Black & White Cuteness!!

Since the birth of our baby girl, Lilly, we have been the lucky recipients of the most adorable baby clothes!! Needless to say, the majority is one shade or another of PINK! A few very generous gift cards were received as well, two were to Baby Gap, bringing me to the Baby Gap website... these few pieces caught my eye! So cute! 

Miniature makes everything cute, don't you agree?

... and I read somewhere in the Fashion Pages (don't ask me where) that a Pink Winter Coat is a must for everyone this season...? Well, I found this one, super cute but we're not quite there yet, as it's only been a month since Lilly was born.

Natasha

Images via J.Crew Baby & Baby Gap

Friday crush!

Feather light, black & white....

I want one of these!!! 

Never mind that it's close to 90 degrees Fahrenheit outside :)

Natasha

Image via Biskopgarden

(Weekend) Morning Java

Loving a well organized kitchen!! 

How is this drawer for a perfect coffee and tea stop??

Have a wonderful weekend,

Natasha

Image via Pinterest (Sorry, I missed the link)

Black & White Moments

This summer, when you go to the beach, I am sure you will do a little shelling, right? We just can't help ourselves... All these pretty shapes and sizes offered up by the ocean. Well, why not display the prettiest of them all in a small glass box, complete with a little sand for good measure :)

Wanna go fishing? Do it in style... Who cares if you catch anything, it's all about the process!

... and at the end of a long day at the beach, turn off the iPad, shut down the phone and bring out the dominos... 

Just a little Black & White story today, hope you loved the images!

Natasha

All images via Slettvol

New on the Virtual Newsstand...

Does a magazine cover get any prettier than this? Don't you just want to jump right in?

A new Lonny Magazine is just what I needed, now I just need to carve out a little time, perhaps over the weekend :)

Natasha

Image via the Lonny Blog

No Joke!

So.... since it's April 1st, I could come up with some really elaborate story to tell you exactly why I have not been blogging, but in all honesty (for real!) I have been totally uninspired... started a few posts, but realized they were just an "attempt" at posting, so I didn't. I have been really busy with my design clients, and it has taken all my energy and time - that's a good thing! - so my creative juices have been completely monopolized by clients :)

Today I have had a chance to catch up, before I start again tomorrow.... Had a chance to look through the new Adore Home Magazine, and found some interesting interiors - a little over-the-top for my "world" - but fun to read about!

For all you lovers of Black & White Interiors, check out Megan Hess' Melbourne Home...

Here's to hoping for a more consistent blogging schedule in April :)

Thank's for hanging in there with me!!

Natasha

Images via Adore home

A New DAY...

It's been a long while since I set foot in the DAY Birger & Mikkelsen Flagship store in Copenhagen, but with the full on launch of DAY Home, I can hardly wait till my next visit!

The shop is a beautiful two story black & white space, with tons of natural light, amazing clothes and accessories. From time to time I have been able to find a little home accessory (one of my first purchases was a chinese calligraphy brush, with the most amazingly carved jade handle, before these were all the rage, and I still have it). 

I am so happy to see an expansion of the Home pieces... Pillows, art, accessories, something for everyone. Scandinavian coolness mixed with exotic flair, creating just the right mix of texture and interest. 

While color is present in the Home Collection, the classic Black & White combo, so well known in Scandinavia, is ever present... lots of interesting patterns!

All images from the DAY Birger et Mikkelsen Blog. I encourage you to check it out, it's full of behind the scenes images, visits to Oslo and Hong Kong are just a few destinations featured. Enjoy!

Happy Sunday :)

Natasha

New on the Virtual Newsstand...

Well, as it's the 10th of the month, I went searching for a new Lonny and what I found was much more surprising than expected!!!

Did you hear??

Editor in Chief Michelle Adams is leaving Lonny to explore new opportunities!!

WOW!

Well, I wish Michelle Adams well, and am excited to see what becomes of the Lonny I have come to know and depend on for excellent sourcing and newness, perhaps a new direction? Time will tell :)

While this issue was dubbed the Kids Issue, I enjoyed getting a last glimpse of Ms. Adams new(est) apartment, really LOVE this art wall she has created in the bedroom, familiar art we have seen in the pages of Lonny...

My absolute favorite image in the entire magazine is of this African feathered headdress, a flea market find, now calling Michelle's apartment home. 

As a Scandinavian myself, I must give a nod to the Field of Dreams editorial, straight from Sweden. The summer home of stylist Jennifer Jansch is waaayyyyy more eclectic than my taste, but you gotta love the light and feeling of endless summer!! Oh, and the color of the home remind me of my parents home in the Danish countryside (you can see that house here).

Happy Monday!!

Natasha

All images via Lonny

Scandinavian House Love!

It is no secret that I am a sucker for natural light and an overall white home with black accents and lot's of texture... this villa in Odense, Denmark, ticks all those boxes for me!! 

Above, a peek into the large office space with the super cool artwork by Sanne Hjermind. The desk is custom made and as you can see below, there are compartments below the glass, like a giant shadowbox...

What was once several smaller rooms, have been opened up and the wonderful Scandinavian day light streams through the windows, bathing the interiors in light! Accent colors are kept muted and there is lots of texture to keep it interesting.

I bet that fireplace was not always black... but how great does this look?? Love the antiqued mirror above, makes the black less harsh. 

In the kitchen it is easy to see the owners love for furniture classics!  

... and if you can't find the exact piece of furniture you are looking for, have it custom made to measure, just as this console table :) 

I think this little wall just might be my favorite spot in the house... Loving the entire vignette; the black & white photographs from Bali, the wooden chinese box, the Buddha, the clay pottery, it all makes this space feel interesting and "lived in"!

Have a fun weekend!

Natasha

All images via Femina

Sunday Reading

I received this book in the end of November, sent to me by my Family in Denmark. I had seen it written up - don't exactly recall where, by now - and had a discussion with my mother about the book...

The first response from her was, that it contained a little too much fashion for an Interior Design Book, but I still insisted, as I truly find Naja Munthe's world of Fashion and Interior to be an interesting mix, and her universe is - to me - beautiful and very Scandinavian, perfectly accented by the unexpected exotic element. Take a look at City Living at it's best.

Besides the typical Scandinavian all white backdrop, are some interesting textural elements. Notice the high polished chrome coffee table, the black and gold - oh so current - hanging light fixture, mixed in are pottery and wood... and books, boy does she collect books! When traveling Naja always brings books home with her, so her collection is ever evolving. I suspect she uses them for inspiration, as I do mine...

It's probably not often that you read these words in the same sentence; Deer, Art, Parquet and Designer chair... But, this is typical of what you will find in this book, amazing mix of styles, textures and travel mementos, all tied to it's owner by a strict color pallet, making everything work seamlessly, keeping the eye wandering.

While traveling, Naja (Danish Fashion Designer, behind the label Munthe plus Simonsen) also "collects" Spa experiences, and has subsequently launched an accessory line for the home appropriately called CASA de LUXE. Candles and soaps with names like Wild Fig, shower curtains and neck rolls with elaborate embroidery, all in muted colors.

While we all need to get away sometimes, having a sanctuary as stylish as this Summer Home in Tisvilde, North of Copenhagen (I vacationed here with my grandmother many years ago, sort of like what the Hampton's are to NYC), is just plain enviable!!

... same color pallet, just a little more rustic, weathered and raw.

 

It's all about the light, the view and outside living, but why not make the interiors amazing as well... Looks like this vacation home is also equipped for cold and windy fall days, I spy a fireplace!

Many of these images were shot by Morten Koldby, and it is with his permission that I am using them. Morten shot the majority of images from this book and I asked him about working with Naja, and if there were any insight he would like to share...

I met Naja last year when I was shooting for a danish book about entrepreneurship, featuring Naja and a few other successfull danish entrepreneurs.

I have been working with Naja quite a bit this year, doing the images for her book and other projects. Working with her is a great pleasure, because of her always good mood, great confidence and straightforwardness when explaining her ideas. It was also a fun experience doing both living & interior, office moods and backstage photography from the fashion show for the same client.

If you look closely in the two images above, you see one of Morten Koldby's Animal Portraits, this beauty to be exact, isn't she amazing?? And if you would like that Deer featured in the City Home, well, that too, was photographed by Morten!

Munthe plus Simonsen and CASA de LUXE live happily together in the two story Flagship store in Copenhagen. Here you can get your fill of both worlds... Downstairs the sound of trickling water from a gold mosaic pool emphasizes the spa feel, yet the entire home collection can be found here, along with lit candles, books and jewelry.

I love a good vignette, and this shop has many... and really, if you look closely and study what the professionals have done, you can replicate this in your own home!

(The above image was taken by me with my cell phone, hence the glare and all the price tags :)  )

Venture upstairs, and you will be tempted beyond belief... Amazing clothing; restrained colors, urban, ethnic, knitted, leather, embroidery... if you are not buying, at least "feel your way around"!

Hope you hung in there with me? I could go on & on, so in awe of the creative universe of Naja Munthe, but then there would be nothing left for you to discover in the book.... :)

Fashionable Living is written in both Danish & English, so don't hesitate to order.

I am now totally inspired to do my house over in these tones, lots of texture and a Leopard on the wall wouldn't hurt :)

Happy Sunday Reading,

Natasha

Most images by Morten Koldby, with permission, thank you!

PS. I have received an email from MK this morning.... to purchase his prints go here!