A Beautiful, Space-Saving Family Home in Stockholm, Sweden

I'm still buzzing the Swedish country home yesterday (and judging by the 20,000 hits about it on my instagram I sense I'm not alone!) - did you fall in love too? There's only one thing for it. Move on. After all, a move to the country is not on the cards for the Brantmarks (being the city slickers we are)! So, today I thought I'd focus on living in the city - and how to deal with the space-limitations that so often come with it. On the surface this wonderful Swedish apartment looks pretty spacious. But add a few children to the mix and the tiny bedrooms become a bit of a conundrum. After all, kids demand quite a lot of their rooms: a bed, a desk, somewhere to hang out with friends and / or play and storage. In this wonderful Stockholm home, the owners have made maximum use of the height to create three loft bed solutions which help to maximise space in the children's bedrooms. They've also worked with internal windows to ensure natural light flows into the darkest of corners. Best of all, everything has been done with the utmost style and the entire home has a wonderful personal and relaxed feel! Ready to feel inspired?


The kitchen has been artfully arranged around a classic masonry oven / tiled stove - with a space for wood storage built into the cabinetry

Imagine how cosy this must be with the roaring fire at night? It's set up for some seriously cosy and romantic dinners! 

A more formal dining setting occupies the window area in the sitting room - with a wonderful Nelson Saucer Bubble lamp overhead! 


One of the biggest decorating mistakes people make is buying a rug which is too small for the space. Well, not in this room! 

As a rule of thumb, a sitting room rug should be at least 15 cm - 20 cm  (6" - 8") wider than your sofa on each side. You may then decide whether to place all four legs of your sofa on the rug, or just the front two. 

FYI: I'd never judge anyone for the size of rug they choose in their home - so this is just a helpful guide if you're struggling to decide. Otherwise, anything goes! 

The owners have made the most of a narrow passage - using it as a library and wardrobe space.

Oh, and check out that beautiful wood floor! 

A built-in shelf behind the bed has becoming increasingly popular and is especially useful in a smaller space. 


I love all three of these small space children bedroom solutions! The owners have capitalised on the tremendous ceiling height to create 'vertical' bedrooms complete with desks, storage and cosy seating areas. 

Fun touches include striped wallpaper, gymnastics rings (my daughter has the same ones from Finnish company Lillagunga - as do all her gymnast friends!) and a Ferm Living pineapple rug


I really appreciate the eclectic mix of pieces in this tiny room - including a round shelf from Ferm Living*, a vintage chair and terrazzo side table. 

It's not unusual for magnificent old apartment blocks in Scandinavia to have grand entryways like this. Look at those tiles and how paintwork has been used to highlight the period features. Wonderful! 

What a truly inspiring home - and great inspiration for anyone looking to maximise space in the city!

Is there anything that stood out to you? 

Here are a few more Scandinavian city homes for you to enjoy today: 


Har det så fint! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Historiska Hem 

*Affiliate link (which means I may make a very tiny amount of money should you click on the link and buy something - at no extra cost to you). 

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Ulli's Beautiful, Relaxed Urban Family Home


In the mood for a wonderful, relaxed home today? Ulli's apartment in Stuttgart, Germany is the type of place you walk through the door and feel instantly at home, it just oozes warmth and character. Dating back to 1900, the building features original parquet wood floors, high ceilings and large windows which flood the space with warm pools of light. Huge glass doors in the kitchen open right back to let in the morning light and large bites of greenery, despite the urban location. But best of all, every room has a relaxed and lived in vibe, offering a perfect haven in the heart of the city, which Ulli, her husband Nils and their two daughters Smilla (5) and Ida (3) can kick back and be themselves. 

What an apartment! 

I love all the personal touches - especially in the children's bedrooms. And can we just take a moment to admire the ceiling in the master bedroom?

How nice would it be to sipping a coffee in Ulli's kitchen right now, looking out at the trees?

Is it just me or has it been one crazy week? Maybe we should all put our feet up just a little longer today and enjoy a few more home tours in the same, relaxed vein. Here are a few I love: 


I hope these beautiful spaces have put a little spring in your step this Wednesday!

Niki

Photography: Ulli / @uls_andthekids

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A Soothing Swedish family Home With the World's Cutest Kitten!

How are you all doing? Ups and downs? I hear you. But hopefully I have something that can really lift all our spirits! Pull up a chair, put your feet up and stay for a while, this Swedish home will have you dreaming about calm spaces and fairy-tale children's bedrooms. Oh, and it even includes a cute dog and fluffy kitten for good measure! Welcome to the home of Anna-Maria Blomqvist. Anna-Maria lives in the pretty town of Sigtuna, just North of Stockholm. It's a lively little place known for its traditional wooden houses and having the oldest main street in Sweden. Anna-Maria, her partner and their children live in an old croft house which they've lovingly restored into a family home. The house is a sea of earthy greys, deep blues and forest greens, reflecting the lake and forests of the surroundings. Look out for the pretty wallpaper too! 

Since moving to Sweden, a blanket on the sofa has become an essential item (we actual have several these days otherwise there are actual fights!). This chunky knit* one sold online is similar. 

The family hound has found a perfect spot to snooze beside a Josef Davidssons wood burning stove. Oh, to be him today! 

Love this dining setting. But, gaaah, I've seen this star pendant light so many times and can't for the life of me remember the name - can anyone help? It would be great to provide the details.  Also, can I get a slice of that cake, please?



This seems to be the week for vintage glass cabinets (did you see the one in yesterday's Finnish home tour?) - beautiful! I love this one in the children's bedroom too, how about you?

The wall has been finished with Kalkitir chalk paint from Iceland. We painted one of our kitchen walls with this recently. It arrives in powder form and you mix it with water. It's surprisingly easy to apply, organic and gives a beautiful texture. Home DIY project perhaps? If there's enough interest, I might be able to organise a discount. Give me a shout if you're interested!

The wonderful Graylag goose mobile is designed in Sweden by Wonderforest Co. 

What a cosy bed, made even prettier by the Boråstapeter Nocturne wallpaper and bed canopy. And the best news of all for parents - with a bed like this, the children will have no need to turn the sofa into a den! Hallelujah!  


 And finally.....

Because who doesn't feel joy from a picture of the world's fluffiest kitten? Isn't she a Darling? Wonder what she thinks of the flying goose mobile?! 

I spotted this last picture in Anna-Maria's Instagram feed. Not only does it show a glimpse of Sigtuna's pretty Main Street, it also gave me a chance to tell you about a Swedish easter tradition you might not know about! 

On Skärtorsdagan (Maundy Thursday) children across Sweden dress up as påskkäringor (Easter hags) wearing brightly coloured head scarves and faces painted with rosy cheeks and freckles - as seen above! They then wander from door to door asking for sweets. I was so taken aback when I opened the door my first Easter in sweden. They look as cute as a button, but still, being British I was a bit baffled and not terribly well stocked up on godis (sweets)! It's one of the main signs that Swedish Påsk (easter) predates Christianity. It was said that on Maundy Thursday, witches flew to consort with the devil at Mount Blåkulla (a tiny island off Sweden's east coast), some swedes (particularly in the western part of the country) light bonfires to ward off the evil spirits - although these days more so on April 30th (Walpurgis Night). 

Do you have unusual Easter / spring holiday traditions in your country? If so, I'd love to hear about them! 

Back to the home tour. Is there anything in particular that stood out to you? I love the wood burning stove! It's a really beautiful one and adds so much warmth to the home. 

Check out more snapshots from Anna-Maria's home over on her instagram @annamaria.blomqvist.  


I hope this lovely tour (and sharing the unusual Swedish Easter traditions!) has given you a little respite today! Do share your thoughts in the comment section below, I'd love to hear from you!

Niki

Photography: Anna-Maria Blomqvist
Affiliate links marked with *

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A Wonderful, Relaxed Family Home In the Heart Of the Beaujolais Wine Country

Sometimes I'm going about my business in Malmö as happy as Larry and then a home tour pops up that knocks me for six and has me dreaming about a total life change! This is one of those days! And once you see the pictures, I have a feeling you might just feel the same. Lysiane Marcel lives in a beautiful 18th century house in the wine-producing region of Beaujolais, France, with her husband Laurent, three children Léonce, Bertil and Colette and their cats and dog. Their home is an inspiring blend of vintage, antique and high street finds (I even spy some IKEA pieces!), giving the space a truly relaxed and personal touch. I briefly caught up with Lysiane, who runs a concept store in Villefranche, to find out a little more about her 'golden' house in the heart of the Pierres Dorées. 

Your house looks magnificent! How old is it and when did you move in?
It is an old vineyard house built in 1752 from pierres dorées, which is the golden stone of our region. We moved in when I was pregnant with Colette three years ago. 


What inspires your interior style?
I follow my heart and allow the house to guide me. 



I can imagine feeling very inspired by a house like this! Was it love at first sight? 
Yes, but we were afraid about all of the space because the house is very large, and we were living in an apartment in Lyon at the time!


Do you plan to decorate the entire house, or will you leave some of the rooms empty?
We plan to create a lot of guest bedrooms for our friends. They are empty during the week, but we often have friends to stay at the weekend. 

What do you love most about your house?
I love the space, the light, the floor and all the little details that come with an old house. 

And finally, do you have any tips for anyone who dreams of owning a similar property? 
It takes a lot of time to find a house like this. We visited 30 properties before we found it! it's all about following your heart, a home must make you feel good. 

What do you reckon, are you ready to enjoy croissants and a café au lit by the pool?! Or perhaps a glass of Beaujolais would be more apt?! 

Check out more of Lysiane's beautiful home over at @une_idee_entete. Lysiane also sells her family's lovely clothes second hand on instagram here

I've shown a few other wonderful French country homes (which I still dream about), including:


Is anyone else feeling truly inspired now for a Monday?!

Have a great start to the week! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of @une_idee_entete, shared with kind permission

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