Racks + Books

From my title you may assume this post will be about some dumb new American reality show where beauty competes against brains to win the bachelor or something. But no, I'm simply pulling together inspiration for my next apartment (we're currently on the hunt) and I thought I'd share some from Skona Hem in Sweden and they happen to include a rack and some books and I am simply making an attempt at being clever with my quirky title.

I love the pendant above, though I wonder if little Greta is missing her ballet tutu and hasn't thought to look up? And I'm digging the clothes rack in the home below, not because I'd ever consider doing it now (my clothes are not nearly as hip as this homeowner), but because I had one from an old store in my bedroom in Boston for years and my friends would laugh at me for not having a proper closet. They thought it was so tragic that I had a vintage rolling clothes rack in my bedroom. I wish I could have pulled out this exact photograph below to prove to them that I wasn't only too broke to afford a proper closet, but apparently I was hip and cool to have even used one in the first place. Plus we all know that once the Swedish give something their stamp of approval that things we once saw as strange suddenly become Oh My God desirable.

What do you think of books with pretty covers displayed as art? I see this idea in lots of decorating magazines here where a series of 3 shelves are installed, usually slim ones with lips created specifically for leaning art against the wall, and instead of photos and prints you see cookbooks or artsy books. I loved this idea when I first spotted it a few years ago and the more I see it lately I'm considering the idea for my kitchen. Would you do it? Anything in these images that catches your eye?

(photos: skona hem)