The colourful flat

I love house tours. It is always exciting to see how other people live. Today I came across this beautiful flat in Amsterdam with bursts of colours!

A Kartell lamp designed by our very own Philippe Starck.

 Orange walls in the conservatory paired with pink chairs is a daring choice - but it works.

All photos: Bolig

Goodbye to summer

Photo: Marie Claire Maison

A garden on the Greek island of Sérifos. Summer (and my trip - more later) is truly over so here is goodbye to summer and hello to autumn.

What do you like about autumn? Do you incorporate the seasons into your interior?

Italian impressions II

Dear Friend, today I will take you on a walk on Via Santa Sabina on the Aventino in Rome.

When a was young I used to come up here because it was a calm part of Rome and, at the end of the road was something breathtakingly beautiful.

The Maltese Order at the end of the street. Isn't it a beautiful building? There used to be no one but nowadays this little secret must have made is way into the Lonely Planet or Rough Guide. There were lots of tourists under the watchful eye of the fit young men from the Italian military.

At the door of the Maltese Order there is the letter box and if you look though the keyhole.......

.....you see a perfect miniature 'painting' of Rome with the dome of San Pietro in the centre.

These snapshots do no justice as the keyhole is too small for the camera lens. So you have to go yourself next time you are in Rome!

Thanks for joining me on the field trip today. I am going to the park around the corner now and enjoy this view.

All photos: European Chic

First view

The first thing people see upon entering your abode is the hallway. Good reaon to pay special attention to this area. I think in your hallway you can be bolder than the rest of the house since you don't actually spend much time here. In Europe most houses and flats tend to have hallways unlike in the New World where you stand in the living/dining/kitchen area upon entering. It opens up the space for sure but may not be so practically.

Here are some inspirations.

Photo: Living etc.

A glass stairway lets light pass through and makes the hallway look bigger.

Photo: Elle Decor

Coco Chanel enters a chateau in the film `Coco avant Chanel`

Photo: Living etc.

White hall way with the coveted Saarinen table.

Photo: Home Beautiful

Simple and uncluttered. Check out the floor. So much character.

Parisian Mini-mart

All photos: European Chic

We finally went to L' Entrepot in Paris' 16th arrondissement to see what the hype is all about. Its a design store in a cool industrial space which contrasts nicely with the affluent ' bcbg' stores in the neighbourhood. You can easily miss the staircase leading to L' Entrepot. They sell everything from furnitures to party decoration, from clothes to greetings cards and Paris books. Oh, and delicately carved birds as you can see.

Domestic bazaar

We're back to Sweden today. What a georgeous flat! Lately I am drawn to white and black (but this is not always the case). I love the fireplaces (they are reason enough to move to Sweden), the floors, and the mismatched chairs. The space is so calm that it is hard to believe that a couple with young children lives here.

What about you? Do you prefer a colourful home?

All photos: Sköna Hem

Turkish Impressions II

Remember that we went to the Istanbul bazaars some time ago. Today the devil is in the details. What I find so exciting about Istanbul is that the city is so dynamic. In Istanbul East meets West.

The last two photos are taken at the hotel where the German Turkish director Fatih Atkin filmed the award-winning film Head On which is worth checking out. (The film and the roof terrace with the view over the Bosporus)

Guest post: Trulli houses

casainitalia

Hello! Today I am guest blogging over at sfgirlbybay about trullo architecture in Apulia in the South of Italy. Here are a couple images of this unique architectural style. If you want to see more (and I am sure you do) hop over to Victoria's blog.

 trullishire and AT casa

   

AT casa and casainitalia

AT casa and casainitalia

Black is the new black

After blogging about white interiors last week I switched to the Dark Side and pulled together some of my favourite black interiors.

Photo: Agent Bauer/Stylist Lotta Agaton

Very contemporary and chic.

Photo: RUM

Black and dark wood.

Photo: Day Home
A charcoal black desk plays off beautifully against a grey wall.

Photo: Living etc.
A collection of bottles (some of them sprayed with a black matt finishing) make a cool and cheap centre piece.

Photo via sfgirbybay

White and black.

Photo: Day Home

Black furniture can look light! Day Home nails it every time!

Photo: Skona Hem
Country style in black.

Photo: Living etc.

A floor-to-ceiling blackboard is chic and practical.

European Chic goes to .... Madhya Pradesh, India

If I wasn't living in Paris I would want to live in India. The country is so heartbreakingly beautiful and diverse (and full of challenges, I know).

Some time ago my dear friends Asha D'Souza and Louk Vreeswijk, a Swiss/Indian/Dutch couple, invited me to come and stay in the Friends of Orchha' Bed&Breakfast in Orchha, Madhya Pradesh `near' New Dehli. I let my friends describe in their own words what 'Friends of Orchha' which they set up together with locals is about :

"Friends of Orchha is a non-profit organisation working in Madhya Pradesh, India on creating livelihoods linked to tourism, preserving the environment of heritage sites like Orchha and promoting cultural exchange between visitors and locals. Interaction with a group of women from a poor neighbourhood of Orchha was the spark that led to the creation of Orchha Home-stay, a social enterprise that creates incomes and assets for families below poverty line while providing a rich cultural experience for both visitors and hosts.

Orchha is one of the few places in India that combines natural beauty, the aesthetic legacy of history and a certain authenticity. Orchha is in transition from village to town and many of its smaller temples throne over well-tended fields. It's a paradise for bird watchers with a wide variety of colourful birds often making an appearance. Life in Orchha revolves around the Ram temple where one can see how vibrant Hinduism remains today."

There are so many photos I like to share with you. If you want to see even more photos I encourage you to go to their site.

All photos: Friends of Orchha

Below are the contact details if you want to go and experience living with a family in Orchha for yourself. Moreover, if you are interested in learning more about Indian culture Louk Vreeswijk is an accomplished independent documentary film maker so check out his films or contact him (louk.vreeswijk (at) gmail.com) for more info.  

Friends of Orchha India
Asha D'Souza, Louk Vreeswijk,
Lakshmi Mandir Marg,
Behind Power House,
ORCHHA 472 246
Madhya Pradesh
India
e-mail: friendsoforchha (at) gmail.com
Tel: Asha: +91-9993385405 or Dheeraj: +91-9098353799