A Clever Small Space Solution For a Bedroom or Home Office

Homes come in all shapes and sizes and sometimes you need to get a little creative to accommodate that extra bedroom or home work space! And I love what the owners have done with this small, 44 m2 (473 f2) Stockholm apartment. Using reclaimed wood, upcycled windows and doors, they've cordoned off part of the living room to form a master bedroom.  The windows ensure natural light still flows through to the bedroom - and yet the space still feels cosy and private. All in all, a lovely, unique idea! Oh, and check out the blue shade too - 'deco blue' by Jotun Lady has a similar calming tone. 

I love how the doors open right out to give the space a light and airy feel. 

Such a clever solution! 

I see that there are curtains in the sitting room which can be drawn at night, but I'd also consider black out blinds in the bedroom area too, just to make sure you get an extra good shuteye. What do you think?

Do you have an awkward space in your home that you're trying to puzzle out? 

In my parents home, where I'm currently staying (see below), the third bedroom used to be accessed via the second bedroom. Mum was always worried that taking away a section of the second bedroom to build a corridor would make the second room feel too cramped - but eventually they took the plunge and I have to say, it's worked amazingly. The second bedroom still feels fine and it's great to have separate access to the third bedroom rather than creeping passed someone snoring away! 

If you fancy checking out the entire tour - it's still available here. 

Niki

Thank you SO much for all your lovely comments, I've read all of them and your words feel so comforting. Unfortunately, we didn't receive the results we wanted and I have prolonged my stay at my parents' house to be with my Dad. However, I'd love to continue coming here daily to blog, but do bear with me if I disappear for a few days! 

Photos: Svenskfast found via Planete Deco with thanks

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Beautiful Amsterdam bedroom make-over and tips for a great night sleep

I had a bit of a late night last night, arriving back from presenting in Copenhagen (alongside two other lovely social media gals - cake baking extraordinaire Cecilia and talented photographer Christina) at midnight before being rudely interrupted by my alarm at 5.30 am this morning- GUH! As a result sleep (or lack of) is on my mind. Oh how I'd love to crawl under the duvet in this beautiful bedroom in a penthouse in Amsterdam. Designed by Holly Marder, the space has been decorated with soft, muted tones and a subtle mix of  textures to give a serene and relaxing feel.  Could you imagine a peaceful night's sleep (or duvet day) in this light and airy bedroom?

Photography / design - Holly Marder  / Avenue Lifestyle shared with kind permission.

Oh so lovely! The star of the show has to be the kitty cat - he's gorgeous?! But if I had to choose an item I'd go for the African mudcloth pillows/ cushions - fab!

Other items: I have a very similar bench at the end of my bed and love it. You can source a similar one here and here. The wall colour is Ammonite. Source sheer linen here. Hästens bed which has been re-upholstered. Brass pendant light bulbs, white and rose linen bedding. Beni Ourain rug. Books: The Kinfolk Home and Northern Delights. Superfront cabinet doors.

You can also see the before pictures here (I do love a good before and after!). And you might want to check out Holly's own bedroom here (one of the most popular posts of all time on MSH!). 

There's also plenty of bedroom inspiration in the MSH archives here. Plus over 1000 beautiful bedrooms (I'm not joking) on my bedroom pinterest board (clearly I dream about going back to bed a lot).

Other sleep-inducing links:

This dark broody cocoon of a bedroom and light and airy bedroom is also beautiful. Do you prefer the dark or the light?

I love this 'within the tides' bedding.

5 minute bedtime yoga for a better night's sleep.

Bedroom plants that help you sleep.

13 songs to calm you down at night.

How to wake-up without feeling sluggish.

Have a lovely day (and a beautiful night's sleep!). Sweet dreams!

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Duvet day in this beautiful Swedish bedroom?!

Hello! And a big ciao to all wonderful new Italian readers too! It's still as grey as ever here in southern Sweden and what I really feel like doing is spending the day in bed reading. Ha! Fine chance! Which is probably why I chose this Swedish apartment for today's home tour - the light filled master bedroom is definitely the star of the show! it's beautiful! The little girl's room is incredibly cute too.  Could you spend the day here?!

Stadshem

The thing I like the most about the master bedroom (yes, I'm still thinking about it...) is that they clearly have a large wardrobe in the little girls room for clothes and yet they still have an open rail for the prettiest clothes (or tomorrow's clothes?) in the bedroom which looks fab. Also, I like the way they've hung the art photography off centre over the bed. And finally a shelf incorporated into a headboard is a great way to do away with bedside tables for a cleaner look. 

Some fab pieces from the apartment I know and love: RAR rocking chair in the little girls bedroom with a cosy sheepskin throw and Harlequin wallpaper. String shelves in black. Flos 265 wall light in the dining area. HAY Polygon throw and linen bedding in charcoal. Eames DSR chairs in white and black. 

Anything that caught your eye?

More fabulous bedroom inspiration here, here and here with the addition of my bedroom here. And could you IMAGINE sleeping here?! 

Must-have bedroom accessory right now: this moroccan pom pom throw (as seen on SF Girl By Bay).

Have a lovely day! 

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A Clever Small Space Hack in a Beautiful Danish Apartment

Hey friends! How are you this fine day? 

One of the things I have always admired about Scandinavians is how practical and resourceful they are. Something needs fixing? Out comes the toolbox. Car tyres need changing? Out comes the jack! And this practical approach transcends to the home too. Scandinavian homes might be beautiful, but they're also user-friendly and comfortable. 

This comes particularly in handy in a small space, where every inch counts.  

A few days ago I was browsing Simply Scandi magazine (if you don't already subscribe, it's a must! And I'm not just saying that because I'm a proud contributor, honest!) - and stumbled across Vasia Moragianni's home. 

After her divorce, Vasia and her young son Emil moved into a one bedroom flat in Copenhagen. Determined to ensure privacy and maximise space, Vasia devised a plan to turn the 60 sq.m (645 sq.ft) space into a spacious and bright two bedroom apartment. Read on to discover how! 

The original floor plan:

When they first moved in, Vasia and her young son Emil shared a bedroom. 

Glossary: værelse - bedroom, stue - sitting room, køkken - kitchen, bad - bathroom, entré - hallway

Floor plan after: 

Vasia swapped the bedroom and sitting room areas and removed a wall between the kitchen and sitting room to create one large room. A wall was erected to divide the bedroom into two separate rooms. 

Kitchen before 

This is how the kitchen looked before the wall was removed:  

And this is how the room looked after the renovation: 

The open-plan space includes a small sitting room and dining room area. 

One bedroom becomes two

Vasia was particularly keen to ensure Emil had his own room. The answer was to divide the single room into two.

In order to maximise floorspace, the bed can be rolled through a hatch into the adjacent room, fitting neatly under the raised bed in the adjacent room.  

While, initially the larger room doubled up as a bedroom and office. These days, the rooms have been swapped and Emil occupies the larger room. When the bed is removed, he has plenty of space to play! 

What a clever idea - so unique! 

The best thing about this renovation is that it ticks all the boxes for small space living: it's multifunctional, flexible, has zones for all activities and allows a wonderful flow of light for a spacious feel. 

Could you imagine doing something like this in your home? Or perhaps you have a friend dealing with a similar conundrum? If so, please do share this post with them in case the idea comes in handy! 

For other small space solutions today, check out: 

10 small space tricks to learn from a Swedish apartment

A small Stockholm apartment with a clever library solution!

11 small space hacks to learn from a beautiful Danish home

You might also like to scroll through the entire small space archive which includes ideas for studio apartments, smart room dividers and more! 

Thanks so much for dropping by this week. Have a wonderful weekend!

Niki

Photography: @small_nordic_tales, shared with kind permission

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My budget bedroom refresh

I do love a challenge and when Benson for Beds asked me to update my bedroom for spring using plants, and second hand finds, I was rummaging through a bin at my local thrift store moments later! Truth be told, my home is teaming with plants and flea market finds already.  I've always loved the fresh feel of vibrant greenery and with second hand items, that each and every piece has a story to tell. To me, the combination is essential in creating a unique and personal space that's warm and inviting. Here's a step by step guide to my budget bedroom refresh - I hope you like the results!

1. I picked up this old bench at an online vintage store, and it's a great alternative to a chest - providing the perfect spot for books, plants and spare blankets at the end of the bed.

2. I found this peacock chair on a buy-and-sell site online and it adds a little decadence to the corner of my bedroom!

 3. This brass lamp is a local flea market find and adds a little shine to me bedside table as well as being practical. It sits atop an old workman's stool.

4. My friend Tina Lekeberg recently gave me this bouquet of cut herbs as a gift. The roots are starting to grow so I'll transfer them to a pot soon - in the meantime I'm enjoying waking up to the fresh scent of mixed herbs! 

5. A second-hand sheepskin throw and linens are perfect for adding a little warmth on cool spring evenings!

6. I love the gentle whisper of an asparagus plant - the only tricky part will be keeping it alive as they require lots of water - eeek!

Photography: Niki Brantmark - My Scandinavian Home. Styling: Genevieve Jorn.

I have to say, I do love waking up in my bedroom now, it feels so cosy! May my room stay neat and the plants stay green for as long as possible!

If you fancy giving your bedroom a refresh you might like to check out four easy bedroom decorating ideas on a budget for more ideas. Oh and if you're wondering about any of the items you see, give me a shout in the comment section below and I'll point you in the right direction!

Have a lovely day!

This post was brought to you in collaboration with Benson for Beds, however all the words, ideas and images are my own - and I loved participating in this challenge as it gave me just the incentive I needed to give my bedroom a much needed refresh! Thank you for supporting the brands that make My Scandinavian Home possible.

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