Ivanka Trump’s Apartment Photos in ELLE Decor

The latest issue of the ELLE Decor has a feature of the real estate mogul’s daughter’s, Ivanka Trump’s, New York City apartment. The 10-room apartment on Park Avenue is only a short walk away from the Trump-tower and Ivanka’s work. Read the entire story at ELLE Decor and what Ivanka said about the long renovation and decorating the apartment and see the interior design details and products. The interior designer Ivanka worked wit is Kelly Behun.

Compared to several other Park Avenue and celebrity homes I think Ivanka’s home looks more like something “normal” people live in. The dining room and the bedroom look very New York, but the den and living room, and the nursery has features that you could see in suburbia as well. The home is done very tastefully, it’s an elegant mix of sophistication and modern minimalism and plays with colors nicely, and it definitely gives inspiration for us normal folks too – in a way that our wallets can actually handle too.

The living room was designed by Kelly Behun, and my favorite is the light fixture is by Downtown – it gives a nice industrial addition to otherwise very elegant room.

In the dining room I love the painting and the bold mix of gold and black contrasting with the Mies van der Rohe white and silver chairs.

The silver tone wall mural is absolutely gorgeous! And again great contrast with the table. This is a great example to try something bold – but yet get a very sophisticated look when staying with a more calming color palette.

This bedroom is simply stunning and I want to copy it! I wish I could also see her view from the window!

The living room looks the easiest to copy and the look is something that you could easily move from New York to any cul-de-sac.

Photos: Eric Piasecki for ELLE Decor

Whether you dream of traveling to London, or want to remember your last trip to London, or are one of the lucky ones to call London home, here are several amazing London illustrations for you to enjoy.

Many of these are on sale as posters or other products, a few just for inspiration and for eye candy here at Skimbaco Lifestyle. When you are thinking of decorating your home with the London vibe, remember to check out the post about decorating with Union Jack.

Limited edition London 2012 poster by Have a Gander.

London Olympics art poster by Dieter Braun

Greetings from London greeting cards by Hello Lucky Press.

This is by Esther Aarts and also available as a post card.

More London Illustrations Eye Candy

Monster Riot

Another one from Monster Riot

A visitor’s guide to London for the year 1963. Presented free with the compliments of the Barclays Group of Banks. Cover design by “>E.W. Fenton, A.R.C.A.

Charlotte Trounce for Jamie magazine

I love this British pride photo from ELLE and I can’t help but getting excited about everything British, everything with Union Jacks, and everything London as I hear everyone talking about the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the London 2012 Olympics. You can see the lure of London in fashion, in interior design and even in food (check out the most popular cocktail in London)!

Decorating with Union Jack

Here are some ideas how you can decorate with Union Jack and some of my product picks.

My picks:
1. White Cable Knit Throw Blanket ($59.99 on sale) – great basic throw that compliments anything Union Jack accessories you might have.

2. Crown dish ($34) makes a great decorative dish that collects your mail, keys, coins or fill it with bon-bons. Either way, it gives a nice royal touch without being glittery.

3. The telephone booth wall decal ($44.99) is a must for a quick and easy way to get some London to your home.

4. The red modern Becky chair ($135) brings great pop of color and fits with the Union Jack decor.

5. The Battersby Clock by Newgate ($200) may not be the Big Ben, but it sure will tell you when it’s the tea time.

6. Union Jack pillow ($135) would crown the couch.

7. London 2012 teapot ($22) is the official London 2012 teapot, now who wouldn’t want this collectible, right?

Union Jack Pillows, Rugs and More

Karen Hilton Designs shows that decorating with Union Jack doesn’t have to mean decorating with red, white and blue. Pillows starting at $29 (sale price).

More great Union Jack home products:
1. http://www.etsy.com/listing/97782976/hand-printed-heritage-union-jack-flag?ref=sr_gallery_5&ga_search_query=union+jack&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_min=0&ga_max=0&ga_search_type=handmade">Hand printed heritage Union Jack flag pillow cover ($75) by Helkat Design from UK via Etsy.

2. Union Jack pillow cover ($34) from Nordstrom.

3. Jonathan Adler Union Jack coaster set ($48)

4. Union Jack wooden wall hanging ($79.99) from World Market.

Jonathan Adler shows how to do it right – just one rug, and you are all set… The rug is $995 though, so you might want to look at other options too.

This Jonathan Adler Union Jack rug is only $165.

Cath Kitson’s Jubilee Collection

Last but not least… check out Cath Kitson’s Jubilee collection, like the Jubilee Ash mug ($12) and Jubilee plate with the Queen’s picture ($26).

Are you excited about the Diamond Jubilee craze and the Union Jack trend, or so over it?

Photos: Elle, product manufactures linked

I love to travel, and I love it to show in my home as well. But I like to keep my home very minimalistic, and try not to buy souvenirs, and things that, well, don’t really fit my home. What I love: decorating with maps! They instantly bring the world to my home, and give me the sense of travel, plus I think maps just look great, and usually bring great amount of color. Here are ideas how you can decorate with maps!

We have all seen the Keep Calm and Carry On print somewhere.
Scratch that.
We have all seen the Keep Calm and Carry On print everywhere.

And that’s when you know it’s time to carry on.

Poster from Store in Style.

Don’t take me wrong, I love the poster.
I love the idea behind it.
I love the look of it.
And damn it looks good on white walls in lonely apartments, and I wish I had had one in my apartment when I lived in Helsinki.

It even looks great as a party decoration.
Or maybe this is just a pretty garage sale:

And nothing like making your camper feel like home.
I get it.

Photo

I even love many of the 675 variations of the poster.
“Keep Calm and Eat Cupcakes”, I’m so there.
I don’t even have a problem keeping calm and drinking vodka.

I even love the print in other products.
Like this rug? Love it.

Rug: Pedlars

Keep Calm & Carry On Trend gone wrong

People have taken this trend to new heights and while yes, some are funny and very clever – some are just plain bad. And the problem, it is everywhere, over-saturated, overused, and even the non-clever people got a hold of it, and ran with it. And the smart business people ran with it too and printed it everywhere and sold the heck out of it.

Some examples of too much.. like decorating for Thanksgiving…? Too much.
What the heck “Keep Calm & Cranberry On” means anyways?
And you know that it’s time to move on when any trend makes it to toilet lids or Thanksgiving decorations.

And bandages? I love Urban Outfitters, who sells the bandages, but it is just too much.
At this point if you still want to carry on with this trend, at least keep it in your home.
Please say no to handbags, wallets, t-shirts or anything else that you could carry with you.
And please, don’t even consider the tattoo.

I declare… Keep Calm & Carry On poster trend just ended.
So over it.

Finnish designer Stefan Lindfors brings together design and technology for modern homes in his latest design work, the HiddenView. HiddenView wall shelf integrates a flat-screen TV as a seamless part of the home or office interior. A bulky TV screen often seems to dominate a space even when it is not switched on. The interior design solution offered by HiddenView enables you to fully incorporate the TV into its surroundings or use it as the focal point of a space. With HiddenView, you place the TV inside a frame attached to the wall. The built-in hi-fi speakers ensure high-quality sound, and the ensemble is completed with LED lights and individual, changeable door panels that can be opened and closed manually or electrically.

There are some products that really speak to you, and then there are products that really speak to you. I love these products that literally have fun written in them.

This welcoming doormat says “come in” when you enter the house – and “go away” when you leave. If your friends have a sense of humor, get it. If your main visitor is your relative with no sense of humor, skip it. Or maybe you will have even better reason to buy this. Either way, I love the graphic design and the idea behind this doormat.
You can find it for $45 from Unicahome.

There is another great graphic designer behind these cups. The words are actually written in the saucer as a mirror image, and the stainless steel cup reflects the writing in the saucer. Very cool! You can find these Anamorphic Cups at Amazon for $33.59.

If small hints or mirror image text isn’t enough… let’s get to the business with these pillows with some straight talk. Alexandra Ferguson redefines the term “pillow talk” with her fun felt pillows. The pillows are made with felt that is made from 100 percent post consumer recycled water bottles and range from $54-$89.

What do you think of Pantone’s this year’s color of the year, honeysuckle? I really like the color, and I love these pictures from homes with the bold pink on their walls, but I wonder if I would really like it in my own home. It is quite bold and daring, and while it would be a great color for daughters, I don’t know if I would like the bold pink walls for a long run. It looks gorgeous when I look at these photos, but really – for everyday? Let me think about it. (And if you ask my husband, the answer is “no”).

Pantone announced the color for 2011: Honeysuckle.

Leatrice Eiseman, the executive director of the Pantone Color Institute explains why honeysuckle made the cut.

In times of stress, we need something to lift our spirits. Honeysuckle is a captivating, stimulating color that gets the adrenaline going – perfect to ward off the blues. Honeysuckle derives its positive qualities from a powerful bond to its mother color red, the most physical, viscerally alive hue in the spectrum.”

Make sure you have subscribed Skimbaco Home so you will get the upcoming feature how to incorporate honeysuckle in your interior design and your home.

Four quick & easy ways to incorporate honeysuckle in your home

1. ADD DECORATIVE WALL HANGING

The fastest way to change your room’s look is to hang a large wall hanging or fabric. I love how our home totally changed after we added the Marimekko fabric in our living room. Great Marimekko print with honeysuckle color is the Marimekko Keisarinna. Keisarinna is Finnish for “Empress” and this fabric displays the flower in all its regal glory.

2. LAMP THAT MAKES A STATEMENT

Many people like to keep lamps and light fixtures fairly neutral so it is easy to change the decorating around them without having to change the lamps every time. However a statement lamp can be a great focal point in your decorating. If you want some hot pink or honeysuckle color in your modern home – check out the Louis Poulsen Collage Pendant Lamp by Louise Campbell.

3. DECORATIVE PILLOWS

When you are ready to toss the winter pillows and cashmere throws out from your couch, consider adding a decorative pillow or two with hues of honeysuckle. Easiest and fastest way to quickly spice up the room, and can be very inexpensive too. The pillows pictured are by Kim Parker and Jonathan Adler

4. UPHOLSTERED FURNITURE

While upholstering your furniture isn’t inexpensive nor fast, but colorful upholstered furniture is an easy way to bring any color to your home. The chair pictured is by Lorts. Faster and cheaper alternative is to use sofa or arm chair covers.

Beautiful, serene, white, Scandinavian.
I’m inspired by these photos by Louise Svensson & Jonny Lindh.