2012 : We Did It!

Dear blogfriends,

How are you feeling at the end of 2012?

I have to say that for me, 2012 was a very very intense year and I am feeling totally washed out!

Let's share the big moments!

1. The most intense and life changing experience was guiding our little Anouk through her first year.

First days at daycare...

(can you tell how tired we are?)

First birthday...

First steps...

And so much more nice moments...

(with my grandmother who passed away this year)

2. Another very exhausting experience was moving into our new home!

It was in march...

For the moment, the only room we really invested is the living room (although we are working a lot on a built-in closet in the bedroom, but it's far from done!)

This is how it looked the first month we moved in. I still think the look is cute and it makes me smile :-)

Then we built the storage unit...

And got a modular couch and a new rug... and a piano... and some cabinets...

This is how it looks right now with our Holidays decor...

3. I started this blog! And it is a very fun experience! I reached 100 post last week :-)) Thank you for coming here!

4. We had some very fun times too. Like our holidays in Thailand...

Two weeks of pure rest!

5. And eventually, usually I want to avoid political and economic topics on my blog, but I have to say that this year has been really really sad on that level. I worry about the economical crisis and really don't think we are facing it like we should. I think this crisis should be an opportunity to be creative and to think about new ways of living together, which includes more environmental concerns...

Anyway, I am grateful for every moment spend with my familly and friends.

I am grateful for all the comfort I have (from a warm home, to drinking water, a lovely interior, the love I receive and share every day).

I am grateful to be healthy and to have a decent job.

I WISH YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Top 3 Best DIY / Before-After 2012

Dear blogfriends,

Today, I'm sharing with you what I consider as the three 2012's best DIY/before-after.

For me, a good DIY/before-after as to be creative, cheap, easy (by this I don't mean it's not asking a lot of work, I rather mean it's asking easy to find materials and no particular skills) and, of course, beautiful!

1. Little Green Notebook kitchen makeover :

No surprise that Jenny Komenda won the first place! She is a genius at transforming things. She has an incredible taste and if I just could follow one blog, it would be hers.

This is her kitchen redo. Believe it or not, it cost less than 100 $.

(I love the persimmon drawers)

This is how the kitchen looked before :

Credit : Little Green Notebook


Her landlord should bless her!

2. Weekday Carnival's Dinning Room

Another talented blogger is Riikka Kantinkoski, behing the finnish blog Weekday Carnival. This year she redid her dinning room with a DIY concrete table and geometric wall.

Credit : Weekday Carnival

The table is originally from Ikea. I know, this is insane!

(She also sells beautiful prints).

3. Tête d'Ange's concrete floor

I recently discovered Tête d'Ange's blog. It is a very resourceful blog for DIY and origami's.

I have a crush for her living room concrete-ish floor. She found an affordable alternative to concrete and I think the result is stunning. The total cost for 40m² is 500 euros.

For technical details, check her post here.

This is the livingroom before.

She created a stencil rug. I love that detail!

Credit : Tête d'Ange

Neon Light!

Hello!

I hope you're having a nice WE!

I usually don't like typography in decor. However, I love the neon light trend.

Credit : We Heart It

Credit : EM Design Interiors

Credit : Vosges Paris

Credit : Panik

Side Lamps Selection

Dear blogfriends,

Lamps are definitely what I prefer in design, besides art and chairs.

I've been thinking a lot about the lightings in our living room. I found lately this cute vintage lamp that was meant for the desk, but is actually on the piano.

So we still need a desk lamp and also a side lamp.

I've been looking on craigslist for a while. I wanted a mushroom lamp.

I was on this cutie on ebay, but a (very mean) person bid 4 sec before the end.

Since then, I haven't seen any that i liked.

Credit : Ebay 

So I looked for contemporary ones :

Like this replica of Verner Panton's flowerpot lamp :

Or this cutie...

Credit : Made in Design 

I also like the iconic Scandinavian Milk Lamp :

Credit : Bodie and Fou

I've been also tempted by other models (not mushroom models) like the Block lamp:

Credit : La Maison d'Anna G

Credit : valkoinen harmaja

Or the iconic Bourgie lamp by Kartell. I think the chrome one would work better at home :

Credit : Stylizimo

Credit : Stylizimo

Credit : Made in Design

I don't know which one I prefer. Most of them are quite a budget, which makes the choice even more difficult. which one do you prefer?

For the desk, however, I found this very cute and budget friendly lamp (19,99 euros) at Ikea. what do you think?

Credit : Ikea

Rug Love

Dear blogfriends,

I hope you spend very nice times with your loved ones these last days...

Let's start slowly after these crazy days with a rug I really love! Do you know where to find it?

Lots of people I know doesn't like rugs (maybe because of the few affordable options), but I think it is sooo important to finish a room and to add some cozyness.

Credit : Valkoinenharmaja

Credit : Elle Decor

Edit : The rug in the first pic is from Linie Design

Have a Nice WE

Dear blogfriends,

This afternoon, we're heading to my parents house to celebrate Christmas.

I wish you a pretty and joyfull long WE.

Via : La La Lovely

Please, Let This Be My House!

Sometimes, while I'm on Pinterest, I see a room which is looks kind-off to mine: wooden floor, big open space, white walls, and a gallery wall :

So, of course, I want to know more about it and get inspired...

This time, I don't know if am glad or desperate I clicked to see the full tour.

This house is perfection! My dream come true...

And this shows how far I am from it.

I love EVERY DETAIL (those make the difference!)

Black against white : perfection

Arco lamp : perfection

Marble counter top and back splash : perfection

Black lacquered Thonet chairs : perfection

White Saarinen table : perfection 

Look at this vignette :

Even the heaters are cute.

And the cart! (We have the same at work : it doesn't look as cool as it does here!)

The kilims : perfection

The wire side table : perfection

This black and soft wall to wall carpet : perfection

The art : perfection

Even the laundry basket : perfection

Credit : Lovely Life

(This is the house of Sanna Fischer Nordström.)