interior – nina melin

Weekly Winners – Women Wonders

It’s of course all about women makers and shakers this week.

1.Nothing says spring as blooming Magnolia trees. Actually it’s one of my favourite “flowers” and if I had a daughter there’s a big chance one of her names would be Magnolia.

Last weeks heat wave gave nature a super boost and the wonderful pink and white buds began to open up. I took a few branches indoor to enjoy this short time of the year to it’s fullest.

The woman behind the vase (not in the photo though;-)) is my favourite Swedish designer Carina Seth Anderson. I will soon write a post about her new store in Stockholm. (Unfortunately she has no webbshop and I haven’t found a British reseller online.)

Pallo vase size Small from Skruf’s glassworks, 3000 SEK, Artilleriet.

2. Since I discovered L.A-based brand Building Block some years ago it’s been on my bag brand radar.

Founded by sisters Kimberly and Nancy Wu back in 2011 they do their own take on minimalistic chic. Add a touch of playfulness and utility style and you pretty much got it.

A good showcase is this new ETC Sling, made of two small detachable bags that also can be used separately.

And as it happens it fits perfectly into the new trend with XXS and XXL bags. But this sling is a little bit bigger and more practical than the 5,2 cm high fingerbag “Le Mini Chiquito” by Jaquemus’ that’s been the talk of PFW.

Unfortunately this special edition of the ETC Sling is just available through Building Block’s own US web store. That means a hefty charge for customs and taxes as always when buying from the States (in this case $80). But I think it’s worth it this time.

It also comes in a black version that will be available from European resellers.

ETC Sling, Special Edition, $295, Building Block.

3.Yes, it was lamp love at first sight when I spotted this Uplighter lamp by London based ceramist Paola North.

She makes lamps, tiles and vessels inspired by antiquities like Greek and Roman pottery that’s been exposed to the test of times. Rough surfaces and primitive shapes are her trademarks.

Paola’s other designs are also worth checking out at Alex Eagle’s concept store. She’s another creative woman who’s personal mix of fashion, interiors, arts and craft sent her store straight into my London Black Book.

Paola North, Table Up-lighter Lamp Long, £395, Alex Eagle

4.I stumble upon New York-based artist Brooke Holm the other day when visiting COS’ new store at Coal Drops Yard. It’s the new shopping destination at Kings X here in London that I wrote about earlier this year. Every month this COS store features different artists.

On display right now are some of Brooke Holm’s striking photos from her Sea Lake series. These are large, aerial photographs of Lake Tyrell, one of Australias largest salt lakes. The colours and patterns of the lakes are beautiful in a calming, almost meditative way. The landscape looks like an abstract painting.

Sea Lake by Brooke Holm.

5. This time of the year my skin is as far as you can get from a glowing post-holiday tanned one. When I try to pull my face up from the trenches every morning there’s a little bottle and a stick that somehow always does the trick.

The Magic Foundation and the Magic Away Concealer from make-up artist Charlotte Tilbury are the new cornerstones in my routine on days when I wear make-up. Starting with the foundation and then continuing with the concealer under the eyes my face transforms without looking like I got a thick cake layer on. It’s looks quite natural and fresh.

The redness I got on the cheeks nowadays and those dark circles they covers very well and normally the cover lasts all day. You can apply a little bit more to the areas that needs more cover and much less where it’s not needed.

As the last base step and later in the day as a quick touch-up I also apply a tiny amount of her powder on the nose and eye-lids to prevent shine.

Magic Foundation, £32, Magic Away Concealer, £24, Airbrush Flawless Finish, £34, Charlotte Tilbury.

Weekly Winners – Going Green

My quest for green always reaches a peak late winter. So this week I’m going Hulk in every way.

1.Conservatory Archives, my favourite London florist is growing. The tiny shop on Hackney Road now has spun off at Lower Clapton Road.

Here you can linger in an abundance of greenery. There’s also a little café cum deli that serves up delicious Matcha and Chocolate mousse-like cheesecakes.

Quirky details, vintage furniture and lighting adds to the charm.

A must for every greenery and plant lover.

Conservatory Archives, 3-5 Lower Clapton Road, London.

2.Italian fashion deluxe brand Bottega Veneta is making waves with new Artistic Director Daniel Lee. He previously held the position of director of ready-to-wear design at Celine, a protégé of Phoebe Philo. So he knows a thing or two about timeless, sophisticated elegance.

In the autumn of 2017, I visited a Bottega Veneta event at Chiswick House, London, where craftsmen and women where showcasing the brands high level of craftsmanship. It’s one of the few fashion houses that has stayed true to the artisanal heritage, when many other ones these days goes for a quick fashion fix. It will be interesting to follow Lee’s approach in this matter.

The new collection of oversized bags with their classic Intrecciato leather pattern now blown-up to XXL proportions and the are close to this years hottest bags so far in MHO. Some of the styles sold out straight away in their webbshop. So seems I’m not alone here…

The first AD-campaign has also created a lot of buzz with it’s modern, cool attitude and perhaps foremost for the fusion of fashion and some desirable furniture. (The armchair with leather armrests, yesss please!)

These green sporty, oversized leather shorts is the perfect mix of cool and elegance. A timeless dream ticket that never goes out of style.

Shorts in green nappa, £ 2095, Bottega Veneta.

3. Every morning I’m waking up on the green side with a wheatgrass super green shot. It comes packed with vitamin A and C, which help to maintain healthy vision and contribute to normal brain function.

It also helps the immune system, antioxidant protection and skin rejuvenation. The wheatgrass is produced with minimal processing.

Cheers and Good Morning to that!

Organic Wheat grass powder, Green Origins, £5.99, Ocado.

4.On my wishlist for some years now, LA-based ceramist Eric Roinestad’s work has it’s own, unique expression.

He mixes the spirit of California folk modernism with the designer’s own Scandinavian heritage. I think I could decorate a whole room with one of his pieces as the starting point.

Ceramics, Eric Roinestad.

5.Normally I’m quite beige and boring when it’s comes to eye make-up.

But this dark, moody green shadow from Danish, organic beauty brand Kjaer Weis had me thinking outside my usual greige box.

Photos Kjaer Weis

The refill system is brilliant and part of the brands sustainable philosophy. The range is free of parabens, silicones, petrochemical emulsifiers and synthetic fragrances.

Made in Italy, almost all of the products have been Certified Natural or Certified Organic by Italian standards.

Cream Eye Shadow Sublime, €43, Kjaer Weis.

Think Pink, Valentine

First I want to say it’s not that I don’t like to give or receive gifts. But I never been a big fan of general gifting days when you supposed to give presents. Christmas, Fathers, Mothers, Valentine’s days and so on.

On a given day the social etiquette dictates that you must give a present. So you run around trying to find something. It’s a little bit crazy, don’t you think?

I really enjoy giving people I love gifts. Birthdays and anniversaries I’m all in.

But isn’t it also a wonderful thing to give someone a little something when they least expect so? That expression of genuine surprise and joy on his or her face is worth it alone I think.

Instead of a mandatory gift. What about an unexpected present on a gloomy, dark winter Wednesday?

That said I’m seeing the colour pink everywhere right now. And I quite like it. There’s something fresh, youthful and springish to it that is most welcomed this time of the year.

And as it happens it’s also the perfect colour for Valentine.

Pink and the sink. Kitchen cabinet maker Devol’s showroom in London.

Photo credits: 3/4/5/6/7/8/9. Other photos my own.

The Weekly Winners – It’s all in the Mix

It’s an eclectic bunch, the five little things lighting up this grey February week.

1.When it’s love at first sight and you’re totally hooked. Then it doesn’t matter that your son points out that; ” We don’t have long umbrellas”.

This vintage Fornasetti umbrella plate belongs in our Edwardian house’s hallway. Period.

Umbrella stand, “Test Antiche”, Piero Fornasetti, 1950s. Auctionet.

2.Right now I’m on the hunt for a replacement table or generous desk for our living room. The one we had there ended up in my study.

On the claim list: Dark wood with some nice carving work. And of course it should be a vintage one. Both for aesthetics and sustainability.

When I spotted this, it was exactly what I had in mind and that also goes for most of the styling. Maybe not the grass. It’s was close to a “grass fire” on social media #interiors last year so I think I had my dose. Otherwise this is pretty much the look I’m after.

Found at Apt 34 via Automatism.

3.These boots where made for sauntering. Had my eyes on these really tall, tan boots all winter. But I couldn’t see myself running around in them in wet winter London.

So when I spotted them on 50% sale this week and realised it was the last pair in that store and it was my size. Well, then it could only end in one way.

I’ll be wearing them with my ecru coloured jeans tucked in. And together with my cream and beige coloured midi dresses they will be another spring/summer tonal combo.

High leather tan boots, now £99, at &Other Stories.

4. “I never fell in love with fashion, I liked the pace of making collections but I never felt passionate about it in the way I feel about sculpture”, says the former designer turned artist Nicole Farhi to Wallpaper Magazine.

So no surprise, she sold her fashion label and left the fashion industry seven years ago to pursue her passion for sculpture. Last week her exhibition “Folds” opened at gallery Beaux Arts.

It’s a serie of female torsos that are utterly sensual and beautiful.

Fahri’s Studio in Northern London. Photo: Louise Long for Vogue.

“FOLDS is my antidote to the world of fashion. I believe there is beauty everywhere, and wanted to show parts of the body you don’t even know you have. The fold of the back, for example, is so beautiful and harmonious, the lines become abstract. And the works are sensual, too.”, Nicole Fahri told British Vogue.

FOLDS by Nicole Fahri, 31 Jan- 2 Mar at Beaux Arts, London.

5.The season for one of my favourite fruits, the blood orange, is in full swing. That reminded me to share one of my heavy rotation albums of the latest half year or so.

The fourth album by British-born musician Devonté Hynes under his Blood Orange artist namn is a fusion of funk, soul, R&B and jazz with warm, glossy electronics.

A vitamin well for every season.

Negro Swan by Blood Orange, Spotify.

The Week Winners – Reload and Refresh

So finally the longest month ever has come to an end. Here in London February is somewhat hard to put a hashtag on. It can be winter for sure like today. But it’s also a month when the first signs of spring pops up. Like what the snowdrops are literally doing right now. So this week I’m going all in on fresh new finds and re-starters with a mindset focusing a head on warmer and brighter days.

1.Pale and dull late winter skin – I’m looking at you. So it was a nice little find, this gel mask from Sanctuary. It promise to bring some well-needed face glow and the formula comes with a “trio of vitamin C super fruits”. For all of us that don’t want long procedures in our daily skin regime this is perfect. Just put a thin layer on dry, clean skin before jumping into the shower. One minute later rinse off.

It’s not gonna turn your face into your best post-holiday one after the first try. But it adds some kind of freshness and after using it on a regular basis for a couple of weeks it has given me some of the most sought after beauty goals right now – GLOW. And with that price tag, it’s a no brainer.

Sanctuary Spa 1 Minute Daily Glow Vitamin C Radiance Face Mask, £9.29, Amazon.

2. I’m right now re-decorating our micro sized study to better suit my work needs. (More on that soon!) And when you have your own new vintage design web store of course some of the favourites stays in the house. So for now this find, a design classic from Swedish high-quality manufacturer Ateljé Lyktan, is not going any way.

It was designed by Anders Pehrson, who is more known for his Bumling lamps. The so called Simris was made for the Olympic Village at the games in München back in 1972.

I was a little bit surprised that they opted for a Swedish brand instead of a German one. But I guess things like that happen from time to time. Like now when Japanese high-street brand Uniqlo, not Swedish H&M, is designing the Swedish Olympic teams clothes for the games in Tokyo 2020.

But back to the lamp. It has a nice padded leather foot and chromed steel stand. It’s big for being a work desk lamp, so it’s quite a statement on a small table in a small room. But I’m keeping everything else quite simple to have more of a clean slate-space when working with different projects.

Recently Ateljé Lyktan re-issued the lamp both, the desk and the floor version. So if you can’t find a vintage one you can go for a new instead. It also comes in white. Just don’t get why they put a red cord on it. But you can probably exchange that.

Simris lamp by Atelje Lyktan, from £294, Scandinavian Design Center.

3. Adding some flowers, branches and plants is always a quick way to bring some spring freshness into the house. And this week I found (via) a lovely new collection of small ceramic vases from Swedish Lindform.

I already have a couple of their designs and one from the new collection would make a great addition. The family-runned company has a sustainable approach and says it’s producers in Portugal and Thailand has good working conditions and ECO-production.

The Spring catalogue has photos styled by Daniella Witte. Over the recent years she has turned into one of Swedens most sought after and influential stylists. No wonder since Daniella is really talented and her style is both contemporary and timeless at the same time.

Lindform vases, from £17 at Trouva. Photos by Daniella Witte.

4. Living in London of course comes with some perks. On of the best being the abundance of excellent restaurants and cafées. When it comes to eating out small bistros serving well-made modern food in inspiring, low-key settings are what I appreciate the most.

A little gem that ticks all those boxes is Jolene that opened last year. Situated in Newington Green in northern London it’s a little bit of the beaten track. But it’s sure worth a detour as the famous Rubber Man would put it. It’s the perfect place for a couple of lazy Sunday hours on a grey winter day.

The interiors are minimalist but with a warm, inviting feeling. The walls are painted in chalk colours or just exposing the raw concrete. Add to that simple, wood furniture. The food and the wine list follows that similarly “stripped-back approach.”

Jolene that also has it’s own in-house- bakery makes everything from scratch each day, including milling grains into flours which will be used in breads, pastries and fresh pastas. The daily changing menu will be written on the bakery’s blackboard.

The duo behind Jolene, restaurateur Jeremie Cometto-Lingenheim and chef David Gingell said in a statement when opening:

“We have decided to open a bakery restaurant that revolves around and relies on the grains rather than it just being another ingredient.”

What more can a serious bread lover like me wish for? Not much.

Jolene, 21 Newington Green, London, N16 9PU.

5. I’ve been on a hunt for a pair of loose, mannish, slouchy fitting camel or dark beige coloured trousers for so long I cant even remember for just how long. This week though I spotted what could be THE ONE’s .

They’re from Jil Sander, the now classic minimalist brand. I remember back in the 90s when their factory store was a mandatory stop on every summer road trip we did from Sweden via autobahn in Germany to southern Europe. The store outside Ellerau, in North Germany was a fashionist dream come true. This was before big, fancy outlet villages became big business in Europe.

This was the real stuff. A store in a warehouse at a factory in the outskirts of a small town. If visiting on a weekday you could see women sitting by the sew machines in the factory.

Fast forward two decades later, Jil Sander is long gone from her brand. But the brand has gotten a fresh restart with Lucie and Luke Meier, the husband-and-wife creative duo. And their collections are making waves.

There’s only one problem: You need a BIG budget to get access to their take on minimalist luxury. So right now I have not decided if this will be a major investment or remain just a dream.

But sometimes dreams do come through. Like they did in Ellerau twenty years ago.

To be continued.

Tailored straight leg pants by Jil Sander, £595 at LN-CC.

Enjoy your weekend!

The Week Winners – Bye Bye January Blues

Today I would like to introduce another new theme. The Week Winners will be about, as you might already have guessed, my favourite things of the week. Everything from a great tune to my latest finds be it fashion, home decor, art, stores etc. It might just as well be an interesting event, meal or place. Let’s go ahead right away, shall we?

1 Perfect timing it turned out to be when I bought these fur-lined Birkenstock sandals. Yesterday’s snow and lower temps made them just perfect for the indoors right now. And when the weather gets slightly warmer they will be perfect to dress down my everyday work outfits.

2 The new concept store from the Swedish COS, is a fresh, new take on their minimalist approach. In a corner position at the new, super cool shopping destination Coal Drops Yard in Kings Cross, London they have created a sleek store/art gallery. One of my favourite chairs designed by London based Faye Toogood has found it’s way there.

Every three months they will display a new art collection. The first one is promising with interesting artworks for as little as £40.

3 This week we got our first dose of real winter weather here in London, so as often as I can I’m positioning myself in the sofa next to the fireplace. A super oversized cashmere sweater and my also supersized teacup plus my new playlist with Stan Getz’s soft saxophone is how I work my way through the January blues. Another record on heavy rotation right now is AM Waves by duo Young Gun and Silver Fox (Love that name btw!). Songs like Lenny and Kingston Boogie has just that laid back West Coast vibe that I always been found of. The album is a tribute to 1970s Los Angeles and in my world that ticks many right boxes.

The rooms at Miss Clara hotel in Stockholm has a sober, neutral color palette that together with dark wood floors gives creates a soft and varm feeling to the minimalist decor.

4. Last weekend I stayed at Miss Clara Hotel in Stockholm. It was a real design treat with it’s modern, minimalist interiors that’s still warm and welcoming. I will do a separate post about our stay soon along with some other Stockholm recs.

5. Been looking for a new take of ear jewellery for sometime now. One style I had in mind is the ear cuff kind that you put high up on the ear like a clip. The other one I been on the hunt for is a design that spreads out over the ear like you have more than one hole. I found one from Danish designer Pernille Lauridzen that was just right with a small pearl and the golden metal snaking its way on the ear. (To the left in the photo.) You can twist it round to find the fit that suits your ear the best.

Dreamy Villa

“The Villa Noailles has always made me dream”, declares French designer Vincent Darrè in Wallpaper Magazine. Well it makes me dream too.

This ground-floor boutique with it’s sculptural decoration throughout the space is just what I would love to have in a my summer bolthole. Always being into built-in-furniture these shelves and table are combining function and form perfectly.

And that Mediterranean light flowing down from the ceiling windows gives the space a beautiful summer glow.

Villa Noailles, Montée de Noailles, Hyères, France. Photography: Lothaire Hucki for Wallpaper Magazine.

Terracotta Pot Power

This incredible tropical summer I have moved almost all our plants outdoors. Since I’m working and living all most all the time in the garden so why shouldn’t the plants get the same treat? Plus I love having them there of course.

This transit made me realize just how much I like these terracotta pots from Arket. The minimalist, no-fuzz shape makes them perfect for both in- and outdoors. And you can mix and match them with almost any other style. Both the pot and the saucer has a glaced inside to prevent dampness on the surface where it’s placed.

And the price point is as always at Arket wallet-friendly.

Terracotta pots available in two sizes, from £15 at Arket.

Just launched: H&M Home’s first furniture

Earlier this year H&M announced that it will start offering furniture to it’s home concept. I have long been waiting for this to happen, since in my opinion, there’s still a big gap in the furniture sector when it comes to adapting new trends into wallet friendly pieces. Just like the high-street fashion companies been doing for years now. Of course there are some offerings out there. But overall there’s still so much more to do in this sector!

Now the first products has been released online and they’re of course doing their spin on some of the major interior trends; rustic, vintage and modern industrial. All as expected, at very competitive price points. I haven’t seen any of the items IRL yet, so hard to say anything about the quality or finish of the products.

It will be really interesting to see how the line develops. If the coat rack in the first pic turns up in the collection I’m first in line!

See more at H&M Home.

Monday Mint

For this week’s Monday Motivation when the Mercury is hitting +30C on a regular bases mint feels like the perfect cooling colour. Like the swimsuit Attila from Three Graces. Just add a pool and a glass full of clinking ice cubes and liquid of choice.

The old renovated shoe box factory in Shoreditch, London follows today’s theme. It has been transformed into a modern home with some fresh looking features like the mint coloured walls that works surprisingly well with the concrete grey.The built-in bench under the windows is the perfect way to add both siting and shelf Just space. And take a closer look at the details, like the big ceramic urn and the lighting.

The colour reminds me of Prada stores back in the late 90s. At that time they always had a pale mint green as a major interior feature.Holding on to that shoe thing with mules from Swedish Acne. They will spice up almost any outfit.

And then it’s that little detail. The pink tip of the heel.

Mint with a hint of pink. My kind of Monday candy.

P.s. Just discovered long-time favourite designer Carin Rodebjer’s first drop for AW18. She apparently has mint on her mind as well. The versatile tunic dress will work with or without pants. D.s.

Jade green pointed toe mule, £330 by Acne. Swimsuit Attila, £170 by Three Graces. Tunic dress Trisola, €325, by Rodebjer. Perfumes $125, by Coqui Coqui.

The Heatwave Haven

At our townhouse we have what our neighbour describe as a “mature garden”. If you want to be positive that means a lush plethora of trees and shrubs that creates a lovely frame and backdrop for our north facing plot.

And the overall wonky feeling with all it’s imperfections is both charming and forgiving. Perfect for me, the lazy gardener. Adding some reality facts, it’s also a garden that no one has done as much as cutting a dead branch in for quite some time. So when we moved in it was an unpruned, over-grown green beast.

Now 18 months later we have at least done the most urgent trimming and cutting. But since we’re renting and not planning to stay here for more than a couple of years, we are following the strict pot plan. Meaning, just adding potted plants to strategic places.

Oh, there’s one exception! The small patio at the the back end of the garden. I will return to that one in an upcoming garden post.The part closest to the house is in shadow almost 24/7, so that’s not the spot for basking in the summer sun. For us it was just the transit on our way out to the sun.

But that was before the Brittish scorcher summer of 2018.

From being a constant sun-seeker (spf, check!) and trying to work as much as possible outdoors in the summer, I have found myself facing a quite new problem. Where to sit when it’s too hot to handle the sun?

CestitaBateria-EnricBadrinas-2017-DSC05275_1509969127-O1-1

So now finally, that leads us to this post’s real content – the transformation of that “useless”all day shaded spot.

It’s framed by one of the house’s brick walls on one side and a really old fence on the other. This creates an inviting room like feeling to it. Also it’s blurring the lines between in and outdoors. A feature that I always favoured in architecture.

Luckily it happens to have neutral, big sand coloured tiles adding to that indoor feeling. So with that “conservatory canvas” to work with it was not that such a big task to do the decorating.

Being into rattan for some years now and wanting to be able to mix and match all garden furniture for different settings, I decided to stick to the same furniture as on the other patio, the Mastholmen from IKEA.

After moving some pots from other parts of the garden and using our Röshult Urban fire basket as a big plant box our new green room was sorted.

By the way, the terracotta pot from Arket (below) is a new favourite. With it’s minimalistic design it let’s the plants do the talking. Still need to fix the lighting tough. Lanterns and candles always does the trick to amp up the cosy factor. And also will add an old lighting chain.

The Santa Cole new battery version of the now classic Cestita lamp designed in 1962 by Miguel Milá will add a little Japanese touch. Will show you how that turns out soon.

Outdoor rattan furniture, Mastholmen, IKEA. Terracotta pot, Arket. Watering can, Haws. Green carafe, Pinheiro Bordallo, Arket. Fire basket, Röshult. Terracotta linen cushion covers, H&M Home. Nina wears: Trousers and sun hut, H&M SS15. White tunic, Other Stories, SS15. White bra tank top, Uniqlo. Sandals, Hawaiianas.

Magical Monastery

Setting the mood for this summer weekend with beautiful Milan venue SIX Gallery. Always been into places where indoors and outdoors meet and mix. And this is a case study of that with a striking timeless elegance.

The former 16th monastery has been transformed into a design gallery, a green boutique and a bistro. It’s also home to the architect studio of Quincoces-Dragò & Partners. Who together with entrepreneur Mauro Orlandelli and art director Samuele Savio are the creative team behind it.

“we wanted everything, from the furniture to the plants, to look like they had been here forever“.

Have a lovely weekend!

Credit: Photo by Alberto Strada. See more at yatzer. Found through Automatism

Let there be Bliss

One of my favourite Brittish artists is Camilla Bliss. So no surprise that it was love at first sight when I found these statement lamps made by her.

e6351c2c-0990-491a-9394-3542df94e4bc — Lamp Guardian Dome by Camilla Bliss, £1,050, The New Craftsmen.

London based Bliss is an extremely talented contemporary artist, designer and ceramist.

She produces lighting, artworks and sculptures. All with her distinct, personal expression. Playful and dynamic at the same time. Just as these ceramic lamps.

A closer look at Bliss’ multi-disciplinary work is in the pipeline.

Photo: Gareth Hackner for The New Craftsmen.