Angles from a former culture centre

There are two key things I'm drawing inspiration from in this lovely 18th century former culture centre in Stockholm. First, the way the books are piled high and used to add colour in the sitting room. And secondly the rustic workman's bench at the end of the bed. Of course the rest of the space is pretty nice too :)

With kind permission from Johan Sellén, featured in Elle Interiör via DecorDots.

I've actually just ordered two workmen's stools from this fab online vintage shop and patiently (read: anxiously awaiting) their arrival, I can't wait! Perhaps the next item on my list will be a workmen's bench for the end of the bed.

Any ideas you're looking to steal?

Have a lovely day!

Rustic / industrial Danish restaurant Höst

It's my husband's birthday next week so I've been doing some planning. Since he loves eating out, at least part of his present should be visiting a new restaurant. And with Copenhagen just over the Öresund bridge how could the the rustic / industrial Scandinavian restaurant Höst not be top of the list?! If you love interior blogs you'll have seen images of this before. But honestly? Höst was completed last year after a collaboration with the fab Norm Architects team (remember this monochrome home last week?!) and Danish designers Menu for Cofoco. And word on the street is that the food is equally sublime.

Norm Architects / Menu / Höst Styling: Emma Fexeus.

Table for two please. And it's more for him........honest :)

PS I hope he doesn't read today's post!

Little ray of sunshine in Gothenburg

There are some apartments which feel like a little ray of sunshine. And this one in Gothenburg (currently for sale) is one of them. It looks so warm. I can just imagine sitting at the rustic kitchen table, in the leather armchair in the sitting room or cosying up in that bed. And don't get me started on the white floors and exposed brickwork.

 

Stadshem

Oh and, once again I spy a moodboard over the bed....current trend alert?

A rainbow kind of day

The sun was beaming out on the Irish countryside here at Ballymaloe Cookery School today and although cold with sun beams sparkling off the mornings frost, it was glorious. I can't quite believe the amount of sunshine Ireland has had while I've been here. Don't get me wrong, under no circumstance am I complaining, I love it. I just didn't expect it!

One thing that added even more sun to my day was the multicoloured Blood Orange Tart I was in charge of making.
Have I mentioned how much I get excited when peeling and segmenting a blood orange? The colour is extremely variable, the deep red is for me not blood but more a deep sunset. It just gets me every time. Simple pleasures and all that I suppose.

The other thing that brought nervousness and excitement was the return of mid term exam results! Let's just say that I am one happy bunny.

I haven't done Tips of the Week in a while (sorry about that) but here this very Monday, they are back…

1. When icing a cake, have a jug of hot water next to you. Between smoothing icing, dip your palette knife in to the water and it will help enormously!

2. When baking, don't open the door of the oven for at least the first ⅔ rds of the cooking time

3. Prawns and lobster have claws, shrimps and cray fish don't.

A vintage inspired Brussels home

Hello! I'm back! Thank you so much to Dagny and Marianne for covering me while I was away. I have to say I'm feeling more than a little sorry for myself as I'm STILL ill. I'm sitting here tapping away in my (very cosy) white company slippers and chunky knit cardigan and a big cup of tea (I do love to take these things seriously). And as ever I'm cheered up by a beautiful home! This particular space with all it's vintage and mid century furniture belongs to a talented family in Brussels and was photographed by Louise Desrosiers for milk magazine.

With kind permission from photographer Louise Desrosiers. Milk magazine via Mokkasin.

 The floor has to be the clear winner here. You can just envision someone totally uncool walking in and saying 'OK, the first thing we need is a new floor here' but not this cool Brussels family, they've completely embraced it and it looks fantastic! there's always the reclaimed flooring company for the rest of us!

There are a few more lovely pictures of this home over at Milk magazine, and a full article if you speak French (or if you're like me with errr French hardly a strong point there's always google translate).

Right. Time to get back under my duvet. Have a lovely Monday!

Liebster Award

The sun is shining and the world is a very happy place for me right now. Moving towards week 8 of the course here at Ballymaloe Cookery School it all suddenly seems very real. Now is the time to shine and to make my way (again) in the world. I'm excited.

And what better way to get even more excited than to receive the Liebster Blog Award! A big thank you to Graham Pearson for nominating me. Really, thank you.

It seems that the origins come from the German word 'liebster' which means dearest and it's a way of telling those small blogs that have under 200 followers that they're doing great and keep going. I love the idea and feel chuffed to have been nominated by a fellow blogger.

The rules are pretty simple, I have to post 11 random facts about myself, answer 11 questions asked by the nominee and then nominate 11 other bloggers and ask them 11 questions…

11 Random Facts:

1. My dog is called Rat 

2. I'm a modern day hippie (no dreads, I shower regularly and I believe in doing right by the earth)

3. I speak 3 languages and dream regularly in each language

4. I used to live in Darwin (Australia) and go mud crabbing every weekend

5. I'm currently homeless

6. I hate people that lie and boast

7. I get angsty if I live in one place for more than 3 years

8. I'm addicted to chocolate with salt

9. I'd love to marry a farmer and have goats, pigs and chickens

10. I've never been in love

11. I think now is my time

11 Questions I was asked:

1. What did you dream of becoming when you were growing up?

A sports psychologist

2. More often than not, what is your mantra?

Smile

3. Calling you out: What is (one of) your 2013 new year resolution(s)?

To remember that when people get angry it's not always my fault

4. If you find yourself feeling uninspired where do you normally go in hopes of finding it?

A walk, anywhere

5. What is your favourite holiday and aspect of that ritual?

I've never had two holidays the same but I love hot ones. I love going to the airport, the excitement in the air is crackling

6. What era most feels like the time period that suits you?

Right now

7. What is your profession? If you were to chose another career path at this time in your life what could you see yourself doing professionally?

I design and own hotels. Or at least I did before I started training to become a chef

8. What is your favourite trait about yourself?

My sense of adventure

9. If for a moment you could have the council of anyone in history who would you chose and what would you ask them?

It would be my mum. She's always right, no matter what

10. How old were you when you had your fist kiss? Did they instigate?

13 and yes

11. Outside of your blog what is another hobby or creative outlet you pursue?

Sport

My 11 Questions to my nominees:

1. What do you do professionally and why?

2. Are you happy?

3. Is your life what you thought it would be and if so why?

4. Who do you turn to

5. Have you ever done something to scare yourself and what was it

6. Best moment of your life

7. Worst moment of your life

8. Favourite food

9. 3 things to take to a desert island

10. Dogs or cats?

11. What is your aim in life?

My 5 nominees for Liebster Blog Award:

1.http://thepinchofsaltadventures.blogspot.co.uk
2. http;//rosetintmynails.blogspot.com
3.http://kumbear-xo.blogspot.co.uk
4. http://prettypug.blogspot.co.uk
5.http://kitchenvignettes.blogspot.ie
6. http://thecraftykitty.co.uk
7. http://multicultikitchen.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/domino-bar.html
8. http://www.loverofcreatingflavours.co.uk
9. http://www.masalaherb.com/blog/
10. http://sweetjellybean.com
11. http://simpleprovisions.com.au

Guest post: Soothing Gothenburg apartment

Hello everyone! I am Dagný Björg from the Feel Inspired blog where I share with my readers what keeps me inspired. I can't believe February is almost through - I feel like the time has literally flown away in this new year. I am starting to look forward to the warm Icelandic summer and have already noted down what I'd like to do and go this year. Have you started any summer planning yet? But, enough of summer talk - care to join me in a home tour? It's a small apartment in lovely Goteburg where everything seems to have it's place. I also really like the soothing color scheme of gray, brown, little bit of mustard yellow and wood which makes this home really warm and welcoming. 

 Hope you enjoy this home tour. Have a lovely day and hope to see you on my Feel Inspired blog!

Love,
Dagný Björg

Guest post: Denmark's most wonderful home

Hello everyone. I am Marianne from Nordic Bliss a Scandinavian girl living in the UK who loves Scandinavian style and is helping the Brits getting their hands on it as well through my little webshop.



What an honour to be guest bloging here on Niki's wonderful blog. I've been following it from the start and has always been inspired here. so when Niki asked me to do a guest post for her I told myself I had to find something wonderful. A few days ago I came across these photos on Femina's website and thought they would be perfect. This home has been awarded "Most wonderful home in Denmark" by DR (DR stands for Denmark's Radio, equivalent to NRK in Norway, SVT in Sweden and BBC in the UK etc.)





I loved the black exterior and patio with all the greenery. It is such an interesting contrast to the bright white interiors.




1. Set of 2 zinc boxes + + + 2. Glass bowl + + + 3. Trivet + + + 4. Tray table
I love how they mixed up the traditional country charm open shelves and white wood panelling on the wall with some stainless steel and metal accessories in the kitchen.


1. "Be Gentle" print by Ylva Skarp + + + 2. Pillow + + + 3. Glass vase + + + 4. Grey cotton throw

This cosy corner in front of the window makes me long for a Easter holiday. When I was younger and lived in Denmark we would always spend Easter on the coast. Lazy days going for long walks on the beach and enjoying nature and a few rays of sunshine.

So what did you think? Is this home one of the most wonderful Danish homes you've seen? Would you like to live here? I hope you are all surviving the winter and I wish you a lovely week.

Marianne xx

Source Femina
Photographer Mikkel Adsbøl

A great start to the week

It's only Wednesday here at Ballymaloe Cookery School and so far, it's been one of those weeks where interesting people just keep popping up.

Monday happened and we were still reeling (or at least I was) from our Dingle weekend away. Then Tuesday popped up and someone reminded us that the wonderful brewers from Eight Degrees Brewing company were coming in to talk to us about their beers and let us taste some amber nectar as part of a Slow Food event.

Caroline and Cameron (Scott missing unfortunately) rocked up with boxes full of their beautiful brew. Oh how wonderful it was to have an evening of craft beer brewed right here in Cork. If you haven't heard of Eight Degrees Brewing, look them up. They are a fabulous combo of an Aussie and a Kiwi working together after moving to Ireland for the women they love and setting up a craft brewery…..just so you know I'm a teensy weeny bit envious of this romantic tale!

Caroline, (Scotts wife) does lots of food and beer pairings and we were lucky enough to be brought some utterly divine chocolate brownies made with the company's Knockmeal Down Porter. Just so I clarify, when I mean divine. I mean I could eat the whole tray in 10 minutes and no sharing. It's amazing how so many foods go with beers, sometimes better than wine!

Their story is a great one and what they promote is getting  to know your very own local brewery and trying them! Go on, I dare you. (Barefoot Bohemian Pilsner is my fave, what's yours??)

And now it's Wednesday and we had the very interesting Blathnaid Bergin back in to do a costing workshop with us. Food can be so interesting, passionate and let's face it, pretty attractive but you simply can't just be a fantastic cook to succeed if you want to have your own business. You need to understand the business side, learn how to run your business. Not quite so interesting and attractive but very very necessary.

Last Saturday we had decided to have breakie at Idaho Cafe in Cork and guess who popped in to talk to the class? Yep, Richard who owns, with his wife, Idaho Cafe. He and his wife take a very unusual approach, and in my opinion one well worth keeping in mind. They take holidays, they don't work every day of the week, they keep their business small and do what they do excellently. Not a bad plan if after 12 years they are still open and have a massive following.