NORDIC LIGHTS

Here's a tale of a small and great idea that gets a chance to be part of the Scandinavian design tradition. Bright Sprout is a wooden fixture designed by Danish Jonas Hoejgaard for Nordic Tales to hide the light bulb sockets on energy saving bulbs. With its clean Nordic design it turns an important everyday object into an aesthetic experience. Like with every other Nordic Tales product, Bright Sprout tells a story. And you're part of the story-telling as you get to choose from seven bright cord colors and the wood finish (soap finished or smoked oak). Besides its coo and minimalist design, the fixture arrives in a special designed packaging, inspired by a nutshell, that can be reused as a vase, pen holder or a fun decorative accessory. These are very cool, especially if hung as cluster.

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BRILLIANT INGENUITY

I've come across many multi-functional, space-saver pieces of furniture, but this slick desk is one of my favorites. Deskbox is a brilliant wall-mounted desk/cabinet unit designed by Israel-born, UK-based designers Yael Mer and Shay Akalay of Raw Edges studio for Dutch furniture company Arco. It has a retraction system that allows it to easily open and reveal a comfortable work space, and close to its original compact form. Either way, it's a beautiful piece of furniture.

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FAB PADS FOR OUR PETS

It's not often that we come across furniture for our pets with such flair and beautiful details as this stunning collection by French company Bloom Room. Designed by Marc Ange, the Chimère line was just presented at Milan Design Week 2012 as part of exhibition Design France.Beyond comfort and functionality, each piece of furniture is a decorative element made with soft and sturdy materials combined with high quality manufacturing. The collection includes a dog niche, an aquarium, a rocking bird cage, a cat bed and a rodent cage. For sure, my Oliver would go mad for that cushy and über chic gray bed—plus it would look fabulous with our living room decor. Have a super duper weekend!!

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HARD SOFTNESS

How are you? I'm fine thanks, but actually How Are You? is the name of a design duo from Sweden who designed these great pillow covers. Tobias and Emelie's design philosophy is simple: “we do this for fun and we only do things we like and hopefully you like it too.” They recently introduced me to their newly-launched collection of decorative pillowcases Making Hard Things Soft and thought you might get a kick out of them. They're made of canvas and printed on both sides with digital images of hard materials such as concrete, plywood, brick and rocks. You might have not thought of using these kind of materials in your decor, but these pillowcases are small enough touches that will definitely bring a spark of quirkiness to any sofa or bed. The OSB wood one is my favorite! Which one is yours?

AGRICULTURAL CHIC

One of my many dreams is to one day buy an old barn in need of some TLC and transform it into a ideal weekend retreat. So when I came across this fabulous home in Dwell, my heart sskipped a beat. This fantastic British Barn conversion made me a little jealous. The surprising use of oriented strand board (made from pressed tree chippings and resin) as a decorating element throughout the house is really refreshing and unexpected. Using this material in furniture, wall coverings and to cover complete rooms, the owners found a design muse in OSB and made quite a bold statement. What a special place to spend a weekend, wouldn't you say?

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IN THE CIRCLE OF THINGS

I believe simplicity is the key to beautiful design. And for me, the circle is one of those simple, basic shapes that can say so much. Its perfect form has been the basis for so many design solutions throughout time—and keeps inspiring many of us in our daily creative challenges. For German industrial designer Sandra Thomsen, silk screening circles has become one of her passions. These very minimal and graphic prints are some of Sandra's wonderful creations. They're hand-printed on beech plywood and paper using a very interesting color palette. It's great to see how something so serene and understated can add so much on a wall. You can take a look at the whole collection here.

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LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT

What's not to love about this gorgeous flat in Barcelona's Gothic District? Pretty much every single inch in this place is to die for. Architectural firm YLAB Arquitectos did a breathtaking job renovating this 1400-square-feet apartment, creating a quiet and intimate environment for its owner to work in, but at the same time conceiving a welcoming space for entertaining. Every room is uniquely designed, but the kitchen is my favorite. The use of wood on the walls and ceiling gives it a striking look and makes warm and inviting despite its ultra modern design.

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SEXY LEGS

Just like buying a new pair of shoes to revamp and old outfit, you can give a little pizzazz to your furniture by just swapping its legs with a set of these witty Prettypegs. They're ideal for adding a punch of color and personality to any sofa or bed that lacks a bit character. They come in an array of colors and silhouettes. These pretty legs will be an instant makeover that won't break the bank.

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