Take Inspiration From A Lovely White, Blue and Wood Swedish Home

Why, hello there! I hope you had a great weekend and ready for some Scandi home inspiration today?! When I choose homes it's usually down to one or more factors: the feeling, the story / history, armchair escape (frequent right now - te he he!), the take-home details, or simply the colours or design pieces. This Swedish apartment designed by one of my favourite interior stylists Emma Fischer for Bjurfors falls into several categories. First of all, I have a real thing for blue kitchens (aren't they lovely?), secondly this home in Gothenburg features some really inspiring details which are easy to take home and implement, and finally, I spy some great (local!) design pieces! Ready for the tour? 

The small blue kitchen is by Swedish brand Vedum. I love how Emma has added a wooden rack for utensils - a great and simple way to add instant warmth and a relaxed touch. This peg rail* is similar. 

A set of four iconic danish J39 chairs have been arranged around a simple, round table. 

I fired of a message to Emma this morning to find out more about this striped pendant lamp . It's the first time I've seen it so I was really curious to know who it's by - turns out it's by danish brand Bloomingville and can be found here. 

FYI Stripes are set to be big this Autumn / Winter! 

Spot the fab DBKD vase with the 'ears'?! Coveting this now! 

The wonderful Torso chair was designed by fellow Malmö gal Lisa Hilland. I'm always amazed by how designers can take a simple piece of furniture that has been around for hundreds of years and still come up with an entirely new design. The Torso chair is a real beauty, don't you think? 

I spy the classic Mantis table lamp (I have the same in my home office - and sometimes bedroom, depending on my interior design mood!). 

I also love the climber, I'm thinking that as we start to head into autumn, and in Sweden there'll be nothing but bare branches and twigs outside the window soon (gaaah!), now is the time to start adding a lot more greenery indoors - especially in the form of climbers, hanging plants or even a mini greenhouse (as seen in Karolina's Stockholm home!). Who'll be joining me?!

I also really like this little shelf in the bathroom - it's perfect for potions, plants and candles (hygge vibes, friends, hygge vibes!). 

I hope you found some great inspiration for your own home today.

I promise to stop back once I have details on the striped lamp. In the meantime, why not pull up a chair and scroll through the Swedish apartment archives - there are so many beautiful tours in there! 

See you tomorrow folks! 

Niki

Photography: Alen Cordic Styling Emma Fischer for sale via Bjurfors. 

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The Earthy Stockholm Home of a Vintage Shopkeeper

I'm getting all the Friday feels from the wonderful pop-up shop (above) and Stockholm home of Elin Jensdotter - and couldn't resist stopping by to share a few snaps with you! Elin runs Bodil Vintage, a fabulous vintage shop in Stockholm. Many of the secondhand pieces have also found their way into her delightful, earthy home. Despite the eclectic mix, the pieces blend perfectly with her the dark brown, chestnut and cream touches that make up her interior. I think vintage shops and flea markets will be on the itinerary this weekend, how about you? Enjoy the tour! 

Is it just me, or are we seeing a lot of wall-mounted vintage cabinets right now? Etsy* is a great source! That table is beautiful too! 

A simple pom pom throw* helps to protect the sofa while adding a relaxed feel to the space, while a low shelf on the back wall provides plenty of space for decorative items. 

The family have access to a small balcony - which despite its size, is big on style. Think string lights*, rattan, a small mounted table, a little parasol and candles! Perfect! 

I love this! 

.... and kicking myself for giving away a wall mounted cabinet lately. Think I'm going to have to go on a hunt for another one! Vintage shops here I come! 

For more inspiration take a look at Elin's drool worthy instagram feed @longingforlennon - and discover what she currently has in her shop! 

Wishing you a wonderful weekend friends! See you Monday! 

Niki

Photographs courtesy of Elin Jensdotter found via SF Girl By Bay.

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A Warm Swedish Family Home Full of Texture

While yesterday's home tour was all about a Swedish cottage that has been moved to Australia (sounds crazy I know, but it's not the first time I've heard this. Even so, I still marvel at the logistics. Does someone spot a house, fall in love with it, and think "Hmmm, I'm not sure about the surroundings, I'll move it?"). Today I thought we'd take a peek inside a Swedish home IN Sweden! Caroline Borg is a Mother of two: Sam (6) and Lykke (2) and lives in Gamla Enskede, South Stockholm. The freelance PR manager, creative consultant and photographer / stylist has decorated her home in calm, neutral tones, while blending vintage and antiques with the occasional contemporary piece.  Welcome to Caroline's world! 

Caroline has used Jotun Lady mineral paint which adds a lovely patina to the walls. I have used something similar on my kitchen wall (but by Icelandic company Kalklitir) and I love how it changes with the light! 

I first came across these sofa beds by Karup at IMM Cologne furniture fair back in the spring and instantly loved them. This is the first time I've spotted one in a home! Check out their website here (they do great daybeds, beds and futons too!). 

The pretty duvet cover is from Swedish brand Garbo and Friends. This porcelain pendant lamp is similar. 

The children's room has been decorated with a bed canopy and an Afroart 'nature' garland. The basket is from Olli Ella. 

I hope this lovely home has brought an element of calm before the weekend! 

The mineral walls kind of make me want to go all out in my own home too - I love the texture! Are you tempted too? 

If you don't already follow Caroline on instagram, it's a must! I love her blog too, it's a real feast for the eyes (mainly because she shares some delicious recipes like these 'flower biscuits'!) - check it out over at The Way We Play (Its written in Swedish). 

Looking for a little more inspiration? These beautiful homes have a similar feel and are also full of inspiration:

A charming farmhouse in Piteå
A rundown house becomes a fairytale Swedish country home
The earthy green home of a Swedish interior designer

Wishing you a wonderful weekend friends!

Vi ses på Måndag!

Niki

Photography: Caroline Borg

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The Incredible Earthy Green Home of a Swedish Interior Designer

A few years ago I was at our summer cottage when I stumbled across a beautiful photo shoot on the beach. Feeling intrigued (OK, nosey!) I strolled over to find out more. It was the work of Swedish interior designer Sofie Izard Høyer. We've been messaging each other back and forth over the years and I was excited to discover she's recently completed the renovation of her Gothenburg home. As with everything Sofie turns her hand to, it looks incredible! Located in Vasa in the heart of Sweden's second largest city, Sofie lives with her two daughters Mira (14) and Siri (11) surrounded by a wonderful blend of old and new, against an earthy green backdrop. Welcome to their world!

Sofie on furniture: 

"I love to blend old with new and am completely crazy about Danish design, which could be due to my half Danish heritage. 

On colour:

"I love green, the colour of nature! I've used different shades of green from Jotun Lady throughout my apartment as well as a touch of grey. In the open-plan sitting room and dining room, I've used Organic Green. We don't have a TV here, instead we like to hang out, play games, read, and sit and chat for hours. In my bedroom I've applied Green Leaf. In the kitchen I opted for Vallmofrö - which I also applied to the dresser to create a greater sense of calm. In the children's room I went for a lighter Minty Breeze."

On materials:

"I love natural materials with lots of texture such as untreated leather, wood, oxidized brass etc. It's important to me that furniture is sustainable and beautifully made so that it stands the test of time."

On bedrooms: 
"In my daughters' room (below) we didn't want to make it so dark because they often spend time in there during the daytime. In my own bedroom (above), I decided to go for a slightly darker green as I love to lie on my bed and listen to podcasts or audio books by candlelight." 

On decorating: 

"When decorating, I think it's very important to unite the building, furniture and people who live there in order to create a sense of harmony."   

On the future: 

"I love out apartment, but one day, I dream about building and decorating my own house - I love the sea and would love to live near the water." 

****

What a beautiful home. A sense of calm oozes from the pictures, don't you think? I love the idea of the three girls hanging out, reading, playing games and chatting! 

Is there anything that stood out to you about Sofie's home? 

Oh, and that beach shot I was telling you about? I managed to find it in her portfolio....

The evening really was as magical as it looks :)

For more of Sofie's work, check out her instagram and website - where you can also find out information about her interior design work. 

Looking for a little more inspiration today?  I love these homes from deep within the My Scandinavian Home archive: 

A cool Swedish home with inspiring touches (that shoe display!!)

A beautiful Gotland home in shades of grey

A danish island summer oasis

Small side note: We're now in the Gothenburg archipelagos, winding our way up through the islands by boat. I brought my camera so I can hopefully put together a guide once I'm home - everyone should visit this part of the world at least once! 

See you Friday friends1 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Sofie Izard Høyer, shared with kind permission. 

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Feel Inspired By A Beautiful Stockholm Family Home

On Monday I featured the beautifully calm Stockholm home of Emilie and Fredrik Carmén. And I also promised to share their new home. So vänner (friends), here it is! The family moved to one of Södermalm's oldest houses which was built in 1640 by a bar tender by the name of Hans Marschalk. It's fair to say the bones of this Stockholm pad are incredible: staggeringly high ceilings, eye-catching grid windows, ornate panelling and an original parquet wood floor (I can almost hear that wonderful creak as you walk across it!). The family have opted for a calm, earthy green-grey-beige palette (Almond beige by Jotun) - which they've applied throughout the home with the exception of one of the children's rooms. I have been musing over whether she / he point blank refused! Blue it is then! Industrial Blue to be precise :) Pull up a chair, pour yourself a coffee and enjoy the tour!  

Table from Hay, chairs by Asplund. 

A shaggy rug sets the scene for a cosy sitting room complete with a Normann Copenhagen circus pouf and IKEA sofa (it's the same deep, Söderhalm one I have!). 

The fabulous Monkey Lamp* by Seletti looking cheeky in the corner!

This organic light grey linen bed set* is similar.  

I love the Industrial Blue in the children's room above (with the IKEA desk and storage units painted to match), especially with the pink-brown tones in the chair (from Ikea believe it or not!) and rug. My Allie has the same 'apple apple' print in her room and tells him all her secrets. Apparently, he's a very good listener - despite the small ears! 

All in all, a wonderful, elegant home, don't you think?

Oh, to have bones like that to play with.

Is there anything that stood out to you about Fredrik and Emilie's home?

It's a hive of activity in my own home today since we're leaving for the cottage today - and guests are taking over tomorrow. #SOMUCHTODO! Gaaaaah! I'd better go and help poor Per! It will be so nice once we finally arrive and can put our feet up a little. I hope you've got some nice plans for the weekend too!

Due to the school summer holidays, I'll be winding down the blog a little to three days a week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) until August. I promise to make the posts I do create EVEN MORE inspiring! 

Trevlig helg! 

Niki

Photography: Jonas Gustavsson 

Styling: Charlotte Frey Svidén

Shared with kind permission

*This post contains affiliate links

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Life Change: A Swedish Family Home In The French Alps

We can all agree it's been one crazy year. Never has the home been so important. It presents a safe haven (although I am aware that sadly this is not the case for everyone) in which we can relax and be ourselves. Living in quarantine / isolation - or simply being at home more - has meant taking stock of where we live, and while there are some who are thrilled with where they live, there are others that will no doubt thinking about making some life changes in the near future! 

For Swedish interior designer Bettina Kapare, her husband and two year old son, it wasn't the pandemic that led to a move abroad - but a search for a more meaningful way of life. In 2019, Bettina and her family left their home in Luxembourg after ten years and moved to a small village in the foothills of the French Alps, just outside Chamonix. Today, they enjoy a slower pace surrounded by nature. I caught up with Bettina to find out how they chose their new location, some of the challenges involved with moving, and how she created a home which merges her Scandinavian heritage with traditional Alpine style. Her story is truly inspiring! 

When did you move to the Alps? 

We moved here from Luxembourg in December last year. I guess you can say we made a complete life change. We left Luxembourg after 10 years. At the same time, I quit my job as a business developer in private banking and started working as an interior designer. It's something I'd been dreaming about and had been studying on the side for some years. 

How did you choose the French Alps? 

We owned a small ski apartment in the Chamonix valley and had been spending countless weekends on vacation here skiing in the winter and hiking in the summer. When our son was born, we decided to spend part of our parental leave here and it was during that period we started talking about the possibility of moving here. 

How did you make your move happen? 

At first, it all felt like a farfetched dream. Leaving an organised life and a career in Luxembourg, to go and live in the French Alps. But the more we talked about it, the more we realised that it was what we wanted; for our son grow up in the mountains and change to, what we felt would be, a more meaningful lifestyle, with more family time, more skiing and closer to nature. As the saying goes "create a life you don't need a vacation from".

With that in mind, we started thinking about everything that needed to be put in place. We had to find a house, organise work etc. We thought it was going to be a 5-year plan, but once we'd set our minds to it, the move took less than a year. Somehow everything just fell into place. 

What was one of the biggest challenges with moving to the French Alps? 

One of the most difficult things turned out to be finding a house. There weren't a lot of options that were within budget. I had dreamt of a renovation project involving an old farmhouse with a huge garden. Instead, we bought a traditional style chalet built in 2008. It has an open-plan living room and kitchen on the ground floor and three bedrooms upstairs. It also has a large basement which we use as a home office and studio. 

How did you approach the chalet interior?

I faced a challenge merging our furniture and my style into the traditional chalet style. For me, interior design is not about following trends and constantly buying new stuff, it's about creating a space for the people who live there. Incorporating functional aspects with a personal style and a homely feel.  

Since we're living here all year round, I didn't want our home to have a traditional 'ski holiday' chalet feel. I wanted to turn it into a home where we would feel at home every day of the year.

How have you merged your Scandinavian design heritage with the Alpine style? 

Being Swedish, I believe the Scandinavian style is in my nature. When we moved, I felt that I wanted to incorporate the Scandinavian style. Both the Scandinavian and traditional Alpine style use furniture with simple but elegant craftsmanship - something I always feel inspired by. But the Scandinavian style has a lighter feel than the traditional Alpine style. In our home, I've brought in a lot of solid wood furniture, but with a light white finish instead of the traditional darker one. My Norrgavel coffee table is a fine example of this. 

Where did you source your furniture? 

We actually brought most of it with us from Luxembourg - including many Scandinavian design pieces. It's a blend of items we have inherited and second-hand treasures that I have been collecting over the years. I'm happy that we brought them with us, because it made us feel instantly at home. And with everything that has been happening in the world lately and the past few months of lockdown and isolation - our house has turned into our comfort zone. 

What do you love most about your new home?

Almost every evening I have been cuddling up on the sofa or on the bed, and looking up at the mountains outside the windows feeling grateful for our new home. I love the closeness to nature and I'm so happy we dared to make the life change. We haven't regretted moving one single day, on the contrary, our life choice feels more meaningful than ever. I have never felt happier.  

Thank you so much for telling us about your move and your beautiful home in the Alps Bettina - your story is truly inspiring! 

***

I'd love to hear about how you feel about your home - is it somewhere you can always imagine living, or has your perspective changed this year? 

If you've always dreamed of moving abroad, I hope Bettina's story has inspired you. Your big move might be more tangible than you first thought! 

You can see more picture of her beautiful home over at @chez_kapare and find out more about her interior design service Kapare Interiors. 

Fancy taking a peek at other Scandi homes abroad? 

Step inside a relaxed Finnish home in Mallorca

Feel inspired by a Danish oasis in Palma

Mindful decorating: fall in love with the home of a Swede living in Holland

Ahhhh, I love seeing the Scandinavian design heritage merged with other cultures / styles, how about you? 

Ha det så fint! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Bettina Kapare / @chez_kapare with kind permission.

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