A Gotland retreat

If there's one place on my wish list it's the island of Gotland on the East coast of Sweden, it's supposed to be stunning. This summer cottage is situated on a little island called Furillen just off Gotland (even better!). According to Anna of blog La Maison D'Anna G, the space was formerly used as army storage and has been carefully renovated using raw materials as well relics from the original building. The blue accent and sheepskin rugs add a warm element to the cold industrial feel of the concrete and pared-back space. Very original and beautiful. 

Photography: Pia Ulin, Styling Cilla Ramnek for Residence magazine. Via La Maison D'Anna G with thanks

I like the way they have 'opened up' the Hay industrial light - it adds a cool twist, perhaps I should do the same with mine in my bedroom....I see they have the Muuto Wood Table Lamp, one of my favourites! I am also a big fan of sheepskin rugs over chairs - as you can see from my dining room (it actually makes them so comfy too!).

Anything about this home you love?

PS Don't miss my very exciting give-away this Friday just in time for the clocks to go forward  (open worldwide).......Ooooo what could it be?!

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The beautiful on trend sitting room

Morning! Reporing from a very grey London this morning. But if anything can brighten up my day this stunning sitting room created by Danish designer Mette Helena Rasmussen can. The space encompasses the current rose / gold trend perfectly by matching a vintage rose coloured accent wall with a polished brass Tom Dixon Etch Light - how very cool and pretty. Oh and they've added my favourite reading light too the Flos 265 wall light - could this be an option for my sitting room? I spy other bang up to date trends too such as the light grey marble table with pastel legs. What a treat for a grey Tuesday!

Photography: Tia Borgsmidt (with kind permission) for Boligliv via Ministry of Deco with thanks

What do you think? Are you channeling the gold / light grey marble and rose trend?

I've had a few questions about long-haired sheepskin rugs lately - this is a great source!

Oh and you might be interested to know that Mette owns an online shop called Retro Villa which sells the most beautiful items.....could be dangerous!

Have a lovely day!

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child friendly holiday homes in Copenhagen

How was your weekend? Oh how it rained here in Southern Sweden!  It got me thinking about holidays. If you have small children you'll know what a difference it makes to find accommodation that's not only beautiful but caters to your children's needs too. When Kid and Coe contacted me about their wonderful new website offering child friendly holiday homes I was on it. Cue hours of searching through beautiful homes under the disguise of 'vacation planning'! Here are a few pictures taken from the two Copenhagen spaces on the site.

Kid and Coe

Some of my other favourite home tours are this one in Bude, Cornwall and this one in Highgate, London. Thank you also to Gemma who wrote to me with the tip!

Thank you so much for all your comments on Friday both on the post of my sitting room and over at Facebook. You've definitely persuaded me not to paint the stairs white - which also saves me a lot of time and money too - PHEW!! Thanks for all your other tips too, so appreciated.

Happy Monday!

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my home captured by karin: sitting room

Iiiiiit's Friday, woohoo! I'm looking forward to heading home and taking some down time with my little family. Maybe a walk in the forest with my three year old who's going horse riding, or wrapping up warm to take my elder daughter to her ice skating lesson - BRRRR! (I'll be battling with my man over that one!). Since home is definitely where my heart is today I thought it'd be apt to share the next in my mini series of 'my home captured by Karin'. This time it's my open plan sitting room in the spotlight....I hope you like it!

Pictures 1,2,,5,5,6  by Karin Björklund, Picture 3 by me. 

There's so much to do still - for example we'd like to paint the stairs white or light grey - any thoughts? Also we're in need of more light (especially as the days get shorter), I can't see a thing at night! OK, over exaggeration but...tips welcome!

I think Karin's done a sterling job on the photography. Thank you wondrful, talented K! Note though how my styling left a blanket all messy - just goes to show you can't miss a single trick in styling (I once read about someone who did a shoot over an entire day and then realised there was a bright red toy car under the sofa in every shot!).

In case you're interested here are a few tips on where things are from: Sofa, Scandinavian mid-century table and drinks trolley were inherited, black chairs from a flea market, Diamond print, Wasp print, Chair print, Muuto socket suspension light, phone and coloured cushions, Did I miss anything?!

See also my bedroom, my dining area, and my kitchen if you like :) Do you have any photos to share of your home or one you've photographed / styled?

So, the weekend......so exciting! What are you up to?

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Very cool inspiration from OYOY

I'm a big fan of the Danish brand OYOY. Any company who has a vision 'to design functional products in high quality materials with beautiful colours and shapes' has my vote! And they're true to their word. I love the way they have styled these images with items from their Autumn/Winter 2013 collection. If you love accessorising your home with cushions, candle holders etc like I do (my husband has actually put a ban on me buying any more cushions - luckily he's not terribly observant!), you'll love this company.

OYOY via Riazzoli with thanks

If you're on the look out for some cool black and white prints like the ones you see here, Lotta Agaton's webshop is a great source. I also love art by Danish graphic designer Silke Bonde. 

Before I head off into the gloomy Southern Swedish weather this morning I'm extremely excited to introduce my new sponsor The Linen Works.  The Linen Works sells relaxed washed bed and table linen in soft muted tones, as well as kitchen linen and fabric by the metre for creating curtains, blinds etc and the good news is they ship worldwide. I absolutely love high quality linen which only gets softer and more beautiful the more you wash it but I'm having a hard time choosing between the Cassis Rose bed linen and Toulon Grey bed linen for my bedroom what do you reckon? Both?! Ha! A big warm welcome to The Linen Works! 

Have a lovely day - hope it's not pouring with rain where you are too?!

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Cosy sitting room the Norwegian way

There's a distinctive chill in the air here in Southern Sweden (how about where you are?) and I've noticed people are starting to get out their cosy knits BRRRRR! When I feel a nip in the air it always makes me romanticise about long walks in the snow followed by a steaming cup of hot chocolate (with a touch of rum) while thawing feet by the fire. This sitting room from the home of Norwegian blogger and photographer Elisabeth Heier is a firm favourite - just look at that wood burning stove and log storage! 

Elisabeth Heier with kind permission

I love the hall way too - I think that's a House Doctor rug - beautiful! 

I'm a big fan of Elisabeth's styling and photography (as you well know!) and have posted on her home before here and here. So beautiful!

If you're on the look out for wood burning stoves as I am check out these homes....

PS I loved the discussion on Facebook yesterday on 'all white homes' so many different opinions! 

Have a lovely, cosy day!

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A serene white Malmö apartment

It was a while ago that I showed a completely white apartment. White floors, walls and ceilings maybe, but not everything bar a plant or a chair here and there. Even though I couldn't do the entirely white thing in my own home it doesn't stop me from admiring the beauty and serenity of an all white pallette in other homes such as this apartment here in Malmö. So simple, so beautiful!

Fastighetsförmedlingen via La Maison D'Anna G with thanks. 

What's your take on an all white home?

For a good few hours of interior inspiration, you can have a rummage through these past home tours of beautiful white homes. If you're not a white home person now, perhaps you will be after these!

PS I spy the Eames DAR chairs around the table and my favourite DCW chairs in the sitting room (15% off with code MYSCAN). A few choice IKEA items such as the sofa and side cabinet and the wonderful wishbone chair in the corner of the bedroom.  Any ideas where the fab kitchen light is from?

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