A Norwegian Home Gets The Dark Treatment, And It's Beautiful!

People often refer to Scandinavian interior design as a 'trend' - but to me (and I'm pretty sure all Scandinavians) it's anything but. The beauty of Scandinavian design is that's is timeless and surprisingly versatile - the simplicity means it blends with different styles, eras and architectural elements. And as this home shows, it definitely doesn't need to be all about the white / light look! Interior stylist and visual storyteller Catrine Svellingen has transformed her home in Oslo, Norway into a luxurious yet calm sanctuary using a delicious deep blue, rich greens and black and peach accents. The furniture is a mix of elegant contemporary classics, new Nordic design and the occasional IKEA piece for a smart yet homely feel. Are you ready to take a tour?

White Juju hat* (on wall), Kong Gloria candle / vase*, order a made to measure Beni rug like this here*, Flos 2097 chandelier. Oh and what's that we see peeping into the left of the first image? Shock, horror - a TV! Ha ha! It blends in so well it's barely noticeable too - another reason to go for a darker wall colour! 

Paint colour code. S3020-Y40R, Eames side chairs*

Pov wall candle holders* 

How beautiful this home? 

I love the colour combinations (I'm just trying to find out the exact shade she's used in the living room and will hopefully be able to stop by and update the post shortly.  

Is there anything you love about this Oslo home? 

You can see more pictures of Catrine's beautiful home and follow her latest styling projects here. 

I also thought I'd spread a little more Norwegian home love with this beauties: 

Lessons to learn from a colourful yet calm Norwegian home

A serene Norwegian space for the weekend

A Norwegian House by a fjord

I'm really excited to be heading to Bergen next month for a work trip - but thinking about staying for the weekend. Any tips are so welcome! 

Are you up to anything fun this weekend? Whatever you do, I hope you have a fabulous (and relaxing) couple of days!

Niki

Photography: Catrine Svellingen shared with kind permission

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The Beautiful 1920s House of a Swedish Creative

Is it just me, or is the week moving at an alarming rate? If you feel like taking a breather with me, come and enjoy this beautiful Gothenburg home for a moment! It belongs to Swedish graphic designer, artist and photographer Cecilia Hedin (see her former home here), sambo (meaning 'live-in partner') Johan, their baby Björn and dog Bertil. Built in the 1920s, every room has been painted in a different colour - from a deep, luxurious green to soft blues and warm greige and they've also made use of some fabulous wallpaper, and yet there's a wonderful flow to the space. Cecilia's friends Alice Johansson and Johanna Bradford paid a visit and snapped these lovely pics. Välkommen in!

Kitchen cabinets painted in NORDSJÖ simplicity greige and wall panels in the same shade by 40% lighter. 

A circular table and series of Mogensen J39 chairs are surrounded by geraniums for a wonderful 'winter garden' feel! 

This is the kind of 'snug' you can imagine the family spending the lion's share of their time in. I love the classic Jetson chair and indoor climber. And that rustic wood wall adds so much character to the space too, don't you think?!

Sitting room painted in Farrow & Ball Oval Room Blue

This Blackthorne wallpaper by William Morris is so pretty!

Bannisters painted in Farrow & Ball Estate Eggshell

Source vintage botanical prints like these here*.

This lovely desk area reminds me a lot of the home office in their former apartment. The walls have been decorated in luxurious yet calm Chicken Coop by Alcro. Source a vintage architect's desk like this one here*. 

Björn's room has been partly decorated in Jimmy Cricket Woodland wallpaper in charcoal.

So fun with the vintage gymnastics equipment (source similar here*), don't you think?! Although not vintage, my daughter has a set of wooden gymnastics rings in her room and she absolutely loves them - she even gets ready for bed hanging upside down (you can imagine how long that takes *rolls eyes*!)! Rattan lounge chair from Tine K Home.

If I was merely considering adding more colour to my home before, I'm fully committed after seeing these pictures. It's also amazing how much the right wallpaper can transform a room too - Björn's room is just lovely!

Are you tempted to add more colour / wallpaper to your home too?

If you love Cecilia's home you'll also love her online shop where she sells her photography, art and badges (the latter of which remind me a little of our time in the Lake District, England as a child - my sister had a ton of badges showing all the fells she'd conquered - me, not so many!).  

Other inspiring Swedish homes with plenty of colour and pattern include Johanna Bradford's former home, an eclectic 19th century Swedish house and snapshots from Ida's vintage-inspired home in Dalarna. Oh and there's actually an entire archive dedicated to 'decorating with wallpaper' too! 

Do you have a favourite wallpaper?

Ha så bra! 

Niki

Photography: Alice Johansson. Styling: Johanna Bradford. 

Affiliate links marked with *

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A Cosy Scandinavian-boho Family Home

Do you ever suffer from an interior style crisis? I love so many different looks that my home feels like a complete mishmash - each room a mirror of the style I love that week. Bah! I know I'm not alone, as one of my oldest friends says her home decorating has come to a complete standstill as she simply can't decide which direction to go! If you're anything like me, you'll see a home like yesterday's serene light coloured Danish home and have a light bulb moment, and then suddenly a cosy boho-style home like this one in Vendelsö, Sweden will crop up and you'll be like "oooooh, but this is pretty!"  The cosy home in question belongs to freelance interior stylist Elin Wallin of Studio Elwa (who I had the pleasure of meeting at an event a few weeks back), her partner Jonas and daughters Indra (9) and Edda (5). Elin describes her style as "a bit bohemian Scandinavian style and I'm kind of a more is more person - I just buy everything I like and this is how it has turned out!" As we move into Autumn, I can't help falling in love with the deep earthy greens, rust and light brown tones and the romantic wallpaper. Time to pour a coffee and get cosy....

The sitting room walls have been painted in Jotun Lady Minerals Varmgrå  which gives a cosy, textured feel.

Also seen: String shelving system   Rattan armchair   icelandic sheepskin*

I've got a total weakness for vintage drinks trolleys (and it helps that Friday night cocktails are on the radar too!) -  this rattan one is so pretty, don't you think? I found a few similar vintage ones here*. The wall has been painted in D2.15.55 from Nordsjö (apparently the shade looks slightly different from the picture which has a filter on it).

Yay - a 'real' kitchen. If you wake up on a Saturday and it looks like this, you know you've has a great night!

Love the use of a carpenter's bench as a breakfast bar, how about you? - Wonderful!

The kitchen cabinets have been painted in Intense le Havre from Nordsjö which looks perfect with the William Morris Pimpernel wallpaper.

Elin and Jonas' bedroom is painted in Anemon 656 from Beckers. The rattan headboard is from Teretta Living.

What a lovely bedroom for a sporty girl- this wall bar is similar. I also spy: a Dusty pink bed canopy, bunting and Minnen junior bed.

How's this for an idea if you have some left over wallpaper but not enough to cover an entire wall?! This one is the Ava from Sandberg & Friends.

The bunny wallpaper is from Photowall with a matching rabbit lamp. The vintage children's bed has been painted in D2.15.55 from Nordsjö. Check out the scalloped ceiling too - so pretty! And that mirrored cabinet - wow!

I must say, I'm feeling massively inspired by all the unique details in this home - how about you?!

Is there anything that stands out to you in particular or that you can imagine doing in your own home?

Check out more beautiful pictures from Elin's home here.

It's definitely got me in the mood for a cosy weekend - and I've got some blogger friends arriving soon in the shape of Trend Stefan, Agata Dimmich of Passion Shake, Elisabetta Rizzato of Italian Bark, Igor Josif (Happy Interior Blog) and Mette of Monster Circus - it's going to be a fun weekend in Malmö!

I hope you have a fabulous weekend ahead too!

Vi ses på Måndag!

Niki

PS Back to the 'interior style' crisis. One of the beauties of interior design is that you can do whatever you like - and tapping into the various styles you love will make it 'yours' - this is what I try to tell myself. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this too!

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Make-Over: A Dated Bathroom Becomes a Tranquil, Moody Oasis

Are you a shower or a bath person? I love a soak in the evenings - the hotter and more bubbles the better! We lived in an apartment for one year without a bath and I missed it so much. To me, the bathroom has always been a place to escape, and unwind after a long day (preferably with a great book and a glass of wine!).  It seems Jeska Hearne, creator of the beautiful blog Lobster & Swan (and owner of beauty and lifestyle shop the future kept) and husband Dean feel the same. The pair recently stripped out their dated bathroom in East Sussex, England to create a tranquil oasis in which "to inhale, exhale and let the peacefulness soothe the senses" and the result is a-ma-zing! 

Before

The bathroom had been in a semi-ripped out state for a while, and the couple longed for somewhere they could relax surrounded by plants and incense!

Inspiration

The pair took inspiration from rustic bathrooms filled with reclaimed treasures and were looking to find "as many beautiful textures and finishes" as possible.

I was thrilled to see one of their sources of inspiration was Nadia Dole's bathroom which James Gardiner and I captured for my first book Modern Pastoral! I'll never forget the peaceful spot, high up on a hill in Vermont which felt entirely private, save for the odd deer and bear wandering passed the window! Check out more bathrooms that inspired their renovation here.

After

Due to a busy schedule, the bathroom was a year and a half in the making (without a shower or sink - yikes!), and now their haven is finally complete. The space is a delightful patchwork of of items they've bought, salvaged or made by hand against a deep, rich Off Black hue.

"We love the mood and darkness in here, at night we can sink into the bath with the windows open and feel at one with the night air. In the day the sun filters in through the frosted glass and reflects the gold and white highlights of the vases, pots, frames and decorations."

The bath caddy was "made in minutes" from driftwood, this rustic bath tray* is similar,  antique wall mounted brass candle holder.

"The colour throughout is Farrow and Ball Off Black, we used Modern Emulsion for the walls and ceiling and Estate Eggshell for the wooden panelling – (made from upcycled doors that we rescued from a house that was being knocked down in our village)!"

"The handmade curtains around the sink hide a multitude of cleaning products and other bathroom paraphernalia that is uneasy on the eye!" 

Curtain from Green Fibre, the bath and sink taps are by Bristan Renaissance (found on ebay) 

 "Black walls also make a great background for plants, each frond and leaf is visible and highlighted."

Rectangular Shower Tray from Victoria Plum, tiles from Mandarin Stone. 

Be still my beating heart!

Could you imagine going for a look like this in your bathroom? Just in case you're feeling super inspired - there are a load more pictures and a complete write-up of all the items in this beautiful space over on Lobster & Swan here.

Before you get out the sledge hammer - you might also like to scroll through this bathroom archive (loving this traditional Swedish bathroom with a modern twist - one of my all time favourites!).

What does your dream bathroom look like?

Have a wonderful, relaxing weekend -  see you Monday!

Niki

Photography: Lobster & Swan shared with kind permission.

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