So wallpaper is back! I can remember when last it was big we had it in every room of the house (or so I remember). All things are cyclical, so it was bound to happen. Thing about wallpaper is the patterns are in accordance with the designs or the graphics that are today. Even timeless can be redefined! So when the patern is in it will be great but then comes a day. So do pick a wallpaper that can be removed. And oh yes don’t think that when selling your house the pattern you love will be loved by others. Alright all of that being said some of these are fun. Enjoy!

It being me, of course, I chose the feature a pic with a famous chair! In this instance the Womb Chair by Eero Saarinen 1947.

So what is mid-century modern design? It seems it’s a fairly broadly used expression of late. Turns out part of the confusion may arise by the fact that unlike Art Deco at which time pieces were being created in the Art Deco style the term mid-century modern was coined in the 80s when Cara Greenberg was writing a book on 1950s furniture. The broadest range it can encompass is from 1940 to early 1970s.



I must be really old as I’ve seen some of these pieces dwindle in favour and then make their comeback. A sad one for me is my family had the infamous aluminium tree – alas in the mid-70s when it’s popularity had wained I made it go away. Now I so wish I still had it!



Was mixing my periods myself for a moment (don’t tell anyone) as I was thinking my Egg chair and Swan chairs were earlier but they are 1958. Love this selection of various coloured Swan chairs used for the interview with the young Royals.

Ha! My daughter always thinks I’m so old fashioned but I’m totaly on trend. I however, would like to believe that I’ve liked these chairs before their recent resurgence.

I love a gallery wall! Or several even! Well comes a point where collecting takes it’s tole on a wall. Here Architectural Digest presents a selection. My favourite, a photo I had seen before is the living room of Richard Lambertson and John Truex. OK so the clues as to why it’s lovely, Manhattan and designers for Tiffany & Co.

The “it came with the bedroom set” is not necessarily the most original headboard idea. Here Architectural Digest proposes 30 alternatives. It being AD some of the ideas might be a bit over the top but they may serve as inspiration.

Well that’s a lot. And yes I suppose you may, considering the number of Ikea posts, think I have shares in the company: I don’t! But I DO believe Ikea represents current trends. Yes, there are others, but Ikea is worldwide and thus has its finger on the pulse of what’s hot what’s not. And so here 11 new collections.

Sometimes breaking the rule can be the best solution!

The flats represented each of the 4 characters perfectly. But 20 years later perhaps less. And so ApartmentTherapy proposes 4 updated apartments.

There are a few pics of the original designs here.

Am I stuck in a time warp I kind of prefer the originals?

Ikea to partner with South African designers to create the first African design collection. This has just flashed into my news feed from Architectural Digest. Dezeen, I find, had written something to this effect over a year ago. Alas, I can’t find anything on the Ikea site itself so it must be forthcoming.

Of course it’s a little interesting to me, having lived in Africa and remembering a conversation with someone from South Africa, they almost don’t consider themselves in Africa. Africa I was told was Sub-Saharan and north of South Africa. Best not tell Ikea!