TODAY I WANT TO BE IN...PORTUGAL (VIA URBAN STYLE VIBES*)

Come on friends, today I'd love to take you on a trip to Comporta in Portugal. This coastal residence is designed by LDA architects for a family that was looking for an 'ocean retreat' near Lisbon. The three 'cabanes' are inspired by the traditional fisherman houses. Each house is 50 square meter and the rooms are well designed. I love the simplicity and pureness of this unique place.

Q. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS PLACE? 

via: Cote Maison

WHAT ARE YOU READING THIS SUMMER?

 My dear blogger friends. Yesterday evening I've spent some time to read in my home design and travel books. I always love to find new inspiration and share it with you here on Urban Style Vibes*. My inspiration comes from other blogs, browsing the internet and of course some from the 'traditional' books. Over time I discovered that I tend to read more online than offline because there is so many choice from beautiful e-zines like Rue, Lonny Magazine etc. But on the other I just these coffee table books.

Here are 5 favourite books from me that I will read this summer:

1. Decorate: 1,000 Design Ideas for Every Room in Your Home

2. The 4-Hour Workweek, Expanded and Updated: Expanded and Updated, With Over 100 New Pages of Cutting-Edge Content.

3. Great Escapes South America (Taschen's 25th Anniversary Special Edition)

4. Kelly Hoppen: Ideas. by Kelly Hoppen

5. Apartment Therapy's Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces

Q. WHAT ARE YOUR READING THIS SUMMER? DO YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS?

5 THINGS TO DO IN PARIS

Hello all, I'm back home from my splendid weekend in Paris. What a lovely city! I hope that you have been there once or more because it's worth it. I have been in Paris a lot of times so this time we decided to go off road and find out some new arreas and place that I haven't seen before. Unfortunately I forgot to bring my real camera so I can only treat you with some happy snaps from Paris made with my Samsung Galaxy S. Thanks to all the tips that I received from my Twitter friends I had lunch and diner in a few lovely places. We stayed in a simple hotel but next time I will definitely sleep in the amazing Mama Shelter hotel. We had a great afternoon drink in this hip and happening design hotel.

Here are five things that I could recommend for Paris:

1. Stroll around in Jardin de Luxembourg. It's a beautiful urban garden

2. Enjoy an afternoon or a day in Le Marais, hip and happening you'll love the design and fashion stores like Zadig and Voltaire, Ben Simon, Autour du Monde etc.

3.  Visit the Museum Caravalet to discover more about the history of Paris

4. Take a seat on a bench or lay down in the grass of Place des Vosges. It's one of the most beautiful squares in Paris

5. Enjoy the good food. The French know what eating culture really means. Here are some suggestions for good restaurants: Cojean, Chez Leon, Mama Shelter (sunday Brunch) 

If you want more tips about Paris, please read My Little Paris. This is a lovely website with loads of inspiration. They even have a lovely book out now. You can order it here: My Little Paris

Q. HAVE YOU BEEN IN PARIS? WHAT DO YOU LIKE THE MOST ABOUT PARIS? I'D LOVE TO HEAR YOUR SUGGESTIONS!

images: Lise M for Urban Style Vibes*

SNEAK PREVIEW IKEA CATALOGUE 2O12

 Hello lovelies, how are you? Are you ready for some new IKEA inspiration? I bet you are! I can't wait to see the whole new IKEA catalogue for 2012 but for now I'd love to treat you with the first sneak preview of the new IKEA Catalogue 2012 that I found on Ikea Fans and Cote Maison. This new catalogue gives me inspiration to prepare my home for the new Autumn season to come. The first items and the full catalogue will be avaible in the Netherlands in September 2011 so I guess we have some time to discuss the best items and mix and match before it's even in store. I love the simplicity of the new IKEA styles and see those lovely purple tones that will appear in the new season. And those lovely gray and camel shades are just stunning!

Q.WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE NEW STYLES AND ITEMS? I'D LOVE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS!

images: IKEA via Cote Maison

PARIS BOUND ANY SUGGESTIONS?

Hello friends. How was your weekend? Are you ready for a kick start this Monday? I have a busy schedule today and the rest of the week but before I leave you I will take you to Paris today. Paris is only 3 hours by train from Amsterdam so on Thursday, 'quatorze juillet', the national bank holiday I will travel with A.M. one of my friends to the French Capital. If you have any tips for me on where to shop, eat and enjoy, please let me know! I'm sure I will visit the Mama Shelter Hotel/Restaurant and I love to shop till you drop but I'd love to hear your ideas on where to go when I'm there. You always help me out to find the best hotspots on the planet. That's why I love blogging and social media. Together we can really make a difference!! Thank you so much in advance!

Above are a few happy snaps from one of my previous trips to Paris. Next week I will give you an update on my new experiences in this beautiful city.

ENJOY READING: MEET THE BLOGGER ATTENDEE LIST

Hello lovely bloggers, many people asked us to come up with the attendee list of the fist Meet the Blogger event in Amsterdam. And guess what? Here is the start of the list in undefined order! We are still adding new links so this is work in progress. I hope this list will help you to discover new blogfriends and network along the way. If your blog is not listed, please leave a comment below and we will add your blog asap! Janneke and I are currently investigating future Meet the Blogger events, workshops and opportunities across Europe (and beyond) for the near future. If you have any ideas, please share them with us below!

Decor8

Eco Beauty
Dear Designers
Heart Home Magazine
Arianna Interiors

Mariska Meijers
flavourites

Villa d'Esta

Stephanies Dreamboat

Style Cookie
Kopje Twee

Orange Farmhouse

April and May

Planet Fur

All the Luck in the world

Irideeen

Worldly Treasury

Eline Pellinkhof

By Petra

Ozowiezo
Home and Happiness
Appracadabra

Vosges Paris

Lille Lykke

Boulevard B

Spraakwater

Made by Malwina

Songbird is nesting

vtwonen.nl

Beau lifestyle

Rosas inspiration

Moola Stylista 

Miko Design

Beeldsteil

Wikkie Wikkie

Domestic Stories with ivy

Studio Soil

Ida Interior Lifestyle

The Style Files

Yvestown

Fabric of My Life

Het gehaakte sprookjesland

Bodie and Fou

Moois en Meer
Petite Passport
Lily's Cupcakes
Kelly Hoppen
101 woonideeen
The South is blooming
Starry Blue Sky
The Spirit of Abundance
Influenced by Style
Let's blog Design
Rivka Dieho
PIP-presentatie
Room55
La Maison D'Anna G.
Dutch Delights
Luxe Vida
Heart Destinations
Crafting Peace
Casa Holandesa
Style this simple
Space ID
Living in a prettyhow town


If you have attended the Meet the Blogger event in Amsterdam and your blog does not yet appear on the list above, leave us a comment below. We will add your blog asap!

H&M POP UP STORE

Hello Friends, I love browsing the internet for inspiring ideas. Today I came across this H&M charity pop up store at Scheveningen Beach in the Netherlands. H&M has been collaborating with WaterAid since 2002, including an initiative every summer whereby thei sell an exclusive bikini. This year they offer a whole beachwear collection dedicated to support WaterAid.

A variety of essentials for men, women and kids from H&M’s “Beachwear in Shades of Blue” line were available at the shipping container-style shop on the beach, and a full 25 percent of the sales proceeds went directly to WaterAid.

Q. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS INITIATIVE AND DO YOU HAVE SIMILAR INITIATIVES IN YOUR COUNTRY? I'D LOVE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS!

via: Springwise

SUMMER VIBES

Hello Tuesday! Do you remember my post last week about the small garden office/retreat? Today I'd love to share a summer retreat in Finland with you.  Jussi and Riina Palva both environmentally conscious architects, designed their own vacation home outside Helsinki. A 10 minutes bike ride brings them to this lovely summer home in the Lauttasaari Recrational Park with Baltic Sea view. I would die for a rustic place like this to escape the urban hectic life in the weekends.

Q. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS SUMMER RETREAT? WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE A SPOT LIKE THIS FOR THE WEEKEND?

via: NYT

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY...

Hello friends, happy 4th of July for all of you in the US and happy new week for all of you in the rest of the world. How was your weekend? My weekend was full with summer parties, beach breaks and cupcakes. So now I'm ready to kick start the new week. This week I will treat you with some amazing places in Brazil, Sweden and Italy. In addition I will share some new discoveries with you. Take care and see you soon!

PS. Above are some happy snaps from our holiday in the BVI earlier this year....
images: Lise M. for Urban Style Vibes

LET'S GO GLAMPING!

Hello friends, it's time for the weekend? Are you ready? Today we go on a glamping (=glamourous camping) trip to Denmark with our own Safari tent. In under an hour and without any camping experience you can put this tent up on a sandy dune in Denmark, as shown here, or anywhere else under the sun. I would love to sit in front of this tent watching the fireplace and the stars. Although I love to live in an urban environemnt I even more enjoy the country side and its'natural beauty.

Q. WHAT ABOUT YOU? WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO GLAMOUROUS CAMPING?

 images: KML Design