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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3 New lamps At Home from Hudson Valley Lighting

MSH partnership, all words are my own: 

Everyone has a 'thing' when it comes to the home, don't you think? For some it's chairs, for others it might be rugs, or smaller items such as books, art and plants. What's yours? I love all these pieces, but for me, it has to be lighting! I love the way it can be used to create an atmosphere. I appreciate how it's vital for practical tasks such as cooking or reading. And I'm inspired by the way it can be used to highlight the things you love - and hide the things you don't! You also can never really have enough lighting in a home (especially in wintertime), so I'm always on the lookout for something new. 

Recently, I added three shiny new lamps to our living space - courtesy of Hudson Valley Lighting Group. You might recognise the name from the wall sconce in my sitting room. The international brand sells hundreds of lamps, offering everything from pendants to outdoor wall sconces, all with exceptional quality. I'm excited to share the ones I've chosen this time, they've certainly brightened up some dark corners of our house and cottage! I hope you'll feel inspired / get some ideas for your own home too! 

New lighting at the Cottage

Last time we were up at the cottage we installed the Barron lamp in aged brass over the sink. I felt immediately drawn to it since it's inspired by the work of mid-century Danish architects who reduced the glare from electric lighting by applying layers and curved shades. The result is a soft, diffused glow, that immediately feels warm and cosy - or as the Danes would say hyggelig. 

In Scandinavia, people love to place lighting in the window since it gives off a warm and inviting feel - which is why I chose this position over the sink. But I could also see it hanging in the corner of a room, or next to a sofa (I have a feeling this one might get moved around quite a lot!). But for now, there'll be a lovely light shining from our cottage kitchen window! 

New Lighting in our Home Hallway

A few months ago I shared my latest hallway update, but we were still missing lighting (cue: guests fumbling around in the dark for their jackets and kids emptying the entire content of the wardrobe to find a tennis racket... that sort of thing!). Needless to say, good lighting in the hallway is key, especially on darker days and nights. We were lucky enough to have the power source already, so all that was needed was the actual fixture! 

I decided on the Estee semi-flush by Mitzi. It's actually available in two colours: polished nickel or aged brass - but you know me, I love a brass look! Usually Per helps me out when it comes to DIY, but actually I did most of the installation myself, it was surprisingly simple (the round glass pendants just screw into place). Admittedly I was wise enough not to attempt the wiring though - being a Physics teacher, that's definitely Per's area! 

I can't tell you what a huge difference this lighting makes to our hallway - it looks way smarter than before, and the Estee emits a great light - which can also be dimmed down with the right switch if you want to make your hall / sitting room / dining area more cosy. Love that! 

If you're curious about this piece, you might be interested to know that there's also a 6-arm version, which would be perfect for bigger spaces. 

I recently installed a mirror and hooks in the narrow section of our hallway (more details here) - which have been great for bouncing around light and also providing space for a (daily) overflow of coats, bags, hats etc. But I really wanted to add some interesting lighting to the area - and the Angela in aged brass by Mitzi fit the bill perfectly. 

I was pleasantly surprised by the weight (it's quite substantial which makes it feel really high quality!). I also love the cable - which is why I decided to hang it this way using a hook - some cables are designed to shine! 

It has a really cosy feel to it when switched on (especially if you use a dimmer switch like I have). Placed next to a mirror, the reflection immediately doubles the light source too, which brightens up this little corner of our home after dark! 

Next step... the hallway tiles - but that's a subject for another day! 

For now, we'll be enjoying the fact that we can actually see something when we arrive home or about to leave! 

Did you have a favourite lamp among these? Or perhaps you're after something different? If so, you can discover the full range of Hudson Valley Lighting Group lighting here. 

Niki

Photography: Niki Brantmark (and my kids - where I feature!)

Cottage kitchen Styling: Niki Brantmark

Hallway styling: Helen Sturesson

*This is a paid post in collaboration with Hudson Valley Lighting Group, however, all words are my own and I only ever work with brands I love and think you will too. Thank you for supporting the businesses that make My Scandinavian Home possible. 

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Duvet day in this beautiful Swedish bedroom?!

Hello! And a big ciao to all wonderful new Italian readers too! It's still as grey as ever here in southern Sweden and what I really feel like doing is spending the day in bed reading. Ha! Fine chance! Which is probably why I chose this Swedish apartment for today's home tour - the light filled master bedroom is definitely the star of the show! it's beautiful! The little girl's room is incredibly cute too.  Could you spend the day here?!

Stadshem

The thing I like the most about the master bedroom (yes, I'm still thinking about it...) is that they clearly have a large wardrobe in the little girls room for clothes and yet they still have an open rail for the prettiest clothes (or tomorrow's clothes?) in the bedroom which looks fab. Also, I like the way they've hung the art photography off centre over the bed. And finally a shelf incorporated into a headboard is a great way to do away with bedside tables for a cleaner look. 

Some fab pieces from the apartment I know and love: RAR rocking chair in the little girls bedroom with a cosy sheepskin throw and Harlequin wallpaper. String shelves in black. Flos 265 wall light in the dining area. HAY Polygon throw and linen bedding in charcoal. Eames DSR chairs in white and black. 

Anything that caught your eye?

More fabulous bedroom inspiration here, here and here with the addition of my bedroom here. And could you IMAGINE sleeping here?! 

Must-have bedroom accessory right now: this moroccan pom pom throw (as seen on SF Girl By Bay).

Have a lovely day! 

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A Beautiful, Elegant Copenhagen Home Revisited!

A beautiful day in the Öresund region calls for a beautiful home tour. And what better than the Copenhagen home of Simone Polk Dahl. I've been following Simone on instagram (@polkenstudio) ever since I featured her home in 2019, and I am always excited to see her latest home updates. While you'll recognise the statement bookshelves and the fabulous daybed, the Danish artist and interior stylist has added some fabulous touches to her apartment including a Ligne Roset Togo chair and Hay Mags sofa  - as well as made some calming colour updates in the bedroom. I love her ever-changing display of art too (keep an eye out for latest editions to her gallery on IG). Enjoy the tour! 

Second-hand table, rug from Jotex, Gubi 9602 lamp. The art is Simone's own work. 

The bookshelves are from Trævarefabrikernes. In front, a daybed has been covered in simple linen fabric from HM Home. 

Classic vintage tables and chairs, Ferm Living Arum floor lamp* and bespoke shelving from Borg & Berg. 

A lounge chair from Sofa Company rests on an old rug from Ellos. A Hay pendant hangs overhead. The wardrobe was handmade by a local carpenter. 

So beautiful! 

If you love Simone's home as much as I do, you might also like to check out her dreamy Danish summer cottage. I love how it has a slightly different feel. 

You can also get your fill of beautiful Danish design in this danish home tour archive (if this pops up first, just hop on over). 

Before I head off to enjoy the sunshine with my girls (who are standing beside me in their swimming costumes!)... I have a couple of things to say: 

Firstly, thank you SO much for all your helpful comments on which doors to get for our summer cabin. Not only was it SUPER helpful, but it also filled me with joy to see so many people joining the discussion! 

And secondly, as per every summer, I'm winding down to blogging three days week to spend time a little time with swimming costume-clad family. After all, on a slight a twist in the words of Ferris Bueller: The Swedish summer moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it! 

Have a great start to the week friends! 

Niki

Photography: Simone Polk Dahl, shared with kind permission.

*this post contains affiliate links. 

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Shades of grey in a small living space

Good morning, and happy Monday!! I hope you had a great weekend? It's finally stopped raining here (it's been raining for a week). Guh! It's still grey though so I thought, why not embrace it? After all, there's something kind of cosy about bringing the grey interiors, don't you think? This Swedish space has been decorated using shades of grey and a touch of black and white. It's actually quite incredible as it's only 38 metres square in total. The use of the space is so impressive. I often get questions asking where the storage is in the homes I show. Not here, look at that wardrobe! I also love the use of windows to divide up the different living areas. Great inspiration for anyone that's tight on space!

Skandia Mäklarna via Trendenser and Anna Gillar

A few items I know and love. Flos 265 wall light, HAY tray table, chunky moss knit blanket, sheepskin throw, Eames side chair. Dark grey bedding, black Muuto dot coat hooks.

Small space take-aways from this apartment: The same task light can be used for the sitting area and the dining area since it can be easily be swung round. The dining table is extendable for when they have guests. The coffee tables can also be used as side tables. Closed cupboard doors means the space looks less cluttered. The use of windows instead of doors to divide rooms means that light still filters through. a curtain in the bedroom can be drawn across for privacy / hide an unmade bed! The same colour theme throughout (greys and brass) give the space coherence, Anything else you notice?

What do you think of grey?

Have a lovely day!

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