A Calm and Relaxed Berlin Oasis, Inspired by The Med!

Men tjena! Hur är läget? I hope you had a wonderful weekend! I'm going to launch right into today's home tour since I'm so excited about it! If you're into fashion and travel, you might just recognise the lovely lady in the picture above. Jacqueline Mikuta has amassed a global audience of nearly 900,000 on instagram thanks to her inspiring outfits and dreamy travel pictures. Over the past twelve months Berlin-based Jaqueline and her boyfriend, photographer Klemens White have been making the most of their time at home to revamp their new apartment. The pair decided to do most of the work themselves - from plastering and painting, to building shelves and tables - as well working with a local welder to create the most incredible bespoke glass wall. Their home is now complete, and it's AM-A-ZING! I particularly love the earthy tones, texture and subtle beach vibe which was inspired by the calmness of the Balearic Islands - a nod to their mutual love of Mallorca and its surroundings. Let's take a peek! 

In the kitchen, a concrete worktop from Carament rests atop cabinets which the pair made from scratch, find out more details here). 

Large plants like this Fiddle leaf Fig help to draw the eye upwards and emphasise the height of the room - as well as helps to create a green oasis in the heart of the city. The sofa is a vintage find. 

Jacqueline and Klemens have painted the walls and wardrobe doors with Palladio from Kalklitir - a powder paint from Iceland.  

Bespoke steel windows and doors, white linen curtains*, Suspension seagrass lamp

The incredible bed throw is from Colour Locale. Source a similar little wood stool here*. 

The bathroom has been fitted with a round sink from Vallone, lights from Wever & Ducré and the wall has been decorated with a finish from Carament. You can read more about the bathroom and see the before pictures here. 

Wood cladding was added to the balcony walls which has then been decorated with a seagrass hanging bringing a beach vibe sanctuary to the heart of Berlin! The balcony railing has been adapted to create a special place for plants and a glass or two - so clever, don't you think? 

What an incredible home! 

I love that the pair have done a lot of the renovation work themselves - including building shelves etc - it makes the space feel extra personal! 

I hope their lovely home has given you lots of ideas - and a bit of a spring in your step this Monday. Is there anything in particular that caught your eye? 

You can see more of their home, style and travel over at @mikutas, @klemenswhite and also over on their blog. They also run an online shop selling their own brand of clothing and jewellery: Mikuta. 

Wishing you all a wonderful start to the week. We've got this! 

Niki

Photography: @mikutas, @klemenswhite - shared with kind permission. 

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Simple DIY: My Narrow Hallway Update

Do you have any pieces lying around that you haven't got round to putting up on the wall / fixing? I was gifted this beautiful Arles mirror by Made.com around a year ago. I originally ordered it for our landing but for some reason it didn't quite work - so it's been waiting for a new home ever since. And then the other day I had a lightbulb moment. Now, our house might have many great features, but the hallway is not one of them; it's fairly dark, has lots of doors and like Piccadilly Circus when all five of us are home (it doesn't help that our kids don't seem to have mastered the art of hanging up their coats). I have to admit, we haven't done anything to it since we moved in - until now! 

The hallway feeds into the kitchen (see above) and sitting room (last picture) and has a few in-built cupboards - which I've often contemplated painting (thoughts?). 

This wall has always been blank. I painted it in a Farrow & Ball shade many moons ago (could it be Down Pipe? I can't remember now!). I still love the colour, but it needed something more! 

And here's where the mirror came into the picture! Here's a step by step guide of my DIY project: 

1. The Arles mirror in brass is really heavy (tip: always check the weight of a mirror before you order it as some can be incredibly heavy - especially if the wall you'd like to put on is not that strong). I wanted to make sure it was hung in the right place from the start (I've made plenty of mistakes in the past!). I marked out the centre of the wall and made sure it was at eye height (the lower edge is 117 cm from the floor). 

2. I measured out exactly where I wanted the hooks to go beforehand, ensuring they were centred and also a good height from the floor for bags and jackets (102 cm from the underside of the rack to the floor). I also used a spirit level to ensure it was straight. 

The wooden pegs are from a local store - this coat rack* is similar. I've had this Ryobi drill for years and use it all the time - it's way more fun (and less work) than a manual screwdriver!  

3. And then all that was required was a good polish! 

I have to say the mirror instantly lit up the narrow space and together with the hooks, makes better use of the space. It's also handy to have a mirror near the entrance and extra hooks. 

The framed 'Twined 02' print is by Copenhagen-based design studio Moe Made It. And just peeping into the picture is a rubber plant, which Per calls 'Farfar' (Grandad) - since he inherited it from him just before he died over thirty years ago. Everyone in his family has a cutting - such a lovely way to remember someone! 

It's just a simple DIY but I thought I'd share it all the same - you never know, you might just have some empty wall space waiting for some TLC, in which case, I hope this inspires you.

I wonder how long our hallway will stay this tidy? I give it 5 minutes!! Oh well, life is designed to be a little messy, and it's a real sign of summer when balls, scooters, swim stuff and whatever else start to appear! 

Next stop, a new light - I haven't decided which yet, tips welcome! 

So, Friends, that's it from me this week. I hope you have a wonderful couple of days, see you Monday.

Trevlig helg! 

Niki

*this post includes affiliate links. 

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