Serena & Lily is one of my favorite online home boutiques. I love their story: how textile designer Serena went into Lily’s baby boutique to make a purchase and within an hour they’d founded a new company together, formed around a mutual love for unique homeware and a mutual dissatisfaction for the crib-bedding available in 2003. I also love their style: everything just goes. Simple yet stylish; beautiful yet practical; colorful yet calm.

Serena & Lily have recently launched a new collection called Frankie, full of color and vibrancy for your children’s bedrooms. Frankie comes in two colorways – turquoise and tangerine – and can be mixed and matched to work for girls and boys. Serena designed the bold geometric pattern and the repeat elephant prints are playful and bohemian. And because the designs are block printed each item is slightly different, with little quirks and idiosyncrasies.

Buy the look – turquoise Frankie

Click the image to buy the look on mydeco.com

Buy the look – tangerine Frankie

Click the image to buy this look

The World Design Capital project has a great vision – to further the social, economic and cultural development of world cities through the use of design. Finland’s capital, Helsinki, has been awarded the title for 2012 and its concept of ‘Embedded Design’ is connected very much to the important relationship between innovative design and its populations development.

Helsinki saw in its design year with spectacular New Years Eve celebrations. The city’s beautiful cathedral in Senate Square was the backdrop for a 3D video installation and a fantastic way of combining classic architecture with modern technology and design.

Scandinavian-inspired interiors have been so on-trend this winter and our clever community members are certainly incorporating this look into their room planning and 3D designs. Illustrating the versatility of the Scandi look, they have created fresh but authentic personal spaces that combine functional items with splashes of Scandi color, like warm woods, yellows, reds and oranges:

Clockwise from top left: Finland cottage life designed by janetski2; Home sweet home by du321; Scandinavian Style (new) by mydeco_daniel; s by decorj

Why not design your own Scandinavian-inspired 3D room to celebrate Helsinki being the design capital for 2012. Experiment with mixing modern ideas with the traditional: inject colors and textures into an authentic Scandi room through accessories and furniture using our 3D Room Planner.

After an exhausting day signing autographs and outrunning the paparazzi, every A-lister needs a tranquil space to come home to. A celebrity’s bedroom is the perfect haven, in the middle of hectic Hollywood, where they can settle down for the optimum amount of beauty sleep. If this sounds appealing but if you’re slightly more average than Angelina, you can still achieve a chic and serene boudoir without the million dollar price tag. How? Furniture Village share their expert tips to create your very own celebrity bedroom:

Make your bed the focal point

Opting for a large bed, preferably a super-king, will instantly give your room the wow factor. If you don’t live in a Beverly Hills mansion, making your bed look as inviting as possible will give the same effect in half the space. You can do this by adding soft sheets, a silky throw and fluffy pillows for a bed you will really want to sink into.

Why not make like Missy Elliot and add some bling with a TV bed? The queen of rap commissioned Ferrari to build her a $77,500 car-shaped bed with a built-in TV on the hood. As if the massive sports car collection on her driveway wasn’t enough!

Calming colors

Colors are known to effect moods, so they are particularly important in your bedroom where you wake up each morning. Celebrities love to use techniques like Feng Shui to alter the feel of a room: Paula Abdul reportedly brought in an expert to change the ‘vibe’ of the American Idol set. While the rich and famous use expensive consultants to make sure the Chi of their room is just right, you can make the same change just as effectively by painting your room in a soft, calming shade, such as off-white or powder blue. Add some low-level lighting to prevent your space feeling cold.

Dressing areas

To make sure they leave the house looking fabulous, a dressing area in a celebrity’s bedroom is a must. For the full effect you should use an extra room for this. However, if you don’t have the luxury of space, de-cluttering your closet will make your favorite outfits easier to find. To unleash your inner diva organize by garment and color to avoid ending up on any ‘worst dressed’ lists.

Mirrors

Mirrors are great for making a space appear large, more expensive, and fit for a celebrity. Hanging two mirrors on opposite walls will maximize the appearance of space, and it will mean you can check how you look from all angles before you step out of the door.

Art work

Hanging works of art is a great way to spark conversation and – in true celebrity fashion – do a spot of name dropping. New artists are always appearing on the scene and the rich and fabulous love to be the first to show off one of their pieces.

Feng Shui hangs this triptych in line with the three floors pillows:Designed by mydeco.com community member Manda0014

For your A-list boudoir, go one better and get a piece of unique painting or an original art print by an independent artist with fantastic talent but a name nobody will have heard of. You’ll soon be the go-to for skilled new artists and your town’s very own trend setter.

To get your dream bedroom use mydeco.com’s free 3D Home Planner and design your own bedroom in realistic 3D.

Happy New Year budding interior designers! We all make New Year resolutions that are either not easily achieved or we give up on before the first week is out. This year I’ve made a resolution that I can keep, and also enjoy doing so: to invest in home decor I’m happy with. But what look should I go for to achieve this goal? I’ve turned to the mydeco.com community, who have been busy creating stunning 3D rooms, to see what trends they are setting for 2012.

Community members Your well wisher and janip have both created grey and pastel pink 3D rooms over the last few days. Pinks and yellows are both set to be seasonal colors for spring, because they provide an uplifting palette for our homes while we continue to live in an economic downturn. Grey is still popular for 2012, especially as a base because it’s warmer than white and extremely versatile for various color schemes.

3D room designed by Your well wisher

This 3D living room design has also been influenced by lace, a popular trend within fashion in 2011 that is now seeping into interiors. The white walls and wooden floors emulate the Scandinavian trend which is set to be the style for the coming year so Your well wisher is right on the money with this design that mixes and matches various prominent trends to create an inviting and stylish lounge area.

janip’s Sunset Bliss bedroom also looks to be inspired by Scandi and spring pinks, injecting passionate reds and furnishing with mirrored furniture, a material which has seen a revival over the last couple of months. This is a sleek and romantic boudoir that complements the bedroom design above really well.

3D room designed by janip

On the other hand, Cejovic Andrijana seems to be focusing her attention on a New Year’s resolution I’m not so enthusiastic about – going to the gym! Although her use of bright blues and greens make a workout in this gym very appealing. If only my local gym two blocks down looked as invitingly empty and relaxing as this one!

3D room designed by Cejovic Andrijana

Thanks to these creative designs by the mydeco.com community I think I’ll achieve my happy home resolution with coats of grey paint, Scandi-inspired flooring and citrus accessories. Very European and so 2012. The gym I’ll leave for now… one resolution is enough to be getting on with!

Hello design enthusiasts, I hope you’re all looking forward to a wonderful Christmas and are expecting to enjoy a very merry New Year! My Christmas gift to you is to present you with the color trend of 2012: Tangerine Tango. Pantone has unveiled this vibrant color as it’s top choice for furniture and accessories so we can expect a brighter start to the year with zesty accents of orange scattering across our homes.

Image credit: olliandlimeblog.com

This color has long been in the sidelines waiting to be embraced by homeware: We’ve already seen orange on the catwalk from designers such as Tommy Hilfiger, Nanette Lepore and Adrienne Vittadini, to name just a few. And it’s seeped into our make-up palettes with orange lipsticks, nail varnish and eye shadows now readily available, the latter creating a sultry look on those with green or brown eyes.

In 2012 our homes are set to be tangoed with home stores flaunting tangerine orange kitchen appliances, quilts, throws, pillows and accessories for affordable updates to your homes. Take a look at my Tangerine Tango moodboard for ideas on how to get the look. Or, if you’re a natural orange lover like me, go for statement Tangerine walls and welcome the color with gusto.

mydeco.com community member carolinafer has done just this. She’s already designed a 3D room with a Tangerine Tango color scheme, using orange damask wallpaper and bright cushions to contrast against the crisp white flooring and furniture:

3D room designed by carolinafer

Pantone are aiming to beat the recession blues with this warm and uplifting color. The heat of the reds will bring energy and adrenaline, and softer yellow pigments create warmth and security.

So, here’s to a lovely Christmas holiday and a bright future in 2012!

On the other side of the Atlantic, the mydeco.com UK blog has just revealed four key looks for Christmas 2011. This got me wondering how you, the mydeco community, are decorating your homes for the festive holidays. So I had a little snoop round your 3D rooms and found that you’re favoring the more traditional and understated decorations this year.

For any of you who are yet to deck the halls, take some inspiration from these 3D Christmas rooms festooned with classic decor:

3D room designed by auntiehelen

mydeco.com community member auntiehelen has gone for a minimal look with this spacious dining hall. The furnishings have been kept sleek and subtle so the Christmas trees become the focal point. If you like the minimal look, carry the silver and blue color scheme throughout the tabletop accessories and crockery. It certainly makes a change from the classic red and gold decorations predominant in traditional schemes.

3D room designed by mydeco_Jo

This is a much warmer and family-friendly Christmas living room design. Here the red and golds work well with the simple and clean white aesthetic of the walls, fireside and sofa. Subtle accents of red, as seen in the cushions, continues the look within the rest of the room. This style is great if you don’t like the tat of Christmas or the hassle of taking the decorations down in January!

Happy Christmas decorating!

There’s only 15 days to go until Christmas! And in amongst the hustle and bustle of home decorating for the holidays, make sure you don’t forget about the wonderfully versatile blank canvas of your dining table.

mydeco.com loves this ‘Festive Spice’ 3D room by community member djinnstar; it encapsulates our passion of being bold and brave with your home yet maintains a traditional feel too. After all, Christmas is the perfect excuse to really experiment with different color palettes and tabletop accessories.

3D room created by djinnstar

Dark furniture certainly doesn’t have to be dull this Christmas. Instead of traditional greens and reds why not spice up your color scheme with table accessories in bright pinks and bold purples. The contrasting colors of djinnstar’s furniture and tabletop accessories (see above) adds drama and creates a funky luxury feel to Christmas decor that has quite a traditional base.

This look is particularly effective if you have a feature wall in your room, which you can use to inspire your holiday table. Pick out one or two main colors and use these to influence your tabletop color scheme or as the basis of the festive color palette.

And if your not sure what it will look like, experiment with your ideas and create your own realistic 3D room on mydeco.com. It’s a great way to try out and visualize new Christmas table accessories and color schemes that you have in mind, or to simply have some festive fun!

You can easily recreate the Festive Spice look in your own home with inspiration from our Christmas table moodboard. Your tabletop can be equally as colorful if you choose a modern or a traditional look. To mix the old with the new on your table use textured, decorative items, such as this beautiful Mine Coupe glass, to emulate a more traditional feel with a spice of color.

If you have a different color in mind, perhaps an electric blue or zesty orange, why not add some products to a moodboard and let your inspiration carry you along. Don’t be afraid of mixing different styles and textures in your chosen palette – after all, Christmas is a time for fun and frivolity!

December 1st has been creeping up on us and now that it’s finally here it can only mean one thing – time to get shopping! If you haven’t started already or just need that little spark of inspiration, then check our Gifts for Her and Gifts for Him moodboards, handpicked for you by mydeco.com.

Why not create a moodboard yourself, and you never know what inspiration might come along!

Gifts for Her

Be bold and creative with your gifts for mom, your sister and girlfriend this Christmas. Go for a decorative and ornate look with a handmade item, such as this beautiful Voliere Tambour lamp. Bold and bright textiles make for a perfect gift, especially throw pillows and throws that help create a cozy hub in the festive season.

Alternatively, for those who prefer a more subtle look, go for a gift with an accent of color, as seen in these quirky Piso vases by Olav Slingerland; the inside coloring adds a touch of fun without clashing with the recipient’s decor.

Gifts for Him

I think the colorful trends that are infiltrating the festive season this year are calling for a twist on the traditional Gifts for Him. Choose a gift with a distinct style like these Bormioli-Rocco Sorgente glasses; their unique curvature adds individuality to a classic product.

Think outside the lines and go for bold and personal. Lighting makes a great present when given a modern, fun look: check out different shapes and designs for the perfect personal gift. mydeco.com’s favorite is the compact Cuboluce light box, with an ultra modern design that doesn’t even require a light switch!

Still stuck for ideas? We’ll be showing you more gift ideas on the mydeco.com blog next week!

Following on from last week’s blog, Autumnal, Scandi or Plum… How will you decorate this Thanksgiving?, I’ve found some wonderful 3D table settings and imaginative dining room decor from the mydeco community to share with you. Hopefully these designs will inspire your own Thanksgiving next Thursday. Not long to go!

Thank the girls

3D room created by alleypea

Do a Friends and celebrate Thanksgiving with your closest mates: get the girls round, pop the pink champagne and toast the good times you’ve all shared this past year. This ultra feminine dining room was originally designed by alleypea for a birthday party, but I think any girly-girl would also love this color scheme for Thanksgiving this year.

Old-school fun

3D room created by corrieb44

Despite the misty view from the window, this zesty yellow retro dining room from corrieb44 would brighten up the dullest day and make everyone happy to be around the Thanksgiving table. And, after the turkey and the pumpkin pies have been devoured, there’s room to push back the table and chairs and work off the calories with some old-school games. Twister, anyone?

Go Gothic

3D room created by crystal aston

Why not give your Halloween decor a second life? Pumpkins are the perfect accessory for Thanksgiving, and can add a flash of color to the table. mydeco designer crystal aston has gone for a flamboyant Gothic style here and, while the room was created for Halloween, the look adds drama and glam to Thanksgiving too.

Now you should be brimming with style ideas for Thanksgiving next Thursday! You can go down the more traditional route with autumnal and plum color schemes, or a crisp and clean look with a Scandi-influenced tabletop, as seen in my last blog. Or if you want to throw a themed party or have some fun with the dining room you can take inspiration from these girly, retro or Gothic style 3D rooms. Go on, have some fun with it!

When it comes to Thanksgiving, the dining room is always the hub of the house. Whether you eat your feast at the kitchen table or tuck into your turkey in a large dining room, my favorite day of the year (this time on the 24th, I’ve been counting down!) wouldn’t be complete without getting creative with the table decor – but where to start? Do you stick with a traditional autumnal feel, throw caution to the wind and decorate with crisp whites and a simple Scandi style, or go for broke with decor fit for a prince?

natural11 strikes the perfect autumnal chord with this 3D room Thanksgiving 2011. Not only does the room look warm and inviting, but the chestnut brown Antica chairs from Design Within Reach, round terracotta dish, and large gold gilt framed mirror pulls the autumnal colors we can see through the windows right into the room. Bowls of lemons, dishes of olives and nuts and a turkey serving set promise of the feast to come.

3D room created by natural11

With nature’s colorful palette of burnt oranges, umber and golden yellow out in abundance, it makes sense to use these hues as your inspiration. Better still, bring the outside in. It’s amazing how versatile dry leaves can be – use them to create leaf-print place cards, add branches of them to a homemade wreath or cut leaf-shaped placemats out of felt.

For those wanting to break the mold, why not try a minimalistic decor? I love how these ice-white pumpkins and ceramic dishes bring a crispness to the dining table and leave the delicious looking food to do the talking. The touches of bare wood against white give the table a Scandinavian vibe (a key look for autumn/winter 2011-12) and the grey and silver accents bring luxury to an otherwise rustic color scheme.

Image clipped from digsdigs.com

For another idea, veer towards deep pinks and purples which look fantastic by candlelight, as seen below. Add plenty of hot-house flowers and glass bowls filled with sugared plums to create a truly decadent thanksgiving table.

Image clipped from digsdigs.com

Want more ideas? I’ve created a moodboard filled with home items that will all add accents of style to your Thanksgiving table, whatever decoration scheme you choose. Happy holidays!