An apartment designed to fuel the imagination!

When you have friends over do you find yourself saying 'and eventually we'd like to put a shelf with books on it here'...or....'we're planning on turning the space into a work space over there'?! If so, you may benefit from this wonderful tool used by Fantastic Frank who are selling new apartments in Berlin. Tape. Renovation not completed yet? Not a problem! Just use tape to fuel the imagination (or as a note to self!). Genius!

Fantastic Frank via Feel Inspired with thanks

I wonder how much tape I'd need to spell out 'Niki's private spa area' and 'Niki's glass of Prosecco corner'?

I spy my favourite chair of the moment, the Thonet S64 :) next to the very cool LUM (15% off with code MYSCAN). And I have the same Muuto Around coffee table in my sitting room.  Wish I had the print in the bedroom too! How about you?

So it's the weekend.....finally!! So happy! What are you up to? I think we'll take it easy, maybe head out to a nature reserve for a walk in the Autumn colours, see a few friends, watch my little girl taking her ice-skating lesson (like bambi on ice - so cute!).

Have a wonderful weekend!

READ MORE...

10

Weekend DIY: Plus garland (and a fab little boys room)

Yesterday I wrote about one of my favourite blogs SMÄM by Swedish illustrator / designer Sara Woodrow. Today I'd like to share one of her fab DIY ideas: a plus garland. Sara designed it for her little boy Alfie's room (and what an incredible little boys room it is!) but I think you could use it anywhere, and you won't believe how simple it is to make! Weekend project anyone? 

SMÄM Sara Woodrow with kind permission

Looking to make your own plus garland? Here's how: All you need is a white thread and black electrical tape. Cut the tape into four equal strips and then stick them together either side of the wire equally spaced apart. As simple as that! You could also create stars, hearts, letters.....

Thank you Sara for allowing me to share all your lovely images and ideas this week!

PS How wonderful is her little boys room?! For more Scandinavian children's bedrooms I love this, this and this one. Oh and how cute is this one to embrace the spirit of winter? It was one of the first posts I ever did!

PPS If you're looking for cute little children's clothing don't forget my sponsors Loja Dada and Babyssimo for very cool, baby clothes with a twist or Smallable for the mini designer! :)

Hope it's sunny where you are as it is in Malmö today.

READ MORE...

7

The beautiful home of a Swedish designer / illustrator

 I was so excited to come across a new blog today - SMÄM, produced by Sara Woodrow, a talented Swedish art director, designer and illustrator. Much of her work is featured in the beautiful photographs she takes of her home (regularly published on the blog) which she shares with her English husband and two little children here in Sweden.

 

SMÄM, Sara Woodrow

Such a lovely space don't you think?

You can also check out Sara's shop where she sells her art  as well as many other pieces she's designed.

Have a lovely day.

READ MORE...

7

Light wood, white walls and a touch of vintage

Hello! Thank you for your lovely comments yesterday on my bedroom. It's always nerve racking to post pics of my own home so I'm really grateful for your positive feedback and helpful tips :) Today's home comes from the Swedish estate agent Alvhem. My favourite features (apart from the beautiful Scandinavian blond wood and white walls of course) is the mix of modern and vintage furniture and the incredible statement wallpaper!

Alvhem

Are you a wallpaper person?

PS I love that they have thrown in a dark green chair into the mix of white chairs around the dining table. perhaps I should do this with my dining room? For the mix I see they've used an Eames DSR chair (15% off with code MYSCAN), the URBAN chair from IKEA and then flea market finds. Quite simple to achieve yet it looks so great no?

Have a lovely day!

READ MORE...

21

My home captured by karin: bedroom

I hope you had a lovely weekend? I loved all your comments here and on Facebook about where you'd transport your house for the weekend! I stayed right here at home this weekend so I thought it'd be apt to show the second part in my mini series: my 'My home captured by Karin'. This is my bedroom. We've only recently moved up stairs to the top floor (from this room) and I am so happy we did. I love the high ceiling, floor to ceiling windows and balcony, it all feels so bright and airy.

Karin Björklund 

So many pieces I'm not sure where to start on the 'I spy' front! Chinese stools: Lovely & Company, Gold bedside table lamp: vintage, Wall light: Hay, knitted throw and linen bedding: H&M Home, Peacock chair: flee market find, Book shelves: DIY by my husband, plant, plant pot and pendant light: IKEA. Picture behind bed side table: Muuto designed by All The Way To Paris.

My bedroom is not really finished, the next step is a lovely new rug to keep us toasty this Autumn / Winter. Any tips?

PS If you're up for a great give-away today, enter here to win a fab Lee Broom Crystal Table Lamp (hurry, you need to enter by midnight tonight!). I don't know why I'm telling you, I'm hoping to win it myself!!

Have a lovely Monday!

READ MORE...

30

A transportable house? I'm sold!

Imagine if you could simply transport your home somewhere else this weekend? Crazy idea right? Wrong! This portable home concept by Ábaton architects means you can pick up your entire house with a truck and transport it wherever you like. Makes me smile. And with an interior like that I'm totally sold.

Abaton architects Via Jelanie Blog with thanks

Where would you take your home this weekend?

I think I'd go for the beach in Uruguay - so I can live like I own this home (hey....I didn't say it needed to be realistic...).

PS - Since it's Friday I'd like to do a big shout out to all my fabulous sponsors who make this blog possible. For very cool children's clothes try Loja Dada, Babyssimo and Smallable who all have something different to offer. For fab Scandinavian design furniture Design Collectors (15% off with code MYSCAN) and Nest are a great bet. For art there's AAVA Helsinki and for the coolest, cosiest knits around there's Tjockt (15% off with code SCHOME). To update your flooring - The Reclaimed Flooring Co. Thanks guys!

Have a wonderful weekend!

READ MORE...

14

Minimalism in a former piano factory

Set in a former piano factory built in 1917, this Stockholm loft has a ceiling height of up to 4.5 metres, floor to ceiling windows and an open plan design   - what a wonderful feeling of space! I particularly love the upstairs area with the bedroom and desk, very serene.

Fantastic Frank

Admittedly it's a little to minimalist for my taste but that doesn't mean I can't admire the tranquility of clean living :) What about you - where are you on the scale of minimalist and, I want to say 'maxamilist', but is that even a word? You get the idea though right?!

PS Tip of the day - have you heard of Designer Box? This cool company has come up with a concept to promote new design stars. You pay a small monthly fee and each month an international designer creates a beautiful, unique object which is placed in a box and sent to you in the post. It could be anything from a vase, mirror, or candle holder....I was lucky enough to receive Box No.3 yesterday as a gift and not only was the box itself beautiful. but the porcelain object inside, designed  by Aldo Bakker was simply stunning! What a great initiative! Thank you Designer Box :)

PPS - Just done a little research and the chairs in the kitchen are the Magis Chair One and the stool is the &Tradition Raft Stool....

READ MORE...

12

The beautiful home / showroom of Father Rabbit

When Claudia and Nick launched Father Rabbit in 2010, they had no idea the business would take over their home. But this is exactly what happened. Items from their online shop proved so popular the New Zealand couple decided they needed a showroom. The solution was to divide their beautiful home in two and use half for private space and the other half as a showroom. The result is pretty cool.

Louise Hyatt of Tilly & Friends and Duncan Innes via Remodelista with thanks. 

Pretty beautiful don't you think? I particularly love the kitchen and bedroom - how about you?

Claudia and Nick have now reclaimed the show room space and are burrowing their way over to BLOC on Normandy road, Mt Eden where a new Father Rabbit showroom will open soon (for the lucky Aucklanders out there!).

Here in Southern Sweden it's become popular to turn a 'Skånegård' - an old farm house in a horse shoe shape - into a destination for people to lunch, 'fika' and shop at the weekend. My current favourite is Slättarps Gård. When I see the above interior I dream of starting a business like this myself! Imagine?!

Have a lovely day!

READ MORE...

10