A Warm and Relaxed Artists Home Full of Vintage Finds

I'm in the mood for some arty / creative inspiration today, how about you? Scrolling through my instagram feed I happened upon Edna's charming home in Rheinland, Germany and it fits the bill perfectly! Edna has always wanted to live in an old house - and was delighted when she moved into the Art Nouveau property - with its high ceilings and wonderful light - dating back to 1911. Edna and her husband are both artists and live in the two lower floors of the property with their children and adopted cats. Their studio occupies the top floor. Edna loves to immerse herself in history and likes to keep the look and feel of her home "bright, natural and unconventional". The furniture is a blend of antiques (matching the date of the house), vintage finds as well as a few handpicked contemporary pieces. The result is a wonderful, relaxed, lived-in feel where no two pieces are the same. Ready to feel inspired? 

Oh, so beautiful! 

I love how distinct and personal this home is, it's truly original. 

That cat ramp! 

Do you feel charmed by this home too? Anything in particular that stood out to you? 

Keep an eye on Edna's email @ednas.house for more inspiration. 

The cosy, vintage inspired home of a Swedish artist

Pretty greens and blues in a Copenhagen home

A danish artists inspiring apartment

The lovely home of a Danish artist

A relaxed artists home in Norway (which I had the pleasure of capturing for my second book)

I also love the low hanging art in the Stockholm home of Karolina Modig. 

When it comes to hanging art, I love the way Edna's has played with scale and space. If you have art to hang but not sure where to start - or you'd like to create a gallery wall, I've shared a fail-safe technique here. 

Wishing you a wonderful Wednesday! 

Niki

Photography: @ednas.house - shared with kind permission.

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Marilou's Wonderful Canadian Home - And Feline Friend, Denise!

As pretty as Marilou's Canadian family home is, I have a feeling a certain somebody might just steal the show. You'll see what I mean when you reach the end of the tour. But first, more on Marilou. An entrepreneur (edit: and well-known pop-singer), French-Canadian Marilou Bourdon is the author of four cookbooks, and runs the wonderful online store Trois Fois Par Jour. Despite a full family life with children and pet cat Denise, Marilou also finds the time to share delicious, healthy weekly recipes. But today, it's all about her home in Quebec. Whitewashed inside and out, the house is a perfect blend of vintage, mid-century and modern pieces. Outside, you'll discover vegetable patches, cosy spots to relax and a dining area designed to celebrate birthdays.... welcome to Marilou's world! 

What a lovely home! I particularly like the piano, children's bedroom and the bathroom! 

And of course, DENISE!! 

Is there anything that stood out to you?  

There are so many other lovely Canadian homes in the archive too. Here are a few of my favourites: 

Artist Anna Church's modern-vintage home

The lovely home of Émilie Desjarlais

A cosy Toronto Home with a Scandinavian eclectic mix

Wishing you all a great mid-week! 

Niki

Edit note: this post was updated on 8th July to include that Marilou is a pop-singer. Also the facade of the house shown was not Marilou's, rather an inspiration image she had used (eeeek) so it has now been deleted. Sorry about that! 

Photography: @mariloubiz, shared with kind permission. 

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An Idyllic Red and White Swedish Farmhouse In The Countryside

Mina damer och herrar (Ladies and gentleman), allow me to introduce you to Ekekullen, an idyllic farmstead in the village of Månstad, West Sweden. When Sara Sjöblom and her family moved in five years ago, they became the fourth generation to take-over the beautiful Falun red and white family home.  Sara and her partner have been renovating the property little by little over time while respecting the original structure, built by Sara's great grandfather. Think earthy tones, vintage and antique pieces and a wonderful, relaxed vibe. A perfect country home which combines and old and new and enjoyed by Sara's family, three cats and a flock of chickens. Välkommen in! 

Sara replaced a window with old doors bought from a friend - which her Father then renovated. "It's really lovely to just walk out of the kitchen into the garden in summertime" she tells me. 

The kitchen cabinets (from HTH) span the entire length of the kitchen and have been topped with concrete which has been impregnated and treated with a warm grey tone. 

These 'kakelugn' (swedish masonry ovens) get to me every time - they are just so beautiful, and the heat they give off is incredible! 

Sara found the chairs in a nearby 'loppis' (flea market) and painted them in 4502-Y from Beckers. 

It's funny how an item can suddenly evoke a memory which has been buried deep in the archives of the mind! Sara's vintage mirror reminds me of the one I saw in the Norwegian home of Tone Krok which I captured for my second book The Scandinavian Home. I had been convinced it was antique, but actually Tone had simply bought a new mirror and left it exposed to the elements in the garden for a couple of years - and it looked just like this one. Now that's a trick worth knowing! 

The grey ball vase* is from popular Swedish brand Cooee. 

A vintage coffee table - a local flea market find - rests in front of a sofa from Decotique.  

In the summertime, life moves outdoors to soak up the midnight sun on rayon chairs from Mio and a handmade table. 

Lounge chairs and a loveseat from Jakobssons (check out their entire outdoor range - so many lovely pieces!) have been arranged around a handmade table for a relaxed outdoor seating area. 

How unbelievably idyllic! It's everything I imagine a Swedish country home to be and more!

I love the outdoor spaces too - some lovely ideas here. Keep an eye out for more outdoor inspiration soon! 

Could you imagine living here? 

If you don't follow Sara on instagram yet, you're missing out! Hop on over to @ekekullen1 for more! 

Fancy taking a peek inside a few other Scandinavian country homes today? How about: 

A cosy country home in rural Norway

A warm rural Swedish country home that combines old and new

A cosy living space in a Swedish country home

Magical! 

Oh, and a total sidenote - Swedish names! In the UK surnames tend to be centred around a trade, for example 'Smith' or 'Taylor'.

I've noticed in Sweden however, many surnames tend to either be family names (Larsson - 'son of Lars') - some of which have become so common that the younger generation are swapping them out for made up names. In my experience it's also not uncommon for a married couple in Sweden to also choose the more unusual surname among the pair. 

But it's also common for surnames to have origins in nature. Sara's surname 'Sjöblom' for example, means 'seaweed'. 'Lindgren' of Astrid Lindgren fame, means 'green woodland' while Bergman (Ingrid Bergman) translates as 'Mountain man' and my own name 'Brantmark' means 'steep ground' (not quite as romantic as the others, I know!). I have always loved this. 

Where dot eh family names in your country originate from? 

Niki

Photography: Sara Sjöblom / Ekekullen

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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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