A Delightful Danish Family Home Full of Art and Design

Why, hello there friends! It feels so great to be back after the holidays! We took our Christmas tree down yesterday (which may sound a bit late, but in Sweden, tradition dictates the 13th to take down Christmas decorations. And it looked so pretty, I wasn't quite ready to part with it earlier!). And now our home feels all fresh, calm and ready for 2021. Which reminds me, thank you so much for all your wonderful comments on my last post, I'm so happy you like my new ideas for My Scandinavian Home (and thank you to everyone who sent me private DMs with suggestions too - all taken to heart! Here's to a year full of Scandi inspiration! 

I thought I'd kick off a wonderful Danish home tour, so, pull up a chair and get comfy - you're in for a treat - Copenhagen style! 

Mette Helena is one inspiring woman! A Danish stylist and artist - the Mother of two is the owner of beautiful web shop Retro Villa - selling vintage wallpaper and Danish design, and co-founder of Kunstsalonen - pop-up galleries for the public in private homes. Little wonder Mette Helena's own home in Amagerbro, Copenhagen is full of vintage design and the most wonderful art! Let's take a peek inside. 

One of Mette Helene's own painting hangs beside a Flos 265 wall lamp in the family sitting room. The coffee table is vintage. 

A black and white piece by Mie Olise Studio as well as countless other designs have been hung on a calming pale blue wall in the bedroom. 

And just look at all that storage space! Be still, beating heart! I need to show this to Per! How much would you also love to have this much storage? - perhaps you already do. 

Mette Helena has gone for statement blue tiles in the bathroom. I love that her rod sometimes doubles up as a clothes dryer (see below) - I do this too (sometimes my family wonders if it's become my actual wardrobe!). 

There's so much art and design love going on in Mette Helena's hallway. The mobile is by Peter Johansen, with a piece by Line Busch behind. The pair to the right are by Matilde Duus and on the floor is a piece by Jeanette Hillig. 

What a beautiful, inspiring home! Thank you for inviting us on a virtual tour today Mette Helena - and thank you to Tia Borgsmidt for these fabulous photos! 

See more of Mette Helena's home over at @mettehelena and visit her online shop here. If like me, you're curious about her public pop-up galleries in private homes, you can find all the latest news here. Let's hope everything rolls again soon!

Curious about other Danish homes with a ton of art and vintage pieces? Take a peek at: 

Books, art and golden tones in a Danish home

The delightful Danish home of an art and plant enthusiast

A Dreamy Copenhagen home full of books and design

Wishing you a wonderful start to the week. 

Niki

Styling: Metta Helena

Photography Tia Borgsmidt

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A Warm Rural Swedish Home That Combines Old And New

It's a new dawn, a new day, a new week even. But not a new house tour, especially if you've been reading My Scandinavian home for over four years! Oozing charm and character, the country home of Swedish interior stylist Anna Truelsen has gradually migrated from a more fresh white aesthetic to deeper earthy tones. Which is why I thought it was time to pay another virtual visit! Today, Anna's home is a perfect blend of muted earthy tones, antique furniture, shelves crammed with porcelain collected over the years and several handmade pieces. It's the type of home that looks equally beautiful in all seasons - but there's something about the candlelight, roaring wood burning stove and deep hues in the bedroom that makes it feel especially cosy in the Autumn. Välkommen in! 

Thonet and other vintage chairs* have been arranged around a table that was built by Anna's Grandfather. The plate racks on the wall were also made by 'Morfar'. The wall have been painted Metropolitan AF-690 from Benjamin Moore. 

Anna has been collecting cake stands, terrines, glasses and bowls since she was 17. The collection has been carefully culled over the years, and today, she possesses only the pieces that hold real meaning.

To me, Anna's home is instantly recognisable in magazines and online thanks to the wonderful, original wood burning stove in the kitchen. Isn't it beautiful?

A simple linen tablecloth* adds a soft touch to the grey and white kitchen - while sunflowers provide a burst of sunshine. Sadly, they're fading in Sweden now, are they still in bloom where you are? 

Anna bought a second-hand 4-seat Klippan sofa from Swedish site Blocket and then coveted with a loose fit white linen cover from Bemz*. 

The 'Mediterranean Teal 2123-10' paint colour in the bedroom reminds Anna of the forest! I reckon come December, you'd want to hang out there all day and snuggle up with a good book, don't you think?

This home tour has put me in such a good mood - a perfect way to kick off the week, don't you think?

Did you get any ideas for your own home? 

In case you missed it in the intro, you can take a peek at how Anna's home looked four years ago. Quite an interesting transformation. It's easy to see how this has been a gradual process. Oh, and you might also like to follow Anna on instagram where she shares snapshots of her home as well as her styling work for magazines. It's such an inspiring feed! 

Other country homes to love today: 

A Finnish family home in a former schoolhouse

Old meets new in a charming Swedish country home

An idyllic rural home that's full of charm

Wishing you a wonderful start to the week friends!

Niki

Photography: Anna Truelsen, shared with kind permission

*This post contains affiliate links

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Cosy Hide-away: The Butcher's House

Just taking a little time out from my virtual holiday in Tasmania to share this beauty of a house with you. For those of you who are not a regular reader, I have a slight obsession with 'Tassie' right now and sharing my third holiday house in as many weeks (see also a cosy hideaway by the sea and the whale song shack). But as I said last time, a girl can dream. And when we can travel to far-flung places, The Butchers House in Bothwell will be on my itinerary (it's looking like we'll need to spend several months in 'Tas' at this rate!). I've wisened up to the fact that it's winter there right now (thank you newly acquired Tasmanian friends!) - but I'd be quite happy to read a book by the fire in this humble heritage cottage dating back to the mid 1800s, before taking a nice long soak in this lion claw tub with a glass of Tasmanian Pinot! There's even a fireplace in the bedroom for the cosiest night sleep ever! Ready to dream? Step this way! 

Have I got you dreaming today too? I sure hope so. A little escapism is a fine thing! 

Find out more about booking your stay at The Butcher's House here. 

And here are three other incredible hideaways in and around Tasmania: 

Captain's Cottage

A relaxed artist's cabin by the sea

Your very own dream island hideaway

I'm so excited to share my guide of the Gothenburg Archipelagos with you tomorrow. Sweden's West Coast is my favourite place on earth, and having sailed there for over sixteen years, I felt it was finally time to share some snapshots - and ten of the best islands to visit! I hope you're going to feel inspired!

Niki

Photography courtesy of The Butcher's House with thanks.

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A Warm, Earthy, Vintage-inspired Swedish Home

Forgive me for my slight obsession with Swede Elin Jensdotter right now. Not only do I love her former home (which I featured a few weeks back) and vintage shop (Bodil vintage) - I've also fallen for her new home on the island of Ekerö, West Stockholm. Elin and her husband recently swapped their apartment in the city for this beautiful 17th century house, a rental in a detached wing of a castle. I especially love that it's steeped in history. The ground floor used to serve as a library which housed the love letters between Marie Antoinette and Axel Von Fersen before they were moved to the national archive. And the upstairs served as an art studio. Today, the lovely, warm, earthy house is filled with vintage finds, arranged around a vast fireplace. When the sun comes out, life moves outside to enjoy the rays surrounded by parkland. Welcome to Elin's vintage-inspired world! 

The former art studio still serves as a creative space for Elin and her husband. 

The shelves were built by Elin's husband and were inspired by the beautiful ones in the Topanga Canyon home of Serena Mitnik-Miller. There's a matching set on the other side of the room. I love how shelves like these provide plenty of storage and yet still allow the light to flow through. They also work perfectly in an awkward space. 

The cosy feel in the home is all thanks to the layers of natural textures - such as wood, leather, jute and rattan. Vintage pieces often have a lovely patina too - which adds to the warm vibe. 

 

I feel so charmed by this. I thought the home was beautiful just by looking at the pictures, and then I read that it was in the detached wing of a castle and I was utterly sold! I'm even wondering if my family and I should exchange our home for a rental somewhere special! Are you tempted too? 

Looking for vintage pieces for your home after seeing this? Check out Elin's store Bodil Vintage. If you can't find what you're looking for, I also find Etsy* a great worldwide source!

Oh, and you can also follow Elin's home updates and see her latest vintage finds over at @longingforlennon.

Other earthy, vintage inspired homes: 

A relaxed bohemian family home in South Korea

Books, art and earthy tones in a Copenhagen home

A relaxed Tucson home with sun-kissed, earthy tones

Wishing you a wonderful mid-week friends! 

Niki

Photography: Elin Jensdotter / @longingforlennon

*affiliated links

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A Cosy Hideaway By The Sea

OK I admit it, I'm currently obsessed with Tasmania. Could it be my itchy feet? Or perhaps it's because I keep on stumbling across incredible holiday homes on the island! One thing is for certain though, I need to visit one day! Locals tell me that it's quite chilly there right now (a quick look at the forecast and I see it's hovering around 9 degrees Celsius - brrrr!) but I'm perfectly willing to weather the cold by the fire in this wonderful hide-away -and once you see these pictures, I'm pretty sure you'll feel the same! The Burrows overlooks Great Oyster Bay and is filled with eclectic treasures, bespoke finds and original artworks. Owners Bek and Paul welcome airbnb guests and other visitors to come and enjoy the slower pace of life and rugged coastline, and who are we to decline?!  Ready to dream? You're in the right place!

Isn't it beautiful?

Could you imagine chilling here for a week or two? 

Obviously, we can't travel right now - and a trip to this wonderful place might be a long time coming, BUT there's still a load of inspiration to take away from this lovely cabin. For starters, it makes me want to spend my entire weekend scouring the local loppis (flea market) for vintage finds, and then paint one of the bedrooms a darker shade. I'm also considering more of a built-in daybed in the window nook. Hmmmm. Suddenly there's lots to do! 

Do you feel inspired too? 

See more pictures and find out more about booking a stay over at The Burrows.

Speaking of trips... I'm currently in Copenhagen for the 3 days of Design (although I'll only be here for the day). It feels so amazing to be back in one of my favourite cities - Danish design heaven! Take a peek at my instagram stories for updates if you're curious!

Niki

Photography Adam Gibson, courtesy of The Burrows. 

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