A Small Swedish Apartment In Fresh White and Soft Grey

Hejsan hoppsan! I hope you had a great weekend! Did you get up to anything fun? Per was away and the girls and I headed out to the forest for some mushroom picking - we weren't very successful I have to say, but it was lovely having a picnic amidst the pines! Trees aide, I've been thinking about how it's been a while since I showed a fresh white and light grey home. It makes me realise just how much the trends have changed lately with so much colour and golden tones creeping in. So, how about we kick off the week with this serene, light and airy apartment in Gothenburg? For those of you who messaged me with words of glee over Friday's post (10 clever small space tricks to learn from a lovely swedish apartment), you'll be pleased to hear this space is also only wee - measuring a mere 42 m2 (452 f2)! Think fresh white floors, pale grey walls, a spattering of iconic design pieces, clever storage and one very beautiful masonry oven! Enjoy the tour! 

Jetson armchair, Noguchi coffee table*, Portrait M* print, Zettel'z 5 Suspension Lamp

Love the tall plant, it adds so much to the room, don't you think? Does anyone know what species it is? The white ceramic shell pot* (just peeking into the corner of this picture) is a new item from Ferm Living. 

The front door leads straight into the kitchen - which also doubles up as a hallway. On Friday I mentioned how internal windows can do wonders for the flow of natural light into smaller spaces - and was pleased to see a little round window in this space!

At first glance, I wondered why the wall opposite the kitchen cabinets haven't been made into cabinets - but on further inspection I realised that there's a bed in the recess on the other side of the wall!

I spotted lights like the small pendant in this picture over at deVOL last week. It's so pretty! I've been wondering where to put one in my own home ever since! Could you imagine having a little light like this in your home too?

The Line print, white and wood storage from IKEA (I think)

White linen bedding* 

When you're short on space you need to make use of every inch. I love the way a recess above the door has been used as hallway storage.

I have to say, no matter what trends come and go, I'll always have a penchant for homes with a white and soft grey palette. Are you a fan too, or do you need a little more colour? 

Have a wonderful start to the week friends! 

Niki

PS I'm not usually into numbers but I was excited to reach 250,000 followers on Instagram today - that's a quarter of a million! Kind of crazy! Thank you so much to everyone who follows along and makes my day that bit brighter with your comments!  

This home is for sale through Alvhem

*Affiliate links 

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10 Clever Small Space Tricks To Learn From a Lovely Swedish Apartment

This Stockholm apartment is the type of charming and relaxed home which makes me want to pull up a chair and stay for a while. Books, plants, mix and match vintage furniture, an abundance of natural light - the CUTEST dog - what's not to love? It's only after taking a long hard look at the space that you realise each room is actually pretty small and narrow. So, how does it appear so light and airy? I spotted ten very clever small space tricks which have done wonders to create a cosy, comfortable and practical living space - I hope you might find them helpful for your own crib! 

1. Make use of every inch of floor space: This is particularly important if you live in a rental and can't drill holes into the wall. What could have been dead space under the windowsill makes a handy spot for books. If you're not too keen on piling books on the floor (remember the discussion in the comments section of this Norwegian home?!) - a low shelving unit would work equally well. 

2. Bring nature indoors: Small spaces can feel a little closed in and claustrophobic and plants can do wonders to draw the great outdoors in and bring harmony to the living space. 

3. Source easy to move furniture: in a tight space your furniture needs to work harder. In this instance, a Karin chair can be wheeled into the corner to create a reading corner for one or easily be pushed back into the centre of the room for socialising. 

3. Add an internal window: An internal window helps a narrow room to feel wider and also increases the natural light that enters the space. One very worthwhile investment! 

5. Create multipurpose zones: a built-in storage bench in the dining area can be used as a private place to sit and gaze out of the window with a morning coffee - or as extra seating at the dining table. Plus, it's handy for storing items like napkins, tablecloths, candles etc. 

6. Let the light flow: Wider entrances encourage natural light to flow through a space and make the room feel more light and airy. A sliding door or curtain are ideal for creating privacy when a standard door doesn't make the cut! 

7. Reflect the light: an obvious one - but mirrors can work wonders to bounce the light around and make a room feel larger. One of the My Scandinavian Home Studio interior designers recently included a series of mirrors made to look like a window in a narrow Brooklyn dining space and it did absolute wonders for the room! 

8. Wall to wall open and closed storage: it's easy to think that the entire wall should be covered in closed storage for a clean, practical look - but in this case the storage not only provides a place for clothes, the display surfaces add character and a personal touch to the room: two birds, one stone! 

9. Dual purpose furniture: A stool in the bathroom provides a handy spot for shampoo and conditioner - and can also be used for extra seating whenever and wherever needed! 

10. Wrap-around storage: We're well versed on book shelves that go up and around doors - but this is one of the first times I've seen shelving around a loo. Such a clever way to add extra storage in a tight spot.  

I hope you found this helpful! Even if you don't live in a small space, we all have a small room somewhere in our homes where these tricks can come in handy! 

And how cute us that doggy? He totally OWNS the space! 

If you have any more small space hacks to add, I'd love to hear about them in the comment section below. 

In the meantime, here's a little more small space inspiration for the weekend:

A beautiful Swedish space that makes the most of a 'sceiling'!

16 ways to transform a tiny room into a dreamy, practical box room

A small swedish space that will make you want to downsize! 

And of course, there's always the small space archive! 

I hope you've had a brilliant week! It's been a crazy one for me with a trip to Copenhagen and Hamburg thrown in. I've got a feeling I'm gonna sleep well tonight! 

Trevlig helg! 

Niki

This home is for sale through Historiska Hem - found via Coco Lapine with thanks. 

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Trend Alert: How To Rock The Pastels

The skies might be slowly darkening here in Sweden, but summer looks set to continue thanks to one of this year's hottest interior trends: pastels. Powder pink, mint, lavender, clearwater blue, lemon yellow - it's all about that soft, sweet touch. Own the look by colour blocking with tone on tones or add simple, subtle touches in the form of a single item of furniture or accessory. Combine with clean lines and contemporary touches for a tougher, modern vibe. Here are three pastel shades I'm loving - and a guide on how to rock them in your home this autumn! 

Powder pink

1. Tom Fereday 2. Kelly Day 3. Mark Hadden 4. Surrounding Australia 5. Anna Pirkola 6. H&M Home
Powder pink has reigned supreme in the world of interiors for a while now. Often referred to as 'millennial pink', the earthy shade holds an element of retro (my Granny Ruth had a matching bathroom suite in this shade - and although I didn't appreciate it at the time - looking back it was pretty awesome!). The beauty of this shade is that it looks equally great as an entire room (try deco pink by Jotun Lady or Sweet Pastel by Valspar for the ultimate wall colour) or as an accent in the form of lamps, vases and bedding.

Get The Look

1. SP01 Jeanette Chair
2. Ferm Living Hexagon Vase*
3. Gubi Grasshopper Floor Lamp*
4. H&M Washed Cotton Duvet Set

Lavender

1. Ferm Living 2. Earthborn 3. Little Greene 4. Earthborn 5. Taubmans
I've got a confession to make. I was sceptical about this shade. But then I started to see it creep into interiors in the form of soft, earthy lavender-grey walls (try Lavender Lace by Behr) or a rug here or a sofa there and I quickly changed my mind. In order to avoid it looking fusty, combine with beige, gentle browns, grey and light blue, for a style that's bang up to date.

Get The Look

1. Dino Floor Lamp
2. Anthropologie Veru Dinner Plate
3. Parachute Sateen Sheet Set

Mint green

1. Carpet Right 2. Beth Kirby 3. Deiji Studios 4. Anthropology 5. Mindlike Studio
The least cutesy of the three, mint is cool, calm and contemporary. I'd lean towards the light green- pale blue of the spectrum (try Top sail by Sherwin Williams or even Soft Mint by Jotun Lady if you're looking for something slightly darker) and combine with other natural, earthy shades. I think it works particularly beautifully with rattan, light wood, dark greens and chocolate brown.

Get The Look

1. Ferm Living Tufted Wall Deco Rug*
2. Ferm Living Bau Plant Pot
3. Louis Poulsen AJ Table Lamp*
4. Cachae Tall Pendant*

Did any of these shades leap out at you? I have both powder pink and a darker shade of mint green in my own home. They're very soothing and easy to live with! I'd  absolutely love a pink bathroom just like Granny Ruth's too!

What are your thoughts on pastel? Are you a fan? Do you have any pastel shades in your home?

Niki

PS I've just arrived in Hamburg for the day to record a podcast with Holly Becker (Decor8) and Living At Home Holly magazine. Eeeek, wish me luck! I'll be sure to share snippets from the day on instagram stories so hop on over if you're curious to see how it's going!

*This post contains affiliate links which means I might receive a teeny amount of money (we're talking one coffee bean) if you purchase any of the items accompanied by an asterisk! 

Thank you so much to the wonderful Ana Degenaar for your help to compile this post. 

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A Charming Gothenburg Family Home Gets A Last Hurrah!

Julia and Emanuel Karlsten and their two young children Billie and Frank moved house back in the spring. Before they closed the door for the last time on their Gothenburg apartment, Elle Decoration stopped by to take some pictures. As with all goodbyes, it couldn't have been an easy one - especially when the home has been lovingly furnished with unique objects, handmade pieces and painted in the perfect shades of grey and peach! Here's a final peek into the Karlsten's Kungsladugård home! 

Picture shelves are ideal if you love to shake things up at home without making millions of holes in the wall (guilty!). The Poster Club* sells similar prints and ships worldwide. And will you look at those parquet floors! 

I love the open shelves in this kitchen too, they're perfect for personalising the space. I was considering something similar for the cottage kitchen, kind of wish I'd trusted my instinct now! Guh! 

Two ikea AGAM children's chairs are a perfect match with a classic Lilla Åland chair. But best of all IMHO (I had to look this abbreviation up the other day - always so late to the tech / online party!!), is the sliding door painted in a peach accent, it totally makes the space! Could you imagine doing something similar in your home? 

There's so much to love about the sitting room. If I had to pick three things, it would be the DIY coffee table painted in brown-pink, the retro corduroy Karin chair and Tisca rug. 

The Line no 05 print from Hein Studio has been combined with a Gloria Candleholder and Julia's own handmade ceramics on a side table in the sitting room. 

Such a lovely space, don't you think? 

Follow Julia's blog and instagram for more beautiful inspiration and to see snapshots of their new house (currently under renovation) - I can't wait to see what they do next! 

You can also see more pictures of her former home and read a full interview with Julia in Elle Decoration.se (in Swedish). 

Looking for more Swedish interior inspiration, today? How about:

The fabulous Stockholm home of Lovisa Häger

A Stockholm space with touches of pretty pastel

If you love colours, there's a high chance you're going to love tomorrow's post too! At least I hope so, as Ana and I felt so inspired putting it together.  Don't forget to stop by!

Happy Wednesday friends!

Niki

PS I'm heading to Hamburg tomorrow to record a pod cast with Holly Becker from Decor8  as part of her Living At Home Holly magazine- feeling super excited, I love that city - and I love Holly! But it's also a little nerve-racking - have you ever recorded a podcast? Tips / advice welcome! 

Photography: Jonas Gustavsson

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Books, Art and Golden Tones in a Beautiful Copenhagen Home

Why, hello there! I'm heading over the bridge to Copenhagen this afternoon and feeling so excited.  It's been a while since I've been, and the Danish capital city is my saving grace when Malmö starts to feel a little small for this former Londoner! In honour of my trip, I thought we could peek behind the facade of one of the beautiful buildings in Frederiksberg - a leafy yet buzzing part of town. This incredible home belongs to Simone Polk Dahl, a Danish interior stylist, visual storyteller and artist. Simone's creativity shines through in the use of mix and match furniture where no two items are the same, her art which adorns the walls, her use of subtle earthy colours (loving the golden tones!) and all the other fabulous details that help to transform her apartment into a home.  Ready to take a peek? 

"I'm very drawn to the lighter scale of colours right now from beige and light earthy tones to the more brown and golden touch." - Simone 

Simone's art hangs on a wall painted in 4481 from Flügger. The armchair is from The Sofa Company and the sofa has been covered in a large natural linen fabric (source rough linen by the yard here*). 

This corner of the sitting room has everything I love in a home - books, art, ceramics and vintage furniture! "I love ceramics in special shapes," Simone tells me. 

Simone picked up the rug at a local Copenhagen store called By Fribert (this Beni Ourain* is similar).

"I seldom buy furniture, but when I do, I am not influenced by trends, but whether the piece will add value to our home. I am always inspired by well-known designers that I can't afford, and I try to find something that can give the same ambience or special wow factor." - Simone 

The dark chocolate wall adds a really cosy touch to the bedroom while a Velux skylight helps to give the room a light and airy feel. One of Simone's own art pieces fills the space on the back wall.  Beautiful! 

Art by Simone, this bench* is similar (I have a similar one in my sitting room!), Bouclé throw*. 

Aaaah, what a stunning home! 

I also couldn't resist asking Simone for a few tips ahead of my trip to the Danish capital this afternoon - perhaps you might find them useful next time you're in Copenhagen!

"I live right next to a little Parisian inspired street called Vænedamsvej, where the cafe Les Trois Cochons and Granola are the cosiest! I also love Ipsen & Co on Gammel Kongevej - the main street in Frederiksberg."

Thank you, Simone, I'll be sure to check these out! 

....a prize for anyone who can pronounce 'Vænedamsvej'!

You can see more of Simone's lovely home and make an enquiry about her art at @polkenstudio.

Other beautiful Danish homes in the capital city (can you tell I'm on a roll....):

A cosy Danish loft full off plants and vintage treasures

The timeless home of a jewellery designer

A charming Copenhagen loft with mid-century classics 

Feeling the love for Danish style today, how about you?

Copenhagen, I'm coming for you! 

Niki

Photography: Simone Polk dahl

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