Notes for a considered home
The Valenne journal.
Rooms to imagine. Decisions made easier. Explore practical ideas for a home that feels good to live in.
30 stories to explore
Designers & their objects
Frank Gehry’s cardboard chair
A closer look at the Wiggle Side Chair: Frank Gehry’s 1972 design, its corrugated-cardboard structure and the hardboard edges that trace its curves.
2 min read · Read the story
Art & placement
How high to hang art: start with the center
Use the 57-inch rule as a starting point, calculate the hanging position and adjust the height for furniture and the way you view the room.
4 min read · Read the story
Lighting & proportions
Dining pendant height: check the gap above the table
Start with a 75–90 cm gap from tabletop to pendant bottom, then check sightlines, glare and light coverage before setting the final height.
4 min read · Read the story
Pattern & textiles
How to mix patterns: vary the scale, repeat a color
Combine a large floral, a medium check and a fine stripe, then use shared color and real fabric samples to judge the mix in your room.
4 min read · Read the story
Color & decorating
The 60–30–10 color rule, with three palettes to try
Choose room colors using a simple 60–30–10 balance. See cream, olive and rust, blue and ochre, and sage and burgundy palettes with hex swatches.
5 min read · Read the story
Designers & their objects
TMM & Älgskinnsfåtöljen: two designs worth knowing
The stories behind Miguel Milá’s TMM floor lamp and Mats Theselius’s Älgskinnsfåtöljen, from a movable shade to moose leather and etched metal.
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Textiles & everyday comfort
Sofa cushion arrangement: leave room to sit
Arrange cushions around the usable seat, compare sizes and patterns, and keep the center open while you test what feels comfortable.
4 min read · Read the story
Display & collected details
Open shelf styling: what to leave out
Group useful books, choose a few distinct objects and leave open space. A practical guide to shelf styling, color, placement and an easy reset.
4 min read · Read the story
Seasonal styling
Fall coffee table decor that leaves room for living
Create subtle fall coffee table decor with a warm wood tray, amber glass and a low ceramic bowl, while keeping room for drinks and everyday life.
4 min read · Read the story
Small spaces & daily rituals
Small bathroom styling, starting at the counter
Explore simple bathroom countertop decor ideas with a cream vanity tray, a useful soap dispenser and a small stone accent, placed around your daily routine.
4 min read · Read the story
First impressions & everyday function
A warm modern entryway that works when you come home
Style a simple console with practical entryway table decor: a clear landing place, sculptural bookends and warm accents that keep your hall easy to use.
4 min read · Read the story
Proportion & placement
Living room rug size: start with the front legs
Check whether your rug connects the seating, compare two footprints and test doors and walking routes before choosing a size.
4 min read · Read the story
Light & atmosphere
How to light a room that feels good after dark
Separate general light, light for a task and decorative light, then check brightness, placement and glare in the room you use.
4 min read · Read the story
Materials & color
Can you mix wood tones in the same room?
Build a wood palette around the floor and furniture you already own, using deliberate contrast, repeated details and real samples.
4 min read · Read the story
A practical room guide
Three ways to arrange a narrow living room
Compare a wall-side layout, two compact zones and a floating sofa before moving a single piece.
3 min read · Read the story
A practical room guide
A warm minimalist bedroom in a small space
Build a restful bedroom around bed access, useful storage and a restrained palette.
2 min read · Read the story
A practical room guide
What to measure before choosing a sofa
Check the room, delivery route and usable seat before committing to a sofa.
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A practical room guide
Dining and working in the same small room
Choose between a shared table and a separate work corner, with a realistic daily reset.
2 min read · Read the story
A practical room guide
Plan furniture placement before purchasing
Compare measured layouts, test movement and buy only after the difficult decisions are clear.
2 min read · Read the story
A practical room guide
A room-planning checklist you can actually use
Turn a room idea into a measured brief, a tested layout and a focused purchasing list.
2 min read · Read the story
Designers & their objects
S 64, Flowerpot & Barcelona: the details behind three icons
Meet Marcel Breuer, Verner Panton and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe through three familiar designs: cane and tubular steel, two rounded lamp shades and a curved chair frame.
3 min read · Read the story
Designers & their objects
Stool 60: three legs and one clever bend
The detail behind Alvar Aalto’s 1933 birch stool: how the L-leg is bent, why it screws directly beneath the seat and how three legs make a stack.
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Practical decorating
Amber glass: choose the shape before the colour
Amber glass brings a warm note without adding an opaque block of colour. Choose the opening, base and height for the place it will live; the amber tint comes second.
3 min read · Read the story
Practical decorating
Keep the grey sofa: warm colour, texture and wood
Before replacing a grey sofa, try a warm cushion, a different texture and a darker wood surface nearby. Those three changes can alter how the upholstery reads without replacing the largest piece in the room.
3 min read · Read the story
Practical decorating
Olive, pink and oxblood: a room palette to try
Pair muted pink with a deeper olive, then add a small glossy oxblood accent. The contrast comes from both colour and surface: matte wall, velvet seat and reflective lacquer.
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Designers & their objects
Thonet 214: the café chair, explained
The familiar café chair shows what bent solid wood can do. Michael Thonet’s 1859 design, originally No. 14 and now known as 214, combines a spare outline with a structure made for repeatable production.
3 min read · Read the story
Interior details
Small handles. Big difference.
Choose cabinet handles by shape, grip, finish and fit. A practical guide to checking mounting holes and testing a new handle before changing a whole room.
3 min read · Read the story
Designers & their objects
Paper, cord, marble and steel
A closer look at Noguchi’s Akari 1A, Wegner’s CH24, the Castiglionis’ Arco and USM Haller: four familiar objects explained through their materials and construction.
4 min read · Read the story
Room planning
You don’t need another wall
Use a curtain to give one room two uses. Plan the opening, stacked fabric, light and walking route before choosing a room-divider curtain.
3 min read · Read the story
Designers & their objects
Pratone: yes, it is a seat
Meet Gufram’s Pratone, the oversized grass-shaped seat designed by Giorgio Ceretti, Pietro Derossi and Riccardo Rosso in 1971.
2 min read · Read the story