A 19th-Century Stockholm Home with the Perfect Colour Flow

I was so happy to see Kris mention the 'red thread' in the blog comments on Wednesday! Safe to say, it’s one of my favourite decorating tricks—and something I often spot in Scandinavian homes. I love bringing it up here on the blog because it’s such a simple yet effective way to create harmony and cohesion in a space.

Not familiar with the 'red thread'? In a nutshell, it’s about choosing a few key colours and repeating them throughout your home. It doesn’t have to be dramatic—think bold statements like wall colours, kitchen cabinets, or a sofa, or just subtle touches like candles, vases, art, cushions, lamps and throws. Either way, it helps pull everything together and makes your home feel effortlessly cohesive and visually calming.

This lovely Swedish apartment is a perfect example, with sky blue, burgundy, and yellow as the chosen tones. Keep an eye out for how these shades weave subtly through each room! My favourite detail? The painted white and burgundy hallway floor. Traditionally, tiles were a luxury beyond reach for many in Sweden, so painting floors to mimic tiles became a clever and affordable alternative. I love seeing this tradition live on in homes today.

Ready to take the tour and soak up all the charming details in this 19th-century Stockholm home? Let’s dive in!

I'm interested to see that the flat features the same fuse box as the one in our summer cottage. Like this one, ours is also exposed and I've been thinking about a clever solution to hide it. Any ideas? 

Incidentally, I love the wall hallway storage with hooks and bench–practical but also pretty! 

This final pictures presents the perfect opportunity to take a closer look at the painted hallway floor which can easily be created with some planning and lots of paint! 

Other paint colours to look out for: kitchen and children's bedroom: Ginseng, master bedroom: Embrace, both by Jotun. 

I hope you enjoyed the tour! Is there anything that stood out to you? 

Would you like to see a few more homes with a great red thread? Take a peek at: 

Ylva's lovely Swedish apartment with blue and yellow accents

8 ways to create cohesion in your home, Danish style

5 ways to rock a blue and beige theme

A creative Swedish home filled with art

Wishing you all a 'trevlig helg' (nice weekend). 

Kram!

Niki

Photography Fredric Boukari, Styling Petra Yngfalk for Historiska Hem. 

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A 1930s Stockholm Apartment with 'Funkis' Charm and a blue kitchen

It’s Lillördag (Little Saturday) – as the Swedes like to call Wednesday – which basically gives everyone permission to sip a drink (or two) guilt free as if the weekend has already begun. And honestly, I could very happily see myself swanning around this Swedish apartment this evening, fully embracing the occasion!

Spread over two floors, this spacious home was designed and built in 1931, right at the dawn of Swedish functionalism’s golden age. Think clean lines, clever use of space, and efficient use materials. And you can absolutely feel that ethos here—an airy, efficient space in the heart of Stockholm, sprinkled with some lovely mid-century furniture and lighting.

Two standout features caught my eye. First, the kitchen, with its eye-catching sky-blue cabinets and open shelving suspended from the ceiling—a genius way to add extra storage in an open-plan setting. And second, the immense library wall stretching across the entire living and dining area. Imagine being surrounded by books while sipping your midweek *insert drink of choice*…?

I've even thrown in a floor plan so you can get a proper feel for the layout. Ready to step inside? Let’s go!

Ceiling shelving is widely available around the world (a quick google search is bound to show up something in your area). 

The original functionalist kitchen units are fabulous—definitely not something you'd want to rip out! That said, a simple lick of paint has completely transformed the look, turning the cabinets into a real focal point of the room. Given that kitchens can be a surprisingly hefty investment, more and more homeowners are opting for a budget-friendly refresh—grabbing a paintbrush or having their cabinets spray-painted for a brand-new look at a fraction of the cost!

Two Gubi Semi pendant lamps, designed in 1968, hang elegantly over the dining table. They're firm favorites of mine—not just because they look fantastic, but because they're wonderfully practical too. In fact, I even recommended them to my mother for her home, and she absolutely loves them. 

A set of 811 chairs by TON, designed in 1930, surround the table, seamlessly tying in with the era in which the apartment was built hence why their timeless design feels right at home here. 

A double curtain rail with softer sheer curtains and black out curtains add a softness to the cleaner lines of the room. 

Blue Swedish string shelves in the bathroom add a fabulous contemporary touch and an element of surprise! 

Glossary: Vån 1– first floor, Bottenvåning– ground floor. Sovrum–bedroom, Bad–bathroom, Vardagsrum–sitting room, Köl–kitchen, Bokhylla–book shelves. 

Some lovely ideas here. I've mentioned a few of my favourite things about this home - is there anything that stands out to you? 

You can see more corners over at Historiska Hem here. 

I hope you enjoyed the tour and have a happy lillördag! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Historiska Hem with thanks. 

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A Peek Inside a Perfectly Compact Swedish Home

A smaller space for you today—and proof that a 19-square-metre (204-square-foot) apartment can have everything you could want and more! This cosy living space in Stockholm is perfectly designed to make the owner feel at home: a delightfully personal living area looking out over the courtyard, a little dining table, kitchenette, and bedroom.

Touches of blue, pink, yellow, and green add a cheerful and inviting feel to the decor, while the tactile velvet sofa looks like the perfect spot to cosy up with a coffee and a good book. And what’s more, the home has plenty of storage too, with bookshelves that go up and around the balcony door and an entire unit in the bedroom for clothes and accessories.

Welcome inside this charming home for one in the heart of the Swedish capital!

A balcony extends the living space in spring, summer and autumn. 

Balconies like these often come with a concrete floor, but adding wood decking is a great way to make it feel more warm and inviting. 

The kitchen area makes full use of the high ceiling and offers plenty of space for crockery, glasses and utensils, which helping the space to feel less cluttered.  

I love how the bed is in a nook, for a more private feel. The windowsill can double up as a bedside table and built in storage units offer plenty of space for clothes. 

Incidentally, these Swedish apartments often come with a 'cage' in the basement for extra storage—perfect for things like Christmas decorations, skiing equipment, and other bulky items. It’s such a smart feature and really helps to keep the living area free from clutter.

I’m curious—do you live in a small space like this? If so, what have you found to be the biggest benefits and challenges when it comes to decorating and furnishing a one room apartment? Maybe you’ve discovered some brilliant solutions too—if so, I’d love to hear them!

Could you imagine living here? I know I certainly could!

If you're looking for more ideas today, there are a lot more small space home tours as well as small space living tips and tricks to be found in this archive. 

I'm off to Copenhagen this afternoon to visit my wonderful client Skandinavisk. They have just launched an exciting candle and scent diffuser in a new fragrance called KYSS (meaning kiss in Swedish and Norwegian) and it smells divine (such a perfect valentine's present!)! I'm hoping to pick one up for my home so I can spread a little love!  

Have a lovely day friends–happy mid-week! 

Niki

PS I snuck in an extra post yesterday about my forthcoming trip to Formland in Denmark - did you see it? There's a nice little instagram tip in it for anyone visiting Copenhagen too!

Photography: Ono design studio, Styling: Thomas Lingsell for Historiska Hem, found via Nordroom with thanks. 

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Scandinavian Serenity: A Cleverly Curated Apartment Full of Calm

Hej kompisar! Welcome to your mid-week breath of fresh air—and a masterclass in creating a sitting room and bedroom in one! This light and airy 51-square-metre (549-square-foot) apartment in Gothenburg has been beautifully curated in a soothing palette of white, cream, amber and brown to create a calming oasis in the heart of the city.

The main living area seamlessly combines a cosy social zone, a home office, and a sleep space—all while maintaining a wonderful sense of serenity. And guess what? There's even plenty of storage! The spacious kitchen is another highlight, with just the right amount of warm wood.

While it’s undeniably styled and curated, there’s still plenty of inspiration to take from this delightful Swedish apartment. Välkommen in!

The bedroom area is tucked into a small alcove off the sitting room. For added privacy—or simply to avoid making your bed every day!—you could hang a curtain. Don’t have an alcove like this? No problem! A wrap-around curtain or canopy can also help define a bedroom space and create a cosy feel. There’s a great example of this in this Swedish apartment. 

The wooden floor is likely the original from 1900, when the building was constructed. Many people choose to sand off the varnish and treat it with a special soap or wax for protection and a natural look. Of course, it helps that shoes are never worn inside a Swedish apartment—one of the secrets to keeping floors in such great condition!

I love the soft bedside table! Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe the lamp is actually from H&M Home (they do great lamps!). 

What a great starting point! Now all that’s left is to add books, art, and all those personal treasures you’ve collected over the years to make it truly yours.

What do you think of the bed solution? Would you have done it the same way? Personally, I find these smaller sleeping areas so cosy—there’s something wonderfully cocooning about them.

You can see more sleep zones / smart bedroom zone areas in the small spaces archive - there are some really beautiful homes in there! 

Thank you for your warm wishes for my daughter (who is now back at school - yay!) and Per - who is hobbling around one of those boots (for the next 6 to 8 weeks) but also getting on with things. The sun is shining in Malmö today - so everything feels brighter! I hope the sun is shining where you are too. 

See you Friday, friends! 

Niki

Photography: Walti Hösli 

Styling: Emma Fischer

For Entrance Mäkleri, 

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