Hejsan allihopa! The lack of daylight at this time of the year in Scandinavia can be a bit of a challenge. To put it into perspective, in Kiruna (home of the famous ice hotel) - the sun rises at 10 am and sets at 1pm today and this will diminish by 1 hour a week until the winter solstice! No wonder our Scandi friends love their candles! Candles take up the baton when the sun goes down - lighting up every corner of the home with a warm glow - just like in the cosy Gothenburg apartment of Sara Margareta Hellman, boyfriend Jesper and their furry friend Agaton. Look around and you'll spot candles on the dining table, side tables, kitchen worktops, hanging from hooks and even on the bedroom floor! I also love the deep, earthy tones Sara and Jesper have used on the walls in the kitchen and sitting room, and the wallpaper in the bedroom - it adds so much interest to the space! Enjoy the tour!
Design of Sideboard
The kitchen has been painted in a blue-grey colour similar to Farrow & Ball "Pigeon"
Natural linen bedding*, Ikea Vindum rug, Kartell 2-drawer Componibili storage unit*
A few weeks back, someone from the Philippines was telling me that they only ever light candles when there's a power cut!
Do you like to light a lot of candles in your home?
In case you're not used to candles in your home either, here are 4 ways to add candles to your home like a Scandinavian:
1. Dot a lot of candles all around your home (on every surface you can find)
2. Light a candle at breakfast time to bring a little natural light to the dark morning (they even do this in Swedish nurseries!)
3. Light candles as soon as you get home - and complement with dimmed electrical lighting
4. And a few safety factors: keep flames well away from anything flammable, ensure your rooms are well ventilated.
Thank you so much to Sara for sharing these lovely pics of her home, follow her instagram and blog for daily updates. And thank you to Johanna Bradford for the tip!
Niki
Photography: Sara Margareta Hellman
I'm from Canada and we've been eating dinner by candle light ever since we turned our clocks back by one hour. We sometimes light them at breakfast too!
ReplyDeleteWhat is the name and manufacturer of the sisal rug in the living room?
ReplyDeleteThe lighting on the darker walls of some of the rooms reminds me of Rembrandt paintings.
ReplyDeleteI love this tour. It's a beautiful place but I especially love the candlelit shots. I also appreciate your telling us about sunrise/sunset times. In the U.S., candles are definitely more of a decorative/blackout thing. I'm not sure I even have tapered candles. And sunlight in LA today is roughly 7 am to 5 pm.
ReplyDelete