A Swedish Country House is Restored to Its Former Glory

Long term readers will no doubt remember this atmospheric Malmö home.  Owners Emelie and Magnus have since moved to North West Skåne, South Sweden and have been working their magic on a dilapidated country house dating back to 1910. I've been eagerly following their progress over at @foreningsgatan14 and am excited to share a sneak peek of their new home - from the mood boards and DIY, to the final result!

Before

"The house was built in 1910 and is a red-brick villa laid out over two floors and sits on a 1600 metre square plot of land."

"We fell for the exterior and the potential to restore it back to its former glory. We moved in 2.5 years ago - following in the footsteps of some friends who had also bought houses in the area. Now we live 150 metres from each other!"

"We have renovated most of the interior but still have a little to go!" 

Ready to take a look? Let's start with the kitchen! 

Emelie wanted the kitchen to have lots of traditional charm to match the era of the house, while still creating a highly functional space. 

The couple installed bead panelling and French black and white floor tiles which they combined with kitchen fronts from Järfälla Kök who make units designed specifically to fit IKEA kitchen cabinets. 

The house is full of vintage and antique finds - some of which they brought with them from their previous home in Malmö. The wonderful Beni lamp is from Dis Inredning. 

The sitting room wasn't perhaps the cosiest space to begin with.

But after some hard graft and a lot of patience, they eventually transformed it into this 'mysigt' space to curl up and chill! 

The cosy library, which leads of the sitting room, is one of Emelie's favourite rooms - understandably! 

The bathroom has been another huge project. 

"After an enormous amount of going back and forth, hesitation and sleepless nights, we finally created a moodpboard for the bathroom. We were looking to create something a little romantic and unpolished but at the same time classic and timeless." 

The look was created using bead panelling painted in a wheat hue, as well as tiles from byggfabriken and pronto kakel. 

I love how they have still managed to install two sinks in a small space. How I'd love my own sink - is it me or do children always leave dried toothpaste all over the bowl? 

The vintage storage totally completes the look - and it's practical too!

What a lovely transformation. It's so fun too see it take shape too, don't you think? 

You can follow Emelie and Magnus' renovation journey over at @foreningsgatan14.

Would you like to see other Scandinavian renovations? I love: 

A rundown cabin becomes a vibrant Danish summer cottage

A dilapidated property becomes a beautiful Swedish farmhouse 

Before and after: a traditional Norwegian cottage gets a beautiful colour update

Is there anything that stood out to you about Emelie's home - or any of the other before and after features? I'd love to hear your thoughts! 

Niki

Photography: picture 1 Jenny Baumgartner / BMB, the rest - Emelie Tjäder / @foreningsgatan14

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My Autumn Bedroom Make-over with an IKEA hack

Paid partnership with Bemz which includes affiliate links, all words are my own*

Hejsan! I'm curious: are you a fan of change? I love change and find that surrounding myself with a new environment always gives me new energy (Per's actually the opposite, which can be, shall we say interesting!). I often make small changes at home, but with Autumn looming (dare I say it!) I felt it was time for something bigger!

As pretty as it was, I've grown tired of the 'blushing peach' wall in the bedroom and felt it was time to change up our bedroom to give it a fresh lease of life. Per and I applied lime paint to the walls a few weeks ago, and I've since been layering the room with new pieces as well as beautiful textiles from Bemz (the Swedish brand makes luxurious designer textile covers, cushions and other accessories for IKEA furniture and I've been a fan ever since my sitting room make-over way back in 2017!). So, what 's changed in the bedroom? Here's the low down: 

Overall look

To me, a bedroom should have a wonderful element of calm. It should be somewhere that's easy to switch off - and also somewhere heavenly to wake up. I consulted with the MSH interior designer Helen - and we decided to go for soothing tones of white and soft beige as well as cosy Autumnal tones of cocoa, acorn and rosemary. So pretty together! 

I've also added a new mirror (we've never had a full body one so maybe I'll no longer look like I've been getting dressed in the dark!), various vases and a reading lamp (all Ferm Living)! 

Let's get started with the bigger pieces: 

Headboard

As you may have noticed, we've never had a headboard before. To be honest, I always thought it was impossible with the window. But I was keen to give it a go as I knew it would make our bed feel so much more sumptuous and 'grown-up'(!) come Autumn! 

This one is the STAVANGER / BORÖY headboard from IKEA which is perfect as it just slots between the bed and the wall leans. I then added a Bemz universal headboard cover which comes in different widths and a choice of 130+ fabrics, and it just slides on over the top of any headboard. How crazy is that? See the end of the post for details on discount and samples.

I chose a new linen fabric which launches this Autumn (more info to follow!),  however, there are a couple of other beautiful white linen fabrics available. 

Side note: the windowsill has always doubled up really nicely as a shelf for books, plants, my Anse vase and morning coffee  - and admittedly a whole host of other things like batteries, receipts etc *rolls eyes!*.  

The bed skirt

Are you a fan of bed skirts? Once considered twee and a little OTT (I am still scarred by some of the floral ones I witnessed in the eighties!), bed skirts have totally come into their own in recent years, have you found the same? 

I love them as they hide a multitude of sins under the bed including unsightly bed bases, storage and that ghostly black gap (hands up anyone who's ever checked under their bed before going to sleep). Plus, they add a wonderful element of calm to the room. 

My new one is the Boxpleat, Rosendahl Pure Washed Linen, Absolute White. It's so pretty - and has a lovely, relaxed feel about it. 

Bedspread

I love a throw. They make a bed look so much neater when made. This is the Loose Fit, Brera Lino by Designers Guild, Natural which has beautiful seams (if you're thinking of getting this, go big. My bed is 180 cm x 200 cm and I opted for the 240 cm x 240 cm one). 

I love the subtle contrast with the white bed skirt too. What do you reckon? 

Cushions

I'm not sure how these cushions slipped through the net (Per banned me from buying more for the house sometime a go) - but I'm so glad they did! I always think Cushions are a perfect way to add accent colours (this time I went for Autumn vibes in acorn, cocoa and rosemary)- and also to snuggle up against for some cosy bedtime reading. 

I picked out four larger cushions to lean against the headboard (size 60 x 80 cm) and then smaller ones to pile on (50 x 50 cm).  

Armchair

A bedroom wouldn't be complete without a 'chairobe' (your entire wardrobe of clothes waiting on a chair to be put away or worn...!), guilty of this? I am! 

We've had an IKEA Söderhamn armchair in our bedroom for donkeys, and I was keen to cover it in a retro bouclé, tweed or teddy from the new Bemz Tactile Collection. You'll most likely have spotted the trend for textured fabrics over the past 12 months and now we can all update our existing IKEA sofas and armchairs! Liking that a lot! 

I chose the Söderhamn Armchair cover regular fit, Boucle, ivory. All I need now, is a pile of books and a candle and I'm good to go! 

And that's it! 

I hope you like our new bedroom as much as Per and I do!

If you've got questions about anything you've seen just give me a shout and I'll be happy to help. I'll likely do a follow-up post highlighting the details soon (just in case you're curious about the vases, lamp, print etc!). 

If you're interested in buying a Bemz cover, I'd advise ordering samples first so that you can test out the colours and fabrics at home (it can be hard to tell online). 

Right guys, that's it from me. Wishing you all a lovely day! 

I'm tempted to go back to bed now, what do you think? 

Niki

Photography; Niki Brantmark

Styling: Helen Sturesson

This post is brought to you in paid collaboration with Bemz and contains affiliate links. However, all words are my own and I only ever work with brands I absolutely love and think you will too (#Ilovemyjob!). Thank you for supporting the businesses that help bring fresh content to your mail box and make My Scandinavian Home possible.

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Before and After: A Traditional Norwegian Cabin Gets a Beautiful Colour Update

A few years ago, Berit stumbled across her dream croft surrounded by forest in Lunner, Hadeland, South-east Norway. The 50-metre square (538 sq.ft) cabin had great bones, but was in need of an update. Keen to put her own personal mark on it, Berit turned to Hytteliv magazine and interior designer Siv Brenne, who together with paint brand Jotun set to work on transforming the space while working to highlight the original features. The result is a peaceful retreat in soothing tones, and the perfect place to unwind. 

Kitchen before: 

Kitchen after: 

The kitchen has been given a fresh, calm update with wall panels in 1140 Sand, the ceiling in 471 Lys Antik (both LADY supreme finish matt) and the kitchen cabinets are from Bærum Kjøkkensenter, painted in colour s3005-B8OG. 

The sand shade has also been applied to the traditional-style sitting room area to give the living space a cohesive look. 

Master bedroom before:

When Beret bought the cabin, the small master bedroom was a sea of blues ranging from a more earthy shade to a bright sky blue. 

master bedroom after:

A soothing blue-grey tone (6315 Jade) was applied to the walls while the window frames were painted with a slightly darker 6232 Sjøalge to ensure the original features pop. Furniture and accessories in white and sand help to carry the theme through from the kitchen and sitting room. 

Guest bedroom before:

The guest bedroom was a riot of blue and red - which I am not opposed to since it gives it an air of traditional Norwegian country. However, the transformation is so charming....

After:

The top bunk is mounted on the wall to give an airy touch to the small room (I'm curious to know if the walls would hold this at our summer cottage - I'd love to do something similar!). The walls and beds have been painted in a lovely light 1376 Froströk, while the door and window frame have been given a darker 6232 Sjøalge treatment to match the master bedroom). 

Bathroom before:

After: 

The bathroom has also been given a traditional touch with antique furniture against a backdrop of wood panels painted in calming 4017 Pilasterblå. The blind is from Green Apple and bench is from Lama. 

The exterior was also given aan update. A dramatic 734 Brunsvart (brown-black) was a applied to the wood panels and been paired with window frames in a softer 1376 Froströk and shutters in 4252 Kimrök Dämpad - creating a wonderful cohesive look between outdoors and indoors. 

What a lovely update! I love the soothing palette. It demonstrates just how important it is to work with a cohesive colour scheme before you start to decorate. 

Is there anything that stood out to you? 

For more fab before and afters, check out this archive - some really incredible ones in there! Also, take a peek in the Norway homes archive - a favourite of mine! 

A couple of other things before I head off:

If you subscribe to My Scandinavian Home via e-mail, the feedburner will no longer work from tomorrow onwards (unfortunately) so I'm working on a new solution in order for you to continue receiving my posts straight to your inbox! I'll be back soon with more info!

And secondly, my article: Handmade Tale: The Rise of Handcrafts for the Home is now live over at IMM Cologne online magazine if you fancy a read! I love this movement, it makes me so happy! I hope it inspired you, too.

I'll be back tomorrow with a beautiful Scandi home tour. See you then! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Hytteliv & Jotun

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A Swedish Couple Turn a Mercedes Sprinter White Van Into a Cosy Home

Let's celebrate the weekend with something a little different - and super inspiring! Meet nomadic Swedish couple Indie and Joel who were travelling the world when the pandemic hit. Forced to return home, they decided to pursue their dream of a more sustainable and minimalistic lifestyle and turned their Mercedes Sprinter van into a home. When they first bought the van, whom they've since christened 'Luna', the main compartment was an empty shell, but they immediately saw its potential as a living space. Read on to find out how they converted their little van into a cosy home!

Before

 The pair designed, built and decorated the van entirely on their own from scratch, without any prior experience! Amazing! 

The back of the 2008 van measures 4.3 metres, making her the second longest model in the range - and with a little work and careful planning, enough space to create a small kitchen, social area and bed!

The fully functional van was fitted solar panels, an 84 litre freshwater tank, a fridge and freezer compartment, a 100-amp lithium battery, mains hook up, arctic insulation, and a fully equipped kitchen among many other things. 

You can read about the entire build - which took eight months (including all the items they used) on their 'On the freeside' blog and vlog (in case you're feeling inspired to do something similar!). 

After

It's hard to imagine that you can create such a lovely, cosy living space in a mere 4.3 metres, but not only have Indie and Joel created a practical, highly functional home, it's also lovely and cosy too! Think traditional kitchen cabinets with cup handles, tiles, wood details and plenty of storage as well as a social area. 

When space is of a premium, it's important to make use of every inch. In the kitchen, the side of the sink has been used to store washing up liquid, soap, chopping boards and utensils. 

The cabinet on the far side was built by hand using plexiglass: ""The idea of a glass cabinet was inspired by the old glass pantries our parents and grandparents once had," Indie explains, "we thought they look so beautiful. So, we created our own using plastic".

"We wanted to create a bright light Scandinavian style interior with a bit of a farmhouse feel", Indie tells me, "the feeling of stepping into a modern cabin in the woods. All the horizontal lines, including the countertops, ceiling and floor, are made out of dark walnut and all the vertical lines (cabinet doors, walls etc) are white". 

The loo and shower are located under the countertop beside the sink. For those of you who love tech / want to read more about the ins and outs - you can find out more information about the van water life and plumbing system here. 

The spice rack is made from wood shelving and brass pipes - which help to keep the jars in place (follow the steps here). 

A wooden door gives access to the main driving compartment. 

"For us, it was important that it felt like a home; somewhere peaceful", Indie tells me, "we used warm colours to make it feel cosy and it was also important to be able to host friends - hence our big U-shaped sofa".

At night, the table is lowered to make a platform in the middle and two mattresses are added to form a 160 x 200 cm bed with a 24 cm thick memory foam mattress. A comfortable place to wake up each day, looking out over the nature - or end the day, gazing at the stars!

In Scandinavia its customary to take your shoes off when you enter a home - and in Indie and Joel's van it's no different! Simple, low wooden shelves by the entrance provide storage and help to keep the entrance-way clear. 

***

All in all, one INCREDIBLE project! And such a special home. 

If you'd like to follow Indie and Joel's journey, hop on over to their instagram @onthefreeside - which is full of pictures from the van and the various locations they visit, or explore their website and vlog for know-how on how you can build your very own home on wheels from a white van! 

Feel like reading about a few other inspiring stories involving tiny homes this weekend?

Put your feet up, our a coffee and feel inspired by before and after pictures of a tiny Swedish cabin in the woods (also on wheels!), a caravan transformed into a cute second home with a view, a dream life on a budget on a tiny farmstead and how to create your own garden retreat on a shoe-string.

Although not quite as tiny as this van, you might also like to see our plans for the little cabin which we are hoping to start building in September. Exciting!

Wishing you all a fabulous weekend, thank you so much for stopping by! 

Niki

Photography: Jennifer Nilsson

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