Inside a Beautifully Layered Swedish Home with Art, Antiques and Eclectic Style

Hello there, campers! How was your weekend? The sun shone on Sweden for our Midsummer celebrations, and it was a glorious few days full of dancing, feasts, and wildflowers. Our Viking mugs are full!

Who says all Scandinavians are minimalists? This lovely home is brimming with unique touches – from bookshelves stacked with tomes, sculptures, lamps, and other treasures, to an eclectic mix of furniture for both big and small family members, an incredible array of lighting, and plenty of art.

And I’m not just talking traditional art – there’s also the most wonderful hand-painted mural on the ceiling, adding a playful and personal touch to the space.

Keep an eye out for the earthy tones, some gorgeous colour combinations (brown and fuchsia pink, for one – details at the end!), and a clever DIY children’s bed that adds a lovely touch of fun.

A wonderful home where traditional early 19th century architecture meets mid-century and antique pieces – full of personality and, true to Scandinavian style, a calming sense of balance. Welcome inside!

Oh wow! I absolutely loved this tour. I’m a huge fan of lighting, and I couldn’t help but be in awe of the many different fittings found throughout the home. Even based on those alone, it’s clear the owners are true beauty hunters – taking their time to find unique pieces and layering their home with care over time.

What stood out to you? And tell me – would you ever go for a mural on your ceiling?

As promised, here are some of the colour codes: 

Dining room - walls in Silhouette and ceiling in Sand, both by Jotun.  

Master bedroom - walls in Soft and built-in wardrobes in Granskugga by Jotun.  

Children's bedroom - Lövsal by Jotun. 

Shall we take a little look at a few more eclectic homes today? How about: 

The eclectic home of a jewellery designer
An eclectic family home in Norway

Maria's colourful apartment will brighten up your day

Have a fabulous start to the week friends! 

Niki

PS the light in our little cabin and its surroundings was so incredible on the summer solstice - I've shared a couple of films and pictures here if you'd like to see! 

Photography: Fredrik Karlsson, for sale via Alvhem. Found via Nordroom with thanks. 

READ MORE...

18

The Fascinating Home of a Swedish Artist

Have you heard of the program 'Through the keyhole'? It's a TV show I used to watch growing up where they would take you on a tour of someone's home and you'd have to guess who lived there. I often think back to this and wonder - 'is my home personal and unique enough that there would be enough clues to who my family and I are?' I would hope so. 

When I stumbled across this home on Historiska Hem, it swept me up into the world of an artist and book lover - perhaps a thespian, or someone who loves amateur dramatics. I could imagine them pouring over tomes for inspiration, tinkering with a paintbrush while listening to jazz with a fire crackling away - and the distant buzz of Stockholm city life in the background. 

Whoever lives here also has a fine collection of furniture. From centuries old hand painted cabinets to mid-century chairs - the collection spans several hundred years and has been picked up from places all over the world, telling the story of a life well lived. Ready to pour over the details? Welcome inside a Swedish artist's world! 

A fascinating home! So many details to discover, and truly unique in a wonderful way! 

I'd love to hear what you discovered about this home - I'm sure I have missed many clues. 

Curious to see a few more artists homes today? 

A relaxed Danish artist cabin in Copenhagen

The charming creative home of a Polish artist

The home of an artist in Copenhagen

A Swedish artist's home in a former school

A danish artist's beautiful and inspiring home

The lovely Georgian home of a textile artist

A Danish artist's home with angles and oodles of charm

Wow, I got a little carried away there - and there are tons more in the archive if you simply search for 'artist'. I do love the home of a creative, always deeply personal and interesting. 

I hope you have a wonderful few days lined up ahead - we're heading up to our summer cottage for a couple of days to make the most of what is likely to be the final heatwave of the summer (considering setting my alarm at sunrise so I don't miss a second of it - need to have my batteries fully charged before the light starts to fade and autumn sets in! Do you sense my unease?). 

Thank you so much for stopping by and for sharing all your thoughts and observations in the comments, I am so happy to be a part of this positive, likeminded MSH community, it really means the world! 

Niki

Photography Therese Jahnson, Styling Anna Van Keppel for Historiska Hem

READ MORE...

10

A Creative Swedish Home Filled with Art

Yesterday, I mentioned that I'd feature a Danish home today, but you know how it is, plans change! I promise the feature is still in the pipeline (watch this space). But the good news is, I have another inspiring home to share with you, in the form of this creative Swedish apartment! 

The 44 sqm (473 square foot) apartment caught my eye thanks to its unique style - it's like none other I've seen before! Think walls filled with original art, vibrant cushions, interesting colour combinations, mix and match vintage furniture and plenty of plants! 

Keep your eyes peeled during the tour as there are plenty of small touches to feel inspired by - and also two very clever colour styling tricks. 

Allow me to explain the first. When adding a strong colour to a space it can create a nice element of surprise. However, a random colour on its own can be quite jarring to the eye and ruin the harmony - or even completely take over a space. So, experts often use a rule of three, which simply means, that if you add an accent colour to a space, try to repeat it three times to balance the look. 

The second trick is referred to as the 'rödtråd' in Swedish - which translates to 'the red thread'. The idea is to repeat an accent colour throughout your home to create a flow. In this home for example, you can see the table legs in the kitchen match the pendant lamp in the bedroom. 

 

Such an interesting home! I love the unique touches and homely feel. 

Is there anything that caught your eye? Perhaps you use some design tricks in your home? If so, please do share in the comments below if you'd like! 

Would you like to see a few other creative homes today? How about: 

I also stumbled on this lovely post featuring pictures from creative workspaces! 

The happy home of artist Katie Schelter

The fab creative home and studio of a Brooklyn creative duo

The relaxed creative home of an Antwerp couple

I hope you enjoyed today's tour! 

Niki

Photography: Boukari

Styling: Copparstad

Featured on Historiska Hem

Found via Nordroom with thanks. 

READ MORE...

18

Books, Art and a Cool Painting Technique in a Swedish Home

It's Fredag (Friday) people! Woohooo! I am going to hazard a guess and say 50% of swedes are working at home today. Basically, anyone who can! It's a day where homes are prepped between meetings in order to have everything ready for 'fredagsmys' (a cosy Friday evening at home involving tacos and a movie), possibly the most important event of the week! 

This fabulous funkis home in Gröndal, Gothenburg measuring 85 m2 (914 ft sq) is just the place I can imagine enjoying 'fredagsmys'. Books galore, musical instruments and art are just a few of the things that stood out to me right away. But take a closer look and there are other great interior elements at play. 

Flexible Elfa shelving (which I have added to Allie's room and also used in the laundry room and attic) is ideal for a large wall of books!  

I also love the classic vintage drop leaf table (source a similar one here*), which adds plenty of charm to the space. 

The living space is entirely open-plan with the dining area, sitting room and home office all in one - meaning everyone can be together yet doing their own thing. 

One of my favourite lamps - a Gubi semi pendant, hangs over the coffee table. 

I love this gallery wall, full of fascinating original paintings. While at the Formland design fair last week, I noticed that there's a strong movement away from posters and prints in glass frames to original artwork on canvas and other fabrics. A welcomed move! 

Plate racks have also become increasingly popular - as seen in Kristin's French kitchen last week, and here in the open shelving. 

Wall racks are a great idea for cookbooks - as seen here, it ensures they are ready to be perused over a morning coffee! 

In the bedroom, the owners have used old fashioned 'stänkmålning' on the walls - a method of flicking paint on the walls with a paintbrush. This was traditionally used by the Swedish lower classes who couldn't afford wallpaper but still wanted to decorate their walls. You often see it in summer cottages. In this room, the splashes have a wonderful contemporary feel! 

Wood abound in the shared children's room - and so much room to create too. 

What a fabulous home with so many interesting details, don't you think?

Are there any ideas which you could imagine applying to your own home? 

Check out more swedish homes this weekend here. 

I hope you have a fabulous few days, see you right back here on Monday, when I'll be sharing a beautiful French chateau!

Niki

Photography: Utsikten foto

Styling: Utsikten home

For sale via Historiska Hem

READ MORE...

4