How a Vintage Cigar Cabinet Became Perfect Home Storage


I was so intrigued by the incredible vintage cabinet in Jana Roach's home yesterday that I had to dig deeper. Where did they find it? And most importantly, how did they manage to find the exact size piece required for the space? Read on to discover that not all is always as it seems... and sometimes it takes a whole load of imagination and some hard work to make the vintage piece you fall in love with fit your home! 

The original piece: 
Jana and her husband Tanner were in a second-hand building materials store in Seattle, US in March 2019 when they came across this old cigar display. 

They immediately fell in love with it, but the unit was way too big for the space they had - plus the slanted shelves (originally used for displaying cigars) were far from practical for kitchen storage. 

Many would have been deterred, admired its beauty and walked on. But not Tanner and Jana

The space
They could see its potential as a cabinet for their new dining room. The unit and the space just needed some work! 

What they did
Since the cabinet had no back, they prepped the back wall with white subway tiles. They opted for white grouting so that it wouldn't take over from the items in the cabinet. 

The cabinet was then modified to fit the space. This meant cutting off one of the bays, raising it by around 6 inches and adding a crown trim, base and side. The shelves were also levelled. 

The result:


I love this transformation! 

Looking at some of these homes, it can appear that everything has just effortlessly fallen into place, but it's not always the case - often there's a whole level of imagination and hard graft involved! 

Jana always recommends taking a tape measure to flea markets and reclaim yards. You never know - you might just stumble across a piece you love, and even if it's not quite right in terms of size or colour you might just be able to adapt it for your home and give it an entirely new lease of life anyway! 

Have you up cycled / renovated any second-hand pieces in your home? If so, I'd love to hear about them! 

Niki

PS I don't usually publish posts on Friday, but tomorrow will be an exception - and it's dedicated to anyone who has been wondering whether or not to install a woodturning stove! 

Photos courtesy of Jana Roach, shared with kind permission.

Twitter FaceBook

Pin It
2

Before and After: A Beautiful Montana Home Full of Vintage Finds

I rolled up the blinds this morning and the curtain of cloud was so thick, that it made no difference at all! Thank goodness for beautiful homes to brighten up our day! And this one belonging to Jana Roach is charming in every way. Based in Kalispell, Montana (a state I now want to visit thanks to all your cross-country skiing tips on Monday), Jana is the queen of vintage. She spends her time seeking out magnificent pieces for her bricks and mortar store Honey Home, co-founder of The Market Beautiful - a Montana based vintage market and owner of Beck & Cap, a shop selling organic hand carved wabi-sabi furniture - which she runs with her partner Tanner. Needless to say, Jana and Tanner's own home is teeming with charming, one-off pieces - and the beauty lies in the imperfection. 

Before
Sometimes a home can appear so effortlessly put together. To dispel this myth - and emphasise just how much work has gone into their Montana home, here are a couple of 'before' pictures to set the scene:

Yep, a fair amount of work to do there!

So, let's get down to the pretty part.  

After


This incredible cabinet was a second-hand find and used to be an old cigar display. I'll share a few more details tomorrow which might just make you change the way you eye up pieces in vintage stores and flea markets from now on. 

It reminds me a little of the stunning one in Malin Persson's home


The chair at the end of the table was handmade by Tanner and Jana and available through their Beck & Cap store. Every piece they make is bespoke - and what started out to be a small business has mushroomed to a full-scale production thanks to a mention on Leanne Ford's HGTV series 'Home Again with the Fords' (remember Leanne's own dreamy woodsy cabin?).



"I typically prefer old furniture over brand new for things like cabinets, islands, tables. Not only does it add character, it looks better with age and can take a beating haha!" - Jana Roach

The island is an old double sided bankers' desk that has been stripped down: '"the top stains for sure, but I don't mind It - bring on the patina!"

The handle hanging off the dresser and the doors a little open only adds to the charm of the home, and emphasises a living, breathing space. It actually reminds me a lot of the chest-of-drawers I grew up with (my childhood home was full of antiques and not a weekend went by without visiting an antiques market), the handles were often loose, and we had to wiggle the drawers open for what felt hours (especially when running late for school) to get our socks out! 

The bottom line, in my opinion, is that antiques are not ways as practical and comfortable as brand-new items (although of course, this isn't always the case) - but they add so much character and fill your homes with stories which can make them so much more special! 

Jana created the artwork on the wall using an old canvas cot. 

Note how the painting to the left of it juts into the staircase - the rules are, there ain't no rules, and everything looks perfect, just the way it is! 


Who feels inspired? 

If anyone's looking for me, in lieu of visiting Honey Home in person - which is sadly a little out of reach right now, I'll be scouring Sweden's online second-hand sites for beautiful pieces! 

Do you have many vintage and antique pieces in your home? Perhaps you grew up with them in your childhood home? I'd love to hear about your experiences below! 

See more of Jana's home over at @janaroach

Niki

Photography: Jana Roach, shared with kind permission.

Twitter FaceBook

Pin It
7

The Vintage-Inspired Stockholm Home of Elsa Billgren

If you love vintage, you'll love the home of Swedish TV presenter and interior / fashion blogger Elsa Billgren. Elsa lives with her family in Mosebacke, in the hip district of Söder in Stockholm. Despite being in the heart of the capital, Elsa's apartment is a picture of calm thanks to rustic furniture that wouldn't look out of place in a country home, plants around every corner, relaxed piles of books, art and plenty of cushions, sheepskins and blankets! Once into bright colours (see her previous Stockholm home), Elsa has toned down to a more earthy palette over the years - but look closely and you'll spot soft hues of red, green and blue. Ready for the tour? Put your feet up and enjoy! 

The dining area is a made of a blend of vintage pieces including a fabulous rustic farmhouse table with drawers. 

I'm really curious about this table, as I've passed up tables like this in the past due to the bars just above the floor and lower drawers. Maybe I should take another look and see if it's possible after all. Does anyone else have experience with using these types of tables as a dining table? 

Contemporary pieces like the modern art and Valerie Objet number 2 wall lamp make a nice contrast with the older vintage pieces - adding a cool, personal vibe. 

A rustic side bench* provides a perfect spot for plants, books and candles. 

I love the quirky touch with the blue architrave around the door. Notice how Elsa has also added blue cushions on the sofa to balance the look.  

How beautiful! It makes me want to scour the internet for antiques - do you feel the same? 

Is there anything that stood out to you? 

Thank you to Idha Lindhag for the kind permission to share these images. If you'd like to see more of Elsa's home hop on over to instagram. She also has a book Elsas Husdröm 2021 and also a Podcast: Billgren Wood (both in Swedish). 

Have a great start to the week! 

I've just arrived in Oslo, Norway for a few days - very exciting to be out travelling again, even if it's for work! Follow my adventure on Instagram stories if you're curious to see what I get up to! I hope to write a guide here soon too! 

Niki

Photography: Idha Lindhag, shared with kind permission
*This post contains an affiliated link 

Twitter FaceBook

Pin It
12

Laura Luoto's Inspiring Second-hand & DIY Helsinki Home

So finally, THAT Finnish apartment I promised to share with you! The beautiful 1950s apartment is nestled in the heart of Helsinki (such a great city - I can't wait to go back one day!) and belongs to interior designer Laura Luoto and her boyfriend Ville. Laura has had a passion for all things second-hand ever since she was a child and the pair have decorated the 43 m2 space using a blend of wonderful flea market finds as well as pieces she has built herself and the odd contemporary piece. I couldn't resist reaching out to Laura to find out more. 

What do you do for a living?
I am an interior designer - with a passion for designing well thought-out homes for my clients. I strive to create high quality, practical spaces with a beautiful aesthetic. It's important to me that a living space feels harmonious so that the mind can rest. 

Can you tell us about your passion for second-hand?
My passion for second hand started when I was very young from when we used to visit flea markets as a family. At that time, I would spend all my money buying clothes from thrift stores but at some point, I started to become more interested in purchasing cool and eclectic items for my own room. When I moved into my own apartment, my budget was small, so buying second-hand allowed me to fill up my apartment with cool finds. 





What's the best thing about buying secondhand things for your home? 
I love the idea that no one has a home like mine since most of the pieces are one-of-a-kind. The uniqueness is what makes this apartment feel like home to me. 

Do you need adjust the pieces you find second-hand?
Absolutely. I love leaving my own mark on pieces - and when I adapt them, I feel even more connected to my home because I've worked hard to make it my own. 

I see from your website that you also make your own furniture occasionally?
Yes, when I can't find something I am looking for within my budget, I sometimes make it myself. For example the coffee table in the first picture is handmade! 

See Laura's instagram highlights for more information on how to make a table like this. 

Lovely home! 

It's also so inspiring to learn that you don't need to spend a fortune to create a beautiful and unique living space. Time to hit those flea markets - and get the toolbox out! 

See more of Laura's home over at @Laura_luoto (there are some great DIY ideas there) and find out more about her work / services as an interior designer here

Feel inspired by other second-hand homes here (don't miss Ida's home, a Norwegian cottage with a wabi sabi vibe and a hyggeligt Danish home on Jutland!- or join the Finnish home love fest in this archive

That's it from me this week. I've got a photoshoot at home today for Carpe Diem Beds for which I'll be transforming my bedroom into a luxury winter haven. Sounds heavenly, don't you think? It's no coincidence that I've timed the shoot right before the weekend!

Have a great one guys, see you Monday! 

Niki

Photography:  All pictures by Krista Keltanen and Jonna Kivilahti except 2 & 4 which are by Laura Luoto - shared with kind permission

Twitter FaceBook

Pin It
0

A Swedish Country Home That's Charming Inside and Out!

Let's go on a trip to Borås, West Sweden today and stop by at the fairy-tale home of  Evelina Lovisa Lind, her husband, two boys and cutest pups Tage and Tore. A photographer, Lovisa takes daily snaps of their home and life in Västra Götaland County while she studies gardening. The family home is a wonderful blend of antique and vintage finds set against a 'moody' backdrop of greys combined with accent walls adorned in William Morris. Evelina has drawn the surrounding landscape indoors using botanical prints, nature inspired wallpaper, climbing plants and fresh flowers from the garden. Keep a special lookout for the beautiful pendant light (I'd love one for my own home!) and the whimsical DIY idea! 

Intercepting the tour to point out the beautiful recycled Tropez pendant lamp - made from paper mâché and inspired by a floppy sunhat! The botanical prints are by Swedish artist Jonna Fransson

So beautiful - indoors and out!

Greenhouses are having a real moment in Sweden - popping up left, right and centre and used for everything from traditional gardening to a garden room. Are they popular where you are too? 

And now for the simple, yet pretty DIY idea: a candle wreath wrapped in dried Pearly Everlasting flowers. It's a perfect way to prolong the summer, and it'll stay in place for years!  Here's how: 

1. Pearly Everlasting is known for its excellent dried flowers. To dry them out, cut the stems before the blossoms are fully open and then hang them upside down in a dark place.  

2. Weave the dried flowers around the candle wreath as you would when making any other wreath and keep them in place with a thin wire (see this tutorial for more guidance). make sure you give the candles plenty of space to avoid a fire risk (never leave naked flames unattended). 

Lovely idea!

Is there anything that stood out to you about Evelina's house and garden?

If you'd like to see more snapshots, hop on over to her instagram @lovisalind

Ha en bra dag! 

Niki

Photography: Evelina Lovisa Lind shared with kind permission. 

Twitter FaceBook

Pin It
4

Subscribe To My Scandinavian Home

Subscribe to My Scandinavian Home

skovby ad


 

site by ANAAR

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website.
MORE INFO