Hers & His (Dela & Dele)

Europe is a feminine continent.
Flowers, porcelane, candles, pillows, little rugs and everything "chick".
Well, I am not an interior decorator, but I think the most beautiful home interiors are a good balance between the masculine and feminine energy.
Because when everything becomes too precious and delicate it also becomes unpractical.

I have just ordered this book via Amazon: HERS, Design with a Feminine Touch.  I can't wait to have it in my hands !  What I liked about it is that actually many of the photos depict rather balanced feminine/ masculine taste. That's what I try to do in my house - with exception of my bedroom !!!

I am happy that despite I still have furniture in my old house (fingers crossed it will be sold still this year !!!) that I desperate need, I am managing to to buy new stuff to display store my old possessions. Well, I am injecting new life into second hand stuff.
 I have this narrow space between the two big windows in my bedroom. I was wondering where to find a half round table... second hand ... could not find anything in the net... not in Marktplaats, not in E-bay... nowhere. After months searching for it, I decided to forget about finding one. At least for a while...

The half moon (demi-lune) table was a steal I have found while wandering in Haarlem. It has lots of small imperfections (it is chipped, it has stains from smoking) and is second hand. But it is very firm and fits exactly in this odd space -  that's the most important, after all. I really needed a mirror in the room and a small table for my manicures. I am happy I have found this little table without sharp edges. Just by chance. Maybe in the future I will cover it with some leftover paint the owner of a furniture shop gave to me.

And now a good joke below:

Er... Actually I have passed the limits of curvylicious hahah !

These wood miniature mannequins I have found in Southern France and in Brugges.

I adore them.  

An old little sauce from my husband's granny...

Voilà ! A pale pink candle adds a touch of romance.

A Russian pot with a mytical figurine...

... and a Chinese in bright red bring passion and an exotic tone.

In a nutshell, that's my vanity corner. 100% feminine. The chair is no antique, just a reproduction made in China (and bought for half price during winter sales in Nijmegen). I call it a "fauxtique", hahah ! I prefer to keep it covered in this Turkish towel (the kids like to use the chair when reading something or when making me company - and not always they have clean trousers on).

I prefer it like that, without any towel on it. Much prettier like that.
I think I have to order slipcovers in linen.

I have found these pendants in Zara Home, in Amsterdam. I think the tones fit exactly in the room palette and bought them immediately when I spotted them.

My night stand. I try to keep it quiet, with whites, creams, and black. This piece of frniture was too scary white, so I added the lace I had purchased many years ago in Brugges. The Tiffany lamp I lately started to find too childish. I am looking in the net (Etsy, Amazon, etc.) for a vintage model in black and offwhite/beige or cream. Something calmer and more classic and elegant than... mushrooms. (Psst ! The paper bin is now a socks bin, I have already posted about it HERE.)

The rose is fake, and from Danish brand Sia.

The most beautiful (fake)flowers / plants / bouquets I have ever seen are always from Sia.

I bought it in the Bijenkorf during sales last week.

Just like the pink candle, the rose adds another touch of romance in the room.

These both I have found in Germany. Also, unexpectedly.

I just walked around downtown in Mannhein and then... that's it, I must have it !

That is it: my bedroom has calm tones, it has humour and it has touches of romance and nostalgia.
(Note the left side: hubby keeps only a lamp and an alarm clock/ radio - no little pots needed !). Now, it is time you ask me: how is HIS (office/closet) room ???

It is tiny. Really tiny.

He chose the desk at Ikea, the chair he has it for more than a decade. IF it depended on my husbands choice only, he would have a desk with the printer and a lamp only. "Practical, isn't it ?" he asked me. "Sure !" I added. But waht about his dear little objects he has been collecting for years ? I suggested he should display them on his desk.

Among his very pretty objects it is this bear his parents had given to him during their travels in the US (it is an native American work of art) and the coral dragon from Hong Kong. The photo frame and pencil/pen holder I have found in Zara Home (yes, I more or less always shop in the same places - why not ?).  The round pot below with details in gold are from Jakarta.

Yep, the kids are in the same frame as the one on my half round vanity table.

The bookcase, just like the desk, is also from Ikea.
Above: the office / closet room with the door open and...

With the sliding door closed. We glued a large mirror, an old trick to double the space. It really works well here. The book case is from Ikea and placing it so high against the wall really helped saving some space in this tiny (and multi functional) room.

The flower pot is very heavy, made of stone, and he bought in Salvador, Bahia.
It makes good companion to the African basket don't you think ???

Above and below: I love adding some pop or red colour. I think the chair and a couple of boxes do that very well. Otherwise it is too matte and monotonous.

I really love this postcard I have brought from Brazil. I was in my early twenties and studying French at Alliance Française. It is an advertisement postcard from A.F ("Je t'aime" - I love you it is much more charming speking this way")  and the colour really pleased me all these years. One day I spotted the green and red paper case in Vroom & Dreesman and immediately I remembered about this postcard I had for more than 15 years. I think the green and the red from the postcard, file case and the chair all work very well together.

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That it. Little by little I am putting my bedroom (and my home) together. I still need an old wardrobe from my old house we decided to leave there until the house is sold. My husband's office/ closet is 95% ready. My little girl's bedroom is 60% ready (missing a sofa bed and shelves... again, they are in the old house). My son's room is 90% ready (aaah, men are so easy !)

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I don't know about you, but posting all these photos has made me exhausted ! It took me three days (!!) to finish this post. Work, kids, house keeping and blogging. I am exhausted !!!

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