A Warm Rural Swedish Home That Combines Old And New

It's a new dawn, a new day, a new week even. But not a new house tour, especially if you've been reading My Scandinavian home for over four years! Oozing charm and character, the country home of Swedish interior stylist Anna Truelsen has gradually migrated from a more fresh white aesthetic to deeper earthy tones. Which is why I thought it was time to pay another virtual visit! Today, Anna's home is a perfect blend of muted earthy tones, antique furniture, shelves crammed with porcelain collected over the years and several handmade pieces. It's the type of home that looks equally beautiful in all seasons - but there's something about the candlelight, roaring wood burning stove and deep hues in the bedroom that makes it feel especially cosy in the Autumn. Välkommen in! 

Thonet and other vintage chairs* have been arranged around a table that was built by Anna's Grandfather. The plate racks on the wall were also made by 'Morfar'. The wall have been painted Metropolitan AF-690 from Benjamin Moore. 

Anna has been collecting cake stands, terrines, glasses and bowls since she was 17. The collection has been carefully culled over the years, and today, she possesses only the pieces that hold real meaning.

To me, Anna's home is instantly recognisable in magazines and online thanks to the wonderful, original wood burning stove in the kitchen. Isn't it beautiful?

A simple linen tablecloth* adds a soft touch to the grey and white kitchen - while sunflowers provide a burst of sunshine. Sadly, they're fading in Sweden now, are they still in bloom where you are? 

Anna bought a second-hand 4-seat Klippan sofa from Swedish site Blocket and then coveted with a loose fit white linen cover from Bemz*. 

The 'Mediterranean Teal 2123-10' paint colour in the bedroom reminds Anna of the forest! I reckon come December, you'd want to hang out there all day and snuggle up with a good book, don't you think?

This home tour has put me in such a good mood - a perfect way to kick off the week, don't you think?

Did you get any ideas for your own home? 

In case you missed it in the intro, you can take a peek at how Anna's home looked four years ago. Quite an interesting transformation. It's easy to see how this has been a gradual process. Oh, and you might also like to follow Anna on instagram where she shares snapshots of her home as well as her styling work for magazines. It's such an inspiring feed! 

Other country homes to love today: 

A Finnish family home in a former schoolhouse

Old meets new in a charming Swedish country home

An idyllic rural home that's full of charm

Wishing you a wonderful start to the week friends!

Niki

Photography: Anna Truelsen, shared with kind permission

*This post contains affiliate links

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5 Mysiga Autumn Ideas To Steal From a Mid-century Swedish Home

Tjena! I hope you had a wonderful weekend. We've been enjoying an Indian summer here in southern Sweden - yesterday it was a balmy 23 degrees celsius! The girls and I headed off to play disc golf (AKA golf with a frisbee) in the sun (have you played it before?! We were rubbish and spend more time in the woods searching for our frisbees than actually playing but it was so much fun!). We also knew that we were on borrowed time, and that the temperature could plummet any day. I believe everyone has a season (mine is summer, what's yours?) - but by simply embracing the new season in your home, you can really enjoy each and every season to the full, what do you reckon? Fellow Malmö resident and landscape architect Magdalena has done exactly that in her Funkis (functionalist) apartment. Her beautiful, calm home is full of mid-century finds, Scandinavian design and beautiful warm Autumn tones. I spotted 5 simple ideas we can steal to turn our home into a mysigt (cosy) haven too! 

1. Bring out the blankets: Dig out all your blankets and drape them over the sofa and the backs of chairs, even if you have the best central heating system in the world, covering your feet with something soft and warm and softening up hard chairs makes a world of difference! This waffle one from Granit is now out of stock, but you can source a similar one here*. 

3. Fire and candlelight: One of the best things about the temperature falling is that you get to light a fire. Don't have a fireplace, or the one you have is out of action? Candles help to add a beautiful warm glow and a little warmth. 

3. Autumn blooms: Dahlias, Sunflowers and other autumn flowers add a wonderful burst of colour. Dried flowers are also ideal for this time of the year since they're low maintenance and embrace the tones of the season. But this autumn it's all about the vase - opt for a ceramic vase with a beautiful rough texture. I love Magdalena's Pillar vase from Swedish brand Cooee (seen below) and I've also been in love with Aura vases ever since I spotted them in this Berlin home! 

4. Invest in velvet cushions in golden tones: add a pair of ochre velvet pillows* to your bed, for a cosy autumn lie-in!

5. Get crafting: Why not set aside an afternoon or evening and make some 'Snöblomma' (snow flowers) in brown, grey and cream tones. 

I hope this has given you a few ideas for your home this Autumn (for those of you in the Southern hemisphere - a post to archive and come back to in six month's time!). 

There's something incredibly calm about Magdalena's home, don't you think? I can totally see myself plucking a book from her immense library and cosying up on the sofa under a blanket.

Can we magic ourselves to the weekend?! 

Also, let's take a moment to admire every single Scandinavian mid-century item. So many beautifully crafted pieces in one place. You can see more corners of Magdalena's home over at @mittfunkis. 

Looking for more Autumn ideas? How about: 

11 hyggeligt ideas to steal from a Danish home

12 budget friendly way to transform your living room into an autumn / winter haven 

Beautiful wall inspiration for Autumn

Wishing you a wonderful start to the week! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Magdalena / @mittfunkis

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The Cosy & Eclectic Home of a Swedish Stylist

"FRINALLY"! I heard this a few weeks back and haven't decided if it's annoying or not, but it's best said as you fly through the door on a Friday afternoon, arms raised theatrically in the air.  Give it a whirl and see how it feels! My second favourite day of the week (after Saturday) calls for something special - and real - don't you think? I'm going with the super charming home of Swedish interior stylist Camilla Larsson. Camilla describes her home in an instagram caption as 'a very ordinary Swedish apartment' - but I'm sure you'll agree that there's nothing ordinary about the way she's decorated it. Her ultra-personal and mysigt (cosy) living space is packed with an eclectic blend of furniture and accessories - and there's not a space on the wall or spot on the shelves that doesn't contain something special. So, pour yourself something steamy, make yourself comfy and keep your eyes peeled - there's a lot to see!

Aaaaaaah. It's Friday, I'm in love! This home is just lovely, don't you think? 

I hope it's given you some inspiration for your home - or at the very least, put you in a great mood with which to kick off the weekend! 

I've got a load to do today before I shout FRINALLY - so I'm going to leave you to run back through the home tour a few more times (I promise you'll spot something new each time!). If you'd like to know where anything's from, give me a shout in the comment section below and I promise to stop by over the weekend to see if I can help. 

In the meantime, you might also like to look at Camilla's inspiring feed over at @inasfina and find out more about her home styling and interior projects here. 

Here are a few other home tours that keep it real: 

A small, relaxed bohemian home full of plants 

The cosy small flat of a Copenhagen creative

Ulli's charming family home

Wishing you a wonderful weekend! 

Niki

Photography: Camilla Larsson

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A Swedish Summer Cottage in a Former Mission House

On Friday I shared my love for the Gothenburg archipelago with a feature of my ten favourite islands. But we all know that I also have another favourite island: Gotland! The Baltic paradise captured my heart last summer when we sailed the east coast and not a month goes by when I don't dream about owning a holiday home there! My latest find is this former Mission House in Martebo. When you see the main living space, I have a feeling you might just be dreaming about it too! Despite some modernisation, the wonderful house still features many of the well-preserved original 1930s details and even offers a wood fired sauna! Ready to dream?

Can you also imagine throwing open those big glass doors on a summers day and tucking into breakfast overlooking the fields? 

Little wonder this property is currently in a bidding war between potential buyers, all of whom are willing to renovate the kitchen and bedrooms and transform it into a dreamy holiday home!

Shall we re-visit a few other beautiful houses on Gotland today? 

This rustic cottage with a pool is available to rent via Airbnb (something for next summer?!).

I love how serene and earthy this holiday home is. 

And this bohemian summer house belonging to a fashion photographer has always been a favourite of mine. 

Wishing you all a wonderful start to the week! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Fastighetsybyrån Gotland. 

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A Warm, Earthy, Vintage-inspired Swedish Home

Forgive me for my slight obsession with Swede Elin Jensdotter right now. Not only do I love her former home (which I featured a few weeks back) and vintage shop (Bodil vintage) - I've also fallen for her new home on the island of Ekerö, West Stockholm. Elin and her husband recently swapped their apartment in the city for this beautiful 17th century house, a rental in a detached wing of a castle. I especially love that it's steeped in history. The ground floor used to serve as a library which housed the love letters between Marie Antoinette and Axel Von Fersen before they were moved to the national archive. And the upstairs served as an art studio. Today, the lovely, warm, earthy house is filled with vintage finds, arranged around a vast fireplace. When the sun comes out, life moves outside to enjoy the rays surrounded by parkland. Welcome to Elin's vintage-inspired world! 

The former art studio still serves as a creative space for Elin and her husband. 

The shelves were built by Elin's husband and were inspired by the beautiful ones in the Topanga Canyon home of Serena Mitnik-Miller. There's a matching set on the other side of the room. I love how shelves like these provide plenty of storage and yet still allow the light to flow through. They also work perfectly in an awkward space. 

The cosy feel in the home is all thanks to the layers of natural textures - such as wood, leather, jute and rattan. Vintage pieces often have a lovely patina too - which adds to the warm vibe. 

 

I feel so charmed by this. I thought the home was beautiful just by looking at the pictures, and then I read that it was in the detached wing of a castle and I was utterly sold! I'm even wondering if my family and I should exchange our home for a rental somewhere special! Are you tempted too? 

Looking for vintage pieces for your home after seeing this? Check out Elin's store Bodil Vintage. If you can't find what you're looking for, I also find Etsy* a great worldwide source!

Oh, and you can also follow Elin's home updates and see her latest vintage finds over at @longingforlennon.

Other earthy, vintage inspired homes: 

A relaxed bohemian family home in South Korea

Books, art and earthy tones in a Copenhagen home

A relaxed Tucson home with sun-kissed, earthy tones

Wishing you a wonderful mid-week friends! 

Niki

Photography: Elin Jensdotter / @longingforlennon

*affiliated links

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