Small Spaces: Grandma Style Meets Urban Jungle in a Berlin Rental Decorated on a Shoe-string

Hej hej! I hope you had a fabulous weekend?! Mine was just what I needed - hanging out, swimming in the sea, relaxing. And it was during one of these moments, a friend made a comment while  browsing an interior magazine: 'the homes and items in this magazine are so exclusive and out of my reach that it all feels completely irrelevant." Do you feel like that sometimes too? You're not alone, my 'small spaces' archive is the most popular and viewer figures sky rocket when I feature a low budget home. And this is what inspired today's tour!

Joana Gericke is an environmental engineer masters student and lives in Berlin with her boyfriend (also a student) and two cats (does everyone in Berlin have a cat?!). The pair have decorated their delightful 56 square metre (602 square feet) rental apartment almost entirely with secondhand and handmade items. Joana shares her tips on how to create a beautiful home on a shoe-string budget - and enjoy a  ore sustainable lifestyle as a result!

This striped linen table cloth* is similar, glass storage jars*, source vintage basket* and scales*

"My home is a mix of Grandma style and urban jungle - very few pieces are new" Joana told me. "I like my home to feel personal, cosy and full of memories."

A dark blue accent wall in the kitchen helps to create impact and a vintage ladder provides extra storage without having to drill into the walls of the rental apartment. 

A stove top kettle helps to free up counter space in the galley kitchen (I so need to get one for my own kitchen - I've got my eye on one of these vintage beauties*!).

Dried flowers are a big trend this year - and of course, they last forever! Perfect!

"If you are on a tight budget, go to flea markets, especially those that aren't crowded with tourists," advises Joana. "This is a problem in Berlin - so called 'vintage markets' are expensive. I'd recommend going to smaller ones in suburban areas. I also like eBay Kleinanzeigen where you can buy and sell low cost items. I don't know if there is something similar in your country but I think so."

"If there is something you can't find second hand, think about making it yourself - there's often an easy way and it'll feel more personal and can fit your needs and style."

"If there's something you want but don't need right away, it's better to wait until you can afford it rather than buy a cheaper version that is not quite right,"  advises Joana.

 The bed is on a raised platform so that the room can double up as an office.

Isn't this space charming? There are so many lovely ideas to steal! 

It's quite incredible what an impact vintage items and plants can make to a space - and it's amazing what you can find for a song if you're smart about it. 

Is there anything you love in particular about Joana's home? 

Joana finds inspiration at: @friederikchen, @becausethereisnoplanetb_ and @doitbutdoitnow

(among others) and of course, there's always Joana's own inspiring feed! 

Check out more small spaces here and two beautiful homes decorated on a shoe-string budget here and here!

Have a great start to the week!

Niki

Photography: Joana Gericke

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Feeling the Hygge: A Toasty Guide To Wood Burning Stoves

 This is a sponsored post in partnership with Arada stoves. All opinions and words are my own. 

Who doesn't love the crackle of a log fire and that toasty feeling you get from being tucked up indoors as the rain lashes at the windows? Although summer is still in the air, Autumn is just around the corner (dare I say it!) - so if you're looking to get that hygge vibe down before the big chill arrives, now is the time to install a wood burning stove. But where to start? Here's my guide to get you started.

Let's get down to the nitty gritty.

Why a wood burning stove?
Those who own one will tell you they're so much more than a black steel box. As Arada puts it, a word burning stove is"a living breathing thing, sparking passion in those who own it. The rituals of feeding and caring for it become part of your day. The scent and sound of it become part of your home. The glow becomes your companion."

Oh, and they're also heat efficient, cosy and make a pretty cool focal point when not in action too!

What do I need to do to install one? 
If your house isn't listed and you have a working chimney or flue your gaff is all prepped for the installation of a wood burner. If not, you'll need planning permission for an external chimney (bit of a faff but sooo worth it!). Verified wood burning stove companies such as Arada will do the rest.   

But there are so many to choose from?!
Since the stove will become the heart of your home, it's important to pick a style to suit your lifestyle and setting.

Will I feel the heat?!
The whole point of the burner is obvs the heat. So, before we get carried away with the design (who, me?!), it's important to think about how much heat you're looking to get out of your stove. The insulation in our house is so good that a fireplace emitting too much heat would have us 'glowing' akin to a session at the local sauna. We'd therefore totally need something with a lower heat output. The London house I grew up in as a child, on the other hand, was so cold I used to sleep with a hat on (I kid you not!) and we could totally have done with a wood burner designed to heat an entire room (and more!). Read more about finding the right output for your space here.

OK, now for the fun part
The design. When it comes to stoves I love a bit of authenticity. Choose between freestanding classic, contemporary and hardworking heating stoves and designs that are ideal for an inglenook fireplace or for an empty hearth, inset stoves designed to slot into a traditional British fireplace and cassette stoves which can be recessed into the wall for a sleeker finish.

Does it have to be black?! 
It is possible to go for something a little bolder should your heart desire it (hey, you may have noticed I've been going down the root of colour lately, so who knows what might happen next! OK. Yes. I'd probably go for black!).  But for those of you a little less colour shy, Arada offers a choice of seven colours:

Gas or wood / solid fuel?
Tricky one. The beauty of gas is that it's hassle free, there's less cleaning involved, and your fire can reach the desired heat quickly - and be more easily regulated. Plus gas fires have come such a long way, they often look like the real deal too. Having said that, boy/girl scout types might be disappointed about the lack of required probing, the crackling sound and scent of burning wood. The decision is yours!


Keeping it clean! 
Fuel has come a long way since the days of coal (cue black smoke belching out of chimneys across London!), but there's still a lot we can do to keep our fireside read a little more eco-friendly. A new clean burning stove from Arada will produce 90% fewer emissions than an open fire and 84% less than that of a stove produced 10 years ago). And once our stove is installed we can also take other actions too. There's a great guide here. 

What do you reckon? Could this be the year you install a wood burning stove? I'm incredibly tempted...

Find out more about Arada stoves here and check out their FAQ's for any burning (sorry!) questions.

Here's to chilly summer evenings and a toasty Autumn!

Warm wishes,

Niki

Pictures 1 & 2  feature the i600 Slimline Freestanding stove
Pictures 3 feature the Ecoburn Plus 5 Widescreen
Pictures 4, 5, 6 feature the Farringdon Catalyst Eco Wood Burner

This post is is sponsored by Arada stoves. All words are my own and I only ever work with brands I love and think you will too. Thank you for supporting the brands that make My Scandinavian Home possible. 

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