A Peek at the Lights in My home and Studio!

Sponsored by HVLG International. All words and pictures are my own.

Do you find that when it comes to decorating a home, there's always some items that are easier to buy than others? And it's so personal! While I might be less good at sourcing rugs, I have a huge passion for lighting and it's one area of our home that I have fully covered! Could it be the dark Swedish winter? Or perhaps that I see lighting like art? Or maybe it's the huge variation waiting to be discovered. Either way, I'm always on the hunt!

Last week, I added three beautiful new gems to my home and studio from Hudson Valley Lighting Group International. While this was purely an instagram collaboration, I'm so happy with them, I thought maybe you'd like to see the gems here on the blog too! 

At home

In the corner of our sitting room I added the Nora wall sconce by Mitzi. I was drawn to it because it's like a jewel, brightening up what can be a fairly dark corner. It's also not too big which is great, as behind that curtain is our flatscreen TV and my children wouldn't be very happy with me if something were to obscure their latest series! Oh, the decorating struggles! 

This is the brass version, but it also comes in nickel if you prefer a silvery finish! Oh, and it's also suitable for use in the bathroom. You might recognise the style as Liv has a matching Nora pendant in her room (take a peek here). 

In the studio

A few years ago I made the big move out of my home office to a studio in the centre of Malmö, and I've never looked back! It certainly helps that I share my studio with two lovely, talented ladies (so many laughs as well as support and words of encouragement). 

Last week, I set up this Curves No.1 table lamp on my desk, and I have to say there was a lot of excitement 'Oohing and Ahhing' as we gathered around to admire it. The brass, rattan and linen details are beautiful! It's not all only aesthetics though - the height is adjustable and the lamp swivels, so it's highly practical too! 

Here's a closer look at the fine brass base and details.

You might also be excited (I was) to discover this table lamp has a sister - the  Curves No.1 floor lamp. Which now stands proudly beside the studio sofa. 

I was so happy to discover that this lamp was equally easy to put together - it took seconds for it to be up and running (I'm not one for a major amount of fuss, are you?). 

The lamp features the same brass and rattan details. And I love that it combines traditional touches with a modern aesthetic. It could fit in anywhere and be moved around at whim! 

It also features a foot button to turn it on and off - big bonus in my eyes! 

I hope you like these lamps as much as I do - and have enjoyed a peek inside my home and studio today.

You can read discover more about them and see the full collection at Hudson Valley Lighting Group International (ships worldwide).

You can also see more of their lamps throughout my home and cabin here: 

A new wall sconce from HVLG International

3 new lamps at home from Hudson Valley Lighting

Lighting up at home with these lovely lights

Bright ideas: lighting up our cabin and my friends' bathroom

Feel free to ask about any other details you see in my home and studio and I'll be happy to help in the comments below! 

I'll be back on Friday with a beeeeeautiful home tour. See you then! 

Stor kram!

Niki

All words and photography my own ( Niki Brantmark / My Scandinavian Home) 

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Cosy Winter Touches and Danish Design in Our Little Cabin

Paid partnership with Carl Hansen & Søn, all words and pictures are my own

UPDATE; come here looking for Rune's cosy Noreweign home at Christmas? Click here for the tour! 

A little elf has been busy at the cabin re-arranging furniture again! This time, four incredible Vega chairs from Carl Hansen & Søn have been added around the table (I'm beginning to like this elf a lot!). Are you familiar with this iconic chair? Officially known as VLA26T Vega Chair, it was created in 1956 in Copenhagen by Vilhelm Lauritzen. 

Previously confined to the historic Vega concert hall in Copenhagen, the wonderful team at Carl Hansen & Søn have re-launched the Vega chair in partnership with Vilhelm Lauritzen Architects and made it available to a wider audience - hurrah! 

I think it fits in beautifully here, do you? 

True to Vilhelm Lauritzen's signature style, the chair is a modernist masterpiece and features a simple functionalist design yet also has some beautiful touches. I especially love the softly curved back rest, the wood and steel combination as well as the elegant wooden feet (the devil is in the detail, after all!).  

It also comes in a black version. 

Aren't they beautiful?

Sadly, this set is sadly just on loan for the shoot, but I think I'll make the most of them while up at the cabin with my sister this weekend (can't wait to see her - and enjoy the chairs!)!

Loving this chair too? Find more about it over at Carl Hansen & Søn. 

I've captured so many iconic Danish design classics in my home for My Scandinavian Home over the past few years, here are some of my favourites:

Our dining room with soft blue wishbone chair

Bringing the hygge - a new Danish armchair in our cabin

The Cuba Chair in our sitting room

A pair of classic Windsor Chairs around our table

Is there one that stands out to you in particular? 

Oh, and do you like our subtle Christmas touches? Now that I've started, I can't stop. A tree might even sneak its way in at some point! 

Wishing you a very cosy weekend! See you Monday! 

Niki

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A Visit From Two Grand Old Danes At Our Little Cabin

This post is kindly sponsored by Carl Hansen & Søn, all words and photos are my own

While we're at the cabin, friends and family often stop by. But it's not every day we get the pleasure of a visit from two grand old Danes (not to be confused with Great Danes - which would have been fun if not a little chaotic in such a small space!). I'm talking about the furniture variety. Last week I had the honour of capturing the iconic FH38 Windsor Chair around our cabin table. Designed by Frits Henningsen in 1938, this fine specimen has recently been reissued by Carl Hansen & Søn - and it's just as delightful and beautifully crafted today as it was back in the thirties. Read on to see more pics and find out more! 

The designer

Often, when it comes to understanding the history of these fine iconic design pieces, the designer is a good place to start. Frits Henningsen had a passion for high quality craftsmanship, and unlike most cabinetmakers at that time, always designed his own furniture. He had a vibrant personality and liked to give new expressions to traditional designs, taking his inspiration from the French Empire, Rococo and British 17th century furniture. 

Nostalgia

The moment I took these fine high-backed chairs out of the box and examined their solid wooden saddle-shaped seats and spindles, familiarity washed over me and I was immediately transported to my childhood in England. Variations of the Windsor chair are said to have been in British homes from as early as the 17th century. Even so, I'm not sure I remember them being quite as elegant as this! 

The details

Frits' take on the Windsor chair is really special. Made from solid FSC certified oak using multiple carpentry techniques, it's a perfect example of traditional craftsmanship fine-tined over centuries. I particularly love that it's still sanded by hand today. 

The design is somewhere between a dining chair and a lounge chair, so theoretically, you could use it in the kitchen or sitting room (a leather seat cushion is available for extra comfort, although the gentle curves do mean it's surprisingly comfortable as it is). 

What a great visit, and an honour to shoot such an iconic chair. Who knows, maybe I'll invest in my own FH38 Windsor Chair one day (they come in the choice of three different types of oak - oil, smoked oil, and soap oil, this is the oil version, in case you're also curious). 

Very tempting, I must say! 

Oh, and in case you're wondering what's in the bowl on the side: 

Our neighbours have an incredible plum tree. Every morning they leave a basket of the most sweet and juicy plums by the fence for us. My mother-in-law made a great batch of plum chutney with them last week so we'll be enjoying them well into the autumn now! 

Right (slaps thighs English style), time for the weekend! I hope you've got some relaxing plans ahead? We'll be spending some days up here, most likely reading in the Plico chair, while eking out the last few days of summer - I spy a 13 C / 55 F on the forecast next week - worrying indeed!

Vi ses på Måndag, vänner!

Niki

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Studio Update: Now We Have Shelving and a Coat Rack!

Sponsored by Maze Interior 

Last month I showed the picture above of my studio in Malmö. Since then, I've been doing a little reshuffling (never a dull moment around here, I tell you!). I'm not sure if I mentioned that I share the room with Helena who works for Maze Interior - a Swedish brand specialising in 'smart, playful and simplistic design that has the lowest possible impact on the environment'.  After the recent studio make-over we felt we were still missing storage, so we got to work (along with Helen Sturesson) with some items from the collection (easy when they have so many great things to choose from!). I thought I'd share the whole process with you, in case you're also looking to create wall-to-wall shelving in your home or office. Even if you're not - I hope you enjoy reading about the update all the same! 

Planning phase

For the shelves, we opted for the Pythagoras Collection - a shelving system which allows you to arrange brackets and shelves in numerous ways as well as choose between different colour and material combinations. 

For the design, we used the online Pythagoras Lab to plan the layout. 

We were keen to have both open and closed shelving and incorporated this into the plan using a series of shelves and drawers - all in white ( you know me!). 

Putting up the shelves

Once the shelving had arrived (it's made in Sweden so it was all pretty swift!), we marked out the wall using old school post-its and a ruler (yes, so old school, I know!). 

It's worth noting that the studio building is well over 100 years old so the concrete walls are pretty wonky, crumbly and all-round tricky! So, for the sake of creating a sleek look (and saving the walls from being at the mercy of my very basic DIY skills) - we roped in the help of a local carpenter. 

Contrary to the original design, we decided to place the triangular brackets in different ways, creating a subtle playful look. I'm so pleased with how that's turned out. 

Sidenote: I went out to buy a spot of lunch last week and came back with the print and frame from a second hand shop, such a find I think! 

The final look

I love it when a plan comes together! 

To finalise the look, the sofa was pulled out from the wall - ask a Dane about their favourite styling trick and many will tell you that you should never have your sofa flush against a wall (unless you live in a teeny space). Even moving it out 15 centimetres can make all the difference to a room! 

We decided to start the shelves quite high as we wanted to be able to store bigger items underneath - but if you don't have this as a requirement, you could also add one more shelf lower down. 

I particularly love the drawers - they're so handy.  

Another sidenote: The tile and wood floor samples are for my tiny cabin - I went for the stone on the left for the bathroom floor, I can't wait to see how it looks! Just above them you can see four figurines - all made by local artist Simon Vendin (the same guy who painted my new picture seen in the first and second to last pic of this post). Needless to say, I love this work! 

Magazine storage

We also felt it would be nice with some extra storage beside the desks (I don't know about you, but I always collect piles of paper, it seems to be my nemesis both at work and home!).  The wall-mounted Now S magazine rack is my new best friend! 

It's made from recycled wire and produced in Sweden and comes black, white or matt brass. If you have a ton of magazine and newspapers (or other paperwork) you might like the larger format, known simply as Now.  

Helena made the cup - she's so talented at pottery! 

Coat & Hat Hanger

We also added a much-needed place to hang our coats (rather than throwing them over the back of the sofa!). This is the Kite clothes hanger (which comes in white, black or grey). I love the barely there look, plus it offers just enough storage.  If you need something that holds more items, it's worth checking out the entire collection of hangers and hooks. 

The room is feeling so much more practical, neat and complete now. We hope you like the update as much as we do! 

If you have any questions about anything you see in the pictures, please do give me a shout and I'll do my best to supply info, links etc! 

Right, I'd better crack on with some work - I've got piles of paper to get through! 

Wishing you all a great start to the week!  

Niki

Photography: Niki Brantmark  Styling: Helen Sturesson

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Happy New Year / Skiing In Åre

Happy new year! I hope you had a relaxing time over the holidays! I am finally back at my desk and feeling soooo slow (third coffee slow!) - which I guess is a good sign as it's meant I really managed to switch off over these past few weeks! But the good news is, I've got some really inspiring Scandi home tours and design news to share with you this week!

But before I launch into my usual Scandi design flow, I'd love to share a few pictures I snapped with my phone from beautiful Åre - I was so mesmerised by our visit and hope you might feel inspired to visit this incredible part of the world one day!

We usually head North for new year (what can I say, I'm a glutton for punishment when it comes to the cold and dark!) - and this time, we decided to pay our first visit to the Swedish ski resort of Åre. Known for its downhill and cross-country skiing, the resort is located in Jämtland county which is around half way up Sweden and 250 km south of the Arctic Circle. 

They say fortune favours the brave - and I can say it was pretty chilly up there (the coldest day was minus 9 degrees celsius (15 degrees Fahrenheit) without the wind chill factor - although friends have told me they've weathered minus 30 (-22 Fahrenheit) from the top. The days were also short (sunrise at 8.45 am and sunset at 2.30pm). But the pay off was a dawn light that cast a magical spell over the frozen fells and valleys.

Jämtland county is best known for it's moose, but there are a great many other animals who roam the frozen fells. For example, Northern Jämtland has the most densely populated brown bear habitat in the world (mercifully in hibernation right now!), and other wildlife such as lynx, wolverines, arctic foxes and golden eagles frequently roam the area. Although we didn't spot some of these more rare species - we did share the fells with a magnificent herd of reindeer! 

If you're an avid skier - or simply love to explore Scandinavia - I can highly recommend this stunning ski resort! Wrap up warm, stop for plenty of hot chocolates and stay somewhere with a roaring fire and wood burning sauna and you'll be just fine!

Could you imagine skiing here? If so, you can find more info about it here. I haven't really thought too much about it, but would it be interesting for me to share a complete guide to this ski resort - or perhaps all ski resorts in Scandinavia? 

Have you ever visited somewhere that you've felt is quite extreme with incredible wilderness? If so, I'd love to hear about it! 

Right folks, that's that out of my system! I am so looking forward to cracking on with some beautiful Scandinavian design inspiration tomorrow. It's great to be back! 

Niki

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My Studio Make-over (And How One Sofa Helped Transform the Space!)

Paid partnership with Bemz - thank you for supporting the Nordic brands which make My Scandinavian Home possible

When I first started my business I worked from home. I'd have the washing machine whirring in the background and other working-from-home neighbours stopping by for a cuppa (I'm sure many of you can relate these days)! For a while I loved it, but over the years I started to miss the companionship that comes with being around others and two years ago I moved into a beautiful studio space in town.  It's run by upholsterer extraordinaire Carina Grefmar and we also share the space with Helena who works for a Swedish furniture business called Maze. Needless to say a whole load of coffee goes down on a daily basis!

The only thing is, the room I share with Helena was still pretty much unfurnished save for one Söderhamn sofa and a whole load of boxes! It had becoming increasingly embarrassing, not least because we both work in the world of interiors! And then Bemz launched a Minimalist Fit design cover for IKEA sofas and everything was about to change! 

This side of the room had become a bit of a dumping ground for samples, props and other items. The problem is, once you start with one item, everything else seems to quickly gather - do you find this too?  

I sat down with My Scandinavian Home interior stylist Helen Sturesson (above with her trusty ruler!) and we hatched a plan. 

What we did

You are likely familiar with Bemz as I have partnered with the Swedish brand for many years. I simply love the entire concept. I mean, beautiful designer covers for IKEA armchairs and sofas in a choice of different high quality fabrics, what's not to love? It's the perfect way to give an old piece a whole new lease of life. 

The new Minimalist fit cover differs from their loose and regular fit covers as it doesn't require you to take apart the sofa, you simply pull it on over the top. And it comes with or without arms - in this case I decided to add arms to my sofa for a smarter look (cue a morning at IKEA!). 

I chose the Minimalist Fit cover in Brera Lino in Pebble by Designers Guild - made from 100% linen. 

I love the Pebble tone, the soft linen texture, the seams - everything! Isn't it pretty? I also picked out some cushion covers in Brera Lino Cocoa with French Seams. 

To finalise the look I also added quite a few pieces made by local Southern Sweden designers as well as friends from further afield. Here's a quick round-up in case you're curious:

'Landscape', vinyl paint on linen by local artist Simon Vendin, Design of Edge coffee table, Sculpture from the SANT series by Malmö based Karolina Brobeck & Mini Karami, branches from my friend Sarah's garden (she left secateurs on the doorstep!). 

And from further afield: Tense Lamp by New Works (thank you to local store Svenssons for sourcing this!) and the Palus rug from Armadillo. 

Our desk space in the window is made from several large planks from a local DIY store. I love looking out over the majestic buildings in central Malmö - there's always something interesting to see.

Finally a space we can be proud of! Wohooo! 

I'm so looking forward to plenty of fikas (swedish coffee with cake) - if you're in the area, please do drop by, there's always a coffee pot on the go!

Curious about getting a Bemz design cover for your sofa or armchair? Keep an eye out for the Black Friday sale over at Bemz this week. Here are some of my favourite covers in action: 

My sitting room three different ways

My sitting room refresh with Bemz

One Swedish sitting room, two cosy ways

My daybed update 

My autumn bedroom makeover 

I can't wait to show you the rest of the room once it's finished - this girl is on a mission now! 

Have a cosy day! 

Niki

Photography: Niki Brantmark / My Scandinavian Home

Styling: Helen Sturesson 

This post is brought to you in paid collaboration with Bemz and contains affiliate links. However, all words are my own and I only ever work with brands I absolutely love and think you will too. Thank you for supporting the Nordic businesses that help bring fresh content to your mail box and make My Scandinavian Home possible.

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