Victorian Charm Meets Modern Scandinavian Style In A Lovely Bristol Home

This lovely Victorian terrace apartment in Bristol, England has been doing the blog rounds lately (it appeared on SF Girl By Bay and The Style Files) - and I can completely understand why! Currently under offer the beautiful property combines English Victorian charm with cool Scandi simplicity - as well as some very modern touches (loving the Crittall doors and windows!). Look out for the vintage touches and very cute dog who totally owns the space (love how one ear's up and the other's down!). I have to say, a wave of nostalgia washed over me as I looked through the pictures. Perhaps this is how our home would look if should we ever move back to old Blighty - here's hoping! I hope you feel as inspired by this charming space as I am! 

What do you think? Could you imagine living here?

I'm curious to know if the owners are from Scandinavia. The last time I raised this question was with this London home - and it turned out that the owner was very much British but had a passion for Nordic design. Stay tuned, in case I find out. What would you guess? 

Other British homes with a cool Scandinavian vibe: 

Before and after: a rundown flat becomes a stylish pad

Cate St Hill's London oasis 

A striking Victorian villa with deep blue walls

There's a big birthday coming up in the Brantmark household later this week, and I mean BIG. I'll be the crazy person sprinting around Malmö for the next two days (in case you're looking for me!). 

Hope your day is calmer than mine! See you tomorrow! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of The Modern House. 

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Step Inside Anita's Earthy Family home In Switzerland (Wait Till You See The View!)

Men, tjena! How was your weekend? I hope you had a great one. Ours was a little uneventful but I did manage to squeeze in a trip to the cinema to see 1917 - what an incredible film! So moving! Well worth seeing. Anyhooo, I know you're here to get a little interior inspiration and I promise we're all in for a major treat today. This serene home in Gelterkinden, a town in the countryside near Basel, Switzerland belongs to Anita, her husband, three children, two cats and 7 tortoises (I was desperately looking out for a reptile in the pictures but sadly didn't spot any!). The house was built in 1949 and Anita and her husband have spent three years renovating it ("it's still an ongoing / never ending project!" - don't I know that feeling!). Just like the lovely family concept store Wundernest, which Anita runs with her friend Claudia, the family home is full of earthy, natural and ethically made items giving the entire space an element of calm and a lovely warm feel.

It's quite unusual to see light wood kitchen cabinets - and I absolutely love them, especially when combined with white walls and a concrete floor. 

A gallery behind the sofa is made up of a subtle yet eclectic array of items including shelving, a print and skateboard (from Indiana Skateboards & SUP). 

This set-up reminds me very much of my own vintage mid-century trolley (these pictures of it were taken 8 years ago - I can't tell you how much has changed since then!) - pick up a similar one here*. I love the way Anita has used it to display books, plants and a Marshall speaker*. 

Imagine how nice it would it be to throw open the shutters to this view of the Swiss countryside every morning? Talk about taking that first coffee to another level! 

Monday mornings tend to be a little fraught (don't you think?) but this lovely home makes me feel instantly calm and like I can achieve anything! It's simply beautiful! 

I love the earthy tones. And the view over the Swiss countryside from the bedroom is wonderful! How nice would it be to throw open the shutters to that every morning?

You can see more of Anita's home over on her instagram @wundernest. In two week's time, Wundernest will open its doors in Liestal - if you're in the area,  do stop by!  

Looking back through the archives I found this to be my first ever feature of a Swiss home - hopefully the first of many! But if you're looking for more 'earthy' inspiration I love Danila's Finnish home in a rental, the fabulous Sydney home of an interior stylist and a Gothenburg home full of treasures. 

Have a great start to the week! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Anita / @wundernest

*This post contains a few affiliate links marked with an asterisk

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Take a Peek Inside Steffi's Cheerful and Relaxed Family Home

Hey, Friday - how happy I am to see you! Is it me or has it been one very long week?! It could be because we're going skiing tomorrow and I've honestly been counting down the days! I hope you've got some fun plans for half term too! Before I head off I wanted to stop by and share Steffi's lovely, relaxed home in Hamburg, Germany with you. Built in 1910, the house has a lovely flow and large windows which flood the space with light. Colourful art, flowers and accessories add a cheery feel and I love the mid-century touches. In the words of Bright Bazaar - it's truly 'make you smile style' - and a wonderful family home for Steffi, her husband and two little boys. Enjoy the tour! 

I feel relaxed just looking at these pictures, how about you?

It's the kind of home that would make you feel instantly at ease. Love that.

See more pics over on Steffi's instagram @heyheyhaus. 

Since I'm heading off on holiday (rub it in why don't I?! Sorry!), I'm planning a little blog break until Monday 24th so that I can give my girls and long-suffering husband my undivided attention! I therefore thought I'd leave with you a load of archives (cue hours, days or even weeks of inspiration to be found!). I hope you find a load of inspiration for your home! 

Swedish home tours

Danish home tours

Norwegian home tours

Finnish home tours

Icelandic home tours (not so many in this one admittedly - but SO worth a peek!). 

Before and afters (I'm such a big fan of make-overs!)

Small spaces

Bohemian homes

My home

Oh, and I nearly forgot. Happy Valentine's Day! Are you doing anything special? Per and I don't really celebrate it, but my girls love it. This morning when I left home, there was a little boy putting something in our mailbox - it looked like some chocolates and a card. So sweet! Allie is going to be  happy when she gets home from school! 

Have a fabulous weekend and see you 24th Feb!

Niki

Photography: Steffi / @heyheyhaus shared with kind permission

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Step Inside A Relaxed Bohemian Family Home In South Korea

Why, hello there! I'm excited to be kicking off the week with a My Scandinavian Home all time first: a home tour in South Korea! And it's perfect time with the country's first ever Oscar win last night!  B.Minjung (who I'll refer to from now on as 'B'!), her husband and their adorable two-year-old girl Yoon Seul live in the coastal city of Busan. The family are currently awaiting the imminent arrival of a baby girl, a little sister for Yoon Seul. The relaxed apartment is testimony to B's passion for vintage and bohemian decor and is a sea of warm, earthy tones and natural materials including wood, rattan and bamboo. B also loves to make her own home decor items - some of which she sells through her web shop. I hope you enjoy this lovely tour as much as I did! 

The apartment is full of earthy natural tones - including an abundance of wood, rattan and bamboo. A simple wooden children's fence / gate ensures Yoon Seul can play safely in the sitting room. 

I spy IVAR cabinets from Ikea. In Sweden it's popular to paint the cabinets to match the wall colour - but I love the way B has left them in natural pine. 

And how cosy does that fluffy sheepskin throw* look on the rattan chair?  

I have been scanning the pictures for clues on how South Korean's live. If the picture above is anything to go by, it seems they have a tendency to put washing machines / dryers in the kitchen - just like the Brits (in Scandinavia they these appliances tend to be in the bathroom). Where do you place them in your country? 

Another thing I noticed is the dark wood floors - something you don't tend to see in Scandinavia right now. 

I have always been a fan of binga baskets having seen them in this relaxed beach home, a bargain hunter's Antwerp home and a relaxed Tucson home (source a set of 5 here*). 

Cuteness overload!

Is it too early to be thinking about weekend lie-ins and breakfast in bed? 

Spot the tootsies! 

There are few ledges in the bathroom so B has used the power of hanging plant holders and an Ikea step stool to add a touch of greenery! 

There are so many pretty items in Yoon Seul's bedroom - but I especially love the little wicker trolley. I remember when my girls were two. They used to love rolling their toys from room to room, this luggy basket* would have been perfect! 

I absolutely love that most of Yoon Seul's toys are made from wood. I often wince when I see mountains of colourful plastic toys that buzz and beep (even if kids do love them!). Having said that, I used to have a plastic fisher price garage and my children enjoyed it 30 years later. Some toys never go out of favour! 

Did anything from B's home stand out to you? 

You can see more pictures from B. Minjung's lovely home over on her instagram feed @ddbling. 

Here in Malmö the sun has just come out (hurray!) and I'm thinking of heading out to survey the damage from the storm last night - did you get crazy winds too? I also need to clear my head after a crazy week at fairs in Denmark, Stockholm and Frankfurt. I'm feeling full of inspiration but massively tired too! Roll on the weekend. Oh. It's only Monday. Bah! 

Have a great start to the week folks! 

Niki

Photography: B. Minjung - shared with kind permission

This post contains affiliate links which means I might make a tiny amount of money if you click on the a link marked with an asterisk * and buy something. 

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The Delightful Home of a Plant-Lover and a Darling Dalmation!

In my mind, there are several key ingredients that help make a house a home. This list includes people (yes, I can see how this one might be an obvious one *laughs out loud*!!). But lately, it's become really popular for brands to recreate 'apartments'  - and no matter how amazing the interior designer / stylist, they can never truly give a place its soul! Other key factors include art, plants and books. And throw in a delightful pet (or should I say 'companion?' - anyone else following the UK news lately?!) and a home instantly becomes warm and inviting (awww, I miss having a cat!). Twenty-six year-old interior architect student Aya's 80 m2 (862 f2) in Krefeld, Germany includes all of these factors and more (the handsome hound is actually Till's parents' dogs - but he's often over to visit). But above all else, it's Aya's passion for collecting rare plants that really brings their home to life. Enjoy the tour! 

This striking black kitchen is from IKEA.

"I would describe my style as a mix between Scandinavian minimalism and boho - inspired by our vacations abroad."

A plant in the kitchen sink is a daily sight in Aya's home - and I have to say - it sure beats dirty dishes (thinking of my own right now...). 

"My parents use a greenhouse full of plants for their dining area. When I moved out and moved to a new city, I missed taking care of things and needed a hobby - so I started collecting rare plants."

I love how Aya has created different ways to display her plants using plant boxes, plinths and unusual pots! 

"I really like plant boxes - they are great for hiding plastic pots and stuff. It's also a good way to combine plants with different shapes and colours." 

I love the idea of an indoor mini greenhouse and wanted one ever since I saw one in the kitchen of this beautiful, creative Stockholm home. Isn't this one lovely in Aya's home? 

Design House Stockholm sells a great mini greenhouse. 

What do you think? 

Does Aya's home make you want to bring more plants indoors? I love greenery but I have to say, I'm, hopeless at looking after plants. These days I stick to plants that require as little maintenance at all - like plants that root in water and terrariums - genius! How are you with keeping plants alive? 

If you're looking for a little more green-fingered inspiration over the weekend, here's a little more:

The ultimate guide to hanging plants

Indoor climbing plants

Beautiful inspiration for plant lovers

Also, don't miss the fabulous home of the Arctic gardener, the charming swedish home of a plant and flea market enthusiast, Igor's happy plant-filled place and an incredible loft full of plants! Talk about plant heaven! 

Have a fabulous weekend friends! 

Niki

PS If my writing is a little off today it's because I've been at design fairs all week and was up at 4.15am this morning to travel to Frankfurt for Ambiente. Very excited to be here but have to admit, I'm on my third coffee and counting.... if you're curious to see more, I'll be sharing my finds over on instagram stories today and tomorrow. 

Photography: Aya / @living_lush_life - shared with kind permission.

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