The Serene Scandi-style Home of a Norwegian Living in Lisbon!

You can take a girl out of Norway, but you can't take Norway out of the girl.... I don't think this is the original saying, but it certainly fits in this instance!). Marriken moved from Norway to Portugal 11 years ago to live with her boyfriend. The pair instantly fell in love with the period details of this apartment in the centre of Lisbon and moved in three years ago. 

"The apartment had been well maintained, but we have still done some work to it after we moved in," Marriken tells me. "We renovated the bathrooms, painted, opened up a wall and replaced the kitchen. We try to make well-considered decisions that will stand the test of time and prefer to take the time to think things through rather than rushing into decisions, hence it's still a work in progress." 

Ready to take a peek? You're in for a treat! 

Coffee tables - De la Espada, Lucande Floor lamp

'Check' print* - The Poster Club, Wishbone Chair - Carl Hansen & Søn

Striped linen duvet cover* and pillow case* - Magic Linen,  Rug - H&M Home. 

Oak wall rack - by We Do Wood

So serene. Simplicity at its finest. 

I especially love the French balcony in the sitting room - the doors are like art, and all thew windows flood the space with light. Is there anything that stands out to you? 

You can see more daily snapshots from Marriken's Lisbon apartment over on her inspiring instagram feed @third_floor_left. 

Would you like to tiptoe around a few other homes of Scandinavians living abroad today? If so, you'll love these: 

The cosy home of a Swede living beside a Scottish loch

Exciting life change: a Swedish family home in the French alps (I was so happy to catch up with Bettina here in a Sweden a few days ago, whenever we meet, I'm always ready to pack my bags and head to the mountains afterwards. One day friends, one day!). 

The relaxed home of a Finn living in Mallorca

Oooooh, what a wonderful selection of places, styles and inspiring people! 

Do you live in the country you grew up in, or have you also moved abroad? 

Happy Monday! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of @third_floor_left

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A Charming Rural Cottage By a Norwegian Fjord

Allow me to take you back in time today. Well, you'd be forgiven for thinking so but actually, this charming Norwegian cottage belongs to Liv Sandvik Jakobsen - a freelance journalist, who has carefully restored the property, while being careful to keep the original charm. Liv and her family live in near the village of Kviteseid, 3 hours' drive West of Oslo. The cottage has views of the fjords, which are equally spectacular in the winter as they are in the summer, and all seasons in between!

Inside, the wood panelling has been painted in soft earthy blues and greens to reflect the colours of the surroundings, and antique furniture provides cosy spots to gather around a table or keep warm by the fire. Ready for the tour? Welcome to Liv's cosy world in the Norwegian fjords! 

Liv has used piping over the stove to store 'knekkebrød' - traditional crisp bread. 

The interior is mainly made up of vintage and antique furniture, however you occasionally spot a modern touch, such as the wall lamp beside the dining area. 

Mittens and other linen are hung to dry over the wood burning stove, which is also used to boil the kettle. 

Liv is a keen knitter and has co-produced three popular knitting pattern books with knit designer Lene Holme Samsøe. I am actually learning to knit right now (thank you Farmor!) but making such slow progress. It's my dream to knit one of these beautiful Norwegian jumpers one day! Can you knit? 

Come summer, the light transforms and with it, the fjords turn a wonderful blue-green hue. Would you like to see how it looks outside in summertime? Here are a few pictures! 

How incredible! This has made me miss the Norwegian fjords so much. I really need to make a return trip some point soon. Norway is a magical country! Have you ever been? 

See more of Liv's charming cottage and life in the countryside at @livslyst. You might also like to explore these Norwegian country homes today: 

A cosy candlelit cabin deep in the Norwegian fjords

A magical Norwegian mountain cabin

A simple yet cosy cabin by a fjord

A Norwegian house by a fjord

A magical rural fjord side escape

You might also feel inspired by my trip to the Hardanger fruit trail a few years back. Read all about it here! 

Klem!

Niki

Photography courtesy of @livslyst, shared with kind permission. 

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Rune's 'Koselig' Norwegian Home at Christmas

*This post contains affiliate links

Hej hej! I hope you had a cosy weekend! My sister was over to visit for the weekend and we went up to the cabin for some foraging for Christmassy touches (we were even followed along the coast by a couple of curious seals). Now that I'm home in Malmö again I've been looking for inspiration on new ways to display all of nature's treasures - and Rune Aas Strandvik's instagram is full of lovely ideas fresh from Norway! 

Founder of concept store Mathilde, Rune's cosy home features lovely deep hues which make for a truly atmospheric backdrop for beautifully arranged moss, pinecones, candles and of course a wonderful Christmas tree! 

A collection of vintage chopping boards* make a lovely display in the dining area. 

Four block candles arranged in a metal bowl with moss and other treasures from the forest floor make a great advent candle display. 

Could you imagine Christmas Day right here? So hyggelig! I especially love the overhead wreath. 

This striped linen tablecloth* and napkins* are similar. 

I could pull up a chair by the fire and stay here the entire holiday, how about you? Such a pretty Christmas tree too. 

A simple basket is ideal for storing candles (source a harvest basket exactly like this here*)

A pine sapling arranged in a vase makes a simple yet festive display on the coffee table (and can be replanted after Christmas!). I also love the idea of infusing drinks with fresh pine sprigs! 

Aaaaah, so koselig (cosy) as they say in Norwegian!  

Are there any ideas that stand out to you in particular? 

Take a peek at Rune's lovely instagram for more inspiration.

And if you take a look around one other home today, make it Hilde Mork's cosy Norwegian cottage decorated for Christmas for all the feels! 

Have a great start to the week friends! 

Niki

Photography: Rune Aas Strandvik

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A Striking Monochrome Home in Bergen, Norway

I hope you had a lovely weekend? Here in Sweden, we celebrated 'Valborg' (Walpurgis), a traditional spring celebration. Across the country, bonfires were lit at dusk and choirs sang out while children toasted marshmallows. For the young, it's also a big party night, so many were nursing sore heads yesterday! Do you celebrate Walpurgis night in your country too? 

Sadly, I have no pictures of Valborg to share with you today, but I do have a striking home tour from Bergen, Norway! Looking through the pictures took me straight back to the day when everyone was going for the monochrome look, and I was happy to find the interior of this house has survived the test of time. The property belongs to Nina Kristin Kristiansen, founder of Kamelone Design Studio and a restorative yoga instructor. Decorated almost entirely in black and white with a deep green accent, Nina's punchy graphical home is full of contrast. Look closely and you'll also spot iconic design pieces such as vintage Jielde lamps*, Eames chairs and a classic Stendig calendar. Welcome to the ground floor!   

How cool! And so different from other home tours I've shown of late. 

I especially like the timeless chequered floor in the hallway and all the plants (little envious of how healthy her lemon tree is looking; I might have to write to Nina for some tips!). 

Is there anything that stood out to you? Are you a fan of the monochrome aesthetic? 

See more black and white and monochrome homes. 

Have a great start to the week! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Nina Kristin Kristiansen, shared with kind permission. 

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