A Light-filled, Pared-Back Coastal Home In Halland, Sweden

If you're a long-term reader of My Scandinavian Home - first of all thank you! Second of all, you may well recognise the name 'Alvhem'. I've been covering homes featured by the Gothenburg-based estate agent for years - mostly because looking through their listings is akin to browsing a Swedish interior magazine! Needless to say, the home of Alvhem's founder and co-owner Sandra Guerrero is equally beautiful! Sandra lives with her partner Martin, their one and a half year old daughter Alma and dogs DJ and Ramón in Halland, West Sweden. With the sea lapping at the shore on one side and undulating meadows on the other, the pair have kept the interior deliberately simple to ensure it doesn't compete with the view. The spacious living area features white washed walls, a wide plank wood floor planks (love it!)  and subtle green, grey, cinnamon and dark brown accents. It's time to pour a coffee (I'm on my third  - can you tell I've been living in Sweden for a while?!) and take a peek inside! 

Söderhamn sofa, source similar prints from The Poster Club* (ships worldwide). This waffle blanket* is similar (this cinnamon coloured pillow / cushion* would look fab in this space too).

The wall in the dining area has been painted in Washed Linen 10679. I also spy Thonet chairs*and Ant chairs*. 

DJ and Ramón remind me so much of my childhood Springer Spaniel, Puddles. I miss her - she was such a lovely dog!

The classic, country-style kitchen cabinets have been painted in Hardwick White by Farrow & Ball. 

The back wall in the bedroom has been painted in cosy Ascott by Jotun. This brown linen bed set* is similar (dog optional!). 

Tip: notice how a marble top has been added to a vintage wood side table. This is a popular hack in Sweden and a great way to update vintage furniture. Check out your local flea market and antique stores for similar furniture and ask a local stone mason to cut a slab of marble to size for you. 

I love the simplicity of this home - it's a look the Scandinavians do so well! 

Despite everything in the home being incredibly well thought out down to the tiniest detail, Sandra admits that she couldn't resist the wood floor, even though she knew it might get damaged by DJ and Ramón's paws. Such a tricky one. Do you have dogs and experience the same kind of dilemmas? 

You can see more pictures of Sandra's lovely home and read the full interview over at Alvhem. 

Happy 'lillördag' (little Saturday) friends!

Niki

Photography: Annie Hyrefeldt

Found via Nordic Design Blog with thanks!

Affiliate links marked with *

PS I had such a wonderful day at the My Scandinavian Home Studio yesterday. Excited to see the first room designs taking shape! 

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An Inspired Bohemian Bungalow In Montana

There are some homes that you can imagine feeling at ease in straight away, this is one of them. Located in Missoula, Montana, the bungalow belongs to Bridget Ambrose - a healer and home stylist through Be Crow Be, husband Mathew, a product design director and their son Ryder. Among many other things (Reiki, integrated CranioSacral Practitioner etc), Bridget specialises in styling people's homes in a meaningful, sacred way. Her own home is a fine example of this. Plants, open shelving, layers of textiles and one-off vintage finds ensure a wonderful, relaxed, bohemian feel which Bridget describes as "a never-ending art project". While they may have amassed a fine collection of items, the pair also recognise the value of 'empty space' (a trick central to the Scandinavian style we all so love) - which gives the home its cosy and warm yet light and contemporary vibe. 

I love how Bridget has used wooden open-plan shelving, which she's lined with plants, baskets and decorative kitchen items, adding to the relaxed feel.  

I'm a big fan of nooks, especially when they help capitalise on space. Needless to say, this cosy built-in window seat around a custom reclaimed wood dining table is one of the family's favourite spots! A series of Tom Dixon Beat lights* have been hung over the table. 

How fabulous is this Mitt Accent Chair from Eclectic Goods?! I'm already wondering where I can put one in my own home, are you tempted too?! The painting is by Mel Remmers. Pick up a fluffy sheepskin like this one here*.

Rugs too small for the space? Just layer them up like this. Kisu rugs* sell vintage pieces like these. 

If you're going for a decluttered look, plenty of storage is essential. This Kinley Storage Unit adds to the room and also provides a perfect surface for art and plants. Perfect!

A vintage chest-of-drawers looks so pretty in the bathroom in place of a standard bathroom cabinet. I can't resist showing you the before (below) so you can appreciate the transformation! If you're feeling inspired, take a look at this complete guide to using vintage furniture as a bathroom vanity The vintage rug is from Jean Palmer Home. 

It's small hacks like the loo roll being hooked to the side of the cabinet that make this home so personal! 

How lovely! Do you see what I mean when I said you could walk into this home and immediately feel at ease? It's such a warm and inviting space!

See more of Bridget's home over at @becrowbe and read more about her services (some of which are remote) here.

Love a little boho? Take a peek at a creative warm and inviting family home, the golden vintage-inspired home of Sarah Shabacon and a cosy, boho Scandinavian family home.

Have a lovely day y'all!

Niki

PS I'm on an early morning train to the My Scandinavian Home Studio at Spinneriet just outside Gothenburg. We're going to take a look at some of the mood boards for the rooms we're currently designing - exciting! I love being at the studio, it has the most beautiful light (see the tour here!). If you're stuck on a room just give us a shout or read more about the service here - in celebration of the launch, we're offering 20% off our design service with code MYNEWROOM!

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Old Meets New In a Fabulous House By The Sea

Mandy Hart describes herself as a 'wife, mama to two cuties, stylist and vintage rug hoarder' (she and I are going to make great friends!). Mandy, her husband and two children moved to Australia from the UK six years ago in search of sun and a house by the sea (and no doubt a little sunshine!). They found their dream home on the coast of New South Wales - "which even came with its own little boat!" Their beautiful home is a perfect blend of old and new. White floors and walls serve as a gallery-style backdrop for a collection of vintage Persian rugs (which Mandy's Mother started collecting over 30 years ago), items picked up on their travels, lush plants and contemporary finds while an injection of timber and rattan also add to the relaxed vibe. Let's take a peek inside!

Clifton Indoor saddler stool (try Etsy* for similar)

Natural Suar Wood Stump, sofa from Vast Furniture, this large woven basket* is similar 

Cabinet from Ikea, Plant pot from Target Australia

"I love to combine vintage and modern, high and low and my staple is always my Persian rugs, which come with us everywhere and instantly make any house we live in a home."

Aside from the decor - I absolutely love the architecture, isn't it striking?!

Is there anything that stood out to you?

You can see more of Mandy's home over on her popular instagram feed @by_hart_ and take a peek at other fabulous Australian homes:

A relaxed beach home in neutral, earthy tones
Rent this relaxed eco-cabin by the sea
A charming cottage in Australia

Wishing you a wonderful start to the week.

Niki

PS My thoughts are with the people of New Zealand today, I was desperately saddened to hear about the atrocious events that unfolded over the weekend. 

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My Gallery Wall Updated In Blues + 15% Off At Posterlounge!

Sponsored* - Last Friday I chatted to the Danish girls behind kunstsalonen - curating public art exhibitions in private homes. One of their best tips for arranging art is to choose pieces you love and group them according to colour. I took this to heart this week when I updated the wall behind my sofa with four prints from Posterlounge. Inspired by this Norwegian home in beautiful shades of blue, my new gallery wall combines art inspired by nature (Mountains and Flow) as well as a beautiful illustration by Sophie Schultz and abstract art resembling glass architect. My daughters' faces lit up when she came home from school to discover the transformation! I hope you like the update too!

I love using art to update my home (as you know!) and Posterlounge has an absolutely huge collection of around 80,000 artworks in different sizes. You can also choose which material to print on!

Great news too - they're offering My Scandinavian Home readers 15% off with the code MYSCANDI15 until 31st March, 2019.

In case you're curious about the ones I picked, here's a little more information:

1. Mountains
2. Flow by Laura Marshall
3. Standing by Sophie Schultz
4. Construction (glass architecture) by László Moholy-Nagy

Do you have a favourite?

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

Niki

*This post is sponsored by Posterlounge, however all words and photos are my own and I only ever work with brands I love and think you will too. Thank you for supporting the wonderful businesses that make My Scandinavian Home blog possible.

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