A Peek Inside a Perfectly Compact Swedish Home

A smaller space for you today—and proof that a 19-square-metre (204-square-foot) apartment can have everything you could want and more! This cosy living space in Stockholm is perfectly designed to make the owner feel at home: a delightfully personal living area looking out over the courtyard, a little dining table, kitchenette, and bedroom.

Touches of blue, pink, yellow, and green add a cheerful and inviting feel to the decor, while the tactile velvet sofa looks like the perfect spot to cosy up with a coffee and a good book. And what’s more, the home has plenty of storage too, with bookshelves that go up and around the balcony door and an entire unit in the bedroom for clothes and accessories.

Welcome inside this charming home for one in the heart of the Swedish capital!

A balcony extends the living space in spring, summer and autumn. 

Balconies like these often come with a concrete floor, but adding wood decking is a great way to make it feel more warm and inviting. 

The kitchen area makes full use of the high ceiling and offers plenty of space for crockery, glasses and utensils, which helping the space to feel less cluttered.  

I love how the bed is in a nook, for a more private feel. The windowsill can double up as a bedside table and built in storage units offer plenty of space for clothes. 

Incidentally, these Swedish apartments often come with a 'cage' in the basement for extra storage—perfect for things like Christmas decorations, skiing equipment, and other bulky items. It’s such a smart feature and really helps to keep the living area free from clutter.

I’m curious—do you live in a small space like this? If so, what have you found to be the biggest benefits and challenges when it comes to decorating and furnishing a one room apartment? Maybe you’ve discovered some brilliant solutions too—if so, I’d love to hear them!

Could you imagine living here? I know I certainly could!

If you're looking for more ideas today, there are a lot more small space home tours as well as small space living tips and tricks to be found in this archive. 

I'm off to Copenhagen this afternoon to visit my wonderful client Skandinavisk. They have just launched an exciting candle and scent diffuser in a new fragrance called KYSS (meaning kiss in Swedish and Norwegian) and it smells divine (such a perfect valentine's present!)! I'm hoping to pick one up for my home so I can spread a little love!  

Have a lovely day friends–happy mid-week! 

Niki

PS I snuck in an extra post yesterday about my forthcoming trip to Formland in Denmark - did you see it? There's a nice little instagram tip in it for anyone visiting Copenhagen too!

Photography: Ono design studio, Styling: Thomas Lingsell for Historiska Hem, found via Nordroom with thanks. 

READ MORE...

24

Join me at Formland Spring 2025

 Sponsored by Formland, all words are my own

It’s that time of year again, friends – one of the highlights of my winter in the world of interiors: my annual trip to Formland a truly inspiring interior, lifestyle, and design trade show in the Nordics. Located in Herning, Denmark, this Danish trade show is my go-to destination for discovering the latest trends and developments in the industry. It’s where I get an exclusive sneak preview of upcoming collections, catch up with old friends and make new connections in the Scandinavian design scene, and attend some very exciting events, including talks by leading experts.

I also love taking in all the colours, patterns, and even the outfits worn by the Danes – our stylish neighbours certainly know a thing or two about fashion!

Are you part of the interiors world? If so, Formland is taking place from 2–4 February, and tickets are free for international visitors (just saying!). Here’s a glimpse of the highlights awaiting you:

The Exhibitors
From New Nordic design brands to small independent ceramic studios and children's toys, there's something fascinating and new around every corner - part of the reason I am excited to walk around the halls and visit the 262 plus exhibitors lined up for this year's show. 

Hay - F5242

Odd boy ceramics - F5426

Maileg - D3008

Greenhouse Installations
Since this show focuses on spring and summer, it would be remiss not to highlight the rising star of the garden – the greenhouse! This year, there will be not one but three stunning greenhouse installations to explore (located in halls J2, J3, and K). Designed by the GASA Group, each installation will showcase a unique theme, including green rebuilding, air-purifying plants, and creating your own private paradise. I can’t wait to see them all – especially if that adorable pooch makes an appearance too!

Trend Zone
Always a highlight, this year's Trend Zone (Hall D) is centred around the concept 'Living Collage' curated by Studie Flyhelsted. The trend installation celebrate creativity and vibrancy and invites us into a world where the home becomes a creative canvas and every object tells a unique story. 

Trend talks
Copenhagen based interior and food stylist and trend specialist Annette Eckmann, founder of Eckmann Studio will be holding daily trend talks (Hall E). I am already a big fan of Annette's instagram feed where she shares her little black book of the hottest, and often little known places to eat, drink and visit in Copenhagen - often starting her captions with 'I'm a lucky potato, this week I got to visit....' She's fab, so I'm looking forward to hearing what the trend hunter has to say about this season's trends.  

Other highlights include the Circular Concept Area with the theme 'Take-make-waste' which is about the transition into a circular economy, the Creators community and lots of small fun maker events, where you get to try your hand at something crafty to take home with you. Exciting! 

A little reminder that all tickets for international visitors are free - yay! If you're unable to make it and would love to see what's happening at the fair, I'll be visiting on February 2nd and will share my experience and everything I discover in my instagram stories. I hope you'd like to follow along! 

Back tomorrow with my usual home tours, see you then!

Happy Tuesday friends,

Niki

READ MORE...

8

Lina's Soulful Swedish Home Designed for Slow Living

Hejsan hoppsan! The sun is shining here in Malmö, and I’m letting myself get carried away by posting this summery picture of Lina Paciello in front of her charming Swedish home. Sadly, it’s more of a hat-and-gloves kind of day, but hey, a girl can dream, right?

And dream you will, I hope, as you take in Lina’s delightful home. Lina embraces ‘soulful, sustainable slow living’ and is the founder of Gröna Gredelina, a shop offering organic, botanical basics for the body and home—all handmade in Stockholm. She’s also the force behind Ûne, an antique shop specialising in European antiques and vintage items brimming with old-world charm.

Lina’s passion is beautifully reflected in her white clapboard house, which is filled with unique treasures, each with its own story to tell. A devoted book lover, Lina has even created a library—handmade from IKEA units—that’s perfect for enjoying her collection of tomes. There are plenty of cosy spots to curl up with a book: by the tiled masonry oven, next to the kitchen window, in the bath, or in bed! Don’t miss the wonderful ‘stair basket’ either—I’d never seen one before, and it’s exactly what I’ve been missing!

This such a clever way to obscure the view from passersby. The curtain is light enough to allow the light in, and the mid-way shelf is ideal for plants, helping to add greenery in winter time.

There's something about arranging the furniture around a fireplace rather than a TV, don't you think? It lends itself to a cosy read under a blanket.

It's easy to neglect corners. Here, Lina has created a nice display with a small antique table and mirror. 

This book shelf looks so smart it's hard to imagine that it's been made from Billy book shelf units from IKEA. Lina has shared more pictures / info about her creation in this instagram post. 

And this, my friends is the stair basket I was telling you about! I once read a great meme that read: 'no one is more hopeful than a Mother who leaves stuff on the stairs for everyone to take up'. Me in a nutshell!

I have never seen one of these baskets before, have you? But I feel I need one in my life to transport all the little items upstairs! There happen to be a quite a few lovely ones on Etsy - just saying! 

Such a beautiful home - full of soul and lovely ideas for slow living. 

Did you enjoy the tour too? Anything that stood out to you? 

You can see more corners over at @linapaciello. 

Would you like to take a tour of other soulful Scandinavian homes today? Why not pour yourself a cup of coffee and get comfy to explore these beauties: 

A small and relaxed boho Swedish home

A wonderful Copenhagen home full of soul

A vintage inspired Swedish home in the countryside

Have a great start to the week!

Niki

Photography by @linapaciello, shared with kind permission.

READ MORE...

7

A Cosy Swedish Cottage with Stunning Sea Views

Happy Friday, friends! Got any fun plans for the weekend? I can’t help but think the owners of this charming Swedish cottage by the sea won’t be venturing far. Why would you, when you can snuggle up indoors, hide from the chill, and enjoy the most wonderful views over the Gothenburg archipelago from so many of the windows? It’s the perfect spot to sit, relax, and reflect!

Anna, John, and their daughter Gunnevi found this little gem by the water and have lovingly transformed it into their dream family retreat. They’ve worked hard to expand the space while staying true to the authentic look and feel of the original cottage.

On one end, they added a sunroom to soak in the light and those breathtaking views. On the other, they extended the house with an entrance, a new kitchen, and a dining area. To bring it all together, they decorated with delightful nods to the cottage’s West Coast roots, as well as incorporating warm earthy tones in ochre and green that radiate cosiness.

The furnishings are a delightful mix of vintage treasures, each chosen with comfort and practicality in mind, enhancing the timeless charm of the traditional cottage. 

Ready to take a closer look at Villa Valborg? Let’s start with a picture of the original cottage, so you can follow the family’s inspiring journey of transformation. I hope it sparks your imagination!

How wonderful! 

It's a dream of mine to live in a lovely cottage by the sea like this one day. 

Could you imagine relaxing here too? 

I love the green and ochre combination too - it's a tone that we are seeing everywhere right now. But most of all, for me this cottage is all about the cosy feel and the incredible vistas. 

Is there anything that stands out to you about Villa Valborg - or perhaps a detail I have missed? 

You can see more pictures as well as some behind-the-scene footage from the renovation over at @villa.valborg. 

Shall we take this opportunity to look at a few more cottages by the sea? I love: 

A cosy yellow Swedish cottage by the sea

My day at a charming Danish cottage by the sea

A beautiful Danish cabin by the sea becomes a lockdown haven

An artist's atelier and home by the sea in Cornwall

A dreamy cottage by the ocean filled with vintage finds

A swedish summer cabin overlooking the water in karlskrona

And with that, I'll leave you to have a wonderful weekend! See you Monday friends!

Niki

Photography: @villa.valborg, shared with kind permission. 

READ MORE...

22