6 Subtle Festive Ideas to Steal from Alexandra's Swedish Home

Why, hello there! The big chill in Sweden continues and the Christmas lights look so pretty against the snow - even if it does make for treacherous cycling conditions (yes, Swedes cycle in the snow - with varying results I might add!).  

The minus temperatures also mean we only really go out if we have to - and homes are being transformed into cosy sanctuaries. This also means Christmas decorations come out a little earlier than they might do in other countries. However, I'm not talking the full monty - instead, I've noticed Swedes start out with subtle festive touches with a natural wintery theme and then continue to layer their homes throughout December (something I touch on in my new book Njuta*!). 

In Alexandra Löfgren's family home in Mölndal, south of Gothenburg is full of lovely, subtle touches and nice ideas. I especially love her son Matteo's room with it's brown, rust and blue colour scheme and a mini Christmas tree all of his own! So magical! Here's a glimpse of the rooms and six ideas to steal. 

1. combine amaryllis with other foliage from the garden such as branches with berries and eucalptus for a beautiful bouquet. 

2. A simple touch of pine in a vase draws the winter season inside without going all out 'Christmas'. 

3. Swap out your usual pendant light for a star pendant such as this one. It can easily be stored the rest of the year!

4. A mini undecorated tree in a pot can be decorated as time goes on - and kept until the following year! 

5. Add a mini Christmas tree in unexpected places - such as in the hallway or in a children's bedroom to sprinkle a little magic all over the home! 

6. Wreaths can be placed anywhere in the home, but I especially love seeing them over the bed, as seen here! 

I hope Alexandra's home has given you some cosy ideas! 

If you're looking for more Christmas decorating inspiration this weekend check out these home tours:

15 small festive touches to steal from a Swedish country home

A Copenhagen home full of festive cheer

A colourful vintage-inspired Christmas themed home in Denmark

Inspiring Christmas touches in a Swedish family home

11 Christmas decorating ideas in Mari's lovely Swedish home

And also, scour the Christmas decoration archive - for a ton of beautiful Scandi ideas to be found! 

If you'd like a virtual tour this weekend, Per and I will be heading to a Christmas market on the island of Bornholm, which has a focus on quality goods and creating a magical atmosphere - and I'll be covering it in my instagram stories! 

Have a cosy weekend! 

Niki

Photography: Alexandra Löfgren, shared with kind permission.

*promotion of my own work. 

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Beautifully Simple Ways to add a Scandi Glow to Your Home This Advent!

It's been snowing all night here in Malmö and our world has transformed into a winter wonderland. 

In Scandinavia, Christmas (or 'winter') decorations are taken very seriously not least because candles and fairy lights help to brighten up the darkness and touches from nature draw the cosiness of the season indoors. 

Our Nordic friends tend to start decorating on the First Sunday of Advent - starting in a simple way with star lanterns, candles and maybe a wreath for the door. The star of the day of course, is the advent candle. These come in many shapes and forms including a numbered candle, four candles in a wreath, a simple candleholder in the window or even a crown hung from the ceiling. You may choose to forgo the tradition entirely and just enjoy the warm glow of candlelight in the evening. 

Here is some inspiration for those of you who love candles as much as I do! 

There are just so many different ways to do candles - from ore fanciful to incredibly simple. All beautiful in their own way. Do you have a favourite? 

Would you like to see a few other ideas? Take a look at: 

5 pretty candle displays you can make in an instant

Christmas DIY advent candle ideas

12 budget friendly ways to turn your living room into a winter haven

Perhaps you have your own First Sunday of Advent / winter decorating traditions / ideas you'd like to share? If so, please do tells us all about it in the comments below! 

Have a cosy day friends, stay warm! 

Niki

PS Please always exercise caution with candles in your home. Keep naked flames away from anything flammable and never leave a lit candle unattended. It's also a good idea to only use candles in a well ventilated space. 

Credits: 1. Northern Sisters Collective, 2 Maja Olausson, 3. Tina Sosna, 4. Magnus Lundgren, 5. What decorates my day 6,7,8 Unknown - found on Pinterest (can you help?) . 

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Helen's Cosy Swedish Cottage At Christmas

The First Sunday of Advent is just around the corner and already we're seeing stars and twinkling lights appear in windows throughout Sweden. With the shorter days and much of the country blanketed in snow, the decorations help to brighten up the darkness and add cosiness and warmth.  

A couple of winters ago I spent a magical few days at my dear friend, interior designer Helen Sturesson's cottage in Blekinge, southern Sweden. You have likely seen some of these cosy Christmas pictures before, but I couldn't resist featuring the entire cosy tour today. 

I love the rustic feel and focus on understated tradition - little wonder the family choose to spend Christmas here by the fire. Ready to get into the festive spirit?

So magical! 

I'd be so happy here cosying up by the fire, how about you? 

It's so lovely and quiet there, and only a short walk from the baltic sea.

The glass decorations seen on the table, hanging on the tree and on the windowsill are all mouth-blown on the Danish island of Bornholm by atelier Pernille Bülow. My family and I are actually heading to the island this weekend to visit the Christmas market so I must stop by and pick up some Christmas decorations! I can't wait, it's such a beautiful part of the world! 

I hope you enjoyed this tour of Helen's charming little cottage! 

Niki

 

Photography - Niki Brantmark / My Scandinavian Home

Home / styling - Helen Sturesson

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Maja's Cosy Swedish Home All Decked out for Christmas!

Tjoohooo! I hope you had a cosy weekend! It's been snowy here - and so cold, even the sea has iced over. but I do love a winter wonderland, here in the South we have to make the most of it as we never know when it all might be washed away! Today, I'm stopping by to share a final home tour for 2022 - and it's such a pretty one! 

You'll recognise Maja Olausson's house from a previous post. A former mission house with a charming interior, it's hard to forget! I especially love her home at Christmas when it's all decked out with stars, orange garlands, candles in moss and Christmas trees from a sustainably controlled forest. Oh, and keep a look out for her home made wrapping paper and gift tags as well as her festive table scape - some really lovely ideas here!  So kompis, wrap yourself in a blanket, pour yourself an extra strength coffee (Swedish style!) and enjoy the tour! 

Really lovely! 

Are there any details / ideas that stood out to you in particular? 

I'm impressed by all the details. I have to confess, since we're going to see my family in London at some point during the holidays I haven't done a huge amount at home - but we do have a lovely tree and a few decorations dotted about - as well of course, stars and candles in the window! You can read more about the Brantmark Christmas traditions from Per's perspective here! 

Have you put up a lot of decorations this year (if you celebrate)? 

For more inspiration today, you might like to check out the Christmas and Christmas decoration archives as well as some of these cosy home tours: 

Hannah's cosy Finnish home in the snow

Inspiring Christmas touches in a beautiful Swedish home

A bright Copenhagen home full of festive cheer

6 simple decorating ideas from Anna's swedish home

Kram!

Niki

Photography Maja Olausson, shared with kind permission 

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