A Serene Light Coloured Danish Home

Black, white, grey and cream. These four simple hues are all that's needed in Carla Sofie Molge's serene home in Horsens, Denmark.  To add interest and depth, the freelance interior stylist and CEO of Molge Decor, has worked with form and texture. Think layers of crinkled linen, lace, marble, concrete and cotton as well as delightful sculptural pieces and contemporary design. Scandinavian minimalism at its finest!  Enjoy the tour!

Natural linen bedding*    art by Kristiina Haataja

The Standard Table Lamp*

Malling Living Clothes Rack

 Ferm Plant Box*   By lassen view mirror
 

Mantis table lamp*

Mira 4 Opal light   Montana Free Shelving System   Series 7 Chair* 

Pholc Mobil 100 light*
 

 Object blanc no 25*   Concrete table House Doctor

 Pealing print*   Loulou Avenue Print*   Antibes print*

Raw vase Balance candle holder

It's been a bit of a hectic week - and this calm space is exactly what I needed today. Thank you Carla!

Have you enjoyed this tour too?

There's something so effortless about Carla's style and it really does prove that sometimes it's best to keep it simple! 

If you'd like to check out more pictures from Carla's home take a peek at her instagram and website.

A little news from my side. I mentioned yesterday that I was crazily busy with a tight deadline. Today, my The Home Viewings Exhibition has gone live at The Swedish Design Museum! There are already four homes to view with more to follow over the next few days / weeks! If you'd like to learn a little more about Swedish design and architecture come and join the fun! I hope you'll find it inspiring!

Thank you so much  to the Swedish Design Museum, Visit Sweden and Volontair for all your support!

Ha det så kul! 

Niki


Photography: Carla Sofie Molge
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A tranquil, light-filled Swedish home

Good old Emma Fischer - up to her usual wizardry styling tricks! This beautiful Gothenburg home she styled for Bjurfors recently perfectly captures my image of the Swedish home - pared-back, light-filled, and featuring an abundance of natural materials.  Think soft, muted tones, paper, wool, wood and an abundance of plants. The entire apartment is an exercise in peace and tranquillity! Prepare to lower your pulse!

Mantis BS3 table lamp*

This looks very much like The Frame TV (which cleverly disguises itself as art). I've had a weakness for these ever since my greenhouse make-over with Emily Henderson.

I'd love to be able to update the post with the name of the chair in the foreground if anyone knows it?

As you know, I do love a Kakelugn (Swedish masonry oven), and this looks like one in full working condition too - yay!

Formakami JH4 Pendant lamp* (also seen in this relaxed Stockholm home!), Ant chair*

Klong oil lamp* (I love these - they come in a ton of different colours and materials too). And just how beautiful is the table? A vintage / antique find - keep looking guys, they turn up when you're least expecting it!

 

My friend and neighbour Lisa Hilland designed the stunning Torso chair* - she's so talented, I really must see if she'd like to participate in a design story so I can share more of her designs with you! Pick up a similar pretty ruffled bed skirt here*.

I love the off-white wall colour too, it's so calming. I wonder what shade it is? I recently painted my daughters room in Complexion by Jotun - I can also highly recommend it, but it has a slightly warm, pinkish hue to it.

Aaaaa, who needs yoga when you can have a home like this?

I so enjoyed the tour, how about you? It's made me feel the need to nip out and buy a couple of cheese plants too!

Is there anything that inspired you about this home?

If you'd like to see more beautiful Swedish homes today - why not take a tour of this archive - there are literally hundreds and hundreds of drool-worthy spaces in there. Varsågod!

Have a lovely day y'all!

Niki

PS I'm so excited to be holding a FAB global give-away to win a set of Montana Free Shelving System on Instagram until 6th October - if you'd love one of these in your home hop over here to enter!

Photography Alen Cordic / Styling Emma Fischer for Bjurfors 


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A Soft Swedish Home With A Stormy Bedroom Wall!

Why, hello there friends! It's soooo stormy here today - I've battened down the hatches and am rocking about in some chunky knit socks! Perhaps it was my subconscious which picked out this soft, grey Swedish apartment today. The stormy blue / grey wall in the bedroom is reminiscent of the bruised sky outside - although more beautiful of course! I also love the patina (more details about how to achieve this at the bottom of the post), as well as the relaxed blend of old and new furniture. I'd be very happy padding about here storm or no storm, how about you?! 

 Flos light*, Wishbone chair*, IKEA kitchen cabinets

Love the leather handles - I believe these are also from IKEA! When we moved into our house 11 years ago we had the same green marble in the bathroom. I intended to rip it out, but then it steadily grew on me and today I love it. Are you a fan?

Source a custom-made wall hanging like this one here*.

Do you see what I mean about the 'stormy' wall in the bedroom?! It's amazing how it appears calm and dramatic in equal measure. I love that little pop of red from the balcony door too. Is there anything you love about this Swedish space?

I've created a similar patina on my wall in my dining room and window nook by adding Zinsser Roll-A-Tex Sand texture to the paint. The amount you add will determine how textured the result will be. FYI it's a bit of a faff  - I was absolutely covered in the stuff  - the things we do to get a nice home!!

Do you have any other suggestions on how to nail this look?

If you've also battened down the hatches today, how about popping the kettle on, putting your feet up and scrolling through these grey and white Scandinavian home tours - so beautiful!

Stay cosy!

Niki

Photography courtesy of Alvhem (through whom this apartment is for sale) with thanks.

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The Soothing Scandi-Inspired Home of An Interior Stylist

This is turning into a bit of a European week, isn't it? We kicked off with a Swedish home in earthy blues (loved reading all your comments!), swiftly followed by a pretty family home in Brussels on Tuesday and then we headed to Norway for a soothing bedroom tour, and yesterday we toured the 'slow living' home of Nina Plummer. Meanwhile I've been touring Scandinavia on a cruise ship, where I've been holding talks on Scandinavian design. I arrived home at 1.30am this morning. It's been one very crazy, whirlwind of a week, and I have to say - I'm exhausted, but I have felt so inspired all the same. I hope you've felt the same! I thought we'd round off the week with a tour of the delightfully calm, scandi-inspired home of Interior Stylist Donna Howell in Birmingham, England. Donna loves simplicity and light colours which she balances with personal details to add warmth. I caught up with Donna to find out a little more about her soothing oasis.

Portrait H*, Hay CPH Deux Table, sofa from Florrie + Bill, Ceramics by Catcooe

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Who do you share your home with?
I live in the property with my husband Craig and our little boy Jonnie B, aged 8.

Tell us a little more about the property
Our home is a 3-bedroom Victorian property based in Birmingham which is in the middle of the UK.

What first attracted you to the house?
We bought the property because of its high ceilings, big windows and a wealth of original features such as fireplaces in every room, deep skirting boards and coving.

 A Desk, Adoray print*,  balloon mirror

Adoray print*, Je t'aime Magique Art print, Hubsch lamp, houses from Peek and Pack

Can you tell us about the layout? The layout consists of an entrance hall, a living room, separate dining room, kitchen, pantry, 3 bedrooms one of which is an office and a family bathroom. We are lucky enough to have a large garden too which living in the city isn’t always available.

Have you carried out any major renovations?When we bought the house ten years ago it needed complete modernisation including a new kitchen and bathroom, re-wiring and of course the best bit re-decoration. It was never the plan to stay long term but along came our son 8 years ago and having a great school nearby it made sense to stay put until high school. As that is 3 years off we have decided to stay and kick on with some more renovations. We are currently planning a kitchen extension with side return with a friend whose an architect and we plan to knock the two reception rooms into one to make the downstairs living areas flow better.

Normann CPH Bell pendant* 

Sounds like a wonderful plan to me! How did you become an interior stylist?I have always been a ‘creative’ trapped in a corporate world and had a passion for all things interior, so I decided when my son was a baby I would re-train. I studied interior design at college and went on to become a freelance designer. During this time, we were asked to feature our home in a UK magazine called Ideal Home. It was here that I met a freelance interior stylist and realised my passion lay in ‘styling’ rather than ‘designing’. I have since worked as a stylist on editorial campaigns and content creation for many brands.

How would you describe your style?I would describe my style simple, uncluttered pared back design which is light and airy whilst providing the feel of comfort through the addition of personal touches. I like to add little personal touches that can’t necessarily be replicated. I don’t follow trends on mass but I find little elements of trends can easily be added to a simply designed room. I do like to mix in new, fresh modern design with some old pieces.

Your home has a lovely Scandinavian feel to it, have you always been into Nordic design?

I have always loved Scandinavian design. I love its simplicity and how things are made to last - it fits perfectly with my aesthetic. As a result, we like to visit Denmark and Sweden whenever possible.

Kartell Masters Chair*

Thank you so much Donna - your home is really inspiring and I feel a whole lot calmer now.

If you're a little sad the tour is over and would love to see more - take a peek at Donna's wonderful Instagram feed @dhowelldesigns for plenty more pics!

I hope this post has brought a breath of fresh air to your day too - and that you're feeling all ready for the weekend!

Have a fabulous couple of days and see you Monday!

Niki

PS If you're in need of luxury bedding (err, hello!), I'm holding a give-away with House Babylon over on Instagram until tomorrow! Hope on over here to enter!

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A Delightfully Simple Norwegian Attic Bedroom

It's easy to spend months, even years scratching your head over a space - and the answer is often just to keep it simple! This beautiful bedroom in the attic of Katerina Dima's Norwegian summer cabin is a great example of this! The walls have been painted in a soft grey (Sommersne pure colour supermat from Jotun) creating a gentle contrast with the white wood panelling and the subtle black and brass accents add just enough detail to give the room a lived in touch. And of course, there's that linen!

White* and pale grey linen bedding* are designed to match the walls and ceiling behind. Also seen: Frama stool,  Pholc table lamp*, Aesop hand balm*. 

Katarina picked up the brass hooks from Lagerhaus. They are perfect since they don't require any drilling - and massively practical for hanging robes, bags and even a mirror!

Scandinavian simplicity at it's finest!

I hope this may have helped solved an interior conundrum you're facing or inspired you in some way!

Katerina is the master of grey and white bedrooms - this is her former boudoir in Oslo (also painted in Sommersne).

I seriously wouldn't mind a duvet day in either of these spaces right now, how about you?!

Tour more beautiful bedrooms here! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Katerina Dima shared with kind permission.

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Cate St Hill's Scandinavian Inspired London Oasis

Good morning! I hope you had an underbart weekend?! Get up to anything fun? We went on a road trip to the Blekinge archipelago to visit friends - if you visit Sweden, these islands are a must, they are so magical! The problem is that it was such a relaxing weekend, monday morning has hit me like a sledgehammer (is anyone else feeling slightly disorientated this morning?!), and I'm in panic mode about a 'scandinavian design' presentation next week (I think there are going to be up to 100 people in the room, gulp!). A central theme will be about how the 'less is more' philosophy of Scandinavian design has influenced so many people around the world, and this lovely home in Herne Hill, South London is a fine example! The house belongs to Cate St Hill, interior writer and stylist extraordinaire (check out her instagram feed here), her partner Olivier and very cute miniature dachsund Francis. I chatted with Cate to find out more about the soothing colour pallette, nordic influence and creating a little oasis in the heart of London.

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 IKEA Kitchen cabinets, Hay J104 chair, Muuto platform tray

How did your passion for design begin?
I've always been interested in design and studied architecture at UCL in London before I became a design journalist.

Fired Earth tiles


Your style has a distinctly Scandinavian feel - do you have a long lost Nordic relative somewhere?
I really developed an interest in Scandinavian design when I travelled with a university friend for a month, spending a week in each country. We made little design pilgramages to as many Arne Jacobsen and Alvar Aalto buildings we could find.

Stelton coffee jug*, Teema mugs*

Sinnerlig pendant, Vento sofa

What inspires you about Scandinavian design?
I became inspired by the ways that Scandinavian interiors connect to nature and to people, and the respect for quality and craftsmanship. I like that a lot of Scandinavian design is built to last, they are pieces you can have in your home for a long time, the materials get better with age and the shapes and styles endure.

Have you carried out any extensive renovation work?

When we first found the house it was in need of a bit of work, the living room was painted bright purple for instance! So I wanted to strip things back, open the downstairs living room and kitchen up and transform two dark rooms into a light, open space.

Menu String lounge chair*

What is important to you when creating a home?

 I want to create a calm, tranquil retreat in which to escape the world. I wanted a space that would grow with us, the neutral walls, becoming a blank canvas for everyday life.

Mountain ABC print*, Samsung TV, loop candlestick

How do you add a cosy feel to your home?

I like to use plants, accessories and books to bring life and texture rather than lots of colour.

This pic of Cate's hallway was taken a while back when the space was a work in progress, even so I thought it was too pretty not to share (I hope you don't mind Cate!). 

Can you tell us about the subtle colour palette?

It's blackened by Farrow & Ball on the walls and plain white on the floor (I used Ronseal floor paint).  

And finally, your garden looks like a lovely oasis, do you sit out there a lot?
Yea! it's really sheltered and not overlooked so you don't really feel like you're in London. We've been using it a lot this summer as it's been so warm. It's north facing, I thought it would be really dark but it's a little sun trap during the day.

Thank you so much for telling us about your home Cate.

What a treat this home tour was on a Monday morning  - do you feel inspired too?! Perhaps we should all head out into the garden with our laptops! I'm thinking I'm going to need Francis in tow too - isn't he wonderful?!

Is there anything that stood out to you?

Just in case you're not quite ready to launch into the working week yet - you might just like to check out the grey and white home archive as well as these lovely London homes (makes me feel slightly home sick!). There's a chance Cate's might crop up first - if so, you know what to do (scroll on passed!)!

Have a fab start to the week!

Niki

Photography by Cate St Hill shared with thanks

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