From Printing House to Family Home: A Relaxed Swedish Tour

It’s not every day that a home like this comes onto the market. After fourteen years, the owners are now saying goodbye to their unique Liljeholmen home, a place where children have grown up, everyday life has unfolded, and the ordinary has been turned into something special.

Once a printing house, the home still carries traces of its past, yet the interior today is a relaxed and creative mix of industrial edge, 1960s warmth, and modern comfort.

One of the things I really love is the way the owners have decorated the walls and surfaces. Art prints, shelves, and plenty of smart storage are not just practical; they also act as display space for books, objects, and plants. The result is a home that feels both personal and inspiring, layered with stories and details that catch your eye at every turn. And weaving through it all is a subtle thread of pink, appearing in tiles, textiles, and artwork, that softens the industrial base and brings a playful warmth to each room.

And then, right in the middle of it all, you have the very cool staircase, which subtly divides the space into different zones for lounging, working, and gathering, while still keeping the atmosphere open and airy. Painted a crisp white, it feels sculptural against the earthy tones, greenery, and touches of pink that tie the whole home together.

Let’s step inside and take a closer look at this inspiring home.

As I look back through this tour, a few details really stand out to me. I love the little home office alcove, tucked away yet brimming with creativity. I’m also so inspired by the way the walls and storage surfaces have been used to display art and personal objects — it makes the whole home feel layered and alive. And then there are those unexpected pink tiles in the bathroom… something I don’t think I would have dared to choose myself, but now I can’t imagine the space without them. They’re bold, fun, and somehow soft all at once.

What caught your eye in this home? Did anything surprise or inspire you? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. 

Fancy taking a look at a few other Swedish homes today? how about:

The wonderful home of a Swedish food blogger
Lina's soulful home is designed for slow living
A vintage inspired home full of vintage finds

I hope you enjoyed these too! 

On a final note, I wanted to share my latest project with you that I've been working away on with a team of lovely people: the IKEA kitchen matchmaker - it's a fun, light-hearted quiz with nine questions which will lead you to your culinary crush in the form of a kitchen that matches your personality. I got Cosy Culinary. I'd be very curious to hear what kichen you get! Feel free to share far and wide! per really loved taking part in the quiz too. 

Kram! 

Niki

Photography: F. Boukari, Styling @clindholm_design for Historiska Hem

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A Rose-Tinted Swedish Home with a Contemporary Twist!

Alla hjärtans dag - or Valentine's Day calls for something pink, don't you think? And you certainly won't need to look through rose tinted glasses to see the blush tones in this Swedish home! 

Fear not though, 'sweet' and romantic it's not - but rather, it has a distinct contemporary vibe thanks to striped cushions with a zing of orange as well as notes of brown. Keep a look out for some very cool furniture in the shape of a Ekstrem chair - which we also saw in Julie's Danish home (featuring lots of pink too!), a playful mirror and some lovely lamps! 

Elsewhere in the home, you'll see a soothing shade of green in the bedroom and a deep blue in the loo - all of which are designed to keep you guessing and make for a thoroughly interesting abode! 

Such a cool apartment, and so different! 

Are you a fan of pink? 

Here are a few other 'pink' themed articles I found in the archives to get everyone in the mood for today:

Pinks big comeback in 2017! 

A retro 'funkis' home in Norway (note the green which is opposite to pink in the colour wheel, making it a perfect pair!). 

A very cool yet calm rose-tinted French family home

Before and after: a dingy stairway becomes a vibrant place - with stairs in every shade of pink!

And don't forget the pink stairs in Susie's home - someone told me the other day that a painter refused to do the job and I think Susie ended up painting them herself! A true labour of love! 

Glad alla hjärtans dag! Happy Valentine's Day! 

Niki

Photography: Johansson

Styling: Lindholm

For Historiska Hem

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A DIY headboard, Children's alcove and a log fire in the Bedroom!

Hejsan! Scrolling through my usual sites on a Monday morning (along with a Swedish extra strength coffee of course!) I stopped in my tracks when this Swedish home popped up. There were three things that really stood out to me: the soft yet contemporary pink bedroom, the ribbed headboard / half wall that also serves as a shelf and the children's alcove off the sitting room! Let's take a closer look! 

No doubt a former storage cupboard, the parents in this Swedish home have converted an alcove off the sitting room into a children's playroom. I particularly love the glass doors - which ensure some peace and quiet  - after all, we all know how noisy parents can be - not entirely conducive when you're trying to create a crayon masterpiece ;). The alcove is perfectly organised with a cosy place to curl up with a book, a desk and shelves for creating and some floor space for general play. 

Plus, if it gets messy (let's face it, it probably doesn't look as neat as this all the time!) there are always the curtains which can be drawn across! 

I love this pink shade in the hallway and master bedroom. It looks like Deco pink by Jotun Lady - a shade that goes equally well with grey (like in this home) or even zesty colours like neons and cherry red. Are you a fan too? 

These types of headboards and wardrobe coverings are extremely popular right now and make such a statement - even when painted the same colour as the walls! They are also very easy to create yourself. A large DIY store will stock everything you need to create the look. 

I didn't mention the 'kakelugn' (Swedish tiled masonry oven) in my list of three, but it's an absolute given! I mean, who doesn't want to fall asleep to the warm embers of a log fire in winter time? So cosy! 

I hope you felty inspired by these features too. Perhaps there is something else that stood out to you? If so, please do point out in the comments below! 

I am heading off to Jutland, Denmark today to attend Formland design fair tomorrow - very excited as it's such an inspiring place and where I find out the latest trends and news for Autumn. If you can't attend in person,  I'll be sharing my trip on Instagram in case you'd like to see what's happening! I'm then off to Aarhus - Denmark's second largest city to write a city guide for Simply Scandi magazine. I've never been before so very intrigued, I've heard many a good things! 

I hope you've got some fun plans for the week too, and that the sun is shining for you. 

See you Wednesday friends! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Alicia Edelman via The Nordroom. 

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A Swedish Apartment for One (or Two) on a Serene Island

Tjena! Sweden is slowly waking up after a long weekend of Midsummer celebrations. The sun shone for us all too (usually Midsummer's Eve can be particularly dicey as the Nordic weather gods know we all want to eat alfresco!). All in all, it was a beautiful weekend of wildflowers, dancing around a may pole, singing and catching up with friends and family! Take a look at this post to learn more about the Swedish Midsummer celebrations in case you'd like to join in with the revelry! 

Anyhow, I'm sure you're here for the Scandi interiors inspiration today not to hear about my weekend, so let's crack on! This lovely little apartment measuring 34 sqm / 365 ft2, has everything a single person or couple might need to enjoy life near the Swedish capital, yet still feel close to nature. Situated on Stora Essingen, an island on Lake Mälaren, the peaceful surroundings are there to be enjoyed year-round. 

The main living space is open-plan and has been organised so that you can enjoy meals looking out over the water.

A classic Gubi semi-pendant lamp has been hung over the table. But the real eye-catcher is the striped tablecloth (it was only a few weeks back that we were discussing how much a tablecloth can transform a room and here is yet more proof!). The closest I found was this nautical striped fabric on Etsy*. 

A gallery wall (source similar prints at The Poster Club*) and collection of cushions add a cosy touch to the living room area. 

I love this corner with a wall hanging, Flowerpot table lamp in 'beige red' and a cabinet. The latter looks like it could be an IKEA hack using Bestå units and adding a cane front. I noticed last time I was there they now have an IVAR cabinet with cane front in the range too! 

Notice how subtle pink tones can be seen in the living room area. This is part of what the Swedes call a 'red thread' - using the same colour in every room to create a cohesive feel throughout a home. 

Swedish string pocket shelves and a row of wooden hooks create space to display an array of pottery. 

It's in the bedroom where the pink has been allowed to really shine through - seen on both the wall cabinets, curtains and bed linen! Love this, how about you? 

If you're curious about the layout, here are more details (courtesy of Historiska Hem). 

Glossary: vardagsrum - living room, kök - kitchen, sovrum - bedroom, bad - bathroom. 

I could totally see myself enjoying a slow breakfast looking out over the water, how about you? And I'm very tempted to add that lovely pink tone to a small bedroom in our house, I wonder if Albin would let me? I doubt it! 

Is there anything that struck you about this serene space? 

I also love these homes in the Stockholm archipelago: 

The beautiful home of a Swedish stylist

An estate in the Stockholm archipelago

A traditional Swedish villa over looking the water

An idyllic island hideaway

If you're looking to combine a trip to the Swedish capital with a stay in the Stockholm archipelago, we loved our press stay at this hotel last summer! 

See more lovely Swedish homes in this archive. And don't miss some of these tours that I've shared lately: 

Have a great start to the week! 

Niki

Photography: @jockeono Styling: Lindholm Design for Historiska Hem. 

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