Breathing Room: A Beautiful Swedish Home

I was so happy to hear that so many of you loved the Norwegian home tour earlier this week - it certainly helped that we had such a handsome guide!

Today, I thought we’d go for something a little different. One of the things I’ve always loved about Scandinavian design is the calmness that comes with the “less is more” philosophy. Walking into a decluttered home, like the one you’re about to witness, makes me instantly take a deep exhale in and out. It’s instantly calming!

I also love how, when a home is pared back, you can see each carefully selected item in its entirety - the colour, the form, the material, the texture - everything.

So, this Swedish home is dedicated to anyone who needs a little calm, or some breathing room, to take with you into the weekend!

Granted, this is even more decluttered than usual since it’s for sale, but I still love the light and airy feel, along with the lovely choice of furniture and colour. Plus, I’ll always be a big fan of a wall rack for wine glasses - especially on a Friday!

Are you also a fan of the pared-back look?

I hope you’ve enjoyed the tours on the blog this week as much as I have. As always, thank you so much for stopping by and for all your comments, emails, and messages. I love this positive community! 

Have a fantastic weekend!

Niki

Photography courtesy of Stadshem, with thanks. 

READ MORE...

2

A Beautiful Oslo Apartment with a Four-Legged Star

Today I have a little treat for you. Not only are we heading to the beautiful district of St. Hanshaugen, an area of Oslo, Norway known for its elegant apartment buildings, leafy namesake park, and sweeping hilltop views across Oslo and the fjord, we’re also being given a tour of an apartment by a hound - an Australian Cobberdog named Oliver, to be precise. 

Monica Flatland’s lovely home is blessed with high ceilings, beautiful cornicing and large windows that let in plenty of light. She has cleverly accentuated the height and architectural details by using subtly different paint colours on the walls ('kalk' by Jotun can be seen in the kitchen and living room). I’m especially loving the blue ceiling in the bedroom!

I also love her kitchen, featuring mainly lower cabinets, which enhances the bright and airy feel. But the real star of the show is her beautiful doggy, of course, while the dog-themed art by Monica’s boyfriend (available here) is pretty cute too.

Ready to take a look? Here's Oliver to give you a tour. 

Simply beautiful! Granted, Olivier really did steal the show and seems very happy with his home (who wouldn’t?), but I still enjoyed looking at all the details behind him. There’s a wonderful ease about the space.

Could you imagine living here?

Do you have a theme with your art? Looking around my home, people and the human form feature highly in my art, purely subconsciously. I wonder why that is?

Shall we take a quick look at some other Oslo homes today? 

Inside Juni's Oslo apartment with cool paint colours
At home with the Arctic gardener
A relaxed artist's home in Oslo (I loved my day capturing this home!)

Happy mid-week friends!

Niki

Photography courtesy of Monica Flatland, shared with kind permission.

READ MORE...

8

A Lovely Swedish Home in Bloom

It’s Friday, the sun is shining, and Per and I are trundling up the motorway to Gävle, just north of Stockholm, to cheer on Alice at a gymnastics competition. As we go, I notice the grass turning greener and the buds on the trees growing fuller. Soon the landscape will burst into life again, and there’s no greater sign of spring in Sweden than that first hint of colour after months of grey.

Indoors, though, touches of colour have been quietly appearing for a while in many homes. True to Scandinavian style, they show up in botanical patterns on walls, textiles and everyday details.

In this Swedish home, a simple white and grey backdrop acts as a canvas for a chequered rug, a blue and white tablecloth, and vibrant patternts by Josef Frank and Svenskt Tenn, from trays and wallpaper to even the blinds.

Elsewhere, spring makes its presence known too, with a lemon plant here, vibrant artwork there and fresh flowers, along with pieces that hint at faraway travels, bringing warmth and life to every corner.

All in all, this is such lovely home that puts a little spring in your step and sets the tone perfectly for the weekend. Va bra!

Josef Frank is a staple in Swedish homes, but it’s so fun to see a growing interest among younger generations, and even further afield beyond Sweden. Are you a fan of Josef Frank’s designs too?

Another major comeback we’ve been seeing for a while now is blue and white porcelain by the likes of Royal Copenhagen. Of course, it has never really gone out of style in Denmark or the UK. My mother has always had a collection on her Welsh dresser. But it’s lovely to see it being embraced by a younger generation as well. I’ve had my eye on these mugs with initials in particular for a while now, but they are a little steep budget-wise!

Did anything stand out to you about this lovely home? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Would you like to see some other homes with Josef Frank designs today? Take a deco at: 

A Copenhagen filled with design treasures
A Swedish apartment fit for a princess
Light, calm and oh-so Scandinavian in Malmö

Thank you so much for stopping by today – I hope this tour made the perfect breather out of your day! 

See you next week,

Niki

Photography courtesy of Oscars

READ MORE...

7

Fall in love with Lisa's calming Swedish home

Hej kompisar! I hope you had a lovely Easter break – and that the sun is shining for you like it is here in Sweden (despite the tail end of Storm David, which we could probably do without!). While the storm might be raging outside, inside Lisa's Swedish home, it's an entirely different story – it's as calm as can be.

Soft, nature-inspired tones wrap around each space, with muted greens, warm woods and creamy whites creating a quiet kind of harmony that feels grounding. The kitchen, in particular, draws you in – can you imagine starting your morning here, coffee in hand, sunlight catching the glass jars and simple ceramics on the shelves? Nothing feels forced or over-styled, and that’s exactly the beauty of it. 

And then there are all those little corners… a traditional Swedish bench with striped cushions, a softly lit dining table with a Le Klint lamp overhead and the candles flickering in the bathroom. Wait, is that TWO baths side by side? We actually just got rid of our bath - but this is making me wish we hadn't!

All in all, there’s something so inspiring about how effortlessly this home balances function and feeling, simplicity and warmth. The perfect tour to start the week after the holidays. Step this way! 

So calming, don’t you think? I’d love to hear the story behind those two bathtubs – I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anything like this indoors. Have you? My sister and I would have loved this when we were little.

It actually reminded me of the most unusual bath setting I’ve ever come across – a little varmbadhus (warm bath house) in the fishing village where we have our summer cottage. Sadly the establishment burnt down a few years ago, but it was such a beautiful old place. Each room had a clawfoot tub filled with seaweed, and you’d be gently scrubbed with it, leaving your skin feeling incredibly silky smooth. Have you ever tried a seaweed bath?

I also love the soothing greens running throughout Lisa’s home – they bring everything together so effortlessly and add to that sense of calm. 

Here’s a little aside: this doesn’t happen very often (thankfully!), but while putting this post together, I started to recognise a few of the rooms… and realised I’ve actually featured Lisa’s home before (I didn't notice at first since she has changed her instagram handle), many moons ago! Even so, since I'd started, and Lisa's made quite a few inspiring changes, I couldn’t resist sharing it again – some homes are simply too lovely not to revisit. I hope you feel the same! 

Wishing you a happy mid-week! 

Niki

Photography by @lisasarkiv, shared with kind permission. 

READ MORE...

21