An Earthy London Home, Packed With Personality

Good morning! I'm feeling all refreshed and revived after a few days off - plus full of energy as I'm back in my studio for the first time in months. Weeeeee! What a difference a change of scene can make. Hopefully we can all experience it soon (meanwhile, I'll make the most of it, who knows how long it might last!)! In the meantime, there's the internet helping to escort us to homes far and wide without leaving our sofa! I spotted this wonderful home of hair stylist Cyndia Harvey over at The Modern House. Located in a peaceful mews in Brockley, South London, the living space is full of rich, earthy tones and packed with fabulous vintage and antique finds, giving the overall look a truly personal feel. 

Cyndia lived in Jamaica until she was eleven years old. As an adult, she lived in various rental spaces until moving into this space three years ago. Cyndia took absolutely nothing with her from her previous home. Instead, she scoured local markets, picking out art-like pieces and anything that 'spoke to her' including a French rattan chair, 20th century wardrobe and ''crazy blue suede bed''. As a result, Cyndia feels a connection to all the items she owns - and loves that they tell their own, unique story. 

The white walls help to give the space a gallery-like walls, allowing the unique furniture and art to take centre-stage. 

Recently I've talked a lot about the 'rödtråd' (the red thread). In this home there are a few factors that bring the overall look together. The first, are the earthy tones of ochre, ombre and rich brown seen throughout. The second is the angular triangular shapes - which have been repeated several times in the main living room. This helps to give the entire living a space a wonderful, cohesive look. 

The bespoke kitchen island is the only modern piece - and was inspired by a Donald Judd desk. 

One of the things that really stood out to me while reading the full interview over at The Modern House, is how Cyndia took her time to decorate her home, picking out pieces one by one. 

Decorating with antique and vintage pieces is a slow, ongoing process, but your patience will definitely pay off: it's the best way to create a truly personal home that's also sustainable! 

Is there anything that stood out to you about Cyndia's home?

Read the full article and see more pictures of Cyndia's home here. Curious about Cyndia's hairstyling? Check out her awesome work over at @cyndiaharvey.

Intrigued by other eclectic homes? Here are some more to enjoy this sunny Monday: 

A Malmö masterpiece with incredible architecture and a contemporary touch

The eclectic home of a jewellery designer

The cosy and eclectic home of a Swedish stylist

Have a wonderful start to the week! 

Niki

Photographs courtesy of The Modern House

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Emelie's Serene Swedish Home With Notes of Green

It's one of those days when I'm miles behind and I just don't know where the time is going. Elsewhere in Sweden in the mesmerisingly beautiful home of Emelie Sundberg - it's as if time has stood still. Her living space oozes calm and serenity! So, what's the trick? The stylist, photographer and founder of Inredningspodden - a popular Swedish podcast about interior design - has applied lovely muted tones of green throughout her home, which, when combined with wood and other natural materials, draw the inside in. Her choice of vintage and antique furniture as well as an abundance of plants and flowers also add to the wonderfully relaxed look. Welcome to Emelie's world! 

Simply stunning, don't you think?

It's easy to look at pictures like these and think how effortless everything looks, but trust me, Emelie and her husband have put in a huge amount of work into transforming the house into a beautiful family living space. Below is an example of one of the projects they have carried out. 

Emelie's Clever Hallway Hack: 

Emelie and her husband have completely transformed their hallway to make space for the family shoes and other outdoor wear. To create the look, they added wainscoting, built-in seating and a the Rakkestad wardrobe from IKEA. And then painted  everything including the window frame in Green Tea 846 from Beckers. What a fantastic transformation! 

This home will leave me dreaming all day, how about you? 

If you'd like to see more of Emelie's living space and see her latest projects, check out her instagram and blog. 

You might also like to tune in to her fantastic Inredningspodden podcasts (in Swedish) - there are 67 episodes to date. 

Fancy exploring other Swedish homes in serene tones of green today?

The earthy green home of Sofie Izard Høyer was the most popular home tour of 2020 - and I can totally see why, how about you? 

This beautiful Swedish home has become instantly recognisable for it's wonderful features and incredible decor (including notes of green!). 

I also think this Stockholm apartment in shades of blue and green is truly inspiring! 

Would you consider green in your home?

Niki

Photography courtesy of Emelie Sundberg

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A Cosy Living Space In a Swedish Country Home

Why, hello there friends! Monday huh? Well, that came around quickly. Here in Sweden, we were treated to a magical weekend - a rare diamond - with two days of clear blue skies and frozen seas upon which we could ice skate. It was simply incredible! And now, the clouds have rolled over and we're all hunkering down at home once again, fires roaring. A few miles from Västerås, interior stylist, creator, author and founder of Babes in Boyland, Nathalie Myrberg is busy stoking the fire at her home at Målhammar.  The family moved to the former stables in the height of the pandemic in 2020 - and plan to convert half of the house into a summer cafe and farm shop.  Nature, the slow life and sustainability are close to Nathalie and her family's heart - and their home is full of vintage treasures. Here are a few snapshots from corners of the rooms they've completed so far! 

This is a mere snapshot into Nathalie's life in the Swedish countryside - but it's early days, and I for one look forward to following their project over on Nathalie's Instagram and the blog! 

Perhaps one day, we might all even be able to visit!

Would you like to see more cosy Scandinavian country homes today? Here are a few that are bound to inspire:

A warm rural Swedish country home that combines old and new

A cosy Norwegian country home

Ilkka's charming retreat in the Finnish countryside

Wishing you a wonderful start to the week!

Niki

Photography: Babes in Boyland / Nathalie Myrberg 

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Ida's Beautiful, Considered Southern Sweden Home (And 7 Tips On How to Create an Environmentally Friendly Space)

Remember Ida Magntorn? I first met the Lund-based photographer at an event a couple of years ago and I've been following her work ever since. Ida has always been passionate about creating a sustainable and environmentally friendly interior - which she demonstrates beautifully in her own Southern Sweden home. And now she has written a book dedicated to the topic: Ett Hem Med Omtanke - Hållbar och Miljömedveten Inredning (which loosely translates to 'The Considered Home - Sustainable and Environmentally Conscious Interiors'). The tome is dedicated to everything Ida lives by and covers  everything from buying second hand, managing your appliances, plants and flowers and growing your own fruit and veg as well as a room by room guide - arranged around series of dreamy Swedish interiors. Here are some recent snapshots of her lovely living space - and most importantly:

Ida's 7 tips on How To Create a Considered Home: 

1. Use what you have: it doesn't matter how environmentally friendly your new kitchen is if you rip out something that was already working. 

2. If you're tired of something in your home - think of ways to change it, upcycle it, paint it or even use it for something completely different!

3. Look for items that can be recycled - such as solid wood instead of veneer. The easier it is for you to care for, the longer it will last. 

4. Buy second hand - if you need anything new for your home. 

5. If you can't find something secondhand - invest in a design classic since they are often better quality and have a good second hand value. Of course, these can usually be found second hand on auction sites too! 

6. If you choose to buy something new - make sure it bears an environmentally friendly symbol - and check what components of the item are included in this. 

7. Take care of what you have - by looking after your furniture and other belongings, you will prolong their life and save energy and materials.  

I'm so excited to dip into Ida's book and discover her room by room guide!

Ett Hem Med Omtanke - Hållbar och Miljömedveten Inredning is currently available in Swedish. However, an English version will be available soon. Keep an eye on Ida's website and instagram for updates! 

Is there anything that stood out to you? I love the tip about looking after what you have. Sharing my studio with upholsterer Carina Grefmar has taught me a while deal about restoring furniture to make it look as good as new!

Also - isn't Ida's home beautiful? You'll likely recognise it from this feature, but I couldn't resist sharing a few more snaps! 

Looking for some more inspiration today? Check out these vintage-inspired Scandinavian homes: 

A warm, earthy, vintage-inspired Swedish home in the wing of a castle! 

A charming Copenhagen home full of vintage finds

A stunning Danish home with vintage treasures

On a separate note - my youngest daughter has just started piano lessons. I have to confess that I was particularly excited about this idea as it meant we'd have an excuse to buy a secondhand piano (such lovely pieces!). Of course, I love the sound too, though being tone deaf I think the family is relieved it's not me learning. The only place for a piano in our home is on the third floor - and I've heard these things weigh a ton. Pianist friends - do you think this will be possible? Please say yes! 

Happy mid-week friends!

Niki

Photography: Ida Magntorn - shared with kind permission

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Warm Earthy Tones In An International Family Home in Denmark

The sun is shining in Malmö today -  a rare and wonderful site! Over the Öresund bridge, graphic designer Diana Mwabala, her husband Kadima and their adorable daughter Miriam are also enjoying the bright sunshine in their beautiful rental flat. Located in southern Denmark, the Mwabala family home has a wonderful, earthy vibe and has been decorated with a blend of thrifted, upcycled and handmade pieces. I caught up with Diana to find out more about her style, the warm golden tones she and Miriam's cute bedroom! 

We'd love to hear more about you and your family

My name is Diana, I am Romanian and moved to Denmark in 2013 to study. I stayed because I met my husband, Kadima, a Zambian whose been living here for over 16 years. So, we are a pretty International family - spanning two continents who found each other in little Denmark :). We have a two-year-old daughter called Miriam, and another little one on the way. I work as a freelance graphic designer / concept developer. 

How do you describe your style?

I aspire to a mid-century modern and Japanese / Scandinavian style. However, I think right now our home is more a mix of Scandinavian and bohemian (Scandiboho). 

Are there any references to your international roots in your home?

Yes, definitely. It means a lot to us to blend in our roots so it's not Scandinavian all the way. Evidence of this can be seen throughout our home. For example, the white rug on the wall was handmade by locals in a small mountainous region of Romania. And we also have lots of African / Zambian pieces such as the basket on the wall as well as smaller items on the shelves. Even the earthy clay colours remind me of our trip to Zambia and South Africa.

What is important to you when it comes to decorating?

I love it when things are practical, functional, cosy and pretty. I think these words define our home and our intentions. Our home should also be child-friendly, but without compromising on aesthetics :). I always look for pretty solutions to practical problems - often with Miriam in mind. For example, we built the shelves behind the sofa so we could hide a cup of tea there, instead of placing it on the coffee table, where she could come and spill it! 

Where do you find the pieces for your home? 

Most of our home is thrifted and upcycled or handmade. We love DIY! At first, I'd come up with the ideas and my husband would make them. But, with time I have learnt how to build things on my own, so now my husband knows that it's dangerous to leave me home alone! 

I love the golden tones in your home, can you tell us a little more about them?

I'd say our home is painted in earthy tones. We've used neutrals as a base, and then added colours through accessories. Some of the paint has a colour code, others I mixed myself using leftovers. 

Here are the colour codes / names of the paint I know:

- Wall behind dining table: Calm Nude from Flügger

- Bookshelf behind sofa: Marrakech from Jotun

- Miriam's playroom: 3357 from Flügger

- Our bedroom: self-blended but reminds me of Adventure from Jotun. 

Miriam's room is beautiful! Can you describe the creative direction?

It's the most colourful room in our home. I love her little universe, it's my favourite! We painted the floors yellow, chose a peachy colour for the walls and added a yellow bed and red wardrobe. Her room is like a fairy-tale if you ask me. I love the retro style and added old vintage finds, combined with playful and educational pieces and lots of pretty storage for toys. 

Thank you so much for inviting us on a virtual tour of your beautiful home today Diana. We'd better tiptoe away before we wake Miriam! 

You can see more of Diana's lovely home over on this little corner of the 'gram! 

Is there anything about Diana's home that stood out to you in particular? I absolutely love Miriam's room - it's full of pretty pieces - every time I look, I spot something new! 

For more Danish home tours today, check out the Danish home archive - which includes yesterday's 'thatched cottage' before and after. 

I hope the sun is shining where you are too today!

Niki

Photography courtesy of Diana Mwabala, shared with kind permission.

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