Guest Post | Happy Interior Blog : Plants in interior

Salut design aficionados! My name is Igor and I am writing the Germany based Happy Interior Blog covering all topics that inspire me to a happy home. I am very happy that Si asked me to entertain you with some interior topics while she is off to one of the most exciting cities ever - Paris. 

Currently I am in love with plants in interiors. I've got myself one cactus and a succulent, plus I brought an aloe vera plant all the way from the Canary island Fuerteventura. But I digress. Here are a few inspirations of plants in interiors. 

Sources : 1. 2. 3. 4

What is it about plants in interiors? First of all, plants add a touch of nature into our homes connection our inner world to the outer environment. The fresh, airy look works perfectly in any kind of interior design: from white washed Scandinavian spaces, over minimalistic design lofts to eclectic homes with a vibrant mix of design and decoration elements.  

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And there is no excuse for not including living plants into your happy home, too. Yes, believe me, there are 'no green thumb' plants, too. Just take me as an example. Succulents and cacti are happy with the least attention ever. Oh, and they do look so fancy. Right now. Or as I would put it in French: Très tendance! 

Cheers, 

Igor

Happy Interior Blog

Guest Post | Simply Grove

Hi everyone! Kirsten Grove from Simply Grove here! I am so honored to be guest posting for Si today. She has created a beautiful thing here at French By Design.

I am an interior stylist based in Boise Idaho. I also write my blog as well as blog for others including Better Homes and Gardens. You could say that I am very passionate about interior design so talking about it is sheer delight.

With spring here and summer just around the corner, I am craving greenery. I love what plants add to a space. You can never go wrong with green and you can never go wrong with anything living. Adding a plant to your buffet, shelves or dresser top creates an instant organic detail that can't be duplicated by anything else. Also, if you don't have a surface to display plants, there are a variety of cool hanging pots available. However you choose to spread green love, have fun and get creative!

Kirsten

Simply Grove

Image Sources : 1.2.3.4

Guest Post | La Maison d'Anna G.

Hi, I'm Anna from La Maison d'Anna G. I live in Paris since many years and although I love the French way of living, I've stayed true to my Swedish origins when it comes to design. La Maison d'Anna G. is a blog about Scandinavian design and interiors, and also a webshop with a handpicked selection of beautiful Scandinavian accessories for your home (yes, we ship worldwide!). 

I'm very happy and honored to stand in for Si here today while she is enjoying her stay in France! 

2013 is the year when we see green and greenery everywhere. First of all Pantone's emerald green, the lush and radiant colour of the year 2013. The green nature also continues to inspire and we decorate our homes with large plants, branches and potted flowers. 

Finally, the urban gardening trend is stronger than ever this year. Pots, balconies or rooftops, no surface is too small to grow your own vegetables and add a little greenery to the cityscape! 

Hello, je suis Anna de La Maison d'Anna G. Je vis à Paris depuis de nombreuses années et même si j'adore le mode de vie à la française, je suis restée fidèle à mes origines suédoises lorsqu'il s'agit de design. La Maison d'Anna G. est un blog sur le design et la déco scandinave, et aussi une boutique en ligne où l'on trouve une sélection triée sur le volet de jolis accessoires scandinaves pour la maison (oui, on livre partout dans le monde!). 
Je suis ravie et honorée de remplacer Si ici aujourd'hui pendant qu'elle profite de son séjour en France!

2013 est l'année où le vert et la verdure sont partout. D'abord le vert émeraude de Pantone, la couleur luxuriante et radieuse de l'année 2013. La nature verte continue aussi à nous inspirer et on rajoute des grandes plantes, des branches et des pots de fleurs à notre déco. 

Enfin, le jardinage urbain est une tendance qui se confirme plus que jamais cette année. En pot, sur le balcon ou sur le toit, aucune surface est trop petite pour faire pousser ses propre légumes et rajouter un peu de verdure au paysage urbain! 

Photo Credits and Sources : Patric Johansson - Ikea Livet Hemma - Freunde von Freunden - Pia Ulin - styling by Lotta Agaton - Svenskt Tenn/ Familystylefood - Anna Gillar / mariaemb - Roland Persson via Pariah-Muse - Nordic Design Collective via Loveliegreenie

Oh la la, j'aime!

Today, I'm loving this simple and clean kitchen/family room / dining space. Exposed white washed brick walls, raw wood, simple lines. This space is so inviting!

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J'aime cet espace cuisine/ salle à manger : ses murs de briques blanchies exposées, le bois brut du plan de travail, et ses formes simples. Quel espace convivial! 

Trend Alert : Recycled beds

In love with these raw wooden beds, made out of recycled planks of wood. They have so much personality and add warmth to any room. Which one is your favorite?

J'aime cette sélection de structures de lit fabriquées à partir de planches de bois brut. Elles donnent tellement de caractère à ces chambres à coucher! Laquelle est votre préférée?

Sources : Katty Shiebeck via Hege in France - Cote Sud - Elle Decor via Houzz

Blog crush: Loppelilla

It's not often these days, with such a busy blogosphere activity and image overload to find a blog that seriously makes your heart beat faster every time you stop by. In the deliciously curated Loppelilla blog, Irene, mother of two, living on the Norway west coast, loves flea markets, knitting, her Irish setter dog and nature. She shoots glimpses of the everyday magic she encounters, whether at home or outdoors with such authenticity can you can almost smell the wood bee wax or coffee in her kitchen and hear the sound of the cold wind in the Norwegian woods ... Loppelilla blog is a treat and in these days of cold weather and pre-holiday season, it's the perfect spot to hang out and enjoy the everyday beauty the world has to offer. And if like me, you can't get enough of Irene's magic, follow her through Instagram... Irene, merci!

 

 

 

All Pictures courtesy of Irene Finne - Loppelilla

Ce n'est pas souvent, avec une blogosphère tellement prospère en activité et en images que l'on trouve un blog qui vous fait chavirer systématiquement, à chaque visite. Loppelilla est le blog d'Irène, maman de 2 enfants et habitant la côte ouest de la Norvège. Irène aime les brocantes, le tricot, son setter irlandais et la nature. Derrière sa camera, elle prend en photo tout ce qui est beau, dans son intérieur comme lors de ses sorties en nature. Son traitement de l'image est tellement authentique que l'on peut presque sentir l'odeur de la cire a bois ou du cafe dans sa cuisine, ou sentir le souffle du vent froid dans la foret norvégienne. Loppelilla est un délice que l'on savoure particulièrement en ces périodes de temps froids et de préparatifs aux fêtes de fin d'année, et l'on ne peut que s'émerveiller de la beauté simple, brute qui nous entoure tous les jours. 

Si, comme moi, vous ne pouvez pas vous passer de la magie des photos d'Irène, vous pouvez également la suivre sur Instagram. Irène, un grand merci!

Today, I'm loving...

Woah, love, love, love this kitchen... Can you imagine yourself cooking with such a view to the garden? That's what I miss the most in my current kitchen... a view... What is striking to me is that the kitchen is very modern, very structured, but it's all balanced by the green scenery of the outdoors. WoAh!

Wouah, quelle cuisine... Imaginez-vous cuisinant dans cet espace, avec cette vue! C'est ce qui me manque le plus dans notre cuisine actuelle... une vue... Ce qui me frappe dans cet espace, c'est que la cuisine est ultra moderne, très, presque trop structurée, mais tout cela est rééquilibré grâce au mur végétal et à cette ouverture vers la nature. WOuAh!

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weekend

This week has been crazy busy and stressful, so my plan is to find a spot just like this one in the yard and grab a good book while enjoying fall colors and temperatures... Have a fab' weekend my dear!  Xo, Si-

Cette semaine a été un peu dingue et très stressante, alors mon objectif est de me trouver une petite place comme celle-ci au jardin, lire un bon bouquin et profiter du bel été indien et de ces magnifiques couleurs. Excellent weekend à vous! Si-

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A cabin by Piet Hein Eek

Imagine a cabin in your backyard. A retreat to hide when too much stress surrounds you. Now imagine a design genius named Piet Hein Eek at work, designing the perfect cabin for you. This is exactly the project commissioned by Dutch artist Hans Liberg. The brief was rather simple : to design an eco friendly retreat both quirky and innovative for the artist's forest home located 30 minutes away from Amsterdam. Oh, Mr. Eek, you are a genius!

Imaginez une cabane au fond du jardin. Un endroit où se cacher quand le stress est partout autour de vous. Maintenant, imaginez que le célèbre designer Piet Hein Eek s'attelle à vous construire la parfaite cabane au fond de votre jardin. C'est exactement ce qui s'est passé pour l'artiste hollandais Hans Liberg. Le cahier des charges était simple : construire une cabine/cabane de jardin écologique, innovante et un brin déjantée pour sa maison de campagne située à 30 minutes d'Amsterdam. Oh, Mr. Eek, vous êtes un véritable génie! 

Photo Credit : AnneMarije Bax

weekend!

Good bye summer, hello fall! I love fall in the U.S. East coast... gorgeous red and orange hues, less humidity and perfect outdoor temperatures. My morning runs are much more enjoyable than the hot and humid summer ones. I wish you a great first fall weekend, whatever your plans may be. For us, it will be some yard work and celebrating Inès's birthday.

See you next week for a brain new season of inspiration! Xo, Si-

Au revoir l'été, bonjour l'automne. L'automne est une saison que j'apprécie particulièrement sur la côte Est des Etats-Unis... ces couleurs rouge-feu et orange et des températures idéales à l'exterieur. Mes sorties courses [jogging] matinales sont nettement plus agréables que celles humides et chaudes du plein été. Je vous souhaite un excellent premier weekend d'automne quels que soient vos projets; pour nous ce sera travail au jardin et anniversaire d'Inès Samedi. 

A la semaine prochaine pour une nouvelle saison d'inspiration! Si-

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weekend!

Enjoy your weekend and see you on Monday! Xo, Si-
Excellent weekend et à Lundi! Des bises, Si-

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DIY : clothing racks

These clothing racks are so easy to make as a DIY weekend project, it's not even funny. Original and eco friendly since using mainly recycled materials, they will add personality to any room. J'aime!

Trop fastoches à faire soi-même ces porte-manteaux et petites penderies qui donnent du style à un interieur. En plus, c'est complètement dans l'air du temps : ils sont originaux et faits avec des pièces récupérées. J'aime!

Sources : Vt Vonen - Kindred Spirits - Stylizimo - Milk Magazine - Cote Maison - Bo Bedre

weekend!

The blog will be off Monday as we are celebrating Labor Day in the US... I wish I could spend it glamping in a bohemian caravan like this one. We'll just be off work, and that's just good enough if you ask me! Wishing you a fabulous weekend my dear! Xo, Si-

Photo Credit : Henri Del Olmo - via

weekend!

Ah, weekend! Is it a post-vacay effect, or did this week just fly by? I could just stay in on a shaded patio and lay on a hammock like this one for the entire weekend, couldn't you? I hope you have some lovely plans for this weekend! Xo, Si-

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I'm back!

Hello! Aloha! I am back, all relaxed, tanned {and skin peeled too in some areas} but above all filled with amazing memories. Hawaii is truly a paradise spot, and its people so welcoming, proud and respectful of their land. I was amazed at how much Hawaiians are tuned with their history and united in their love for mother nature. A truly amazing and life changing trip. Mahalo {thank you} Hawaii for welcoming us like you did. We'll be back. Bless you.

via my Instagram {@frenchbydesign}

Bring your own towel : Pool mix

I don't know if it's because I've been following the Olympics swim competitions or because my upcoming vacation is fast approaching, but I've been eyeing a lot of dreamy pool pictures... For some reason, there are some major differences in the shapes of US vs. European pools. When we built our own pool, all pool makers we met were trying to sell us a "bean shaped"{or kidney shaped} pool, whereas I was constantly attracted to rectangular shapes... In France, the big trend is toward "couloirs de nage", or swimming "corridors"... the narrower, the better... We ended up with a rectangular pool that suits the natural environment of our yard better {some pictures to come I promise}... Here are a few of my favorite pools {sorry, no bean shapes ;-)}...

Sources : Cote Maison, Notre Maison, Bernard Touillon, Albert Font 

Summer Series : Summer Escape Mix

These imperfect raw walls and natural beauties make me long so bad for some summer escape and laid back siesta afternoons. In love with these perfect imperfect beautiful scenes and settings...

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Mythical Mykonos

This clean lined contemporary home in Mykonos incorporates brilliantly local craftmanship and traditional elements of the Grecian island. Thanks to the natural tones and materials, this house exhibits the essence of chic and contemporary living. I am in love.

Photo Credits

weekend!

Wishing you a relaxing and sunny weekend! Xo, Si-

Photo Credit

weekend!

Hey, another week that flew by! And what's up with the weather, huh? We're having 100+ degrees these days... Helloooo summer! {note to self : do not complain about the cold this coming winter.}

Heads up, the blog's post pace will be on a slower mode starting next week. My daughter Maya's best friend, sweet Hayat, is visiting us from Paris for 3 full weeks {to improve her English level} of fun, so we'll have to show her the American way of life {any idea as to what we should show her would be greatly appreciated as American way of life is pretty new to us too}... If you want to have a peek at what we're up to, visit my newly set up Instagram account - I will post all summer fun related pictures...

PS: If you haven't done so already, don't forget to participate in the Uncommon Goods giveaway... 2 more days before contest closure, so vite, vite!

Meanwhile, I wish you a happy weekend my dear! Xo, Si-

Photo Credit