A Beautiful, Light-filled 19th Century Swedish Loft Apartment

Why, hello there! I hope you had a wonderful weekend (if I've got this right, I think many of you are off today too? In which case I hope you're having a fabulous day and the sun is shining for you like it is here Sweden!). I'm kicking off the week with this beauty of an attic apartment, tucked under the rooftops of Gothenburg. The building dates back to the late 19th century - and still bears many remnants from the past - including beautiful beams and a traditional Swedish tiled masonry oven. The simple white theme ensures a light-filled space and creates a beautiful contrast with the dark wood structure, while Swedish interior designers Emma Fischer and Linnéa Manaberi have worked around the low slanted ceilings and little nooks to create a practical living space. Ready to take a look around?

How lovely! It just goes to show how, with a little help from skylights and a white scheme, you can create beautiful light-filled home in an attic! 

I also love the beams, white wood panelled walls and fig tree! 

Is there anything that stood out to you? 

Maybe you can imagine living there? In which case, you might want to head over to Alvhem as it's for sale! Yep, I know! 

Fancy taking a peek inside a few more attic spaces today? Here are a few beauties: 

A small-is Danish home with a vibrant, sunny feel

Before and after: a loft becomes a light and airy guest bedroom

A mini yet mighty one room Swedish attic apartment

It's also worth taking a look at: 

15 small space hacks to learn from a beautiful Danish home

7 great ways to make the most of an attic space

Honestly, today is the warmest, sunniest day in Sweden we've had since last September. It's almost cruel that it's landed on a Monday! Should I take the day off? I'm very tempted! 

Wishing you a lovely, sunny start to the week! 

Niki

Photography: Anders Bergstedt

Interior design / styling: Emma Fischer & Linnéa Manaberi

For: Alvhem 

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The Wonderful, Playful Loft Of A Furniture Designer

Oj oj oj, do I have a treat for you today. And I love that it's so different from yesterday's rustic, farmhouse tour too! This stunning loft in Bielefeld, in the Ostwestfalen-Lippe region of north-east Germany serves as a home and workspace for Lilli, her husband Sascha, a furniture designer, and their two daughters (16 and 6). The light and airy space has been sparingly furnished in a thoughtful way: selecting only pieces with exceptional design including many of the pair's own designs, IKEA hacks and a few design classics. I had a chat with Lilli to find out more about their wonderful, unique home. 

What do you do for a living? 

We live and work under one roof and love to openly connect all areas of our lives. Sascha is a freelance furniture and interior designer and I love working in the field of marketing and social media. 

Can you describe the layout of your home?

Our home is not very big - it has an open-plan kitchen and dining area and two bedrooms, and we have no living room and therefore no sofa. But is more important to us that it is beautiful, than it is practical! 

I'm so curious - how do your daughters find not having a sofa? Mine have been spending half their school summer holiday flat out on ours! 

Haha! She hangs out on her bed - it's her sofa!!

Where do you hang out as a family? At the wonderful dining table?

Yes, we love to play a lot of games as a family, and if we watch a movie, we'll do it together in our bed. 

That sounds so cosy!

The geometric light is from Schneid studio and the table is one Sascha's own designs. 

Can you tell us more about the furniture in your home?

We have many of our own designs and we also have exceptionally designed pieces by younger, designers, as well as a few IKEA hacks and some design classics. We attach great importance to high-quality, sustainably produced furniture and home accessories and therefore prefer to have fewer, but more special things. 

The chair in your dining room is so unique, where is it from? 

The chair is from Japanese sushi restaurant Nihombashi in Berlin. My husband fell in love with it and negotiated with the owner until we could take it home with us! 

I also love the kroko (crocodile) low table (designed by Sascha) in your dining area - and notice that many items in your home are playful, is this something you're drawn to?

We love design that is fun and doesn't take itself too seriously but is still aesthetically pleasing! 

The lips are from Italian brand Seletti - who I see, are currently selling some fabulous face masks too (with proceeds contributing to the Italian multiple sclerosis foundation), the clothes hanger is by designer Florian Saul and the side table is from German brand e15.

And finally, I love the use of colour in your home, have you always been a fan of bringing in bright hues?

In recent years, our loft has become more and more colourful. We love strong Bauhaus colours and earthy, soft nude and red tones. We also like plants, so it's getting greener by the day. 

The bed and smiley steps are one of Sascha's own designs.

Thank you so much for showing us around your home Lilli! It really made me smile in so many ways! 

You can see more pics on her fab instagram feed @kitschcanmakeyourich and check out all of Sascha's furniture designs over at Art can Break your Heart - as well as shop for fabulous pieces in their online shop. 

Is there anything that stood out to you the most about Lilli's home?

Leaving you with a few other playful homes today: 

A playful and relaxed home that will put a smile on your face

The vibrant sitting room of a Swedish photographer

The cheerful Brooklyn home of an artist

Sending lots of love from a rainy Sweden today! 

Niki

Photography Benjamin Janzen 

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7 Great Ways To Make The Most of An Attic / Loft Space!

Good morning friends! I'm feeling extra sleepy today after relaxing over the four-day bank holiday in Sweden. Two super strength coffees down and still no affect. What is a girl to do?! Maybe make my way to Gothenburg so I can hang out in this beautiful apartment? The wonderful space is currently on the market (any takers?) - and a great lesson in how to make the most of an awkward attic / loft space. Got a room like this in your home - or thinking of finally converting that attic? Here are 7 tips to learn from the Swedes! 

1. Skylights and dormer windows: the lower side of the sloping roof is incredibly low and could prove a real challenge, especially for taller folks. This is where the skylight and dormer window come in handy. Not only do they flood the space with light, they also help to create extra head room. notice how the sofa and dining table have been placed by the windows - capitalising on the extra height and natural light! 

2. Go high! Knocking through the ceiling to maximise height helps to add a light and airy feel to the space (which is crucial as attic spaces can feel really pokey). The beams also help to add character. 

3. Park life: I love how the space is dotted with plants (and even a small tree). It helps to draw nature closer (especially which it can feel so much further away when you're living amongst the rooftops!). 

4. Storage that blends in: shelving and other cupboards that match the colour of the wall (in this case white) will help a small space to feel less cluttered. 

5. A bespoke kitchen: Just because you have a tiny space it play with, it doesn't mean you can't have a practical kitchen. Invest in custom-made units that ensure you make use of every last inch (or if you don't have the budget, chat to the kitchen planning team at IKEA, they're likely to have some great solutions). 

6. Double skylights: placing your bed under a double set of skylights will feel less claustrophobic and help you to capitalise on the big plus of living on the top floor: sleeping under the stars! Skylight brands such as Velux do great blind solutions for them too, so you don't need to worry about losing any shut-eye! 

7. Custom wardrobes and cabinets: in small spaces, every nook counts! Get handy and build units that perfectly fit the space you have, or invest in someone to build them for you. Having lots of storage will make your home feel more practical and organised as well as less cluttered. 

We do actually have two spaces on the top floor of our home like this. They're full of stuff - but seeing this, makes me wonder if we should finally do something with them. Hmmmm. Suddenly feeling alert after all! 

Did any if these ideas spring out to you? 

In case you're struggling with a small space - or simply looking for ways to make it even more beautiful, take a tour of the small spaces archive, there are hundreds of stunning Scandinavian spaces in there! 

Wishing you a wonderful start to the week! 

Niki

Photography: Alen Nordic 

Styling: Nouvel interior

For: Bjurfors 

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Small spaces: A light-filled One Room Swedish Attic

Goddag, goddag! How was your weekend? This lovely home in Gothenburg, Sweden is dedicated to anyone who's feeling a little cooped up (err, I guess that's most of us then!), those of you who have been dreaming about knocking through the ceiling into the attic (do it!), if you're planning a loft conversion, or simply living in a small, one room studio and in need of some dreamy inspiration. Designed by Emma Fischer, the space measures a teeny 36.1 metre square (376 f2) and could feel pokey and dark had it not been for the vast ceiling height, skylights, light wood floor and whitewashed walls. I especially love the dark wood beams; they add so much character! To divide the space up a little, you could also add a curtain around the bed area and include under-the-bed storage for clothes. Another idea would be to add some shelves (or wardrobe) as a room divider between the sitting room and kitchen. In other words, the bones are there, the only limit is your imagination! I'd be quite happy to pootle around here all week, how about you?! 

I hope this has given you a little food for thought for your own home. I always think that there's something that can be taken away from every home tour (whether that's colour inspiration, furniture arrangements, or a lamp) even if the space bears little resemblance to your own living space.

Is there anything that stood out to you?

A little more small space inspiration for you today:

7 small space tricks to learn from a Stockholm home

Small spaces: a dreamy Stockholm pad

16 ways to transform a tiny room into a dreamy, practical bedroom

Do you remember 'the world's smallest luxury home' too? My nine-year-old would love to live somewhere like this, she loves it when we're altogether in a small space - and imagine the adventures you could have (someday soon)? 

Have a great start to the week friends, we're getting through this, one step at a time! 

Niki

Styling: Emma Fischer 

Photography: Annie Hyrefeldt

Alvhem

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A Fabulous Vintage Inspired Loft in a Former Textile Factory

Last night I was under pressure. I searched high and low for a special home tour. One that would end the blog week on an inspiring high. And then, just as I was about to give-up, this place showed up. It was everything I was looking for: packed with personality, unique, and inspiring. It's also in a city close to my heart, Philadelphia - where I spent a year in my teens (I still miss those cheese steaks!). Looking at this incredible loft, I'm wondering why I left? Could I really have lived in a 2400 square feet (222 square metres) Northern Liberties loft like Liz Sparacio?! Maybe not, word on the street is these rentals in a former textile factory are hard to come by. But I am delighted to see this space has fallen into the right hands. Liz, who works at Philly's number one second hand store Jinxed, has ensured there's something fascinating to look at at every turn: from the 'hand' chair and mannequin sculptures to the art, plants and vast array of wonderful vintage finds. I'll say no more, just leave you to enjoy the tour. Happy Friday friends!

Wow. Just wow! This totally brings out the wannabe artist in me (you know, the one wearing paint splattered dungarees with a scarf in my hair working from my own ceramics atelier in Österlen!). One day, one day!

For now though, I'll settle for admiring the fabulously quirky and delicious second hand pieces in Liz's loft. The chairs, the mannequins / sculptures, the paintings, the vintage finds. It's a complete feast for the eyes.

Anyone else feeling a tad inspired?!

If you'd like to see more of Liz's home check out her instagram feed really_really_Lizzy for daily updates (she's so funny too!).

And for more creative spaces this weekend I love:
A Former factory becomes an inspiring home
The lovely home of a Danish artist
An artist's home in a former factory
Pretty blues and greens in a former artist's atelier in Copenhagen
A Finnish home in a converted factory
A Parisian artist's home in a former button factory
An artist's studio and home in Stockholm

Have a happy weekend everyone!

Niki

PS Just heading to Copenhagen for a meeting with Skandinavisk - exciting! I might have to treat myself to an after work (or "AW" as they call it in Sweden) by the canal. I'm looking forward to it already! Are you up to anything fun this weekend?

PPS If you haven't filled out my survey yet, I'd be so happy if you could take a mo to look at. Thank you!

Photography 1& 2 Love Me Do Photography the remaining: Liz Sparacio 

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