Ferm Living - a beautiful Christmas splurge

Ferm Living http://www.fermliving.com/webshop/shop/news.aspx
is a Danish brand. To me, Ferm Living is all about the graphic prints featured on their fabrics (which are unfortunately not sold by the meter, only as kitchen towels, pillows etc.) and wallpapers and their quirky furniture.

Their Christmas collection for 2014 is out now. Unfortunately, I love it. Even more unfortunately, the items are not the cheapest. But, just check out these lovelies!





Christmas tree blankets. So perfect in their simplicity.



House Christmas Calendar. My daughter already has a calendar that I made a couple of years ago, but this is so pretty and elegant. Hmph. Maybe I should get one for myself and fill it up with goodies.



Christmas stockings. Love the shape!



My favourite. Candleholder String. This one comes in many colours, including a basic wood coloured and a grey version. All of them nice. I have never bought an advent candleholder -system (which in Finland is a must) because I have not liked the versions available. This one, though, I love. LOVE.





Christmas tree ornaments. These are so pretty, too. (But I tell you what - I will try to mimic these to our own tree. I already made some papery versions last year, no reason to not do it this year, too!)




Lovely wraps. And the paper bags are very reasonably priced.


To me, these items just capsulize the Christmas spirit. I am not too keen on the overpowering amount of different Christmas ornaments spread out here and there (I do love Christmas lights and will soon post my two favourites here), but I need to have the following:
1. Christmas lights
2. Christmas tree
3. Candles
4. Some key pieces to pump up the spirit. Preferably stacked together in a large quantity.


Yesterday, me and my daughter had a bit of a arts and crafts session and we made a door wreath. Once the glue dries, you will see the results.



ALL PHOTOS FROM THE FERM LIVING WEBSHOP.

Ikea Christmas 2014

Today it is only (?) 3 months until Christmas - what better excuse to introduce the Swedish take on this year´s Christmas?

So please, have a look at the Ikea Christmas of 2014. From what I hear, it is already showcased in the stores, too.

Nice, big golden star. Really like the smaller stars, too. Maybe those are just cut from golden paper? Not sure. Should go to Ikea and check out what they actually have!
Anyway, looks like this Christmas is golden, at least according to Ikea.




This really captures the Scandinavian winter light at its best. You can almost see the snow outside.



Christmas stockings, too. I predict these will run out fast. Get yours now if this is something you have been looking for.

Happy Movember. This cookie cutter set has to be purchased before November, I am sure. Looks like these shapes will be nice to garnish.





All photos from ikea.com

Design and colour trends for autumn 2014 from Marimekko

One of these days I am going to write about interior design and how it should be done to avoid having a catalogue home - which at least to me is a nightmare.

But to form a basis for my thoughts, let me first write a series introducing the trends of this era, starting from the Finnish Marimekko.

(All photos from Marimekko)



The black and white and the graphic elements are still represented. I speculate the Christmas 2014 will be black-white-grey again, too.

I quite like the design of this fabric, called Ararat. The harlequin motives have been all over for quite some time now and to find something that is even a slight variation of it, seems refreshing.

To me, though, all the black and white is really harsh combo. In Finland the daylight is not as bright and warm in colour as in the more Southern based countries and I have always been dubious as to why Scandinavians feed on white on white. Nowadays people have realised that there are others shades of white than only the white with a hint of black, or maalarinvalkoinen as it is known in Finnish.

Even the Ararat fabric base colour is not pure white, the base is somewhat beige. And that is good!





Saivu, here in two different shades, showcases another trendy colour of this autumn, purple, in pretty much all its shades. Again, in Scandinavia, block colours do not seem to work because the natural light is blueish in its tone, too. I love the quirky Marimekko designs. And the bold use of colour. IN comparison to many other fabrics by the meter, the price is not too bad. Especially considering the good quality of the cotton they sell. But sometimes I wonder who are the fabrics meant for?

In Saivu, the design is very 70´s style which I guess is the new trend. Or do they want to make it into a trend and put on store shelves the fabrics that were designed in that era? To  me, I understand the success of the harlequin-lead circus theme which has been in quite some time now. But the dungy 70´s..?

Yea or nay?





Next time I will continue on this note with another Scandinavian brand.