Chez Larsson

My Finnish Heritage Calling

As many of you know I was born in Finland. Waaaay up in the north as a matter of fact in a town called Kokkola. I only lived in Finland (in Helsinki) until I was four so I haven’t really spent much time there as an adult but I’ve always felt really at home there in a weird way (not speaking the language at all or knowing any people there).

 

Lately I’ve had this real yearning for all things Finnish so when I saw this lot of Alvar Aalto stools come up for auction (new hobby of mine to scour the online auctions) I knew I wanted them. And since I actually needed extra occasional seating I wanted them bad! At he same auction there was also a bench so I figured if I could get that at a fair price I’d go for it too. I set my limit after checking how much these things go for new (they’re all still in production) and crossed my fingers.

 

Yay! My total score is one stool with white laminate top which now resides in the living room near the dining table which is where I need it. There is also one stool with black linoleum top which is currently in Wille’s room. I also have a small kid’s chair with red linoleum top and back rest which I don’t need but it’s so cute so I’m hanging on to it anyway.

 

The lot also included this Y-leg stool with linen webbing seat. This one I didn’t really want or need but since it was included in the lot I decided to also include it in my home. I now love it at the foot end of my bed where I can toss the extra pillows when I go to bed.

If I were to buy all these new I would have had to pay a total of USD 1770 but I paid a little less than what the two three legged stools cost new. I know I got two things that I didn’t really need but all four pieces are design classics and I like the fact that I can offer some cool designer pieces to Wille when he moves out one day.

 

Double yay! I got the bench too at a little over a third of the price new. It now sits in my bedroom against the wall that faces the bed. It’s already proved to be perfect there for when I get stuff off the shelves behind the curtain. Now I can rest the boxes on the bench instead of on the floor.

Birch to me is going a little crazy and out of my comfort zone but I like what it does to my bedroom because it’s all grey and white and warms things up just enough. I might dip the feet of the bench in white for a little extra freshness though. Not in paint but another way. Will show you if it turns out ok.

2nd image from Stadsauktion.se

The Basement Stairwell

One of the main projects I had for my vacation was to do something to my basement stairwell. Now that I’m sleeping down there I wanted it to look clean and fresh.

 

  

I’m skipping the process and getting straight to the after. Much lighter, cleaner and fresher.

 

But is it me? I had such a hard time picking a wallpaper but now I’m not so sure it’s the right one. Doesn’t it look a bit “country”? Like you’re looking at a cottage interior?

 

What I liked about the wallpaper where the silvery dots because they reflect what little light there is, but now that it’s up it feels kinda cute. And not good cute.

 

I’m thinking maybe it’s the fact that the stairs still need doing (Painting? Sanding and varnishing? Either of the above and wallpapering the risers? Fitting sisal?). Or is it just simply the wrong wallpaper? Maybe I’m better off painting over it and pretend it’s just lining paper and that I didn’t spend any money on it.

I’m waiting to see if I won an auction on some art that may help make the space feel more contemporary so until I know if I won and if I do win have hung them to try, the jury’s still out.

Spray Painted Rug

I’ve had this IKEA rug in my possession for a while now. I picked it up at the local charity shop but once I brought it home I didn’t like it. Something about the shade of beige. I’ve been using it in the laundry room because it does get quite chilly under foot in there. But since beige isn’t really my thing I decided I’d do something about it.

 

And spray painted it silver. As you may remember I’ve tried painting rugs before without much success (more like a hot mess) but I figured that since this was a rug I didn't really like and I had some silver spray paint I’d give it a go anyway. First I did a coat with spray primer just because I had some on hand. And then quite a few coats of the silver. I finished off with a clear spray (again because I had it) in the hope to seal the silver so Wille wouldn’t find himself walking around with glitzy socks.

 

I left the rug to air out and cure properly over night and then brought it inside.

And here’s the result.

Verdict:

1) It’s more grey than silver. Which is ok because I like grey.

2) The paint has started to wear off slightly after some weeks of use but it still looks ok. I might take it outside and give it an extra coat in that hard traffic area around the machines.

3) The feel of the rug is surprisingly good. You would not know there were lots of coats of spray paint on there.

4) Would I do it again? On a cheap flat weave rug like this with some left over spray paint. Yes. With a nicer more expensive rug and having to buy paint. Maybe not.

Happy weekend!

Ps. Welcome all new readers from Young House Love! What a nice surprise from Sherry that was yesterday :).

Bedroom Update

 

As you may know already one of my projects this summer was to do a lot of painting in the basement. While I was at it I did the bedroom ceiling.

 

I also gave the floor a fresh coat. I only painted it a year ago but in some areas the red color from before crept up and really annoyed me so I re-sanded those spots and painted again.

 

I also added a plush rug earlier and now have semi matching trays on the old ottomans that serve as bedside tables. Oh, and matching lamps. I might still switch the bedside tables out. Will bring down one of Wille's to try if they work because I'd like a bit of storage. 

 

The blue and white curtains are still going strong hiding all the storage along that one wall.

 

Here’s the view of the other side of the bed and those are the stairs you come down into the basement on. Will need to address them somehow as they’re super worn but unfortunately not in a “patina” good way, but rather a more of a trashy one.

Still to do is building a headboard. I have it all figured out, just need the time to actually do it. Ah, time, there’s never enough, is there?

Round Ottoman

When Anne and I went to the local charity shop a few weeks ago we came across this. We were both immediately drawn to the round shape.

 

We were also drawn to the fact that there are storage facilities inside. Not that I really need any more but the potential is there! We discussed making it into a drinks storage unit but alas it’s not tall enough, unless I start buying half bottles only. Originally it was probably used for sewing supplies.

 

I had to strip that nasty red vinyl off pretty immediately and for a while I kept it nude in the living room where I draped various fabrics over it to try and figure out what to do with it.

 

One thing I did know was that I wanted it on casters so I removed the little elephant foot shaped wood feet (which I’m saving as they might come in handy elsewhere) and bought the lowest casters available so I can potentially slide the ottoman under the coffee table.

 

In the end I chose to cover the ottoman with the Josef Frank fabric Windows which I had originally intended to use for a pillow. I just loved it on the round shape.

 

Staples all around, casters on (I used five so it would be stable) and ready to turn over and staple the top end of the fabric to the top if the frame.

 

Unfortunately I didn’t have enough of the super expensive fabric I used on the base for on the top but I did have some green linen. I used the top as a template and traced the shape onto the fabric using a fabric marker and adding seam allowance.

 

Then I stitched a strip of the Josef Frank fabric on to the round shape, making sort of a tray shape.

 

I ended up not liking the sharp contrast between the green linen and the Windows pattern so I cut one of the sheep skins I have into an uneven round and popped it on top.

 

 

Now I love it! It’s perfect for resting tired feet on in front of the TV at night. As for what will go inside, I still don’t know but I’m sure I’ll think of something and when I do I’ll tell you about it,