Friday Feels: Tour Mary's Charming and Relaxed Family Home

Sometimes I look through interior magazines and think 'this is wonderful, but there's no way I could ever achieve this' - do you sometimes feel like that too? I think that's why, over here on My Scandinavian Home, I always try to share homes which will inspire as many as possible. Cue: Mary's charming home! Mary lives in an apartment in Halle, Germany with her husband, two sons and two cats.  During the day Mary works as a social worker, helping children with autism (a job she loves) and in her spare time she's passionate about creating a beautiful, relaxed home for her and her family. The living space combines a blend of pieces from ikea, vintage finds, new nordic design and handmade items while books, art and plants contribute to the wonderful lived-in vibe. 

Art from Desenio, Hay tray table*

""I love to surround myself with Scandinavian design and handmade things. Right now, I like beige tones in combination with white, black and wood. I am also passionate about collecting vases and love flower arranging" - Mary. 

Louis Poulsen lamp*, Fine little day tablecloth, Lyngby vase

'On the sofa' Art from Fine Little Day

Kristiina Haataja sculpture, cooee vase, brown linen duvet cover and pillowcases*

Fabulous spotty vase by Gothenburg based Elin Frodig.

Not only did I LOVE this tour (feeling all the Friday feels!), I was also excited to discover works by Swedish artists Elin Frodig and Kristina Haataja! - true inspiration for the weekend!

Did you find this home inspiring too? Is there anything that stood out to you in particular? 

In case you're in the mood for other homes with a bohemian touch, here are a few of my faves:

Bohemian style in a lovely 1900 Berlin Beletage

A cosy, modern bohemian home

A relaxed boho home, on the edge of a desert

Right guys. That's it from me this week. This girl is checking out for the weekend! Woohooooo! 

I hope you've got some fabulous plans lined up!

See you Monday friends! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of @marylooh - shared with kind permission. 

PS if you're looking for art, don't forget to make the most of the 10% discount from Posterlounge (use code  SCANDI10 at checkout). Take a peek at my new gallery wall here (in case you missed it). 

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Could This Beautiful Danish House Be Your Summer Residence?

Where do Copenhagers go for their summer holiday? Not as far as you might think. Many flock to the Danish riviera and the small fishing villages dotted along the coastline of North Zealand (unless the forecast is dreadful in which case, you might just see a mass exodus to Mallorca!). I had the pleasure of visiting Tisvilde, a small coastal town several years back for my book The Scandinavian Home. The former fishing village comes alive in summertime and is a mere 50 minute drive from the Danish capital. And one lucky family will get to enjoy the vibe from this listed early 20th century house! Referred to as a 'historical gem', the estate overlooks the Kattegat Sea and comes with an annex and cottage (in other words, plenty of space for extra guests!). The only setback? It's on the market via Adam Schnack for a cool 23,500,000 DKK (approx 3.5 million USD). Let's take a peek inside!































Can't quite stretch to this figure but would still love to visit the area? How about a couple of nights at Helenekilde Badehotel? Overlooking the Kattegat Sea, this family-run hideout dates back to the late 19th century and is overseen by former ballet dancer Alexander Kølpin. Think summery rattan furniture, lovely linens and jute rugs and a view to die for. The breakfast is said to be divine too!







Could this be your home from home this summer? I've had my eye on this hotel for a while - and it's only a 1 hour 20-minute drive from Malmö - not sure what's holding me back!

Or perhaps you're thinking of snapping up the house? If so, perhaps I can stop by for a coffee and smørrebrød when I make that road trip?!

Thank you so much for the tip Frida / Trendenser!

Mind if I share a few other beautiful Danish homes today?

A dreamy Copenhagen home full of books and art
A charming Danish home on a shoestring budget
The colours in this Danish home will be hot in 2020!

Hav en god dag! 

Niki

Photography: House courtesy of Adam Scnhack / Hotel pictures courtesy of Helenekilde Badehus

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A Dreamy Bed & Breakfast in Florence, Italy

A few summers ago, Per and I went to Florence, Italy for a long weekend. We searched high and low for somewhere beautiful to stay but never really came up trumps. I wish we'd known about this family run Bed & Breakfast. Dating back to the mid 19th century, Valdirose is located in the hills of Lastra a Signa, around 14 km from the centre of Florence. In 2007, Irene Berni completely revamped the family home and transformed into a dreamy B&B. Today, Valdirose promises to be a perfect stay for anyone who loves to surround themselves with antiques, family memories, soft colours and beautiful details. Let's take a peek inside...

I love how Valdirose is family-run in every sense:

"I cannot talk about my family, only describe the flavour: of brandy to my father who awaits the return of the guests....the pride of my husband with his shaky English, of freshly baked cake behind which hides my Mother, shy as a child, and finally wildflowers, my favourite, the daily gift I get from my daughter."

Valdirose has four double rooms or a family room with a double and single room connected. I particularly love the look of Orizzonti! Every room is different but still in keeping with the understated earthy look of the residence with its soothing cream, chestnut and cappuccino shades. 

These sheer curtains are so pretty, I can imagine them billowing in the breeze.  You buy similar made to measure ones on Etsy here*. This curtain with a powder hue and ruffles* is also really pretty!

Isn't it beautiful?

I think a return trip to Florence might be in order. It's such a romantic city! Have been?

You can book your stay at Valdirose here. 

Looking for other lovely places to stay in Europe? Here's a small selection of my favourites:

La belle vue

Camellas Lloret

A rural hotel in Portugal

A greek island getaway

And if you're heading my way - how about one of these 20 instagrammable places to stay in Sweden! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Valdirose / @valdirose shared with kind permission

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My Malmö Studio: New Gallery Wall!

If you stopped by on Saturday, you'll have seen a first glimpse into my new studio in the centre of Malmö. I moved in last September and can't tell you how great it is to have a permanent desk somewhere out of home  - I was honestly climbing up the walls! I share it with upholsterer extraordinaire Carina Grefmar and designer and CEO of Swedish Ninja Maria Gustavsson - both such talented, inspiring ladies! It was an empty shell when we first got it and Maria and I set about making the desk. This week I finally put something on the wall too: a gallery wall thanks to Posterlounge who sell thousand upon thousands of posters and prints!

Designing The Gallery Wall
I'm always a little cautious about creating a gallery wall since it involves a whole lot of drilling, so I played it safe by designing it on my computer and then using recycled paper, nails and a spirit level before hanging the pictures!

The Prints
I've been feeling so inspired by Danish gallery walls lately. They often have a relaxed, eclectic vibe going on and not afraid to incorporate colour and pattern. I went through the Posterlounge website picking out all the prints I loved and then narrowed them down to a selection which worked well together. I also combined white and natural frames.

Get the look


1. Scandinavian design with marble and gold by Radu Bercan
2. Watercolor Lines in Blue I by Nouveau Prints
3. The Good, The Bad And The Ugly by chungkong
4. Picture frame LOFT (White)
5. Angel by Paul Klee
6. Composition trees I by Piet Mondriaan
7. Adjacent Abstraction I by Emma Scarvey
8. Picture frame LOFT (Natural)
9. Composition in Black and White by Piet Mondriaan

Thank you so much to Posterlounge for helping me feel even more at home - it's amazing how art can transform a space!

If you'd like to add more art to your walls, the fab team at Posterlounge are offering My Scandinavian Home readers a 10% discount with code SCANDI10! Woohoo! Do share if you create your own gallery wall, I'd love to see it!

Next step... a rug. Watch this space!

Niki

This post is brought to you in paid collaboration with Posterlounge, however all words are my own and I only ever work with brands I love and think you will too. Thank you for supporting the businesses that make My Scandinavian Home possible.

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