my scandinavian home: eclectic home

Brita and Kalle's Charming, Unique and Personal Swedish Country home

Friday calls for something extra special, don't you think? And I have just the home! When Brita Zackari and Kalle Zackari Wahlström first stumbled across the country home south of Stockholm, Sweden, it was love at first site! Since then, the pair have painstakingly renovated the property little by little, slowly transforming it into a unique home where they live full time with children Essa and Björn.

The pair have done a lot of the work themselves, learning as they go - a process which has been covered on Sweden's popular TV show 'Help, we've bought a farmhouse' (in Swedish). A sustainable approach has been key, choosing for example, egg oil tempura (a matte and full coverage paint made from egg linseed oil emulsion and natural pigments) instead of traditional paint for walls, furniture and storage and furnishing a lot of the living space with vintage finds.

The result is a charming home where Brita's Danish modern influence from childhood come together with Kalle's traditional Swedish country style. Enjoy the tour, you're in for a treat!

The furniture is a delightful blend of vintage and contemporary. I spy a pond mirror and Hay matin table lamp in the background. Look closely and you'll discover a collection of fascinating unique pieces in the form of vases, candleholders, mobiles and art.

Don't be afraid to go dark in a small room. Here, deep green walls create a cosy feel while also helping to camouflage much-needed storage.

Beautiful - and packed with personality!

I love the earthy hues from the linseed oil - and all the unique touches.

Is there anything that stands out to you?

Take a peek inside other Scandinavian country homes this weekend in this archive (if this pops up first, you know the drill - just scroll on past and the others will be lurking below!).

Have a wonderful weekend!

Niki

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Photography: Fanny Rådvik

Stylist: Dennis Valencia

Interior design / homeowner: Brita Zackari / Kalle Zackari Wahlström

The Magnificent Home of Swedish Cookbook Author Sofia Wood

Have you returned to live in the town where you grew up? Or perhaps you've never left? In 2020 Swedish foodie, blogger, podcaster and cookbook author Sofia Wood and her family packed up their home in Stockholm and returned to Sofia's childhood roots in Norrköping.

It takes a lot to move cities (let alone countries), especially with children in tow, but as they say - fortune favours the bold, and the Wood family are reeping the benefits of a slower-pace of life while living in the most magnificent turn-of-the-century apartment.

Located in the city centre, the property has the most beautiful period features, sky high ceilings, large spacious rooms and classic tiled masonry ovens. True to Sofia's style, it's also packed with personality and fascinating details - as well as the mouth-watering scent of in-season dish bubbling from the stove! Welcome to the Wood family home!

Cherry red chairs bring vibrance and warmth to the kitchen / dining area, while a large jute rug helps to reduce noise during lively family meals.

A traditional Swedish bench (no doubt found at an antique or vintage market) adds a cosy touch to the family dining area.

Art by Ebba Andersson creates a focal point over the dining table, while the soft Skandinaviskt Ljus (Scandinavian light) colour on the wall from Jotun adds warmth to the large room.

Sofia's great passion is cooking. Many of her recipes have been shared in her cookbooks: Darling Pasta, Vinter hos Wood (Winter with Wood) and Chez Wood (At Home with Wood). This year, Sofia also released interior book Nyckeln till Hemmet (the key to the home) with Elsa Billgren, whose vintage-inspired Stockholm home I once featured here - and with whom she shares a podcast (in Swedish).

I was chatting to a plant specialist last week who told me the biggest mistake people make with plants is going for a pot which is too small. Not on Sofia's watch - the incredible, large plant pot perfectly matches the huge fiddle-leaf fig!

High ceilings and large spacious rooms can lead to sound issues. To counter this, Sofia has added plenty of textiles in the form of rugs, cushions and sheepskins.

The sitting room area is full of beautiful details such as a cosy Little Petra chair and an iconic Pipistrello table lamp.

A fluffy rug from Cappelen Dimyr adds softness, texture and a cosy touch while also helping to dampen the sound in the bedroom.

Update: Thank you for your questions about the lamp. Sofia tells me it's a vintage Pia lamp by Gärsnäs. which is still in production today.

What a fabulous home! It's so personal and unique - and full of wonderful details. It's not always easy to furnish such large rooms, but Sofia has got the balance just right!

My mouth is also watering from the delicious looking recipes I spotted on Sofia's blog over at Elle. Mmmm!

Could you imagine living in an apartment like this?

It's fascinating to see how style develops over the years. Take a peek inside Sofia's Stockholm apartment from 2015 - so different!

I'm curious to know if you would consider moving back to your home town? I'm from the suburbs of London and I love visiting, there's so much going on. But I'm not sure I could live so far from the sea again, I love my daily dips too much!

Happy Wednesday friends!

Niki

Photography courtesy of Sofia Wood, shared with kind permission.

FILED UNDER: eclectic home swedish apartment

The Fabulous Eclectic Home of A French Antique Dealer

Bonjour, ça va? That's about the limit of my French. I studied French at school for five years - and now almost every word has been replaced by Swedish - what's the deal with that? Mind you, I never have been much of a linguaphile! Language abilities aside, I think you might have guessed that I'm whisking you away to France today. An antique dealer, Sonia has filled her home in Ardèche, an hour from Lyon with funky, eclectic pieces from all different eras and countries. Throw in a disco ball, bold wallpaper and lots of art and you have a home bursting with character - where old meets new. Bienvenue chez Sonia!

Oh mon dieu!

How fantastic!!!

It's the kind of home you need to return to time and again for inspiration - and you'll spot something new every time!

Who's up for a disco ball in the bathroom? MOI!

See more snapshots from Sonia's home here. I noticed Sonia is a personal shopper - perfect for anyone out there would love more antiques in your home but don't have the time to source.

Would you like to take a peek inside a few other fabulous French homes today? Here are a few of my favourites:

A relaxed vintage-inspired family home in the French countryside

Inside the home of a French chef and photographer

A dreamy home on the French Riviera

Have a beautiful day!

Niki

Photography: @undouzeavril shared with kind permission.

Step Inside Verena's Relaxed, Warm and Inviting Home

When I look for homes / interiors to feature I try to find ones that inspire with a certain lifestyle (a Swedish cottage by the sea, a magical mountain cabin or rustic country retreat for example). I also strive to find homes with a wonderful unique touch and bags of personality that are full of ideas. Today, it's the latter in focus (I'm sure there's a wonderful lifestyle here too!). I discovered Verena's German home on instagram a few weeks ago (if you have the time check out her inspiring feed hop over to @vren1984) and immediately fell in love with the warm, relaxed feel. Verona's eclectic home is the kind of place you can instantly feel at home. So, pull up a chair and enjoy the tour - I hope you'll walk away with lots of new ideas for your own home!

Love the mix and match vintage dining set - it works because everything is made from wood. The sheepskins help to add a cosy touch.

A real life scene - how refreshing!

We drink the same Oatly Barista with our coffee - have you tried it? Word of warning, once you start, you can't actually go back to milk. It originates from right here in southern Sweden!

An indoor swing - wonderful! We have one from Finnish brand Lillagunga in Ali's room and it's always been a big hit.

I love a packed bookshelf, do you? The other day on instagram I asked how people chose to organise their books. Many said by theme and then author, others said by colour or language. But best of all - one person said that their husband loves to spend hours organising books - organising them according to theme, and then if he thinks the authors would get along and have a good chat he'll place them next to each another. How brilliant is that? You can see the post and read all the responses here.