5 Great Design Tricks To Learn From a Small Swedish Space

It was a while since I featured a small space - which is a shame, as Scandinavian's are masters are these! This delightful apartment in Gothenburg, Sweden measures up at a mere 56 sqm (602 f2) - but the owners have still managed to squeeze in everything they need: including a light and airy kitchen, sitting room, home office, private bedroom, wardrobe space and a bathroom - and all with impeccable style too! Here are five things I love about this space - and what I see as the key to its success! 

1. Keeping to one era: the mint green kitchen cabinets wouldn't look out of place in the 50s - 60s - and yet it was newly renovated in 2016. To match the look, they've added a Gubi semi pendant lamp* which was designed in 1968, a set of classic 7 series chairs (designed by Arne Jacobsen in 1955) and a vintage mid-century table and dresser. Despite the eclectic materials, this has helped to create a cosy, cohesive kitchen. 

2. Lots of pieces, without the clutter! If you look closely at the windowsill there's a lot going on - 5 unique pots (love the spotty one - I think it's by Elin Frodig), a little lamp and a candlestick holder. But since they're all in the same tone, it looks interesting without looking visually cluttered, 

I'd love a larder, sadly they rarely build new houses with these! 

3. Grouping: in small spaces, it's really important to leave areas empty. This helps to give the illusion of space. This can easily be achieved by grouping objects together (as seen above with the shelves and gallery wall). If you have shelves at home that feel cluttered, try grouping items together in threes or fives and leaving space between the next group - it will instantly elevate the space! 

4. Elfa storage: I always think Swedish brand Elfa is such an unsung hero of the interior world. The solutions are much more budget friendly than say, String (seen below) - and you can create endless different looks - as seen with the shelf and desk in the home office above, and the wardrobe below. A small space's best friend! FYI I'm not paid to say this, in fact I've never even spoken to them, I just love what they do. Hmmm. Maybe I should reach out? 

5. Sliding doors: No, I'm not talking about the 1990s romantic-comedy (although - I did used to love that film!), I'm talking doors that glide into the wall and simply 'disappear'. We have three sliding doors in our own home and I can't tell you how much space they help save. But also, the door frame can be way wider which means more light can filter into the room. Perfect for windowless rooms like this little bedroom alcove! The one in the picture below is from Bauhaus. 

PS I also love the use of bold pattern and colour in a tiny space - it adds so much drama and detracts from the size. Are you a fan off this too?

Perhaps you spotted some other great ideas from this lovely Swedish apartment, if so I'd love to hear below. 

In case you're curious to see the layout etc - there's a load more info here (this flat is for sale!). 

All in all, one lovely pad, don't you think?

I'll leave you with a few other teeny Scandinavian apartments to look at this bright and sunny (yet very cold Wednesday - there's a deep freeze going on here right now and tomorrow we're looking at a high of 8 degrees C - BRRRRRR!). 

Cosy small space living in Gothenburg, Sweden

The cosy small Copenhagen flat of a creative and plant-lover

7 creative ways to make the most of a loft / attic space

Have a lovely day friends! 

Niki

Photography Anders Bergstedt for Entrance

*affiliate links

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A Beautiful, Space-Saving Family Home in Stockholm, Sweden

I'm still buzzing the Swedish country home yesterday (and judging by the 20,000 hits about it on my instagram I sense I'm not alone!) - did you fall in love too? There's only one thing for it. Move on. After all, a move to the country is not on the cards for the Brantmarks (being the city slickers we are)! So, today I thought I'd focus on living in the city - and how to deal with the space-limitations that so often come with it. On the surface this wonderful Swedish apartment looks pretty spacious. But add a few children to the mix and the tiny bedrooms become a bit of a conundrum. After all, kids demand quite a lot of their rooms: a bed, a desk, somewhere to hang out with friends and / or play and storage. In this wonderful Stockholm home, the owners have made maximum use of the height to create three loft bed solutions which help to maximise space in the children's bedrooms. They've also worked with internal windows to ensure natural light flows into the darkest of corners. Best of all, everything has been done with the utmost style and the entire home has a wonderful personal and relaxed feel! Ready to feel inspired?

The kitchen has been artfully arranged around a classic masonry oven / tiled stove - with a space for wood storage built into the cabinetry

Imagine how cosy this must be with the roaring fire at night? It's set up for some seriously cosy and romantic dinners! 

A more formal dining setting occupies the window area in the sitting room - with a wonderful Nelson Saucer Bubble lamp overhead! 

One of the biggest decorating mistakes people make is buying a rug which is too small for the space. Well, not in this room! 

As a rule of thumb, a sitting room rug should be at least 15 cm - 20 cm  (6" - 8") wider than your sofa on each side. You may then decide whether to place all four legs of your sofa on the rug, or just the front two. 

FYI: I'd never judge anyone for the size of rug they choose in their home - so this is just a helpful guide if you're struggling to decide. Otherwise, anything goes! 

The owners have made the most of a narrow passage - using it as a library and wardrobe space.

Oh, and check out that beautiful wood floor! 

A built-in shelf behind the bed has becoming increasingly popular and is especially useful in a smaller space. 

I love all three of these small space children bedroom solutions! The owners have capitalised on the tremendous ceiling height to create 'vertical' bedrooms complete with desks, storage and cosy seating areas. 

Fun touches include striped wallpaper, gymnastics rings (my daughter has the same ones from Finnish company Lillagunga - as do all her gymnast friends!) and a Ferm Living pineapple rug. 

I really appreciate the eclectic mix of pieces in this tiny room - including a round shelf from Ferm Living*, a vintage chair and terrazzo side table. 

It's not unusual for magnificent old apartment blocks in Scandinavia to have grand entryways like this. Look at those tiles and how paintwork has been used to highlight the period features. Wonderful! 

What a truly inspiring home - and great inspiration for anyone looking to maximise space in the city!

Is there anything that stood out to you? 

Here are a few more Scandinavian city homes for you to enjoy today: 

The Oslo home of the Arctic Gardener

A creative Helsinki home with a cheerful and relaxed vibe

A cosy Copenhagen loft full of plants and vintage treasures

Har det så fint! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Historiska Hem 

*Affiliate link (which means I may make a very tiny amount of money should you click on the link and buy something - at no extra cost to you). 

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Before And After: A Tiny Off-the-grid Swedish Cabin In The Woods

Have you ever considered a more simple life? Perhaps one that involves swapping urban adventures for a serene rural life? Or maybe you've been considering down-sizing in order to save money and realise a dream! Either way - I think you're going to find todays tour amazingly inspiring! 

As an 'Organic Farming and Sustainable Living' student, Paula Edén had lived in a little caravan in the countryside. Since graduating, she'd always dreamed of returning to 'tiny house' living and a more simple life. Paula set about sketching her dream home and built herself a tiny cabin on wheels. Today, she lives completely off-grid in a 13 metre2 living space, where everything she needs is right there on her doorstep. 

The sketch

Paula had always loved the ideas of a traditional Swedish Falu-red cottage with yellow doors. Her sketch (above) would form the blue-print for the construction phase. 

The Construction

Paula was keen to ensure her cottage was constructed in as sustainable was possible. She worked with natural materials (avoiding plastic and aluminium) and also sought upcycled pieces from reclaim yards - for example, the chassis was made using an old boat trailer. 

Paula sought the help of her Father - a woodwork teacher - and also looked for advice from other people who had carried out similar projects, joining many Facebook groups. As a first-timer, Paula decided to break down the house building process into smaller parts, allowing her creativity to guide her as much as possible. 

As someone who has always been interested in interiors, Paula was keen to put form ahead of function - which is fairly unusual in the 'tiny house' world where space is of a premium! The interior was constructed with left over storm wood, which she combined with new bead boards. 

Once the construction work was complete, the fun began: decorating! Paula painted the interior an earthy sage green using linseed oil paint code S 3010-G70Y and complimented it with Waldemar wallpaper from Boråstapeter. The muted colour scheme and natural wood were deliberately chosen to reflect the surrounding nature. 

Delivery!

The house was delivered to a borrowed plot of land on a farm in Småland, on a hill surrounded by pastures, forest and lakes.  

The interior

The cottage has been kitted out with everything Paula needs - including seating lined with cushions and a set of table and chairs from where she sits to eats, reads and catches up with friends - after coming home from her job as a nursery teacher. 

Living completely off-grid, Paula uses the Wood-burning stove to cook her meals as well as for heating. She collects drinking-water from the nearby farm and a hole in the ground serves as a fridge. Paula also collects rainwater from the roof and swims in the nearby lake to wash. A small solar panel has been attached to the side of the cottage to generate electricity. 

The ceiling serves as extra storage for important utensils such as an oil lamp and a basket used for foraging and gathering homegrown fruit and vegetables. 

Look closely and you'll also spot her sleep loft - a cosy nook above the kitchen!

Vintage tins and jars in the kitchen add to the warm, cosy vibe of Paula's home while providing somewhere to store food. 

How lovely! 

Such a beautiful, cosy little space to potter around in!  

Per and I are planning to build a small cottage in the garden of the summer cottage - but we never actually considered building it ourselves! Feeling inspired, I asked Paula a little more about what it was like to build a cottage, and if she has any tips for anyone looking to do the same:

"It's so much fun to learn how to build a house! It's also great to be able to build your home just the way you want it. On the whole, I felt the process went really well.  I may not have done everything by the book, but I'm happy with it! 

Taking it one step at a time and leave room for creativity. Look for support from other people who have carried out similar projects (there are plenty of groups on Facebook).  And don't think too much, just go for it! 

Remember: not everything needs to be perfect - it won't turn out as you had planned anyway!"

Wise words indeed! 

I couldn't resist asking Paula one more question - how is she finding life in her tiny cabin in the woods and how does she have any plans for the future?

"I really enjoy living in the woods and I feel at home surrounded by trees and meadows. My dream is to be surrounded by a couple of other tiny houses occupied by friends so we can share water and electricity. There's something beautiful about silence, but life is more fun with others!" 

Thank you so much to Paula for graciously sharing her thoughts and images. You can see many more snapshots of her life on a farm over at @paulas.hus. 

Looking for other tiny house inspiration? Peek inside the world's smallest luxury home (it's also on wheels!), a tiny Danish beach cabin that's big on style and Dream life on a budget: a tiny cabin and pottery studio in the woods. 

Are you feeling as inspired as I am? I'd love to hear your thoughts on Paula's lovely home below! 

Niki

Photography: Paula Edén, first seen in Land magazine 

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A Cosy Little Oasis To Call Your Own

A one room bedsit conjures up all kinds of images - not always positive. For example, I spent my first year in London after uni in a dismal bedsit where the windows would rattle every time a double decker bus thundered passed! If only I'd seen this cosy oasis - I could have actually made something of it! This teeny Manhattan apartment belongs to Chloé Crane-Leroux, a food, interiors and lifestyle photographer from Montreal, Canada. In the photography world, Chloé's is known for her minimalist touch and carefully curated eye, and this transcends into her bedsit. Opting for an off-white tone throughout, Chloé has artfully balanced clean and minimalist with a cosy touch - no easy feat in such a small space! The result is a calm escape and a place to call her own in the heart of the buzzing metropolis! 

So cosy, don't you think?

I can just imagine how wonderful it would be to walk through the door and feel the hustle and bustle of the city fall away.

For a tiny space, this sure does work. I took a closer look to see why. Chloé has used three key styling tricks:

1. She's stuck to one colour theme throughout: a warm off-white

2. An array of different textures add interest and depth

3. A large mirror over the mantel piece helps to make the room feel larger and bounce the light around 

Somethings to think about if you live in a small space or looking to decorate a small room in your home. 

Fancy seeing a little more? Chloe's inspiring feed features snapshots of her life which she divides between Paris, Montreal and New York City (when the current situation allows!). 

Oh, and if you like the filters she's used on her photography, you'll be happy to hear Chloé also sells Lightroom presets. 

Other small spaces to feel inspired by today: 

10 small space tricks to learn from a Swedish apartment

A clever small space solution for a bedroom or home office

Cosy small space living in a Gothenburg apartment

Happy Tuesday friends!

Niki

Photographer: Chloé Crane-Leroux, shared with kind permission

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