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Trend Alert: How To Rock The Pastels

The skies might be slowly darkening here in Sweden, but summer looks set to continue thanks to one of this year's hottest interior trends: pastels. Powder pink, mint, lavender, clearwater blue, lemon yellow - it's all about that soft, sweet touch. Own the look by colour blocking with tone on tones or add simple, subtle touches in the form of a single item of furniture or accessory. Combine with clean lines and contemporary touches for a tougher, modern vibe. Here are three pastel shades I'm loving - and a guide on how to rock them in your home this autumn! 

Powder pink

Pastel Pink
1. Tom Fereday 2. Kelly Day 3. Mark Hadden 4. Surrounding Australia 5. Anna Pirkola 6. H&M Home

Powder pink has reigned supreme in the world of interiors for a while now. Often referred to as 'millennial pink', the earthy shade holds an element of retro (my Granny Ruth had a matching bathroom suite in this shade - and although I didn't appreciate it at the time - looking back it was pretty awesome!). The beauty of this shade is that it looks equally great as an entire room (try deco pink by Jotun Lady or Sweet Pastel by Valspar for the ultimate wall colour) or as an accent in the form of lamps, vases and bedding.
Get The Look
1. SP01 Jeanette Chair
2. Ferm Living Hexagon Vase*
3. Gubi Grasshopper Floor Lamp*
4. H&M Washed Cotton Duvet Set


Lavender

Pastel Green
1. Ferm Living 2. Earthborn 3. Little Greene 4. Earthborn 5. Taubmans

I've got a confession to make. I was sceptical about this shade. But then I started to see it creep into interiors in the form of soft, earthy lavender-grey walls (try Lavender Lace by Behr) or a rug here or a sofa there and I quickly changed my mind. In order to avoid it looking fusty, combine with beige, gentle browns, grey and light blue, for a style that's bang up to date.
Get The Look
1. Dino Floor Lamp
2. Anthropologie Veru Dinner Plate
3. Parachute Sateen Sheet Set


Mint green

Pastel Lilac
1. Carpet Right 2. Beth Kirby 3. Deiji Studios 4. Anthropology 5. Mindlike Studio

The least cutesy of the three, mint is cool, calm and contemporary. I'd lean towards the light green- pale blue of the spectrum (try Top sail by Sherwin Williams or even Soft Mint by Jotun Lady if you're looking for something slightly darker) and combine with other natural, earthy shades. I think it works particularly beautifully with rattan, light wood, dark greens and chocolate brown.
Get The Look
1. Ferm Living Tufted Wall Deco Rug*
2. Ferm Living Bau Plant Pot
3. Louis Poulsen AJ Table Lamp*
4. Cachae Tall Pendant*

Did any of these shades leap out at you? I have both powder pink and a darker shade of mint green in my own home. They're very soothing and easy to live with! I'd  absolutely love a pink bathroom just like Granny Ruth's too!

What are your thoughts on pastel? Are you a fan? Do you have any pastel shades in your home?

Niki

PS I've just arrived in Hamburg for the day to record a podcast with Holly Becker (Decor8) and Living At Home Holly magazine. Eeeek, wish me luck! I'll be sure to share snippets from the day on instagram stories so hop on over if you're curious to see how it's going!

*This post contains affiliate links which means I might receive a teeny amount of money (we're talking one coffee bean) if you purchase any of the items accompanied by an asterisk! 

Thank you so much to the wonderful Ana Degenaar for your help to compile this post. 

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Peek Behind The Facade of a Beautiful Red Danish house From The 1920s

FREEEEEDAG! (FRIIIIIDAY!) people, WOOP! Do you have any fun plans for the weekend? I'm currently waiting to feel my mouth again after a visit to the dentist (don't you hate it when they give you an injection?!). I'm praying it'll wear off in time for tonight! Since I can't talk, I've been able to spend even more time than usual hunting for home tours and that's how I stumbled across this one (via Nordic Design). You can kind of guess that the owners of Danish brand Skagerak would have a beautiful home and a peek behind the facade of Jesper and Vibeke Panduro's red house in Aalborg is a real feast for the eyes! Think spacious rooms, walls painted in soft pastel hues, Danish design and beautiful original details from the 1920s. Let's go inside! 

The wishbone chairs around the dining table are over 50 years old and will continue to be a favourite for many generations to come. The terracotta bowls are from the Skagerak Edge collection

Swooning over that 1920s floor! Isn't it lovely?

The all-time classic Flag halyard armchair has been given a cosy touch with a simple brown sheepskin*. Check out the 1920s radiator and ceiling too! 

Loving the simplicity of the Massai bench - it was inspired by old stair handrails and industrial machinery. 

This giant cork board (made up of smaller cork boards) is awesome. I'd love something like this in my kitchen, how about you? (This cork board* is similar). The beautifully crafted Hven chair is from Skagerak. 

There's a load more about Jesper and Vibeke's home here. And look out for my post on pastels next week.... it'll sure to include some tips on the prettiest pastel paint shades. 

In the meantime, the Danish home archive is always worth a scroll (warning: you can get lost in that one for hours!). 

Right folks, it's time for the weekend. If only my mouth would feel like normal again (the drool is not a good look either!). 

I hope you have a fabulous weekend! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Skagerak
*affiliate links

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Easter Touches in a Charming Swedish Home

The Easter school holidays have officially begun in Sweden, the spring flowers are finally in bloom and the sun is shining (if only it were a little warmer though - BRRRRR - up North they have three metres of snow, crazy!). The home of Ulrika Andåker - the fashion and interior blogger behind Colorelle has added some lovely Easter touches to her charming home in Norrköping - which perfectly captures the essence of spring time in Sweden.  Keep a look out for subtle pastel accents, feathers, eggs, lilacs and blossom! 

In Sweden it's customary to tie coloured feathers to branches - I love these subtle brown-pink hues, they're so pretty!

A simple bouquet of lilacs from the gardens make a pretty display in the window. 


Pretty daffodils and geraniums brighten up the stairway. 

Ulrika's dressing room occupies a small yet bright spot on the upper floor and a garden trellis has been used for shoe storage - such a clever hack!

William Morris Pimpernel wallpaper brings spring blooms to the master bedroom! And there's even an Easter touch in one of the children's rooms (below!)

I love these subtle ideas! In fact, there is so much inspiration to be taken from all the decor, don't you think?! 

See more pictures of Ulrika's home as well as get fashion and styling ideas over on her blog and instagram

For more DIY ideas check out My Big Easter Edit and Five Beautifully Simple Easter DIY ideas. We're heading to London for Easter this year but I might contribute with my DIY bunny ear napkins

Do you have any Easter / spring decorating traditions?

Niki

Photography: Ulrika Andåker shared with kind permission 

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Snapshots From A Family Home in The Swedish Countryside


Oj oj oj! I do believe it's Friday! Bring on the weekend! It's feeling decidedly Autumn around here so it's definitely going to be a cosy one. I thought this Swedish family home was the perfect way to get us all in the spirit! Built in 1980, the 250 metre square (2600 foot square) "big red" house just outside the small town of Gränna belongs to Linnéa Rolfsson, a physio therapist and student.When Linnéa, her husband Simon and their two children acquired the house, she was finally able to tap into her passion for interior design and create a lovely, warm family home. The pair have made many structural changes and today the space is made up of a kitchen, sitting room and playroom on the ground floor, and large second sitting room (with a teepee), the children's bedrooms and a master bedroom on the upper floor. I caught up with Linnéa to find out more.


Who lives in your home?
Me, my husband Simon and our kids Ebbe (nearly 5) and Elis who is 2 years old. 




String pocket shelves, KitchenAid*, 'Just my cup of tea' cup

Where did your passion for interior design come from?
I’m a physical therapist but right now I’m also studying digital communication and marketing. I’ve always loved interior design and have always liked to surround myself with nice things. As a kid I would redecorate my room every time I cleaned it. My passion for interiors really took off when we moved to our current house. It's the first time we have owned somewhere and got the chance to really make it our own. Around the same time, I also discovered Instagram and my passion just grew and grew. Also I think for me, decorating is a kind of therapy. When it feels stormy on the inside, I find it helps to create a warm and beautiful space on the outside.

 Belly basket*

Would you say your home is typically Swedish?
Yes, I would say it’s pretty Scandinavian/Swedish. We like what we call in Sweden 'ljust och fräscht' - white walls, bright floors and furniture. We have a lot of furniture from Ikea but also a few Swedish and danish design classics like the Arne Jacobsen 'Sjuan' chair* and Bruno Mathsson Karin armchair. Maybe our home is a little more colourful than the typical Swedish home. 



How you would describe your style?
Oh, that’s a tough one! I’d say my style is colourful, Scandinavian with a touch of retro. I appreciate interesting objects/furniture that you don’t see in everyone's homes. I love buying stuff second hand and vintage, it often makes a home feel more personal and unique. 

Where do you buy things for your home?
I would say most of it is second hand. I look through 'Blocket' (a Swedish online second hand site) every night before going to bed. In our first apartment we bought everything from IKEA and when a friend came to visit she said "OMG, it’s like visiting the IKEA catalogue!" It was said as a compliment, but I didn´t take it that way! Maybe it was then I decided to try to go for a more personal expression. Vintage furniture often comes with a feeling that new things don’t. It’s hard to explain. I don’t just buy old pieces second hand, the other day I bought a two year old IKEA drawer set. It was in quite bad shape, so I renovated it and it turned out great! Second hand items are good for both the environment and your wallet.  I also try to look around and see what we already have in our home (or in the basement). Often you can make something new out of stuff that you already have.

What is important when it comes to decorating a home with young children?
The kids are allowed everywhere in our house, I can’t imagine having it any other way. So you have to think twice when you decorate. The things they play with are put in bags or baskets on the floor, and the things I don’t want them to play with are kept out of their reach. We have just bought a new couch, a white one (yes it’s OK to gasp!). So we’ll see how that goes and how often I will regret it! But hey, it’s just furniture. I’d rather have a white couch with stains but that I really love than a boring, practical one that I will want to throw out in a few years.

Linnéa painted the IKEA drawer set in 'Soft mint' by Jotun

Which swedish instagram / blog are your favourites?
I really love @leilabavcic @juliaspasteller and @bloggaibagis - they always give me so much inspiration!


Thank you so much for inviting us into your lovely home and telling us all about it Linnéa!

Linnéa's home is very much a work in progress. If you'd like to see a few more pics and follow the progress, you can always follow along on Instagram here.

Other homes with touches of pastel to be found here.

I'm heading over THE bridge to Copenhagen shortly for a meeting with Skandinavisk (love that brand!) and then I'm holding a talk for a Danish company (eeeek, so nerve-racking!). I'll be so ready for a drink after that - luckily the Danes have the best beer in the world (probably!).

Do you have any fun plans for the weekend?

Whatever you do, I hope you have a fabulous (and relaxing) couple of days.

Vi ses på Måndag! 

Niki

Photography Linnéa Rolfsson - shared with kind permission.

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A White Dutch Home With Salmon Pink Accents

We made it friends, it's Friday - whopeeee!!! The crazies broke up from school today too (Eeeek, so early...!). Time to make some holiday plans. Have you noticed that the Instagram place to go right now is Tulum, Mexico? I visited around 18 years ago - and I have to say it was truly stunning! I promise there is a rationale behind all this chat. I was taking my usual evening scroll through IG yesterday (as you do!) and stumbled across Suzanne's beautiful feed. Suzanne is a stylist, blogger and Mother of two and snaps beautiful pictures of her family's adventures (of which the recent one was to, es, you guessed it, Tulum!) and their wonderful home in The Netherlands. The delightful living space truly puts children in the centre - which goes to show that you can have a predominantly white home and a little children running about! The fabulous salmon pink accent also helps to add fun pops of colour throughout. Enjoy the tour!



How fabulous is that salmon pink Orange Slice chair? It's like a work of art and transforms the entire space.

Rattan stool*, Block rug, macrame wall hanging*



I love the idea of having a children's desk in the corner of the sitting room - and this zone with a homemade desk is so pretty, don't you think?

Once again, it's quite incredible how one statement piece (in this case the patterned throw) can make such a big difference to an otherwise all white space! I'd love to know where this one is from - tips welcome!

Bamboo pendant* 


The little boy's room has been kitted out in a white, dark blue and mustard yellow theme (see this guide on to how to create a half painted wall). It looks as though the desk has been painted the same colour as the wall, which is a nice way to create a cohesive feel (we did this with the shelves in Albin's room, and Lovisa did the same with her bedside tables in her fabulous Stockholm home).



What a great family home, don't you think?!

I really love how the Dutch incorporate colour into their homes, it always looks so fresh!

You can check out more of Suzanne's shots (including that trip to Tulum I was talking about!) on her IG feed and blog Ensuus and explore more homes from The Netherlands here.

Right guys. I do believe that's it for the week!! Hope you've found the posts inspiring!

Have a wonderful weekend and see you Monday!

Niki

Photography: Suzanne / Ensuus shared with kind permission.

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A Thoughtfully Curated Dutch Family Home

Well, I do believe we've made it guys: it's Friday! And the sun is shining. Hurraaaa! I hope you've got some fun plans for the weekend? But please don't go quite yet as I have the prettiest house to share with you ! This gem of a family home in Tilburg city, North Brabant, The Netherlands belongs to Ilona Polycen (also known as @mamoesjka_nl), her partner Daniel and two sons Tycho (13) and Fender (7). The thoughtfully decorated interior is characterised by subtle shades of pastel, soft light  wood, one-off pieces and vintage touches. I caught up with Ilona to find out more.






How would you describe your interior style?
I like a fresh white canvas decorated with vintage, design or handmade items, mostly in fresh or soft pastel colours. I’d much rather have one item that I really love rather than five things I just like. I don’t shop on impulse. I will always take my time before I buy something for my home.

Do you have  a favourite spot?
You’ll often find me sitting on my pink home-made bench. It’s my favourite spot in the house, where I write, scroll through Instagram and sit with family and friends. From my bench, I also have a clear view of the rest of the living room and the open-plan kitchen.











Do you update your home often?!
I love to use my home as my test lab. If I haven’t painted anything for a few weeks, the paint tins literally call out to me from the closet.








Where do you shop?
I like to search the internet for new treasures. I look for both new and second-hand items and design pieces as well as less expensive finds. For me, it’s very important that they’re not things that everybody likes and buys. I want stuff that is unique and is available on a small scale. For that reason, I always search for small websites or designers that sell their own work. It’s so much more fun to make a small independent enterprise happy by purchasing some of their products than to buy something from a big retail chain.


Do you have a favourite piece?
My favourite piece of furniture is the vintage cupboard that my partner and I bought at a thrift store. I really loved it when I first saw it, but we both thought it was far too expensive (the cupboard was not in the best condition) and we left the shop without buying it. But soon I had second thoughts and we quickly went back again and bought it. We gave the little cupboard some love with oil and wood paste and I now think he’ll stay forever!

Chrysanthemum wallpaper by William Morris

25Lamp, this mustard waffle throw is similar.

What's your best home decorating tip?
I like to do things my own way. I think that’s my best tip I can give anyone. Make the choices yourself. Fill your home with items you really love and that make you happy. These days you can find inspiration everywhere. I like to scroll through Instagram and see all kinds of interiors, but I have to stay true to myself. Something I’ve learned over the years is to choose what makes you happy and don’t do what everyone else is already doing.



Thank you so much for inviting us into your home this sunny Friday, Ilona!

If you don't already follow Ilona on instagram it's a must!

And for more beautiful Dutch home inspiration take a peek at a lovely light-filled house boat, the happy home of Marij Hessel, and a charming and relaxed Dutch home.

Have a fabulous weekend all and see you Monday!

Niki


All photography: © Ilona Polcyn

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