A Cosy, Rural Swedish Country Home At Christmas

Fanny Lindén's IG @hostedbynature profile reads "mother of three, collecting dust & memories". But there's so much more to her wonderful Falu red home by the sea in rural Västerbotten, Sweden. As one half of the creative design duo BYN Collective and blogger behind The Waves We Make, Fanny documents their sustainable daily life on the former farm, surrounded by antiques, vintage finds, handmade items and pretty festive touches. Pour yourself a steaming cup of coffee, it's time to get cosy!

Scandinavian homes are often synonymous with a minimalist look and feel, but this is living proof that you can find cosy homes with surfaces bursting with ceramics, utensils, trays and other items!

Those curls - so adorable! 

A week doesn't go by without baking in the Lindén household - and the pantry is brimming with ingredients! 

A vent on the Swedish masonry oven is used to hang Christmas stars, wreaths and other items depending on the time of year.

I was going to talk about the decor and then I spotted the kittens...

(source a similar round jute rug here*).  

How pretty are these hand-dipped candles?!  

I found similar on Etsy here*.  Lovely! 

Cats always find the cosiest spot in the house, don't they? These felines have made themselves at home on pretty striped linen bedding* while the snow falls silently outside.

Oh so beautiful! This home has left me with a warm fuzzy glow.

Hands up if you could also spend the entire Christmas holiday here...

Check out Fanny's blog The Waves We Make and Instagram @hostedbynature for more snapshots - and BYN Collective to learn more about her creative services.

Here's a little more inspiration I think you might love today:

A Swedish country-style Christmas
Rustic Scandinavian Christmas inspiration
Ylva Skarp's Christmassy Home

I'm starting to feel a move to the Swedish countryside is in order, how about you?!

Have a great start to the week - we're nearly there friends, five days to go and counting!

Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!

Niki

Photography by Fanny Lindén
Affiliate links marked with *

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The Prettiest Flower This Winter Solstice

I do love to fill my home with fresh flowers at this time of the year - how about you? White hyacinths and eucalyptus have always been a firm favourite. But this year another bloom has caught my eye - and it's selling out across Sweden! The Amaryllis 'Rilona' is a large apricot-salmon flower which looks equally beautiful on its own or mixed with chrysanthemums, eucalyptus or deep burgundy amaryllis   - and of course, the shade is perfectly on trend! Here is some inspiration from some of my favourite Swedish flower fairies!

So pretty, don't you think? I love the salmon-apricot hue!

What flowers do you like to fill your home with at this time of the year?

It's Friday friends - yaaaay! Do you have any fun plans for the weekend? It's snowing here in Malmö today, but we're still hoping to make it up the coast to a 'glögg mingel' (christmas drinks party)  tomorrow!

If you're planning on decorating your home this weekend, here are some inspiring links I think you might like:

5 beautifully minimalist Christmas trees
Cosy Winter Solstice / Christmas Inspiration
6 lovely, simple Scandinavian DIY Christmas decorations
A Stunning, yet simple DUY candle holder

And for cosy Christmas homes:

A Norwegian Home on Christmas Eve
A Swedish Country Home at Christmas
Dreaming of a white Christmas in a Skåne home

I hope your weekend sparkles - stay toasty!

See you Monday!

Niki

Photography: 1. Anna Kvarnström 2. Fru Vintage 3. Katarina Gustavsson Gertruds rum 4. Årstidens Bästa 5. Caroline Birgitte / Lily and Honey 

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5 Great Reasons to Visit IMM Cologne 2019

Montage by Vosgesparis

Wondering about the hottest interior trends for 2019 and beyond? Come and join me at the world's biggest interior show for the international furnishing market: imm cologne! The furniture fair takes place between 14th - 20th January (open to the public 18th - 20th January) at the Koelnmesse Fairground in Cologne, Germany. I've been super excited about it ever since the press conference in Madrid in September - here are 5 reasons why:

1. It's the place to be: imm cologne attracts more than 1450 exhibitors from 50 countries - from top players to exciting newcomers, all of whom will be showcasing their latest furniture, innovation and design lines. In other words, wear flats and bring your camera!

2. 2019 is 'LivingKitchen' year: The LivingKitchen Koelnmesse will showcase the latest news from the world of kitchens, combining business and trend research and all the latest developments from the international kitchen scene. Oh and you'll get to sample delicious titbits on your way round too (yum!).

3. The Stage: Rest your weary legs and settle down to enjoy talks on trending topics such as lighting, colour and materials, latest developments in interior design and a wide spectrum of issues such as sustainability and future forms of living. On public days, interior designers and design professionals will provide practical tips on home furnishing, colour, lighting and latest trends as well as share their expertise in furnishing. I might just camp out there a while! Read more about the program here.

4. #Zuhausesein: The Association of German Furniture is set to launch its new initiative: #zuhausesein (meaning 'be at home') at imm cologne blogger events. Join the conversation about #zuhausesein, and what home means to you - oh and follow the hashtag, Facebook and Twitter pages for the latest news!

To me, home is where my family is, which means I have one in Sweden and one in the UK - I've been known to refer to a hotel room on holiday as 'home' too! What does 'home' mean to you to you?

5. Soaking up Cologne Design Week: also known as 'Passagen', Cologne Design Week takes place across Cologne city centre and promises events galore! Meander through the salons, furniture stores, showrooms and galleries for inspiration among other interior-istas - and soak up the city at the same time!

The Old Town of Cologne with the church "Groß St. Martin / Koelnmessa

Koelnmesse

Interested to join, too? You can secure tickets for imm cologne here.

I'll be there at the start of the week - give me a shout if you'll be there then too, it would be so fun to catch up!

Niki

Photography: 1 & 2. Courtesy of Desiree / Vosgesparis 3, 4, 6, 7 - courtesy of Koelnmessa. 5: my own. 

This post is brought to you in collaboration with imm cologne, all words (and enthusiasm) is my own! 

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A Minimalist Yet Pretty Holiday Vibe In a San Francisco Home

I remember my eldest daughter's first Christmas. The day felt extra special and I couldn't wait to share all our family traditions with her, and create new ones too. The memories came flooding back when I read Si's blog French By Design last week. Si has been busy preparing her home for an extra special Christmas: her first born daughter, Inès will shortly return home from college for the first time to spend the holidays with them. Here are some snapshots from her beautiful home where Si plans to enjoy a "slower pace, PJ days, Netflix binging, laughing and holding random cake baking sessions" with her tribe. Sounds perfect to me!

Si's home is lovely at the best of times (see more pics here) - but I really love the additional festive touches, how about you?

Does it make anyone else feel like staining your floors black? I love the contrast with the white walls and how the floor makes everything 'pop' - very tempting indeed!

Take a peek at Si's blog French By Design and her book How The French Live for lots more inspiration!

You might also like: California dreaming in a monochrome home.

Do you recall an extra special holiday / Christmas too?

Vi ses imorgen! 

Niki

Photography: Siham Mazouz / French By Design, shared with kind permission.

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