Per's New Home Office (With Beautiful Pieces From Skovby)

Brand story*:
I love discovering new Scandinavian brands, don't you? One of my latest favourites is Skovby. The Danish family business was founded in 1933 by cabinet maker Thorvald Rasmussen. His son Villy Rasmussen and grandsons Preben and Jørgen Rasmussen have continued his legacy - expanding the collection to include highly functional dining tables, chairs, storage, cabinets and other pieces.  with a strong focus on craftsmanship, natural materials and sustainability.

One of the biggest draws, is Skovby's strong focus on craftsmanship, natural materials and sustainability and how the furniture combines a strong design aesthetic with innovative functionality - Scandinavian design heritage it's finest!

I've been really keen to experience the furniture firsthand ever since. And this week, I found just the project!

Due to the circumstances we are all facing, right now Per and I are both working from home. As you can imagine this comes with its fair share of, shall we say, challenges! Perhaps, most alarming of all is that I'm having to endure entire maths and physics lessons (Per's a sixth form teacher) - subjects I thought I'd safely left long behind me in my school days!

From Per's side, the main issue has been trying to hold classes via video link from the kitchen table - not easy when you have kids rocking about making themselves sandwiches in the background. So, I thought it was high time to design a temporary home office that he can call his own!

A window nook in the corner of our bedroom presented a perfect spot since the (DIY) shelves were already in place and it's an area that's flooded with light - perfect for online conferences! 

I added a new Skovby #131 Home Desk in solid oak white oil with a top in white laminate (it's also available in oak lacquer, oak solid oil, oak solid white oil, oak white oil with top in black nano laminate, walnut oil and walnut oil with top in white laminate finishes). 

To match, I chose a classic and contemporary SKOVBY #52 dining chair in oak white oil with a hard wearing Brahms 21 seat fabric (check out all the other options here!). 

The devil is in the details - and I love that the desk has a built-in drawer (with soft-closing) for storing paper, calculators, and other bits and bobs. Check out the brown lining too! 

I also love the USB plug-in for charging your phone. In my mind, any form of cable-management is always a welcomed touch - I'm not good with cables! 

In the pics above and below picture you can also catch a glimpse of some of the other pieces I added including a Tip table lamp, two felt baskets for paperwork, Edge vases - and the all important Edge mug (is it just me, or does anyone else remember just how much coffee teachers drink?!). 

This close up also demonstrates the beautiful oak. When carefully maintained (Skovby offer a an entire care collection which helps you ensure your furniture stays in tip top condition) - the furniture can last a lifetime and be passed onto the next generation, a true investment piece, and part of Scandinavia's ingrained sustainability ethos. 

I think Per's one very lucky guy, don't you?! I'm not sure he's ever worked in a spot like this before (trust me, I've seen his staff room!).

Maybe I'll even pick-up on some new math skills along the way (I can actually see Per spitting out his coffee at this!!) - let's just say, we're both grateful my maths lessons are a distant memory!). How were you at physics and maths?! Kudos to anyone who could have worked out the equation below! 

In all seriousness, it feels great to have been able to create an extra home office so we could each have somewhere comfortable to sit during the day. These creature comforts are so important right now, don't you think?

And, I hope this post goes to show that all you need is a good desk and chair (and a few smaller bits and bobs)! I can highly recommend these fine 100% Danish pieces! 

Check out the full Skovby range here and find your nearest stockist. 

Have a great weekend, stay well! 

Niki

A big thank you to Helen Sturesson for working with me on the interior design and styling for the shoot. 

*This post is a paid partnership with Skovby, however all words are my own and I only ever work with brands I love and can highly recommend. Thank you for supporting the brands who help me to create fresh content! 

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Beautiful Danish Lamps In My Study - In Shades of Toffee and Smoke

Brand news: 

A few weeks ago, I showed a beautiful photographer's home from the Danish island of Bornholm - and it was a perfect reminder of the sheer creativity on the island. As you're aware, one of my favourite 'makers' is located right there in the Baltic Sea: Pernille Bülow. I absolutely can't get enough of her mouth blown SKY lamps, and Per is mesmerised too (always helpful when the man is on board too, don't you think?!). A few weeks ago Pernille Bülow launched three new beautiful shades: Smoke, Toffee and Green. As a fan of all things earthy, I immediately reached out about the toffee and smoke variant to hang in my home office along with hate clear version I already have. It was like everything just fell into place. Don't you love it when a plan comes together?! 

The mouth blown glass pendants all have unique organic shapes and feel so beautifully smooth. I love the small imperfections too as they show that they are individually made in the atelier. 

For this cluster I have used: Smoke large, Toffee medium, Clear gold medium.  

You can choose between brass / gold or chrome / grey fittings (I love the former for my home) and if tones of brown aren't your thing there are 11 different colours to choose from (they also look great hung individually). 

I love it when a plan comes together! 

Could you imagine having the these beautiful lamps somewhere in your home? 

If you're curious about where else you might be able to hang them, check out how they look in other areas of my home (and in various shades):

Dining area

Over a vintage bar cart

In the kitchen

FYI they ship worldwide. 

I love my little home office even more now. In other news: Per is teaching from home right now and there's always a little tussle over who sits here. So, this week I'm turning the window nook in our bedroom into a home office / study just for him. Keep an eye on the blog for the results (and hopefully, one very happy man). 

Niki

This post is brought to you in collaboration with Pernille Bülow, however all words and pictures are my own. Thank you for supporting the wonderful businesses that make My Scandinavian Home possible! 

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My Home: Meet the CH24 Wishbone Chair - Birthday Edition!

We use our home so much more these days, so it's only fair to treat ourselves, don't you think? This beautiful lady arrived from Carl Hansen & Søn a few days ago, and she's already a treasured part of the family! You'll no doubt recognise it as the iconic CH24 Hans J. Wegner (also known as the legendary 'Wishbone') chair. The Danish classic is instantly recognisable by its Y-shaped back, hand-crafted woven seat and sculptural curved back.  To celebrate the designers 105th birthday, Carl Hansen has launched this CH24 Hans J. Wegner birthday edition in a luxurious, glossy navy-blue, re-imagined by London-based designer Ilse Crawford and her multidisciplinary team at Studioilse. And she's an absolute beauty! 

Designer Ilse Crawford

Carl Hansen & Søn has a long tradition of manufacturing furniture with a great love for design and the history of the crafting process - using quality wood from sustainable forests. The Wishbone Chair has been in continuous production at Carl Hansen & Søn since 1950 (isn't that incredible?). This latest limited-edition piece plays testimony to the proud tradition of distinctive and beautiful craftsmanship where nothing has been left to chance. 

Most commonly seen in a classic wood finish, I love how the glossy navy blue contrasts with the earthy, hand-crafted woven seat! It's both bold and welcoming - and above all else, timeless! 

Oh, and the commemorative chair comes with a smart engraved brass plate featuring Hans J. Wegner's signature and date of birth - making it a true collector's item.  

I get a feeling we'll merely be looking after this chair for the next generation, don't you? And that's exactly what beautifully crafted Scandinavian design is all about! 

Read more about the CH24 Hans J. Wegner birthday edition - and pick up your own piece when it launches on 2nd April. You'll need to be quick, it's only on sale until April 30th, 2020. 

If anyone's looking for me this weekend, I'll be sitting right here. Unless the kids nab this spot first of course.... *rolls eyes*. 

Have a great weekend friends! Stay well! 

Niki

This post is sponsored by Carl Hansen & Søn, however all words are my own and I only ever work with brands I love and think you will too. Thank you for supporting the businesses that make My Scandinavian Home possible. 

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A New Home For My Mouth Blown Lamps from the Danish Island of Bornholm

Hello friends. Friday - wooop! Thank you for sharing all your thoughts yesterday, hop on over if you'd like to join the discussion! On an entirely separate note, a few days ago, a local paper asked me if there were any items in my home I'd never part with. My answer was "yes, A TON!" Do you feel the same? My reasoning is firstly, because I'm a bit of a hoarder (admittedly!) and secondly, I really try hard to layer my home with meaningful, timeless pieces. But one thing in particular immediately sprung to mind: my set of three mouth blown limited edition bronze SKY lamps from Pernille Bülow. Made on the beautiful Danish island of Bornholm to mark the gallery's 30th anniversary, each lamp is mouth blown which makes every piece entirely unique. There's also something about the smoky glass and bronze combination that speaks to me. They used to hang over my vintage bar cart but today, they have a new home - over the kitchen island!

If you've never been to the Danish island of Bornholm, it's well worth a trip (you can get there by plane or ferry from Sweden or Denmark) - and we actually sailed there once (I'll never forget it since it was a really stormy day and we arrived utterly drenched!). It was well worth it though as the island is so pretty and dotted with little galleries and ateliers. One of which is the Pernille Bülow gallery in Svaneke where you can watch the liquid glass pulp being collected from a 1120 degree furnace and then blown into wooden moulds or shaped with wet newspaper pads, steel tweezers or paddles. 

If you can't make it in person, no worries, Pernille Bülow sells online too! You might need to be quick with these SKY lamps since they are limited edition. FYI my cluster is made up of small (14 cm), medium (18 cm) and large (22 cm). 

However, they also sell beautiful clear glass ones with a gold fixture (seen over my dining table) as well as various coloured options. I also love the SKY ceramic table lamps which I once photographed in this lovely home in Landskrona. 

What do you think? Do you have a place for these lamps in your home? Trust me, you won't want to ever part with them if so! 

Also, I'd love to know: What do you have in your home that you'd never part with? Family and pets aside, of course! 

Wishing you a wonderful weekend! Stay calm, be careful and in the words of the Italians: andrà tutto bene (everything will be all right).

Niki

This post is brought to you in collaboration with Pernille Bülow, however all words and pictures are my own - and I really would never part with them! Thank you for supporting the wonderful businesses that make My Scandinavian Home possible! 

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Contemporary Danish Design Meets Rustic in A Fabulous House In The Med

One of the most exciting things in the world of interiors at this time of the year is that brands are announcing their 'news' - which means a flurry of stunning lifestyle images. Ferm Living's latest offerings have just landed in my inbox and they certainly don't disappoint. The Danish brand has chosen a beautiful rustic setting to showcase their Spring Summer 2020 collection. Think earthy tones and organic shapes merging with soft, natural fittings and honest materials. I want to head over to the Med and settle into one of those desert lounge chairs by the pool all winter long - let's just hope the stylists left the kit behind! Anyone wanna join me?!

The above picture hints at the hottest colour combination this year: soft blue, brown and yellow (with a punch of deep, electric blue!). Stay tuned as I'll be sharing more on this later in the week!

I've got my eye on this new Vuelta lamp - it would work absolutely anywhere in my home (and you know how I love to move things around!). Kind of cool, don't you think?

One word: sofa. 

Just add a cushion in a golden accent colour and the room is complete. 

To me Ferm Living is all about the kids stuff. I've always loved the items they make for children's rooms - like the apple basket and this new dotted cushion! Too cute, don't you think?! 

I wonder, if I were to pick up a Desert Lounger like the one above (the textile seat is made from  recycled plastic bottles!), would I need to get a pool to match? If so, I'd better warn Per... 

Are you dreaming about a stay somewhere like this too? Or perhaps, just kitting your home out with a few fab Danish pieces from Ferm Living would do the trick? Either way, these guys have nailed their SS20 pics this year! 

I'm thinking we should go down the Mediterranean way today with a few more tours, what do you say? Here are a few rustic homes I love: 

A rustic retreat in Andalusia

A relaxed Danish oasis in Palma, Mallorca

A boho retreat in Ibiza

By the way - I was excited to receive a mail from the owner of yesterday's home tour who gave me more information about that DIY lamp and the dramatic bedroom wall colour. I've updated the post here in case you're curious! 

Have a dreamy day friends - sending warm, sunny thoughts your way! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Ferm Living

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Peek Behind The Facade of a Beautiful Red Danish house From The 1920s

FREEEEEDAG! (FRIIIIIDAY!) people, WOOP! Do you have any fun plans for the weekend? I'm currently waiting to feel my mouth again after a visit to the dentist (don't you hate it when they give you an injection?!). I'm praying it'll wear off in time for tonight! Since I can't talk, I've been able to spend even more time than usual hunting for home tours and that's how I stumbled across this one (via Nordic Design). You can kind of guess that the owners of Danish brand Skagerak would have a beautiful home and a peek behind the facade of Jesper and Vibeke Panduro's red house in Aalborg is a real feast for the eyes! Think spacious rooms, walls painted in soft pastel hues, Danish design and beautiful original details from the 1920s. Let's go inside! 

The wishbone chairs around the dining table are over 50 years old and will continue to be a favourite for many generations to come. The terracotta bowls are from the Skagerak Edge collection. 

Swooning over that 1920s floor! Isn't it lovely?

The all-time classic Flag halyard armchair has been given a cosy touch with a simple brown sheepskin*. Check out the 1920s radiator and ceiling too! 

Loving the simplicity of the Massai bench - it was inspired by old stair handrails and industrial machinery. 

This giant cork board (made up of smaller cork boards) is awesome. I'd love something like this in my kitchen, how about you? (This cork board* is similar). The beautifully crafted Hven chair is from Skagerak. 

There's a load more about Jesper and Vibeke's home here. And look out for my post on pastels next week.... it'll sure to include some tips on the prettiest pastel paint shades. 

In the meantime, the Danish home archive is always worth a scroll (warning: you can get lost in that one for hours!). 

Right folks, it's time for the weekend. If only my mouth would feel like normal again (the drool is not a good look either!). 

I hope you have a fabulous weekend! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Skagerak

*affiliate links

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The Calm, Earthy Home of A Danish Design Collector

Tjena! Hur är läget (how's it going?!)? I'm nearing the end of my first week back in the studio after the holidays and slowly cranking into action - but it's sort of painful! Know the feeling?  It's also distracting when the sun's shining and it feels like the rest of Scandinavia are still on holiday - including Danish photographer and stylist Marianne Jacobsen. Judging by her (pretty wonderful) instagram feed, Marianne is currently chugging through Europe by train. It's trips like these, as well as nature, Scandinavian design, minimalist spaces, light, art and architecture which inspire Marianne's daily work and the way she decorates her home in Aarhus, Denmark. Designed by famous architects Friis & Moltke in 1969, her house is full of timeless Danish design pieces as well as other collector's items in calming, earthy tones. I caught up with Marianne to find out more about her minimalist style and what's next on her wish list!

How would you describe your style?

My style is Scandinavian, minimalistic, delicate, eclectic and with a cosy / warm atmosphere (Danish!). I'm also very conscious about choosing a style that fits perfectly with my home. My house was designed by the famous Danish architect Friis & Moltke in 1969 and the architecture is inspired by Le Corbusier. I prefer to live with natural materials like wool, wood, stone, marble and leather. 

Le Klint lights

Alma light, Poet sofa*, The Poster Club* sells prints like this one (and ships worldwide)

How do you choose pieces for your home?

I love to live with carefully selected, beautiful Danish classic furniture and also timeless design pieces from other countries. I love Italian design like Cassina, but I do primarily opt for Danish design, since I love the deep roots we have in beautiful craftsmanship.

Montana Show shelves in 'latte' (I love this Danish storage - and have used the same brand in Allie's room).

Do you have a favourite possession? 

My absolute favourite is my Poet sofa* with sheepskin from House of Finn Juhl - such a beyond beautiful and timeless iconic piece. Likewise, I love my CH07 by Hans J. Wegner in walnut with leather seat and my Show shelves in latte from Montana!

Moebe shelves / desk, Series 7 chair, Gubi wall light*

What do you have your eye on next?

I'm dreaming about the Tabouret Méribel & Berger by Charlotte Perriand (Cassina) and the PK61 by Poul Kjærholm (Fritz Hansen).

Auping bed, VV Cinquanta Wall light

They million dollar question for us hoarders, how do you keep your home so clean and decluttered? 

I just love to live minimalistic and with calm, earthy tones. It's just the way I am since I'm an organised soul that loves to live with few, very beautiful and significant pieces in my home. My mantra is 'less is more'. It's natural for me to declutter my home, but not too much since I like my home to feel cosy. 

Thank you so much for taking time out from your holiday to tell us about your lovely home Marianne!

If you'd like to see more pictures of Marianne's home and latest photography / styling projects hop on over to her instagram or homepage. They are a feast for the eyes!

There's also a load more beautiful Danish homes to drool over in this archive (just saying!).

Anyone else a huge fan of Danish design? I noticed the other day, almost my entire wardrobe is made up of Danish design - with some of my favourite go-to brands being Day, Birger et Mikkelsen, By Marlene Birger and Stella Nova.

Eeeek. Suddenly feeling a trip over the Öresund bridge (AKA 'The Bridge') to Copenhagen is in order... the Swedish crown is so weak right now though, I might have to keep the trip under wraps - not sure how popular it would be with Per!!!

Have a happy Thursday guys - nearly POETS day - WOOHOO!

Niki

Photography and styling: Marianne Jacobsen

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