A Cosy Living Space In a Swedish Country Home

Why, hello there friends! Monday huh? Well, that came around quickly. Here in Sweden, we were treated to a magical weekend - a rare diamond - with two days of clear blue skies and frozen seas upon which we could ice skate. It was simply incredible! And now, the clouds have rolled over and we're all hunkering down at home once again, fires roaring. A few miles from Västerås, interior stylist, creator, author and founder of Babes in Boyland, Nathalie Myrberg is busy stoking the fire at her home at Målhammar.  The family moved to the former stables in the height of the pandemic in 2020 - and plan to convert half of the house into a summer cafe and farm shop.  Nature, the slow life and sustainability are close to Nathalie and her family's heart - and their home is full of vintage treasures. Here are a few snapshots from corners of the rooms they've completed so far! 

This is a mere snapshot into Nathalie's life in the Swedish countryside - but it's early days, and I for one look forward to following their project over on Nathalie's Instagram and the blog! 

Perhaps one day, we might all even be able to visit!

Would you like to see more cosy Scandinavian country homes today? Here are a few that are bound to inspire:

A warm rural Swedish country home that combines old and new

A cosy Norwegian country home

Ilkka's charming retreat in the Finnish countryside

Wishing you a wonderful start to the week!

Niki

Photography: Babes in Boyland / Nathalie Myrberg 

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This Fairytale Swedish Country Home Could be Yours!

Tjena vänner! Another Monday has rolled around, but it's slightly different here. Our eldest daughter has returned to school. Two down, two to go! One thing that has stayed the same: I'm still dreaming over beautiful homes far and wide. Especially ones that are for sale! Do you enjoy looking at local real estate too? Now, I wouldn't call this one local (I think 600 km is a stretch for USA even) but it IS dreamy - and definitely worth interrupting Per's coffee break (''hey P, how about moving here?''). Dating back to 1915, this beautiful Swedish country home is around 45 mins from Stockholm and part of a row of red and white houses which wouldn't look out of place in Astrid Lindgren's 'Children of Noisy Village' (my kids would fit right in!). The large spacious rooms have been decorated in soothing muted tones which look out over the snowy countryside. In springtime, the melting snow makes way for lush green rapeseed fields which turn a vibrant yellow come May. Enjoy the tour friends - who knows, this might just be your next home! 

So beautiful! 

I love the golden winter light - and would happily sit out there on the terrace for a social distanced gathering, how about you?

Are you tempted to move right in? If so, you can find more details here - including pictures and layout (I know sometimes it can be hard to figure this out from the pictures). 

Since we need to ease ourselves into the week gently, I couldn't resist digging out these incredible Scandinavian country homes from the archive. Time to put those feet up! 

A cosy country home in North Sweden (beside a salmon river)

Ilkka's charming rural home in Finland 

A danish log cabin by in the woods

Wishing you a wonderful start to the week!

Niki

PS before Christmas I mentioned I'd planned to introduce a new MSH column about readers homes. I plan to kick this off at the end of Feb - and I need your help! Do you have a room in your home you'd love to share? If so, please e-mail me a picture (a JPEG at least 750 pixels widen- this interior photo guide is helpful) with a little info about why you love the room and any key details (furniture / accessories etc) we'd all find helpful. Tack så mycket! 

Photography courtesy of Bo Sthlm.

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Ida's Beautiful, Considered Southern Sweden Home (And 7 Tips On How to Create an Environmentally Friendly Space)

Remember Ida Magntorn? I first met the Lund-based photographer at an event a couple of years ago and I've been following her work ever since. Ida has always been passionate about creating a sustainable and environmentally friendly interior - which she demonstrates beautifully in her own Southern Sweden home. And now she has written a book dedicated to the topic: Ett Hem Med Omtanke - Hållbar och Miljömedveten Inredning (which loosely translates to 'The Considered Home - Sustainable and Environmentally Conscious Interiors'). The tome is dedicated to everything Ida lives by and covers  everything from buying second hand, managing your appliances, plants and flowers and growing your own fruit and veg as well as a room by room guide - arranged around series of dreamy Swedish interiors. Here are some recent snapshots of her lovely living space - and most importantly:

Ida's 7 tips on How To Create a Considered Home: 

1. Use what you have: it doesn't matter how environmentally friendly your new kitchen is if you rip out something that was already working. 

2. If you're tired of something in your home - think of ways to change it, upcycle it, paint it or even use it for something completely different!

3. Look for items that can be recycled - such as solid wood instead of veneer. The easier it is for you to care for, the longer it will last. 

4. Buy second hand - if you need anything new for your home. 

5. If you can't find something secondhand - invest in a design classic since they are often better quality and have a good second hand value. Of course, these can usually be found second hand on auction sites too! 

6. If you choose to buy something new - make sure it bears an environmentally friendly symbol - and check what components of the item are included in this. 

7. Take care of what you have - by looking after your furniture and other belongings, you will prolong their life and save energy and materials.  

I'm so excited to dip into Ida's book and discover her room by room guide!

Ett Hem Med Omtanke - Hållbar och Miljömedveten Inredning is currently available in Swedish. However, an English version will be available soon. Keep an eye on Ida's website and instagram for updates! 

Is there anything that stood out to you? I love the tip about looking after what you have. Sharing my studio with upholsterer Carina Grefmar has taught me a while deal about restoring furniture to make it look as good as new!

Also - isn't Ida's home beautiful? You'll likely recognise it from this feature, but I couldn't resist sharing a few more snaps! 

Looking for some more inspiration today? Check out these vintage-inspired Scandinavian homes: 

A warm, earthy, vintage-inspired Swedish home in the wing of a castle! 

A charming Copenhagen home full of vintage finds

A stunning Danish home with vintage treasures

On a separate note - my youngest daughter has just started piano lessons. I have to confess that I was particularly excited about this idea as it meant we'd have an excuse to buy a secondhand piano (such lovely pieces!). Of course, I love the sound too, though being tone deaf I think the family is relieved it's not me learning. The only place for a piano in our home is on the third floor - and I've heard these things weigh a ton. Pianist friends - do you think this will be possible? Please say yes! 

Happy mid-week friends!

Niki

Photography: Ida Magntorn - shared with kind permission

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A Swedish Home With a Magnificent Fireplace!

I have one word for this charming Swedish home: fireplace. It's so incredible, it's hard to see anything else. And for many of the people viewing this former brewery this weekend, I'm sure it will seal the deal. I mean, who wouldn't like to spend a cold, grey January day huddled around it with a great book? Styled by the talented Studio In team, the one-bedroom property just outside Gothenburg dates back to 1850 and is one of a pretty cluster of buildings not unlike an Astrid Lindgren tale! Välkommen in! 

If you close your eyes you can see the tree bursting with leaves and lunch laid out in the dappled sunlight. And I'm sure it would look equally pretty in the snow! 

Could you imagine living here?

I'm thinking this calls for a trip down memory lane to all the other 'conversions' I've shown on My Scandinavian Home. Get cosy, and tap into the archive - or take a peek inside some of my favourites below: 

My friend Louise's former home in a converted school (check out the snapshot I took of her cat in the last pic - I'd forgotten all about that!!).

The fabulous home of a photographer in a former factory

A beautiful Swedish barn conversion 

And the one I'll never tire of....

A dingy welding plant becomes an incredible family home and wedding venue

And with that, the sun has just come out here in Southern Sweden. It's a sign! And a crew to get out there and soak up some much-needed Vitamin D! 

Vi ses imorgon! 

Niki

Photography: Janne Olander, Stylist Therese at Studio In for Stadshem. 

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Welcome to Emely's Calming Swedish Sanctuary

Well, hello there friends. It's the start of a brand-new week, and although we haven't seen much sun lately (in Stockholm they haven't actually had one single hour of sunshine in a month - and Malmö's not that much better! Pfuh!), I have a feeling this is going to be a good week! Let's kick off with the beautiful home of Emely Crona Stenberg.  Why have I chosen this particular Swedish home? It has everything I love - an abundance of art, a blend of old and new, tactile natural materials, a traditional masonry oven and a wonderful sense of calm. But so much more than that besides. It's a place from where Emely runs the incredible Heja Livet female network with over 85000 members. And above all else, it's her sanctuary. Photographer Mikael Lundblad was there to capture it. 

The wooden kitchen cabinets: one of 2020's biggest trends and only set to rise in 2021. There's no denying how beautiful they are either! 

I spy products by ByRedo. A friend gave me the Bibliothèque fragrance candle as a present and it is absolutely divine! 

Did you notice Emely's dark wood floor? You don't see these so often right now, but it adds a wonderful richness to the entire space as well as a great contrast with the lighter shades on the wall. 

I also loved that big fluffy rug in the sitting room and the glass coffee table. My Mother has a glass coffee table like this - and they are perfect for coffee table books (but not so good for little fingerprints from the grandchildren!).

Is there anything else that stood out to you? 

See more of Emely's lovely world over at @emmecrona and read an inspiring interview in which she opens up about the loss of her parents, and how she copes with her anxiety. 

Come here looking for Scandinavian Christmas inspiration today? Check out the archive! And stop by tomorrow for a touch ion festive spirit! 

Wishing you all a wonderful start to the week! 

Niki

Photography: Mikael Lundblad, shared with kind permission.  

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