T & I have been very hopless about blogging lately……..we start filming on monday so things are very busy here, filming the opening sequence, visiting families, designing, having summer holidays etc etc- It has all been rather mad.
There were a couple of question people have asked so here are some quick answers;
Lotta, we have 2 dogs but you only saw one as they both go to hund dagis alternate days, stops them from getting too close to each other and ignoring stop..sit….walk etc.
Sofia, if you have a big room place the furniture in the middle of the room, it is hopeless to try and have a sofa against a wall. Also make sure your coffee table is big enough as this take up more space.
Caroline, nothing wrong with shabby chic..men……I think it needs to be in the right typw of house, by the water, Cape Cod, gray colours on the walls. This is not a city look at all.
Off to a meeting now, last weekend of the summer holidays, where did the last 4 weeks go?
TTFN
S
I am sure everyone on the west coast has been having glorious weather but today in stockholm is is rainy and very warm…….if I was a pot plant I would be very happy.
Have a friend coming in from Geneva this afternoon which will be fun and despite the rain I am looking forward to showing her around our wonderful city. It is amazing the image people have of stockholm (I was one of them 15 years ago when I arrived) as a cold, dull place.
However, plans change suddenly…..in the middle of writing this blog my friend has just called from the airport. She has her daughters passport so was not allowed on the flight, her daughter who is flying from lausanne to Boston has her passport and can not get on her flight. It would appear neither of them are going anywhere……..bit of a shame as I have just spent 2 hours ironing bed linen.
That is it from here…….at least the house is clean for the weekend.
TTFN
S
Miserable weather on sunday but still decided to take the boat out. Very jolly on the wave and going through the sluss interesting. rather stressful though as there are always people sitting there with coffee and a bulle watching all the madness of people in their first boats making fools of themselves, shouting at each other, crashing into the boat in front etc etc.
T however is rather good at this stuff having done lumpen in the navy and has good control. Found somewhere nice for lunch and met up with a couple of friends on their boat who make a complete dogs dinner of mooring
Here is T showing me the menu, naturally I went for the martini with 3 olives!
However, coming back to Lidingö is always rather stressful as T turns into a monster and gives me hundreds of order (!) as to what I need to do, I am a typical man and can only do one thing at a time.
Today a miserable monday, looks like another day in the garden with a dunjacka.
S
T & I are so happy that so many people are watching the repeats of the show……mind you when we look out of the window it is I guess a way of keeping warm and dry.
There have been lots of questions about how to get onto the new show, Swedens Ugliest Homes, and it is not too late to apply. If you go into the TV3 website it will tell you how to do it. But remember……only the ugliest of homes will be considered. Why not apply or apply on behalf of a friend or family member…..you never know.
At last a sunny day but little peace for T & I as we are designing the shows for the new series. I have to admit there really is a lot of ugly homes to choose from but it is always the same things that make these homes ugly. The thing with the pictures below is that money is not always the solution.
Off now to walk the dogs and a little gardening (an englishmans favoutite past time) and then perhaps a well earned glass of Rose.
S
As the weather is so average this summer we are trying to grab every oppertunity to visit friends and be in the wonderful swedish nature. yesterday we rushed out to Mörkö to see a friend with the most wonderful summer house on the water.
The real pleasure though is to see the boys having so much fun. There was a lot of barking, running around after pinne, eating goose bajs and seaweed.
I am sitting here on the sofa writing this and Percy is lying next to me asleep after his morning walk. He has just prutted and the smell is awful…..all the bajs and seaweed.
Today will be a day in the garden as I have neglected this horribly, we have 150 people coming in 10 days for brunch so we need to make a good impression.
Thats it from here, let’s hope the rain stays away.
TTFN
S
Another sunny day in sweden….anyone that thinks this is like an english summer does not seem to have been to england………..this is more like a monsoon!!
Today has been very jolly as we have been at the french ambassadorial residence celebrating national Day. The residence is 2500m2 and the garden is 2500 m2 as well. Not bad for a town house and the champagne was flowing as well. A great day.
I was only a little nervous there were some people who had seen our show and wanted to take photos with us and then more and more wanted to…………we did not want to outdo the ambassadors wife (exceptionally elegant).
Very happy to see so many of you have been looking at the repeats of the old show, working like crazy on the new show, lots to choose from that is ugly like hell.
Off for drinks now on Norr Mälarstrand…I am taking cashmere and an umbrella.
TTFN
S
Nu är det blött värre……………Jag som alla andra svenskar intalar mig att det ska bli bättre när som helst men det skrämmande är att det kanske inte alls blir så, hur många somrar har man inte suttit på en strand och frusit i regnet ? Det intressanta är att alla man pratar med som inte är kvar i stockholm som vi är påstår att de har fantastiskt väder ??????????? Tydligen väldigt, väldigt lokalt för tittar man på väderkartan så är det inte 39 grader och solsken på öland vilket någon sade till mig häromdagen och inte mycket bättre någon annan stans heller. Vi hade middag på terassen igår med några grannar och gjorde ett tappert försök att sitta och äta ute och såklart började det regna sekunden vi satte oss ner för att äta. För resten av sommaren kommer jag att äta inne om inte himlen är helt solklar. Vill ni ha ett designtips så införskaffa snygga filtar till er utomhusinredning så att ni kan ge till alla gäster som fryser under sommarmiddagarna. Även om det är kallt så kan det åtminstone vara snyggt, skadar inte om man har ett jättestort parasoll som tål regn också. Nu har i alla fall jag kommit till det stadiet att blir det inte bättre de närmaste dagarna så är risken stor att vi sticker söderut nån vecka, det går inte att göra höst och vinter igen utan att ha fått lite sol.
Hörs snart
Tomas
Had an interesting question about Stora Byggslaget and why people did not get to learn anything from their mistakes.
There are so many design shows on TV at the moment where interior designers make everything look so easy. This was a show in part to perhaps demonstrate it is not that easy. Everyone who applied for the show claimed to be swedens best hemmafixare so it was also about letting them get on with the job they claimed they could do…….not always that sucessfully.
I also think that Martin T is very good at showing people how it is done and another show doing that was not needed. In my mind the most interesting thing about the series was the inter personal relationships!!!
I look out the window and see summer has ended….I am expecting snow by lunch.
S
Dear Clas
I am fascinated to know what has happened to your other 3 bedroom walls.
For inspiration I would give you the following tips;
-Treat all 4 walls the same
-Checkout bedrooms in expensive hotels on the web
-Think that most of the year is winter in this country so do not be afraid of using dark, warm colours
-Always use white bed linen
-try and create a gentle inviting space with what you put on the walls, I think loud wallpapers do not achieve this
-A colour I love on bedroom wall, all 4 of them…………and the tak is S6010 Y50R
Here is how not to do it……….
If you are clever however and follow my tips above……
Good luck and remember………it is only paint, you can re-paint!!
S