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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6

Olivia's Adorable Bedroom in Southern Sweden

As a mamma bear to three (two daughters and a bonus son!) I'm often on Pinterest looking for inspiration for children's bedrooms. That's why I was so excited to discover my friend, interior designer Genevieve Jorn was re-doing her daughter Olivia's bedroom (everything Gen does turns to gold so I knew it was going to be beautiful!). I've got to know Olivia through the various photoshoots we've had over at Gen's place and she is one of the cutest 4-year-old's I know - not to mention a great photo shoot assistant, offering us 'pancakes' from her makeshift kitchen whenever we're low on energy! She's so funny! These days, she's also one of the luckiest 4-year-olds I know, her new bedroom is sooooo lovely! I couldn't resist heading into the centre of Malmö with my camera and a notepad to grill Gen on the details!

Profile
Owner: Olivia
Age: turning 5
Room size: 25 m2 (269 f2)
Favourite pastimes: loves to read, draw and run her own restaurant

What was your over all aim with the bedroom?
I wanted to keep a similar style to the rest of the home but also wanted to give her a fun and inspiring room. I've been working on the children's section of the IKEA catalogue this year and was therefore really inspired when I decided to redo her room. I went for a soft pink wall color (code NCS S1005-Y70R) and picked a bolder dark red accent (code NCS S6030-T90R) to give a little punch to the room - which was greatly needed in such a big space! I also used a Kelim rug as a basis for the colour scheme.

What are the challenges when it comes to designing a large children's room? 
Admittedly, that is quite a luxury problem! Normally when I design a room I usually start with a colour or a product that I want to highlight. Something has to be the hero or focal point. In Olivia's room it was without doubt her loft bed (Wood Collection Mini+ low loft bed from Oliver Furniture), which turned out to be her favourite place to sit and read. So I started from there. I painted a rectangular shape behind it. Then came the challenge of the ceiling lamp. I think in such a big room, it makes sense to go for a large lamp to balance the proportions. So when I found the Big Dot lampshade from Afro Art I was really pleased!

"Olivia loves to go up into her bunk and wrap herself in her hand quilted blanket (from Camomile London) and act out her favourite characters from her books." 

What are the essentials to think about when designing a children's room?
I guess it's the same for all rooms: it has to be connected to it's inhabitant. I know that my daughter loves to move around. She can sit very still for a long time creating stories or she can move stuff around and be completely disorganised. So I wanted to create different areas that would support all her needs.

Children's Room Essentials
- A soft and comfy place to chill and cool down
- A place to play and be creative
- Good lighting to support all needs
- An ergonomic place to sit and create (with place for more to join the party)
- Plenty of storage options (drawers are a great way to store things away quickly).
- Tactile textures to soften up the space and help children feel cosy and comfortable.

Did you hand draw the kitchen?
Yes! I love drawing and sketching, it's an easy way to add personality to a room (for me at least!). It takes some time but it's definitely worth the hard work. Especially when it's for my little nugget!

Gen's 10 Step Guide to Creating a Wall Mural
1. Decide on the type of wall mural you would like to create
2. Search Pinterest and other sites for similar murals
3. Once you have an idea, sketch it onto A4 paper
4. Amend the sketch until you are happy with it
5. Draw it again to size on tracing paper using a pencil, make sure the proportions are correct
6. Trace over the lines on the other side of the tracing paper with a pencil
7. Tape the tracing paper to the wall in the exact position you would like the mural
8. Draw over the lines once again on the tracing paper with a pencil (this will leave lines on the wall)
9. Remove the tracing paper from the wall
10. Draw over the lines on the wall with a sharpie / marker pen

What has turned out to be Olivia's favourite corner?
I would have to say her bed! Whether it's the top bunk or the hidden space underneath. She loves to wrap herself in that cosy blanket too. She also loves the Upperlig bench. We often find her sitting on the edge of it drawing or making one of her famous lists!

Thank you so much Gen and Olivia for inviting me over, it was such a pleasure to visit you. And Olivia - the soup you made me was the best yet!

I put together a list of all the items below (gifted items have been marked with a *) - give me a shout in the comment section if I've missed anything, or you have any questions!

Get the look

1. Oliver Furniture Wood Collection Mini+ low loft bed* 2. Amayadeeme, Paulina poster* 3. Large House Cushion* 4. Ochre Single / Twin Hand Quilted Blanket / Camomile london* 5. Ink Fitted Sheet* / Camomile London 6. Mini Check Duvet Cover in Coral* 7. Rug by Gur, Cararina Carreiras 8. Afro Art Big Dot Lampshade (L) 9. Ikea upperlig bench 10. Ferm Living Kelim Rug (large) 11. Ikea Ingo table painted in Lady pure colour Industrial Blue 12. Ikea Flisat stool 13. Ferm Living clothes rack 14. Ikea Nordli chest-of-drawers

***

Aaaaaa, such a lovely children's room, don't you think?

Is there anything you love in particular? I love the antique wardrobe in the corner - I wish I had space for something like this in my children's bedrooms.

Just in case you're curious, you can see more pics for Gen's fabulous home here: kitchen, sitting room, bedroom and office.

... and more pretty children's bedrooms in this archive (if this pops up first, you know the drill - just scroll passed!).

Have a lovely day and see you Friday!

Niki

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6

My Scandinavian Home Sunset Beach Gathering!

This gathering was made possible by Granit  - all words and thoughts are my own.

Do you have a favourite beach? One of my all time favourites is Ljunghusen on Sweden's south-western tip. Dunes and powdery white sand stretch out as far as the eye can see and the Baltic waters are crystal clear and a cool, blue-grey. Oh and the beach is almost completely deserted! I've always felt it would be the perfect spot for a beach gathering - and what better than a My Scandinavian Home summer celebration to kick off the start of the Swedish holidays?!

Sarah Brooks-Wilson and I nipped to Swedish brand Granit, who sell an assortment of interior design and functional storage in timeless neutral colours - as well as a local DIY store to pick up everything we needed. 

We decided to keep the look simple to match the surroundings, opting for natural materials such as linen, bamboo, sea grass, wood and glass and soft, muted colours. The table was constructed from a wooden palette (the only heavy item!), which we covered with a linen towel.

In my mind no gathering is really complete without flowers, what do you reckon?! To match the wild setting we filled glass vases and jars with simple blooms such as Baby's Breath and Queen Anne's Lace and tied left over sprigs to bottles and napkins.

The food was kept equally simple - with tapas style olives, charcuterie, salad, bread, cheese and the most delicious orange and sultana loaf baked by Sarah (she makes a mean cake!).

You'd never find a Swedish home without one of these cheese slicers! Incidentally, the irregular shaped plate it's resting on is actually made from eco paper - such a great find!

The light was pin sharp (it's an area famous for artists because of this) and the evening air balmy (we were very lucky in other words - especially for Sweden!). Even so, the sky shifted constantly between dramatic, bruised clouds which threatened to leave us running for the car one minute and a golden sunset the next!

For the awning / wind break we used wooden poles from a local DIY store (make sure they have a spiked end so they are easy to bury in the sand) and 2 metres of sheer white fabric tied on with elastic bands. It honestly took about 2 minutes to put up!

Here's a quick run-down of all of the other items we used in case you'd also like to recreate this for an evening at the beach: 

Get The Look

1. Cushion Ribbed Grey 2. Cushion Ribbed Offwhite 3. Basket Palm Small 4. Carpet Seagrass 90x200cm 5. Wineglass 52cl 6. Candle 7x10 cm White 7.Vase Recycled Glass 30x18 cm 8. Plate Eco 10pcs 9. Blanket Quilted Grey 10. Cushion Linen Lightgrey 11. Cushion Linen Dark Grey 121. Basket Seaweed Small 13. Lantern Rattan 20x24cm 14. Lantern Bamboo 90cm 15. Lantern Glass Jar 16. Light String Ball 80 Lamps 17. Bottle Seegrass 0,75L 18. Plate Tapas 19. Tray Bamboo Ø30 cm 20. Kitchen Towel Linen Dark grey 21. Kitchen Towel Linen Offwhite 22. Cutting Board Beech 30x12cm 23. Towel Linen Large Lightgrey 24. Basket Bamboo Ø20cm 25. Bottle Patent Cork 0,5L 26. Lantern Glass Bottle 27. Bottle Patent Cork 7cl 28. Cheese Slicer Wood/Metal 29. Cushion Chair Lightgrey

* Granit has physical stores in Sweden, Germany and Finland and ships Europe-wide. 

We had a truly magical evening - and now I know how simple it is to set-up, we'll definitely be doing it again soon!

There are only two thing I'd do differently - the first would be to take a wheel barrow or some kind of mode for transporting the stuff down to the beach... and the second would be to ask Sarah to bake even more of that cake!! It was sooooo good!

Do you have a beach near you for sunset gatherings like this? If so, I'd love to hear about it in the comment section below!

And speaking of beaches and summer, I hope you don't mind that, as per every year, I'll be paring down to three posts a week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) over the next three weeks to enjoy a little down time with my family and make the most of everything the Swedish summer has to offer.

I hope you are able to enjoy a little down time to njuter av solen too!

Skål to sea, sands and sunsets!

Niki 

Photography / production: Niki Brantmark. Styling: Sarah Brooks-Wilson

Thank you to Granit for sponsoring this post and making our My Scandinavian Home beach gathering possible. As always,  all styling and words are our own and I only ever work with brands I love and think you will too. Thank you for supporting the companies that make fresh content possible.

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3

Win Three Danish Brass Candlesticks from JENSENplus!

Have you heard of JENSENplus? If not, you're in for a treat! The Danish homeware brand focuses on creating simple and minimalist pieces with a Scandinavian touch that are designed to withstand the test of time. The collection includes dining tables, chairs, desks, coat racks and daybeds (among other items), all of which are made in Denmark from natural materials such as wood, concrete, steel and leather. Oh and they also sell the most beautiful multi-purpose candle-stick holders - and they're looking to give-away three to one lucky person (yes, they're lovely people too!). Scroll down for more details! In the meantime here's a sneak peek of their beautiful collection:

I think the K2 chair is my favourite piece of all - especially the Monaco textile and Yellow Revival Velour versions seen here - so pretty! (imagine them in a meeting?!).

The K2 Depot sideboard can be customised to suit you: choose between different colors, heights and number of shelves. And go dark (as seen above) or light.

These ergonomic poufs come with a strap so you can easily move them around (especially handy if you become attached to it and don't want anyone else to take it when you get up!). It comes in such pretty colours too!

Designed by danish architect Mikkel Bahr, the coat rack works equally well in the bedroom, hallway or bathroom (love this white version against the plum coloured wall too!).

... And those candlesticks I was telling you about!

These solid brass multifunctional candlesticks numbers are perfect for getting your hygge on! JP101 and JP102 are reversible and can be used for either tealights or long candles (in our house we're always low on the longer variety but seem to have a lifetime supply of tealights .. does anyone else find this?!).

JP103, on the other hand, comes in three sizes and you can use it as a vase or as a candlestick. Blooms by day, hygge by night! The entire collection offers endless combinations and will look beautiful in the window (Scandinavians love to place candles and lamps in the window since it makes a home look more inviting) - on the table, or as a sculptural piece on a side cabinet. 

If you're already feeling the glow from these beauties, sign-up to the JENSENplus newsletter here for your chance to be the lucky winner of 3 JP-candlesticks (1 x JP-101, 1 x JP103 H70, 1 x JP103 H95) worth 174 euros!

The competition is open worldwide exclusively to My Scandinavian Home Blog readers and the winner will be drawn 11th May, 2018. The lucky winner will be contacted directly by JENSENplus.

Held og lykke (as they say in Danish!). 



This post is sponsored by JENSENplus, 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 wonderful companies that make My Scandinavian Home possible.

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5

Twinkle, twinkle little tree!

Sponsored post
The Scandinavians generally start decorating their home for the holidays on the first Sunday of advent (is it the same where you live?). As with all things Nordic, the decorations are beautiful in a fuss-free, subtle way.  Think earthy colours, natural textures and plenty of foliage for perfectly imperfect vignettes.  Every year we head to the forest to cut down our Christmas tree (one of our family's favourite days of the year,  not just because there's glögg and pepperkaka (ginger thins) involved, honest!). But this season I'll be bringing in another type of tree too - the Nobili collection by Denmark's oldest ceramics brand Kähler. Designed by Mette Bache and Barbara Bendix Becker, Nobili is a pretty series of six hand-decorated ceramic candle holders inspired by the clear frosty nights of the winter forest. Each is perforated with holes to allow the warm glow of candlelight to cast pretty shadows on the wall. Not only does it make for a cosy display on a table, mantel piece or windowsill, if you're very tight on space at home it's the perfect mini Christmas tree alternative!

"The distinctive silhouettes are inspired by clear frosty nights in a winter forest, when the shadows
dance and the stars glimmer in the soft, freshly fallen snow."

 "When darkness falls and the moon shines in the clear night sky, the shadows dance across the frozen streams and the soft, freshly fallen snow that covers hills and trees. It is these evocative hours and the wholly unique light of Nordic forests that inspired the range’s dark, vivid glaze."

Aren't they beautiful?! Sooo cosy too.

I love how pretty the dusty green, mouth-blown Omaggio glass vase looks in the vignette on the table too. "When the dusty green vase is combined with other shades of green, it creates a shadowy, fascinating contrast to the pale, Nordic aesthetic," the Kähler team explains. Yep, totally agree. It's very subtle and ideal for fresh sprigs of pine and other foliage gathered from the garden / nearby park / forest / through the cracks of the pavement - the more imperfect the better! 

You can pick up items from the Nobili collection and Omaggio glass range over at the Kähler web shop and a whole host of design shops (find your nearest retailer here). 

Bring on the hygge! 

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

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6

Bring a Warm, Minimalist Touch to your Kids Bedroom

Calling all Aussie friends out there looking for fab Scandi-inspired children's furniture (that's gentle on the wallet too - got to love that, right?!)! Fantastic Furniture is a Sydney based sofa and bedding manufacturer with superstores in every major metropolitan city and regional town across Australia. Wander in (or take a look online) and you'll find all kinds of minimalist furniture for your children's bedroom including beds, storage units and desks (how fab is the Cabin Kids Bunk Bed for starters?!). Choose a classic white approach (which I have gone for in my own daughter's room) or warm it up with a natural wood finish. Bedding with colourful fun patterns and bold prints also add to the inviting look and feel - as well as provide a cosy place to curl up under and read bedtime stories together. Look out for my six tips on how to create a lovely Scandinavian style bedroom for your little ones below. In the meantime, here are some inspiring looks from Fantastic Furniture...

My 6 tips on creating a Scandinavian inspired children's bedroom
 
1. A child will enjoy their room if it's practical (and safe). Space permitting, try to ensure it covers all their needs including a zone to sleep, get creative, store and read. Plenty of storage places for all their bits and bobs (trust me - my girls have a lot of tiny little things!!) means that it's easier to keep the room neat and tidy, which in turn means they'll enjoy it more.

2. If you choose furniture with a clean design and neutral colours your little one can keep it for longer as they won't grow out of the look. Think classic pieces that stand the test of time and keep to a simple colour palette of white, black, wood etc.

3. Add a playful touch to the room by adding textiles featuring a pattern motif and colours. By getting your child involved in the process they will feel they have greater control over their environment and will be able to add their personal stamp on the room. Plus, these pieces can easily be exchanged / passed on as they get older and their tastes change.

4. Add your child's favourite colour to the room by creating an accent wall (you may like to paint a half-half wall, go for a playful geometric look. Removable wall stickers are also a great way to add a little colour. They are widely available, but if you feel like getting creative you can create your own using a stencil and tape.

5. Add layers of textiles in the form of cushions, blankets, and rugs to create a super warm and inviting feel to the room. That way you can cosy up together at bedtime.

6. Add plenty of lighting (including a mix of ambient and task) so they can enjoy the room after dark. Black-out blinds are ideal for a great night's sleep but don't forget the night light for little ones who are afraid of a monster lurking under the bed).

Feel free to add your own tips in the comment section below, it's always great to hear new ideas!

GET THE LOOK

1. Cabin Single Bed
2. Aster Corner Desk
3. Cabin 3 Drawer Lowboy
4. Willow Double Bed
5. Jordan Single Bunk
6. Cabin Kids Bunk Bed


Happy shopping!


This post is brought to you in collaboration with Fantastic Furniture, however all words are my own. 

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