Suvi's Beautiful Modern Home on Finland's West Coast

Hei, Kuinta voit? ('hi, how are you' in Finnish I hope!). It's Friiiiday - woohooooo! I always find it so hard to concentrate at the end of the week, don't you? (it could be the thought of a G+T on ice just around the corner!). Tomorrow we're heading to the family cottage a little further up the coast where I'm hoping to take some long walks (the nature is beautiful up there). A girl after my own heart on the nature front is Suvi Melender-Lågland who lives on the beautiful West coast of Finland with her husband, children, Daniel and Fiona and two cats. Suvi's inspiring blog Valkoinen Harmaja and instagram feed features snapshots from her modern Scandinavian home peppered with intermittent pictures of the incredible nature that surrounds it. Let's take a peek inside Suvi's world!

Rocking chair, Round mirror: Save / splurge, Kähler Omaggio vase.

How would you describe your style? 
Modern scandinavian with a cosy twist.

What's your goal when it comes to decorating?
I want to create a timeless interior, which I spice up with small trendy items. Interior trends can be seen in textiles and smaller accessories.

Flos 2097 Pendant, Artek stool by Alvar Aalto, Bertoia chair, Series 7 chair

Would you say your home is fairly minimalist?

I am not a minimalist in the strict sense. It is important to me that home feels cosy and inviting - not too styled.

Can you spot the TV?! Maybe my greenhouse make-over last summer might give you a clue?! It's the Samsung The Frame disguised as art!

If you had to pick one Finnish designer who would it be?

My all time favourite Finnish designer is Alvar Aalto.

I love Suvi's bedroom, it's so pretty! There's something about the combination of dusty pink bedding (this one is similar) against the St Paul's Blue by Jotun Lady wall colour. It also helps that one of my favourite lights (the Formakami by &Tradition) has also been thrown into the mix (remember it from this home?). 

The bespoke headboard has been painted in the same St.Paul's blue as the wall and doubles up as a shelf - such a clever idea when space is of a premium. I think I prefer this to the wall mounted shelf, there's something cosier about it, what do you think? Suvi has shared the DIY instructions here (in Finnish but the pictures are helpful!).

Do you have any tips for anyone looking to bring Finnish style into their home?
Use (Finnish designers) Aalto furniture and Iittala and Marimekko. Keep everything simple and minimalistic.

And finally, where would you recommend people to visit in Finland?
I would recommend spending time in nature - it is very inspiring! Beautiful areas in Finland can be found around the coast (we are just starting to build our summer house by the sea and the nature is so beautiful there!) as well as the East side where there are thousands of lakes. Lapland is a great place to visit in the winter. Visit Finland shares some great tips!

Thank you so much for inviting us into your world Suvi!

You can see more of Suvi's home over on her blog and instagram feed. I also featured her sitting room back in 2014 (it's gone through quite a big transformation since then!).  

In case you missed it, I shared another Finnish home earlier on in the week here - both homes have opted for blue in the bedroom but the one from earlier in the week has a surprising twist!

And finally, if you're looking for a simple way to incorporate Finnish style into your home, Suvi suggests adding a Finnish design piece, and one of these beauties are a great place to start:

5 Finnish Design Classics That look Great in Any Home

1. Artek A331 Beehive 2. Oiva teapot by Marimekko 3. Aalto Stool in Birch 4. Aalto vase 5. Block light

If you're into bold and bright patterns - Marimekko sells some really funky fabrics both for the home (check out this bedding!) and to wear (this skirt is pretty!). And of course, no mention of Finnish design would be complete without the Moomins! Who doesn't love the Moomins?!

Right. I think that's it from me for the week! I hope you have some great plans for the weekend! See you Monday campers!

Niki

All photography © Suvi Melender-Lågland
My Scandinavian Home posts include affiliate links. 

READ MORE...

12

Teal Steals the Show in This Hamburg Apartment

Hello there! I hope you had a wonderful weekend and the sun is shining where you are too? I was thinking the other day about how moving abroad means new countries become more accessible. Spending my childhood in South West England, we could visit France over the day (with a little planning!) and living in Malmö, Hamburg is actually nearer than Stockholm (I so wish I'd concentrated in my school German lessons now!). As a result,  I often turn to German homes for inspiration (I'd love to hear about how the countries over your nearest border inspire you!). The latest home to catch my eye is that of Kristina Ahoi. Kristina lives in a magnificent apartment in Hamburg with high ceilings, beautiful period features (those roses!) and an original parquet floor. But the real show stopper is the dramatic teal backdrop in the dining area which seems to makes everything pop! Let's take a peek.

The first question I asked Kristina was 'what is that beautiful paint colour in your dining area'? Possibly even before I'd said "hi". The answer is 'Jägergrün' 04.031.01 from German paint brand SCHÖNER WOHNEN. Isn't it the most perfect shade of teal?Oh and the table is by Hay!

I do love a Marshall bluetooth speaker (I have the same at home, although slightly larger - but I like that this one has a handle and you can carry it with you as you go!). 

I feel warm just looking at the lovely rays of light in this corner of Kristina's home, how about you? 

It's incredible what a difference an injection of colour from the kilim rug makes to the sitting room. This one is from On the Rugs in Hamburg but Loom & Field sell similar and ship worldwide. The sofa is mags by Hay and the pendant light is the Petite Friture (this is a great statement light if you have relatively high ceilings and a fairly large room). 

 All photography © Kristina Ahoi.

The bike mount also caught my eye. I've never seen one like this before. It's basically a height adjustable metal pole that runs from the floor to the ceiling with a bike attachment. I love that it's safely away from the white wall to avoid oil / mud marks. Kristina's even attached a shelf too! What a perfect place for a plant?!

Other examples of bikes being stored in a fab way include the solution in this Swedish home (possibly a little high  / awkward for daily use but perfect for anyone that a) has a very cool bike and b) uses it sporadically) and this danish home (very practical - love Julie's bike too!). Oh, and if you're looking for a similar solution, this round-up of 12 best bike racks is great. 

Is there anything that caught your eye in Kristina's home?

You can see more angles from this lovely space on Kristina's instagram feed here. 

I hope you have a wonderful start to the week!

READ MORE...

4

A Swedish pad with blue and gold accents

Tjena, hur är läget?! I've just had a meeting with Gen (the My Scandinavian Home interior designer) and we've been looking at the most beautiful colour palette for my bedroom (there might just be a sneak peek on Insta stories). Now all I have to do is paint, build a wall, tear down shelves, put up curtains... the usual 5 second stuff - guh! I can't wait to show you the results next month - yay! Men, men (as they say in Sweden), on with today's tour. This lovely apartment is located in Södermalm (or 'Söder' as the locals call it) - a relaxed, creative district of Stockholm with independent shops, eclectic cafes and Fotografiska, a contemporary photo gallery in a former industrial building (don't miss the poster shop!). The 66 square metre (710 square foot) living space (which has just been sold through Fantastic Frank) is divided into two spacious rooms - one containing the kitchen and living area and the other a bedroom (it's amazing how an open-plan area can create the illusion of space in a small apartment). Deep blue accents and gold tones create a wonderful thread throughout the space, and don't miss the little spot of sunshine on the balcony too.  Enjoy!

Credits: photography - Anna Malmberg. Stylist: Katia Thøger for Fantastic Frank.

What a great space! Loving the blue and gold tones and the light wood floor in particular, how about you?

Get the look from this Stockholm home: dining area - source a set of mid-century dining chairs like these here. sitting room - I think it's this beautiful sofa (this sofa is fairly similar).  bedroom - this brass pendant is similar, string shelves. Bathroom - brass shower head and tap from Tapwell. Linen bathrobe in light grey (I love these linen waffle towels in mustard too.

I'm a big fan of the work of Anna Malmberg (the girl behind the camera). I recently reviewed her book (available on Amazon) and shown many beautiful homes she's captured including this wonderful pad in blush accents (belonging to a set designer). You can also check out the work of the Swedish-Danish designer Katia Thøger here.

Have a great day!

PS More beautiful homes with blue accents can be found in this archive.

PPS Have you voted for My Scandinavian Home in the 'Best International Design Blog' category in the Domino Magazine Design Blog Awards today? You'd make one girl very happy if you do - yes I might even do a little jig each time one comes in! It's all happening here. 

READ MORE...

4

Lovely greens and blues in a Swedish space

Well, hello there! I hope you had a great weekend? I'm writing from a sunny Hudson Valley this morning - it'll be my home for a few days since I'm collaborating on a super exciting project (more to be revealed soon, although I might not be able to resist sharing a few sneak peeks on Instagram.... (just don't tell anyone!). Even though I'm miles from home I'm still drooling over this elegant home currently for sale in Gothenburg, on Sweden's west coast. There's something about the green and blue tones and textures (how much do you want to run your finger along that kitchen worktop?!) that makes me feel like hanging out there all week (once I'm back of course!). How about you?

Home-owner / interior stylist: Caroline Ulkner. Photography: Anders Bergstedt. For sale through Entrance. 

Oj oj oj (as they say in Sweden!), what a fabulous apartment, don't you think?!

There are so many pieces I know and love in this apartment, in order of appearance: Blur print by  Esther de Groot, Vertigo pendant light, Menu wall-mounted candleholder, Remodelista book,
In Detail: Inspiring ideas for creative interiors by Hans Blomqvist, Z1 pendant light (also seen in my sitting room), Hektar Clamp Lamp.

Is there anything that you love about this home?

Right, better get on with the project here in Upstate New York! I hope you've got some great plans for the week too!

See you tomorrow!

PS Does anyone know the stylist behind this beautiful apartment? if so please let me know in the comment section below and I'll update the post.

READ MORE...

17