Ikea did it, again! Absolutely a wonderful idea to have this Botanisk limited collection, which is not only organic and beautiful but also creating jobs for local artisans. Now you can create your own garden without having a huge outdoor space.

Dig into BOTANISK

BOTANISK collection is created in collaboration with six social entrepreneurs in India, Thailand, Jordan and Romania. They all have business ideas that are based on creating jobs in regions where they are most needed, and for people that need them most.

Today, IKEA has 27 social business partners in 15 countries across the world, and the number keeps growing. It means 20 100 jobs - 5300 artisans and 14 500 small scale farm holders. The ripple effect improves the lives of 140 000 family members.

Whether you’re a plant swapper, urban gardener, or simply dream of growing a green thumb, BOTANISK has what it takes to sort you out. From tool kits and clay pots to large baskets, this handmade collection doesn’t only add to the fun of indoor potting – it creates jobs in regions where they are most needed. Let’s sprout some seeds of hope!

Sustainable in more ways than one

“The whole collection is made with people in mind. From start to finish the process has been all about the collaboration, developing the items together.” Maria O’Brian, Creative Leader IKEA.

A collection that grows on you, literally

Best of all, you don’t need a garden or even a balcony to enjoy all the lush greatness. Your apartment jungle is just a few pots and plant swaps away, which is exactly what BOTANISK is all about.

Seeds, sugar snaps and green ideas

While growing monsteras and vegetables are good for you – it can also get messy. Luckily, there’s BOTANISK tool storage (and more) to organise your gardening sessions. All in natural materials that feel great to touch and use.

Leaves that sprout new jobs

“We designed it together with an Indian seamstress, an expert embroiderer. After we’d shown her our general idea, she came up with great suggestions on how to do the leaves.”Paulin Machado, IKEA designer.

ps. This is not a paid partnership post - just to let you know. The text is mainly from Ikea’s website.

Ikea Botanisk limited collection is here!

Call it Gray Or Grey!

I call it grey now! But on my Pinterest board I call it gray. Grey has been the most popular colour paint for the recent years - actually for decades especially in Scandinavia. In the north we love grey. I’ve been wondering why, but perhaps it’s because it is so neutral and don’t steel the attention from winter’s snowy whites and summer’s shades of greens. Well, it’s quite grey outside no matter what the season is. Anyways, grey is not a boring colour at all.

Grey is both chic and neutral. So, it’s super easy to decorate with. It goes with almost everything. It’s the new neutral. Years ago, it was beige, but grey has made it greige - a kind of mixture of these two tones.. Most homeowners, especially those that focus on style, opt for the trendier and more stylish gray. We tend to think that grey is always a cool colour, but there are plenty of different hues of grey. That actually makes it rather difficult to pick up the right one. Even though grey is neutral, there are warm tones and cool tones.

Cool and Warm

Cooler tones include blues, greens, light purples (or mixtures of that include these undertones). They are more soothing and calming. They remind us of the sky and water. Cooler tones tend to recede and hence make spaces look larger.

Warmer tones are made with oranges, yellows and reds. They remind us of heat and the sun. They tend to make rooms cozier and more intimate. They tend to make spaces look smaller.

Pick Up Your Grey

Choosing the paint shade is one of the most common fears among people. Most homeowners don’t have experience or confidence in selecting the right shade. If you walk into a home and you’re super impressed with the paint colour selection, chances are that they had a design expert assist them in the process.

As a general rule, going lighter grey (rather than darker) tends to look better. It gives a fresh and airy look without making your space look too dark. Always ask for samples to test the colors in your own home, because the paint can look different on the walls than on the paint swatch and it can look different in different lighting, and different times of the day and on different walls, so definitely test using the samplers.

Basic Greys From Poli-Farbe

Poli-Farbe is a Hungarian family-owned paint company. They want to invest in the future, protecting the environment, creating jobs and encourage everyone to create a beautiful home.

LISZTES URÖM ‘floury wormwood’ is a light grey. It has a warm tone. It goes really well with dark hardwood floors and almost all types of furniture. It has several coordinating darker greys that are great for accent walls

EZÜSTFA ‘silverberry’ is probably the most popular grey. It’s a light cool grey, with slightly blue undertones and it’s exquisite. This shade is pretty much a pure grey. Very calming and relaxing hue.

SULYOM ‘water chestnut’ is a tad darker than the previous grey. It has some aqua and blue undertones reminds me of stormy sea.

HAMVASKA ‘burnt ash’ is a grey with brown undertones (and some very subtle yellow undertones). It works well when your room has a mixture of greys and browns. It has some brown and yellow undertones, so I would call this greige.

Ikea Botanisk Limited Collection