My new book!

This year I've been tinkering away behind the scenes on a new book. And now it's finally time to reveal a little more about it! So exciting! While my first two books focus on interior design, my new book is centered around the Swedish philosophy of 'Lagom' meaning 'not too much, no too little - just right.' I moved to Sweden in 2004 and over the past 13 years a lot has happened -  marriage, children, work.... But also, while I'll still always be a Londoner at heart, I've slowly adapted to the Swedish way of life. My home is clutter-free, I ride my bike everywhere (even in the snow!), I take walks along beaches and in the forests and I finish work on time (clock-watching? who me?!). And something truly unexpected has happened - I've become calmer, more content and ultimately..... happier! In 'Lagom: The Swedish Art of Living a Balanced, Happy Life'  I've drawn on my observations of life in Sweden - from how my Nordic friends decorate their homes, take morning dips, go mushroom picking and enjoying a fika (a break with a coffee and a little treat) to how they celebrate holidays and other big events, raise their children and even strike a balance with the world around them. I hope you'll enjoy the many tips, craft ideas and even the odd recipe as much as I have  compiling them for the book!

'Lagom: The Swedish Art of Living a Balanced, Happy Life' is now available to pre-order here!

It's such a wonderful moment to see a book come to life. Thank you to my publisher HarperCollins who has been so supportive of all my ideas from start to finish and the talented Swedish illustrator Petra Borner for the beautiful illustrations throughout the book! I can't tell you how generous my Swedish friends (and others further afield) have been throughout the process - from trusting me with their knowledge, to sharing experiences and providing recipes - tack så mycket! And finally, a huge thank you for reading my blog and following my feeds on social media, you inspire me to share my experiences of Scandinavian (and more specifically Sweden) - and this book would never have been possible without you!

I hope you enjoy it!

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Cosy meets contemporary in a Rotterdam home

Why hello Monday! I hope you've had a great weekend? We're slowly snaking our way home across the Baltic sea to Malmö via Denmark after our sailing adventure... it's been such a relaxing time!  To match my mood, I thought I'd kick off the week with this lovely, calm space in Rotterdam belonging to Stefan Prins, a partner of architect and design firm, the Powerhouse Company. Stefan has spent three years designing and building his dream home and turned to Holly Marder and Hedda Pier of Avenue Design Studio for interior design assistance. The result is a Nordic style home that bridges the gap between 'clean and contemporary' and cosy and comfortable with the use of rich, natural textures. Here's a sneak peek of the sitting room and kitchen / dining area...

Photography: Avenue Design Studio. Architect: Stefan Prins

What a great space? I love the open-plan nature of the living area and the soft, muted tones.

Get the look from Stefan's home: sitting room - art by July Adrichem, source natural linen made-to-measure curtains here (I also love these two-toned curtains - so lovely!). Kitchen / dining area - wishbone chairs, ceramics by July Adrichem, 'Up' poster by Fine Little Day,  bench from IKEA.

You can see more of this space and read more about the project here.

I'm such a big fan of Dutch style and often showing homes from The Netherlands. Check out a few of my favourites here!

Right, better get a move on, we need to take to the water....

Have a great start to the week!

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A fascinating, small studio where interests dictate

Hej hej! You know that feeling when you know your computer is about to die but you can't be bothered to move nearer the power socket? Well, I'm on borrowed time here. The truth is, I'm curled up under a blanket in the corner of our sail boat feeling all cosy with a steaming cup of coffee. Everyone else is still asleep and it's sooo lovely and quiet! I know that if I get up to charge my laptop there's a chance I might stir one of the members of my beloved family and my golden hour of peace will be over! I'd better get on with today's tour quickly! Although there's no 'quick' about the way this beautiful studio has been decorated. The lovely home of Ann Stephenson and Lori Scacco (who oversees Donzella) in Manhattan's East Village has a wonderful nostalgic feel to it. The 370 square foot (34 square metres) studio is brimming with fascinating art, antiques, books and trinkets, evidence of a home dictated by passions and interests rather than trends. Photographer Genevieve Garruppo
has truly captured the essence of the space.

Photography Genevieve Garruppo Prop styling: Kaylei McGaw

What a fascinating home? I love how Ann and Lori haven't let a limited space prevent them from surrounding themselves with all the things they love. It's also wonderful to see an old world feel in the heart of a big city!

Is there anything that catches your eye?

Get the look from Ann and Lori's studio: source a vintage black leather sofa here, this dining chair is similar, buy beautiful cushions / pillows here. I love these vintage industrial wall lamps. Pick up a beautifully faded, vintage kilim rug here. This is a lovely iron bed frame.

See more pictures of this lovely home over at the wonderful Lonny magazine (while you're there you must check out Lonny's ideas and home tour pages - full of inspiration!).

And if you're looking for more inspiration on ways to decorate a small space, you might also want to check out this archive.  So many clever ideas?!

Trevlig helg! Have a wonderful weekend - see you Monday! 

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My kitchen update: HONK trolley

We were so lucky to have plenty of cupboard storage in our kitchen when we moved in. But sometimes I feel open storage is pretty handy too - plus I love the relaxed vibe it gives a space, don't you agree? Thanks to Danish homeware brand Nordal (#Ilovemywork) I finally got around to installing this beauty in the kitchen a few weeks back. Made from iron and recycled fir wood, the HONK trolley (great name!) has a lovely industrial feel - and as soon as I put it in place, it felt it had always been there - don't you love it when that happens? As you can see, it's already laden down with things (however did I find the space for these items before?). Here's a sneak peek....

Photography: Niki Brantmark / Styling Genevieve Jorn

Soooo happy with it!

Here's a quick guide on the items in my kitchen:

1. Wall lamp 2. Black and gold bowls 3. Glass measuring jar 4. Grey coat hook 5. HONK trolley 6. Stoneware pitcher 7. Tapas board 8. Grey leather carpet 9. Graphic oven dish10. Espresso pot.

Nordal ships throughout Europe - find your nearest dealer / stockist here.

Have a lovely day! 

PS Keep an eye out for my full kitchen reveal next month! In the meantime here's a tour of my dining area - so happy with the updates!

This post is brought to you in collaboration with Nordal. However, all words are my own and I only ever work with brands I absolutely love and think you will too! Thank you for supporting the businesses that help bring fresh content to your mail box and make My Scandinavian Home possible.

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A cosy 1920's storybook home in Oakland Hills

Tjoho! So it's official. Blue sofa's are trending, and aren't they fab? They always remind me of my parents house (my parents have had a pair of blue chesterfields combined with a kilim rug in the sitting room for as long as I can remember - I  must take a pic next time I'm in London!). In Kate Davison's beautifully renovated 1920s storybook home in Oakland Hills, California, it's not the blue sofa that stands out though (as lovely as it is) - it's a whole combination of things: the architect, the original flooring, the exposed brick, and the lovely details - all of which add up to a minimal yet cosy, modern home with spectacular views. Step inside....

Interior design / styling: Kate Davison Photography: Colin Price 

What a lovely home? It would be so amazing to live in a house with so much design history (loving the storybook architecture and the house is thought to have featured in Architectural Digest back in the 1930's!).

Is there anything that stands out to you about Kate's home?

Get the look: sitting room - sofa from Funky Furniture, this shag pile rug is similar dining area - framed watercolour, wishbone chairs, Tulip table.  Bedroom - this knit throw in mustard is similar.

You can see more pics of Kate's home and keep up to date with her latest projects here and read more about the home here.

A few other Cali homes I love: an eclectic home in sunny california,  a relaxed family loft in Oakland and a charming home in less than 20 metres square! All so different yet inspiring in their own way, don't you think?

Have a lovely day!

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New interior book: Feelings of Imperfection

Although I like to turn to blogs and instagram for inspiration, there's always a time and place for interior books. There's something wonderful about switching off, curling up on the sofa and leafing through the pages of a lovely book with a cup of tea - don't you think?! One of my latest favourite reads is Feelings of Imperfection: The stylish life of lost places by interior designer Anna Björkman and photographer Anna Malmberg (the curator behind Northern Delight blog), published by Malmö based New Heroes and Pioneers. The tome explores a melancholic world that celebrates the feeling certain spaces tend to evoke within us and examines the duality between two worlds: 'the old and new, the perfect and imperfect, the present and the past'.  If you love dilapidated spaces, whimsical touches, poetry and beautiful photography, you'll love this book! Here's a sneak peek....

By Anna Björkman & Anna Malmberg / from: Feelings of Imperfection: The stylish life of lost places

published by New Heroes and Pioneers.

Something for your bedside table? 

Feelings of Imperfection is available here

For more interior design book inspiration you might like to check out this archive - you'll have an entire library in no time. Happy reading!  

PS We're moored up in a little harbour on the German island of Hiddensee  - it looks beautiful but sadly POURING with rain! More cards, more games and more reading, not always a bad thing! Hope the sun's shining where you are!

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A vintage-inspired family home in rural belgium

Hejsan hejsan! We've taken to the high seas (actually they're not that high- the Baltic sea is beautifully calm today) and heading to the island of Rügen in Germany - I've never been and super excited, any tips?! I hope you've got some fun plans for the week ahead too? Adventures aside, I thought we'd kick off the week with this lovely country house in Belgium. The home belongs to Liza van der Stouwe founder of Atelier Rozijntjes, her husband Vincent and their three children and has been beautifully captured by Avenue Design Studio. Think fabulous tiles, a wood-burning stove, vintage finds, modern touches and oodles of charm!

Styling/Photography: Avenue Design Studio

What a wonderful family home? I love the children's bedrooms - think I might have to steal a few ideas, how about you? 

And how about all those vintage touches? Liza finds many of them in second hand stores but I also find Etsy a wonderful source for everything from industrial pendant lights to reclaimed school desks and many of the stores ship worldwide. 

To get the full scoop, nip over to Avenue Lifestyle where the talented creative duo Holly Marder and Hedda Pier share some more info on this lovely home and insight on where things are from.

Looking for a little more inspiration from Belgium? Why not pour yourself a slow brew and take a peek inside the eclectic world of Bea Mombaers (you can stay there too!), and a relaxed Antwerp home (one of my all time favourites). Oh so fabulous?!

Have a wonderful start to the week!

PS If you're looking for shelving, I love Tylko - and they're offering an exclusive discount right now too. More here!

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