Quick Ways to Elevate your Home in an Instant

It's natural to covet homes with magnificent architecture. And I certainly spend copious amounts of time dreaming about living in a property with period features and exposed wood beams. But really, it's the furniture and accessories - and the way you display them, that make a property feel like a home. In fact, a few simple tricks can help to elevate your home  - and lift your spirits in an instant! 

This Swedish maisonette in a former bakery is a fine example of this. Vintage tables, chairs, and lamps provide the core of a warm and relaxed living space, while collections of art, LPs, books, plants and throws complete the personal look and feel. 

Keep a look out for the use of 'blank space' which gives the rooms an airy look and help to focus the eye on smaller vignettes - and the many other smart ways to display your possessions which would work equally well in a rental space! 

Since the upper floor is on street level, the owners have put up strategically placed film to prevent prying eyes, while still allowing the light to flow in. Meanwhile a lovely old bowl and chopping board make a beautiful permanent fixture in the centre of the table. 

While the kitchen units might be clean and minimalist, open storage in the form of shelving, a trolley and hooks provide a great way to display some of your favourite pieces, for a relaxed, lived in feel. 

I have always wanted a wine fridge - there is something so decadent about them. Do you have one?

Sheepskin throws* and blankets are ideal for creating a cosy atmosphere come autumn. I am also a big fan of indoor climbing plants for adding lots of greenery - especially when the leaves start to fall outside. 

Many of us have art lying around - on the floor, in drawers or storage, that are waiting to go up. Sometimes it's the fear of creating a hole in the wall only to realise you've hung it in the wrong place, other times you simply haven't found the right spot for it. 

I'm a firm believed that it's so much better to have something on the wall than leave it blank for fear of 'getting it wrong'. This is why I love the gallery above. There's something wonderfully adhoc about it: pictures propped on top of other pictures, frames that are slightly askew. And it works! So let's all challenge ourselves to hang that work of art / framed (our unframed photo) or sculpture today, just looking at it will give us a little lift as we go about our day! 

Overflowing book shelves - that's what I like to see! Why not make a statement and pull out some of your favourite books and present them like art?

Simply hanging out some of your favourite items of clothing can be enough to brighten your mood - plus you can change it up depending on the day, week, or season. 

A marble tray in the bathroom is perfect for gathering all your bits and bobs in one place for a neater look while woven boxes and a candle add warmth to the space. Scandinavians love to light candles in the bathroom when they have guests - and you'll often find them in restaurant and cafe toilets too! 

Finally, simple, removable towel hooks are great for hand towels - and mean you don't need to drill through the tiles. 

I hope this home has given you a few quick and simple ways you can update your living space today! 

Did you see the cosy cottage by the sea on Monday? And also, for more budget ideas, take a peek at my budget bathroom make-over. 

Wishing you a wonderful Wednesday! It's a bit gloomy here in Malmö so maybe I'll hang out one of my bright summer dresses - just to bring a little sunshine to my bedroom! 

Niki

Photography Lina Östling

Styling Copparstad Interior

For Historiska Hem 

READ MORE...

2

Inspiration from a Swedish Attic Apartment with Low Angled Ceilings

Good morning friends, how are you today? I'm stopping by to share this Swedish apartment which has some perfect inspiration for tight, angled spaces and how to fill darker homes with light! 

Nestled under the roof on the top floor of beautiful house dating back to 1913, the owners of this apartment have worked around the angled ceilings to ensure a truly lovely living space. Let's take a closer look at some of the elements at play. 

The kitchen units have a staggered height, and where no units would fit, a shelf has been used instead to ensure every inch of space can be used. 

Two skylights have been installed to ensure natural light. Try Velux for similar. 

Dormer windows are a perfect solution to draw in lots of light and carving out standing space. 

There are solutions available for every shape and sized space these days. A made-to-measure glass door and windows help to ensure a flow of light between the rooms to capitalise on any natural sunlight that enters the home, while a curtain can be pulled across for privacy and a cosy feel in the bedroom. 

The doors open right out for a light and airy feel. 

Low art in the bedroom adds a decorative touch while the bed is tucked under the ceiling and a dormer window. 

A closet can be seen tucked in behind the glass door above. 

In Sweden, it's common to find washing machines in the bathroom (another popular alternative for apartments is a communal washing room in the basement). In England, it's popular to have washing machines in the kitchen. Where do you tend to have your machines? 

I have always loved the idea of art in the bathroom, it adds such a cosy, personal touch. 

A window seat in the stairwell capitalised on natural light from the window. 

Such a pretty house - I love the garden with a communal outdoor dining area! 

It's very common for Swedish apartments to have an inner garden where you'll find a shared dining area, barbecue and children's play area. Some even have herb gardens! 

Working with awkward angles takes some extra thought and problem solving, but I think this home is a great example of how you can find a solution for every shape and size today! 

I particularly liked the glass wall and door designed to fit the sloped ceiling - this could be a perfect solution for our top floor! 

I hope you found some nice ideas for your own home here today!

Speaking of dark spaces, I'll be working on our windowless downstairs loo today. Per and I have been doing a budget make-over using a splash of tile paint as well as a few other touches. I am hoping to share the makeover with you on Friday, but we'll see how we get on, DIY updates always takes longer (and creates way more mess) than you think, right? 

Wishing you all a great Wednesday! 

Niki

Styling: Copparstad. Photography: Boukari. For sale via Historiska Hem. Found via Nordroom with thanks. 

READ MORE...

14

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. 

READ MORE...

2

A Calm Swedish Home With Smart Hall Shoe Storage!

So far this week, I've shared home tours from Lisbon and South of France - so today I thought return to Scandinavia, with a peek inside an apartment in Gothenburg, Sweden! Styled by Emma Fischer, it's a light filled space filled with designer touches in natural tones. I've done my best to point out a few of the pieces, just in case you fancy doing a little shopping this weekend! 

A second room doubles up as both a dining room and home office. Mix and match chairs include a Panton chair and Bertoia side chair. A Formikami light by &tradition hangs over the table and a safari daybed serves as a window seat. 

A giant rice paper lamp from Hay makes a statement in the sitting room and the Line No.8 print* by Rebecca Hein can be seen on the back wall. 

Etsy is a great source for vintage maps. 

Making the most of a split level by adding shoe storage under the steps is genius! I wish we had a solution like this in our house (even so, certain members of our household's trainers would still need to be kept outside!). Could you also use a system like this in your home? 

I am checking on the source with Emma for a few other items too - give me a shout in the comments section if there is anything you're wondering about and I'll do my best to help! 

All in all, a lovely, calm home with which to finish off the week, do you agree? 

Take a scroll through the Storage archive to feel inspired by other smart ideas this weekend. 

And that, friends, is all from me this week. Do you have any plans? In our house we'll be watching the woman's football (soccer!) world cup third and fourth place play-offs and final  -  the whole tournament has been amazing. I love how much the sport has grown in the past few years! Have you been following along too? 

Per and I also need to finish off a budget bathroom make-over we've been working on. I can't wait to share the results with you soon! 

Trevlig helg! 

Niki

Photography: Henrik Linden

Styling: Emma Fischer

For Alvhem

READ MORE...

6