Cosy Danish Outdoor Lights - Handmade Using Recycled Glass!

Partnership*

Determined to make this autumn and winter as cosy as possible, I've added some new lights to our little backyard. After all, once the sun sets, it becomes very dark, very early, very quickly, and there's nothing like the warm glow of lights to lift your spirits! These beautiful ReUse light chains are from Pernille Bülow - a small atelier on the Danish island of Bornholm.  Regular readers will know that Pernille Bülow is a big favourite of mine and I have SO many beautiful handmade pieces from this atelier around my home (including SKY lamps and Odin tableware).  But there's something EXTRA special about these outdoor ReUse light chains, and the clue is in the name. Read on to discover more! 

True to Pernille Bulow style, each of the 9 pendants are mouth blown and handmade in the workshop in Svaneke, Bornholm (if you're ever on the island, you must pay a visit - I love the shop!). This means that each glass light is ever so slightly unique - one of the wonderful hallmarks of handmade pieces. 

I used two sets in our little back yard to create a little extra glow (the chains are three metres long and attachable, so you can easily string together as many sets of lights as you wish which is really handy).

Best of all? The ReUse collection is made of waste from Novo Nordisk, a Danish pharmaceutical company that has large amounts of excess borosilicate glass from their diabetes drug production. Rather than going to waste, Pernille Bülow remelts and moulds the glass into beautiful objects, including these ReUse light chains and a pendant lamp! 

The light chain also come with 9 2 W energy optimised LED bulbs which are CE marked. 

In order to really put them to the test, I invited a few friends over from the neighbourhood for an autumn evening alfresco - (any excuse!).  

It was a bit of a 'knytkalas' - where everyone (including my dear friend Ullis - above - and interior designer Jessica Ward - below) brought whatever they had in their fridge and wine cabinet! 

We had such a mysig (cosy) evening under the warm glow of the lights - even if coats were a must! Brrrr!

Roll on more autumn evenings al fresco! And even when it's time to move indoors, we'll still enjoy the twinkle through the window! 

If you'd love these lights for your outdoor space, the ReUse light chain is available to pre-order here  - and will be available from mid-November. There's a list of countries Pernille Bülow ships to here. 

I'm curious - can you still sit outside in the evenings in your country? 

Wishing you a great day! 

Niki

*This post is a paid partnership with Pernille Bülow. All words and images are my own and I only ever work with brands I love and think you will too! Thank you for supporting the small Nordic businesses that make My Scandinavian Home possible.  

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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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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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My New Wall Sconce From Hudson Valley Lighting Group!

Paid partnership, all words are my own:

It's only since living through fifteen dark Scandinavian winters that I've realised the importance of lighting. On a practical level you need a lot more lights than you think. And the more variety the better. Not only do you need overhead and task lighting, you also need lower level lighting to help create the right ambience. In fact, I'd go as far as saying that lighting can totally make or break a room. I'm therefore always on the lookout for new lamps and was excited to discover Hudson Valley Lighting Group. The US based company (with an international site) stocks literally hundreds of lights in a diverse range of styles from chandeliers and pendants to flush mounts and wall sconces. Needless to say, there's something for everyone - whether you prefer historical pieces or something that's bang on trend (or a combination of the two!). There's one lamp in particular that caught my eye.

Meet my new Chloe wall sconce from Mitzi! Made from high quality marble and aged brass it was one of those pieces that instantly appealed. And when I brought it home it seemed to slot into my sitting room as if it had always been there. Don't you love it when that happens? 

The lamp is also available in polished nickel but I felt the brass was a better match with the earthy brown and golden touches I already have in my sitting room. 

I positioned it so that in the evenings it would add a soft glow to one of the darker corners of my home and light up a few treasured pieces such as a sculpture by a Swedish artist and dried flowers from last summer. 

Isn't it pretty?

One of the big interior trends of 2020 is to invest in high-quality pieces that will stand the test of time. This lamp perfectly fits the bill since it's beautifully made and would look great in many different corners of my home over time (I'm already considering having it next my bed!).

Are you looking for new lighting for your home? If so, here are a few others that caught my eye: 

10 Lamps I Love 

Get The Look

1. Troy Lighting Ace Lamp
2. Mitzi by Hudson Valley Lighting Stella Light
3. Corbett Lighting Socialite Light
4. Mitzi by Hudson Valley Lighting H120704-AGB-CE
5. Mitzi by Hudson Valley Lighting Angela Lamp
6. Hudson Valley Lighting Chandler Polished Nickle
7. Hudson Valley Lighting Chandler Brass
8. Mitzi by Hudson Valley Lighting Estee Lamp
9. Troy Lighting District Lamp
10. Troy Lighting Quantum Light

Did any stand out to you in particular?

If you're feeling curious, hop on over to Hudson Valley Lighting Group to check out the entire range.

Oh, and they ship worldwide too! Result! 

Niki

This post is brought to you in collaboration with Hudson Valley Lighting Group, 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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My Film: How To Invite More Natural Light Into Your Home

Paid partnership with VELUX:
How much natural light do you have in your home? Living in Sweden - where we have an abundance of light in the summer and a shortage in winter - I've learned just how incredibly important light is in the home. When we plan our living space, it's easy to start with the fun stuff - like colours and furniture - but actually, the first thing we should do is go back to the basics and think about the light. After all, trends come and go, but you'll always benefit from the effects of the sun! Studies have shown that natural light boosts your body's vitamin D storage, helps you to sleep better and improve your mood. By bringing more light into your home you'll also create a warm and cosy atmosphere, open up your living space to more possibilities and create a more user-friendly space. In other words, we'll all feel happier at home!

Using light colours, opting for gloss finishes and adding mirrors help to bounce light around. But what happens if your room simply doesn't receive enough natural light in the first place? Whether you're working with your existing home or planning a new build, skylights can do wonders for a living space.

A few weeks back I shared my thoughts (in Swedish with English subtitles) in a film made in collaboration with Danish brand VELUX, the world's leading manufacturer of Roof windows, flat roof windows, sun tunnels and roof window blinds. Click below to take a peek if you're curious!



You can also read the full interview here (in Swedish).

Have you considered adding skylights to your home? Or perhaps you've already added skylights? Either way I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Niki

This post is brought to you in collaboration with VELUX, 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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There's a new Danish mouth blown lamp in town, and it's beautiful!

Paid collaboration* 

You know that feeling when one of your favourite designers launches something new? That's how I felt when Danish artist Pernille Bülow (creator of the SKY pendant lamps over my dining table and vintage bar cart) announced the launch of her new SKY ceramic lamp this week. Yay! True to Trine's signature style, the beautiful lamp is made from mouth blown glass out of her atelier on the Danish island of Bornholm. It's also massively versatile: the lamp base comes in a choice of white, grey or anthracite and in sizes small, medium or large size and you can pair it with a glass shade in pink, turquoise, tea, recycled, golden, blue, bronze, clear or grey (also in small, medium and large). I immediately envisaged these beauties in Felicia Alm's home (Felicia is currently working with me as an intern and her taste is BEYOND!) - although I might just have to nab one or two for my own home , of course! Here are some pictures we took earlier this week...

We each had our favourite and this was mine: medium SKY ceramic lamp in anthracite. It looked perfect against the darker wall: subtle yet interesting but I could also imagine it silhouetted against a fresh white wall.

Felicia fell in love with the large SKY ceramic lamp with a tea coloured shade  - and I have to agree that it is very pretty! 

FYI it's common for Swedes to place lamps in the window (it makes a home feel more warm and inviting when you arrive home)  - and this lamp looked instantly at home in this spot by her dining table (you can imagine the warm glow at night!). 

And finally, we chose a lamp with a small SKY ceramic lamp in grey with a clear glass shade. It felt very dainty and perfect for lighting up a little corner of the home beside the TV. 

Isn't it pretty?

Do you have a favourite colour combination? 

The SKY ceramic lamp is available directly through Pernille Bülow's online shop - and they ship worldwide - hurrah! 

Where would you place yours?

Niki

Photography: Niki Brantmark / My Scandinavian Home. Styling: Felicia Alm

This post is brought to you in collaboration with Pernille Bülow, however all words are my own and I only ever work with brands I love and think you will too! 

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10 Ways To Style The Iconic Snoopy!

And I'm not talking 'Woodstock' Snoopy (although that would also make a fun post - did anyone else have 'Bella' as well as snoopy?!!). I'm talking the iconic Snoopy lamp* designed by Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos in 1967.  Recognised by its unique dome top and white Carrara marble base - the lamp celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2017 and has since re-emerged as one of the must-have task lights right now. Whether you're a black and white type of person - or prefer a pop of colour (it's also available in a very cool green and a fabulous orange) - the lamp looks equally great in the kitchen, sitting room or home office and even in a children's bedroom. Here are ten of my favourite looks! 

Could you imagine having a Snoopy lamp* in your home? If so, what colour would you go for?

I'd love to say the orange one - but we all know I'd freak out at the last minute and opt for the black version! All the same, I'm very tempted, it really is a stunning light! 

There's a load more fabulous lighting inspiration to be found in this archive! 

I hope the sun is shining where you are too!

Niki

Credits: 1. Uprise Art 2. Unknown 3. Gieves Anderson Photography 4. Lovisa Häger 5. Celine Hallas 6. Mohv Bromma 7. The Apartment DK 8. Henrik Nero 9. Anna Cecilia 10. Jotun

Affiliate links marked with *

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My Home: Beautiful Limited Edition SKY Lamps From Bornholm, Denmark

Collaboration* In my mind, lighting is one of the fundamental ways Scandinavians create such beautiful homes. As soon as the sun dips beneath the horizon, the living space becomes bathed in a soft warm, golden light which is as cosy it is calm. The design of the light itself is of equal importance - it's form, style and colour adding something to the space when unlit. Listening to recent trend talks, I was excited to hear lights are set to be a big thing everywhere in 2019 - with every light becoming art in itself. Over the past year I've become a big fan of lighting by Danish glass-blower Pernille Bülow (remember these beautiful SKY pendants over my dining table?). To celebrate 30 successful years since opening her glassblower workshop in Svaneke on the island of Bornholm, Pernille has launched the limited edition SKY lamp. And it's so beautiful! The mouth blown pendant lamp comes in three sizes and has a smoky glass and brass finish - with every piece numbered one to one hundred! I've been looking for something to go over my bar cart for what feels like forever  -  and I think these lights are perfect. I particularly love them clustered together, what do you think?

I am thinking of combining these with the three I already have at some point to make a cluster of 6 - for even bigger impact! You can also add different colours from the collection too.

The mouth blown limited edition SKY lamp is available through the Pernille Bülow webshop. My cluster is made up of a size small (14 cm), medium (18cm) and Large (22 cm).

You'll need to be quick, I've got a feeling these are going to sell out very fast!

Wishing you a wonderful Sunday!

Niki

*This post was brought to you in collaboration with Pernille Bülow, however all words and pictures are my own and I only ever work with brands I truly love and think you will too! 

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My home: Mouth Blown lights From The Danish island of Bornholm

Brand story

Hello there! I'm on a cruise ship Norway bound right now. I'm on board to hold a talk about Scandinavian design - definitely a first, and very fun! One of the key parts of my talk is about how Scandi design is associated with artisans. There's something extremely special about the passion and care that goes into handcrafted items, not to mention the feeling you get when you hold them in your hands. Every nick, bubble and irregularity gives the piece its soul and adds to the character. Scandinavia has a long history of glass blowing and my latest find are these absolutely beautiful mouth blown SKY lights by Pernille Bülow. Located on the island of Bornholm, Denmark, the esteemed team of glass blowers are passionate about unique design and sustainability - and take the process of collecting liquid glass pulp from a 1120 furnace and blowing it into shape - extremely seriously. I can't tell you how happy I was when they arrived!

I went for three different sizes of the clear SKY pendant lamps in gold to hang over our dining table - aren't they pretty?! They are also available in grey, golden, pink, blue, tea, turquoise and recycled glass with the option of either chrome or gold fittings (check out the complete collection here).

In this picture you can really see the different shapes of the glass - a result of the individual glass blowing.

In case you love these lamps as much as I do -  you can pick them up online here. They ship worldwide - yay!

And if you find yourself on the (magical) Danish island of Bornholm why not pop into the Pernille Bülow workshop and watch the daily glass blowing in action? You can also check out their other handcrafted glass items such as glasses, vases and candle-holders in the gallery. 

Have a wonderful weekend - and see you Monday!

Niki

I collaborated with the delightful team of glass blowers at Pernille Bülow for this post, as always all words, photography and styling are my own. 

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