decoration

Xmas decorations

xmas, decorations

Xmas decorations 2017. Photo. ©nini.tjader.2017

Xmas decorations… It is that time of the year again… approaching Xmas. I don’t actually do Xmas. At this very dark and gloomy season, some lights and colors and decorations really are needed to brighten up your immediate surroundings though. All the lights are important. I have lights along the railing of my patio (no picture presently), and the neighbour and I also have light on the inside of the fence from my place almost unto the parking (no picture of that either).

xmas, decorations, pillows

Xmas pillows. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

I brought out all the red pillows and all the xmas decorations from previous years and went ahead and started to place them.

xmastree, decorations

Tree in a paperbag. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

The small xmastree in the paperbag was also brought out. All ready with its decorations from previous years. Just had to take it out of the bag and connect it to the electricity.

amaryllis, bathroom

Amaryllis in the bathroom. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

The fake amaryllis were placed in the bathroom. Fake flowers are the only kind I can have in the bathroom as it has no natural lighting. These fake amaryllis actually look pretty natural. I have no real amaryllis this year which I normally use to have. I simply lack space for more flowers and plants.

xmastree

Xmastree with lighting. Photo:©nini.tjader.2017

The housing coop also put lighting in our little firtree out on the lawn where you get in from the buses. That ugly yellow plastic-tube holds the electric cable… Will be dug down into the earth under the grass in spring they say. It was too late in the autumn to have it done before this Xmas. That tree is actually a live tree with roots and all. So it will stand there for years to come, provided it survives.

entrance, hallway

Entrance hallway. Photo. ©nini.tjader.2017

The entrance hallway got an update with another door-curtain (the black and white one needed cleaning), a red pillow on the chair and a fake xmas flower on the small shelf on the wall. Enough for Xmas decorations, right? The carpet/doormat inside the door is there the year around and not specifically for Xmas.

xmas, decorations

Xmas decorations. Photo. ©nini.tjader.2017

The opening from the hallways into the livingroom got the star-curtain with lights plus the big red balls. Previous years these have been placed in the livingroom window. This year there were too many figtrees in the way to place them there. The opening to the livingroom got them instead.

xmas, decorations

Xmas decorations in the kitchen. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

I normally have a star with light in each kitchen window… Not this year. There are too many plants in the kitchen-windows this year. I managed to squeeze in the electric candles of the one above though.

xmas, decorations, candles

Candles on the kitchentable. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

The candles on the kitchentable have been there since summer. They will stay there for some time still. The picture above was shot before I threw out the three remaining orchids. Those are now gone as I got really tired of them.

xmas, decorations

Advent candles in the kitchen. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

The advent candles also took their place on the kitchentable. I also changed the cloth on the kitchentable to a red one.

supermoon

The supermoon. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

The first of advent coincided with the appearance of the supermoon. I went to Xmas-luncheon with the board of the housing coop (I do the coops web which qualifies me to participate). When we left the place were we ate, the moon was there, just in front of us. It was hard to take a picture of it with the iPhone and all the surrounding lights…  I looked for it also when I got home but by then the moon was hidden by the clouds. The next opportunity to see a supermoon will be by the beginning of January they say.

xmas, decorations, star

Star in the bedroom. Photo: ©nini.tjader,2017.

In the bedroom window I have one large star with light. That is all. No other Xmas decorations there.

xmas, decorations, star

Star in the bedroom. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

I love that large star that covers the entire bedroom window. It also gives a lot of light when it gets dark outside. Everyone can see it from the busstop on the other side of the road when it is lit…

xmas, decorations, lightbomb

Lightbomb. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

When preparing all the seasonal decorations I noticed that the “lightbomb” (picture above) got a problem. The filter between the metal that holds the cord that burns had crept up and out of the “lightbomb” and actually kind of “melted” … I removed it and the metalpiece that holds the burning cord no longer has a filter between it and the ceramic bulb. How safe is that I wonder? The bulb is filled with lampoil. Can it explode when burning? I’ve place it on a ceramic plate just for a bit more safety and never leave it unattended when burning (as you shouldn’t with any burning candles by the way).

What did I do in the livingroom?

What I did in the livingroom you can see below. I will still adjust a few details in the livingroom, but that is all. By January I will be fed up with the reds and go back to my normal color theme of grey, white and black… (Reload page to sort the below images differently).

Posted by nini in decoration, xmas, 0 comments

New in the livingroom

new-in-the-livingroom, curtain, livingroom

New in the livingroom. A new curtain. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

I do not use curtains all that much. When I do, they are usually all white without any patterns or colors.
But… the last time I passed by IKEA I fell in love with a textile I saw. Black and white with a graphic pattern on it. So I bought it.
I bought 2,840 cm of the textile. I didn’t remember the exact height from ceiling to floor so bought more than I needed.  It is called INGVILL and is 100% cotton. Total cost SEK139,16. 

At first I intended to use it in the entrance hallway, but re-thought its placement and tested it in the livingroom.
And liked it. So after a few seems at top, sides and bottom, and some ironing, the livingroom got a new curtain.
And I love it.

I still have enough left of it to sew a pillowcase as well.
A cheap way to renew the livingroom.

The natural light this time of the year is very poor and almost non-existing which makes it really difficult to take pictures the way I prefer. The lack of light also kills plants. The one closest to the door to the patio is gone after I shot the above picture. It just died.

new-in-the-livingroom, curtain

Detail of new curtain in the livingroom. Photo:©nini.tjader.2017

Posted by nini in decoration, Interior Design, livingroom, textile, 0 comments

The Green Curtain

green curtain

The green curtain. Photo: ©nini,tjader.2017

I’ve written about this before, I know. That is, how I stopped using curtains in the kitchen and opted for a green curtain of plants instead. This green curtain has changed over time though so I thought I’d show some recent pictures of how my windows presently look in the kitchen. They will soon change again when some of the plants that are outside on the patio move indoors when the season changes to autumn. It is still summer-like outside, but we have already had some really cold nights. So, soon enough, plants will be moving indoors.

green curtain

The green curtain. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

The name of the plant above is rhipsalis, a cactus-relative. More about it here.

green curtain

The green curtain. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

The good about it is that it sifts the light through it and does’t make the kitchen dark. It hangs on the curtain rod above the south-facing window in the kitchen together with another green plant.

greeen curtain

The green curtain. Photo. ©nini.tjader.2017

I don’t think the green one to the right (with white stripes on the leaves) is a tradescantia, even though it is somewhat similar to them. Its “flowers” look more like the ones on pepperomia plants. I have no idea which one it is though. The pepperomia family is large.

green curtain

The green curtain. Photo. ©nini.tjader.2017

Above the two windows in the kitchen a large, and by now quite old, philodendron hangs on the curtain rods and follows the upper part of the window along the ceiling. I have had that one for years already in my previous flat. I know I cut it down a couple of times in my previous flat when I thought it got too tall (long). It had a period this spring and summer getting yellow leaves which fell off, but we are now past that period. It grows new stems again. And new leaves. I probably ought to fill in some fresh soil into the pot it grows in. Otherwise it doesn’t ask for much maintenance. As long as it gets watered it is happy.

green curtain philiodendron

The green curtain, philodendron. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

green curtain

The green curtain, philodendron. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

green curtain

The green curtains, philodendron. Photo. ©nini.tjader.2017

I have no idea where to lead it when it reaches the end of the second, west-facing, window. It will soon do that……

green curtain

The green curtain. Photo. ©nini.tjader.2017

In the corner between the two windows I have a plantstand (from IKEA) which presently houses one of my two stephanotis floribunda (doftranka in Swedish). I got them from a neighbour that moved north in June 2015. This one is soon up to the ceiling as well. It has grown a lot since I replanted it in a new, larger pot, with fresh soil this summer. The other one stands in the livingroom. 

green curtain

The green curtain. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

Above it hangs a “wandering jew”, a tradescantia. I have re-started that one several times since I got it as it periodically gets a bit ugly and looses all its leaves at the end that grows in the soil and only keeps the ones on its tops. I then cut the tops off and put them in new soil and -re-start it. Works really well.

green curtain

The green curtain. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

To the right of the tradescantia hangs two of Ikeas hanging planters, one attached to the other, with in total six (6) spider plants.

green curtain

The green curtain. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

They presently bloom and have lots of spider plant “babies” hanging down from them.

green curtain

The green curtain. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

These “babies” are actually ready to plant, but neither I, nor my neighbour, nor other friends, need any more of them.

green curtain

The green curtain. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

Its flowers are small and white. Rather nice actually. I’ll keep the “babies” and its flower hanging there for a while yet, as long as they look fresh, but in the end, I will probably cut them all off. There will be more of them again.

green curtain

The green curtain. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

My white orchid is blooming again. On a stem that dried out to half its length and then suddenly shot out a new stem. It is not that long ago since its previous blooming. On the windowsill behind it you can see a cutting from the philodendron. I took that off some time in the spring for someone who wanted a cutting. But it turned out to be too complicated to deliver it, so it still stands there on my window-sill. It took for ever for it to get roots, but now it has and its growing.

What I have on the window-sills presently isn’t all that interesting and it will change soon when I bring in some of the plants from outside. I have my six (6) orchids – which I presently test growing in water only – there and some other smaller plants.

Who needs curtains when you have plants? I have blinds though in case I want to hide from the world outside. I almost never use them.

green curtain

The green curtain. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

urbanjunglebloggers

Posted by nini in decoration, greenery, House plants, kitchen, Plants, Urban Jungle Bloggers, 0 comments

Summer whites

summerwhites

Summer whites in the livingroom. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

Summer whites is a way to confirm that the summer is here. That means changing the covers of the furniture to white ones.

summer whites, sofa, carpet

Summer whites in the livingroom. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

What do I mean by that? Well, with all the white light in the summer I always feel I need even MORE light and white by changing the covers on the furniture in the living room. I don’t need to change the curtains as they are always white. Some might say that it is enough with the light outside and the eventual sunshine and that you therefore should have dark colors in your home in the summer and light colors in the dark season. I feel the other way around is the way to go. Summer whites in the summer and dark colors in the winter.

summer whites, livingroom

Summer whites in the livingroom. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

So, the other day I changed the covers of the EKTORP chaiselongue and the small JENNYLUND armchair to white from grey (the very pink fleece cover there is protection against dirty cat-feet). Neither is particularly hard to change cover on even though you have to remove the armrest on the chaiselongue to be able to change the cover. I have done that often enough to be comfortable with it.

summer whites, chaiselongue

Summer whites in the livingroom, the EKTORP chaiselongue. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

Yesterday I switched the livingroom carpet from dark blue to off-white. To do that I needed to move the sofa-table and all that was on it and on the shelf under it off the carpet. Only then could the carpet be changed.

When the carpet area was already empty, and carpet changed, I decided I’d also take that opportunity to change the cover of the sofa from grey to white. To change the cover of the sofa demands space for the work.

summer whites, sofa, carpet

Summer whites in the livingroom. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

Changing the cover of the 2-seater KARLSTAD sofa is a lot of work. First you remove the cover of the four pillows. Then you remove the armrests with the sofa-legs. Then the legs from the armrests. Then then cover of the armsrests. Then the large cover over the rest of the sofa. Then you put on fresh cover for the large part of the sofa. Then put the fresh covers onto the armrests and then attach the legs (2 for each armrest) to the armrests. Then attach the the armrests to the sofa (4 screws each). The sofa is then ready to get back the seating pillows and the back pillows. Changing cover on the KARLSTAD sofa is actually the same thing as assembling it from scratch, twice. So I tend to not change the cover of the sofa too often…

The non-fresh cover has to be dry-cleaned. You cannot put it into the washing machine unfortunately. And it really needs cleaning by now.

The summer white covers need to be on now until at least when the dirty ones have been cleaned. Hopefully no cat with dirty feet will step on them meanwhile before I’ve put a protective towel or such on the now summer white furniture.

The KARLSTAD 2-seater sofa is no longer sold at IKEA, only the 3-seater. So if I want a new cover for it, I need to get it from BEMZ, and that is pretty expensive. The EKTORP chaiselounge with armrest is no longer sold either. The light grey cover I have for it is from BEMZ. The JENNYLUND armchair is still sold and apart from the white cover I have a dark grey cover and a dark blue cover with white flowers for it. Its first white cover shrunk enormously in the laundry and can no longer be used. I’ve saved it as a pattern to be able to make my own cover one day.

livingroom

Part of the darker livingroom. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2014

Posted by nini in colors, decoration, Furniture and Decoration, Interior Design, livingroom, 2 comments

Latest purchases from Ikea

mobileholder, ikeapurchase, latestpurchases

Mobile holder. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

Thought I’d show you my latest purchases from Ikea.

Last time I was at Ikea (about a week ago?) I bought some small items I really didn’t need but couldn’t resist.

The above is a mobile holder of bamboo. The cord for the charger goes out at the bottom middle. Took me some time to find out how to assemble the two pieces… but I managed in the end. There was no instruction. This is not where it will finally stand (on top of a pile of magazines).

lighthouse, candlestand, ikeapurchase, tealightholder, latestpurchases

“Lighthouse” for tealights. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

I also bought this black tealight stand at the center of the picture (Ikea also has a larger version for large candles). The one to the left I’ve had for many years and it is not from Ikea. The new one is in metal and you simply lift its top to put in a new tealight or to light it. Fell in love with it’s graphic expression and that it is black and in metal. The head to the right of it is of iron and bought somewhere in Greece.

tealightholder, candleholder, ikeapurchase, latestpurchases

Hanging holder for tealights. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

I also fell in love with this white tealight-holder. Also in metal, with a chain to hang it in a window or outdoors. This is the smaller model. There is a larger one too. I have presently no idea of where I will place it. Will decide that later on.

That’s how it is with Ikea… hard to just pass and not buy anything.

Posted by nini in decoration, Furniture and Decoration, 0 comments

They call this “art” and sell it

ylvaskarp "art"

Ylva Skarp “art” lightboxes by IKEA. Screendump from image at livethemma.ikea.se

IKEA just announced these lightboxes with “art” by Ylva Skarp on a foil attached to the lightboxes. Price SEK 1295/approximately USD 145. The product is called FLOALT. Ylva Skarp and her images are popular in certain interior design circles and you often find her images in featured interiors. 

Personally I don’t call this “art” or “calligraphy” which some do. Personally I would never pay SEK 1295 to IKEA for a lightbox with her images. Would you? I’ve always found her imagery overrated.

karolinapalmer "art"

Images and “art” by Karolina Palmer. Screenshot from Leva&Bo.

The above “art”-images are sold via Leva & Bo, a magazine from one of Swedens daily newspapers. They are posters and art-cards and even pillow-cases. They are created by Karolina Palmer. Apparently they are very popular? I fail to understand why… How can images like these be called “art”? They look like something your child (or your friends child) would have created. And mass-produced to sell via the magazine. I would never pay for them. Nor would I ever put them on my walls at home.

Of course taste differs between different people, but some things that are sold as art, really shouldn’t be called art…. In my opinion.

I actually love art and am a real image-nerd, but these ones? No, thanks.

Posted by nini in Art and Drawings, decoration, drawings, Thoughts, Various, 0 comments

Blue bedroom. My blue bedroom.

bluebedroom, bedroom

Blue bedroom. My blue bedroom. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

Blue bedroom. Dark blue walls. My bedroom has dark blue walls. Lately many interior design articles and papers are showing and writing about dark colored bedrooms. As if it would be something new?

I painted my bedroom walls – all of them – dark blue at the beginning of 2015. I wanted another color on the walls already when I moved in in November 2009. Couldn’t stand the original pale green color. I began the project in October 2014, and finished it in February 2015.

bluebedroom

My blue bedroom. Photo:©nini.tjader.2016

Not much has happened since. I change the bedspread, the bedskirt and the pillows now and then, and the curtains, but otherwise it looks much the same as in February 2015. I have changed the carpet too to the big one I had in the kitchen before.

bluebedroom

My blue bedroom. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

I am happy with my blue bedroom and the dark walls. It is good to sleep here.

bluebedroom

My blue bedroom. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

I have plenty of white details in the bedroom. Perfect against the dark walls. The bedframe is also white, as are the doors and outsides of the cupboards. The bedframe is one piece of an IKEA Malm bed. The rest of the bed is stored in my storage space. Its construction was/is really bad nowadays. Every time I got into bed it felt like the bed would fall apart. So I reverted to steady legs on the mattress and stored the rest of the bed, minus the bedframe.

bluebedroom

My blue bedroom. Photo:©nini.tjader.2017

I have never regretted painting the walls in the bedroom dark blue. It gives calm.

bluebedroom

My blue bedroom color. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2014

This is the color I used. I have some left if I need to repair somewhere. 

bluebedroom

My blue bedroom. Photo:©nini.tjader.2017

Having white, or light, details in furniture makes the room feel lighter than it actually is. It is a rather small room, but the dark color doesn’t make it feel smaller because of it. I have too many bookcases and wardrobes though, which makes it impossible to have bedside tables by the bed (even though the bed is only 120 cms wide). I solved that need with those small boxes on the wall as an alternative.

(Why do I have two iPhones charging there? One the old iPhone 3 is my alarmclock, the other is an iPhone 5s that I really should get rid off as I’ve exchanged if for an iPhone 7 recently. The old iPhone 3 has no SIM-card.).

bluebedroom

My blue bedroom. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

Pictures and other decorative items in the bedroom stand out fine against the blue walls provided they are light enough.

bluebedroom

My blue bedroom. Photo:©nini.tjader.2017

My oldest iMac (the very first Intel-model) stands there as an option for playing DVDs and watching them in bed. Still fully working with an old OS and applications which I don’t have on my regular Macs. Cannot get updated.

After having the bedroom dark blue since early 2015, I am still happy with the dark blue walls. I might in the future change them again, but for now they are fine.

bluebedroom

My blue bedroom. View towards the livingroom. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

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

Who needs curtains when you have a philodendron?

philiodendron

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.

philodendron

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.

philodendron

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.

philodendron

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…

philodendron

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.

philodendron

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

philodendron

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

philodendron

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

 

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

Plants & Light

plantsandlight

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…

plantsandlight

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.

plantsandlight

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.

plantandlights

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. 

plantsandlamps

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.

plantsandlight

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.

plantsandlight

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.

plantsandlight

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.

plantsandlight

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.

plantsandlight

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

plantsandlight

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.

plantsandlight

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

My entrance hallway

entrance hallway

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.

entrance hallway

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.

entrance hallway

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.

entrance hallway

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).

entrance hallway

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.

entrance hallway

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.

entrance hallway

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.

entrance hallway

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.

entrance hallway

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

entrance hallway

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.

hangups, entrance, hallway

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

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.

dusty-colors

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

ujblogo100

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.

pinksofa

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.

åink

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

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.

livingroomwindow

Livingroom window. Photo. ©nini.tjader.2016

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

livingroomwindow

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

New kitchen carpet in place

kitchen, carpet

RAVNSÖ carpet in the kitchen. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

A new kitchen carpet is now in place.

carpet, kitchen, ravnsö

RAVNSÖ carpet in the kitchen. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

I finally decided on the striped wool-carpet RAVNSÖ from IKEA. Size 170 x 240 cms. I would provide a link if it was available on Ikeas site, but it isn’t there. As Ikea explained it when I asked, it isn’t there because you cannot order it via internet. (That might change in the future?)

carpet, kitchen, ravnsö

RAVNSÖ carpet in the kitchen. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

I really, really like it. And I like the colorfulness it adds. Had som trouble taking pictures of it as the autumn-light in the afternoon – when I shot the pictures – comes in at a not so good angle. But at least you see how the carpet looks there.

carpet, kitchen, ravnsö

RAVNSÖ carpet in the kitchen. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

One thing I had to remove in the kitchen was the very colorful tablecloth I normally have there. Didn’t go well together with the carpet. Have to get a new one in one color only. The carpet goes well with all my chair-cushions though and no matter which I use they match well.

So, what happened to the carpet I had in the kitchen previously?

bedroom, carpet

Carpet in the bedroom. Photo. ©nini.tjader.2016

The previous carpet (LOHALS from Ikea) I moved from the kitchen to the bedroom. Makes the bedroom lighter. The carpet I had there before was blue, making the bedroom all dark blue. I’ve also always liked the feel of the LOHALS carpet under bare feet. My floors need carpets as living on the ground floor makes them rather cold at times. I think it looks good here. The discarded blue carpet I will throw out. It has seen better days.

I do need to move the carpet slightly to the left though as it is a little bit too long for the room and there is about 10 cms left to the cupboards. But, presently it got stuck here like this as it is very heavy to move, with bed and all on it. Gustav, the neighbors cat, was in here when I did this, sitting on the bed during all the lifting and shuffling… He got all excited about it… No wonder the carpet didn’t land exactly right… No pictures though as I was busy lifting the bed and moving the carpet into place.

Another day soon I will move the carpet closer to the window so I get less carpet up the wall in the other end (not in the picture).

bedroom, carpet, lohals

LOHALS carpet in the bedroom- Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

Posted by nini in carpets, decoration, Interior Design, kitchen, 0 comments