Converted Stables Become a Dramatic Home Full of Contrast in Norway

It's Friday friends - JAAAAA! To wrap up the week I'm leading us all over to the dark side (mwah ha ha) on a virtual journey to an incredible maisonette in Oslo. Formerly a stables, the two floor apartment is owned by Nina (blogger behind Note to Self), her boyfriend Jørgen, baby boy Gustav, and cutest pup Ipa. When Nina's not sewing or working as a graphic designer, the pair are transforming the space (often on a minimum budget) into a dramatic family home full of contrast and delicious, warm, dark grey, chocolate and beige accents. Enjoy the tour!

The maisonette has an upside down layout with the entry, bathroom and bedroom on the ground floor and an open-plan kitchen, sitting room and dining area on the upper level. I thought we'd start with the cosiest zone of all - the sitting room!

The sitting room wall has been painted in NCS S 7002B which makes a wonderful contrast to the oak floors, plastered brick walls and a fluffy 70's style shaggy rug (from Layered). And just how cosy does that velour Madison sofa look? The Blind No5 print is by Danish artist Kristina Krogh (available here).

It's incredible what a difference vintage wood adds to a monochrome space. Pick up similar  Thonet-style bistro chairs here (gah! So beautiful!). Nina never quite got on with the original brickwork and so they decided to plaster over it.

"The plastering gave just the right, tactile texture the apartment needed. And the colour was perfect too, so there was no need to paint it."

Where would a Scandinavian kitchen be without a natural linen tablecloth?! So pretty (and it looks better un-ironed too). It's nearing lunchtime here and I'm sort of drooling over the cheese too!

All hale the Bollo chair by Norwegian designer Andreas Engesvik (I've got my eye on the pink one). 

Since the pair are currently renovating a house elsewhere right now (their future home), they didn't want to invest too much money on the apartment. Even so, they still managed to transform the kitchen from this...

 To this...

...on a limited budget!

 To achieve the new look they plastered the walls and painted them in NCS S 7002B, spray painted the cabinets in NSC S 8002B, replaced the thick laminate counter top, kitchen taps, sink (all HTH), added Borghamn handles from IKEA and spray painted the switches, sockets and cables. 

Quite incredible, and so inspiring to know what you can do on a limited budget, don't you think?!

When the pair moved in the stairs were a varnished yellow colour...

They painstakingly sanded them down before washing them with white pigmentation, and then painted the walls and doors the same colour as the sitting room. They also added the same oak floor. 

What an incredible transformation, don't you think?! I've been wondering what to do with my stairs (which are also tinged with an old yellow varnish) and now I may have found the answer - I just need to brace myself for the work (and warn Per!)!

Nina saved a load on a designer clothes rail by creating one from a 12 mm copper pipe, which she bent into shape using a wrench, lightly sand papered and then sprayed matt black! So clever! More info on her blog here. 

The dark tones are also carried through to the bedroom which give the room a wonderful cocoon like feel - and no doubt feels blissfully dark at night, even under the Norwegian midnight sun!

Another Scandinavian must - natural stonewashed linen bedding (it's that ironing thing again! Source similar here) - the unbleached material looks particularly lovely against the dark grey walls!

And this little chap feels right at home!

Thank you so much for inviting us into your beautiful home Nina, Jørgen, Gustav and Ipa! I for one, might be tempted into over to the dark side in my own home after all. Anyone else feeling inspired too?!

See more of Nina's home renovations, creations and recipes over on her fabulous blog Note to Self as well as on her instagram feed.

I can't resist leaving you with a few other links to enjoy over the weekend too:

f you're looking for more home tours on the dark side try a cosy cocoon-like Swedish home (also featured here) and dramatic green and grey in a Swedish home - actually, do you know what? I'm just going to go ahead and give you the link to the entire 'dark colours' archive! Way easier!

And now for one of my favourites. Conversions. Don't you love it when a home has history (like the stables in today's post)?! See everything from converted garages, warehouses, schools, shops and even a bar here!

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!

Niki

PS This weekend I'm writing a guide to Malmö in which I'm hoping to cover off a load of the things I missed in my previous Malmö guide (and some of the new places that have popped up too) I'm so looking forward to my staycation! Look out for the guide soon.

All photography  © Nina / Note to Self

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Deep Hues in a Calm Swedish Apartment

When I arrived in the Gothenburg archipelago to visit Carpe Diem Beds yesterday it was bright sunshine - I thought 'I can't wait to get my camera out tomorrow'. And guess what? I woke up this morning (at the beautiful - Strandflickornas Havhotel) and there was a howling gale outside! I'm all cosy in my room drinking coffee and tapping away at my laptop, so it's all good anyway! And I've even managed to find a home tour to match (or should I say 'embrace') the beautiful moody notes of the weather. Think green-blue, deep purple and greys, luxurious velvet and a plenty of books and magazines to hand! What a perfect place to batten down the hatches and ride out the storm?!  

Stylist: Emma Fischer  Photography: Alen Cordic for Bjurfors. 

What a perfect oasis. All that's missing is music from a gramophone and you're sorted!

Coud you imagine rocking about here?

If you're curious about achieving a similar look, here's our round-up of lovely pieces....

Get the look

1. Emery Linen/Cotton Pole-Pocket Drape
2. Mark Eden Schooley Lamp
3. Sculpt Pod Vase
4. Bourne Dimpled Glass Vase
5. Southern Enterprises Full-Length Leaning Wall Mirror
6. Javiel Coral Decoration
7. Pedrera Coffee Table
8. DWR Diamond Quilt
9. DWR Linen Pillowcases
10. DWR Sateen Duvet Cover
11. Kaiser-idell™ Tiltable Table Lamp
12. Zeus Handmade Vase
13. Colette Desk
14. Spectrum Throw
15. Heart leaf plant
16. Nelson™ Daybed


Right, time to wrap up warm and head out with my camera (I've heard photographers love a 'moody sky' so perhaps it'll only add to my pictures anyway!).

Have a lovely day!

PS See more homes decorated in rich, dark colours here.

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An arty Gothenburg home in rich tones and bold patterns

Hejsan allihopa! There's been a whole load of white going on here over the past few days so I thought it was time to indulge in something a little different. Think rich, deep tones in grey, green and dusty pink, luxurious textures and bold patterns. Art and photography dominates the walls and a blend of designer, one off vintage finds and reclaimed items set the tone for a beautiful relaxed home in the heart of Gothenburg, Sweden. Enjoy!

 Credits: this home was recently sold through Alvhem.

I love the boho, creative style of this space - it oozes warmth.

The dark green velvet curtain used to hide the wardrobe really adds to the beautiful rich textures in the bedroom, as do the pretty vintage kimonos.

We're seeing bold wallpaper more and more in the home (as seen in Johanna Bradford's lovely apartment, the world of Anna Kvarnström and a romantic Swedish home?), are you a fan?

And do you happen to know the name of the wallpaper in this sitting room? If so, wonderful if you can let me know in the comment section below and I can update the post for anyone who's wondering about it!

If you like the idea of wallpaper but prefer a lighter, more whimsical look - I love Blossom (as seen in this home).

And finally, a few items I know and love from this Gothenburg space: sitting room -  round mirror, le lampe gras (wall lamp), Butterfly chair (love this!), Gotland grey sheepskin throw. Bedroom - linen valence.

Have a lovely day!

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A relaxed home with an inspiring array of colours!

Do you ever have one of those nightmares where you're trying to get somewhere but obstacles keep getting in your way?! It's like my day - but for real! It's early afternoon and I haven't actually done anything yet (not for want of trying)! This is partly because Friday posts always take a little extra research. Not only do I love to feature a home that's a little different, but I also like it to give us all one big, boost of happiness right before the weekend, so we all come away feeling inspired!  And I've finally found one, thanks to the lovely Jules over at German blog Herz & Blut (remember this home?!) who recently captured the home of Melodie Michelberger. Melodie is communications editor and co-founder of 'Trust the girls' - an empowering community to celebrate feminism, diversity, equality and freedom -  and a sharp eye for design. In her home, deep blues, rich greens, soft pinks and sunny yellows contribute to the colour scheme which serve as the perfect backdrop for a wonderful selection of ceramics, vintage finds, colourful textiles and mix of plants. Let's take a peek!

Credits: photography Jules Villebrandt / Herz & Blut. Shared with kind permission. 

What a great space? Truly personal - with some wonderful touches too (I actually did a double take on that pillow in the last picture!

Is there anything that stands out to you?

I hope this space has put a smile on your face like it has mine!

Get the look from Melodie's home: pIKEA PS 2014 rug, macrame hanging planters, pick up a vintage Louis Poulsen pendant lamp here, sea grass belly basket, cushion on bed (I also found this more simple version!).

Does anyone know where the mobile in the bedroom is from? If so, wonderful if you can let us know in the comment section below! 

Try Farrow & Ball for similar colours (always try a load of swatches on different walls - it can look completely different depending on the direction of the light.

You can see the full feature and interview here (in German) and follow Melodie's work (and snapshots of her home) over on Instagram.

Loving that it's Friday - woohoo! Do you have any fun plans? In case you're planning a little down time, you might just want to check out some of these links I've loved this week....

How to rock old world art in the modern interior. 

The most cosy looking stools ever.

Seconds of light at rainbow bay.

When Victoria painted her house black.

A modern extension in the snow.

Bedrooms with black art.

And finally... in April I'll be heading to Milan (for the first time) for the Salone del Mobile. I hope I can find somewhere to stay like this apartment - isn't it fab?! I'd love to receive any tips on places to stay!

Have a wonderful weekend and see you Monday!

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The atmospheric home of a Swedish interior designer

Hello there! I hope you had a wonderful weekend? The man and I have been in Gothenburg for a couple of days where I finally paid a visit to Artilleriet - remember the studio?! In store, rich dark green walls provided an atmospheric backdrop for an assortment of art and the most fabulous home decor items - I was in design heaven! The vibe reminded me a lot of the home of one of Sweden's top interior designers - Lotta Agaton - a cosy cocoon-like space which came out on the market this weekend. Smoky dark grey walls combine with black, green and white accents in an apartment brimming with beautiful treasures. I'd want to buy it with everything intact, how about you?!

The home of Lotta Agaton - for sale through ESNY. 

Wow! Every time I see this space I fall more in love with it. It also gets me wondering about introducing darker tones into my home. Although, I have to say Lotta can rock a white backdrop too - as seen in her previous home.

I can't wait to see what she does next, how about you?!

Get the look from Lotta's beautiful home: sitting room - safari lounge chair (available through various auction sites), brown sheepskin throw, Kate Moss and Tom Ford books kitchen - snoopy lamp (in green), Gras wall lampe bedroom - flos 265 wall lamp. Hallway - rug by Gan.

For a similar wall tone try swatches from the Farrow & Ball dark colours collection.

Grey and green have also been combined in a beautiful way in this sophisticated Swedish space - what a beautiful blend?

Have a great start to the week!

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