring and they are both thriving and throwing out long arms with flowers and leaves. They’ve become really big.

kitchenplants

Kitchenplants in November, 2016. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

Oh, almost forgot about this one. A fragranced pelargonia. I’ve been waiting for it to grow roots for weeks. Now they come, at the darkest period of the year. If it survives the rest of the winter I’ll have one more pelargonia for next year.

kitchenplants

Kitchenplants in November 2016. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

The above picture of one of the kitchenwindows was shot last week when the snow was still there outside. All white and adding light. All the snow is gone by now. It has all melted.

I love that light in the kitchen in the mornings. So do my kitchenplants.

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Posted by nini in greenery, House plants, kitchen, Plants, 0 comments

Hangups over the door

hangups

Hangup in the entrance hallway. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

We always need hangups, that is, somewhere to hang stuff, don’t we? When you have limited space for hanging things, use your doors where it is possible.

I have a very small entrance hallway. Except for the entrance door it has one door to my storage room. On that door I use an over-the-door hang up thing for jackets and bags and such that I use frequently. Also my guests hang their coats and such on this hanger as there is no space for anything else for this. This particular one I bought at Lagerhaus long ago. I like its colorful heads. No longer sold, but there are similar ones around.

hangups

Hang ups over the door. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

On that very same door I use both sides for hanging things. On its inside I have two small over-the-door hangers.

hangups

Hang ups over the door. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

Both hangers are used for bags for recycling purposes. They hang on the inside of the door to my storage room so you don’t see them unless you open the door. The one to the left is used for bulbs and batteries, the one to the right for plastic bottles to be returned to the store after use. A plastic bag with various paint brushes alos hangs there at the moment. It is always hard to find space for all that recycling one does nowadays. Hang them on hooks over the door works when content isn’t heavy.

hangups

Hang up on the bathroom door. Photo. ©nini.tjader.2016

I also use the door to the bathroom for over-the-door hangers. Here I only use the inside of the door, in the bathroom. There isn’t really anywhere in the bathroom to hang things, except for one single hook on the wall and smallish hooks for towels and then the towel-dryer. I need somewhere to hang my bathrobes and some other clothes. One of Ikeas over-the-door hangers solved that. When I bought it they only sold them in grayish metal. Nowadays you can also get them in white.

hangups

Over-the-door hangers. Photo. ©nini.tjader.2016

Except for the entrance door, I only have three doors inside the flat (not counting the sliding doors to the bedroom or the door to the patio). I only use two of them for over-the-door hangups, the one to the bathroom and both sides of the door to the storage room. I could use the inside of the door to the walk-in-closet, but presently have no need for it. Nowadays you can even find mirrors done for hanging over the door.

So, when there is no other solution for hanging things, use your doors.

Posted by nini in bathroom, hallway, Interior Design, ordermaking, Various, 0 comments

STRING shelf and butterfly chair

string shelf

A STRING shelf. Image from the internet.

When I got my first room of my own (when my grandmother moved to her sisters) I got some furniture that today, again, are popular and the very things to have.

One of them was a STRING shelf, like the one above. I had the exact same model. At the time it was one of the cheapest shelfs you could get… Today this small unit costs SEK 995 in most places. Which is a ridiculous price for a shelf this simple that has been produced for such a long time.

string shelves

STRING shelves storage system. Image from the internet.

The shelf was designed in 1949 by Nils Strinning. Today it is an entire storage system, not just a simple shelf, that can be combined any way you want it. It is very flexible.

string shelves

STRING shelves storage system. Image from the internet.

New incarnations of it comes every year.

Do I like the STRING shelf today? No, not really. I did then. It was the shelf for my then entire library of books. Most books I borrowed at the communal library so I didn’t need all that much storage space for them. We couldn’t really afford buying books but I got one or two for each christmas and birthday. I do not like the STRING shelf today. Particularly I do not like the price it has today. In my mind it is still a simple shelf which I remember as something cheap you got when you couldn’t afford something more expensive.

butterfly chair

Butterfly chair. Image from the internet.

The other piece of furniture I got for the room of my own was a butterfly-chair. Mine was yellow as the above but had black trimmings around its edges, and black legs. The most uncomfortable chair there is… There was no way you could sit comfortably in it. So most of the time I spent on my bed, which was a 120 cm wide bed (with a dark grey bedcover and lots of pillows). The butterfly chair of a model like the above one also were cheap to buy. You saw them in any room of a teenager at the time. The butterfly chair has made a come-back the last couple of years. No longer a cheap chair though, but over-designed in various expensive materials like leather and furs.

The butterfly chair was designed 1938 and was introduced in Sweden in the 1950-ties. It was designed by Antonia Bonet from Spain and Juan Kurchan and Jorge Ferrari-Hardoy from Argentine. It has been called many names like Sling, Wing, Safari and Butterfly.

orangewall

The orange wall with me and Bosse. Photo: my father Oskar Tjäder

Combine the STRING shelf and the yellow butterfly chair with this orange-cerise feature wall which I got in my room. It was not painted. It was wallpaper. I don’t remember which color the other walls in the room had, but I suspect it was greyish-white. The picture is of me and Bosse in 1964-65, my boyfriend at the time. I also remember that wool sweater which I bought for my very first salary at my very first job….

I guess it is “sustainable” that old designs still work and are still used… but it gets a bit boring to see the same things again and again. 

Posted by nini in furniture, Furniture and Decoration, Interior Design, 0 comments

Dusty Colors

dusty-blue

My dusty-blue table cloth in the kitchen. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

All of a sudden colors are supposed to be “dusty”.  Dusty colors. Which means that they aren’t clear colors, but “dusty”, and have lost some of their brilliance.

Those colors seem to have spread to everywhere in interior design. Particularly for textiles. I noticed it when I recently bought a new table-cloth for the kitchen-table.  The color on it is called dusty blue.

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Dusty blue. Image from the internet.

It could as well be called dirty colors… or? Dusty colors?

dusty-colors

Dusty blue table cloth. Photo: ©nini.tjaer.2016

I actually like the dusty blue table-cloth I bought for the kitchen-table (or I wouldn’t have bought it). The material is oilcloth. Had to change the very colorful one with flowers I’ve had for some time as that one didn’t go well with my new carpet. This one does.

dusty-colors

Dusty colors. Image from the internet.

Some of those dusty color shades are nice, but… I wouldn’t want to have too many dusty colors around. They are so dulled-down…

dusty-colors

Dusty blue table-cloth in the kitchen. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

Posted by nini in colors, decoration, Interior Design, 0 comments

Still life “desert”

stilllife, desert

Still life “desert”

This months assignment from Urbanjunglebloggers is Still Life “desert”. So I assembled the few desert-like plants I have and took out some old items that I associate with desert life.

In the images you can find a camel adornment from Turkey (hanging blue thing above), a beduin drum, a wall-hanging of wool from Tunisia hand woven in the desert grottos of Matmata, a camel of olive-wood from Israel.

And the plants of course. Aloe Vera of different sizes and two different cactuses. The smaller cactus above come from the bigger one in the same picture. It produces “babies” which I sometimes put into their own pots. As for the Aloe Veras… I have a larger one in the livingroom which is the mother of all the Aloe Veras that Ive kept. I’e given away one to my neighbor and one to friend Ulla. The Aloe Vera is a tropical plant though and not a desert plant… I somehow associate with deserts though because of the thorny edges of their leaves…

stillife, desert

Still life “desert”. Photo. ©nini.tjader.2016

I kept switching positions between the camel and the drum…

stillife, desert

Still life “desert”. Photo. ©nini.tjader.2016

Here you see both my cactuses at the same time. And the camel of course. The cactus nearest to the window I’ve got years ago from from friend Monica who is no longer with us. The seconds one, closest in the picture, I got when it was one very small round plant. I don’t know how long Ive had it. A couple of decades at least.

The woven wool wall-hanging I got for my father when Janne and I visited Tunisia in 1979. It is now mine.

stillife, desert

Still life “desert”. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

Here I added a ceramic waterbottle. Beduin-model from Israel.

stillife, desert

Stilllife “desert”. Photo ©nini.tjader.2016

I also tried it out with a beduin-weave from Israel, a small replica of the carpets they once used to throw on the camels/dromedars in the desert. I’ve had a larger one once but it got so faded I threw it out years ago. Same colors and patterns though.

stillife, desert

Still life “desert”. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

Then I took out a picture I love that has those very typical desert-like colors. I don’t have it on a wall presently but in storage. The picture comes from a calendar I had years ago. Took away the weaves and added my beduin camel whip (which inside has a metal stick … for killing animals, enemies?).

stilllife, desert

Still life “desert”. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

Tried it with either of the cactuses. I think the first one is the best here. The camel is still there of course.

stillife, desert

Still life “desert”. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

The Aloe Vera was totally wrong here…

stillife, desert

Still life “desert”. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

Also tried with my old kefie from Jerusalem. This is a genuine woven kefie, not a printed pattern which you often see today. Bought in East Jerusalem in the early 1970-ies.

stillife, desert

Still life “desert”. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

So, the picture, the camel, the drum and the whip, together with one of the cactuses and the small Aloe Vera…

stillife, desert

Still life “desert”. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

And the other cactus…
Or is a cactus and a camel enough for the desert theme?

stillife, desert

Still life “desert”. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

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Posted by nini in decoration, House plants, Interior Design, Plants, Urban Jungle Bloggers, 0 comments

Pink interiors, no thanks

pinks

Pinks for pink interiors. Image borrowed from the internet.

Pink interiors anyone? This autumn the color pink seems to be THE color in interiors. You see it everywhere (see my previous post about terrible colors for yet another image with a pink kitchen).

There are plenty of different shades of pink around. Some are more red than pink. Other are more brown than pink, or more to the lilac.

pinklilacs

Pink lilacs, spring 2016. Photo. ©nini.tjader.2016

I never liked pink interiors. Not now and not when I was younger and not when I was a little girl either. As a little girl I loved blue in all shades. I still do.

pinkinterior

Pink interiors in a pink livingroom. Image borrowed from the internet.

I would never feel comfortable in a pink livingroom. I would want to turn around and get out of it as soon as possible.

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Pink interiors, pink sofa. Image borrowed from the internet.

I wouldn’t even want just one pink object around in my interiors. Pink sofa? Shudder… One pink pillow then? Maybe, but no… please.

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Pink interiors, pink wallpaper. Image borrowed from photowall.se.

Having a wallpaper with pink in is no better.

Pink in interiors used to be something that was used in the rooms of little girls or babies. Then it became THE color for a girls room, up to around the age of approximately 12 or so. Now the color pink has spread into all areas of living and interiors.  Kitchens, bathrooms, carpets, walls, livingrooms… Look at any magazine or website about interior design. Pink is there.

hollyhock

Hollyhock, summer 2016. Photo ©nini.tjader.2016

Will it stay? I doubt it. I can accept a pink t-shirt, and I find pink flowers in nature beautiful. Let the color pink stay in nature. Leave it out of the interiors please. I know I don’t have to use it because it is in fashion presently, but I don’t want to see it everywhere either.

pinkinteriors

Pink interiors. Image borrowed from the internet.

Baby pink in the livingroom? No thanks. Even this faded pink would make me wonder about the personality of the owner of the home. The images above are worse though.

pink

Pinkflowering bush. Photo ©nini.tjader.2016

Pink plants and flowers then? Yes please, those are nice. The above is a bush at my neighbors which get large flowers. It is by the way flowering again right now in mid October. I’ve forgotten the name of the bush.

pinkinteriors

Pink interiors, pink wall. Image borrowed from the internet.

One pale pink wall then? No thanks. It is better but… well, it is still pink.

But in nature and in flowers it is a nice color. I just don’t like pink interiors. Let it stay in the nature on flowers.

pinkpelargonia

Pink pelargonia. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

Posted by nini in decoration, Furniture and Decoration, Interior Design, Thoughts, 0 comments

Terrible Colors

kitchen, pink, colors

Kitchen. Image from ELLE Decoration.

There are terrible colors and there are colors.

There is this very colorful flat featured at ELLE Decoration presently. It is also featured in their Instagram-account.

I find it awful…
A kitchen with pink cupboards and teal colored floors…
I would personally turn back out from that kitchen immediately. Definitely doesn’t get me in the mood to cook or anything else you usually do in the kitchen. These colors… According to ELLE Decoration those are beautiful colors… I couldn’t disagree more.

livingroom

Livingroom. Image from ELLE Decoration.

And the livingroom isn’t one bit better. Sofa with different shades of green in the sofa cushions, paired with lilac walls and a red carpet on a dark-blue floor… No thanks. I think the sofa opposite to the green one is pink…  It is just too much. Makes me nauseous.

That many colors, in those combinations, only makes me want to immediately turn my back and get out of it. That is, if I was in that house…  There is no rest in that house (feng-shui someone?). How can you relax with these colors and color-combinations?

I actually like colors.
But not like this.
And not combined liked this.

How an interior decoration magazine like ELLE Decoration actually can find it beautiful is beyond my comprehension. This hurts my eyes and makes me sea-sick.

The flat is located in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Posted by nini in Furniture and Decoration, Interior Design, kitchen, livingroom, Thoughts, 0 comments

My livingroom, presently

livingroom

My livingroom, presently. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

My livingroom, presently, looks like in the above picture. I regularly take pictures of my flat to document the here and now in the rooms. Some things change over time, others not. Lamps and decorative items move around. Pillow covers change. Plants come and go. The mess on the sofa-table change all the time. The latest bigger change in the livingroom – except for the the plants that moved in from the patio – is that I changed the big carpet. After two years with the off-white carpet I went back to the blue carpet recently.

(The sharp-eyed can see that my olive tree is on the plant-stand in the bedroom. Just moved it indoors. Have to get a plant-light for it soon, so it won’t die.).

livingroom

The living room in august 2016. Photo. ©nini.tjader.2016

The blanket in the chair that Gustav (and Alice) love to sleep in change regularly as it gets dirty from the cats. So does the pillow case in the same chair.

livingroom

My livingroom Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

In august the view over the sofa-table, TV and the entrance to the bedroom looked like in the above picture. The sofa-table was not as messy as it sometimes is…

sofa-table

The sofa-table Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

This (above) is a more normal state of the sofa-table. The table is massive oiled oak, done by Hans K. Very heavy. I looked for a sofa-table for a very long time before I got this one. I love it. Otherwise sofa-tables now-a-days are usually too low. (The book on the table Ive finished since picture was shot).

sofa-table

The sofa-table. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

This (above) is more what the sofa-table is supposed to look like when most of the stuff on it is put away.

livingroom

The livingroom, TV-corner. Photo:©nini.tjader.2016

I have a 40″ SONY TV in one end of the livingroom. I prefer watching TV on an actual TV-device and not on the iPad or the iMac or the MaBook Pro, which are my other choices. I only revert to those devices when I need to watch something on SVT Play that I’ve missed out on for some reason.

The gym-ball is there because I actually sometimes use it. And I also use if to put my feet on if I sit in the chair where the neighboring cats usually sleep.

livingroom

The livingroom Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

The livingroom view from the TV-wall towards the oping that leads to the hallway, bathroom and kitchen. As usual the ironing-board stands there in the livingroom… I hate ironing.

That blue pillow-case on the round pillow needs to be exchanged now that I put the blue carpet in the livingroom again. The two blues simply clash. It will get a white chrocheted pillow-case instead. Just have to make it first.

livingroom, sofa

The sofa in the livingroom. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

The sofa in the livingroom is a two-seater KARLSTAD sofa from IKEA. Some time after I moved to this flat I changed my three-seater to a two-seater as the other sofa simply was too big for the room. Here is were I spend most of my time when in the livingroom.

The plate-mat on the sofa-table is there because I often eat my meals in front of the TV, sitting in the sofa, and ont want to harm my sofa-table.

livingroom, picturewall

The picture wall in the livingroom. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

The picturewall in inte living room presently looks like this (and has done so for quite some time now). It is a mix of posters, two printed pictures of art, and five aquarelles done by yours truly.

livingroom

In the livingroom. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

On the low bookcase near to the door to my outside place I keep some candle-houses. The poster above it is a 1st of May Russian poster which I’ve had for a long time. Now that the darker season is approaching fast, I will start light the candles in them again.

livingroom

In the livingroom. Photo.©nini.tjader.2016

View from the livingroom into the bedroom. Decorations on the small round table beside the chair in the livingroom.

livingroom

In the livingroom. Photo.©nini.tjader.2016

The white cover on the chair where Gustav and Alice (the neighboring cats) like to sleep, is still white. Might be because of the long time with dry weather. No wet and dirty cat-feet…

livingroom, chaiselounge

The livingroom. photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

By the window in the livingroom is the chaise-lounge. Also white cover presently.

As you might guess, I have a lot of books, and I read a lot. And yes, I prefer paper-books to digital books, be they onscreen e-books or audio-books. Paper books is what I prefer. Bookcases are BILLY from IKEA.

At the foot of the chaise-lounge – which I’ve by the way considered selling if anyone wants to buy it – stands my training bicycle. Yes, I DO use it on and off. Has to stand there so I can watch TV at the same time as I use it.

chaiselounge

Chaiselounge in the livingroom. Photo. ©nini.tjader.2016

I also have a light grey cover for the chaise-lounge. I’ll put that on soon as I have to wash the white cover which unfortunately got a blackcurrant-juice stain on it recently. Remains to be seen if I can get rid of the stain. Under the book on the table is my MacBook Pro on IKEAs small computer table. Under the pillow (cover knitted by yours truly) is a computer-pillow (IKEA of course) to put on your lap if you want your laptop (or iPad) on your lap. Beside the MBP is a small radio that also can serve as charger for the iPhone.

livingroom

In the livingroom. Photo. ©nini.tjader.2016

The chaise lounge stand near to the door to the outside place. Above is how it looked in the window before I moved som of the plants from outside to indoors storage over the winter. Under the sideboard by the window I keep bird-feed and some other stuff that go out and in constantly to the garden.

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Livingroom window. Photo. ©nini.tjader.2016

This (above) is how the livingroom window is supposed to look, minus the tomato-plant.

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Livingroom window presently. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

This (above is how it looks presently sine the fig-tree and some other plants were moved inside. The Australian wild pelargonia under it, will move up onto the sideboard when the tomato-plant is finished and gone. The fig-tree has lost three leaves since moved indoors. It will lose some 3-4 leaves more soon. Perfectly normal.

livingroom

In the livingroom. Photo. ©nini.tjader.2016

A bit crowded presently, I agree…

livingroom

My livingroom. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

I had to move the chaise lounge and the training-cycle a bit towards the door to gt the fig tree indoors behind the chaise lounge. Cup-boards in the corner are BESTÅ from IKEA. The other ones are BILLY, also from IKEA. Ceiling lamp is from IKEA as well. The sea-gull hanging from the ceiling I bought long ago in Tel Aviv, Israel. It has accompanied me in different flats for many years, always hanging from the ceiling in the livingroom. Wings flap if wind gets indoors or if you pull its red “legs”.

Below you can see the corner with the chaise lounge and the bookcases together. I have a mirror on the wall beside the bookcases to provide more light to the plants and to the room. I love having plants in the room but maybe not this many plants.

livingroom

The livingroom. Photo:©nini.tjader.2016

Posted by nini in decoration, Furniture and Decoration, Interior Design, livingroom, 1 comment