Ida's Beautiful, Considered Southern Sweden Home (And 7 Tips On How to Create an Environmentally Friendly Space)

Remember Ida Magntorn? I first met the Lund-based photographer at an event a couple of years ago and I've been following her work ever since. Ida has always been passionate about creating a sustainable and environmentally friendly interior - which she demonstrates beautifully in her own Southern Sweden home. And now she has written a book dedicated to the topic: Ett Hem Med Omtanke - Hållbar och Miljömedveten Inredning (which loosely translates to 'The Considered Home - Sustainable and Environmentally Conscious Interiors'). The tome is dedicated to everything Ida lives by and covers  everything from buying second hand, managing your appliances, plants and flowers and growing your own fruit and veg as well as a room by room guide - arranged around series of dreamy Swedish interiors. Here are some recent snapshots of her lovely living space - and most importantly:

Ida's 7 tips on How To Create a Considered Home: 

1. Use what you have: it doesn't matter how environmentally friendly your new kitchen is if you rip out something that was already working. 

2. If you're tired of something in your home - think of ways to change it, upcycle it, paint it or even use it for something completely different!

3. Look for items that can be recycled - such as solid wood instead of veneer. The easier it is for you to care for, the longer it will last. 

4. Buy second hand - if you need anything new for your home. 

5. If you can't find something secondhand - invest in a design classic since they are often better quality and have a good second hand value. Of course, these can usually be found second hand on auction sites too! 

6. If you choose to buy something new - make sure it bears an environmentally friendly symbol - and check what components of the item are included in this. 

7. Take care of what you have - by looking after your furniture and other belongings, you will prolong their life and save energy and materials.  

I'm so excited to dip into Ida's book and discover her room by room guide!

Ett Hem Med Omtanke - Hållbar och Miljömedveten Inredning is currently available in Swedish. However, an English version will be available soon. Keep an eye on Ida's website and instagram for updates! 

Is there anything that stood out to you? I love the tip about looking after what you have. Sharing my studio with upholsterer Carina Grefmar has taught me a while deal about restoring furniture to make it look as good as new!

Also - isn't Ida's home beautiful? You'll likely recognise it from this feature, but I couldn't resist sharing a few more snaps! 

Looking for some more inspiration today? Check out these vintage-inspired Scandinavian homes: 

A warm, earthy, vintage-inspired Swedish home in the wing of a castle! 

A charming Copenhagen home full of vintage finds

A stunning Danish home with vintage treasures

On a separate note - my youngest daughter has just started piano lessons. I have to confess that I was particularly excited about this idea as it meant we'd have an excuse to buy a secondhand piano (such lovely pieces!). Of course, I love the sound too, though being tone deaf I think the family is relieved it's not me learning. The only place for a piano in our home is on the third floor - and I've heard these things weigh a ton. Pianist friends - do you think this will be possible? Please say yes! 

Happy mid-week friends!

Niki

Photography: Ida Magntorn - shared with kind permission

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5 Clever IKEA Hacks to Steal From a Danish Home

You might recall the name Puk Munch Sjeldan from my feature about a tiny Copenhagen apartment that's big on handmade design a while back. That apartment is now occupied by her daughter Luna, so the Dane has turned her hand to her own home - transforming it room by room into a wonderful living space. Dating back to 1904, and located in the suburbs of the Danish capital, the family home is full of fun, quirky pieces, pops of colour as well as books and art. But it's Puk's IKEA hacks that really caught my eye! Here are five ideas to feel inspired by: 

1. Designer Table

Puk added a 90 cm x 190 cm sheet of plywood (painted white) over an existing GÖRAN table using angled metal brackets to transform a budget fold-away piece into a sturdy designer table! 

I couldn't see any hacks in the sitting room area - but knowing Puk there are no doubt some lurking somewhere. I couldn't resist sharing a couple of pictures all the same, as it's so unique! Love the blue 'bold stool' by Moustache in particular, how about you?

2. PAX wardrobe with customised doors

A friend of mine pointed out that the issue with IKEA wardrobe doors is that they never extend all the way to the floor (which would give them a much cleaner look). Puk solved this by adding her own, longer ones, using plywood cut with a circular saw (you can also ask your DIY store to do this for you). She matched the holes with the original PAX wardrobe doors so that she could reuse the hinges. See more details about the hack here. 

It may not be an IKEA hack - but I can't tell you how important it is for your neck and back to ensure your screen is at the right height when you're working from home. I love how Puk has used a stack of books to give her laptop a lift! 

3. Striped stool 

Puk took 30 minutes to transform a little FROSTA stool into a designer seat using a layer of foam / polyester batting, fabric and a staple gun! See all the steps in her Instagram 'DIY' highlights on instagram if you'd like to know more.  

4. Bed with storage

Puk and her beau used the IVAR 3-drawer dresser to create a bed with oodles of built-in storage. Looking at the DIY steps in her Instagram highlights (you can also find a tutorial on YouTube here), it's one for the more hardcore DIYers among us, but it's fun to know it's possible with a little work! 

No DIY hack to be seen here in the bathroom (that I know of), but it's always nice to share more of someone's home for inspiration! 

5. Hallway storage

I spy a set of four MOPPE storage chests mounted on the wall to create a larger storage unit that's also slim enough for narrow spaces. Perfect for all those bits and bobs like keys, wallets etc! You could also paint them to match your walls so they really blend in. 

Did any of these DIY IKEA hacks catch your eye? 

I love the table - GÖRAN is only around 40 euros and a piece of PLYWOOD / MDF is also very budget friendly. Such a great idea! 

You can see more of Puk's home and discover more IKEA hacks / DIY ideas over on her instagram. 

Feeling creative? Here are a few other ideas: 

5 DIY Projects to try during quarantine 

Before and after - a Swedish kitchen gets a DIY make-over

A cosy autumn trend and the world's most simple DIY IKEA hack! 

Vi ses imorgon! 

Niki

Photography: Puk Munch Sjeldan

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A Copenhagen Family Home In Soothing Light Tones

Is it just me or was the weekend a case of Friday... blink.... Monday? And then to add to that I had a phone meeting with my bank at 8 am this morning to discuss pensions (remembered, with alarm at 7.50am) - cue double strength coffee!  Across the bridge in Copenhagen Denmark, the Engell family are also easing into the week - although their household appears a whole lot calmer than ours. That could be to do with Sofie Weinrich Engell's pared-back approach to decorating along with the lovely soothing palette (keep an eye out for the subtle nuances, all of which I've linked to) . Even so, there's plenty of space for her adorable children to play! Ready for a calm tour? Step this way!

Their hair! *heart eyes*. 

I'm in love with this kitchen from Invita Aarhus! Removing top cabinets is a huge trend right now, and works beautifully if you have the space for plenty of lower cabinetry. The simple flowerpot pendants* will add a lovely, warm glow after dark too! 

Those pools of light! If this was my home , I'd grab a book and sit right in the corner, how about you?

Sofie's bedroom wall has been given a lick of paint in soothing Lin by Beckers

The sitting room has been painted in Kliphäll and the children's bedroom in Alvdans, both by Beckers. 

Admittedly, Sofie's children totally stole the show in this tour - aren't they adorable? 

But can we also take a moment to think about the wall colours too? If you're over white but still looking for something calm, subtle nuances like this help to add elegance and depth while maintaining a feeling of calm. 

Is there anything that stood out to you about Sofie's Copenhagen home?  

Looking for a little more inspiration today? How about wondering over to the Danish home archive. It's a real goodie - but comes with a word of warning - you might get held up there for hours! 

Wishing you a wonderful start to the week friends! 

Niki

Photography: Sofie Weinrich Engell's - shared with kind permission

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A Weekend of Solitude at a Dreamy Island Hideaway

Recognise this place? I first featured beautiful Satellite island in 2016 and was completely blown away. It's been my dream to visit this remote and rugged island off the southern coast of Tasmania ever since. Sadly, I've yet to make it Down Under yet, but I know a girl who has. Twice! The lucky woman in question is travel photographer Kara Rosenlund, who completely fell in love with the island five years ago - and decided to return to capture the wilderness and pure solitude. Kara spent her days waking to the sound of low-flying gulls and the gentle lapping of the waves, foraging for fresh Tasmanian oysters  - and watching the sunset over the water. I couldn't think ion a more heavenly way to spend a weekend, can you? Here are here snapshots: 

So incredibly beautiful - what a dream! 

Could you imagine spending your weekend here?

Interestingly, Per just walked past my computer screen and thought this cabin was somewhere in Scandinavia (if only!) - perhaps that's why it's stuck with me all these years? 

More info about Satellite island can be found here. And you can see more of Kara's incredible photography here - and her lovely prints are available in her online store. 

Shall we compete the week with a tour of a few more island hideaways? Here are a few I dream about on grey, dreary January days: 

A cosy hideaway by the sea

The ocean-view whale song shack 

An off-the-grid shack on Bruny Island

A charming and relaxed swedish cabin by the sea

I hope you have a wonderful weekend! 

Stor kram! 

Niki

Photography: Kara Rosenlund found via Lobster & Swan with thanks

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A Swedish Home With a Magnificent Fireplace!

I have one word for this charming Swedish home: fireplace. It's so incredible, it's hard to see anything else. And for many of the people viewing this former brewery this weekend, I'm sure it will seal the deal. I mean, who wouldn't like to spend a cold, grey January day huddled around it with a great book? Styled by the talented Studio In team, the one-bedroom property just outside Gothenburg dates back to 1850 and is one of a pretty cluster of buildings not unlike an Astrid Lindgren tale! Välkommen in! 

If you close your eyes you can see the tree bursting with leaves and lunch laid out in the dappled sunlight. And I'm sure it would look equally pretty in the snow! 

Could you imagine living here?

I'm thinking this calls for a trip down memory lane to all the other 'conversions' I've shown on My Scandinavian Home. Get cosy, and tap into the archive - or take a peek inside some of my favourites below: 

My friend Louise's former home in a converted school (check out the snapshot I took of her cat in the last pic - I'd forgotten all about that!!).

The fabulous home of a photographer in a former factory

A beautiful Swedish barn conversion 

And the one I'll never tire of....

A dingy welding plant becomes an incredible family home and wedding venue

And with that, the sun has just come out here in Southern Sweden. It's a sign! And a crew to get out there and soak up some much-needed Vitamin D! 

Vi ses imorgon! 

Niki

Photography: Janne Olander, Stylist Therese at Studio In for Stadshem. 

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