Isn’t it inspiring to see how people live in other parts of the world? If you hop on the train near my house and travel for 90 minutes just east from here you will be in Berlin and I’ve said it a million times already but that city is nothing short of inspiring. The many apartments and homes there blow my mind too because the old buildings ooze with character because all of the original details that make me so happy from ceramic-tiled stoves to herringbone wooden floors and original ceiling medallions (not the plastic press and stick kind!) are delightfully intact.

I first introduced you to interiors blog/website Freunde von Freunden when they launched but they’ve since published a book based on their site that I flipped through in their cafe and thought it was nice and definitely a great way to give the creative community in Berlin a platform to show how they live, work and decorate there. Love it! I visit Fvf a few times a month for inspiration and comb their wonderful stories and videos for inspiration yet I always find myself back on their Berlin-based properties which are cleverly cool though admittedly mismatched, wonky, undecorated, edgy, unedited, yet still super appealing, charming and a delight to behold. Berlin style is very laid back, lived-in and personal and I find that alone incredibly inspiring.

Fvf has recently expanded their views outside of Berlin to include studios and homes in places like New York City and London. I selfishly hoped they’d venture further to explore places like Poland, Czech Republic, Croatia, Turkey, Russia and even more German cities but it doesn’t look as though I’ll get my wish anytime soon as the more popular locations (London, NY)  seem to be calling their creative hearts.

I believe strongly though that whoever starts venturing into the lesser-known spots (not just the recognizable design meccas – too easy!) to find inspiration and shoot homes that they could OWN a completely uncharted market — especially in cities that you barely see in glossy mags and books. It takes risk and courage but I’d love to see someone do something that hasn’t been done yet. Most publications here and especially in the UK and US simply don’t have the budget to run to Warsaw for a shoot so I wonder why Fvf doesn’t just jump in and go for it? They have a wonderful platform for this and are evidently very creative and not geographically challenged at all – Berlin is only a trade ride away from the often unexplored east. If I had a crew of people and the budget for it, I’d do an entire book centered on creatives living and working in cities like Moscow, Budapest, Bucharest, Warsaw, Prague and yes, Berlin (of course). Just a few thoughts…

Homes shown in this post are from Magnus Reed in Berlin-Schöneberg, Rebecca Lamarche-Vadel in Berlin-Mitte and Silke Neumann in Berlin-Moabit. Such beautiful light-filled spaces and gorgeous classical details!

(images: Fvf)

As I sit here cross-legged on my sofa with a cup of lavender earl grey tea and Jo Malone’s Grapefruit candle providing the perfect ambiance, I’m reminded of one simple truth:  Moments of solitude can be the most soul-stirring and magical touch points in life.

I love my living room where I am writing this because it’s the one place in my home where I can truly live and do all of the things that I take pleasure in – entertaining, writing, reading, watching films, even taking an occasional cat nap, exercising, dancing or enjoying nothing more than tea and Amy Winehouse on my stereo. Just a few moments ago I was engrossed in answering a reporter’s email when the bell rang and I accepted a package of books I had ordered — All 11 V&A Pattern Books that I’ve been dying to own arrived along with a jaw-droppingly tactile new book I mistakenly spotted (and so glad I did!) called “One” by Victoria Alexander published by Murdoch Books. One? What’s that? Here is a show following by a tell.

Pages with ruffled edging (oh my!), a few lovely inserts like an envelope here, a small card there… Gorgeous matte paper with a lovely weight to it, lots of snappy travel photos, quotes throughout, layered elements of papers, maps, fabrics… It’s stunning from a visual perspective and though I’ve just begun to read it, I am certain I’ll finish this book because it’s the perfect combination of self-help and visuals.

I must admit, I barely read self help books, not because I don’t need to (ha ha!) but because I don’t like to read them. Too much text, too much blah blah. Often a writer can take an entire chapter and edit it down to two pages because we don’t always need the full scoop. I’m happy to get half a scoop with photos allowing me to explore the missing half, the half that I can search and find on my own. I like books that allow me to come to my own conclusion in the end. If a book that talks about the journey of someone’s life — what they’ve learned, where they’ve been and how they approached then solved their many issues allow the way — and combines those words with photography throughout I am absolutely going to pick it up and give it a good solid flip through. If I read a few sentences and the word “I” is used ad naseum, the book returns to the shelf but on the other hand, if it captures my heart through text and imagery from the very first page then its love at first sight and it will be on its merry little way to the cashier’s desk clutched tightly to my chest. I know a gem when I spot it.

One – Living As One and Loving It is such a gem.

About this book the publisher says, “One is a celebration of individuality and life. Author Victoria Alexander writes with humour and wisdom about the importance of believing in and valuing ourselves. She reminds us to trust in ourselves, try things on for size, take risks and ask for what we want – after all, we might just get it. At its heart, this beautifully layered collection of stories, quotes, reflections and evocative images is about the power of choice and about enjoying life, with all its shifts and changes. Its message is universal: accept who you are and who you can be, whether you live alone, or whether you are one of many. ” I can’t wait to explore more about this book, to dig more deeply and to find out more about a book that is meant for everyone – from those living alone to those in relationships, as I think we all can feel very alone at times whether in a huge family or simply as a party of one in our little cottage by the sea.

Do you have a copy of One? What do you think of it? Isn’t it sumptuous?

(images: holly becker for decor8)

It’s impossible not to be inspired by fashion as it so often influences what goes on in world of decorating. I found a very sweet lookbook for Emmadime Knitted from talented blogger, knitter and graphic designer Emma while browsing around today. Care to take a little peek?

I really like these photographs that Matthew Moore took, don’t you? (UPDATE 1/24: Emma Robertson wrote today to tell me these photos are from Shaun Menary not Matthew Moore. My apologies.) The mood is very sweet and all lovely dovey like. :) Emma Robertson is from Dallas and in addition to her many projects, she pulled together a sweet video that made me smile…

I find the process from the giggling to the planning, making, producing, all of it … Well, it’s really the best part of work sometimes don’t you think?

(images: shaun menary)

I love quotes, don’t you? I find quick bites of positivity or quirk a bit uplifting — even the tongue in cheek quotes are fun because they often say what many of us lack the courage to. This is one I particular like this week because it’s so true, right!?  I thought I’d share some quotes that I’ve been collecting over the past few weeks though I have tons more pinned here although some of those are definitely cheeky and not so G rated so viewer beware! These below are tame and good thoughts so enjoy them today as you go about your business…

a. via moline (source unknown, if you know please tell me so I may credit the artist). b. Ben Liney c. Lindsay Whitehead d. via Jenna Roton (if you know who made this let me know so I can credit them!) e. Ashley G. f. Urban Outfitters g. We Love Typography and h. Urban Outfitters.

Psst: My last post sharing quotes-as-artwork was in May of 2011 and you can catch that here if you missed it for more great art.

(images linked above to where they were sourced.)

I recently heard from Victoria Hudgins who wrote in to tell me about a bi-weekly project that she has initiated in order to combine her passion for blogging and her love for magazines into one abbreviated, curated place called Styled.

Styled is an e-mag delivered every two weeks and each article in the magazine can also be found as a blog post by following the link in the magazine so it can be easily shared with others in blog form, too. She even produced a sweet little video conveying how both magazines and blogs can work together.

Styled magazine will feature new product guides, blogger interviews, party tips and more. All the best, Victoria!

(images: styled)

The latest issue of Gatherings digital magazine from blogger Heather Thompson went live last night, the inaugural White Issue! If you love white, this one’s for you!

It was so nice to see Tina’s Copenhagen apartment and her gorgeous Moroccan wedding blanket on her bed that I suspect she got while living in Morocco. Pretty!

(images: heather thompson)

Hello everyone! Are you doing well today? I’ve been busy working on other projects, including the decor8 blog redesign (very excited to show you the all new site in the Spring!), so my days have been long and filled with much thought. What is best, how should I, is that the right direction, should I try… The many things that pop up that lead me to grabbing my trusty notebook and scribbling down pages of thoughts. Minutes turn into hours and before I know it, another day crossed off of the calendar. But enough about me! I’m here to inspire and energize YOU. :)

I thought today I’d share a little something that I produced for 101 Woonideeen magazine out of The Netherlands. I’m in their February issue (Yay!) and additionally, on their website sharing an easy party decorating DIY. It’s in Dutch so here are the instructions in English that I wrote for you below.

Step 1: Lay out all of your materials. You can use paper parasols or round paper lanterns from a shop like IKEA. Both would work nicely. I like to work with odd numbers, so I suggest grouping 3 or 5 above your table (or as many as your little heart desires!). You’ll need parasols, ribbon, transparent cord from the craft store, scissors, tags, fabric scraps and screw hooks to put into the ceiling. Next, screw the hooks into the ceiling allowing enough space between them to hang your parasols.

Step 2 : Take your fabric and snip in about 1″. The strip should be no more than 2″ wide. Once you’ve cut into the fabric, tear the strip all the way down to the end of the fabric so you have a very rough, torn edge. You can also cut the strips with the scissors if you want a neater look, but I prefer the torn edge. Cut several lengths, just make sure the fabric doesn’t hang too long or else it could catch on fire if you have candles on the table! You also don’t want the fabric touching the food or your guests. Now cut your ribbons at various lengths.

Step 3: Open and flip your parasol upside down (or your round paper lanterns). Tie your ribbons onto it along with your fabric strips in different lengths. Add pretty tags that you stamp with images that you like or make your own tags with the names of your guests on them. You can attach the tags to the parasol with ribbon, too.

Step 4: Turn the parasol right side up and adjust the ribbons as needed, you may need to snip some of them. Hold the parasol over the table to make sure the ribbon and fabric isn’t too long because if you plan to have candles on the table, the whole house may burn down!

Step 5: Tie your strong, transparent cord onto the top of each parasol and then tie securely onto the hooks in the ceiling that you hung earlier.

Step 6: Finally, hang all of your parasols and add more ribbons as needed. As mentioned earlier, you can add gift tags or get really creative and add photos of your guests, tiny flowers, hang whatever you would like from them as long as your embellishments are lightweight. I added gift tags to mine that I decorated with Japanese washi tape and at the top of the parasols I added neon pink and orange grosgrain ribbon for an added burst of color.

Isn’t this a pretty, inexpensive and simple decorating idea for your next party at home?

Thank you 101 Woonideeen for letting me share this idea with your Dutch readers and for the lovely feature in your magazine. I can’t wait to get a copy so that I can see it with my own eyes.

(images: holly becker)

Today is a holiday in the states and though I live abroad, I typically observe them for purely selfish reasons — an excuse to take a day off! In reality, it’s not really a day off though because there is always something to tend to when you’re a freelancer isn’t there?

How was your weekend? I had a refreshing time with friends which really made me feel inspired because Friday was one of those days where everything felt really out of balance and wrong. I hope that you had a good weekend and woke up today feeling ready to conquer a new week! To kick things off on decor8, I thought I’d begin by talking about rug trends. Yes, ha ha, I know that’s random but the world’s largest and most important rug fair is currently taking place in Hannover (where I live) and so I had to check it out and share some impressions with you.

Domotex is held in the winter each year in Hannover, Germany and is the world’s largest flooring trade show. If you care about flooring as a designer, manufacturer, buyer, journalist… this is where you should be each year to see what is hot in flooring. My coverage is on area rugs because I have a passion for them BUT Domotex shows everything from wood flooring to wall-t0-wall carpets, tiles, carpet tiles and beyond. All flooring is represented and seen by over 44,000 international visitors each year. This year they also had 1,500 vendors so plan to spend a few days if you decide to visit next year. The theme of Domotex for 2012 was, “Customized Living”, which is what I’m all about – making design more personal to the homeowner.

Trade show posts can be quite a snooze fest, I know, so I’ll go easy on the photos and blah blah and get straight to business and highlight THE area rug trends for 2012 because that’s what we all want to know! Ready!? There are THREE big ones to watch.

1. Runway-Inspired “Statement Makers”: The first trend for 2012 is to make a statement! Whether that is through bold color, high-quality materials, uncommon texture, quirky pattern… Remember, a rug doesn’t have to JUST serve a function but can also be an object of art for the floor. For many designers, it’s often the jumping off point for an entire room scheme. Floral themes are still popular as are over-dyed Oriental carpets and even your traditional Persian rug is given an update with refreshing new colorways (thank goodness). Some patterns are partially printed for a faded effect, others have bold, quirky frayed edging in strong colors, still others are hand-dyed in specific spots of the rug to give it pizzazz. Patchwork rugs are still hot – whether as individual floor tiles placed together in an arrangement of your liking, new rugs in patchwork motifs or antique rugs that are pieced together patchwork style (my personal favorite). Fashion is truly influencing carpets this year with an introduction of bold color straight from the catwalk: cobalt blue, mustard yellow, hot pink, petrol, leaf green, turquoise…

2. Natural “Organic” Look: The focus is still strong when it comes to sustainability and green living (as it should be!). Nature produces an abundance of materials like sisal, silk, hemp, yarn and plant fibers from cacti and un-dyed Himalayan wool to name a few examples so why not use them? Natural patterns are always popular and continue to march forward with motifs that include flowers, leaf patterns, butterflies and insects, etc. The attention to texture, especially more unusual texture (multi-layered and more dimensional surfaces), is also apparent as is hand-woven rugs with extra long pile and the use of leather and crochet. The palettes are often warm and natural to further enhance their beauty or dyed with natural plant-based color. I’m a big fan of this trend.

3. Classic, Timeless Design (with a twist): The final trend, and I love this once because it’s innovative and fascinating to see old things reinterpreted in fresh, new ways… This trend may or may not be part of the first trend, Runway Inspired, but it does mix in some elements of fashion for instance the over-dyed Oriental carpets in bright colors and a traditional Persian rugs updated with a entirely new color palette (love!). Color splashed patterns, overly-faded rugs (take for instance a traditional Persian rug washed out of nearly all of it’s color, given a single color wash, revealing only bits of the original pattern – a favorite look of mine.) And of course, it’s not just about classic patterns being faded or given new colors, there are even new rug patterns out there that challenge the common stripe or block patterns with tartan-style checks and triangles.

I hope that you’ve enjoyed learning about some of the big trends in rugs this year from my impressions at Domotex 2012. I must add though that I’m always so surprised when I don’t see some of my favorite companies like Amy Butler, Madeline Weinrib. Angela Adams and The Rug Company showing there along with FLOR, Jonathan Adler and others from the states who produce amazing rugs. Perhaps in the future? There are a lot of Americans who attend but few who show and I just know that European buyers looking for interesting rugs to sell to their customers would love these companies. The day Madeline Weinrib has presence here like she does in America or England well, I’ll be leaping for absolute joy… Anyway, just a casual observation. I wonder if anyone has an opinion on this?

Spot any themes that interest you?

I’ll see you tomorrow for some more inspiration for the week! Big hug!

(images: domotex, christiane kroening)