8 Essential Furnishings Items For a Swedish Studio Apartment

Live in a small space? I've lived in two studios in which the bed was in the corner of the living room: while studying at the University of Edinburgh and then again when I first moved to Malmö, Sweden. And oh, how I wish I'd seen this home then - it's a dream and full of ideas! I hope this Gothenburg home inspires you too - even if you have a bigger space to play with! 

Here are 8 essential elements I spotted that hold the key to creating a beautiful compact home: 

1. Room divider: sometimes the most simple of dividers can be enough to create a visual separation between the place you sleep and the rest of your living space. This rattan screen is great as it can be folded away - and moved around should you decide to re-arrange the room. 

2. Nesting tables: I think we're going to be seeing a lot more of these nesting tables in the coming months and years - and they are absolutely ideal for a smaller space since you can move them around and use them wherever needed - or push them together for a more compact look. I love the Carl Hansen & Søn nesting tables I featured in my cabin last week. 

3. Pouf: I bought this pouf for our cabin last week (I chose it as it is the perfect height and really comfortable - plus it looks nice too). It felt like the final piece of the jigsaw. A small-ish seat-high pouf is a perfect addition to a compact space since it can be used as a footrest or extra seating and doesn't take up a lot of room. 

4. Blackout blinds: Look closely at the windows in the bedroom area and living room and you'll spot a white blackout blind above the window. It's subtle, yet vitally important for a good night's slumber! 

5. Hook rail: A staple in Scandinavian homes, a simple rail is perfect for extra storage and overnight items. Opt for a smaller one like in this home or fill the entire width of a room. 

6. Curtains: A compact space can quickly feel cluttered. Curtains are great for concealing clobber, help to dampen sound and also add a soft and serene feel to the room. In this apartment, fresh white linen curtains have been used as window dressing, to cover storage and also between the living area and kitchen. 

I spotted these white linen curtains* on Etsy which are made to measure, and you can decide on the amount of blackout too - pretty smart I thought!

7. Round furniture: I know, I kind of wax lyrical about this, but I can't emphasise the importance of rounded edges enough! Plus round tables are way more space efficient than square tables! 

8. Mirrors: reflective surfaces are a great way to visually enlarge a space and bounce the light around. 

Curious to see the layout of this lovely Gothenburg apartment? Here it is: 

Vargadsrum - living room, Kök - Kitchen

I hope this bright and sunny space has given you a few ideas! I love the curtains in particular - something I will be thinking more about in my home. 

Is there anything that stood out to you? 

Incidentally, booklovers out there must be wondering where the shelves are. If it were my home, I would probably add some built-in, wall mounted shelves in the corner of the living room which go up and over the door to the kitchen. It's a perfect spot for them, don't you think?

Would you like to see some more studio apartment inspiration today? Check out: 

Smart family compact living on a budget
A smallish city flat with a clever room divider solution
A little cottage in the heart of the city
A calm one-room oasis in the heart of the city
A tour of our little cabin
A charming tiny Swedish allotment cottage 

I hope you have a great start to the week! 

Niki

Credits: Stadshem
*affiliate link

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Small spaces: a little summer cottage in the heart of the city

Cycling through Malmö, it's exciting to see all the bright green leaves spring to life on the trees after many months of dormancy. And across town, allotment season has begun! I was amazed to discover that Swedish allotments often have 'kolonistuga' - small inhabitable cottages in which you can live from late spring to early Autumn, providing a country oasis in the heart of the city. Do you have something similar in your country?

This pretty cottage was on the market last year and I was excited to see it snapped up by Hannes Mauritzson (who's apartment I once featured here). Located on 'Slottsskogskolonien' in Gothenburg, which I believe is the same allotment area as Elin Lannsjö's charming allotment, the cottage measures a teeny 27 m2 / 290 f2. Hannes has applied his own signature touch to the little cottage using a lick of paint and vintage touches - while some of the original wood still shines through. Take a quick peek at how it looked when Hannes bought it and then scroll down to see how the pretty cottage looks today! 

What a perfect place to tend to blooms, maybe grow a few veg, sip rosé and sleep over the summer, don't you think? His faithful four-legged friend Charlie certainly looks content! 

And just in case the Swedish weather gods aren't playing nicely (fair chance!) - there's always the wood burning stove too! 

Would you like to see more allotment cottages today? I've featured quite a few in the past: 

A truly idyllic Swedish allotment cottage

A charming little summer cottage in the heart of the city

Lovely details in a Danish allotment cottage

An endearing cabin on a Danish allotment

I hope these lovely spaces have filled you with inspiration today. 

Niki

Photography / credits: Hannes Mauritzson - shared with kind permission

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Jane's Cosy yet Calm Home in Muted Tones

In my teens, I went out with a guy called Luke (these days, he's an award-winning illustrator - he always was always very talented and never without a sketchbook!), and we used to hang out in his family kitchen in London eating doughnuts. It was a small, two up, two down cottage and always felt so cosy. Scrolling through Instagram a few days ago, I came across @teawithruby and Jane Day's cottage in Northeast England and it took me straight back to my teens! 

Jane, Robert and Ruby's house was built in the 1980s and is located in the town of Billingham (which Jane describes as 'not the most glamorous of places, but once we close the door to our space, it's home!'). As with many of us, Jane's style has changed a lot over the years, but she always come back to 'calm and stillness'. Think muted tones, tactile textures such as wood, wool and linen and most importantly, Jane tells me, 'One thing our home has is lots of love!'

Ready to feel inspired? 

What a lovely, homely house! 

I can just imagine the three of them sitting at the table, sipping tea (Jane is making the most of her time left with Ruby at home before she heads off to university). 

For those of you wondering if vintage finds can be a good marriage with a relatively modern build - this is your answer. Absolutely! The muted yet contrasting paint colours do wonders to set the tone. 

For more pictures of Jane's lovely home, check out @teawithruby. 

Now that I'm on a roll going down memory lane, shall we take a peek inside a few other English homes today? 

Before and after: a Victorian house becomes a cosy home

A dreamy cottage to rent in southeast England

And... 

All living spaces in the home of Jessica Hearne! 

Happy Lillördag (little Saturday) friends! 

Niki

Photography: Jane Day / @teawithruby, shared with kind permission

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A Small-ish Swedish Home, That's Big on Character

Tjena! Hur är läget? I'm stopping by to share this funky 46 m2 / 495 m2 Swedish apartment (it's turning into a small-ish living space week!) with you today. Whereas in the Swedish home I shared on Monday, the living room also doubled up as the bedroom and home office, in this charming apartment, the main room serves as a living room, dining room and kitchen. 

Even so, the owners have successfully carved out different zones and added lots of character through a blend off mid-century and modern-day pieces as well as plenty of art! Keep a look out for the bedroom which has been painted in a cosy blue / green, which immediately separates it from the main living area. I hope this home provides you with plenty of inspiration! 

For some reason I'm really drawn to the kitchen, it's really cute! I also love the gallery wall in the sitting room, it adds so much to the space, don't you think?

Is there anything that caught your eye? 

One small detail you may not have noticed is the stool under the round mirror. It's been upholstered with Svenskt Tenn fabric which is having a major moment in Scandinavian homes. You'll likely spot it in on bed headboards, cushions, armchairs and chairs in the coming months! 

Enjoy a load more small spaces in this archive. 

Have a lovely day friends! 

Niki

Photography: Boukari, Styling Copparstad for Historiska Hem. 

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