A Striking Swedish Flat, Full of Contrast

I whizzed up to our little cabin yesterday over the day to take some photos. I noticed that the buds were starting to appear on the bushes - small wins friends, small wins! It's hard to imagine that in just 10 weeks it will be June - the month when the Swedish school summer holiday begins. 

Many flock to the island of Gotland in the Baltic to soak up the warm weather and beautiful light. The island also has many year round dwellers who make the most of having the place to themselves the rest of the year. This striking apartment in the picturesque capital - 'Visby', looks like somewhere someone could happily live year round. Built in the 19th century, the flat has many features typical of the time including high ceilings, large spacious rooms and wide doorways as well as a beautiful tiled masonry oven. 

The decor is one of contrast - where a deep charcoal and dark wood juxtaposes with white, while a mustard tone fills the in between to create harmony. Look closely and you'll also spot some gems, including the desk lamp and bamboo safari chair as well as other vintage pieces. I hope you enjoy the tour! 

I'd happily sit at this desk while looking out over the Baltic Sea, how about you? 

I haven't see a bamboo version of the safari chair before, have you? I found a similar one here. 

I love this spot - it's the perfect place for a little light therapy and warmth, even if the weather isn't playing nicely outside! 

While monochrome can feel quite austere, the use of mustard / golden tones helps to soften the look and add warmth. 

Source a similar vintage scissor lamp*. 

Such a stunning tiled masonry oven - it's like art in itself. 

The kitchen  cabinets and backsplash are all made from wood - a look we don't see very often!  

The subtle shift in tones between the sitting room and bedroom add to the interest of the living space. 

It's not always easy to understand the layout of these homes, so I have promised to start sharing the floorplan whenever there is one available. This is how this apartment is laid out:

Glossary; 'sovrum' = bedroom, 'Vardagsrum' = sitting room, 'Kök' = kitchen 

Are you a fan of dark colours in homes? 

We once had a black wall in our bedroom (many moons ago) and while I enjoyed the contrast and cosiness, we needed to add a lot more lighting! Just to warn you, in case you're feeling inspired to do something similar in your home. 

Fancy moving to Visby? This apartment is for sale via Bertwig. 

See more homes on the island on this archive - so many beautiful ones! 

Vi ses på Fredag! 

Niki

Photography: Andreas Ljungqvist / Bertwig with thanks 

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A Striking Monochrome Home in Bergen, Norway

I hope you had a lovely weekend? Here in Sweden, we celebrated 'Valborg' (Walpurgis), a traditional spring celebration. Across the country, bonfires were lit at dusk and choirs sang out while children toasted marshmallows. For the young, it's also a big party night, so many were nursing sore heads yesterday! Do you celebrate Walpurgis night in your country too? 

Sadly, I have no pictures of Valborg to share with you today, but I do have a striking home tour from Bergen, Norway! Looking through the pictures took me straight back to the day when everyone was going for the monochrome look, and I was happy to find the interior of this house has survived the test of time. The property belongs to Nina Kristin Kristiansen, founder of Kamelone Design Studio and a restorative yoga instructor. Decorated almost entirely in black and white with a deep green accent, Nina's punchy graphical home is full of contrast. Look closely and you'll also spot iconic design pieces such as vintage Jielde lamps*, Eames chairs and a classic Stendig calendar. Welcome to the ground floor!   

How cool! And so different from other home tours I've shown of late. 

I especially like the timeless chequered floor in the hallway and all the plants (little envious of how healthy her lemon tree is looking; I might have to write to Nina for some tips!). 

Is there anything that stood out to you? Are you a fan of the monochrome aesthetic? 

See more black and white and monochrome homes. 

Have a great start to the week! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Nina Kristin Kristiansen, shared with kind permission. 

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Before & After: An Outdated Property Becomes a Vintage-inspired Family Home

Men Tjeeena! Hur är läget? Today I'm taking you on a virtual trip to Trier in Southwest Germany and Esther Soellner's wonderful home. When Esther and her family first discovered the1903 listed building it had a distinct look of the 1970s - all the rooms had panelled wood and suspended ceilings. Sadly, the stucco and original floor had been destroyed and it lacked many of the other original features. Esther, an interior architect, was keen to restore the house and bring it back to its former glory. her and her husband set about opening up the rooms and reinstalling original features such as doors and windows. The living space was then furnished furniture from antique markets across Europe including France, Belgium, Netherlands and Italy - as well as handmade pieces. The result is a calm home with a vintage industrial vibe and a hint of poetry.  Here are some before and after snapshots: 

Kitchen /dining area before

The extent of the renovation was absolutely enormous and included completely gutting the space, tearing down a wall and putting in new windows. 

On the opposite side of the kitchen / dining area, the suspended wood ceiling was removed and new windows and doors were put in. 

Dining area after: 

The cabinet is a fine example of one of Esther's many antique finds. So beautiful! 

Upstairs landing before

You can really see just how dilapidated the house was when the family first found it. Simply everything needed revamping. 

Upstairs landing after

The original wood floor was sanded down and given a new lease of life with white paint, while a mid-grey emphasises the architraves, turning it into a feature. 

The children's bedroom has been kitted out entirely with vintage and antique pieces.

Master bedroom before

Master bedroom after

Esther made use of existing plumbing to add a luxurious feel to the bedroom with a bath (I'm just imagining a candlelit bubble bath and a great book before bedtime!). She also made a feature of existing beams and pillars - stripping back the plaster to reveal the original brickwork. 

A vintage industrial JIELD lamp (I've got one of these in the corner of our sitting room too - always been a fan!)

A black and white theme in the bathroom (love the traditional style loo!) is softened with vintage touches included a wall cabinet and hooks. 

How beautiful! 

I love all the historical doors and internal windows - as well as the general simplicity of the space. It really allows the architecture to shine. 

Keep an eye on Esther's instagram feed @esma.auguste for more snapshots from her lovely home. 

I love a before and after - do you? Here are a few others to enjoy this Lillöradag (little Saturday): 

A dated house becomes a mid-century modern home

A traditional Norwegian cabin gets a colour update

A Swedish couple turn a Mercedes sprinted into a tiny mobile home

Har det bra! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of @esma.auguste

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Warm Pools of Sunlight In a Monochrome Home

Tjena! We're going monochrome today with Alexander Parr's pad in Bielefeld, Germany. Black, white and earthy shades set the tone for a calm and contemporary apartment which is bathed in sunlight for much of the day. The items have been carefully edited and whittled down to a selection of new Nordic design and Scandinavian classics, while rugs, sheepskins. cushions and sheer linen curtains help to add warmth. Pull up a chair and enjoy the tour! 

A selection of Eames chairs have been draped in sheepskins in the dining area. In the corner a print from Paper Collective has been hung above a Grasshopper lamp. 

A drinks trolley* by Normann Copenhagen provides a practical place for vases, books and other pieces. The top print is from Normann Copenhagen (I love this one - especially when the light catches it in this way!). 

Alex sits at a 'Siege Ballon' while working. I actually once used an exercise ball to sit on when I worked in London. They're meant to be really good for your back and core strength as you're constantly moving and adjusting. Having said, it always used to roll away (although I did also suspect a couple of my colleagues played football with it from time to time!) - so I'd always be going off to retrieve it! Find out more info about this one and the health benefits here. 

While on the topic of office chairs, these days I use this one - which I love! But on a recent visit to the IKEA headquarters, I noticed that people were sitting on kinds of different seats - and one was even on a stationary bike! What do you sit on when you work / study? 

White linen is so fresh for the summer (source similar here*). I love how Alexander has paired with black lighting including a mantis wall lamp. So simple, yet so calm!

I hope this lovely monochrome pad has filled you with inspiration today! 

You can see more snapshots of Alexander's light and airy home over at @alexanderpaar. 

I can't believe it's Friday tomorrow! I'm looking forward to finishing the blog week with a beautiful 'before and after' tour. Make sure you stop by to take a peek! 

Niki

Photography: Alexander Paar

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