livingroom

Moving indoors, autumn is here

kitchenwindow

The jungle in the kitchenwindow. Photo:©nini.tjader.2019

It is autumn. Plants have moved indoors from the patio. It is getting colder and we have had some frost nights.

Jungle in the kitchen

kitchenjungle

The kitchen jungle. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2019

It is a jungle in the kitchen. The figtrees and the pelargonias är in since mid September when the weather started to turn to colder, especially the nights got colder.

Plants in the bedroom

bedroomplants

Plants in the bedroom. Photo:©nini.tjader.2019

In the bedroom I placed the Caliente pelargonia, one Mårbacka pelargonia and the tall Attar of Roses fragrance pelargonia. I hope they will survive the winter there. As always when they get moved indoors lots of leaves are getting yellow and have to be removed. They still bloom though and I will allow them to do so as long as they want. Some people cut down pelargonias when moving them indoors in the autumn. I don’t unless I have to. I rather cut them down in the spring when they need it. The tall Attar of Roses so far is the one not getting yellow leaves. Yet. And it grows and blooms. I will have to cut it down later as it has reached the ceiling.

Jungle in the livingroom

livingroomwindow

Plants in the window in the livingroom. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2019

It is a bit crowded with plants in the livingwoom-window.… Pelargonias and the largest figtree.

Tomatoplant in the livingroom

Since I shot the above picture, I’ve also moved the large tomato-plant indoors, just inside the door to the outside place (kind of tomato is Tiny Tim) as it is full of flowers and tiny tomatoes. 

tomater

Indoor tomatoes. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2019

I pluck the tomatoes when they get of size and ripe them on a plate in the kitchen.

tomatoes

Tomatoes ripening indoors. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2019

No special tricks to get them to ripe. They just lay there on a plate in the warmth of the kitchen and slowly ripe by themselves. Som do all kinds of mumbo-jumbo to get them to ripe. No need for that. Just leave them alone and they will ripe by themselves.

livingroomplants

Plants in the livingroom. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2019

On the other side of the door to the outside place there are two Mårbacka pelargonias and one Aloe Vera that previously lived in the bedroom.

The patio and the garden

Empty patio. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2019

The patio is now empty. Not just because I moved all the plants indoors. Well, not all the plants moved indoors. Some, less worth to try to spare over the winter went into the dumpster. But there was another reason too why the entire outside place got emptied. The wooden parts of the house were to get painted.

Painting of the walls. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2019

So furniture was moved out on the grass to make room for the painters and the scaffoldings.

Walls getting painted. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2019

So life in garden and outdoors was finished earlier than usual.

Walls getting painted. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2019

The painting is almost finished now. They are supposed to be done by the coming Tuesday. Then I can go out and move the furniture back to the patio, and check damage on plants in the garden. I’ve done a quick check and it isn’t as bad as it could have been. But some damage there is.

Most of the scaffolding was already gone yesterday. Last time the walls were painted was only five years ago. It needed to be done now to protect the wooden parts. I hope it lasts longer than 5 years this time…

Posted by nini in autumn, bedroom, House plants, indoor plants, kitchen, livingroom, outside place, Plants, Urban Jungle Bloggers, 0 comments

My turkish kelim carpet

turkishkelim, kelim

The top part of my Turkish kelim carpet. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2019

The other day somebody spotted my Turkish kelim carpet in the background of one of my Instagram posts.

Turkish kelim

It is an interesting carpet. I bought in Turkey in 2003 after some discussions about the price. It is 305 cms long and 77 cms wide, but rather thin. I managed to squeeze it into my suitcase for the transportation home. It has lots of pictures of animals and flowers on it and some of the patterns are probably symbolic for one thing or another. Not that I know… I also do not know its age.

Pictures of the carpet

Shot some pictures of it from top to bottom (the way you look at it and follow the pattern) the other day. The bottom part of it near to the door to the patio is a bit sun-faded, but the rest is OK. I’ve had it cleaned (by professionals) twice. I love its colors.

I love this carpet and I too enjoy looking at its patterns. It lives in my livingroom and I pass it every day several times when I pass from the livingroom into or out of the bedroom.

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The second part of the carpet. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2019

Every part of the carpet has a different picture in the middle of it. Five in all.

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The third part of the carpet. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2019

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The 4th part of the carpet. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2019

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The 5th part of the carpet. Photo: ©nini,tjader.2019

The 5th part of the carpet is the one faded by the sun. It is not TOO bad though. The bottom righthand corner always rolls up from the floor and I have not been able to fix that. I bought it like that. Presently I stick that corner under the round floor-pillow.

turkishkelim, kelim, carpet

A glimpse of the underside of the carpet. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2019

Under the carpet I have this grey security carpet so you won’t fly away with the carpet if you come in a hurry. It prevents it from sliding.

The backside/underside of the carpet is interesting as well and very well made. Handmade, yes.

Posted by nini in carpets, handicraft, Interior Design, livingroom, 0 comments

On my windowsills

kitchenwindow

The western kitchenwindow 2019-+8-17. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2019

In my opinion, windowsills are for plants and flowers. Makes the rooms nice to be in.

At this time of the year, the content on the windowsills is in transition between summer and autumn and there are far less plants there than in the cold season as some of them live outdoors during the warm season.

kitchenwindows

Kitchenwindows 2019-08-17. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2019

In the kitchen

My kitchen has two dinws. One to the south, one to the west. In the kitchen I use plants instead of curtains. One of the plants is my huge philodendron that follow the curtainrod over both the windows. It starts in its pot on the floor though. I’ve had that one for many years by now and it started its life in my previous flat.

kitchenwindow

The southern kitchenwindow, 2019-08-17. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2019

In the southern kitchenwindow I presently have two hanging plants and smaller ones on the sill. There are one small cactus (that grows really slow), three Saint Paulia grewn from leaves, and one Thai Basil to the right which you cannot see in this picture.

kitchnewindow

The western kitchenwindow, 2019-08-17. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2019

In between the two dinwos I presently have a kind of cactus on a high stand, then cuttings from fig trees and Saint Paulia and a regular basil. Two hanging pots with tradescandia (two different kinds). And a potus hainging up there as well.

kitchenwindow

Hanging plant in the kitchenwindow. 2019-08-17. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2019

kitchenwindows

In the corner between the two windows in the kitchen, 2019-08-17. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2019

In the livingroom

In the livingroom I have one west-facing window beside the door to the patio.

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Livingroomwindow, 2019-08-17.Photo: ©nini.tjader.2019

I recently re-organized the plants in the livingroom-window and moved one of the hanging plants from the kitchen to here. There was more room in the window here than in the kitchen. I also led the Monkey Face monstera upwards when I gave it a larger pot and new soil as it was becoming very long.

I have a bench in front of the window to be able to have more plants there. The lamp on the bench is from Ikea, but the bulb in it from ICA Maxi (grocery store).

livingroomwindow

Ficus. 2019-08-17. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2019

The above ficus is from cuttings from my neighbour. It is fast getting big now so it too got new soil and a new pot.

livingroomwindow

Monkey Face monstera in the livingroom window, 2019-08-17. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2019

On the floor in the corner of the livingroomwindow I have a hug tradescantia. Had to get a new plantstand for it from Ikea. It still reaches the floor from the stand…

tradescantia

Tradescantia in the livingroom, 2019-08-17. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2019

In the bedroom

I have one small window in the bedroom.

bedroomwindow

Bedroomwindow 2019-08-17. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2019

The bedroomwindow is pretty empty presently On the sill, behind the curtains, are my cactus plants. The I have a chests of drawers in front of the window that I also use for plants, but mainly wintertime. At the moment there are only two aloe vera here. Wintertime some of my pelargonias live here.

cactus

Cactus and haworthia in the bedroomwindow, 2019-08-17. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2019

In just a month or so I will have to solve the problem of where to put my figtrees and pelargonias that have to come in from the patio. Which to keep and which not and where to place them. Meanwhile they are just fine outdoors.

Posted by nini in bedroom, House plants, indoor plants, kitchen, livingroom, Plants, 0 comments

Getting a new floor in the livingroom

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Due to the water-damage from leaking radiator-pipes in my livingroom, I am getting a new floor, now that the pipes are fixed and the water-leak stopped. Images about the water-leak and the emptying of the livingroom can be found in my Swedish blog.

floor, livingroom
The floor in the livingroom. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2019

The old floor was removed yesterday. The new floor will be done when the dampness from the water-leak is gone. Will be contacted by the beginning of the week about when they will come and install the drying-devices. Then I will have to live with the dryers for a couple of weeks until floor is totally dry. They will then pour new concrete and isolation and then lay the new floor and put back the livingroom in the condition it was before removing the floor. When that is done my stuff will moved back from upstairs where it is stored in two room the housing-cooperation has there. Then I will have a lot of work with moving the books and all other stuff into their places again…

View of TV from bed. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2019

Meanwhile I live in the bedroom and the kitchen and the halls and bathroom. I have to pass the livingroom every time I go to and from the bedroom. The TV and internet router are moved into the bedroom which make the bedroom extremely cramped. I hope the driers won’t be too noisy.

Here are som pictures from the work being done.

Posted by nini in floorrenovation, livingroom, 0 comments

Sofa in place

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The new sofa is in place. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

New sofa in place

It all went very fast after I decided which sofa to buy.

On Thursday morning (April 5th) I decided to try to sell the old sofa on Blocket.se. Two hours later I had the first respons asking me if sofa was still available. I answered yes. About an hour later I had the next response which said if it was still there they wanted it and could pick it up the same evening. So I agreed to sell the old sofa to them and agreed on pickup-time. They came in the evening, picked the sofa up and payed it via Swish, without any arguing about the price. The first contact I had in the morning by that time came back (via email) and wanted me to reduce the price. I then told her that the sofa meanwhile was sold and picked up. Two other also contacted me by that time.

I’ve thought it is impossible to sell sofas via Blocket.se, but this time I was wrong. And I’ve never sold anything via Blocket.se that fast before.

livingroom, sofa

Livingroom without sofa. Photo ©nini.tjader.2018

So there I was Thursday evening without a sofa. Looked really empty.

On Friday, when back from the gym, I went directly to IKEA to buy the new sofa. Delivery was ordered for the same night between 17.00-21.00 hours. It arrived at 19.00 hrs. Two very helpful guys in the car carried it all in and the biggest parcel they carried all the way into the livingroom even though I had only ordered and paid for delivery to the door and no carrying in. Thanks guys! Much appreciated.

That same night I took away all the plastic and such from the parcels but did no more.

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Assembly of new sofa going on. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

In the morning (Saturday), I got the pillows into their covers and everything laid out for the assembly of the sofa itself.

sofa, karlstad, ikea

The new sofa ready to be assembled. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

After having breakfast the neighbour came in to help me with the rest of the assembly. The main parts of the sofa is impossible to assemble by yourself. You need to be two to do it.

sofa, ikea, karlstad

The new sofa assembled. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

After struggling with it for a couple of hours, with a break for waffles with whipped cream and strawberry preserve and coffee outdoors in the afternoon, we finally were done.

Those screws that hold the sides together with the main part of the sofa are really hard to fit and get firmly screwed into place. One of them was impossible and is only loosely there (the one in the upper right back). No matter how much we tried to get it to stick where it should it wouldn’t. It is the one fastening the righthand side-piece at the upper backside (against the wall). I hope it doesn’t matter.

sofa, ikea, karlstad

Sofa assembled and in place. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The new sofa is the same model as the old one, a Karlstad from Ikea. This time a 3-seater. The old sofa was a 2-seater (no longer sold by Ikea). I wanted a 3-seater so I can have a night guest should I need to. This is big enough for sleeping in when pillows are removed. The light-grey cover can be washed in the washing-machine if needed. Only problem is that you have to take the entire sofa apart to get the cover off, except for the pillows.

sofa, ika, karlstad

New sofa in place, pillows placed. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The loose pillows (same ones as in the old sofa) were placed in the sofa. Plenty of space left as the sofa is longer than the old one.

sofa, karlstad, ikea

The new sofa with its pillows and throw. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

To protect the brand new sofa I put a throw by the end of it where my feet usually land. I hope Gustav, neighbours cat, will not have too dirty feet when he comes in and wants to be in the sofa… It has a 10 year warranty but not against dirt on the cover…

I am happy with my new sofa. It will probably be my last sofa.

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

Decision about sofa

karlstad, sofa, 3-seater

Sofa, Karlstad 3-seater. Photo: Ikea

Sofa decision.

I made a decision about the sofa.

It will be an IKEA KARLSTAD 3-seater with light grey cover. And not the new DELAKTIG I previously thought I would buy. This is the same model as I have now, just a 3-seater instead of a 2-seater, and with a cover that you can wash yourself in the washing-machine, which saves a lot of money if you need to get it cleaned.

karlstad, sofa, 2-seater

My present KARLSTAD 2-seater sofa. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

I’ve always liked the simple lines of the KARLSTAD sofa. It is also comfortable to sit in. I just need a slightly longer one that you in case of need can put up a night-guest in. The present sofa is way too short to sleep in. I also need to be able to clean the cover in the machine. And to get a more stable sofa. The present one is damaged in one corner where a screw fell into the armrest together with what is supposed to hold the screw. I got a new screw from Ikea, but what is supposed to hold it is for ever inside one of the armrests. The armrest to the right in the picture can brake at any time.

The price for the KARLSTAD 3-seater with the light grey cover is also very attractive. Even adding the cost for the delivery and the getting rid of present sofa, it is still much cheaper than the DELAKTIG one which I at first thought I’d get.

sofa, ikea, delaktig

Ikea DELAKTIG sofa modules. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

So, it won’t be one of the Ikea DELAKTIG modules plus cushions as I previously thought. The KARLSTAD 3-seater with the light grey cover is so much cheaper and it is still a good enough sofa.

As soon as the snow outside is gone (it still isn’t) I will .order the sofa. The only way to get it into the living room and the old one out is doing it via the patio and the garden. As long as the snow hasn’t melted fully that is a very slippery and wet way to go. But soon…

garden, ice, snow

The way through the garden. Photo: ©nini-tjader.2018

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

Moving carpets around

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Present carpet in livingroom. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

So, I finally got around to moving carpets and switching them between the bedroom and the livingroom. I thought about it for quite some time, but then when I fell on the large stone and hurt my chest, and after that got a severe cold with a cough… Couldn’t execute the switch for quite some time.  Could just think about it. All is well now again and I did the switch about a week ago, all by myself. Had some help in the bedroom by neighbour in the end as it is tricky to move a carpet in under the bed at the same time as you lift the bed. Hard and sweaty work because it also included moving furniture in the livingroom (and moving it back again after the switch).

carpet, rug, livingroom

Carpets in the livingroom. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The beige carpet started its life in the kitchen. It drove me nuts there because it was really hard to move chairs out and in from the kitchentable with this carpet. I then moved it to the bedroom, under the bed, where it has been until now. Lately I realised that it would be much better in the livingroom. In preparation for a new sofa it was time to mover it again.

carpet, rug, livingroom

Livingroom carpets. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The longhaird wool-carpet I had in the livingroom, I moved to the bedroom. I might not keep it there. It is nice underfoot when you get out of bed, but it needs cleaning.

carpet, rug, bedroom

This rug is much smaller than the one I moved to the livingroom.

rug, carpet, bedroom

The rug in the bedroom. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

carpet, rug, bedroom

Carpet in the bedroom. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

And yes, I DO want a carpet under the bed, despite the dust that collects there. Small rugs at the side of a bed is an accident risk. You risk flying away on those smaller one if it moves on the floor. So a heavier carpet, firmly stuck under the bed is the thing. I might change to the blue one I have in storage though. This long-haired off-white wool-carpet looks dirtier here than it did in the livingroom… That will probably look worse when I switch to my all white bed-cover (which I first have to clean) as this carpet is not all white to begin with.

I am happy with the result in the livingroom though.

Posted by nini in bedroom, carpets, Interior Design, livingroom, Thoughts, 0 comments

Sofa time again

sofa

My present sofa, an IKEA Karlstad 2-seater. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

It is sofa time again.

Sofas come and go for various reasons. I think I remember most of mine… so not THAT often. But now it is sofa time again.

Presently I have an IKEA KARLSTAD 2-seater. The 2-seater was discontinued quite some time ago and is no longer sold. The 3-seater is still sold. My Karlstad sofa has one cover in grey and another cover in white. The grey one needs to be cleaned by a laundry and the white cover can be cleaned in a regular washing machine.

I switched to this sofa after some time in my present flat. When I moved in here I hade a 3-seater sofa from MIO which was much too big and clumsy for the smaller livingroom in this flat. It was almost impossible to get rid of that sofa. Tried to sell it at Blocket.se. No deal. In the enda after much trying I gave it away for free to a neighbour whose son needed a sofa. Just to get rid of it. It is hard selling sofas – or even giving them away – on Blocket.se. There are too many sofas there. I am personally a bit suspicious of second hand sofas as you have no idea what has happened to their cushions… So no wonder they are hard to sell.

sofa, delaktig, ikea

Ikea Delaktig by Tom Dixon. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

When IKEA announced the release of the sofa DELAKTIG by Tom Dixon my interest was awaken. Finally a clean and simple sofa without any thick armrests and with space under it to make it easy to vacuum-clean the floor. It was introduced on February 9th 2018 in the warehouse. I went there with friend Ulla to have a look at it, sit on it, feel it, experience of that was what I wanted.

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Ikea DELAKTIG by Tom Dixon. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

I love it. It is comfortable. It is flexibel. The cover can be cleaned in a regular washing-machine.

BUT, at about the same time, the new brochure for spring from MIO landed in my mailbox. So I had a look at the sofas there. Found one that looked promising and flexible and had covers that can be cleaned in a regular washing-machine. That is actually important as it is very expensive to have the covers cleaned professionally at a laundry.

sofa, mio

MIO Clean sofa. Screenshot from MIO website.

The one that caught my eye was called CLEAN and filled all the criteria I had for a new sofa.

So I went to MIO to have a look at it, feel the covers, get some details and sit in it.

Good enough but not a sofa that made me feel that that was the one. Too boring. Too ordinary. Too much like any other sofa I’ve had over the years.

So I went back to Ikea a second time to look at DELAKTIG again.

sofa, delaktig, ikea

Ikea DELAKTIG by Tom Dixon. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

That is my next sofa. What I love about it is its clean lines, it comfort and its flexibility.

I love the light grey covers and they are washable in the washing-machine at home. To begin with I don’t need more than one lean-to-pillow of the thicker model, and one slimmer armrest. If I later feel I need more cushions/armrests for it, it is possible to get that later. Ikea is supposed to be selling this sofa for at least two years it has been said. So, no hurry.

I only need to decide if I want the smaller 149 cm long model, or the longer 202 cm long model. I have space for either. For the longer one I need to remove one smallish book-case, but that’s all.

First I have to get rid of my present sofa before I can order this one. I will at least TRY to sell it via Blocket.se. If no luck, Ikea can remove it when delivering the new one.

To be continued…

Posted by nini in furniture, Furniture and Decoration, livingroom, 0 comments

New in the livingroom

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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 livingroom window

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The livingroom window 2017-10-23. Photo.©nini.tjader.2017

I have one window and one door to the patio in the livingroom. The livingroom window has a double marble windowsill. The window is west-facing out to the patio. I use that window for various flower pots that change over time with the seasons. Less flowers in the summer, more in the winter and a varying amount of pots in spring and autumn. In the autumn I move pots indoors before winter comes which adds to the number of plants there. In the summer I move pots outdoors which reduces the number of pots. In short: what is in that window change over the seasons.

To get more space for pots and plants I added a sideboard a couple of years ago. Over the cold season I also use some elevated plant-stands in front of the window for some of the larger plants, like the figtree for instance. Under the sideboard I keep the bird-food and some garden utensils that cannot be kept outdoors.

Here are some pictures of how the livingroom window changes over time.

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The livingroom window 2017-03-17. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

The red oxalis was just coming awake after winter and looked a bit decimated here.

livingroom, livingroomwindow, plants

The livingroom window 2017-06-15. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

In June the red oxalis looked much better. Here I also had moved down the Stephanotis Floribunda from its hanging position as it got too heavy to hang in the window after repotting with fresh earth. The fig trees by this time were outdoors again.

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The livingroom window, 2017-07-10. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

The red oxalis kept on growing after being re-potted. And so did the Stephanotis.

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The livingroom window 2017-08-05. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

By the beginning of August my two stephanotis switched locations. The one that was here was moved to the kitchen and the one in the kitchen was moved to the livingroom. The largest Aloe Vera which used to sit in the corner of the window was moved to a plantstand in the bedroom and the large corokia cotoneaster which used to be in the kitchen was moved here instead of the aloe vera. The red oxalis just got bigger and bigger…

livingroom, livingroomwindow, plants

The livingroom window, 2017-09-19. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

When autumn approached plants started to move indoors. I also managed to sell my large red oxalis. One plant less. The two figtrees moved inside and so did the Australian wild pelargonia and the muehlenbeckia. The Australian wild pelargonia didn’t like to come indoors though and more or less died just a week later. So, it went into the trash. The Devil’s Ivy went into the bedroom to make space for the muehlenbeckia on the ceramic plantstand. The plant-light was put into one of the fig-tree pots and helps them survive the darker season indoors.

livingroom, livingroomwindow, plants

The livingroom window 2017-10-09. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

When the Australian pelargonia went into the trash I moved one of the white pelargonias to that spot. That was only temporary though until Ulla came to visit and brought it home to her flat.

I then moved the smaller fig-tree up onto the side-board, but it got a bit crowded there.

livingroom, livingroomwindow, plants

The livingroom window, 2017.10-16. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

I didn’t like this (above) at all. Too crowded. So re-arranged again by removing the stephanotis and moving the medium-sized aloe vera closer to the window. Also the muehlenbeckia got closer to the window. The removed stephanotis presently rests on a stool in the kitchen. That’s a temporary place for it. I really don’t know where to put it at the moment. So, below is how the livingroom window presently looks. That’s OK so far. Airy enough.

livingroom, livingroomwindow, plants

The livingroom window, 2017-10-23. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

As the chaise longue is up for sale presently, and some people are coming to check it out on Friday, I might change the look here again. If I get rid of the chaise longue I can re-think this corner and make it less crowded.

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

Summer whites

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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.

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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

Livingroom – planning a refurnish

livingroom

Part of the livingroom with he corner I plan to refurnish. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

For some time now I’ve been planning a refurnishing of part of the livingroom. That is, moving some furniture around to new locations in the room.

livingroom

Part of the livingroom. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

This is the wall between the door to my outside place and the sliding door to the bedroom.

My plan is to move the low bookcase towards to sliding door to the bedroom, and all the rest to the wall to the right of the bedroom door.

livingroom

Part of the livingroom. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

This, above, is where the two high bookcases in the previous picture would go. The TV and the TV-bench would go to the previous wall, to the left of the low bookcase.  The picture wall would move as well. The chair would go into this corner, in front of the higher book-cases. The pouff on the floor (with a red pillow on) would go elsewhere as well.

livingroom

Part of the livingroom. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

The width of the TV-bench is the same as the width of the two high book-cases in the first two images.

The CD-DVD-shelves would stay where they are and the bookcases in the right corner above would be put more straight toward the wall to the right.  They are presently angled.

livingroom

Part of the livingroom. Photo: nini.tjader.2017

All the cables for the TV etc. would have to be moved. There is an outlet for them just inside the bedroom, to the left. Only “problem” with that is that I would never be able to close the sliding door to the bedroom with that solution. But I never close that door anyways, so…

livingroom

Part of the livingroom. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

With this solution of the furnishing, the sofa would be towards the TV, and not like now, when you have to lay down in the sofa to watch TV. Nothing bad with that though… The new place for the TV would probably be better for watching TV (and not falling asleep on the sofa).

livingroom, sofa

Part of the livingroom, my sofa. Photo: ©nini,tjader.2017

What I would do with the small round table beside the chair would still have to be decided.

livingroom, refurnish

Part of the livingroom. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2017

That I haven’t started yet with the refurnish is all about how much work that is… I like to have it carefully planned in my head before I start moving around the furniture and cables. To move bookcases you need to empty them first. They are too heavy to move with content in them. AND I would be without TV and internet during the move of all the cables.

I will do this one day in the near future though. I’ll report with pictures when it is done.

Posted by nini in furniture, Furniture and Decoration, Interior Design, livingroom, 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.

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

My third flat, Rondovägen 30

Rondovägen 30

My third flat, Rondovägen 30. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

My third flat, was at Rondovägen 30, in Huddinge, just south of Stockholm. I lived there for about seven years.

It was a three-story, end of terrace house with a loft for storage at the top, three bedrooms and a large storage room at the bottom without windows. Small garden-area all around the house. It was the first time in my life that I lived directly on the ground with direct access to grass and nature. I loved it, but didn’t know all that much about plants then.

Rondovägen 30

My third flat, Rondovägen 30, Sofa-chairs.

Janne and I moved in here on September 9th, 1986. Janne moved out and on to Eskilstuna some time in 1991 when we separated. I moved on from here on November 26th, 1992 as I couldn’t afford the rent any longer all by myself. I then moved on to Bäckgårdsvägen 31, also in Huddinge. (No pictures on that page yet, only the floor plan).

Rondovägen 30

My third flat, Rondovägen 30, The stairs to upstairs. Photo:©nini.tjader.1992

For a plan of the house at Rondovägen 30, and all the pictures, go here.
Might take some time to load, be patient… 😉

Posted by nini in bedroom, Flats, Housing, Interior Design, kitchen, livingroom, 0 comments