Shopping Fatigue

I would never have thougth that this could happen to me, but I believe I have actually reached a state of shopping fatigue... having dutifully shopped my bank cards into oblivion for the past 15 years I suddenly feel weary at the prospect of aquiring more things. It's clearly time to slow down and enjoy what is already in my possession.

It hit me when I did my day trip to IKEA a couple of weeks ago. Normally I would struggle to hold back when I go there, but this time I kept leaning into my trolley to ditch items I had picked up earlier. I'd set off with a list of things I was sure I would want to buy, but in the end I just didn't.

Like this bamboo chair...

 Photo: IKEA

I found it, it had been reduced to a ridiculous £35, it was comfortable and it looked good. But as I sat in it I realised that while I had imagined placing it in the bay window of our bedroom it was highly unlikely that I would ever sit and read in it - I'm far too happy snuggling up in bed with my book of the moment. The chair would simply end up as a repository for clothes, a chairdrobe. Was I going to haul it home on the Wimbledon tram just to for that? No. Ditto most of the other things I'd lined up.

One thing I did bring back was a pair of nifty little bendable clip-on LED lights called Jansjö. They were a snip at £10 each and clip on to the headboard on the bed in our guest room. Having had to plaster and repaint the walls in this room we have really not been keen to drill holes in them so the giant clothes-pegs on these lights are perfect. And they are great for reading :)

Photo: Nordic Soul

Photo: Nordic Soul

Bamboo

This spring seems to be awash with beautifully curved cane (or rattan, or bamboo) chairs, all promising creaky retro relaxation. I'd like to pile one full of cushions and place it in the bay window of our bedroom - a place to curl up and read before bed.

It should be a little wide, so that I can pull my feet up, and with a high back so that I can lean back properly...

Photo: IKEA

IKEA's NIPPRIG bamboo armchair above is a snip at £50 and looks very comfortable. It's part of a limited collection which was launched at the end of March, so I'm going to have to get myself down to IKEA very soon (not that I ever mind a trip to the big blue & yellow warehouse, it's like a giant play pen for adults).

My future bedroom chair actually looks quite similar to the much (much much!) more expensive
Fåtölj 311 designed by Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn in the 30's. Which I can't afford - and which isn't sold here in the UK anyway.

Photo: Svenskt Tenn

 Photo: Fastighetsbyrån / Styling: Michael Beckman

Photo: Ellos

Photo: Maria Soxbo at Formex January 2015 via Pinterest

On Bedlinen and Crinkly Complexions

I've been a fan of white bedlinen for many years. Again, as a result of living in rented London accommodation where redecorating was not an option. Wallpaper is fine and good, but when it's not you who has chosen the pattern in your bedroom you'll rarely like it... When I discovered The White Company some 12 years ago I found a way to calm the energy of my sleeping quarters with all-white bedlinen. And that was it - I have hardly bought anything but white bedlinen since.  Moving away from IKEA and Habitat, not to mention the beautiful printed delights of Descamps, I've roamed the shelves of Laura Ashley, The White Company and Cologne & Cotton for white white white and now have a decent collection to chose from. Always with a bit of texture or a detail around the edge of the pillow though, I'm not going for the hospital look.

However, in the last couple of years I have had to stop using my favourite honeycomb pillow cases as the soft indents they make on my cheek had started taking ages to fade. Walking around with a honeycomb print on your cheek is just embarrassing. Where my skin used to pop back to smoothness straight away it now seems to take on the relief of the fabric I'm sleeping on. So the honeycomb and other textured linens have been relegated to the guest bedroom. Let the guests come down to breakfast with prints on their faces, not me. I am not ashamed to admit that I am vain, and I have switched to smooth.

My latest acquisition is a set of cotton sateen 'Marchelle' from The White Company, in their spring sale on-line. Super smooth! And the reason why I'm mentioning it is because upon opening the parcel yesterday I discovered to my disappointment that one of the pillow cases had a faint yellow mark - but a quick call to TWC resolved it: overnight they have sent a new pillow case and a postage label for me to return the faulty item. Now that is good customer service.

Photo: The White Company

Fifty Shades of Grey - IKEA style

No, I will not be going to the cinema to see Fifty Shades Of Grey. I would rather drool over IKEA's inspirational blog Livet Hemma*

ARÖD lamp, MÄSTERBY step stool

BORRBY lantern, ALVINE/GÄSPA/GURLI/SMÅNATE bedlinen

MÄSTERBY step stool, DINERA coffee cup & saucer

 

STOCKHOLM candlesticks, HASSELNÖT plant pot, RIBBA picture frames

- still life by Frida Ramstedt

 

IKEA PS pedestal

 

LIATORP glass-fronted armoire/cabinet re-styled by Pella Hedeby

 

FABIAN shelves

MALM chest of drawers

STOCKSUND ottoman/footstool

 

HURDAL sliding doors & MULIG clothes rail

HEMNES wash-stand, EKNE wall mirror, FRÄCK shaving mirror

STOCKSUND sofa

KOLJA wall mirrors, MALM mirrored chest of drawers, IKEA PS 2012 chair, PORTIS coat stand

SIGURD bench, VANADIN pendant lamps

SKOVEL wall clock, HEDERLIG champagne glasses

UDDEN trolley table, RÅDIG espresso maker

 

NORNÄS bench

 

STOCKHOLM wing-back armchair

* Livet Hemma (= Life at Home) is only available on IKEA's Swedish web page, but nothing should stop you from checking it out for inspiration. Famous Nordic stylists and bloggers contribute to this inspirational blog so it's a great place to pick up style tips. You can do so much more with IKEA's stuff than what they show us at Neasden and Croydon..