5 ways to cosy up your home this winter

I've just arrived in New York for the Domino Design Blog Awards tomorrow - so exciting! I love this city! It's soooo chilly though and there's a light dusting of snow on the ground which makes today's post even more apt - it's time to cosy up those homes guys! Here are my 5 top lagom tips (based on my years of living in Sweden!).....

 1. Layer on the blankets and throws - waffle, wool, linen and sheepskins are the order of the day at this time of year. Throw them over the backs of chairs, on the seat of your sofa or keep blankets neatly rolled in a basket so you and your guests can grab them when you feel that draught!

2. Bring in a little nature: fill a bowl with pine-cones, create a rustic wreath, place white hyacinths in a glass bowl surrounded by moss (I love the scent, don't you?!) and add a simple branch of pine to a vase. It doesn't need to be complicated - in fact the more simple and imperfect, the more cosy your home will feel!

3. Create a warm glow - an obvious one, but add plenty of candles - and dot them around your sitting room, kitchen, and your bathroom for a warm, cocoon-like feel. If you've got guests over - why not do as our Nordic friends do and place two outdoor candles outside the door for an extra warm welcome?!

4. Put a basket of slippers by the door -  In Sweden you always remove your shoes, which kind of makes sense if you really stop to think what you've picked up on the soles during the day. Keep tootsies toasty by keeping a basket of slippers and woolly socks at the door so you and your guests can get comfy the moment you walk in.

5. Get the scent going - there's nothing like the smell (and taste!) of Pepparkaka (ginger thins) at this time of the year. Enjoy them with glögg (mulled wine) and blue cheese (a personal favourite). Don't forget to save a few to hang on your Christmas tree. Not into baking? Hmmm, sounds like someone else I know....ME! Pick up ready made pepparkaka dough from IKEA or pierce oranges with cloves and hang them up with ribbon or bundle cinnamon sticks together to create a centre-piece. Your home will begin to smell like Jul in no time!

Get The Look
Circle Candleholder • ferm LIVING • $199
H&M Moss-knit Throw • H&M • $59.99
Wire Basket Large - Black • ferm LIVING • $124.99
Byredo - Cotton Poplin Scented Candle, 240g - Colorless • Byredo • $80
Brass Extinguisher • ferm LIVING • $31.99
Wondershop 15ct Holiday Accessory Glitter Pinecones • $5
Diptyque Baies Scented Candle, 190g • Diptyque • $64




Do you have any tips to add? If so, I'd love to hear them in the comment section below! 

Have a cosy day and stay warm out there! x

PS thank you so much to wonderful Ana for helping with this post - can't tell you how happy I am to work with you!


Photo credits: 1. The home of Christian Duivenvoorden of online shop Artilleriet  (Residence magazine. 2 - 6 & 8. Neptune 7. Melanie Barnes / Geoffrey and Grace (FYI this is such a beautiful blog. Find out about their slow living retreats here).

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A magical Norwegian mountain cabin

Just how much do you love the sound of staying at a cosy mountain cabin at this time of year?! Last summer, James Gardiner and I went to photograph the most magical Norwegian hide-away for my book: The Scandinavian Home. Located near Lillehammer (scene of the 1994 winter Olympics), the delightful timber cabin belongs to Marianne and Jon and their two children who love to ski in the winter and hike or simply hang out and enjoy the nature in the summer.  It's hard to imagine that when the pair first acquired the property it was completely run down and off the grid. "For the first five years, we had to bring our own water and ski down from the nearest road," Marianne confided. The pair kept the original building and created a magnificent extension, inspired by a traditional Norwegian seter. Today it's a beautifully cosy, magical mountain hide-away and the perfect spot to sit and recover from a day on the cross-country ski tracks or simply get away from it all.

Many of the items in the home - including the side table by the window, knitted chair cover, artwork, lamps, coat and towel hooks and cushion covers  - have been handmade by Marianne who runs Slow Design Studio. The mid-century armchairs were a flea market find (source similar here).

Wall-to-wall seating is made cosy with the use of ex Norwegian army blankets, an abundance of locally sourced sheepskins (pick up similar here), and a ton of cushions.  Clever in-built storage storage beneath the seating is used for candles, spare blankets and everything in between.

An Ay Illuminate pendant light hangs over the table which is surrounded by Tolix Marais chairs softened with sheepskins. One of Marianne's beautiful knitted lamps which she sells through her online shop can be glimpsed on the wall behind. The floor is made from concrete with underfloor heating. They can turn on the heat and lights remotely so that it's already toasty when they arrive. So nice and welcoming!

The kitchen was designed by Marianne and made by a local carpenter using old barn wood. If you look closely you'll see the leather pulls - which have been made from old reindeer reigns.  The backsplash is made from copper which has been treated with acid to give it an aged look. 

A huge sliding barn door can be opened up to allow the warmth of the sun to penetrate the dining area - or closed to buffet the wind and snow storms and generally keep the cold at bay. Simple pine table and benches provide an ideal spot when the sun comes out.

You can see more of this cabin in my book - The Scandinavian Home by Niki Brantmark, published by CICO Books. Photography by James Gardiner. ©CICO Books.

I was so mesmerised by the area that six months after the photo shoot, I returned with my family. Marianne and her family were kind enough to invite us to stay in the cabin.  The vista was equally stunning in winter time, when temperatures can plummet to minus 25 degrees celsius (minus 13 Fahrenheit) brrrrrrr! The light was crystal clear and we spent our days on the nearby ski slopes, intermittently diving into mountain cabins to warm-up over a hot chocolate (the girls), and glögg (the man and I!). A sauna back at the cabin worked wonders to warm the cockles and we'd spend the evenings on the long seat looking out over the panoramic views of the undulating snow-covered landscape. As the sun went down the valley was dotted with the glimmer of head torches as cross country skiers made their way home. It's a site I'll never forget! Here are a couple of snowy snaps I took during our stay....

The family enlisted the help of Marianne's sister, architect Benedicte Sund-Mathisen of Suma Arkitektur to extend the cabin and create frameless windows.

The original timber cottage dates back more than fifty years. Poles at the side of the road help snowploughs locate the road after a particularly heavy dump of snow! I have to admit we got stuck more than once (even though our car has specially adapted winter tires!) - and I learned a few new Swedish swear words in the process!!

Although the days were short, when the sun shone the light was crystal clear and the girls loved sledging on the slope in front of the cabin.

Aaaaaah, how I'd love to visit this region again one day. 

In case you'd like to find your own magical Norwegian mountain hide-away this winter, try Airbnb! Perhaps we'll see you there?!


Have a wonderful weekend, and stay warm!

PS You must check out this rustic log cabin too! Guh!

PPS If you're Christmas shopping this weekend our scandi-inspired adult and children gift guides might come in handy!

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