A Soothing Swedish Home In Shades of Green and Grey

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Hej there vänner! I have to admit, I hit a bit of January bump on Saturday and felt so fed up with the relentless grey, cold, dark days (cue very grumpy wife and Mum!). And then - just when we needed it most, the sun came out and we were treated to a diamond of a day - PHEW! Spirits revived and feeling like I can do these winter months after all, I thought I'd kick off the week with a beautiful Swedish home. Formerly owned by Lovisa Kvist, it went on the market a few months back and was, understandably, snapped up within a matter of days (you've got to be quick over here!). Lovisa and her partner have furnished the home with some beautiful design pieces against a soothing backdrop of green, grey and the palest of pinks. Ready for the tour?  

Formakami pendant lamp*

Vertigo pendant lamp*, Pedrera coffee table*, source a similar rug here*

Bentwood and cane rocking chair*

William Morris Pimpernel wallpaper, IKEA Stockholm bench

This cane harbour bed* is similar. I've never seen this lamp before and am curious to know whether it's a DIY hack with a mosquito net? If so - what a fabulous idea!! Now that I've written this, I really hope it's not an eye-wateringly expensive designer lamp or I'll have caused major offence - eeeek! Please do chip in in the comment section if you know anything about it! 

Update: I received a lovely message from owner Lovisa who confirmed that she did indeed make this lamp using a mosquito net. In fact, she used two for extra fluffiness - which she bought from IKEA along with the pendant lamp inside. The bedroom wall has been painted in Thyme from Jotun. 

 Large shell pot*

So beautiful! 

I love the bathroom, it has a touch of old school glamour. My guess is that the curtain hides a washing machine - clever solution, don't you think? In the UK people tend to have their washing machines in the kitchen but in Sweden they are either housed in a communal area known as a 'tvättstuga' which you sign up to use each week, or people put them in their bathrooms. How's it done in your country?

Did you spot the cheeky picture in the bathroom, too?! 

Here are a few other tours which I think will help get your week off to a great start:

If you move to Gothenburg, you could live like this! 

A monochrome Swedish home where creativity shines through

The cosy vintage-inspired home of a Swedish artist

Ha det fint! 

Niki

Photography: Alen Cordic, Styling Emma Fischer. Sold through Bjurfors

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5 Lessons to Learn About Adding An Accent Colour From A Lovely Malmö Home

Millennial pink. An earthy, powdery, achingly cool shade that the interior world never seems to tire of. And when you see apartments like this one (currently for sale in Malmö, Sweden) you can understand why. The owners have added subtle touches in a spectrum that range from pale powder to a deeper brown-pink in every room. Pink not your gig? There's still a load to learn about how to add an accent colour that gives your living space that seamless flow seen in the homes in interior magazines! And the good news is that you only really need one or two items in each room. You may find you've naturally already achieved a great flow, but in case your home needs a helping hand here are 5 'accent colour' lessons to learn from a lovely Southern Sweden home: 

1. One or two will do! It's tempting to go overboard and add your chosen colour to everything: walls, furniture and accessories, but actually it's enough just to go for one or two things such as a chair and a few accessories (like the cups seen on the shelf below) in each room.

2. Stay on the spectrum: There's no need to stick to the exact shade, slightly different tones of your accent colour will work as long as they're on the same spectrum. For example, in this Malmö home all the pink hues have a blue undertone and feel earthy and soft. 

3. Add balance: I was umming and ahing about including this picture because I didn't want the colour-coded books to distract from the pink (we all know there are a LOT of strong opinions out there about how to arrange books!). Anyhooo, check out the artwork on the sitting room wall, the int of pink picks up the colour in the chairs in the kitchen and helps to add balance and tie the rooms together. 

4. Pick a statement piece: To really set off your accent colour opt for one or two pieces that really make a statement - like the owners of this apartment have done with the Hay Mags sofa*. I understand many like to go for a safe bet when it comes to choosing a sofa or armchair since it's a rather large investment. Having said that, if you choose an accent colour that you're naturally drawn to and have always loved rather than an on-trend hue, you'll never tire of it. 

Tip: If in doubt, try an IKEA sofa (which you can pick up for a song second hand) and invest in a beautiful designer cover from Bemz* with you can swap out at any time (like I've done here). 

5. Something in every room: try to add at least one small thing in your accent colour to every room in your home, even if it's massively subtle like a cushion (seen below) or a vase (on the windowsill in the sitting room) or a few folded textiles (above the dresser in the last picture). This will help to tie your home together in a subtle way and create a cohesive look. 

What do you think? Has this been helpful? 

In my home I've used a rust / chestnut colour as an accent. I have to admit I haven't been entirely consequential with it and having seen this home I think it would be nice to do a little more.

Do you have a colour that you're particularly drawn to?

In case you're undecided, I love these archives for colour inspiration: 

Decorating with blue

Decorating with green

Oj oj oj! I do believe it's Friday people! I love it when the weekend comes around that fast, don't you?! I know it sounds strange, but I spent so much time with my little family over the holidays that I've kind of missed them this week, do you ever feel like that too? I'm looking forward to hanging out with them this weekend. 

I hope you have a great one! 

See you Monday!

Niki

Photography courtesy of Bo-laget

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Step Inside Janniche's Delightful Swedish Home

Janniche Kristoffersen's home is one of those you can visit time and time again and never tire of. It's simply beautiful, in a relaxed, homely way. I nipped over to her blog yesterday to see what she was up to this Christmas and was excited to find she'd made some lovely colour changes (the 'melun' in the children's bedroom being my favourite) and added some cosy festive touches. Think stars, orange garlands, simple wreaths and candles. Ready for a return visit to Bagarmossan, Sweden? Let's dive in!  

What a cosy dining space! Look closely and you'll see the decorations are very simple - an orange garland, branches of pine in a vase and a wreath made from eucalyptus. Love the mix and match mid-century chairs too! 

Can you spot the TV? This setting would have fitted in perfectly in my 'stylish ways to display a TV' feature a few weeks back!

Janniche's Ikea Söderhamn sofa has been covered in a Simply Linen cover in Absolute white* from Bemz. 

The wall of books and magazines is one of my favourite things in this home. I love the idea of using books as art - plus you can really see all of the titles! 

Janniche's daughter's room has been painted in a beautiful combination of shiny melun and modest white from Nordsjö. 

Rug from Oyoy Living, 'hello' - playwood studio, print from Fine Little Day.

Oh, how I love this home!

Have you seen this before on MSH or is this the first time you've toured her home?!

Either way, I hope you enjoyed this space as much as I do!

You can see more pics of Janniche's home over at @bloggaibagis and her blog and also check out a load more Swedish homes (as always) in the archives here. 

For tomorrow's post I've gone down a slightly different track - and sharing an interview with Per about our Swedish Christmas and all the traditions he loves (along with pics of course!). I even learned a few new things! I've also got an exciting discount code to share which is perfect for very Scandi gifts! Hope to see you then! 

Vi ses imorgen! 

Niki

Photography Janniche Kristoffersen / Bloggaibagis

*Affiliate partner links

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11 Small Space Tricks to Learn From a Swedish Interior Designer's Home

How does a Swedish interior designer and visual merchandiser decorate a small apartment? With style (as you can imagine!) - but also by being incredibly smart! What Erik Josefsson's Gothenburg home lacks in square feet (it's a mere 52 - or 559 sq ft) it sure makes up for in texture, earthy nuances, beautiful vignettes, Scandinavian design, art and plants - all the while feeling calm and de-cluttered!  I went through it with a fine toothcomb and found 10 lessons we can learn to achieve that elusive balance between clutter-free and cosy! I hope you find something you can apply to your own home, I certainly have! 

1. Leave empty space: empty space (or 'negative space') is just as important as occupied space in a home (especially when size is an issue). It helps to focus the eye, create calm and give you room to breath!

2. Work with texture: even though the wall behind the sofa is blank, Erik has used a paint technique that adds texture to the wall which automatically adds interest without adding clutter. 

3. Display the things you love (and use a lot), hide the things you don't! Bit of an obvious one (sorry!) but if you surround yourself with the things you love, you'll feel happier. Store away more unsightly things behind cupboard doors or use nice storage boxes like the one on the floor (Etsy sell similar vintage ones here*). 

4. Tucked away but still at hand: In small spaces, you can find room for storage in the most unexpected places (I first learned that from the clever home of a danish architect).  It took me several goes before I noticed this little wall-mounted shelf by the radiator! 

5. Group art: This goes back to point number 1 (you know, the one about leaving empty space) - if you group art and other objects you then have more scope to leave an empty space elsewhere). Having said that, it's also nice to pick out one piece of art you really love and display it completely on its own. 

I shared a fail safe way to hang art here (Per breathed a total sigh of relief when I discovered that trick!). The Poster Club* sells prints and frames like these (and ships worldwide) 

6.  Think small and smart: some kitchens are so tiny you wonder if it's actually possible to fit in a table! Small, wall mounted tables like this one are perfect for saving space and creating a table for two! I like the Norbo wall mounted table from IKEA which you can paint any colour you like. 

7. Go dark! Painting a small space dark goes against every rule in the decorating book, but actually many have decided against this and in fact, going for a deep hue in small rooms in the bedroom can make a space feel extra warm and cosy. After seeing Erik's bedroom I kind of regret only painting one wall in my stepson's room - time to paint the rest!

8. Use the windowsill as a side table: I know from previous comments that not everyone has a windowsill (in Sweden we're kind of spoilt on this front) but when space is of a premium, if you do have one, a sill can double up as a great bedside table. 

9. Bespoke bedside shelf: No windowsill? Try a small wall mounted shelf cut to size, like the one seen to the left of Erik's bed. Painting it the same colour as the wall will help to keep the look clean and clutter-free. 

10. Lean-to shelves: narrow shelves that lean against the wall are great for saving space.

11. Hooks and more hooks: I can't tell you how handy I find long racks of hooks - I think we have them in every room of our house. This wooden rack in Erik's hallway is ideal for coats etc - but can also be used for decorative items when not in use. 

Source a similar one here. 

Isn't his home lovely? I love the use of colour too! 

Did you pick up any ideas for your home? I know what I'll be doing this weekend.... painting Albin's room! 

You can see more of Erik's home over at @erinterior and take a peek at his latest projects here. Incidentally Erik was one of the creatives behind this stunning Swedish home I featured last week (I'm still reeling from the tour, how about you? Wonder if anyone has snapped it up yet!).

Other small space inspiration:

10 small space hacks to learn from a Danish apartment
10 ways to turn a pokey top floor flat into a swoon-worthy living space
A tiny cabin and pottery studio in the woods

I see the tiny cabin has just come on the market - Vermont anyone?!

Ha det så fin!

Niki

Photography: Erik Josefsson shared with kind permission
*this post contains affiliate links which means I might make a very, very tiny amount of money if you click on the link and buy the item. 

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If you move to Gothenburg in Sweden, you could live like this!

I mean, seriously - look at this place! It's 184 square metres (1980 square feet) of pure heaven. I'm already picturing myself swanning (because that surely what's you'd in an elegant apartment like this, swan!) from room to spacious room, the parquet floor softly creaking under foot! Fires would crackle away in the wood burning stoves, casting shadows on the lavish 19th century period features! It's Monday, I'm in love! Let's take a tour and then decide which one of us will move in and invite the other for fika (and the odd party!). Deal?!

Be still, beating heart. I do believe it's a Grand Air love seat (Gen has one in her living room and I couldn't get out of it the entire shoot!). The rug is from Tisca. I also spy a Pion light by Hay.

I really love how the doors, doorframe and skirting boards have been painted in a mid-grey, it adds a contemporary touch to the room and helps to highlight the details of the magnificent doors. 

 

I'm all into blue velvet sofas right now having installed one in my own sitting room last week - are you a fan too? I'm not sure where this one is from (love the studs!) - any idea?

We have a rubber plant like this at home too. We call it 'Farfar' (which means Father's Father or 'Grandad' in Swedish) since Per inherited it from his grandfather who passed away many years ago. It's an amazing plant!

These Swedish masonry ovens are just so beautiful, don't you think? They are amazingly efficient too (the tiles retain their heat long after the fire has gone out).

Are you convinced yet?! 

I'd move in in a heartbeat!

Other fabulous historical properties to enjoy today:

A vintage inspired Swedish home full of soul (this one is soooo charming!)

A boho dairy in the Swedish countryside

An eclectic 19th century Swedish house

I hope you have a great start to the week, I've got a feeling this one is going to be a great one!

Niki

PS - I've had SO many questions about the Bemz covers from Friday's post. If you're stuck on which fabric to choose, I'd advise ordering a few samples. They're very quick to send them out and you should still be able to order in time to receive the 25% discount. 

Photographs courtesy of Entrance, with thanks.

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