The monochrome home of Swedish interior stylist Elin Kickén

Oh wow - I do believe it's the end of the working week - woohaaay! April and May are my absolute busiest months - do you find that too? It seems the same is happening in the Swedish real estate market - I simply can't believe how many homes are for sale right now - which let's face it, is an ideal situation for all of us!! Swedish interior stylist Elin Kickén is the latest to sell her home (I once showed her previous (whiter) home here). Which means lots of wonderful, inspiring pictures for us to enjoy over the weekend (and if you live in Gothenburg -  even a new home perhaps?!). Elin has decorated her home using a monochome scheme which is softened by warm lustrous textiles and a play with different shapes. Let's take a tour...

Alvhem. Home-owner / interior designer Elin Kickén.

It's safe to say, Elin has nailed the monochrome look wouldn't you say?!

And her small bedroom is inspiring too - a tricky narrow room which she has made look sooooo cosy! 

There are so many items I love in this home including: sitting room - the house doctor cluster lamp (available here and here), sofa similar to mine (North from Bolia), Muuto leaf floor lamp. Painting by Karin Wästlund.  Kitchen: Flos aim light. This glass tea pot is similar. Bedroom - white waffle bedspread, By Lassen stropp leather hangers (I've got these in cognac).

Does anyone know where the white armchair is from - I'd love to know... and be able to update the post! 

Linkage for the weekend:

What a beautiful hallway?

There's something so Zen about this bath tub! And I kind of like the industrial style of this shower too.

The awe-inspiring 'Thong House' (love the name!) in Vietnam.

A cute porch / terrace.

Loving these nooks and niches.

Trend alert - grey hardwood floors as seen in Elin's home too (we've got these across two floors in our home and I love them!). 

Must-have item for the summer - a pom pom blanket, I can't decide on this, this or this one? 

Imagine dropping everything and moving to a Swedish cottage like this one, is only for the weekend - with not a care in the world!

Have a wonderful end to the week! Skål!

 PS Tomorrow I'll be featuring my suggestions on affordable limited edition art so definitely drop by if you have the time!

PPS I'm loving working from home today, our wisteria is in full bloom and the clematis over the arch in the garden is bursting with little pink flowers - makes me #happy! Here's a snapshot of our sitting room with the garden beyond I captured just now from my phone....(although it's a bit tricky to see - might have to get my camera out later!). 

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A dramatic Swedish space with black walls

Hello, I hope you had a great weekend? Despite the beautiful sunshine outside I thought we'd kick off the week with a bit of drama with this elegant Swedish studio apartment with black walls. The living space is laid out over two rooms - one large room making up the sitting room and bedroom and a seperate kitchen. I especially love how the period features have been painted in a crisp white which truly makes them pop, and of course the space has beautiful original wood floors and large windows too. Imagine having this as your city pad? Fabulous!

For sale through Entrance. Photos: Anders Bergstedt.

What do you think? Tempted to add a little drama to your own home?

Get the look: bedroom - grey linen bedding and white linen throw. Sitting room - vintage leather sofa, Russel James and Paolo Roversi print. Kitchen: Voliéres bird pendant lamp, Thonet chairs, copper pans, chopping board, Dagg vase, Smeg fridge freezer, toaster.

More spaces with dramatic dark walls you may have missed: A swedish home in dark blues, greys and greens and a Stockholm pad.  Or how about black floors? (I really love this space!).  

Have a lovely day! 

PS it's the last day to enter the fab give-away to win 5 Scandinaviaform vases from Blackthumb. It only takes a sec to enter here. 

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An elegant, understated modern farmhouse

I was awoken by the eery sound of a ships fog horn cutting through the dense fog over the Öresund strait. It definitely made a change from the harsh trill of my mobile alarm clock, but being a sailor, the sound always makes me fill a little uneasy! The fog's lifted now and so have my spirits - mainly due to stumbling across this beautiful space designed by Griffiths Design Studio. Situated on the Mornington Peninsula, Southeast of Melbourne, Main Ridge Farmhouse is a lesson in elegant, understated style. The rich texture from the French oak floor, wood clad wall and sheepskins add warmth to create a relaxed modern home which reflects it's rural surroundings. Let's take a peek....

Photography: Tom Blachford. Design / Image Copyright: Griffiths Design Studio - shared with kind permission. Found via T.D.C with thanks!

What a lovely, elegant space!  I especially like the wooden side-table - it has such character!

Is there anything that stands out to you about this farmhouse?

Items I know and love: sitting room - grasshopper floor lamp, rug by Halcyon Lake, muuto dots and vase, this cognac leather cushion is similar. Kate Moss Book, wishbone chair, sheepskin throw. Bedroom: Eames house bird, this grey linen throw is similar. By lassen frame box.

For more understated homes in muted tones try my monochrome archive (warning - it contains 107 homes - it could take a while!).  

Have a lovely day!

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Monochrome heaven in a small Swedish apartment

Hello there! How're you holding up? It's been a week of early starts for me, and as you know, I'm definitely not a morning person - so I'm clinging onto the thought that tomorrow's Friday - woop! They say though, that the early bird catches the morning worm - and on my train earlier today I caught sight of not exactly a worm - but this delightful monochrome home in Gothenburg, Sweden. The space is a mere 35 square metres (375 square foot) and yet it has a light and airy feel thanks to the predominantly white colour scheme and unobscured windows (look closely and you can see the tightly rolled blackout blinds). I'm guessing the wardrobe is by the door, sectioned off with a linen curtain. What a perfect pad?!

55Kvadrat

I really love this space. It's like a breath of fresh air.

Could you live here? (If so you're actually in luck since it's currently for sale here, yup!).

Get the look: Granit string lights (for those of you in the US, these lights are similar (love!). Koushi pendant light, grey linen throw, white linen bedding, set of two linen pillow cases (beautiful) RANARP desk light, Tolix stool, this coffee table is similar, icelandic sheepskin throw, OMAR wire kitchen shelving unit. Buy natural stonewashed linen by the yard for curtains.

In case you missed them, other beeeeautiful monochrome spaces include a fab apartment with a mid-century touch, a black and white Helsinki family home and a calm small space Swedish apartment.

Have a lovely day!

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A crisp black and white Swedish home

It's weird. Some weeks there are oodles of beautiful interiors to choose from and others I find myself scratching around. Fortunately this week, there are so many beautiful spaces floating around on Pinterest, Instagram and other favourite sites, I'm not sure which to blog about first! In the end I plumped for this Stockholm apartment today as it's a great reflection of the snow and silhouettes outside my window. It's been decorated throughout in black and white and crammed with inspiringly simple ideas. I especially love the piles of magazines used as a bedside table, the different lighting and the lovely children's room. Let's take a tour....

Photography:Anna Malmberg. Stylist: Åsa Copparstad / Fantastic Frank

I'll always love the crispness and the clean lines of a monochrome home. How about you?

Get the look:  Bedroom - try this beautiful vintage scissor light (not sure why I'm sharing this as I'd love this in my own home! -  for similar try here), concrete plant pot, jar with lid. Sitting room - BESTÅ storage cabinets. Kitchen - G print, Eames chair, Marimekko bowls. Children's bedroom - wigwam / teepee, kili baby cot.

You can see more pics of this space over at Fantastic Frank.

Other links I love today -

A delicate moodboard.

On the menu tonight (they had me at the avocado sauce). And perhaps a Swedish semla layer cake for pudding?! YUM!

It seems 'mint' is the 2016 alternative to navy blue in the world of sofas. Loving this one (did you see the one I linked to yesterday too?). Although I do love this contrast - beautiful!

Now that I'm back home again the first thing I'm going to do is fill my home with plants and fresh flowers. And this fab studio has encouraged me to do the same in my work space! You in?!

Happy International Women's Day.

See you tomorrow! 

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A grey-scale Swedish apartment with a dreamy bedroom

I know I'm not alone in my love of grey-scale Swedish apartments - it's hard not to have a weakness for this style isn't it?! And this newly renovated space in Gothenburg (again!) has it all - including a beautiful light wood floor, high ceilings, a beautiful 'kakelugn' (or masonry stove) and a lorry load of white paint! But what really captured my imagination is the bedroom with it's large, airy feel and beautiful mix of classic and contemporary pieces. Not only that but it also has plenty of storage space too - hooray! I also love the contrast against the charcoal coloured walls in the adjoining room. I could wake up here every morning, how about you?!

Alvhem Mäkleri

Such a lovely space, don't you think?! Is there anything that stands out to you in particular?

Get the look: white linen bedding, this light grey knitted blanket is similar, butterfly chair (loving the cognac leather!), 7 chair, AJ floor lamp.

Other links I love today:

A cabin surrounded by nature.

Coming from a sailing family my first love will always be the sea, which is why this 'beach vibe' interiors post hit a chord. Roll on summer!

Lovel, love, love H&M's urban jungle theme for Spring / Summer 2016.

Fancy a pear and nutella tart for pudding tonight? (I'm not sure the Nutella would last long enough to create a tart in our house)?!

We're leaving Sri Lanka tomorrow after three wonderful weeks sniff, sniff. To get a taster of the rhythm of the South of this beautiful country, take a look at this film clip shot by two swedes who have set up a surf and yoga camp here. Tempted?!

Have a lovely day! 

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