A Home Filled with Art, Vintage Finds and Heart

I was quietly tapping away on my laptop a couple of days ago when a lovely message from Swedish artist and interior stylist Michaela Grut landed in my inbox, along with some beautiful new images of her home. A lot has happened since I last featured it seven years ago, so it definitely felt time for a revisit! 

If there are a few things that have remained the same about the home Michaela shares with her two daughters and two cats (she jokes that she's become a bit of a 'crazy cat lady' – and I'm here for it!), it's that it's deeply personal and filled with art (some of it her own), ceramics and carefully collected vintage finds. Michaela describes her interior style as 'curated Scandinavian eclecticism', and it's easy to see why. Every room feels thoughtfully layered, balancing clean Scandinavian lines with an eclectic mix of colour, texture, art and meaningful objects. Take a look at the kitchen shelves and you'll spot an array of one-of-a-kind serving ware, vessels, ceramics and other little treasures, each with its own story to tell.

She's also embraced a beautiful palette of muted yet confident tones throughout the apartment, giving each room its own distinct character. And, as with so many Scandinavian homes, designer lamps act like sculptures by day before casting a wonderfully warm, inviting glow in the evening (I noticed a discussion about this in the comments a few days ago, and it's true that many people here are happy to invest in good lighting, perhaps because of the winter darkness!). Finally, keep an eye out for the rugs – each one adds plenty of texture and softness underfoot.

Ready to take a look around?

The little guy perched on the sunny yellow (Velvet by Jotun - 10246) shelf to the left is one of Michaela's sculptures.

I love the sense that Michaela's home has been created over time, a brass bowl added here, a vintage chopping board there. As a result, it's truly personal and tells the story of who she is. 

The artwork in the top right of the gallery wall in the sitting room is by Michaela. Look closely at this shot and you'll see all the furniture, lighting and accessories are from different styles and eras, yet all come together so nicely. An art form in itself! 

The sitting room is painted in Soft Skin from Jotun.

The green snoopy lamp is one of my favourites! 

The combination of tones and materials in the bedroom is timeless yet with a contemporary touch.  The shell lamp is beautiful - especially against the blue wall (painted in Linblå from Jotun). 

Jewellery wearers, take note: a little tray on your bedside table is the perfect spot for the pieces you reach for every day.

Pom pom slippers. Why not?

Another bedroom – also painted in Linblå from Jotun – more beautiful art, lamps and objects.

Michaela has turned a plain box used to cover electricals into a work of art, while a bold rug adds a cool touch to the hallway. 

Michaela works from a studio in the same building. I actually have one of her pieces in my home - a white figurine, which I really treasure! 

Thank you so much to Michaela for inviting us into her home, such a treat! 

I hope you all enjoyed looking at all the details!  

You can find out more information about her art and see more pictures of her lovely home over at @michaelagrut. 

Fancy seeing more pictures from artists' homes today? Take a look at: 

A Danish artist's inspiring home in Copenhagen

The fascinating home of a Swedish artist

An artist's Swedish home in soft coral tones

A relaxed Danish artist's cabin in Copenhagen

I hope you are all full of inspiration for the weekend, have a great one! 

Niki

Photography – Björn Nordström

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Feel Inspired by a French Antique Dealer’s Charming Home

Tjena vänner! It's great to be back here on the blog again (thank you for your patience), especially as I have a lovely home to share with you!

One of my friends, Bettina—a Swedish interior designer living in a lovely chalet in Chamonix—writes a fantastic new weekly newsletter (definitely worth signing up here). In her latest edition, she recommended taking a look at the wonderful world of Fabienne Nomibis on Instagram, and I was so excited by what I found.

An antique dealer, Fabienne uses her charming French home as a photographic backdrop for the antiques she sells through her brick-and-mortar store, Archives, in Reims as well as online. Needless to say, every corner of her home features an ever-changing treasure trove of furniture and fascinating trinkets, with every single possession telling a wonderful story of a past life.

Also, keep an eye out for beautiful tiled floors, internal windows that help the flow of light, and bookshelves laden with tomes and other curiosities. There's so much to look at and feel inspired by! Ready to take a look? Bienvenue!  

Does this make anyone else feel like planning an urgent flea market road trip? Now that spring is in the air, I’m sure many will be throwing open their doors here in Sweden too—and I’ll be ready and waiting.

If you’re passing through Reims in France, Archives is open for business as well–and there's also Fabienne's online store Nomibis!

Did anything catch your eye? Perhaps a particular room or a specific item? Do you have a lot of antiques in your home? I grew up in a house full of antiques but sadly feel like I don’t have enough in my own home. Hopefully, that will change soon!

I’ve featured some beautiful French homes here in the past, including those of Swedes who have made the move south—like photographer Anna Malmberg with her lovely abode—and the holiday home of Kristin Lagerkvist. I am also a big fan of these charming French homes:

A stunning French country home filled with antiques
Old meets new in a former basketry workshop
An idyllic home on the south of France

As a child, we’d visit France all the time since it was easy to make day trips over the Channel. We also went with school a lot to practice our French (not that it got us very far!). It’s a little further away from us here in Sweden, so sadly I don’t get to go as often—which is why I really enjoyed today’s virtual trip. I hope you did too!

Niki

P.S. I’m looking forward to sitting in the sunshine with a coffee this afternoon and reading/responding to all your comments from last week. Thank you so much for taking the time to write; it’s always a pleasure to read your thoughts.

Photography courtesy of @nomibis, shared with kind permission. 

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Lina's Soulful Swedish Home Designed for Slow Living

Hejsan hoppsan! The sun is shining here in Malmö, and I’m letting myself get carried away by posting this summery picture of Lina Paciello in front of her charming Swedish home. Sadly, it’s more of a hat-and-gloves kind of day, but hey, a girl can dream, right?

And dream you will, I hope, as you take in Lina’s delightful home. Lina embraces ‘soulful, sustainable slow living’ and is the founder of Gröna Gredelina, a shop offering organic, botanical basics for the body and home—all handmade in Stockholm. She’s also the force behind Ûne, an antique shop specialising in European antiques and vintage items brimming with old-world charm.

Lina’s passion is beautifully reflected in her white clapboard house, which is filled with unique treasures, each with its own story to tell. A devoted book lover, Lina has even created a library—handmade from IKEA units—that’s perfect for enjoying her collection of tomes. There are plenty of cosy spots to curl up with a book: by the tiled masonry oven, next to the kitchen window, in the bath, or in bed! Don’t miss the wonderful ‘stair basket’ either—I’d never seen one before, and it’s exactly what I’ve been missing!

This such a clever way to obscure the view from passersby. The curtain is light enough to allow the light in, and the mid-way shelf is ideal for plants, helping to add greenery in winter time.

There's something about arranging the furniture around a fireplace rather than a TV, don't you think? It lends itself to a cosy read under a blanket.

It's easy to neglect corners. Here, Lina has created a nice display with a small antique table and mirror. 

This book shelf looks so smart it's hard to imagine that it's been made from Billy book shelf units from IKEA. Lina has shared more pictures / info about her creation in this instagram post. 

And this, my friends is the stair basket I was telling you about! I once read a great meme that read: 'no one is more hopeful than a Mother who leaves stuff on the stairs for everyone to take up'. Me in a nutshell!

I have never seen one of these baskets before, have you? But I feel I need one in my life to transport all the little items upstairs! There happen to be a quite a few lovely ones on Etsy - just saying! 

Such a beautiful home - full of soul and lovely ideas for slow living. 

Did you enjoy the tour too? Anything that stood out to you? 

You can see more corners over at @linapaciello. 

Would you like to take a tour of other soulful Scandinavian homes today? Why not pour yourself a cup of coffee and get comfy to explore these beauties: 

A small and relaxed boho Swedish home

A wonderful Copenhagen home full of soul

A vintage inspired Swedish home in the countryside

Have a great start to the week!

Niki

Photography by @linapaciello, shared with kind permission.

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