A Small(ish) Relaxed Boho Swedish Home Full of Soul

'Lived in', 'homely', 'real' - these are just some of the words used to describe the homes I am getting  requests for via e-mail. Well friends, I've got good news - this one fits the bill perfectly! Located in Gamla Enskede in Greater Stockholm,  this cosy Swedish home measures a rather small 58 m2  / 624 sq ft, but rather than whittling away possessions, the owners have made really clever use of space to ensure everything has a place! 

Laid out over two floors which are connected by a magnificent Packhus spiral staircase, every spare inch of the maisonette has been put to use. Keep an eye out for bespoke custom-built furniture and open and closed storage - which provides a home for books, LPs, clothing and as well as other items, while a fine art collection fills every inch of wall. I also love the use of colour - including muted, earthy tones and a dramatic black floor ensuring a relaxed, warm and inviting home that's full of soul. 

Ready to take a look? 

Jøtul fireplace, source a similar vintage scissor lamp here*. 

This corner reminds me a lot of the artists home in Oslo, Norway from my book The Scandinavian Home. So many lovely works of art! 

Jugendros wallpaper, Lim & Handtryck

The staircase doubles up as a library - which is ideal as it makes the most of a large wall space while keeping all the books in reach. 

A home workspace has been carved out in a small spot on the landing. 

Chrysanthemum Toile wallpaper by William Morris

A recess under the sloped ceiling serves as a bedside table, while bespoke storage on the opposite side of the room creates space for clothes. 

Note that while 58 m2 sounds small, in Sweden they do not count any floor space that has a ceiling height of less than 190 cm / 6ft2 or any areas that can't be accessed from inside. It's a little more complicated than this, but this is the basic gist! 

Why shouldn't you be able to have a bath in a small bathroom? I love that there's a little place to soak with a glass of wine under candlelight, at the end of a long day!

Such a cosy space! I'm sure there will be some of you who'll think this lovely space is spot on. And others who prefer a more minimalist aesthetic. Either way, I'm sure we can all agree it has a wonderful lived-in vibe! 

Would you like to see a few more relaxed homes today? Put your feet up and have a scroll through these beauties: 

A vintage inspired Swedish home full of soul

A charming Copenhagen home full of vintage finds

Your very own garden retreat on a budget

Har det så bra! 

Niki

Photography: Boukari

Styling: Copparstad

For: Historiska Hem

Found via Nordroom with thanks

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A Bright, White Swedish Home With Mid Century Touches

There is something very special about the spring light in Sweden. Even my mother commented on it when she was over recently. On some days it can be pin sharp on others, it's soft and filtered! It's at this time of the year our homes really come into their own with the dappled light leaving ripples on the light wood floors and white walls. It's a time when we can finally open the windows and invite the crisp, clear air indoors and marvel at the lime green leaves and blossom (after a long spell of dormancy!). This lovely apartment in Gothenburg caught my eye this morning for that very reason. Look out for the simple yet lovely spot in the kitchen window, ochre vintage chairs, mid-century touches, beautiful tiled masonry oven and William Morris wallpaper (a popular choice in Swedish homes these days!). Enjoy the tour! 

How lovely! 

I'll never tire of old light wood floors, how about you? 

For more swedish pads today - why not delve through this archive, there's SO much inspiration in there! 

Kram! 

Niki

Credits: Entrance 

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A Dated Property is Restored to a Dream Swedish Country House

From a summer cottage on an island in southern Jutland, Denmark yesterday - to the fields of Skåne, South Sweden today: welcome to Marie and Eric's beautiful country home. The pair have been painstakingly restoring their dream home for over four years - transforming both the interior and exterior.  To say they had vision would be an understatement. In fact, the facade alone will inspire any house hunter out there to see beyond less attractive exteriors! Step inside, and you're transported into a cosy world of exposed wood beams, arched windows, DIY cabinets and antique furniture. Ready to feel inspired? Let's take the tour. 

Exterior before

A red brick house has been given a complete make-over with the help of a new facade, windows and doors.

Exterior after

Entrance before

Entrance after

Main kitchen after the renovation

The beautiful black glass cabinet was made using a built-in structure fitted with antique pains. It reminds me of the DIY cabinet in the Montana home of Jana Roach. 

Main living area before 

Previously a warren of small, modern rooms, Eric and Marie completely gutted the space, knocking down walls, ripping out the floor and stripping back the ceiling to reveal the original wood beams and original architecture. 

Main living area after

The cosy open-plan living room and dining area is bathed in light from arched windows, while wood beam ceilings add warmth and an intimate feel to the spacious room. 

Mezzanine floor after

Bathroom before

The bathroom is pretty much unrecognisable, with the ceiling completely knocked through and smaller windows exchanged for arched glass doors in keeping with traditional Skåne architecture. 

Bathroom after

Quite the transformation!

I love it when a house is restored to its former glory like this, it requires so much dedication, but the results are so worth it! 

Is there anything that stood out to you? 

You can see more of Marie and Eric's wonderful home and their ongoing renovation over at @oliverogård. 

There are a ton more 'before and after' tours in this archive if you feel like hanging around for a while (if this pops up first, just scroll past!). 

I'm very excited about sharing my new dream wardrobe with you tomorrow including the before pictures, the design and results. I hope you're going to like it as much as I do - hopefully it might inspire anyone out there looking to create some more storage! 

Vi ses imorgon!

Niki 

Photography courtesy of @oliverogård, shared with kind permission. 

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A Cosy Swedish Home Which Maximises Space and Light

When you think of Scandi homes, you usually imagine large spacious open-plan living spaces. This is often true. Drawing natural light into the darkest corner of your home is an essential Scandinavian winter survival factor  - and walls block the light. However, when you live in a small space, this is not always possible - especially if you need to carve out many different living zones such as a home office, sitting room, bedroom etc. 

This lovely Swedish apartment is a fine example of how small rooms can still be filled with light with some clever interior tricks. Think glass internal walls and clever mirror placements for a cosy, light-filled home with everything you need. 

Mysigt (cosy!) - and such clever use of space, don't you think? 

I've got lots of exciting posts planned here on the blog this week including before and after pictures of a swedish country home (wait till you see the transformation of the facade, you'll never look at a red brick house with small windows in the same way!), plus the final reveal of my new wardrobe which I've been working away on behind-the-scenes! 

Wishing you all a great start to the week! 

Niki

Styling Pernilla Sciarrati for Alvhem

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