London calling: Could This Be Your Next Home?

You know what they say, you can take a girl out of London, but you can't take London out of the girl. And these Victorian terrace houses get me every time. Except this one has been designed with a twist. A subtle country, oldy woldy yet contemporary twist - and a hint of Scandinavian style too. Be still my beating heart! I wonder who lives here? But more importantly, I wonder who is going to snap it up? You see, this fabulous two bedroom, split level apartment in Stoke Newington has just come on the market, and waiting for a new owner. Complete with quarry tiles, original oak floorboards, and the most fabulous stone fireplace, I'm wondering if it could be me. Bit small for our family though (my very own London a pied á Terre perhaps?) - hmmm. Maybe you'll just have to snap it up on my behalf and I'll pop over for tea from time to time. Deal?! 

 The owners have fitted the living space with black cast-iron radiators and put in a fabulous kitchen (loving the deep blue cabinets and that Smeg range*!).

An open storage rack on castors provides a perfect place for earthenware and Le Crueset* pans - but the real star of this corner is the Scandinavian leather safari chair (there are a few vintage ones available here*)! I'm starting to wonder if one of the owners of this home is Danish? 

The Frame circle shade lamp* is similar to the pendants over the table and in the corner I spy a Lampe Gras Wall Lamp*. 

This original stone fireplace though. 

I love how the mantel piece serves as a spot for pottery (the owners clearly collect pottery / ceramics). I feel like I'm playing a game of 'through the keyhole here' where you have to guess the owners. If anyone knows them, I'd love to hear if my guesses have been correct! 

Last night I spent the best part of an hour looking for a round mirror for my hall. I now feel like a bit of a pro! For the best results, choose a mirror that's about a third smaller than the piece beneath it. This one is super nice! 

How dare they have my favourite Flag Halyard chair. The little side table is also Danish.

The downstairs bedroom also serves as a perfect home work space - flooded with light from the double French doors. 

Check out the skirting boards in dark blue. So lovely! 

Such a charming space, don't you think?

I loved playing the detective. I'll eat a tin of fermented herrings if at least owner isn't from Denmark! Did you see any other clues as to who they might be? 

And most importantly, could you imagine snapping up this London home?! 

Other London homes to love:

Tamsin Flower's cheerful London home

A London home with pops of pastel

Cate St Hill's Scandinavian inspired London home

Starting to feel a little home sick now, I must say! 

Have a wonderful day friends, nearly there - tomorrow's POETS day - hurrah! 

UPDATE! Thank you so much to Charlotte for pointing out the interview with owner Paul West (who happens to have the most beautiful instagem @consideredthings) in the comments! You can read about the renovation here and see if I was right with the Scandi influence....

Niki

Design Paul West. Photography courtesy of The Modern House (found via Planete Deco with thanks).  

Affiliate links marked with *

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In Copenhagen, An Enchanting Home In Shades of Soft Sea-Green

Have you ever been to Copenhagen? There's something about the relaxed vibe and their love of all things hygge which makes me feel immediately at ease. It's been a while since I've been, so today I thought we'd take a peek behind a facade in the leafy area of Fredriksberg. Danish interior stylist, brand and visual storyteller, Sedsel Roug lives in a beautiful 145 m2 (1560,77 feet) ground-floor apartment with her Colombian husband Louis Carlos and three children Isabel (8), Luis (3) and Gabriel (3). The space has all the characteristics of a late 19th century apartment - including original wood floors, towering ceilings and large windows which let in soft pools of light. The harmonious feeling is accentuated by Sedsel's love for pale sea-green walls, fabulous vintage and antique finds and lots of art. I caught up with Sedsel to find out more. 

Your apartment has beautiful bones - can you tell us a little more about the history of it?

It's an old apartment dating back to 1860 with original wood floors and a ceiling height of 3.10 metres! 

How would you describe your style?

I like that my home is an experience and that one gets surprised from the blend of styles. I like to decorate with vintage pieces and art and mix all kinds of materials and shapes. I am particularly passionate about marble, brass and velour. 

"My favourite item of furniture is the Romeo Reha brass shelf from Italy, which I found at caution many years ago. It's timeless and like a work of art."

Would you say your home is typically Danish? 

My home is inspired by many different styles and countries. I have lived abroad (Brussels, Plymouth and New York for eight years) and love to travel to South Europe where I find inspiration for furniture and art. I also love to mix Danish design with wood details. 

What inspired your colour scheme? 

I'm very inspired by flowers and art. I mix all the wall colours until I feel inspired by the colour. I tend to go towards shades of green-grey / light sea green which has been made up using a blend of paint leftovers!

The tones are beautiful! Can you advise on similar colour codes?

Colour codes 3495, 4491 and 4502 from Flügger are similar to the walls in my home. 

Where do you source items for your home? 

I have bought many items at auction in Germany and Italy. Actually, most of my furniture and accessories are vintage. I also adore upcoming artists and collect ceramics and art prints. 

Any favourite artists? 

I adore Bycdesign Studio, Hein Studio, My Paradissi* and Aure Studio.

Finally, what do you love most about your home? 

I love how my home is constantly changing (I like to move furniture around!). I also love the light - there's not much natural light as it is a ground floor apartment - but the light that does come in is peaceful and enchanting. 

So lovely! There's something enchanting about Sedsel's apartment, don't you think? I particularly  love the sea green palette combined with wood furniture. 

Is there anything that stood out to you?

Wanna see a little more? Take a peek at @sedselroug! 

In case you're curious about where some of the items are from (I know I was), here's a round-up:

Get the look from Sedsel's home

1. Bycdesign Mid Collection 08*
2. Ikea STOCKHOLM 2017 Cabinet
3. Hein Studio Ostrea ROCK Glass Vase
4. Afteroom Plus dining chair City Velvet*
5. The E1027 Collection No 05
6. H&M Cotton Satin Duvet Cover*
7. Hein Studio The wise man 01*
8. Skagerak Georg dining table
9. Bolia Lady Armchair
10. New Works Kizu Table Lamp

What amazing pieces! Time to go vintage bargain hunting...

Meet you at the antique market?

Niki

Photography: Sedsel Roug, shared with kind permission. 

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Holly Becker's Fab Hannover Home, Podcast and Magazine!

When I first started blogging, I remember reading about people meeting friends online - and often wondered how! Fast forward 8 years, and I am proud to say I have made many friends through my blog. Have you found that over time you've met friends online too? I feel particularly lucky to be a part of the interior design blog community - it's an incredibly supportive gang! A few years back one of my online blogger friends - Holly Becker of Decor8, became a great offline friend when we met at Habitare in Helsinki. This lady amazes me and is so inspiring in every way! Not only does Holly curate one of the world's top design blogs, she's also a best-selling author and editor of HOLLY magazine. And now she's started a podcast series to boot (because clearly, she wasn't busy enough....!) read on to have a listen! Originally from Boston, USA, Holly lives in Hannover, Germany with her husband Thorsten and five-year-old son, Aidan. Their home has crazy high ceilings, beautiful period features and a wonderful minimalist vibe with trademark touches of pastel. Welcome to Holly's world! 

Above: Z1 pendant, Menu chair*

Rest sofa by Muuto, Panthella lamp*

'Leaf me' art print* by Silke Bonde

Bed from Fennobed / headboard from Matri, Flowerpot lamp*

Bed from Oliver Furniture

Such a lovely home - it's got a really calm feel about it, don't you think?

Our podcast recording 

Last month Holly invited me to Hamburg to participate in the first ever episode of her new podcast series HELLO HOLLY. We had so much fun chatting about Scandinavian design, blogging and well, life! I couldn't resist a peek behind the scenes of HOLLY magazine too. 

In case you're curious to hear our chat, it's now available on Spotify, AudioNow and iTunes and I've also embedded it below. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did recording it! 

PODCAST

Holly's magazine

Having seen the moodboards, it felt extra special to see Holly's magazine hit the shelves last week. It's also available online here (in German).  Don't speak German? What?! ;) The English version will be out at the end of the month (can't wait!).  

Thank you for a great time in Germany, Holly. 

Here's to friends, near and far! 

Niki

Photography credits: Holly Becker / Decor8

This post contains affiliate links (marked with *)

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The Shack: A Super Cosy Off-The-Grid Cabin On Bruny Island

Sorry about the radio silence these past few days. I've been on a girl's trip with my Mum and sister to Norway. We did nothing but sleep, eat and hike, it was absolutely magical! Have I mentioned how much I LOVE Norway? *Everyone rolls eyes*.  This morning I'm dreaming of returning to the wilderness and would so love to swap my desk for this simple, earthy cabin in Bruny Island, Tasmania. Affectionately known as The Shack, the cosy bolthole is fully off-the-grid (power comes from solar and wind sources) and is built from reclaimed timber.  Owner Janene invites guest to "beachcomb for art supplies, forage in the herb gardens for breakfast, reconnect with Mother Nature" and kick about in the cosy space, overlooking Sheepwash Bay. Fancy joining me? 

I love this linen combination, doesn't it fit the vibe of the cabin perfectly? If you're feeling inspired, you can source similar brown and indigo linen bedding on Etsy. 

On colder days the wood-burning fireplace keeps the cabin feeling toasty! 

The cabin has an indoor kitchenette with outdoor cooking facilities including a glass burner. 

Your stay is an eco-living experience. Lights are 12 volts and the hot water is instant gas with an inline pump bringing fresh rain water in for you to bathe and drink.  

A pair of king billy French doors open out onto a deck from where you can enjoy dreamy views out over the bay with the snow-capped Southern ranges in the distance. 

From the deck, you can wonder down to the private beach front and launch a kayak, fish or simply stroll along the shore. 

Bags packed yet?

The Shack sleeps two (remind me to speak to Per about this later today!) and Janene takes bookings via Airbnb here. Juuuust saying! 

I've featured so many charming places in 'Tas' recently that I'm starting to see it as a sign (what do you reckon?). Here are a few other homes I think you'll love:

Captain's Cottage: a cosy bolthole on Hobart
A relaxed artist's cabin by the sea
You very own dream island hide-away

Have a dreamy start to the week friends!

Niki

PS I loved reading all your comments about whether or not to go for two single duvets or a double on a double bed last week! My conclusion from reading all your comments, e-mails and instagram messages is that the best solution is to go for two queen duvets on a king size bed. Bliss!

Photography by Sarah Andrews courtesy of The Shack / @sheepwashbay

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