Good morning! There are so many great things to share with you this week so let’s continue with more inspiration, shall we? I briefly mentioned German stylist Irina Graewe back in 2008 but I was reminded of her dazzling portfolio again yesterday while reading Sodapop. I think you will really flip over her so please join me for a peek because her endless talent is bound to inspire and pick up your mood today! She shares several themed collections on her site, so I encourage you to visit her to view them all. I’ve selected three of my favorite themes to share below.

The first is called Bonjour Tristesse. I love the inky blue and gray tones — so moody and sensual. Notice the big shoes next to the clothing rack. Are those not the best?

I also love the mood in her Patchwork collection of pinks and neutrals along with ethnic prints and patterns. I think my favorite is also the most simple arrangement of the four portraits tacked to the wall with a simple string of pom pom trim in an “L” shape placed very casually near them as a partial frame. These little adds are so interesting to me, I tend to pick these things out when I look at photos to try and figure out exactly how a mood was created and what about an image pulled me in. These images above are quite alluring don’t you think?

And lastly, her Culture Club ensemble is another favorite in and lots of pretty pink but mostly for the feathers all a-flutter and the huge rice paper lanterns, you can find these from IKEA in white and decorate them with black dots to create a similar look for a few dollars (they are so cheap, I have one in my living room and it was around 5,- Euros).

Irina got her start as a tailor for Jil Sander in Hamburg and then relocated briefly to London to attend the London College of Fashion. Upon graduating, she realized her true calling was not in fashion but interiors, so she relocated back to her home country to pursue a career in interior styling and set design and her work has appeared in top magazines throughout Germany so unless you read them you may not have heard of her before — which is why I felt even more inclined to share her on decor8! Her work shows her passion and eye for detail and a whimsical approach which is so appealing to me because interior styling becomes a bit dull when it looks too perfectly arranged in my opinion.

What do you think of these images that I’ve shown you from Irina’s portfolio? Does anything in particular about them, from the colors to arrangements and beyond, connect with you on a personal level? I’m surprised at how drawn I am to the first collection, Bonjour Tristesse. It’s not something I’d normally gravitate towards but something about it feels very cinematic – I can almost put a story to them — can’t you?

(images: irina graewe)

We all go through phases from a Moorish design craze to a navy blue stripe obsession. It’s perfectly normal to be passionate for pink today and big on black tomorrow. Truth is, we’re all curious creatures and these phases keep our blood flowing — without them I personally would be bored stiff. In addition to phases, memories often guide me forward because with them, I have inspiration for new dreams to dreams and plans to plan.

This is why I love the work of so many great interior and still life photographers — their work shows me glimpses of these phases trapped in time from the past to the present and is why I’ll never tired of browsing their many online portfolios. Take Paul Costello for example, whose photos are shown below.

Breathtaking glimpses, right? They made me remember my foo dog phase, all the times that my mother told me stand up straight, my former love of faux Zebra rugs (I hold Domino magazine responsible for that phase), my vintage velvet boxy sofa obsession phase, the canopy bed I had to have a child, making out in an actual car (ha ha, that’s not something you tend to carry on for life!), and how much I loved that bedroom in Domino with the blue and white striped cotton rug. It also reminded me of a passion I once had that I’m considering picking up again — collecting vintage feminine mismatched china to use and display.

I invite you to visit Paul Costello’s portfolio online to see if you can find spot some memories and phases lurking in there for you, too. If so, mind sharing them with me? :)

(image: paul costello photography)

I’m about to sign off for the weekend but before I do please spend a moment looking at these inspiring corners that I found in the decor8 Interior Styling group on Flickr. I’m so excited to report that the group currently has over 1,200 members, Sha-zam! Each one of these photos was contributed and shared within the group pool and though they’re all quite different in style, color, mood… they made me feel energized and inspired. Must be all of the splashes of color! I hope that they do the same for you.

Wood & Wool Stool

Ivy Style, Haust and Anja Mulder.

Anja Mulder and Renee Anne

Sandra Juto, Ich & Chi and Dottie Angel.

I’ll be back in a moment with a happy weekend goodbye post! :)

(images linked to their sources above)

The weather has been rubbish in most parts of America. Winter is making the northern Europeans a little mad too. I think the only ones who are truly happy at the moment are dancing on tables in Ibiza because most of us are freezing our cheeks off. And so with the cold icy streets that we fall on and the bitter to-the-bone chill that we feel… these serene visions of warmer days are for you. Thank you photographer Lucas Allen for the amazing visual inspiration that you’ve made available online via your stunning portfolio.

Do you think the Dalmatian is dreaming about Spring too?

About Lucas Allen: He began shooting professionally at the age of 21 and has been at it ever since and he’s now in his mid thirties. Australian born and raised, he currently lives in New York and has worked for a broad range of publications from Real Simple to Blueprint and Vogue in addition to various ad campaigns. His photographs have appeared in magazines worldwide… do your recognize any of these from your favorite glossies? I encourage you to view his work online, there are many images I’ve not shown here that you will most likely find inspirational.

And in regards to winter well friends, hang in there. I hear Spring begins next month, psst…pass it on…