The Idyllic Thatched Cottage and Garden of a Danish Artist

The work of Danish artist and freelance designer Ane Kirstine Bilde is inspired by flora and fauna - which makes her idyllic country home a perfect base. From the outside, the property on the coast of western Funen is every inch the quintessential country home, with its thatched roof and whitewashed stone walls. Inside, the relaxed vintage and antique furniture helps to accentuate the warm and inviting, yet calm and relaxed feel. look closely and you'll notice every corner of Ane's house is filled with pretty floral motifs and nature-inspired art. In spring, the house comes alive with spring touches from the garden - and life moves outside to the garden and a simple outhouse. Ready to take a look? Velkommen (as they say in Denmark)! 

What a lovely life! I couldn't think of a more perfect home for an artist inspired by nature, can you? 

The outhouse is so pretty. This style of sunroom / greenhouse has become increasingly popular in Scandinavia lately as somewhere to hang out when the weather is less than favourable - but still mild - and prolong the summer! 

Funnily enough, it looks a little like the tiny cabin we have just built - except, of course ours is a contemporary version! 

Could you imagine spending your summer here? 

See more of Ane's idyllic country home over at @anekirstine.bilde - and discover her art here. 

Would you like to take a look at a few other Danish country homes today? Here are a few of my favourites from the archive: 

Before & after - a century old Danish thatched cottage is given a revamp

Historical charm meets Scandi minimalism in a Danish country home

A Danish cabin by the sea becomes a lockdown haven

Have a great start to the week friends! 

Niki 

Photography: Ane Kirstine Bilde shared with kind permission

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Smart Compact Family Living On a Budget, Swedish Country Style!

Sometimes the best things come in small packages. And this home is a perfect example of this! Located in Uppsala, Sweden, the 43 square metre (463 square feet) apartment is home to digital creator Emma Boman Högmark, her husband and their three children: ten-year-old twins and a four-year-old. 

"The hallway, living room, bedroom and kitchen are all one room," Emma tells me. "Our bed is behind the curtain, behind the sofa. And the kids' bedroom is in a separate room. The closet has been changed into a bedroom for our youngest daughter - so compact living, yeah!"

Looking at the style, which Emma describes as "country design and second hand - full of harmony, ikea hacks and warm colours", you'd be forgiven for thinking this budget friendly pad is in the countryside - but it's actually in a 90's block, right in the heart of the city! 

Ready to feel inspired? Pull up a chair, and take the tour! 

At mealtimes, the table is pulled out from the window to create seating for the entire family. 

One of the beautiful things about this apartment, is that there is storage almost everywhere (look closely and you'll see open shelves and rows of hooks on almost every wall throughout the flat). And yet it still looks uncluttered, cosy and charming. 

Behind the dining table you can glimpse Emma and her husband's bed by the window. 

Sheer curtains are ideal for flexible small space living. During the day, they can be pulled back to flood the sitting room area with light. By night, the curtains can be drawn across to create privacy while still slipping in soft, filtered light to the other half of the room. 

The corner of the sitting room doubles up as a dressing room. 

Wall-to-wall storage made from a group of Ikea IVAR cabinets painted in an earthy green provide storage for clothes, toys and other items. 

Above it, family photos and a selection of art add a personal touch to the room. 

Despite the small space, the apartment is dotted with  beautiful pieces that create a unique and homely vibe.

The twins sleep in an Ikea MYDAL bunkbed which Emma stained brown for an aged look: "I mixed a whole load of wood stains - using everything I had at home, some of which were different colours!"

On the opposite side of the room, more slim ikea ivar cabinets are used for storage, while a wardrobe at the end of the bed provides hanging space and a vintage suitcase* offers a home for smaller items.  

While the youngest family member sleeps in a converted closet. This is how it looked before the make-over: 

To make it more 'liveable' Emma removed the door and painted the interior in cosy two-toned walls and added small details such as a mini shelf, hooks, and a canopy. 

Compact family living at its finest! 

And also, a perfect example of how you don't need to go contemporary just because you live in a modern apartment in the centre of town! 

Truly inspiring, don't you think? 

See more snapshots of Emma's home and follow her latest ikea hacks and other wonderful home DIY projects at @emmahogmark. 

Intrigued to take a look at some other small spaces today? Head on over to this archive - it's FILLED with amazing Scandi style compact living ideas. 

Har det så fint! 

Niki

Photography: @emmahogmark, shared with kind permission. 

*signifies an affiliated link 

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A Dated Property is Restored to a Dream Swedish Country House

From a summer cottage on an island in southern Jutland, Denmark yesterday - to the fields of Skåne, South Sweden today: welcome to Marie and Eric's beautiful country home. The pair have been painstakingly restoring their dream home for over four years - transforming both the interior and exterior.  To say they had vision would be an understatement. In fact, the facade alone will inspire any house hunter out there to see beyond less attractive exteriors! Step inside, and you're transported into a cosy world of exposed wood beams, arched windows, DIY cabinets and antique furniture. Ready to feel inspired? Let's take the tour. 

Exterior before

A red brick house has been given a complete make-over with the help of a new facade, windows and doors.

Exterior after

Entrance before

Entrance after

Main kitchen after the renovation

The beautiful black glass cabinet was made using a built-in structure fitted with antique pains. It reminds me of the DIY cabinet in the Montana home of Jana Roach. 

Main living area before 

Previously a warren of small, modern rooms, Eric and Marie completely gutted the space, knocking down walls, ripping out the floor and stripping back the ceiling to reveal the original wood beams and original architecture. 

Main living area after

The cosy open-plan living room and dining area is bathed in light from arched windows, while wood beam ceilings add warmth and an intimate feel to the spacious room. 

Mezzanine floor after

Bathroom before

The bathroom is pretty much unrecognisable, with the ceiling completely knocked through and smaller windows exchanged for arched glass doors in keeping with traditional Skåne architecture. 

Bathroom after

Quite the transformation!

I love it when a house is restored to its former glory like this, it requires so much dedication, but the results are so worth it! 

Is there anything that stood out to you? 

You can see more of Marie and Eric's wonderful home and their ongoing renovation over at @oliverogård. 

There are a ton more 'before and after' tours in this archive if you feel like hanging around for a while (if this pops up first, just scroll past!). 

I'm very excited about sharing my new dream wardrobe with you tomorrow including the before pictures, the design and results. I hope you're going to like it as much as I do - hopefully it might inspire anyone out there looking to create some more storage! 

Vi ses imorgon!

Niki 

Photography courtesy of @oliverogård, shared with kind permission. 

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