Hello! I'm Niki Brantmark, a London girl living in Sweden. Welcome to My Scandinavian Home - a daily blog about beautiful Scandi-inspired interior design!
Scandinavian Home has paid advertising banners and product affiliate links, which means I earn a very small amount of money if you click through and buy an item - these are stated with an asterisk beside the link as well as a statement at the bottom of each post.
If this beautiful, light and airy Swedish apartment doesn't offer a breather this week, I don't know what will. It's full of light, perfectly balanced and incredibly serene. Yes, I know, it's a little pared-back since it's been staged for sale (there may be someone in the world with a hallway this de-cluttered, but I'm yet to meet them) - but what it lacks in lived-in appeal it more than makes up for in delightful sculptured furniture, fluffy geometric rugs and cloud-like lamps! So why not put your feet up for a mo and relax. You're in for a treat!
I think my shoulders visibly dropped two inches when I saw the bedroom. Who needs to meditate when you can have boudoir like this?!
Are you feeling more relaxed too?
Speaking of serenity - I'm really excited to be sharing Per's new home office with you tomorrow. It's been a long time in the making (he's been teaching from the kitchen table for a good few weeks now!), but good things come to those who wait, right?! Please do stop by tomorrow if you're curious!
Sponsored (all words are my own):
When I first moved to Sweden, I remember asking Per for a lift to work. He was baffled: 'why can't you cycle?' I gestured outside the window at the snow. 'And?' he replied. You see, nowhere does 'there's no such thing as bad weather only bad clothing' apply more! Swedes hop on their bikes rain, wind or snow. I reluctantly obliged that day (it helped that the cycle paths had been cleared before the roads!) and now it's second nature to hop on my bike all year round. BUT I'm ashamed to say, I haven't been wearing a helmet. I know, TERRIBLE! Until now, that is. Except it's not a traditional helmet, it's a Hövding airbag for urban cyclists. Now, I know this post isn't about interiors - but I hope you'll forgive me as it is the BEST of local Swedish design - and it's genius! Read on if you love to get about by bike, this might just revolutionise your ride!
Let's start from the beginning!
The 'airbag for cyclists' was invented by two girls here in Southern Sweden back in 2005 when the industrial design students pondered the question:
"Would it be possible to design a bicycle helmet that everyone would want to wear? And if so, what would it look like? Perhaps the most stylish helmet was one you couldn't see."
They set about designing a helmet that's worn around the neck like a collar and which would inflate in the event of an accident. Hövding Sverige AB was founded the same year.
So, how does it work?!
Charge the airbag at home (not very often though as version 3 stays charged for up to 15 hours cycle time). The latest version is also adjustable to comfortably fit your neck. When you hop on your bike you turn the airbag on. And when you hop off again you turn it off. It's as simple as that!
But what happens if I have an accident?
In the unfortunate event of an accident, the airbag inflates in 0.1 seconds to form a hood that supports your neck and protects the head from injury.
The Malmö based firm has sold over 150,000 airbags for cyclists and over 4000 cyclists have benefited from its protection.
Since it is activated by movement, the only time it won't inflate is if you receive a direct hit - for example, if you were to cycle into an overhead branch without seeing it.
Love a little tech?!
If you're the techy kind (don't worry if you're not, I'm not either and it works perfectly fine without the tech too!) - the latest version connects to your phone via Bluetooth. The Hövding app shows how far you've cycled, your remaining battery time and in case of an accident, notifies your selected contacts.
Love a little Analog?!
I picked up a sticker when was at the Hövding mother ship here in Malmö which reminds me to turn my Hövding on and off at the start and end of my rides. Works for me!
These days, I feel a whole lot better when I ride about town - and I think my airbag looks pretty smart too, don't you think?!
Bring on the rain, wind and snow Sweden, I'm ready for it!
Fancy one for your bike rides? Hövding airbag for urban cyclists are available to buy online (ships throughout Europe). You can also find your nearest retailer here.
Got any questions? You can read more about Hövding here and find the FAQ here. Feel free to ask away below too!
Niki
This post is sponsored by Hövding, however all words are my own and I only ever work with brands that I love and think you will too. It's always a pleasure to put a spotlight on local brands doing wonderful things! Disclaimer: No one at My Scandinavian Home, in any way whatsoever, can be responsible for your use of the information in or linked from this website. Any action you take upon the information on this website is strictly at your own risk, and we will not be liable for any losses and damages in connection with the use of our website.