A White Swedish Home with an Angled Kitchen

Such is my work as a writer, that I'm sitting at my desk on a warm, summer's day - without a cloud in the sky - in Malmö writing an article about Christmas for a UK magazine. Needless to say, I don't think I've quite got into the festive spirit yet! Lost for yuletide words, I thought I'd take a break and share this bright and airy apartment in Södermalm, Stockholm with you instead. It's just the breather I needed! The 51 m2 / 548 f2 space is perfect inspiration for anyone dealing with awkward angles, an IKEA kitchen that needs a design facelift or a cramped bathroom. Read on to discover why! 

In the kitchen, an Ikea kitchen carcass hugs the angled wall, while Superfront cabinet doors add a design touch. 

Some of the lost upper cabinet space is replaced by metal shelving beneath the window (also from Ikea). 

Right now, it's all about combining different style and eras. I love how contemporary kitchen cabinets stand beside an early 20th century cabinet - part of the original kitchen. 

A second room doubles up as an open-plan dining room and sitting room, with an eclectic blend of furniture. 

Glass doors ensure a flow of light between the rooms - a vital factor come winter! 

A slim vintage filing cabinet doubles up as a cute bedside table in the bedroom. 

Some old Stockholm apartments were built without private bathrooms - with residents sharing communal ones instead. These days, residents have carved out whatever space they can to create a bathroom, often using a wardrobe. I am not sure if that is the case with this small, L-shaped room. Even so, a narrow basin and loo in the shower area have solved the issue here. The white tiles and patterned tiles ensure it feels light and airy and also stylish! 

I thought it might also be useful to share the floorplan: 

Sovrum - bedroom, Vardagsrum - sitting room, Kök - kitchen

Such a lovely apartment with some great solutions (it's available to buy here).  

I particularly like the kitchen and dining area! And of course, the floor! Is there anything that caught your eye?

I am expecting a flurry of thoughts about the loo / shower combination! For example - won't the loo roll get wet? It reminds me very much of our boat loo / shower (we need to remove pretty much everything in the bathroom before we use the shower!). I think I'd try to fit a circular shower curtain or fold in semi-circular shower wall here (if there's room for it!). Do you have any ideas on how to solve this? 

Discover more beautiful Stockholm home tours here. 

Trevlig helg!  Have a great weekend! See you Monday! 

Niki

Photography Elin Sylwan, Styling: Petra Yngfalk for Historiska Hem. 

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A Tiny Danish Home That's Big On (Handmade) Design!

I was scratching around for something to post today. My criteria was to find something a little different from the other spaces I've shown this week. And since I went all white yesterday, I was thinking a pop or two of colour would be nice too. Little did I know my search would lead me to this beauty in the heart of Copenhagen! Measuring a tiny 44 m2 (474 f2), this little apartment in the Nørrebro neighbourhood serves as a pied-à-terre for Puk Sjelden, her husband Jake and their 17 year old twin daughters. The apartment is made up of two rooms: an open-plan kitchen / dining area and one double bedroom and has been renovated to incorporate clever design ideas, pops of colour and a series of fun DIY hacks.  Welcome to Puk's mini but mighty Danish world! 

The stripy stool is an IKEA DIY hack (check out the DIY highlights on Puk's instagram for the know-how) - and the built in bench and mattress are also handmade. The dining room wall has been painted in Sand from Jotun. 

Did you carry out the renovation yourselves? You seem very handy!
"We (or Jake!) are really handy and we do a lot of the minor details ourselves - like the blue shelves. However, we used a contractor for the larger renovations so that we didn't have to coordinate all the craftsmen. We were very involved in all the details throughout the process."

Puk and Jake have created two recessed shelves using electric blue paint ('Sadolin' code: U9.48.19) and light wood. 

How did you come up with the idea for the recessed shelving?  

There was a hole in the kitchen wall when we took over the apartment, so instead of covering it up we decided to turn it into a feature. The blue shelves came about because I wanted a change. They used to be a covered cabinet and I wanted to bring more dynamics to the room. The colour turned the shelving into more of an installation which I really like! It adds a bit of edge to the room. 

Print by danish artist Sini Salminen.

Can you tell me more about the pops of colour? 

It's funny because I used to be super afraid of colour! I always went for monochrome. But then a Danish design company inspired me to create the blue shelves - and now I can't get enough of colour! It can change the entire feeling of a room. 

What do you like most about your apartment?

I really enjoy the kitchen and the nook, it has a good feeling and it's so cosy hanging out here alone, together or with good friends. 

A Hay mega dot throw adds a sunshine feel to the bedroom. while simple crates provide as extra storage. A simple Pujo coat rack is perfect as a makeshift wardrobe! 

Isn't this space wonderful?

If you love this pad as much as I do you'll be excited to hear that it's also available to rent through Airbnb! Perfect little over nighter! I know where I'll be staying next time I'm in Copenhagen!

You can see more pictures here. 

Other small spaces to feel inspired by: 

A beautiful two room Swedish apartment

A mini but mighty Stockholm apartment

15 small space hacks to learn from a lovely Danish home

Anyone else dreaming of having a little pied-à-terre in town in which to hang out with friends and rent on airbnb? Such fun! 

Niki

Photography: Puk Sjelden / @poppelgade

A special thank you to my good friend Mette at @monstercircus for the tip!

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Duvet day in this Swedish bedroom?!

Due to a combination of too much work, too much play and an addictive series on Netflix ('just one more episode' at midnight, type thing - do you have that?!), I'm feeling incredibly sleep deprived....and while I sit here on the train at 6 am I'm longing for my bed! Or the bed in this Swedish apartment. If I could I'd light that masonry oven, go and fetch a coffee and a little breakfast (preferably like this one) and read a pile of interior magazines in bed all morning.... heaven! Could you imagine doing the same?!

Stadshem / found via Marthe Bo with thanks

That is one beautiful bedroom! Love the white floors, grey linen bedding and vintage wardrobe - lovely!

A few other items I know and love in case you're curious: Bertoia chair, round mirror, moss knit throw, Gotland sheepskin rug, this beautiful light is similar.

Other bedrooms I could quite happily enjoy a duvet day in include this Amsterdam boudoir, under the eaves in this incredible Swedish country bedroom, and actually - my own bedroom (it's more like to happen here too, plus if I'm lucky the man might just bring me breakfast in bed, now that would be a bonus!).

For more inspiration, you might want to check out my bedroom Pinterest board for 1.2 thousand plus pics of pure bedroom inspiration- (clear the calendar?!)  and my bedroom tour archive here on My Scandinavian Home. Time well spent, I'd say?! 

Have a *dreamy* day!
 
PS Could you be my 50,000th follower on Instagram? Thank you so much to everyone who follows me already, you're wonderful, I love reading all your comments!

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The Inspiring Norwegian Home of a Danish Design Hunter!

Goooood morning! If you love discovering new instagram feeds as much as I do, here's a great one for you: @mr_aardal! Thomas Aardal has recently sold this beautiful early 20th century house in Sandnes, just south of Stavanger, Norway. I couldn't resist sharing a few snaps before he turns the key. The good news is, he's taking all his iconic Danish design furniture with him and I can't wait to see what he does next! Enjoy the tour! 

I love how there's a Danish treasure around every corner - Klint, Wenger, Jacobsen - this place reads like a who's who of Danish design! Mesmerising! 

Is there anything that stood out to you? 

If you'd like to see what Thomas Ardaal does next, follow along on instagram here: @mr_ardaal. 

There's a load more fabulous danish homes to discover in this archive today (hey, it's Monday, you've got to ease your way into the week in a nice way!). 

I've just arrived in Cologne, Germany for IMM Cologne - one of my favourite fairs! I'm going to do my best to check out all the latest trends and product news and report back. Follow along on instagram stories if you're curious! 

Have a great start to the week guys! 

Niki

PS There's absolutely no way I'd be able to have an open wardrobe like Thomas's. I wish I was as neat as this, but I've resigned myself to the fact that I never will be (sorry Kondo!). 

Photography courtesy of Thomas Aardal shared with kind permission. 

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Tiny Home Inspiration: A Beautiful Swedish Studio With A Great Storage Solution

A tiny, one room studio apartment with lots of storage and a beautiful aesthetic? Yes, it IS possible! if you're dealing with 28 square metres / 300 square feet or less and struggling to find a place for all your things, I have a feeling you'll find this beautiful Gothenburg apartment truly inspiring - and I couldn't resist adding a few more ideas to the mix too. Oh, and I added the floor plan at the end a first from my side, but I felt it could be useful (courtesy of Entrance). Don't live in a confined space? Lots of homes have compact spaces such as a box room - so I have a feeling this tour will come in handy for most of us! 

Unless you're a true minimalist, there's no going for the trendy 'no upper cabinets' look that's so hot right now. Instead, it's all about maximising height and wall space - and in my humble opinion, upper cabinets can look just as good! If you have a lot of kitchen utensils, opt for closed cabinets for a less cluttered look.  

This kitchen could have looked a little cold had it not been for the beautiful warm natural textures seen in the stone worktop and wood dining chairs. 

The stylist behind this apartment hasn't utilised under-the-sofa storage here, but if you need the space, opt for sofas and coffee tables with built-in storage. 

Again, not seen here, but if you are a book lover or would love to display personal items, the enclave in the picture above to the right of the wardrobe (where there painting is) would be a perfect spot for narrow vertical shelling that extends the full height. See this beautiful Stockholm family home for some great 'small space' bookshelf inspiration! 

No matter your ceiling height, the vertical space in a small apartment is one of your greatest assets - use to  the full by ensuring wardrobes extend all the way to the ceiling. You can always hang a ladder on the wall to the side for access. 

The space under the bed is another great place for extra storage. For a neater look, add a bed skirt - it will add a soft touch to the bedroom area and cover up whatever is underneath. 

Wall-mounted furniture and accessories: if your walls allow it, hang lights and other furniture on the wall to clear floor space. 

And in case you're curious - here's the 27 square metre floor plan: 

I hope this has been helpful. A special thanks to all of those who have e-mailed me /  requested inspiration for living spaces smaller than 30 square metres! Please do feel free to email me anytime with ideas and requests, it's really helpful! 

Oh, and for another serene smallish space - did you see Sarah's Copenhagen home yesterday? So serene! And of course, there's always the archive too! 

Wishing you all a great day!

Niki

Photography courtesy of Entrance 

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