Simple, yet beautiful Christmas decorating ideas

I hope you're having a lovely weekend. Tomorrow we're going  into the forest to chop down our Christmas tree  - one of my favourite days of the year! Which means we'll be spending the afternoon decorating the home with the lovely scent of fresh pine! If you think it's a little too early for a tree you could always do as Norwegian photographer  Elisabeth Heier does - brings the tree indoors and leaves it undecorated until nearer Christmas, after all, they're beautiful in their own right.  Here's my inspiration....

1. Marie Delice Karlsson (see the full home tour here - beautiful!). 2. Per Ottar Walderhaug 3. Freckle & Wulff wreath tutorial. 4. No credit (can anyone help with this so I can update the post?). 5. Elisabeth Heier.

See the full tour of Elisabeth's lovely Norwegian home decorated for Christmas last year. 
 
Other links I love:

How to bake delicious 'kanelbulla' or cinnamon rolls which will make your home smell divine. 

Christmas tree alternatives for small spaces , and the pared down Christmas tree.

10 IKEA hack ideas for the holidays.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend - see you Monday!

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Over to the dark side in a Swedish space

It's no secret that dark interiors are becoming more and more in focus. This elegant Swedish apartment has been artfully home staged for sale as part of the new Kajtorget Dalénum project. I absolutely love the mix of dark grey, blue and green walls. It's amazing how items pop out against the darker backdrop, you notice pictures and wall hangings so much more! I have several black walls in my own home and although dramatic and cocoon-like, I can't emphasise enough just how important it is to double up on lighting - take note if you're considering going over to the dark side! having said that, the results are beautiful, as you can see in this home....

Hitta Hem / JM

Do you have a favourite wall colour between these? I find the green very calming...

Similar paint colours: Railings or Black-Blue, St. Paul's blue, Green smoke,
 
Items I know and love: Source lovely macrame wall hangings here, chunky knit blanket, SINNERLIG light, linen table cloth, superfront cupboard doors, MUUTO side table, the koushi lampshade is similar to the one over the bed, linen bedding. I like these brass wall lights.

Other homes with dramatic dark walls include a truly fabulous dark grey and white home, subtle green and grey walls in a Norwegian home and industrial with warm wood in a Swedish home.

Could you go over to the dark side?

I'm flying back to Sweden today after a flying visit to London (to meet my adorable new niece!). For those of you feeling a little festive, I haven't forgotten you - I promise to try to stop by later today or tomorrow morning with some lovely Scandinavian Christmas inspiration....'oh the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful.....'

Have a great end to your week!

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A Norwegian home with subtle Christmas touches

I arrived in London yesterday evening and rushed over to see my newborn niece, I have to say she's soooo beautiful - tiny! I can't wait to stop by for another cuddle (I might try to pack her in my suitcase without my sister seeing). But first, today's post. And since I'm feeling a little Christmassy I thought we should take a peek inside the Norwegian home of Nina Holst of Stylizimo blog and see what she's been up to by way of decorations (it would be rude not to right?!). Needless to say, the Christmas touches are beautifully subtle and draw on the abundance of nature outside her door. They're also in keeping with the rest of her home, with a palette of white, grey and green which look lovely against the natural wood, rattan, seagrass, and walnuts! Enjoy! 

Photography: Nina Holst - Stylizimo

I love Nina's choice of simple seasonal plants and flowers which include a white amaryllis, hyacinths, sprigs of Skimmia and of course a fir tree, I bet her home smells divine!

Other items I know and love: Dining - Wishbone chairs, By Lassen Kubus candleholder, natural seagrass basket (love these!), sitting room - AJ floor lamp, painting for sale by Nina, sheepskin throw. Bedroom - series 7 chair, AJ table lamp, glass vase.

Just because it's December.....I also absolutely love this Danish home decorated for Christmas, a cosy Swedish cottage with twinkling fairy lights and a country-style Swedish Christmas. Oh I wish it could be Christmas everday.....in Scandinavia!

Have a lovely day!

PS Happy birthday to my beautiful friend Laura - who I've known since the day I was born (our cots were beside each other in the hospital maternity ward (25 years ago eh hem) and we've been friends ever since!).

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The relaxed Antwerp home of a creative duo

Antwerp is known as Belgium's design capital and famous for it's thriving creative scene. Friends who've visited tell me it's also a buzzing, beautiful city with some fabulous shopping (I need to go! have you been?).  Or perhaps you're lucky enough to live there like Belgium photographer Kimberley Dhollander (Kimmy) & web / graphic designer Philippe Corthout (Phili). The creative duo live in a house in the heart of the city with magnificent high ceilings and large windows that flood the space with light. The home has been artfully decorated with a mix of retro and mid-century finds against a simple white backdrop for a lovely, relaxed vibe. Let's take a tour...

Photography: Kimmy & Phili for Inside Antwerp. Found via Seventeen Doors with thanks.

What a lovely, relaxed home, don't you think? Love the stained glass window and tiled floor in the kitchen!

Did you notice the picture frames on the garden wall too?

Get the look: this vintage school chair is similar, retro cabinet with hairpin legs, step stool (painted in blue). Atomic threshold sells a great array of mid-century furniture (including dining chairs like the ones seen in this home). outdoor table and chairs.

See Kimberley's work (including pieces available to purchase) here. And for pics and a full interview visit Inside Antwerp. 

More homes with a love of retro include this Australian beach-house (one of my favourites!). And definitely don't miss part I and part II of this Swedish home - so wonderful!

I'm off to London today to visit my sister who had a baby girl last week - so excited!  I can't wait to meet my niece for the first time...

Have a lovely day!

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3 beautifully simple DIY Christmas decorations

I love the simplicity of these DIY Christmas decorations - an idea for your home this season?

1. Mini Wreath Garland tutorial by The Merry Thought.
2. A branch with a simple white candle by Weekday Carnival.
3. A copper and twig wreath tutorial by Erika Rax (if you don't have a copper tube you could use a simple ribbon). 

Other festive links I love today:

How to get a party beard....(for when 'Movember' turns into a 'Beardcember'!).

Love this free download Scandinavian Christmas wallpaper for your Mac.

If you haven't organised an advent calendar yet, how about this copper DIY one?

Annette has the loveliest round-up of Advent candleholders. 

And perhaps my favourite new Christmas / winter decoration of 2015 - the Klong Gloria Candle Holder - I'd love the large and small as seen here. Beautiful!

Have a lovely evening and see you tomorrow! 

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A Stockholm space with pretty colours

Hello! Happy 1st December (my favourite month of the year!). Although I love Christmas, I'll try to mix things up, with a few home tour posts here and some festive Scandinavian inspiration there, how does that sound? For today's home tour we're off to Sweden's capital city of Stockholm (yay!).  The apartment has been beautifully styled by the guys at Fantastic Frank. Look out for the cognac / brown leather chair coupled with a cupboard upcycled with Superfront doors in green. And also the mix of red, orange, peach and pink in the bedroom. Loving the artful vignettes too. Let's take a peek...

Fantastic Frank

Lovely!

Get the look: this black floor lamp is fabulous, Beni Ourain rug, Superfront doors, House Doctor ceiling light and table lamp , String shelves, SINNERLIG table. Source fab prints here.

Also loving this cottage in the Stockholm archipelago, a fresh white apartment and a relaxed, boho cabin on an island outside Stockholm.

If 1st December has got you in the festive mood, don't forget to pop back later for some Christmassy inspiration for your home! In the meantime here are my latest pins!

Have a lovely day!

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