Lighting is one of the most important aspects of interior decorating. It can be used to set and change the mood of a space and highlight decorative pieces. The light sources can also function as decorative pieces themselves, adding style and character to a room.

In a previous post I mentioned one of my favorite chandeliers, the Zettel’z 6 chandelier by Ingo Maurer. Here it is again, accompanied by some other wonderful sources of light that would add beauty and functionality to any home.

As a child, getting the Christmas tree was a thrilling event each. Together with my father and siblings, I would go out in the glittering snow covered forest with my horse and sledge (bells and all) and find our very own Xmas tree.

These days, I live in a tropical zone with no snow or pine trees, and my beloved horse is just happy memories, which leaves me to get my holiday tree in a different fashion. Since deforestation is threatening the earth’s ecobalance, and I really can’t stand plastic plants, I have been looking for alternatives to the traditional Xmas tree. Below are some of the options I’ve found.

Wooden trees bring a piece of nature into your home. They can be reused and painted and decorated to fit any style. X’mas tree from Sandra Lindner and Green X-mas Tree from Buro North.

Live potted Xmas trees will make your home fragrant. Get a live rosemary tree or start a tradition by growing your own Xmas tree from scratch.

Get the whole scoop »

Halloween is possibly the holiday with the tackiest decorations there is, and I mean that in the best possible way! Surrounded by fake spider webs, rattling plastic skeletons, trembling paper ghosts, inflatable haunted houses, molding jack-o-lanterns, and skulls with glowing eyes it is hard to not get pulled in and surrender to the season of somewhat-bad-taste.

Here are some of my picks for this Halloween, trying to walk the fine line of wacky, tacky, and tasty. If it’s too late for this year’s party, you might be able to pick up end-of-season bargains for next year’s bash!

Trick or treat?

From top left: skull candles, Murano Alzate deep black glassware, Skull cocktail shaker and glass, bleeding candles, skeleton yard flamingos, and bone soaps.

From top left: Haunted Chocolate Castle, Bat-suckers with glow sticks, Costume Kid Cookies, Chocolate Skulls, and Chocolate Coffins.

Even though my iPhone lets me check my email, receive sms, and talk to people, I still love it when someone leaves me a physical message. In this posting, I’ll introduce you to some decorative, fun and decidedly modern ways of leaving messages.

Write it on the Chandelier

Ingo Maurer’s Zettel’z 6 chandelier has been on my wish list for a long time. Why anyone haven’t bought it for me yet is a true mystery (hint, hint..). This wonderful chandelier includes 40 printed and 40 blank sheets of rice paper. In other words: you can dress this light fixture with your favorite poems, love letters, pencil drawings, etc. What a wonderful way to leave a message to your honey!

Write it on the Wall

A $1200 chandelier is of course not the only way to leave a message in your home. Chalkboard stickers are somewhat cheaper and can look great in your home office, your kitchen, a playroom, or in the hallway. They come in lots of different shapes and colors, and can definitely be decorative as well as useful.

Get the whole scoop »