A Peek Inside Rene Humphrey’s Evolving Family Home in Malmö

It’s Friday, friends – yay! I’m keeping it local today… very local, in fact!

A few weeks ago, I moved into a new studio on Lilla Torg – a picturesque old square right in the heart of Malmö. I feel so lucky to be sharing the space with some truly lovely, inspiring, funny, and all-round awesome people – one of whom is Rene Humphrey.

Rene has a background in landscape garden design and now works as an interior designer and stylist. Needless to say, the home she shares with her partner Aron and their two little girls, Bonnie (4) and Billie (3), is beautiful in every way.

Set in a leafy villa area, the family moved to the house in 2022. Since then, Rene has been adding her signature touch to the space with an earthy palette, lush textures, and a wonderful sense of warmth. She also loves playing with shape and symmetry, bringing depth and personality to each room. All around the house, you’ll spot her collages-in-progress – mood boards that not only guide her interior projects but also shape her own home, one room at a time.

Dark wood has made a strong comeback in recent years, and it’s lovely to see how it adds contrast and character throughout Rene’s home.

The house is very much a work in progress, with some rooms still waiting their turn. I’m already looking forward to sharing an update when the next chapter unfolds! For now, here are a few lovely angles from Rene’s place to enjoy on this fine Friday!

So calm and serene! If I know Rene right, the garden will also be transformed into a complete oasis. But as a (rookie) gardener myself, I understand the length of time it takes. It's definitely more about the journey than the end destination! 

Did anything stand out to you about Rene's lovely home?

You can see more pictures from Rene's work and home, fashion tips, and delicious-looking culinary creations here. 

I must take some snaps from the new studio I work in soon, I think you'll like it. If you're curious about visiting Malmö, check out my city guides, including 30 things to do for design lovers and 15 favourite local hangouts - although so many cool places have popped up since then, I think it's time for a new one! Have you ever been to Malmö? 

It's a small place, and everyone in the design world is connected somehow. For example, Rene is great friends with Natalia Andersson, whose former home I featured here. Another Malmö home I think you'll love is Natalie's cosy city apartment where old meets new - who happens to be best friends and business partner to Patricia Rodi, a Swede living by a Scottish loch. I told you it's a small world!

That's it from me this week. I hope you have some fun plans for the weekend? It's been a long week of work for me so I am looking forward to kicking back in the sunshine with a glass of rosé! 

Skål from Sweden! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of @rene_humphrey, shared with kind permission. 

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Inside Brigette’s Poetic Brooklyn Home: A Calm Oasis in the City

Poetic. Some homes feel like romantic words on a page, a living sonnet. It’s hard to explain exactly why—perhaps it’s the gentle touch of a hand or an eye for detail that wouldn’t be out of place in a still-life painting. Often earthy in tone and filled with beloved, time-worn pieces gathered over the years, these homes speak softly. They are full of contrast, rich textures, small imperfections, and a certain softness—all of which come together to give the space its poetic soul.

Brigette Muller’s home in Brooklyn, New York, is one of these rare places. She has approached her little 1928 apartment with quiet tenderness, layering it slowly with meaningful objects, abundant greenery, tactile fabrics, and sheer curtains that let the day’s light gently spill through the windows.

Despite the background hum of beeping horns, passersby, and the general bustle of the city (as a girl from London, I’ve always found that kind of noise oddly comforting!), there’s a cool calmness to her space. It’s a serene oasis nestled in the heart of the city.

Ready to feel inspired?

Beautiful!

The built-in seating with olive green cushions tucked into the corner of the kitchen, the oil paintings, the whitewashed wood floors, the linen sofa, and the cosy bed nook—complete with curtains to draw for privacy—this is just my kind of style!

Did you enjoy this tour of Brigette’s home too?

You can learn more about Brigette and her creative world here, and explore more charming corners of her home on her Instagram feed: @hummusbirrd. Brigette also rents out her apartment for film and photography shoots—more details on that here.

Was there anything that stood out to you about her lovely space?

Here are a few other homes I see as having that same poetic soul, perfect to enjoy this weekend:

My friend Ida's poetic 19th century home in southern sweden
A dreamy little cottage by the sea
Nina's earthy home in Edinburgh

Today, Per and I are off to a city just outside Stockholm to cheer on Alice and her team at a Team Gymnastics competition—so exciting! On the way, we’re making a little detour to one of my favourite garden centres, where I’ve booked a one-hour garden consultation for our summer cottage.

I usually love doing all the home-related planning myself, but this garden has been a bit of a mystery to me! Probably because I’ve never really tackled an outdoor space before. So, I’m hoping to come away with a solid plan from someone who knows what they’re doing—then I can get stuck into some Easter gardening with a bit more confidence (and hopefully fewer "why on earth is this plant looking so sad?" moments). 

Do you have any fun plans for your weekend? Are you a fellow garden lover? I’d love to hear any tips you might have for getting started!

Wishing you a wonderful, relaxing couple of days ahead!

Niki x

Photography courtesy of Brigette Muller, shared with kind permission. 

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A Peek Inside Galerie Storm’s Curated, Calming Home

Why, hi there, friends! Or should I say hej hej! Today is a very special day—the girls and I were up at the crack of dawn to prepare a birthday breakfast for Per. And what did he choose? Nope, not a classic Swedish fralla or smoked salmon, but a full English breakfast! It's lunchtime and I'm still full. Bring on the salmon! 

This afternoon, I need to nip out and buy him a present (nothing like leaving it to the last minute!). I wish I could pop over to Galerie Storm in Stockholm, but sadly, it's a little too far away.

Galerie Storm was founded by Carolina and Mattias Storm and offers a beautifully curated selection of art and objects—some of which can be spotted around their home. The family moved from an apartment (which I recently featured here) into this fairytale house in June 2022 and have been putting their personal stamp on it ever since. Calm yet filled with unique, one-of-a-kind pieces, the subtle earthy tones create a cohesive look with a touch of warmth and history.

Here are some angles I discovered on Carolina’s lovely Instagram feed:

Lovely! So calming and yet cosy too. 

Did you recognise the sofa? No, you're not dreaming–it's the same one we saw in Ebba's home last Friday. It's from IKEA, but it has a buttery yellow cover from Bemz. 

Two other standouts for me: the beautiful old dining chairs in the kitchen and the Gubi 9602 lamp in the sitting room (I've had my eye on that for a while). 

Is there anything you noticed in particular? 

You can see more snapshots of Carolina's home here. For more inspiration and news, why not follow the Storm Journal? 

On another note, recently Instagram changed the picture resolution. The channel is a great source for me to discover new and unique homes to share, and this has been a tricky development as it has meant the quality of the images is not always as high as I would like. Hopefully I can find a solution for this soon, but in the meantime I hope you enjoy the tours all the same. As always, thank you for all your support and for stopping by over at this little corner of the web, it really means the world! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of @carolinastorm, shared with kind permission.

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An Earthy, Calm and Beautiful One Room Studio in Stockholm

Every now and again a home really leaps out at me, and this is one of them. Organic, mature and calm, the one room studio apartment is a perfect oasis in the heart of Swede's capital - and even has a cosy balcony full of Autumn blooms on which to enjoy a morning coffee. 

A mix of grainy woods, earthy 'unpolished' walls, coarse linen - the apartment might be void of bright colour, but it more than makes up for it in rich textures, all of which help the space to come alive. 

Keep an eye out for items that help to add the 'hygge' (cosiness) - such as a Sjöstrand espresso maker (we have one of these in our cabin!), teapots, vintage mugs, and a retro stereo system. And of course, there's the blend of mid-century and antique furniture too. 

So friends, pop the kettle on and curl up, there's plenty to feel inspired by in this beautiful Swedish studio apartment! 

The paint work is lovely - neutral yet lively. There's a good article about different paint finishes and how to achieve them on House Beautiful in case you'd like to create something similar. 

I forgot to mention in my previous small space post that many Swedish apartment blocks have storage in the basement which is perfect for storing out-of-season items. This one is no different. Even so, you can see in the last picture that it there is quite a lot of wardrobe space - and most likely space under the bed for clothes and other bits and bobs too. 

One of the things that really caught my eye in this home were the retro headphones. My wonderful dad, who sadly passed away a couple of years ago, used to love music and spent most of his spare time browsing record shops or going to gigs (when he wasn't ferrying us!). He had a huge record collection which all my friends used to admire (his taste was so down with the kids). He also had a set of headphones just like this! It's funny how a single item can bring back so many memories. I guess it's still quite raw for me as I reflect with sadness - but a wise friend told me that one day I'll be able to look back at my memories of my Dad with a smile and I look forward to that. Sending a big virtual hug out to anyone else who has also lost someone special. 

Did you spot anything in this apartment that you fell in love with or admire? As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts below! 

Wishing you all a happy Wednesday, 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Historiska Hem with thanks

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