Dream weekend getaway: Le Viti Barn

The title of this post might be slightly misleading. This is only really a weekend getaway for those living in the vicinity of Byron's hinterland in Australia. For the rest of us, we'd need to book it for a month at least to make the long trip worthwhile. Count me in! Le Viti Barn is nestled among lush surroundings on a two-acre hilltop estate (the views, people, the views!), and combines rustic elements with a luxurious touch. Step through the large timber front door and you'll discover herringbone tiled floors, whitewashed walls, soaring ceilings and a bathroom worthy of a soak with a very high stack of books. And then there's the lovely outdoor setting from where you can watch the sunset over the rolling hills. What a perfect escape for two - or a small family. Scroll on to see more! 

What a dream! I could certainly escape the cold (we woke up to a dusting of snow today) for the Australian summer right now, how about you?

More info over at Byron Beach Abodes. Definitely one to add to the future travel list!

See more dreamy holiday rentals I love here. 

Well guys, that's it from me this week! Thanks so much for stopping by, I've loved reading all your comments and mails! 

Have a great weekend! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Byron Beach Abodes. 

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Before & After: An Outdated Property Becomes a Vintage-inspired Family Home

Men Tjeeena! Hur är läget? Today I'm taking you on a virtual trip to Trier in Southwest Germany and Esther Soellner's wonderful home. When Esther and her family first discovered the1903 listed building it had a distinct look of the 1970s - all the rooms had panelled wood and suspended ceilings. Sadly, the stucco and original floor had been destroyed and it lacked many of the other original features. Esther, an interior architect, was keen to restore the house and bring it back to its former glory. her and her husband set about opening up the rooms and reinstalling original features such as doors and windows. The living space was then furnished furniture from antique markets across Europe including France, Belgium, Netherlands and Italy - as well as handmade pieces. The result is a calm home with a vintage industrial vibe and a hint of poetry.  Here are some before and after snapshots: 

Kitchen /dining area before

The extent of the renovation was absolutely enormous and included completely gutting the space, tearing down a wall and putting in new windows. 

On the opposite side of the kitchen / dining area, the suspended wood ceiling was removed and new windows and doors were put in. 

Dining area after: 

The cabinet is a fine example of one of Esther's many antique finds. So beautiful! 

Upstairs landing before

You can really see just how dilapidated the house was when the family first found it. Simply everything needed revamping. 

Upstairs landing after

The original wood floor was sanded down and given a new lease of life with white paint, while a mid-grey emphasises the architraves, turning it into a feature. 

The children's bedroom has been kitted out entirely with vintage and antique pieces.

Master bedroom before

Master bedroom after

Esther made use of existing plumbing to add a luxurious feel to the bedroom with a bath (I'm just imagining a candlelit bubble bath and a great book before bedtime!). She also made a feature of existing beams and pillars - stripping back the plaster to reveal the original brickwork. 

A vintage industrial JIELD lamp (I've got one of these in the corner of our sitting room too - always been a fan!)

A black and white theme in the bathroom (love the traditional style loo!) is softened with vintage touches included a wall cabinet and hooks. 

How beautiful! 

I love all the historical doors and internal windows - as well as the general simplicity of the space. It really allows the architecture to shine. 

Keep an eye on Esther's instagram feed @esma.auguste for more snapshots from her lovely home. 

I love a before and after - do you? Here are a few others to enjoy this Lillöradag (little Saturday): 

A dated house becomes a mid-century modern home

A traditional Norwegian cabin gets a colour update

A Swedish couple turn a Mercedes sprinted into a tiny mobile home

Har det bra! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of @esma.auguste

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Before and After: A Beautiful Montana Home Full of Vintage Finds

I rolled up the blinds this morning and the curtain of cloud was so thick, that it made no difference at all! Thank goodness for beautiful homes to brighten up our day! And this one belonging to Jana Roach is charming in every way. Based in Kalispell, Montana (a state I now want to visit thanks to all your cross-country skiing tips on Monday), Jana is the queen of vintage. She spends her time seeking out magnificent pieces for her bricks and mortar store Honey Home, co-founder of The Market Beautiful - a Montana based vintage market and owner of Beck & Cap, a shop selling organic hand carved wabi-sabi furniture - which she runs with her partner Tanner. Needless to say, Jana and Tanner's own home is teeming with charming, one-off pieces - and the beauty lies in the imperfection. 

Before

Sometimes a home can appear so effortlessly put together. To dispel this myth - and emphasise just how much work has gone into their Montana home, here are a couple of 'before' pictures to set the scene:

Yep, a fair amount of work to do there!

So, let's get down to the pretty part.  

After

This incredible cabinet was a second-hand find and used to be an old cigar display. I'll share a few more details tomorrow which might just make you change the way you eye up pieces in vintage stores and flea markets from now on. 

It reminds me a little of the stunning one in Malin Persson's home. 

The chair at the end of the table was handmade by Tanner and Jana and available through their Beck & Cap store. Every piece they make is bespoke - and what started out to be a small business has mushroomed to a full-scale production thanks to a mention on Leanne Ford's HGTV series 'Home Again with the Fords' (remember Leanne's own dreamy woodsy cabin?).

"I typically prefer old furniture over brand new for things like cabinets, islands, tables. Not only does it add character, it looks better with age and can take a beating haha!" - Jana Roach

The island is an old double sided bankers' desk that has been stripped down: '"the top stains for sure, but I don't mind It - bring on the patina!"

The handle hanging off the dresser and the doors a little open only adds to the charm of the home, and emphasises a living, breathing space. It actually reminds me a lot of the chest-of-drawers I grew up with (my childhood home was full of antiques and not a weekend went by without visiting an antiques market), the handles were often loose, and we had to wiggle the drawers open for what felt hours (especially when running late for school) to get our socks out! 

The bottom line, in my opinion, is that antiques are not ways as practical and comfortable as brand-new items (although of course, this isn't always the case) - but they add so much character and fill your homes with stories which can make them so much more special! 

Jana created the artwork on the wall using an old canvas cot. 

Note how the painting to the left of it juts into the staircase - the rules are, there ain't no rules, and everything looks perfect, just the way it is! 

Who feels inspired? 

If anyone's looking for me, in lieu of visiting Honey Home in person - which is sadly a little out of reach right now, I'll be scouring Sweden's online second-hand sites for beautiful pieces! 

Do you have many vintage and antique pieces in your home? Perhaps you grew up with them in your childhood home? I'd love to hear about your experiences below! 

See more of Jana's home over at @janaroach. 

Niki

Photography: Jana Roach, shared with kind permission.

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A Beautiful Light-Filled Sunroom in Holland

Hello there! Thank you for your patience, we're back after bottling up as much sunshine as our EasyJet baggage allowance would permit - not much then! But still, nice to get a little boost and see my sister and nieces before the darkness sets in! While on the subject of darkness, the clocks went back on Saturday which means cosy season has just begun. Have they changed where you are too? This means two things: 1. Ramping up on candles and warm lighting to amp up the hygge and 2. Working on capturing as much daylight in the home as physically possible during waking hours. And it's the latter which is the subject of today's post!

I've talked about the popularity of greenhouses (remember this beautiful Swedish one?) - but a space that REALLY comes into its own at this time of year is a sunroom. Sunrooms come in all shapes and sizes from ornate conservatories to a simple balcony with wrap-around glass - but they're all based on the same principal: enjoying the daylight while staying toasty. And this incredible 'vintergården' (Swedish for 'winter garden') in the home of Wiola (@rapsiodia_w) and her family in Leiden, The Netherlands is a dream!

Wiola's sunroom doubles up as a place to relax, a guest bedroom under the stars and a home office. And her cats love it (of course!). 

I have my eye on this sofa bed for our tiny cabin (look out for the update later this week). It's designed by Karup specifically for small spaces. 

In the corner I spy a lemon tree, with a LOAD of lemons on it. I have become ever so slightly obsessed with my lemon tree lately (just ask my family). Yesterday I ceremoniously brought it indoors for the winter as the temperatures. Mine only has two lemons on it (which Per refers to as the most expensive lemons of all time due to the level of man hours and nutrition involved!). Do you own a citrus plant of some kind? If so, you might well understand what I'm talking about! 

The art - the largest of which is by Marta Chmielecka - focuses on nature, a perfect way to connect the space with the garden. I also love the felt wall lamp from sustainable design shop Luma Lano. 

I have been a fan of this desk from IKEA for many years as it's perfect for smaller, narrow spaces. 

But more importantly, have I mentioned the floor yet? Soooo beautiful, don't you think?

The 'Meet Me at Jaures' print* adds a touch of colour to the home office area. 

Light floods through the sun room into the main living room which has been kitted out with a number of fab pieces including a TOGO armchair, a sofa from FÉST Amsterdam and the Elipse pendent*. 

What a wonderful space to enjoy at this time of year! I can definitely imagine curling up here on a Sunday afternoon with a cup of tea and a book, how about you? 

Not got the space for a sunroom? Join the club! No worries though, I find simply rearranging the furniture a little to ensure you have somewhere to sit by the window can work wonders at this time of year. 

I have to say, it's been such a long time since I featured a Dutch home. Here are a few other Dutch spaces to enjoy today:

Sanne Hop's earthy, warm home

A Swede sets up home in The Netherlands

12 inspiring living spaces designed by stylist Kim Van Rossenberg

Have a great start to the week! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of @rapsodia_w with kind permission 

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