Inspired Design

As I mentioned in my previous post, sometimes I'm really affected by the Viking magazine stories I'm working on. And while it's still only in the planning stage, our upcoming May cover story exploring Scandinavian Modern design has become one of those stories.

When the Viking team needed a writer on Scandinavian Modern design, we knew that our colleague Melinda Nelson, home editor for Mpls. St.Paul magazine, would be the perfect resource. In addition to her own expertise, she knows a ton of people in the design field and has a veritable library of design books and magazines for inspiration.

A couple of weeks ago, Melinda lent me "Decorate: 1000 Design Ideas for Every Room in Your Home" for the weekend, and I was completely bitten by the redecorating bug. In addition to the pages devoted to Scandinavian-inspired design, the book is crammed with tips and photos from a range of designers with very different styles.

Before the weekend was over, I had transformed my family's dark, crowded "playroom" (as we have called it since the kids were little) into a much more inviting and spacious room. Away went the teal drapes that were blocking out precious sunlight. Up went two fresh coats of paint to brighten things up. Out went the loveseat with the torn upholstery and an occasional chair that was making the room cramped. In came the IKEA couch (which seats my family of four comfortably—perfect for movie-watching). I was even inspired to frame a couple of pieces of art that had been in storage way too long.

As demonstrated by my weekend project, a little inspiration can go a long way. I hope readers find our upcoming Scandinavian Modern design feature as inspiring as I have!

Amy Boxrud is editor of Viking magazine. She lives with her family in Northfield, Minn., where she’s a member of Nordmarka 1-585.