Simply Grove

This weekend we have the privilege of celebrating a day for just mommy’s. Some of you mom’s are saying “its about time”! We work so hard at what we do, whether if you are a stay at home mom or a working mom. Sometimes the list of mommyhood seems like it is the length of 3 novels but we always seem to get it done. (For the most part.) I think a great way of spoiling ourselves, after we open our new 4kt diamond necklace, is to do a major redo of our workspaces and making them look beautiful!! Your workspace might be the laundry room, a corner in the kitchen, your own personal office or a craft room specified for all things crafty. Alot of times our days don’t allow the luxury of making those spaces beautiful but its time to take a stand! Make your hubby watch the kids and go shopping! Get some cute crates and baskets, buy a labeler and start beautifying that space! You deserve. And since you have to look at it daily make it a jaw dropping room. I have a good friend whose craft room makes you want to sew, paint, knit and try about every craft out there.
So, my challenge for you is do what you need to do to love your specific space and then celebrate by eating a tub of yummy ice cream. Happy Mommy’s day all you beautiful, sacrificial, loving mommies!!!!

Amy Butler’s laptop and iPod case patterns. So divinely cute!

Flickr

Cool Accessories

Opal Boxes from Shine Home

Ebony Sky Floor Lamp at Muleh

Circle Pillow by Jonathan Adler at haus modern living

Lace Table Mats at Design My World

Remember this?

Since I brought Michelle Smith’s home from a more recent archive I thought it would be fun to dig deeper and pull out Mary MacDonalds office featured in Domino’s January 2006 issue. When I first saw this room I thought I had passed out and woke up in design paradise. I love Mary’s eye for design! She has more recent work on her website.

Room of the Day

Lovely!
Michelle Smith’s Home in Elle Decor October 2007

Lisa Bengtsson

When I think of an absolutely talented designer who has ran towards her dreams, Lisa Bengtsson comes to my mind. This 27 year old graphic designer from Sweden has worked very hard and has succeeded at pattern design, illustration design, graphic design and now the most fabulous part, she is a wallpaper designer of one of my most favorite wallpaper lines. Her 2 wallpaper projects, ” The Family” and “Svärmor” are wildly popular.
I was able to ask her a few questions via email. (I so wish in person.) She seems wonderful and I must say that we have a few things in common even if we do live over 5,000 miles apart.
Enjoy!

Where were you born?
1981 in a little town called Gnosjö in the south of Sweden. But now I live in Stockholm

When did you realize that you wanted to design?
I’ve always been fond of creative work and painting. When I grew up I liked to communicate by the means of; visualization, colors, form, pattern and typography, which today has become my job. Design for me is about communicating a certain feeling to other people. The day I realized I could communicate that feeling through my own creative ability, I decided I want to become a designer.

What places inspire you?
antiquarian bookshop

What is your favorite coffee or tea drink?
I love tea….and the best is …hmm let me see chai tea

What is your favorite local shop?
katitzi

What design inspires you the most?
It is different but i don´t have any special, But I am more inspired of old things, photos and other stuff

Do you prefer black or brown? Cream or white?
black and cream white

How did you come up with the idea for your “Svärmor” wallpaper?
The name is “Svärmor” which means, “mother in law” in Swedish. It’s a pattern made out of singular shoes coming from different periods in my life. Why shoes? There is something special about a pair of shoes. It’s an accessory we always need to wear, which changes its appearance depending on where we go. Each shoe breaths a history of our life – some of them stay forever,
others leave only a footprint behind. What I like the most about shoes is their profile, silhouette and the relationship between its shape and shadow. “Svärmor” brings to mind the issue of our consumption society and ask the question; do we really need so many new pair of shoes each season? Do we? Maybe we do, this wallpaper is a contribution to all the shoe lovers out
in the world. But why the name mother in law? Well, mother in law is also a happy family member.

Who is your favorite clothing designer?
I like Acne it is a swedish company how do really good stuff

What thing in your makeup bag can you not live without?
rosch (I don´t know how it spells but the red/orange powder you put at the cheek

Exhibitions: Top Drawer Spring LONDON 2008

Thank you Lisa for a fun interview!!!!

Ta-ta for now!

Have a fabulously fun weekend in sunshine or rain!!!

Blogger Irene Hoof’s (Bloesem and B:Kids) Home Front tour for Cookie Magazine.

Ivanka or Julianne?

2 ladies have dipped into the design world and love it. So do we prefer Ivanka Trump as a designer or Julianne Moore?? What do you think?

Ivanka decorates her assistants apartment which
was featured in Glamour.

Julianne decorates her stylist’s apartment which
was featured in Domino.

Create a room in your brain in 10 seconds flat!

I really enjoy creating rooms in my head. There are endless possibility’s and endless options for furniture, accessories, ect, and sometimes when I am in the mood to redo something its best to just design it in my head or else I would change things in my house ALL OF THE TIME or change my mind on design projects constantly.
I saw this couch at Lee Furniture and thought it would be fun to create a family lounge around it so here is my lounge idea!