In Search Of Beauty Sleep!

Did you know it's world sleep day? I've been thinking a lot lately about sleep (and lack of!). Firstly I'm the Mother of two, secondly I'm guilty of going to bed a little too late (I'm looking at you Netflix!) and finally, my husband and I have the worst bed E.V.E.R. Lurking under the beautiful set-up that is my bedroom is a double bed with one side slightly higher than the other and a super soft, 16 year old mattress! I kid you not! Knowing the importance of a great night's sleep (I even wrote about it in my Lagom book!), my new years resolution to look after myself a little better this year and the fact that we spend a third of our lives in bed, why do I put so much effort into creating a beautiful bedroom then scrimp on the most important thing?! Are you guilty of this too? This is my (surprising) journey in search of better sleep:

Now, you know me well. Comfort and good quality is essential, but it has to look pretty too. Which is how I discovered Carpe Diem Beds. After a little research (hey, I've been waiting 16 years, and it is after all, a 'big girl investment') I found that despite being a global brand (available in 20 countries) their beds are handcrafted in beautiful Lysekil in the archipelago North of Gothenburg, which is where my husband and I met! Fate?! A visit to Sweden's West Coast was totally in order (purely for research purposes, of course!).

In between blustery cliff walks, boat rides and the odd sauna, I learned that Carpe Diem Beds was founded by local chiropractor Börje Thuleskär, who was soaking up the sun on a bed of wild heather (found in abundance on the islands) and noticed the flora supported him and moulded to his body. This paved the way for the Contour Pocket System: a unique individually flexible spring system which works to follow the contours of your body and relieve pressure.

The beds are also built using the highest quality materials including frames of Swedish pine, bolsters of cotton and wool and mattresses upholstered with Talalay latex, wool, and cotton. They're also marked with the Nordic 'Swan' eco-label and individually signed by the person who made it! This also means you can decide the fabric, headboard and legs (love that!). 

 By the end of my two days I was sorry to leave (I stayed in a hotel with a Carpe Diem Beds bed and it was like sleeping on a cloud. For the first time in ages I woke up rested - body and soul!). It's absolutely no coincidence that I have since became an extremely proud ambassador.

Which brings me to the most important step in my search for better sleep - which bed to choose (each one is named after a place in the archipelago). Here are a few of my faves:

Malö

Their most popular frame bed, Malö, has an extra-high spring system, giving you a feeling of being weightless (loving the sound of that?!). 

Härmanö

Härmanö is a continental bed with separate spring systems and classic double mattresses for maxing out on the comfort and pressure relief (so tempting!).

Vindö

Set to launch soon, Vindö is designed to look like it's flying and has an app that lets you adjust the beds position, lighting and massage functions! Could. You. Imagine?! Would you ever get out of bed?! Here's their complete range of adjustable beds (just saying!).

So, what do you think? Do you have a favourite? I have mine. And my husband has his. Let's see who wins (to be revealed soon!).

Sleep... I'm coming for you!

This post is brought to you in collaboration with Carpe Diem Beds, however all words are my own and I only ever work with brands I love and think you will too. 

Photography courtesy of Carpe Diem Beds.

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Mid-century meets Boho in a Brooklyn Home

Hejsan! How's everything with you today? I'm curious, do you have a city that feels like a home from home for no other reason than it feels right? One of mine is Brooklyn! I always get excited when I discover a home tour in the New York City borough, especially when it's as lovely as this one. Mallory shares her apartment in Greenpoint with her partner and two cats and runs The Reserve, a thoughtfully curated shop selling the most beautiful rugs, poufs and cushions made from vintage Moroccan textiles. Let's take a tour...

How would you describe your style? 
My style tends to shift faster than I can keep up, but I would describe it as eclectic meets Mid Century modern meets California cool (in New York, of course). I’m drawn to natural materials like wood, jute, and wool and I love designing our space with a soft color palette in mind.

Tell us about your passion for rugs: 

"I'm a big believer that woven rugs can add so much character and texture to your home and alongside plants, make a huge style statement! I'm a fan of rugs in the dining room, kitchen, and layered in a living room or bedroom. My jaw always drops when I see a pop of colour in a perfectly worn runner lining a hallway or entry."

Rugs can be really tricky - do you have any style tips for us? 

"My tip would be to invest in quality handmade pieces with a history. Beautifully worn Persian rugs or faded Moroccan Boujaad rugs are my absolute favourite to style with. One-of-a-kind always wins in my book."

Loving the poufs you sell, do you have any advice for anyone looking to buy one for their home (i.e. me!)?

With poufs, my advice would be to think outside the box! I use my floor poufs as additional seating when entertaining, as space holders for those awkward nooks and crannies in the house, as lovely-to-look-at pet beds, and I stack them up to use as ottomans for movie nights at home. I know many people that also use them in reading nooks for kids or as meditation pillows.

Urban Outfitters NYC paid Mallory's a visit a few weeks back and turned their bedroom into a 'floral wonderland! Love how Michael (one of their kitty cats) is taking shade under a cheese plant leaf on the windowsill too!
 

Photography courtesy of The Reserve (with kind permission).

Thank you for telling us a little about your home and sharing your tips Mallory!

Hands up who'd love one of The Reserve poufs in your home? (*own hand shoots up*).

Get the look*

1. Light Brown La Fleur Hanging Chair
2. Bohemian Tassel natural cotton cushion
3. Round Bevel Edge and Tulip Base Dining Table
4. White sheepskin rug
5. Moroccan Boujaad XL Pouf No 1
6. Ikea SINNERLIG Pendant lamp
7. Cleopatra Quilted Cotton Bedspread
8. Monte Cushion #1
9. Cotton Velvet Cushion Cover

You can see more of Mallory's home and keep up to date with the latest items in her shop on instagram.

And more fabulous boho homes here - just in case you're after a little more inspiration (if this tour comes up first just scroll on passed)! 

Have a lovely day!
 


PS It's the final day to get 25% off posters* at Desenio with code 'myscandinavianhome.  Here's what I did with mine.  *Except on the handpicked / collaboration poster category and frames.


 * This post includes affiliated links which means that I make a very tiny amount of money (perhaps enough for a coffee and a choccy biccy from each post!) if you click or buy some of the items. Thank you for supporting the businesses that make My Scandinavian Home possible.

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Old Meets New in a Charming Swedish Home

Hej hej! How are you today? In the mood for a Swedish home tour? If so, you're in the right place! I love the relaxed feel of this two bedroom apartment in Gothenburg and the balance between new nordic (that &tradition light!), classic icons (Ant chair, I'm looking at you!) and vintage finds (credenzas galore!). Enjoy the tour!

Photography: Alen Cordic. Styling: Emma Fischer. For sale through Bjurfors. 

Isn't it lovely? Anything stand out to you?

I'm often looking for ways to hang photos and I love the slightly higgledy-piggledy arrangement of frames in the bedroom, it looks like you can easily add to it when the mood takes you too!

And of course there's that aforementioned pendant light - recently spotted in this and this home too. A new favourite on the Swedish interior scene?

Have a lovely day!

PS Don't forget  the code “myscandinavianhome” gives 25% off posters* at Desenio between 13th and 15th of March, 2018 (hurry!). Here's what I did with mine.

 *Except on the handpicked / collaboration poster category and frames.


This post includes affiliated links.

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New Gallery Wall in The Window Nook (Plus 25% off!)

Collaboration: There are many elements which help to make a home personal. One of my favourites is art. And despite being so happy with our window nook at home, I realised this was exactly what was missing! I gathered the My Scandinavian Home team for this one since there was paint, prints and one very heavy vintage lamp at stake (and my husband does get jittery when it comes to drilling holes in the wall!). Here's what we did with a little help from prints and frames from Desenio: 

1. Red Bubblegum 2. Let The Light In 3. Legs 4. Dandelion 5. Birds

I'm a big fan of art photography (probably because I love taking photographs!) which is why the selection is made up of this genre. I was also looking for something that reflected my love of light (hey, it's pretty dark in Sweden half of the year - it's hard not to become obsessed!) and nature - but also wanted to add a playful /strong element (hence the Red Bubblegum portrait). I was actually slightly nervous about this piece but it has become my favourite print (and that's saying something as I have many and love them all!).

It's easy to think changes in my home are a spontaneous, quick fix affair. This is sometimes the case, but more often than not there's so much that goes on behind the scenes! For the gallery wall Gen put together a 3D drawing to scale in SketchUp so we could see exactly how the prints might look across the two walls (I love a gallery wall that goes around a corner!). 

Don't worry, you don't need to be a pro at this kind of stuff (I'm certainly not!) - Desenio has a great create your gallery wall tool which is really easy to use and perfect for figuring out which prints and frames go with which and the sizes you'll need to order.

Another great move (which I can recommend!) was to tape paper templates of the prints to the wall to see how they'd look and play around with gaps etc. The beauty of this, is that once you're happy with the layout you can hammer the nails through the paper and then tear it away - and then you're ready to go! Happy wall, happy husband!

So pleased we mixed and matched the Desenio frames (two oak and three black). The wood adds a lot of warmth which is important when the majority of the prints are black and white.

I hope you like the results as much as I do!

If you're looking for art for your walls, the code “myscandinavianhome” gives 25% off posters* at Desenio between Tuesday 13th and Thursday 15th of March, 2018 (bargain!).

*Except on the handpicked / collaboration poster category and frames.

Now all that's left is for me to go and chill in my window nook for a few hours (now, wouldn't that be nice?! Bah! Not going to happen!).

Have a happy day!

Photography: Niki Brantmark / Interior designer: Genevieve Jorn

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Make-over: A Magnificent Berlin Studio

I think it's time for a new mini make-over episode, how about you?! This time I thought we'd head to Berlin and the awe-inspiring studio of Our Food Stories and Design Tales (take a look at previous before + afters in the series here and here). The brainchild of creative duo Laura and Nora, Our Food Stories is a culinary feast for the eyes and has garnered a following of close to 1 million Instagram followers who stop by each day to get recipes (read more about the pair and their work and take a look inside their homes in this interview). Let's dive in and find out how they transformed the first floor of a derelict warehouse into a stunning studio for cooking, food styling, photography, workshops and events.

Oh and thank you so much to the series sponsor Builders Bay - an amazing online marketplace for builders, renovators and DIYers where you can buy and sell surplus materials, architectural salvage and ex display stock! Perfect!



Our Food Stories started out five years ago from a small studio in the countryside, one hour drive from Berlin. The tranquil setting was wonderful since it offset the stresses and strains of setting up a business, "It really rescued us, since the first years of building up our own company have been so stressful." However, the blog became increasingly popular and they eventually grew out of it. "It made sense to look for somewhere closer to home, so in the summer of 2015 we started to look for a Studio in Berlin."

Since natural light is a key element in their photography, it was important to find a space with at least one North facing window. Known as 'reflected light', north light is popular among artists since it bathes the subject in the same cool ambience throughout the day - giving artists and photographers greater control over their work (this has got me thinking about using the North facing windows in my home more!). The space would also need a high ceiling to fit their enormous tripod!



The pair went to view another property which wasn't quite right. However, from the window they spotted a building 500 metres away and immediately fell in love with the windows and the building which combined "nice and neat with old school charm". They passed by on spec and found that the first floor was still empty and had the perfect light (two north-facing windows) and height. Result!

 "When we saw the space for the first time we just could not believe it was still available to rent! The first thing we did was check the point of the compass and the second time we visited we brought some flowers and did a little test photo shooting."



Despite the incredible shell, the space was in desperate need of renovation. The walls were yellow, and some walls didn't even exist. It also had no bathroom.

Thankfully they would need to do little in the way of renovating themselves.

"If you rent a studio or flat in Germany the landlord has to give it to you in a good (renovated) condition. As a renter you don't normally have a big influence on the renovation, but luckily we could decide on a lot of the details, which we are very thankful for. "



The landlord prepped and painted the walls (white) and, at the request of Laura and Nora, installed an incredible concrete floor.

The original eight metre high ceiling was something of a photographers dream but they were warned by the landlord that their heating bill would be astronomical if they kept it and a result it was lowered by several metres. 

"We would never have lowered it, but the landlord told us that it would have been impossible to keep the space warm in the winter because the roof has no insulation."  

Overall though, the duo are delighted with the results of the renovation.



The pair used furniture and lighting to divide the vast room into a series of zones: "we created different corners, which allow us to create different set ups." But they were also keen to keep the space pared-back and clutter-free. "It’s very important to have a space that is not too packed, so when it gets messy during photo shootings, you still have enough space."

Being food stylists and photographers, the kitchen was a major focus. The pair spent a lot of time thinking about which kitchen to install, in the end settling on a kitchen from Frama. "It perfectly fits the industrial surroundings, we are so in love with it!"

Despite the white finish, Laura and Nora are pleased that they can see the outline of the original brick wall. The lines / texture also help to break up the empty expanse.



The pair had free reign to paint some of the walls and used paint from KABE Copenhagen to add nuance and texture. "We just chose by intuition which wall should get which colour."

 This mammoth tripod is one of the reasons they needed a studio with such a high ceiling!

"The way we choose the style of the interior comes naturally and is also kind of indirectly dominated (in a good way) by the space itself, its aura and its architectural character."

 "We love the mix of old and new! Our home in Berlin is more modern, with new danish design interiors, our home in the countryside more rustic, but also with a modern influence and our studio is kind of a mix of both with industrial elements."

"Some of the vintage furniture is from Ebay and a lot of the old tables and lamps were bought from J&V and Urban Industrial."

"We are so grateful and happy to work in this wonderful space."

Just WOW!! This is my absolute dream (I wonder if they need a kitchen hand - or even someone to do the washing up?!). Could you imagine settling in here each day?

In case you're looking to create something similar at work (or home), here's the low down on some of the items:

GET THE LOOK

1. Studio Kitchen - Frama
2. Semi Professional Coffee Machine
3. Gubi table
4. Marble Speakers
5. Midgard Workshop Lamp
6. Linen Kitchen Towels
7. Vienna Chairs
8. Adam Barstol
9. Enamel Factory Light
10. Chopping Board



The pair love to collaborate with other local talents. This incredible pampas cloud installation created by Mary Lennox spread across Pinterest like wildfire back in the autumn (it's easy to understand why!). 

But the key focus remains on the pairs passion for food so I was dying to know if the girls had a favourite recipe! I was told this was an extremely tricky question, since they love them all, but at a push Laura would go for the gluten free quince cheesecake with meringue and Nora the gluten free poppy seed cake.

Sound good to me!

For more mouth-watering recipes you must follow these ladies over on their blog and instagram: @ourfoodstories, and @designtales for interior inspiration! They also have a beautiful book available here.

Which leaves me with one question. Hands up who'd love to work from a studio like this and eat lots of cake?!

Thank you so much to Laura and Nora for showing us their studio! 

Have a wonderful weekend!



  
 All Photography: Courtesy of Our Food Stories / Design Tales.

* All words are my own, and I only ever work with brands and services I feel are of interest to my readers. This post also includes affiliated links which means that I make a very tiny amount of money (perhaps enough for a coffee and a choccy biccy from each post!) if you click or buy items. Thank you for supporting the businesses that make My Scandinavian Home possible.

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