A very cool Toronto apartment

Hello! I hope you had a wonderful weekend? Did you get a chance to enter the give-away to win the t'shirt soft bed linen yet? This fabulous Victorian Toronto apartment belongs to John Baker and Juli Daoust and is located directly above their beautiful shop Mjölk (meaning 'milk' in Swedish). -how's that for a commute?! You can definitely see John and Juli's love of all things Scandinavian and Japanese shining through and I also like the brown accents they've used throughout. I once featured their cottage on here which is equally beautiful but in a different way.

Johan Baker and Juli Daoust of Mjölk, Featured in Dwell. Via Miss Moss

*sigh* such a perfect way to brighten up a Monday morning don't you think? Is there anything you love in particular about this space?

I'm all over that wall of dried wild flowers (could this image be from their shop?), I wonder if this can be re-created as a DIY project? It would be so fun for spring.

By the way, I came across a competition over at FinnStyle at the weekend asking people to choose which Marimekko pattern they like the most. They're now down to the final four and would love some help choosing the winner, one lucky participant could win a 100 dollar gift card for their efforts (please let it be me....or you...or me....!)

Have a lovely Monday!

PS Thank you to Miss Moss and Dwell for the inspiration. 

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Spring give-away: t-shirt soft luxury bed linen

To celebrate the clocks going forward (yay! hello spring!) I've collaborated with Southern Sweden firm Beach House Company, the leading supplier of soft t-shirt bedding, to offer you the chance to win a set of luxury jersey sheets (either two single duvet covers with two pillow cases or a double duvet cover with two pillow cases ) in a colour of your choice. I've had the pleasure of testing the jersey bedding in smoke (as pictured on my bed below along with the oh so soft Alpaca Line throw), and it's like sleeping in your own little cocoon, it is so a-ma-zingly soft. Details on how to enter below.

To enter all you need to do is:

- Visit the Beach House Company website and in the comment section below write which jersey sheets
   you'd like to win and why.
- Visit the Beach House Company Facebook page and follow if you'd like to receive all the latest news.

And that's it! The give-away is open to everyone. Be sure to enter latest midnight GMT Saturday 5th April 2014. Don't forget to include a way for me to contact you. The winner will be announced here and Twitter on Sunday 6th April 2014. Good luck!

Beach House Company jersey sheets are available to purchase at Scandinavian Design Center and Kings of Sweden.

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The happy home of Jenny Brandt

Friday definitely calls  for colour. I've shown other images of this fab home before and now new pictures have emerged in the wonderful April edition of Inside Out magazine (available at Google Play and the Apple Newstand). It's the bright coloured and relaxed family home of Swedish blogger, illustrator and photographer (yes, she's one multi-talented lady), Jenny Brandt here in Skåne. Jenny and her family renovated the home from scratch, painting the floors (if you look closely, they're different throughout the house), adding more windows to create natural light as well as a unique personal stamp to everything within. Perfect inspiration for the weekend!

Photography / interior design Jenny Brandt, Shoot styling Kicki Wieslander via Desire to Inspire 

I love the wall of prints. I spy the Fine Little Day Apple Papple and Pirum Parum prints from Mokkasin as well as the Blushing Carl print from Jenny's shop.

For more happy homes with a splash of colour I'm loving Elina Dahls family space, this bright coloured Malmö home, and a vintage inspired Swedish apartment.

Speaking of happiness, do you have any plans for the weekend? P and I have been invited to a 'Lost at Sea' themed party. We're thinking if going as Life of Pi - with P as Piscine and me as the zebra (I definitely got the short straw didn't I?!).  The problem is we'd like to go for a pre-party drink in town and call me a party pooper but I'm not sure I'm willing to do that clad as a zebra? What do you think?  Other ideas welcome!!

Also the clocks finally go forward this weekend. This definitely calls for a celebration so I'm throwing a very exciting give-away here on Sunday. Make sure you stop by - it's open to all!

Have a very happy couple of days and see you Sunday!

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The oh so cool home of a Swedish photographer

Morning! This is the oh so cool home of talented Swedish wedding photographer Therese Winberg. Shot by Therese and styled by Anna Malmgren for Plaza Interiör, the space appeared on several blogs late last year and I missed it (I know, I think I was to busy enjoying my Christmas glögg!). It's such a fabulous home I thought I'd better share it in case you missed it too?! The space is the perfect blend of old and new and teeming with the latest design trends (hello geometric kitchen floor, scallop fronted dresser, grey marble surfaces..) . There is so much inspiration from this place I'm not sure where to start, but I'll certainly be pinning every picture!

Photography: Therese Winberg (with kind permission), Styling: Anna Malmgren. Plaza Interiör. via Coco Lapine

What do you love most about this home?

Personally, I'd like Therese's bright coloured collection of sneakers!

Because it'd be rude not to:  here are some beautiful homes tours of other Swedish photographers: Jakob Nyland, Helena Blom, and Jonas Ingerstedt.  It's official: Swedish photographers have fabulous homes!

Have a lovely day!

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The stunning malibu home of a creative couple

Take a cottage in Malibu and combine with a creative couple. The result is going to be fabulous right? The Californian home of LA stylist Becks Welch and film and music cinematographer Darek Wolski (best known for films such as Alice in Wonderland and Pirates of the Caribbean) is just the right blend of modern and contemporary, industrial and cosy, dark and light. Thank you My Paradissi for leading me to this home and to Swedish photographer Martin Löf for the kind permission to share this home. You've made my Tuesday!

Photography Martin Löf for Elle Decoration via My Paradissi

Could you live here?!

I love how we start to see outdoor spaces creep into the home tours, it's a sign that spring is finally here! I've been pinning images of beautiful swimming pools onto my 'Alfresco' board on Pinterest (a girl can but dream right?!).

In case you're mind is also turning to the great outdoors here are some of my favourite outdoor spaces of all time: an oh so stunning montreal oasis (take me there now!), rustic outdoor dining inspiration for those balmy evenings (bring them on!) and the very alternative garden shed.

Have a lovely day!

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A cool Funkis style apartment in Gothenburg

Hello Monday! I hope you had a great weekend?! Mine was the perfect mix of wine with friends, a day out in the Skåne nature and Sunday tinkering around the home so now I'm ready and raring to go! As opposed to Friday's dramatic home tour, I feel the start of the week calls for something fresh and light, don't you agree?! I love this recently renovated Funkis style apartment for sale in Gothenburg. The mid century tables, string shelving system and black leather sofa are in keeping with the year the apartment block was built in 1947.

Stadshem

What do you love most about this space?

Other beautiful apartments with great mid-century inspiration can be found here, here and here. And of course, in my own sitting room here and here (as you can see I'm a big fan!).

Two of my favourite places to find mid-century furniture are the Malmö based second hand store Nirvana (if you find yourself in Southern Sweden!) and online auction house Lauritz (if you don't find yourself in Southern Sweden!). Do you have any other tips?

Have a lovely Monday! 

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The palatial home of a Stockholm stylist

A Friday home needs to be just a little dramatic doesn't it? Something awe-inspiring that sets us in the mood for the weekend. I knew I'd found it when these images dropped into my inbox last night. This inner-city Stockholm apartment belongs to stylist Joanna Lavén who (represented by agent molly), her husband and two children.  The architecture itself is something of a masterpiece. And as for the decorating, she had me at the hallway....

Agent molly, http://www.agentmolly.com , http://www.linkdeco.se, Photographs: Idha Lindhag with kind permission

Wow. I'm not sure where to begin actually. I guess what I love the most is that she has brought mid century up to date. Sort of mid-century meets tribal meets grey marble meets industrial. And there's that grey bed linen which is oh so popular right now too. 

How fabulous. What do you think?

I am  currently awaiting the arrival of Holly Marder (Avenue Lifestyle blog), photographer Jansje Klazinga and Tina from TravelingMama  who are coming over to shoot my home today. So exciting! I think we're going to have lots of fun and I can't wait to show you the results.

So. It's time for the weekend! Yay! Have you got any great plans? I think I'll spend the weekend relaxing (it's amazing how much work goes into getting a house ready for a shoot - phew!!! 

Before I head off - something cool, have you ever wondered what your name would be if you were Finnish? Now you can find out here. My name is Ritva Männistö (meaning A hanging branch. Home of pine trees)! 

Have a really wonderful weekend and see you Monday! 

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Beautiful strap by a Stockholm designer

When it comes to bug bearers in our home, the one thing my family and I can't seem to get a grip on is our post. There's a constant messy pile of it on our bar table. My sister once told me you should only ever see an item of post once, i.e. you open it,  file it (or recycle it) and then it's dealt with. We've never quite managed this rule. And then recently I came across the Mathilda Strap designed by Stockhom based Mathilda Clahr and I think our post peeve could finally be solved.

Designer: Mathilda Clahr, Photography: Elin Strömberg, Stylist Josefin Hååg

Designed by Stockholm based designer Mathilda Clahr the leather strap comes in three colours - black, dark brown and light beige and can be used to store magazines and other papers, as a hook for your coat or bag or if you're feeling really crafty, to upcycle an old chest of drawers with the strap as handles.

These pictures were shot in Josefin Hååg's lovely workspace of 20 Kvadrat blog (I recently showed the rest of her wonderful home here).

What do you think? Could you find a use for this in your home? I'm sold!

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A fabulous grey Australian holiday home

Smoke grey. It's broody, it's romantic, it's dramatic. And I love it. Swedish interior style queen Lotta Agaton has made no secret that grey is the colour of 2014. At first I wasn't sure but having already seen this home, and now this fantastic Australian home found on beautiful blog the Style Files, I'm totally sold, how about you? Ellis House is owned by Tracie Ellis founder of textile company Aura Home. Located in Kyneton, Australia, the renovation of the 1860's home was inspired by  'luxurious simplicity'. And the great news? It's available to rent (remember this Australian home too?) - when I finally make my dream trip to Australia I'm not going to be short of beautiful holiday homes to choose from! 

Tracie Ellis, Ellis House via Style Files

Could you spend your holiday padding around Ellis House?

I also love this Malmö apartment with dark grey floor, the home of a Swedish blogger, and a beautiful grey home in the Sussex countryside. 

For a quick fix - I absolutely love this dove grey bed linen which gets softer and softer the more you wash it, so luxurious! 

Are you a fan of the dark grey movement?

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