An Earthy, Calm and Beautiful One Room Studio in Stockholm

Every now and again a home really leaps out at me, and this is one of them. Organic, mature and calm, the one room studio apartment is a perfect oasis in the heart of Swede's capital - and even has a cosy balcony full of Autumn blooms on which to enjoy a morning coffee. 

A mix of grainy woods, earthy 'unpolished' walls, coarse linen - the apartment might be void of bright colour, but it more than makes up for it in rich textures, all of which help the space to come alive. 

Keep an eye out for items that help to add the 'hygge' (cosiness) - such as a Sjöstrand espresso maker (we have one of these in our cabin!), teapots, vintage mugs, and a retro stereo system. And of course, there's the blend of mid-century and antique furniture too. 

So friends, pop the kettle on and curl up, there's plenty to feel inspired by in this beautiful Swedish studio apartment! 

The paint work is lovely - neutral yet lively. There's a good article about different paint finishes and how to achieve them on House Beautiful in case you'd like to create something similar. 

I forgot to mention in my previous small space post that many Swedish apartment blocks have storage in the basement which is perfect for storing out-of-season items. This one is no different. Even so, you can see in the last picture that it there is quite a lot of wardrobe space - and most likely space under the bed for clothes and other bits and bobs too. 

One of the things that really caught my eye in this home were the retro headphones. My wonderful dad, who sadly passed away a couple of years ago, used to love music and spent most of his spare time browsing record shops or going to gigs (when he wasn't ferrying us!). He had a huge record collection which all my friends used to admire (his taste was so down with the kids). He also had a set of headphones just like this! It's funny how a single item can bring back so many memories. I guess it's still quite raw for me as I reflect with sadness - but a wise friend told me that one day I'll be able to look back at my memories of my Dad with a smile and I look forward to that. Sending a big virtual hug out to anyone else who has also lost someone special. 

Did you spot anything in this apartment that you fell in love with or admire? As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts below! 

Wishing you all a happy Wednesday, 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Historiska Hem with thanks

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Autumn touches in our Little Cottage Kitchen

Hello, happy Friday friends! Got any great plans for the weekend?

Last weekend we stole away to the cottage for a couple of days. An hour and a half north of here, the wind was howling and the rain lashed at the windows. Perfect weather for cosying up indoors beside the fire! In Sweden each season is so powerful and in contrast to the one before that I think it's important to embrace each and every one in all its glory! Is it the same where you are? 

Along with our fireside tea, we also made some small Autumn updates to the cottage kitchen - I hope you like them (my favourite was Per's apple pie!). 

Per is definitely the baker of the family. He whipped up this apple and cinnamon pie with apples from our neighbour's garden - it tasted divine! 

I picked up the ceramic bowl at Mölle Krukmakeri in nearby Kullaberg and the candle holder was made by a local ceramicist. 

We recently swapped out the faux brass handles from IKEA for these solid brass knobs (I was fortunate enough that it was part of an instagram collaboration last week). They've made a difference to the entire experience of the kitchen. 

I've noticed that one of the most important investments in the kitchen are the items you touch: handles, taps, utensils etc. Do you agree? 

I love bringing in Autumn foliage! At the back you can see The Little Swedish Kitchen cookbook, which was a present from my Mother. I dip into it all the time! 

Hooks are so useful in the kitchen (these wooden ones are from H&M Home) - the display here is forever changing too.

When we renovated the kitchen, the curtain was the last thing to be installed. My mother-in-law was a bit unsure to begin with but she's really grown to love the way it billows in the wind and creates a sense of drama and privacy even when the door is open. 

We're lucky enough to have a huge stack of firewood in the garage (last winter there was a shortage due to the rising price of electricity!), it's looking the same for this year. 

I hope you like these touches. 

Have you also updated your home for the season? If so, I'd love to hear how!

Feel inspired by other Autumnal homes here: 

Cosy autumn ideas from Laura and Nora's homes

11 autumn ideas to steal from a hyggeligt danish home

5 cosy autumn ideas from a Swedish home

What are you up to this weekend? We're heading to Västerås for Allie's gymnastics competition. I'm so excited as I love to watch her and her team do their gymnastics. I've never been to the Swedish city before either so I hope I'll have some time to explore! 

Trevlig helg! Have a fabulous weekend! 

Niki

// This post is not sponsored. Some of the items seen are press gifts but I was under no obligation to mention them here on the blog. 

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A Swedish House with an Outdoor kitchen and Living Room

While up at our cabin, rather than relaxing, I can't help but spend my time plotting our next update. A long way in the future, we'd like to have an outdoor kitchen! Do you love them too? There's something about cooking alfresco (and I don't just mean on the barbecue!), don't you think? 

The swedes who own this house have got there outdoor space right! 

The outdoor kitchen has a gas barbecue, sink and all the utensils you might need to throw together an evening meal. We recently bought a portable plug-in induction stove from IKEA for our cabin and it would make a nice addition here too! 

I also like the plant boxes. Placing raised beds around a terrace like this is a nice way to add flowers beside the seating area. 

Around the corner they have created a covered terrace with a lovely sitting room area for cosy evenings. I love the pendant lamp for a true 'living room' feel!

Cushions, blankets, candles - all the things you need for a cosy evening! I often bring out a basket of blankets late afternoon and plonk it beside our outdoor seating - so that blankets are at the ready as soon as the chill sets in! Having tried and tested many blankets - from budget to blowout (hey, it's cold up here in the north!), my favourite actually turns out to be the wool-blend ones from H&M Home - they are really soft and a firm family favourite. 

A simple bench serves as a perch for a reflective morning coffee for one. 

Water tight Glass / plexiglass roofing can get really hot in the sunshine. A wicker cover like this one helps to keep the area cool and looks pretty too! 

I couldn't resist sharing a few snapshots from the downstairs living area too - perfect inspiration for anyone who loves serene white / neutral spaces! 

I hope this lovely outdoor kitchen and open-plan living space have given you plenty of inspiration for the weekend! 

Do you have any experience with outdoor kitchens? If so, please do share any in the comments below! 

Could you imagine installing one in your outdoor space? 

Here are some other wonderful ways you can transform your alfresco lifestyle at home: 

19 ways to create a swedish summer oasis from basic to blowout!

An idyllic Finnish cottage with an outdoor kitchen

8 ways to pep up your outdoor space, Scandinavian style

7 boho ideas for outdoor spaces big and small

10 ways to maximise your tiny balcony 

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!

Niki

Photography courtesy of Erik Olsson

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The Beautiful City Apartment of Photographer Anna Cor

Why, hello there! Today I'm taking you on a journey to Berlin and the lovely unique home of photographer Anna Cor which she shares with her husband and three children. The open-plan living space  combines a kitchen, dining area and sitting room in one - providing an L-shaped extended room where the entire family can hang out. 

Anna's favourite spot is the kitchen where she spends most of her time (especially with hungry teenagers around!). It's an area that stands out from 'the crowd' with it's wooded cabinets and island - a cool and quirky contrast to the soothing palette used throughout the remainder of the home. Ready to take a tour? Laura and Nora of Our Food Stories fame were there to capture these images: 

Beautiful! 

I especially love all the different light fixtures which include a Lampe Gras (kitchen), Valerie Objects No2 (dining area) and Le Klint sax (bedroom). 

The balcony is also a perfect oasis in the heart of the city - loving the tropical vibe! 

Is there anything that stood out to you about Anna's lovely apartment?

Read the full interview and see more pictures over at Our Food Stories. 

Don't miss Laura and Nora's own living spaces and studios past and present which include their beautiful city flat and country retreat, dreamy swedish country house which they sold recently and was coincidentally bought by a friend of mine, magnificent Berlin photography and styling studio and the time they transformed a derelict classroom into an incredible kitchen. And if you're into cooking - or would simply like to drool over divine looking dishes, make sure you take a look at their instagram (there's a reason they've amassed over 1 million followers!).

Wishing you all a lovely day! 

Niki

Credits: Laura Muthesius & Nora Eisermann / @ourfoodstories - shared with kind permission.  

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Our Little Cabin Kitchen (with an IKEA hack!)

Guess what? Our little cabin kitchen (or should I say kitchenette) is finally finished! The cabinets have been in for a while, but the devil is in the detail, and all the hooks and doorknobs are now in place too! I'm looking forward to sharing all the details with you today!  

(See all the design plans for our 30 m2 / 322 f2 cabin on the Swedish West coast here). 

Inspiration

I love everything about the kitchen above by Nordiska Kök -  the grey-beige tone, clean look, the stone and the open wood shelves. I was also keen to bring in some dark grey stone to match the dramatic rocky shoreline in this part of Sweden. 

Floorplan

The designated kitchen area is small and centred around a mid-height window (174 cm wide). Even so we had several criteria: we needed a sink, fridge, small freezer, plenty of food storage and a recycling area. Notice that I haven't mentioned a stove or oven. 

We learned early on that installing a stove would mean it would become a property in its own right and would have electricity / water bill implications (gaaaah!) so we decided we'd use the stove in the main cottage for now. However, there are several options moving forward which include a gas barbecue, outdoor kitchen or even one of IKEA's pop up stoves. We'll see! 

Design

We explored many different kitchen brands, but to be honest, we simply couldn't believe how much even the tiniest of kitchens cost (have you found this too?) and since this is our second (little) home, they were all over our budget, so we had to get creative instead! 

When you're on a tight budget, I think IKEA kitchens are great. I'm a big fan of using them for the basics and then pepping them up by splurging on the details like the tap, handles and worktop. This is what we did in the main cottage kitchen several years ago, and I've been so happy with it! 

I also think the free IKEA kitchen planning service is great (no, this isn't sponsored by the Swedish giant, I promise!)  However, I was hoping to add a few personal touches, so I turned to my dear friend and interior designer Helen Sturesson for advice on how to incorporate hand-built shelves etc. And she sketched the above design. 

Ready to take a look at the results and find out more about the details? 

Results

We chose the Veddinge kitchen and then had it professionally spray painted by Swiss Metod / Lackera Köksluckor (my absolute go-to guys in Malmö) in Blek Sand (NCS S2005-Y20R). 

Worktop

I'd have loved a real stone worktop, but again our budget didn't quite reach for that now. I was really happy to find this laminate worktop at Hornbach. One day, maybe we'll swap it out for real stone, but I love this one for now! 

I think a high quality, beautiful tap is one of the most essential elements of a kitchen. It makes such a difference to the overall experience! We opted for the CRISTINA Rubinetterie CRIKT501 under window kitchen mixer in brushed old brass to match the bathroom taps. I love the finish!  

The sink is HAVSEN from Ikea. 

Handles

I was so happy to find these Cabinet Knob Helix - with a modern industrial vibe by Beslag Online (they have a load of beautiful knobs, hooks and furniture legs in their collection and sell throughout Europe).  The antique bronze matches the tap perfectly too! 

Shelves 

The open shelves were built by hand with oak slabs from Hornbach. I have to say, despite the faff, these are my favourite part of the kitchen - and so handy for cups and glasses and other items we use all the time. 

If we had installed a stove to the right, we wouldn't have been able to have these shelves there as we'd have needed to add a fan (I just wanted to point this out in case you're planning to do something similar). Maybe in the future, if we decide to get a stove, we'll have to do away with the upper right ones (sniff, sniff!). 

Lighting

An essential element - good lighting! In the above picture you can catch a glimpse of the subtle, Strömlinje LED light from IKEA which is connected to the wall switch and also has a remote control. The lighting is excellent, I have to say! 

We made one mistake. And that is that I should have used one panel instead of two on the front of the fridge (lower-centre). I got myself into a bit of a pickle with door handles - and may have used some photoshop trickery with this to show you how the end result will look with the knobs! However, in the long term I think I'll swap the two drawer fronts out to a single unit. What do you think? 

A few other things: 

We do have a kettle (hence all the teapots etc) - it's just not in shot!

The extendable table and chairs are from Danish brand Skovby (see my post about them here) and the ladder - which can be moved across to the kitchen, was built by a local carpenter. You can find all the information about the wood floor and panelling (by Norrlands Trä) in my post here. 

I hope you like our little kitchen as much as we do! 

If you have any questions, please give me a shout in the comments below and I'd be happy to help. 

Have a great weekend all, see you Monday! 

Niki

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