Step Inside A Relaxed Finnish Oasis in Mallorca

I've absolutely loved reading all your comments over the past few days - thank you for sharing all your thoughts last Thursday and throughout the week, it makes My Scandinavian Home such a great place to be and I feel honoured you can come here and comment - whether you're feeling up or down. Keep 'em coming! Meanwhile, I've also been chatting away to my older sister who lives in Mallorca in the Balearic Islands, Spain. Have you been to Mallorca? There are many beautiful parts. Wow were meant to visit her this summer but that may need to be put on hold for the time being. Someone who shares my passion for this wonderful Spanish island is Päivi Lemström. Päivi divides her time between her modern Finnish family home in Espoo, near Helskini and the great city of Mallorca. And having featured her home earlier this week, it was no surprise to find that her apartment in Palma Mallorca is equally as inspiring! So, today we're all heading to a little pocket of Palma - to a whitewashed home with striking dark window frames. So, pack your sun hat and pour yourself a sangria - we're off on a virtual trip to sunny Spain! Vamos! 

Tine K sells lounge chairs like these - and I also love these rattan chairs* from Bloomingdales. Pick up a round jute rug online here*.

As we saw from her home in Finland, Päivi has a real penchant for rustic touches and natural materials (even owning a shop with a focus on this type of homeware!). Her Palma home is peppered with rattan lamps, chairs and baskets as well as rustic wood stools, jute rugs and stone pots. It gives the place a wonderful relaxed, summery vibe!  

A rustic side bench like this works equally well in Mallorca (or should it be 'on' Mallorca'? I guess so since it's an island, but then again, you don't say 'on' Great Britain - so I'm wavering here, help me out!). And this seagrass basket* is similar. 

I love the Dutch online shop 'Old Wooden Stool*' who ship pretty much everywhere in the world.  The Poster Club* sells simple line drawings like this (Josephine* and Lana* prints by Anastasia Benko or Portofino* and Antibes* by Peytil make great pairs). 

From personal experience, homes in Mallorca can get really chilly in the winter - not because it plummets below zero (although they did get a load of snow for a few days last year in Pollenca!) but because the buildings are designed for warm weather and keeping people as cool as possible! I can just see this wood burning stove fired into action and Päivi and her family chilling with books on the sofa. Such a lovely corner!

If you're not happy with your sofa and want a quick fix, pick up some striped linen fabric* sold by the metre and fold it gently over like Päivi has done. It will give your sitting room an instant lift and can be chucked in the washing machine (FYI if you go for linen remember to wash at a low temperature).

I don't know about in Palma, but in the Mallorca townhouses and fincas it's vital to keep the surfaces spotless. Even a mortal of food can attract a trail of ants in no time! Seeing Päivi's super clean and tidy kitchen made me think of this! Do you have this problem in your country too?

I love how light an airy this bedroom is, how about you? It's just how uncluttered a sleep zone should be IMHO!

 

What a truly lovely home. I'm feeling the summer holiday vibes all the way from Sweden. Just what I needed!

Is there anything that stood out to you about Päivi's Mallorca apartment?

Follow her instagram account @mondaytosundayhome for more snapshots from her daily life in Finland and Mallorca.

I've featured quite a few homes in Mallorca in the past - so keep that Sangria flowing (alcoholic or non-alcoholic!) and dip into these lovely tours:

An idyllic rustic retreat in rural Mallorca
A relaxed Danish oasis in Palma Mallorca
How about a Sangria by the pool in this Mallorca townhouse?!

Viva Espana! (Sorry to all you language aficionados out there, I couldn't find the special Spanish 'n' on my keypad despite a google search - gah!).

Do you have a country other than your own which you've grown to know and love?

Niki

Photography: Päivi Lemström / @mondaytosundayhome
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A Soothing Swedish family Home With the World's Cutest Kitten!

How are you all doing? Ups and downs? I hear you. But hopefully I have something that can really lift all our spirits! Pull up a chair, put your feet up and stay for a while, this Swedish home will have you dreaming about calm spaces and fairy-tale children's bedrooms. Oh, and it even includes a cute dog and fluffy kitten for good measure! Welcome to the home of Anna-Maria Blomqvist. Anna-Maria lives in the pretty town of Sigtuna, just North of Stockholm. It's a lively little place known for its traditional wooden houses and having the oldest main street in Sweden. Anna-Maria, her partner and their children live in an old croft house which they've lovingly restored into a family home. The house is a sea of earthy greys, deep blues and forest greens, reflecting the lake and forests of the surroundings. Look out for the pretty wallpaper too! 

Since moving to Sweden, a blanket on the sofa has become an essential item (we actual have several these days otherwise there are actual fights!). This chunky knit* one sold online is similar. 

The family hound has found a perfect spot to snooze beside a Josef Davidssons wood burning stove. Oh, to be him today! 

Love this dining setting. But, gaaah, I've seen this star pendant light so many times and can't for the life of me remember the name - can anyone help? It would be great to provide the details.  Also, can I get a slice of that cake, please?

This seems to be the week for vintage glass cabinets (did you see the one in yesterday's Finnish home tour?) - beautiful! I love this one in the children's bedroom too, how about you?

The wall has been finished with Kalkitir chalk paint from Iceland. We painted one of our kitchen walls with this recently. It arrives in powder form and you mix it with water. It's surprisingly easy to apply, organic and gives a beautiful texture. Home DIY project perhaps? If there's enough interest, I might be able to organise a discount. Give me a shout if you're interested!

The wonderful Graylag goose mobile is designed in Sweden by Wonderforest Co. 

What a cosy bed, made even prettier by the Boråstapeter Nocturne wallpaper and bed canopy. And the best news of all for parents - with a bed like this, the children will have no need to turn the sofa into a den! Hallelujah!  

 And finally.....

Because who doesn't feel joy from a picture of the world's fluffiest kitten? Isn't she a Darling? Wonder what she thinks of the flying goose mobile?! 

I spotted this last picture in Anna-Maria's Instagram feed. Not only does it show a glimpse of Sigtuna's pretty Main Street, it also gave me a chance to tell you about a Swedish easter tradition you might not know about! 

On Skärtorsdagan (Maundy Thursday) children across Sweden dress up as påskkäringor (Easter hags) wearing brightly coloured head scarves and faces painted with rosy cheeks and freckles - as seen above! They then wander from door to door asking for sweets. I was so taken aback when I opened the door my first Easter in sweden. They look as cute as a button, but still, being British I was a bit baffled and not terribly well stocked up on godis (sweets)! It's one of the main signs that Swedish Påsk (easter) predates Christianity. It was said that on Maundy Thursday, witches flew to consort with the devil at Mount Blåkulla (a tiny island off Sweden's east coast), some swedes (particularly in the western part of the country) light bonfires to ward off the evil spirits - although these days more so on April 30th (Walpurgis Night). 

Do you have unusual Easter / spring holiday traditions in your country? If so, I'd love to hear about them! 

Back to the home tour. Is there anything in particular that stood out to you? I love the wood burning stove! It's a really beautiful one and adds so much warmth to the home. 

Check out more snapshots from Anna-Maria's home over on her instagram @annamaria.blomqvist.  

Other homes I love with a similar vibe include Anna Kubel's beautiful abode, the soothing Swedish home of Frida Andersson and a charming home on Sweden's West coast.  

I hope this lovely tour (and sharing the unusual Swedish Easter traditions!) has given you a little respite today! Do share your thoughts in the comment section below, I'd love to hear from you!

Niki

Photography: Anna-Maria Blomqvist

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