Beautiful small space inspiration - Swedish style!

Hejsan hoppsan! When we were in Norway last week we shared a tiny log cabin with friends. At first we were in a bit of a panic about the size, wondering how we were all going to survive in such close quarters without a bun fight or two! Amazingly, it totally worked out and we put it all down to the owner's clever use of space (and one very relaxing sauna!). I wish I'd taken pictures now (although it does give me an excuse to return, right?!). I'm forever fascinated by small living spaces - and love how even the teeniest spaces can be beautiful (and practical to boot). This apartment in Gothenburg is a mere 38 square metre (409 square foot) and consists of one room and a kitchen, yet it looks spacious and calm thanks to muted, light colours and natural textures (loving the leather chairs!). I could totally imagine rocking about it here today, how about you?!

 Photography: Maria Sahlander Styling: By Bon interior for Bjurfors.

Oh, how I love this space! The tones (white, cream, tan, pale grey), the lovely light fixtures, the textiles. Everything! What a perfect little pad?!

Is there anything that stands out to you?

Get the look:

Main living room: white linen bed set, try My Own Bali for a similar wood and teak chair, ash hooks, the Schooley pendant lamp is similar, Söderhamn sofa (opt for 'without arms'), this blanket is similar.  Kitchen: pestle & mortar (love this!), Era chair, Georg Jensen candle holder (another favourite of mine!).

There are so many small spaces to love in this archive too. What they say about the best things and small packages - there's certainly some truth in that, wouldn't you say?!

Have a lovely day!

READ MORE...

2

Step inside Jennifer Harrison's bohemian style home

Hej hej och gott nytt år (happy new year!). I took a little bit of a longer break this year (I've found that when it comes to having your own business you've got to seize those quiet moments (plus it's a little easier when the boss is yours truly (the conversation goes something like: me - "Is it OK to take two weeks off" me: "Only two weeks?" I hope you had a nice break too? After new year we nipped to Norway for a few days skiing (aaaah, I'm so in love with that country, I can't even begin to tell you), and now feeling rested, invigorated and ready to go again (although oh so slow!). I thought I'd kick off the year with an inspiring home tour with a boho twist. The space is kind of apt as I reckon 2018 is going to be a lot about mixing in second hand, vintage and antique finds (more than ever).  This beautiful Cleveland, Ohio space belongs to Jennifer Harrison of Flea Market Fab fame. Jen describes her style as 'relaxed, curated and one that doesn't follow the 'design rules' and is a master at sourcing recycled finds which she combines to create a unique and cosy home (as well as to sell through her lovely shop). Let's step inside Jen's world.....

Aaaaah, I love this space. What I'd give to be able to live somewhere warm enough to warrant a porch / veranda like Jen's - how about you? Or perhaps you have one too?

And how fabulous is the vintage runner on the stairs? Apparently it was inspired by this picture (beautiful!).  

Is there anything you love in particular about Jen's home?

If you're loving this vibe - you can pick up beautiful Moroccan style rugs and poufs in her shop - and source other pieces here:

Living room - pendant lamp from Bisque,  coffee table - West Elm, this striped linen (sold by the metre) is similar. Dining area -  Tulip table (I love this one with the brass base too!), black sheepskin throw.  Second living room - sofa from Arhaus, Togo armchair. Source an industrial style cabinet here (this one is very similar). Porch - cushions from INDIEbungalow, I like this rattan coffee table.

Loving the boho style? You might also want to take a peek at this cosy, modern bohemian space,  the lovely home of Madewell's lead designer and a warm and inviting Danish home.

Have a great start to the week - it's great to be back!

PS - Looking for a new year's resolution? Vogue recommends taking a leaf out of my Lagom book (how fun is that?! ). Full article here.  

READ MORE...

5

Merry Christmas!

This beautiful picture was taken by Pernille Enoch / Femina DK

Have you got any fun plans?  I'm taking a little time off to visit, family and friends which will be so nice and maybe even go on a road trip to snowy Norway (we'll see).

If you feel like a little Scandinavian interior inspiration in the meantime, I love these archives (some of them have over 100 homes - how crazy is that?!):

Swedish homes
Norwegian homes
Danish homes
Finnish homes
Vintage inspired homes
Bohemian style homes

And just in case you missed it - the best of My Scandinavian Home 2017 is now up (thank you for a wonderful year).

Wishing you a very merry Christmas! I hope your holidays are full of love and laughter.

See you January 8th!

Kram!

Niki x

PS This beautiful picture was taken by Pernille Enoch. See the DIY for this and other candle decorations here. So pretty!

READ MORE...

1

My Scandinavian Home: Best of 2017

I can't believe the year has almost come to an end! Is it just me or did 2017 whizz by? It's been a strange twelve months, with many disturbing happenings throughout the world. I like to think of My Scandinavian Home as a little bubble in which to escape each day: somewhere you can pour yourself a cup of super strength coffee (got to get into the spirits of the Scandinavians after all!), put your feet up and transport yourself into a world of interiors - and hopefully walk away with a few new ideas too! I hope you experience this! Here's a round-up of the top 5 My Scandinavian Home blog, Instagram, and Pinterest posts of 2017 - as well as a few other highlights.....



1. A magnificent family home in Amsterdam

2. My sitting room make-over

Photo - Niki Brantmark Styling Genevieve Jorn

3.  My dream holiday home (and garden room) - and yours too it seems!

Photo - Marnie Hawson

Holly's inspiring sitting room make-over

Holly Marder

5. Lovely blues and greens in a Swedish home

Photo: Anders Bergstedt. Home-owner/ stying: Caroline Ulkner /  Entrance.

I used to dabble in it a little, but if there's one thing that's truly taken me by surprise this year - it's just how much I've fallen in love with Instagram (do you have an ever so slight obsession too?!). I was thrilled to reach over 115,000 friends this year - thank you for making it such a fun place to be, and for all your interesting and passionate comments (and to Vogue UK for including my feed in the top 12 interior instagram feeds to follow (*strikes a very happy pose*). Here are the top 5 My Scandinavian Home instagram posts of 2017:

***

1. Living room in a magical mountain cabin
I'm so happy to see a corner of the living room from Marianne Vigtel Holland's magical mountain cabin which James Gardiner and I had the pleasure of capturing for The Scandinavian Home book.  Marianne made so many items for her cabin it was crazy! In this picture alone she knitted the chair cover, sewed together the cushion covers, created the art on the wall and crafted the side table out of tree trunks - I'm not kidding! Check out the full tour of her beautiful cabin here.



2. Josi's hallway in Berlin
Aaaah, how I love this hallway (the bench is available here - just saying!). In fact, I love everything about Josi's entire Berlin home, it's so charming and relaxed - don't miss the full tour here.

3. Sitting room with a boho vibe
The modern bohemian vibe captured our hearts and minds in 2017 (once again)- and this Polish home designed by Magdalena Milejska was up there with the most inspiring! Take the full tour here. PS is this is totally you're kind of style don't miss the bohemian home archive (goooorgeous spaces).



4. Credenza and books
A wall bursting with books, a beautiful mid-century credenza, layered rugs. What's not to love about the relaxed, boho home of Madewell's lead designer - Joyce Lee! See the drool-worthy tour here.



5. Put a ring on it (see what I did there?)
A beautifully wrapped gift by Finnish blogger Local Artisan in all its crinkled paper and pine wreath glory has already racked up over 7000 likes in the last 24 hours! In fact, it's so pretty that I'd be happy to receive this without a gift inside, how about you? (Note to man - don't take this last sentence too literally). If you haven't wrapped your pressies yet - see our complete round-up of beautiful nature inspired gift wrapping ideas!

Aaaah, Pinterest you'll always be my go-to for moodboards and styling inspiration (if only I could actually tear myself away to do any work - do you find this too?!). Here are the top 5 My Scandinavian Home pins of 2017:

1. This cosy bedroom from a charming Swedish apartment decorated in white and wood
has totally captured pinners hearts having appeared on Pinterest over 590,290 times. How crazy is that? Then again there is so much to love about this little space, right?

Photo: Maria Sahlander Styling: Emma Fischer for Bjurfors.

Rember that green sofa we all fell in love with in a sitting room in Yeabridge House? Combine it with a fabulous mix of old and new and you get the top My Scandinavian Home *power pin* of 2017 (yes, this really is a thing - it's measured in terms of clicks and saves in case you're curious!). Whatever you do, don't miss the full tour here - it was one of my favourites!

Photo - Benjamin Edwards Home-owner - Mark Homewood

While green sofas are always fab, greige is a bit of a safer bet  - which is why this elegant Swedish sitting room created by H&M Home was hugely popular! Get the complete look and feel here. 

Stylist: Lotta Agaton

The relaxed dining space in the Norwegian home of Maja Hattvang appealed to many - which makes me so happy as I love her edgy and relaxed style! See the full tour here (if you don't already follow Maja on instagram, you must!).

Maja Hattvang

And finally, I was so happy to see the delightfully simple bedroom in the Copenhagen home of Karen Maj Kornum of Another Ballroom - captured by James Gardiner and myself for The Scandinavian Home book! You can see a full tour of her home in the book and here and here (that's how much i love Karen Maj's home!).   

Photo: James Gardiner.  Stylist: Niki Brantmark. Featured in The Scandinavian Home book published by CICO.

I am so grateful for the support of businessed big and small without whom My Scandinavian Home wouldn't be possible (you can see a list of many of my partners and the different types of collaborations we offer here).  It's been a year of fun and inspiring partnerships - but I have to say I do have a little penchant for make-overs! Here are the top 3 from 2017:

Greenhouse makeover with Samsung and The Frame

Oh how I loved working on this make-over in a little greenhouse in Upstate New York with Emily Henderson and the Barbarian creative team. A special thanks also to Brady Tolbert for your amazing organization skills and interior design eye and Agata Helena for hair and make-up. See more pictures (and films) of the make-over here and here.

My sitting room make-over with Bemz

Photo by me, styling by Genevieve Jorn. See more here!

My new window nook with Nordal  

Photo by me, styling by Genevieve Jorn. See the full tour here!

I've been writing a way in my little corner of the world and was so happy to launch not one but two new books this year (still not sure how I did it, but it was a wonderful feeling to get them in my hands!) - Lagom: The Swedish Art of Living a Balanced, Happy Life launched in September and is available in English US, English UK, French and Portuguese with 4 more languages to follow in 2018 - weeeeee! And The Scandinavian Home launched back in the spring!

Photo: Niki Brantmark.

Photo by Karin Björklund

Aaaah. it's been so much fun looking back over this year. Do you have any favourites from everything I've shared? Or perhaps you have some personal highlights you'd like to share - if so, I'd love to hear from you in the comment section below!! And please do also take it as an opportunity to let us know if there's anything you'd like to see more of in 2018.

Before we head off to enjoy the holidays I just wanted to say a few words of thanks.

I am constantly amazed by the incredible pool of creative talent in the online communities - not only among the professional interior designers and photographers, but also writers, artists, designers etc, all of whom contribute in some way and are kind enough to allow me to share their work. These 'creators' dare to put themselves out there for the world to critique (a scary prospect, I can tell you!) - and I thank each and every one of you who inspires us every day!

I'd also like to say a HUGE thanks to the wonderful team behind My Scandinavian Home - including my right hand gal Ana Degeneer ( a whizz at graphic design, picture research, writing and everything in between - she can even code - isn't that b*d *ss?!!). If you're thinking of starting a blog in 2018 (go for it!), Ana sells the most stunning blog design templates through her shop alongside her book '30 days to minimal blogging'.

I've also been lucky enough to work with the talented interior designer Genevieve Jorn - (we always have such a laugh and no photo shoot is complete without a chicken pasta from my local deli!) as well as the fabulous Sarah Brooks-Wilson who moved to Malmö earlier this year and is the speediest interior stylist I know (and always arrives with a smile and wearing the most fabulous outfit)! So happy to have you guys on board!

And finally - to all of you, who come here each day and make My Scandinavian Home a happy place - none of this would happen without you. Thank you for all your amazing support this year and making this little space on the web such a pleasure each day. Here's to a fabulous 2018!

Niki

PS those of you who like to reminisce might enjoy looking back at the 2016 and 2015 round-ups (so interesting to see how interior style has evolved!!).

READ MORE...

9

5 Beautiful Gift Wrapping Ideas with a Natural Touch

Christmas is only a few days away (in our family we celebrate with our Swedish-side on 23rd December and then fly to London on 24th to celebrate Christmas day with our English-side - how about you?). This can only mean one thing: the big gift wrapping session is about to commence! If you haven't wrapped yours yet, we hope our round up of five beautiful gift wrapping ideas will help to make your presents look extra pretty under the tree (if you don't celebrate Christmas - we think these ideas are just as lovely for winter birthdays, weddings etc). Think paper in deep plum, dusty pink, white and natural browns, pretty velvet ribbons, muslin and even fabrics dyed in colours with the scent of the winter season! 

Local Artisan

Therese Knutsen

Ollie and Seb's Haus

Can anyone help with the credits?

Eyeswoon

Although a little more time consuming, I love the last idea of dying old rags with scents associated with this time of the year. If you feel like getting creative, you can find the complete step-by-step guide here.

I also love the idea of adding mini wreaths as decoration (see the know-how here).

Or, for simple, fuss-free ideas you might also like to check out 8 rustic gift wrapping ideas and last year's gift wrapping challenge!

How will you be wrapping your presents this year?

Have a lovely day!

PS If like me, you're not quite there yet with the present buying (guh!) - I hope our gift guide for Scandinavian design lovers (and their children) comes in handy. You could always spread a little nordic love by giving someone a copy of my Lagom book -  available in English US, English UK, French and Portuguese versions. I'm completely biased, I know but I do think it makes a lovely pressie!

READ MORE...

4