The Inspiring Norwegian Home of a Danish Design Hunter!

Goooood morning! If you love discovering new instagram feeds as much as I do, here's a great one for you: @mr_aardal! Thomas Aardal has recently sold this beautiful early 20th century house in Sandnes, just south of Stavanger, Norway. I couldn't resist sharing a few snaps before he turns the key. The good news is, he's taking all his iconic Danish design furniture with him and I can't wait to see what he does next! Enjoy the tour! 

I love how there's a Danish treasure around every corner - Klint, Wenger, Jacobsen - this place reads like a who's who of Danish design! Mesmerising! 

Is there anything that stood out to you? 

If you'd like to see what Thomas Ardaal does next, follow along on instagram here: @mr_ardaal. 

There's a load more fabulous danish homes to discover in this archive today (hey, it's Monday, you've got to ease your way into the week in a nice way!). 

I've just arrived in Cologne, Germany for IMM Cologne - one of my favourite fairs! I'm going to do my best to check out all the latest trends and product news and report back. Follow along on instagram stories if you're curious! 

Have a great start to the week guys! 

Niki

PS There's absolutely no way I'd be able to have an open wardrobe like Thomas's. I wish I was as neat as this, but I've resigned myself to the fact that I never will be (sorry Kondo!). 

Photography courtesy of Thomas Aardal shared with kind permission. 

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A Soothing Home in Rural Norway In Subtle Shades of White and Light Blue

Feeling the need for a little calm this weekend? This serene Norwegian home might just hit the spot! A few years ago, Line Hamre (@line_hamre) and her family decided to leave big city lights for the tranquility of the countryside. The interior mirrors their desire for calm, with great swathes of white punctuated with subtle shades of grey and blue. Look closely and you'll spot beautiful white-washed wood beams, numerous Scandinavian classics and a number of DIY pieces. Enjoy the tour!

PH5 pendant lamp* from Louis Poulsen, grey H17 chairs by Department

Line fashioned the hallway cabinet out of EKET cabinets from IKEA (size 70 x 25 x 70) and a left over floor plank from Bjelin. You can read more about the simple, low budget DIY here. 

Söderhamn sofa, Flowerpot pendant, 

Semi-pendant lamp*

Looking at this home is like a massage for the soul - it's just so serene!

Did you feel inspired too?!

More soothing white-washed homes in this archive!

Do you have any fun plans for the weekend? We're currently out sailing on Sweden's east coast - the weather forecast is highly suspect, but thankfully we've been 'stuck' due to high winds in 

Åhus, the home of Absolut vodka! 

I hope you have a wonderful couple of days - vi see på Måndag! 

Niki

Photography: Line Hamre / Hjemme Hos Hamre

*Affiliate links

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One of Norway's Most Beautiful Homes Is For Sale!

The Oslo home of Nina Holst is a bit of an institution. Instantly recognised for its clean lines, soft, muted colour scheme, sloped wood ceiling, scandinavian design furniture and fabulous views over the Oslo fjord - it's been at the heart of Nina's wonderful blog Stylizimo for years. And now, it's up for grabs! Yes, really! Not only does this mean one lucky person gets to move in (could you imagine?!), it also gives us a chance to see what Nina does next - which will no doubt be incredible! In the meantime, let's enjoy a tour of her Norwegian home, one last time! 

Egg chair*, I am not sure who this artwork is by (tips welcome) - but Nina creates and sells paintings in similar hues here.

Wishbone chairs, Kong oil lamp

Kubus candleholder

IKEA cabinet, series 7 arm chair, Limited edition PH 3/2 table lamp, source made to measure white linen curtains here*

Do you recognise this fabulous walk-in-wardrobe? I once wrote a feature about it: Tuesday DIY: A Fab Walk-In Wardrobe on a Shoestring.   

I will never tire of Nina's home - it's so simple, yet so serene and inspiring.

Could you imagine living here?

After my trip to Norway earlier this week, I'm certainly tempted!

It's for sale here. Just saying....

Fancy dipping into a few more Norwegian homes this weekend? How about a serene japan style home in western Norway, a Norwegian house by a fjord, an elegant Norwegian home in striking dark colours and a stunning Norwegian home in many shades of blue.

Got to love the Norwegian flair for interior design!

In the words of our Norwegian friends:

Ha en flott helg! 

Niki

PS I'll be stopping in tomorrow to share the latest update on my summer cottage kitchen renovation.

PPS It's been one crazy week, I'm so looking forward to a more chilled one next week (fingers crossed!) and spending a little more time on here. Is there anything in particular you'd like to see? If so, give me a shout below!

Photography: Nina Holst / Stylizimo shared with kind permission

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A Norwegian Home Gets The Dark Treatment, And It's Beautiful!

People often refer to Scandinavian interior design as a 'trend' - but to me (and I'm pretty sure all Scandinavians) it's anything but. The beauty of Scandinavian design is that's is timeless and surprisingly versatile - the simplicity means it blends with different styles, eras and architectural elements. And as this home shows, it definitely doesn't need to be all about the white / light look! Interior stylist and visual storyteller Catrine Svellingen has transformed her home in Oslo, Norway into a luxurious yet calm sanctuary using a delicious deep blue, rich greens and black and peach accents. The furniture is a mix of elegant contemporary classics, new Nordic design and the occasional IKEA piece for a smart yet homely feel. Are you ready to take a tour?

White Juju hat* (on wall), Kong Gloria candle / vase*, order a made to measure Beni rug like this here*, Flos 2097 chandelier. Oh and what's that we see peeping into the left of the first image? Shock, horror - a TV! Ha ha! It blends in so well it's barely noticeable too - another reason to go for a darker wall colour! 

Paint colour code. S3020-Y40R, Eames side chairs*

Pov wall candle holders* 

How beautiful this home? 

I love the colour combinations (I'm just trying to find out the exact shade she's used in the living room and will hopefully be able to stop by and update the post shortly.  

Is there anything you love about this Oslo home? 

You can see more pictures of Catrine's beautiful home and follow her latest styling projects here. 

I also thought I'd spread a little more Norwegian home love with this beauties: 

Lessons to learn from a colourful yet calm Norwegian home

A serene Norwegian space for the weekend

A Norwegian House by a fjord

I'm really excited to be heading to Bergen next month for a work trip - but thinking about staying for the weekend. Any tips are so welcome! 

Are you up to anything fun this weekend? Whatever you do, I hope you have a fabulous (and relaxing) couple of days!

Niki

Photography: Catrine Svellingen shared with kind permission

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A Stunning Norwegian Home In Many Shades of Blue

This has been a really inspiring week on the blog, I hope you've felt the same! On Monday I was dreaming about buying this holiday cabin on the Swedish island of Gotland complete with sea view and sauna. Yesterday I felt the urge to pack up all my belongings and move to a tiny cabin in the woods and pursue a career in pottery and today, I'm thinking I might just stay put after all and paint my home in shades of blue! When you see the interior of this stunning Norwegian home you'll understand why! Former owner Jan Thoresen and his wife (the apartment was sold last year) hired Tone Kroken to design their beautiful home in Oslo, which she decorated using a range of blue shades, veering from a soft grey-blue in the sitting room and a vibrant middle blue-grey in the hallway to a deep blue in the bedroom. Cognac accents, contemporary art and piles of books also add to the wonderful, unique feel of the space. Så flott!

TIP: To achieve the same rich patina seen in the bedroom and hallway try a minerals based paint like Pure & Original (which was used to paint this home) Jotun Lady Minerals (seen in the first two Norwegian bedroom shots in this post) or Kalklitir powder based paint (which the girls from Our Food Stories used to paint their beautiful studio and home) - the latter ships worldwide. You can also add Roll-A-Tex to normal paint like I did with my dining area (although be warned, this last option is soooo messy!!). Notice how the skirting boards and architraves have been painted in a slightly different blue accent adding interest and depth.

My eyes on that hallway. BE STILL MY BEATING HEART! Anything with piles of books and I'm in (I know I'm not alone either, the open shelving in Katarina Mattson's home is still my number one most popular instagram post E.V.E.R!) - but in combination with the 'mineral walls' - simple amazing!

Is there anything that caught your eye?!

Kudos to photographer extraordinaire Yvonne Wilhelmsen who took these wonderful pictures and interior architect Tone Kroken, the latter of whom who I had the pleasure of meeting when we captured her former home on an tiny car-free island outside Oslo for my second book The Scandinavian Home. It was such a magical day! Check out their interior book here and see more pics of this beautiful home on their website here.

More blue interiors to drool over today: feeling the blue in a Swedish home, a striking dark blue Stockholm pad, the wonderful home of a Swedish food blogger and how to add colour the Danish way.

I hope you're also singing the blues after all this Scandinavian inspiration today!

Niki

Photography: Yvonne Wilhelmsen  Styling: Tone Kroken

PS We've been beavering away on all your new room designs - so fun, thank you so much for signing up! If you'd also like to give my new room design service a whirl, I'm offering a special kick-off discount of 20% off with code MYNEWROOM. Get started here, or read more about the service here! 

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A Serene 'Japandi' Style Family Home in Western Norway

Welcome to Astrid Marie's serene home in a small town in Western Norway. Astrid lives in a house on the farm she grew up on with her husband and two little children . Looking at her calm, beautifully curated home, it comes as no surprise that she's always been passionate about interiors and studied to be an interior consultant ten years ago. It's only now though, that she's dared to take the bold step to start up her own business Pur Interiør, alongside her current role as an advisor for KS. Astrid describes her style as "Nordic minimalism, or Japandi style" (where Japanese and Scandi style come together) and likes to combine furniture with clean and simple lines with natural elements and soft, earthy shades.  It's hard not to feel your pulse lower just looking through these pictures. As for that view from her cabin... Velkommen i!

Mantis wall light, &Tradition Hoof table, Söderhamn sofa, the walls have been painted in Space 10678 and Raw Canvas.

"I like my interior to be minimalistic with high quality and natural elements. I like to surround myself with neutral and warm earth colours, with contrasts in black and dark wood." 

Catcooee bowl

Astrid's adorable 1 year old son and 4 year old daughter play by the fire on a cosy, super fluffy sheepskin (source a similar Norwegian sheepskin here*). 

Scandinavians have an incredible relationship with candles - burning them all year round, day and night. I feel it really adds to the warmth of a room!

Hay About a Chair*, Artwork: Blue Indigo and Outline Woman

&Tradition In between chairs*, the kitchen walls have painted in Sommersne 1928  and the cabinets (which Astrid made herself) in Space. 

As you often find in Scandinavia, Astrid prefers to fill her home with whatever is available outside the door, rather than shopping for fresh bouquets. It's a way too connect the home with it's immediate surroundings and embrace the season - bringing nature indoors in a natural way. 

Kamut print by Coco Lapine, Natural linen waffle blanket*, the walls are painted in Sommersne 1928 and the floors and mouldings in Space 10678.

Astrid's daughter's room is painted in Soft Skin and Senses, and the floor is painted in Tidløs.

At the weekends and during the holidays, Astrid and her family head off to their cabin. I couldn't resist a snapshot from the cabin sitting room! That view!! Here's how Astrid described their island retreat to me:

"The cabin is on a small island called Atløy on the west coast of Norway. It is about 1.5 hours drive from our home. We love spending time there because it's so calm and relaxing. We can sit and just watch the ocean, the boats and the weather change for hours. Sometimes we see whales swim by or eagles right outside our window. We also have a couple of otters that live just down from our cabin. The children love to watch the wildlife, and so do we! We leave all our worries back home and just enjoy life."

I have to say, I really wouldn't mind hanging out in either of these spaces - but that sitting room view is something else!! One of the things that always mesmerises me about Western Norway is the dramatic weather - one minute the sky is a bruised, inky black and the next there's a shaft of sunlight piercing through the clouds, bathing the scenery in a warm golden light. I can honestly imagine sitting there for hours just watching it!

Is there anything that stood out to you about Astrid's serene home (and cabin)?!

You can take a peek at more pictures over at @astridmvie and find out more about her interior consultancy business here: Pur Interiør.

Not ready too leave Western Norway today? Neither am I! Here are a few other homes I love from the region: A Norwegian House By a Fjord, a beautiful AirBnb rental in Bergen and a Rustic Norwegian hide-away.

Ha en fin dag venner! 

Niki


//Photography by Astrid Marie shared with kind permission
//Affiliate links marked with *

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