Ad // Editorial Campaign For Harper and Brooks

I am lucky to be working with a Norwegian watch company Harper and Brooks, on producing some editorials for them and their very beautiful range of classic watches. For the Autumn Winter 2018 editorial I decided to use only materials that nature provides us this time of year abundantly, anything that characterizes the passing from season to season. This is very close to Harper and Brooks ideology and the values of the company :

We design products that we love ourselves. We always strive for the highest possible quality. We care about the world around us and work with sustainable and thoughtfully considered materials.

Swiss mechanics, diamond-cut Sapphire Crystal glass and 316L surgical Stainless steel are core components at Harper & Brooks. They take pride in using locally sourced materials like vegetable tanned leather from Tärnsjö Garveri in Sweden and organic wool material from Scandinavia.

I personally really love the classics, their wool collection is very unique and I really like that everything is locally sourced. In this way , I am really proud to be working with a Norwegian brand with such strong values, I believe we should be supporting everything local if we can and most importantly Norwegian Design.

This week and until Friday, everything on the Harper and Brooks webstore is marked 30% down and many of favorite designs are marked 70% down. If you are also looking to support Norwegian Design and on the market for a watch, this is really a great opportunity. I chose a few designs to showcase today, but do visit the webstore to find more of the range and all the great sale opportunities ( like the gift section where you can find a watch and an extra strap). There is free International shipping with all orders so you dont need to live in Norway to take advantage of this great opportunity.

// Photography and Styling by Katerina Dima

Ad // Campaign For Ellos

November has only a week left in the calendar but I think we are all already preparing for Christmas at this point. Some earlier, some later, I am among the ones that do it early not only because I love this season but because I always try to find great ideas for you as early as possible! Be it on the design side, affordable or splurgy , I have been scouting the web for the best. This year (the winner for the budget side) Ellos Christmas editorial is very much to my taste. So much so that my take on Christmas would be almost identical if I was shopping the entirety of my selection from Ellos. I like to mix and match of course, so this will not be the result in my own home, but how beautiful is this festive editorial? Down to the colors, styling, everything is so well done I am so very impressed. In fact, I have already put an order for some decorations, and if you are planning to do so as well you should now. From experience last year I tried to buy some of their decorations mid December and almost everything was gone, so be quick if you want to be in! You can find all the range as shown in the photos here . Scroll down for the beautiful photos and check my favorites below each one!

Vase here | Chair here Christmas bubbles here | Christmas bubbles here Star lamp here | Tablecloth here   Cutlery here | Napkins here | Plates here | Bed linen in Rusty Red here// Photos Via Ellos , Collage by Katerina Dima

Advertisement // Campaign in collaboration with Høie of Scandinavia(Promo code 20% off with code “Onlydecolove” in all Høie of Scandinavia also in Sweden )

I have wanted for a long time to post all the most asked questions I usually get in my email from you, but today I decided to go for one of the questions I get the most : Where are your duvets from and are they so fluffy or it is something you have done to them ?  I must admit I have made a copy paste answer for the information and you might have gotten it too :

My duvets are from Høie of Scandinavia , the model is Høie Saga and you can find it here.  If you want to achieve exactly the feel and look, the size is 140×220 and it is the warm duvet , Saga varm dundyne .

And really that’s all there is. I have done nothing to my duvets other than just occasionally fluff them by washing them , though I see no real difference from before washing and after. And mind you, I have been using mine for over two years now, they have not changed texture or “fluffiness”. Warm and soft yet crisp and airy ( plus Allergy-friendly recommended Asthma Allergy Nordic), I consider them the best duvets I have ever used and I dont see myself ever changing them, other than perhaps replace them with new but of the same version. They are available in both cool, medium warm, warm and child sizes, the warm for the winter and the cool for the summer are perfect combinations.

I know I will keep getting this question long after I have posted this, but I dont mind . I remember I was just a teenager when my best friend bought a duvet that had all the Høie characteristics, but I did not recall the brand back then and then, years later when I started looking for one of my own, I never found anything close to the characteristics I was looking for, until I bought the Saga warm duvets from Høie. That is a long time to wait so I understand why so many people want to know, I would as well. Also worth mentioning are the pillows I use, also from Høie, two  Saga high ( Allergy-friendly recommended Asthma Allergy Nordic), and two  Høie Frigg 350gr  filled with 100% white Siberian goose down feathers. All Høie products are made in Norway, in Brekstad, an hour with boat from Trondheim.

To finish up the look as you see it today, I have dressed my bedroom with the new duvet covers Cecilie in Ivory  and two velvet pillowcases ( front velvet and back 100% cotton) Vanja in Oker. The Cecilie new line has impressed me a lot with its quality and softness. The extra fine cotton has a curling effect which means the fabric retracts and gives a natural relaxed expression. It also makes it feel thicker than plain cotton. In addition, the bed set is stone washed for extra softness. In occasion I have given you tips for really great quality cotton sheets that are budget friendly as well, Cecilie is probably the best I have seen, and not just from the budget friendly category ( in my opinion it could be well among much more expensive sets). The woolen blanket is also from Høie and you can find it here.

Now for the promo suprise code, Høie has just opened their Swedish webstore at www.hoie.com/se and have given me 20% off to share with you, just use code “Onlydecolove” after you are done shopping! Its now a perfect opportunity if you wanted to shop duvets or pillows or sheets, dont miss up on it 😉 The code can be used in both Norway and Sweden.

Before I finish this post, I really want to highlight all of the green efforts of Høie, one of the reasons I love their products but also working with them. You can read more about it here and how Høie takes responsibility and acts, but also, you can also invest on their green duvets, that you can find here.

Høie Pure duvet is filled with white European 90% duckling –  Swan label ( Svanemerket) . Sleeping in , you sleep in one of the most natural and environmentally friendly insulation materials. The Swan label places strict demands on the entire product life cycle and is your guarantee of reduced climate stress, sustainable use of resources and a non-toxic everyday life. It’s good for the environment and your health! And as an added bonus, my loved Saga line is also Swan certified! Since I need my bed to be allergy free this is double good news for me!

// Photography and Styling by Katerina Dima

||This post was made in collaboration with Skargards

If you follow me on Instagram stories you will have caught glimpses of a new addition at the cabin, something that I think everyone would think possibly goes hand by hand with a cabin in the fjords, a hot tub, or as Norwegians call it, a badestamp. Traditionally a badestamp is barrel wood fired hot tub, mostly made of cedar wood. Rustic looking (exactly like a big barrel with wooden seating inside) , they are typically found in mountain cabins where after skiing scandinavian people will enjoy a warm bath in the chilled weather outside with steaming water. Nowadays hot tubs can be found in various sizes and made of various materials, with many different heating configurations such as electric, gas, or propane. When we decided it was time to also add a hot tub at the cabin we all agreed it should be wood burning. It makes more sense since we dont use the cabin all year long so it is more economical to burn some wood whenever we need it, but also, I think it gives out more authentic notes. I did not want a completely traditional barrel hot tub, cleaning is not ideal plus it is not that comfortable, but I did not want to completely abandon the look, this is a hot tub for a cabin after all! The Regal Hot Tub from Skargards ended up to be the perfect solution for us.

The Regal model , it looks like a traditional hot tub but it is very contemporary, manufactured in fiberglass-reinforced hard plastic according to the same technology as boat hulls, so it is light yet very sturdy. From my experience as I have used it a couple of months now,cleaning is minimal (just rinse the walls after draining) which makes it maintenance free, very important in my book. I could go on about the specifications of the tub itself, but you can find all the details at Skargards website, however, something also important for me, the tub itself is very efficient. When firing the stamp, a natural underpressure is created in the oven that causes the bath water to circulate by itself. The oven in Skargard’s Regal is cleverly integrated into the hot tub and with the inherent circulation a uniform water temperature is obtained throughout the hot tub. Specifications aside this means more room inside and more flexibility, regardless of how many people are in.

Typically when we think hot tub we think winter time with lots of snow and steaming water. Also we think of party right? We have certainly had parties since we got the tub but as the title suggests, I find the tub to be relevant all year long, for private baths but also for friends coming over. It has been a beautiful fall and we have greatly enjoyed spending time in the tub relaxing, listening to music and reading books that have been on our list for a while, watching the sun set across the fjords. We have also found that morning baths are splendid as well, half of the photos here are taken in the early misty morning, with a coffee on our hand tossing wood into the oven. Even better when we have used the tub the previous day because the water is still warm the next day for that early bath. Coming home after a long skiing day and enjoying the steaming tub relaxing your muscles is great, but it is another sort of luxury altogether to wake up in the morning and set off for a morning bath while the sun rises.

That said I cannot wait for winter to come for those steamy baths, then spring for the stunning fjord views when the earth wakes up. As for the summer? I cannot wait to use the tub to cool down after sunbathing on the platform. All in all, it is truly a hot tub for all seasons.

Accessories : Must haves 

1. The Skargards tubs come with quite a few accessories,  I chose a bubble system for massage though we also ended up using it to naturally drop the temperature of the water when we feel is overheated for our taste. I dont know if its a must have but it is very enjoyable plus the added trick of lowering the temp without getting out of the tub is welcomed.
2. I also added an underwater light something I highly recommend as during the night the illuminated water feels like swimming in an underground hidden lagoon. Turn it off if you prefer counting the stars, leave it on for magical light. Also it is convenient if there is no other light around so you know where you are stepping into (it gets completely black here at night).
3. I originally ordered one shelf (as seen in the photos) but I put an order shortly for a second one that we installed on the opposite side of the first. If you have the tub freestanding like we do and dont integrate it halfway into your veranda for example, you need the space for convenience sake. We usually leave there glasses, bottles, our phones, books, bluetooth speaker etc
4. The stairs are also very important unless you are above 1.80m in height. At a mere 1.65m myself it is hard to get in and out and the original stairs are by far the most elegant looking solution ( unless you can find an alternative).
5. I did not get the extra smoke pipe, it reduces the heating time but with the insulated lid (see below), we decided to wait on it and judge afterwards. We are happy without it but of course if you need the most efficient heating you can add it.
6. One of the most important must haves in my opinion is the insulated lid (as seen in some of the photos).  The insulation is reinforced with steel frame, and the entire lid is dressed in boat vinyl. Very durable and easy to handle since it breaks in half, its importance is multi faceted. The lid at its primary function protects the tub from objects but dirt as well ,it is completely insulated so the water and the tub both stay clean. Equally importantly ,it can lay over the hot tub during firing, which significantly reduces the heating time while it also traps heat afterwards. If we use the tub in the afternoon until before sleeping, upon waking up the water is still warm enough to get in for a morning relaxing bath. An absolute must have for outdoors tubs.
7. I did not order a rain hat to begin with, but I do feel bad for the pipe when it rains so I ended up ordering one afterwards. Not a must have, but good to have certainly.
8. I did not get a smoke pipe protection either, but the pipe does burn a lot and we have all now been careless enough to burn ourselves one way or the other ,so I think I am getting one soon. Just for my peace of mind. Absolutely must have if you have children.
9. Last but not least, is dependent on the quality of water you fill the tub in and the temperature of where you live. The tub can be fitted with a water cleaning system , something we need since we use water either from our well or the fjord. With the cleaning system we never have to change water, and with the help of the lid we can leave the same water in for a good amount of months even. Filling in the tub can take a few hours so why not avoid this and also keep the water clean? A water heater can also additionally be hooked on the cleaning system keeping the temperature of the water up to 45 degrees. It can greatly decrease heating time but for us most importantly it means that the water will never freeze during winter. A must have. Important detail : You can have the cleaning system without the water heater but you cannot have the water heater without the cleaning system.

// Photography and Styling by Katerina Dima