I'm perfectly aware that posting about Impressionen (and other non-U.S. websites) can frustrate (sorry!) but decor8 is not merely a blog about shopping. While I want to be a resource that you think of when you're looking for the perfect sofa or some art, decor8 is a catalog of ideas, places, people, and things that I find inspiring enough to share no matter where they may be based in the world. Of course, I try to make sure that things are available online for purchasing in case I found the ideal piece you've been seeking, but unfortunately not all websites ship to where some of us live and not all of them are even in English. Like Impressionen.

My goal is to expose you to design that you may not see in your part of the world, and though many read this site from America, there are others tuning in from parts of Europe, South America, Asia, Australia, I'm often amazed when I look at my stats! And while a store like Impressionen isn't in English and doesn't ship to America, I have to consider that German readers and others may really enjoy this resource and for the rest of us we can simply enjoy viewing how products are arranged, checking out current trends, and to see how you may be able to use some of the things in your home currently in new ways (like a standing mirror shown above, for instance. Looks great arranged in this way, doesn't it?).

Sometimes a reader will write in upset with me (with CAPS on!) asking why I bother posting stuff they cannot buy from time to time. Well it's simple and I'll quote Morrissey (a personal favorite singer-songwriter), "America is not the world". There is much more out there to embrace, more to see and be inspired by, than what's available on our own shores. And while I love American design and support designers here (obviously because I write about them a majority of the time), I'm forever fascinated by what's going on in the world of design in other places to.

Back on the subject of Impressionen, though they are based in Germany I think their products reflect what is equally trendy in Scandinavia, Switzerland, the Netherlands, even regions of France and beyond. When I'm in Germany each year I hop on trains and planes and buy heaping truckloads of European design magazines that I cannot buy here in the states so I can see what's going on. And I visit tons of stores and interview designers there. I also recently started attending design trade shows since '06, so I'm starting to recognize what some of the current trends are over in northern Europe like gray paired with pale lilac, Modern with lots of white and pops of color, silver with gold, black with white, cottage, rustic (atlers, twigs as mirror frames, etc.), and ethnic eclectic in bright colors like chartreuse, fuschia, teal... Plus with blogstars like Emma in Stockholm, Danielle in the Netherlands, and Bowie in London, how can any avid blog reader not start to catch on to these design trends over time?

And of course, though the trends abroad are similar to what we see here in America, the decorating styles and overall taste level differs according to culture so how one country translates Ethnic style (for example) can look a little different from how say, we Americans perceive it. It's important to look outside of your home country to see what's hot -- it keeps our minds open and helps us to see some of the things we currently own in a different light. Remember how Kylie had a negative view of IKEA until she went to Europe? Kylie returned to America with a whole new perspective on IKEA finds and now she's a believer. It's all about exposing yourself to new ideas when it comes to design and decorating!

(images from impressionen)