Where oh where have the retro posts been? Simple answer – I ran out of retro books to plunder. I had to wait to the next big book fair to replenish my stocks. I got some goodies! I thought I’d start with everyone’s favourite era. Not the stylish sixties or the fabulous seventies. No the much maligned eighties. Kelly Wearstler is on the bandwagon. Is it time to join? Remember the chunky pine? The stencilled furniture? The lace and patchwork and dried flowers and Tiffany lamps? Padded bedding of all types and grey, grey and more grey (with lashings of salmon pink)? Bedrooms are the best area to start. Somewhere soothing to rest your head. Today’s book is Making the most of Bedrooms & Bathrooms, by Mary Gilliatt, Orbis Publishing, London,1983.

It’s all about reclaiming our inner peace at Sia. Finding this serenity through calming décor. Collections include a fresh and relaxing blue and white palette, neutrals and naturals and a striking contrast of black with white and naturals. I love the natural vibe, the well rubbed timber, the organic shapes, the splash of colour. With stores now around the world the Sia spirit may just be close to you.

WINKS – weekend links. Here we list what has come in during the week, things we’ve found and things we think you’ll want to see. If you’d like to see your blog or website featured email us and if we think it fits with our readers we’ll link you. So what’s in this week?

• • Lora Carr emailed us to let us in on one of her favourite artists and OMG Kim and I are so glad she did! Memphis artist, Johnny Taylor is my new crush. Must have his art!!!

• • Celine is an interior decorator from Muskoka, ON, dedicated to greening her industry. Pure Green is her blog regularly featuring green design, eco-DIY, green style guides (Getting the ECO-STYLE), images from her portfolio and new green products. You don’t have to sacrifice looks to be green!

• • Dakota Jackson is an American designer and manufacturer of high-end furniture. Gorgeous! Don’t you just want to slide into the oh so stylish IKO sectional.

• • Lushpad is a marketplace to buy and sell contemporary and mid-century modern furniture and fine art and OMG I love it all. Now which one will I purchase in my dreams? Thanks for taunting me Melanie!

• • “A true focal piece in any room, this stunning pouf is covered in hundreds of laser-cut wool flowers to create a unique and functional piece.” The website doesn’t lie! Lana Wool Ottoman at Modern Dose.

• • Maya’s blog Completely Coastal celebrates the sea with decor, art, crafts and interior design, an inspiration and shopping blog for people who love the sea. Drop over and say hi!

• Bailey Doesn’t Bark is a contemporary wares, textiles and paper line by artist and designer, Re Jin Lee. Inspired by her own life, Re Jin Lee aims to create simple, but uniquely beautiful and humorous designs on functional products. Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Re Jin Lee has launched a collection of Postcups, white porcelain cups designed to be sent like postcards. Hi, love you, miss you, thinking of you, wish you were here…

… simplicity and calm. Things are crazy around the world. Recession, war and greed gone wrong but maybe just maybe a change is in the air. A room full of books, sunshine through a window and a few well designed pieces of furniture. Bliss. Bench by Barnaby Tuke.

WINKS – weekend links. Here we list what has come in during the week, things we’ve found and things we think you’ll want to see. If you’d like to see your blog or website featured email us and if we think it fits with our readers we’ll link you. So what’s in this week?

• • What a bright idea! April Pride Allison wants to introduce us to kaarsKoker (Dutch for candle sleeve). “I am a product designer in Seattle, US who launched a collection of decorative replacement candle sleeves – kaarsKoker – in September 2008. kaarsKoker offers individuals the opportunity to easily and personally a transform a light fixture. The collection of paper sleeves offers a variety of colors and prints to inexpensively ($12-23USD per pair/retail) customize a chandelier or sconce for everyday or holidays.” Great colours, fab patterns.

• • Can’t get enough of mid-century modern and online shops get me all a quiver. So when Elle Greene, owner of Austin Modern emailed I was all over the website with a fine tooth comb. Dangerous though because Elle says they ship all over the world. Help!! I want so much.

• • Julian emailed about a new site. “houzz aims to help homeowners find inspiration in home design and architecture and enables them to find, save and share photos and ideas. Please take a look. We have recently launched, and are trying to spread the word.” Click on over for inspiration and a new community.

• • Sage Moon McKee finds inspiration in landscapes – cracks, shapes, shadows and imperfections. Using photomontage and acrylic paint she creates bold compositions. Find these original works of art in her etsy store

• • Jenny Francis, Toronto architect and interior designer has a new blog chronicling her work, her inspiration, her sketchbooks. Look inside the design process.

• • Coco has a blog. Have you been yet? Cococozy – interior design. products, interviews. Hi Coco!

• • Totally in love with Paul Hamilton’s photos. So graphic, so colourful, so striking. Available from cards to canvases and matted prints. Take a further look here.

• • The decal trend continues and while some are just repeats of what we’ve all seen before sometimes a company comes along that is producing unique and funky pieces. Gecko Stickers guest artist series is fun and original. Check out the catalogue here

• Kerstin blogs from her 17th century townhouse in France. (Don’t you envy her already?) “Wallflower Dispatches is a mix between interviews, little ideas, book suggestions and a separate column about our life in France here (The Charming Mountain Goat).”