i’ve been falling in love with modern art lately, and bright pops of color. and polkadots, too! must be the onset of spring coming our way. this fab friday i’m rounding up some springy looks i love.

1. i’ve been craving new artwork, and wouldn’t i love a piece like caroline wright’s night life? yes, i would. 2. i doubt i couldn’t pull this look off, but ever ounce of me (maybe too many ounces) wants to, via my style pill; 3. french bull has a new travel coffee mug out and it’s got polkadots to start your day off right; 4. cute little notecards from tokketok; 5. and i love everything about this jonathan adler pillow in heather chontos’ montana home. for the whole fabulous home tour, visit design*sponge.

i’ve been trying to figure out what the heck to do with my dining room for a while now. i hung the patrick townsend white orbit chandelier, but since i painted over the black walls, it’s been just looking terribly drab in there – lacking drama! so last night, i got this idea — what if i went pale, pale pink and added some kind of statement piece, as those in the know like to call it (clench your teeth and say it all fancy-like: staaatemeent peeece). so here’s what i’m doing. wish me luck!

i’ve painted the walls benjamin moore’s ‘wispy pink’ – it’s real pretty and adds a light glow to the room. then, i ordered anthropologie’s etched arcadia mural, which i’m going to hang on the wall loosely – like a tapestry. at least in theory, that’s what i want to do — i like the idea of it feeling a bit 3-dimensional. then, i ordered west elm’s grommeted iron velvet drapery panels for the window, and their Industrial Pipe curtain Rod in rubbed iron — it’s got a loft-curtain feeling that i really like, and kind of tones down the idea of velvet, if that makes any sense — perhaps more edgy.

i’m also adding west elm’s souk rug. i’ve been hankering for it since they brought it for the catalog shoot, and had to have one. this will all live with my dining room set, and then, i think i’ll hang rico suave above the buffet — that will be on the alternate wall, across from the mural wall. and the faux white fireplace mantel will live at the end wall. voilá! i hope this works as well as it does in my head!

this is just a quick, instagram version of sunday in the city, because as you can see — i visited the alameda flea market, and after four+ hours of wandering every aisle, alas i did not find much to speak of. a cute bespoke bag, a black tin box to stash stuff bedside; some metal filing bins for the office, and another lamp to which i added a filament bulb to and threw into the collection. it was sunny and glorious out, and very very crowded. i thought everyone would stay home watching some football game, but instead they were swooping up the scores at the flea!

sometimes i like to think about different purposes for vintage finds. i’m headed to the alameda flea market tomorrow (as i write this on saturday), and i like some of these ideas for giving new life to old objects. i love hilda grahnat’s repurposed coat hanger turned eyeglasses holder. i guess that’s the heart of re-purposing in a nutshell — reinventing vintage finds to suit your modern needs. i’d like to know — much like that feature in real simple magazine “new uses for everyday items” — do you have any fun ideas you’d like to share of a vintage find turned into all new treasure? i’d love to hear them.

i love old camp stools. they’re so charming, and rustic, and make an excellent place for stacking and displaying favorite books or collectibles. this one’s from bella lulu.

vintage cash register price flags just look interesting displayed — i love their tin shapes and old typefaces, via lackluster co.

earth sea warrior continues to make the most incredible vintage-inspired lighting fixtures — Vintage Antique Art Deco Glass Bullet Lamps have been beautifully revamped with unique color cloth cords. or this fixture (below) a white and yellow plug and silver pull chain socket have been added for extra cool vintage flare.

trampoline is at it again, with great ideas for repurposing vintage finds — i love her idea of uses muffin pans for displaying votive candles. they’re great for stashing jewelry, too.

A Vintage Wood & Porcelain Toothbrush Holder makes the perfect spot to store your paint brushes, and looks so pretty, too — from love vintage finds.

Vintage metal Drawer makes the perfect spot for stashing stationery, postcards or office supplies, from hindsvik.

Vintage 1960s French language flashcards can be perfect for framing — these would be great near a coat closet or in a young boy’s bedroom, from gin & tonic shop.

there’s so much amazing stuff out there on the interwebs. i often feel like i have attention deficit disorder, because i go to look at one thing, and that leads to another, and then, well i get utterly lost out there. but it’s good stuff, and it’s inspiring and motivational. so i thought i’d leave you with some links each friday as i sign off for the weekend. some things to peruse leisurely while you’re enjoying your weekend coffee. i hope you enjoy the view…

the view from here:

1. i think anabela’s blog fieldguided is one of the prettiest i’ve seen. she inspires me. i think she’ll inspire you, too.

2. i love hilda grahnat’s incredible photography. the lighting is perfect. take a look at her online portfolio — i don’t think you will disappointed.

3. photographer lara rossignol has a beautiful, newly designed website. her portfolio will make you hungry.

4. go gander at some beautiful photographs of meghan collison shot by ben toms for vogue russia, via trendland.

5. the by nord katalog from copenhagen is beautiful — download the pdf and enjoy the pretty pictures of their homeware collection and clothing, where design meets nature.

6. have you signed up for fab.com yet? some of the most fashionable deals i’ve found yet. and when you refer friends you receive $25 credits. sweet deal, indeed. and they keep featuring these handstitched saris, which are lovely!

7. traveling but not sure where to find the best shopping in cities like amsterdam, london, new york and paris? check out hipshops before you go — plus it’s like a virtual tour of the most fascinating boutiques around.

well, no matter how you feel about it, valentine’s day is just around the corner, and many of you have some gifts to get. or perhaps you’d like to just spoil yourself a bit! why not!? so this fab friday i’m gathering some romantic gift ideas for you. happy v day!

1. i’d love to cozy up with a loved one in this gorgeous upholstered chair photographed by david prince; 2. lisa stickley’s sweet valerie make-up bag is a nice choice for a bestie; 3. i love this very prim and proper girlie BOX BAG WITH METAL CLASP from zara; 4. these are a cute valentine gift idea — jayson home’s little pocket mirrors; 5. completely in love with west elm’s finn chandelier for the light of your life; 6. i’d about sell my soul for this very romantic Siedlung Essen fine art print by Andreas Gursky, via art space; 7. perhaps you need a pretty bauble for someone really special — i’d love to receive quail pond design’s Sterling silver bubble necklace with aquamarines and pink tourmalines; 8. and some festive little chiffon shoe clips from ban.do can dress up any shoe for a valentine evening out.

just in time for valentine’s day here’s a lovely little limited edition collaboration between two of my favorites — Pigeon Toe Ceramics and Illustrator/Stylist/Optimist Shanna Murray (who designed my pretty banner logo!).

A set of two hand-thrown porcelain cellars covered in a clear gloss glaze with black lettering (Please note! the photos appear to be dark red lettering, but it’s black). One vessel reads “We are” and the other “So Good together” in Shanna’s signature lettering. Each pretty vessel holds approx 4 ounces — perfect for sauce, salt, or as a votive holder. Comes packaged in a drawstring muslin bag. be sure to pre-order now, and it the sweet little vessels ship by February 6th, with guaranteed domestic delivery for Valentine’s Day.

i love this image of stark white plates on a sharp black wall by photographer david prince. makes me wistful for my long gone black dining room wall. i’d love to get this look. i thought about it once before, and maybe it’s time i start collecting plates for a wall of my very own.

abchao perhaps does it best — i love her well-collected dining room plate display (above, and below).

pretty blue & white collection via vtwonen; elisabeth dunker of fine little day’s home, as visited on unexpected guests (above, and below).

even a mixture of paper and ceramic plates can work well, via vtwonen; knack studios embellishes vintage plates with words, via remodelista; and some naughty vintage china from trixie delicious.

there’s no doubt about it, i love me a bit of london. my grandmother lucy was from leicester, england, and i think much of her has rubbed off on me. i love the charm, and the friendly faces, i love the pastel-colored row houses on notting hill’s cobblestone streets. the merry shops, and having high tea. i love the 60′s brit-pop and i love all the history. all of jolly old england fills me with glee. so this week, in my dreams, i live here — in london town. i think the house cat got to the pretty pink sofa, but it’s no less charming, right? a bit scruffy, just like london, but all the better for it.

my london townhome is bound to be a bit quirky, kitchen included. i think a bright pink wall will suit it splendidly, above via fashions designers at home.

the kitchen may well require a striped smeg refrigerator for a bit of modern pop, and perhaps a print of mary quant’s Quant by Quant book via amazon. of course there will be pretty vintage china, via nest pretty things. and how about a fab pink union jack gracing one of my kitchen walls (below).

i think i’ll have loads of fresh white paint and a smashing bit of modern pop adorning the dining room walls, and a pretty staircase too, via marie claire maison. and the living room will be an elegant and eclectic mix of old and new like this one from Eklund Stockholm New York.

the bedroom will be bright and cheerful, and i’ll stash my bicycle for flea market runs in there, just because it looks pretty cute, via stella nicolaisen. and a cozy throw or two will keep me warm on those winterly london nights, from ohleander.

i’m quite certain a black & white checkered bath is needed, via stadshem; along with these funky antique rose bath towels from cath kidston for a bit of feminine fun. and in honor of the queen (and me!) i’ll hang a Vintage london bus sign, from signarama.

i also plan on popping around town in some silver go-go boots, like linda rodin’s via refinery29. if you know where to find these, by the way, do tell! right then, pip, pip…cheerio.

• top photo by carolina romare.

all work and no play makes me a very dull girl. but i played a lot last week at alt summit, so i’m working caaa-crazy hours and still trying catch-up on this very long-anticipated fab friday! but, if you’re going to work at home, it might as well be stylish, right?

i’m thinking about an office makeover and loved some of these inspiring spaces. this vintage dresser diy’d with the word ‘papper’ in swedish, or paper — is a great idea, via elle interiör; simple bulldog clips make for an easy diy photoboard idea from the creative mama; i love everything about lotta jansdotter’s busy, but organized workspace; and Lotta Agaton´s office styling for Södra Interiör is clean and inspirational, too; to get the ball rolling on my office makeover, i picked up a couple of serena & lily’s rolling storage crates for arts & craft supplies. can’t wait to start the transformation!