Trend Alert: 5 Holly Jolly Christmas Danish Homes

Colours have been creeping into danish homes for a while now - so it makes sense that the Danish Christmas should be bursting with colour too. This is nothing new of course. Danes have been using their vibrant red and white flag as a tree decoration for hundreds of years. But there's something a little different about this Christmas - and it's all about the chintz! Think branches dripping with hand painted baubles in a riot of fuchsia, turquoise, silver and gold and green, and fun shaped ornaments featuring toadstools, snowmen, paper flowers and even avocados and skulls! Bright coloured candles with a twist (literally) and light up the darkness and there's glitter, plenty of glitter. Oh, and there's something else you should know, tinsel is back too. Naturally, the Danes carry it off beautifully with their innate sense of style, the bright colours popping against a backdrop of white, earthy pink and blue. Ready to feel inspired by a holly jolly Christmas - Danish style? Here are 5 homes that have captured my heart (snapped by Another Studio). 

1. Louise over at Mor Till Mernee is never one to shy away from colour in her home (albeit in a wonderful subtle way) - and her beautiful tree, covered in toadstools, snowman, hearts, baubles and the Danish flag, is a fine example! 

2. The Danish home of @papirkalas, purveyor of paper rosette garlands, is full of Christmas cheer. Think tinsel and alder tree branches adorned with shiny hand painted baubles, toadstools, bells and paper flowers in a riot of colours - against a serene white backdrop. 

Candle carousels have been popular in Scandinavia since World War II. Artilleriet sells a similar musical candle ornament with chiming bells! 

There's the tinsel folks. And in true Danish style, it looks fab!

Check out the finer details of her baubles and you'll spot hand painted glittery details too. 

3. In Sofie Boisen's early 20th century home it's colours a go-go with bright red candles, pastel coloured tree ornaments and a sprig of mistletoe against a dusty pink and blue backdrop. 

Whoever said all Scandinavians are minimalists?

Colourful glassware, Hay twist candles and a timeless Skultuna candleholder help the Christmas table to shine. 

4. Ida (@midtimeller) has gone for a Christmas tree with twist in her lovely danish home. These trees are not to everyone's taste, but there's something about the imperfection that intrigues me - plus they're perfect for small spaces. This one is looking resplendent with its bright coloured ornaments that catch the light. 

It wouldn't be Christmas without a wreath hanging from a glass cabinet door (see Helen's home) and I love Ida's tiny candle wreath!

5. In Tove's apartment in Frederiksborg, Copenhagen it's all about the pastels (check out her pale blue floor!) - and the tree is full of turquoise, fuchsia, yellow and pink touches. 

I love the casually draped stars too! 

Zoom in on Sofie's advent candle below and you'll spy a fabulous array of Christmas ornaments including avocado, rainbow and even a skull! 

What do you reckon? Could you imagine adding a little chintz to your home this Christmas? 

In the words of Burl Ives, it really does bring a 'holly jolly' feel, and when styled like the Danes, it doesn't need to be over the top either. 

I have to say, my kids would love it! They've got their eye on a tin of caviar, glittered unicorns, pink balloon pup and even a fun French set including a baguette, croissant and bottle of red! I quite fancy a set of the Hay twist candles (for the more daring among us, there's also these glittery candles on clips).

Looking for more Christmas decorating ideas this weekend? 

Check out the Christmas archive - it's full of 'jul' themed home tours, Christmas decorating ideas and cosy log cabins. 

Speaking of which we had a light snow fall in Malmö yesterday, you can imagine our excitement! 

It was perfectly timed with a birthday in the house on Sunday - MINE!!! I'm looking forward to cosying up with family and even doing a little cross-country skiing with friends - wish me luck, I'll need it! 

I hope you have some fun plans for the weekend too - stay warm and cosy! 

Niki  

Photography: Another Studio / @anotherstudio, shared with kind permission. 

First picture from the home of Sidsel Garsdal. 

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5 Mini Christmas Tree Ideas For Small Spaces

Who says you need to have a 12 foot Christmas tree to create a festive feel? These pretty mini tree are ideas are living (some are potted!) proof that you can still have a christmas tree in the smallest of spaces, and it can look as festive as can be. Oh and they make perfect Christmas pressies / holiday gifts too!

1. Mini Spruce in a vase (above): Not only is this tree in the home of Anna Kvarnström small enough to use as a table top decoration, you can enjoy your turkey / julbord around it and avoid all the faff of a tree foot too!! God rest ye merry gentlemen! Use real candles for an extra mysig feel (but never leave unattended!). See more subtle festive touches in Anna's lovely home here.

2. The tabletop Christmas tree:  little trees are perfect perched on side tables, stools and benches in places like the hallway. The clever guys over at The Merry Thought made the wooden decorations on this tree too - and have shared all the know-how in this film.

3. The Windowsill Forest: Create a forest right there on the windowsill with fake trees in simple bark containers from Danish brand House Doctor - or create your own with simple cuts from outside (you can also try your local florist / nursery) - there's a great DIY guide here.

4. Mini Christmas tree presents: Heading to a dinner party? Why not give the host one of these little fellas instead of the standard amaryllis (although a salmon-apricot amaryllis is always a good idea!)? Simply wrap them in wax paper with a bow and you're all set. Plus the host can plant it and use it again next year -bonus! You might even like to add a few care instructions (read about how to care for a potted tree here). I wish I knew the credit for this lovely setting - please give me a shout in the comment section below if you are able to help!

5. Mini Christmas tree gift wrapping: Now, I pride myself on my present wrapping (I might even go as far as saying it's my favourite part of the pre-Christmas prep!) - but I've never seen this idea before. You just need brown wrapping paper, a christmas tree shaped cutting from a conifer tree like cypress or juniper and some glue! Get all the know-how over at A Piece of Rainbow.

Such simple, pretty ideas, don't you think?

Are there any that caught your eye?

For more inspiration you might like to take a little peek in the Christmas and Christmas decoration archives (if this pops up first, just scroll passed!).

I'll be back tomorrow with a beautiful home tour.

Look forward to seeing you then!

Niki

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A Mysig Swedish Family Home at Christmas

How pretty is this beautiful house in the suburbs of Stockholm, all decked out for Christmas? The beautiful home belongs to interior designer, photographer, storyteller and founder of Wiho Design, Jasmina Bylund who lives with her 'sambo' (live in partner) and their children - Winston (3.5) and Belle (6 months). Jasmina has decorated the house in shades of grey, white and midnight blue and a beautiful blend of old and new. "I don't follow a particular style, I simply follow my heart," Bylund explains.  Jasmina is a big fan of Christmas and loves to "gather family and friends, eat good food, bake, decorate and wrap presents." Evidence of this can be seen throughout their home - which is peppered with subtle festive touches  - including a Kungsgran tree, pretty wreaths, sprigs of pine  and paper star lanterns. No doubt there's snow outside the window too. Åh va mysigt!

Photography: Jasmina Bylund, shared with kind permission.

Oh so pretty, don't you think?

Get the look from Jasmina's home: living room - wall hanging from FROSTA design, Menu Turning Table, Hay table, seagrass belly basket. kitchen - wine glass rack. bedroom - on the wall 'Jotun Lady Happy Homes'. This natural bed linen is beautiful. sitting room - Bemz sell lovely linen slipcovers for sofas (see mine here!). The wrapping paper was sourced on Etsy.

For similar paint colours check-out the Jotun Lady range - they have so many beautiful colours (I used Blushing Peach for my bedroom). To achieve a similar textured surface seen on Jasmina's bedroom wall try adding Roll-A-Tex Sand Texture Additive to the paint (I used this in my dining room make-over and it worked wonders!)

If you'd like to see more of Jasmina's home and latest projects you must check out her lovely instagram feed and blog.

And if you're looking for more Scandinavian home tours with a festive touch - these will definitely get you in the Yuletide mood:

A Swedish country home at Christmas
A Danish home at Christmas 
A Norwegian home on Christmas eve
 Dreaming of a white Christmas in a Swedish home
A cosy Scandinavian home ready for Christmas 

If these have inspired you to rush home and decorate your own home I can recommend these beautifully simply DIY ideas:

Lovely, easy Danish Chrismtas DIY ideas
5 beautifully simple Scandinavian Christmas DIY ideas

Have a lovely day!

PS Are you still Christmas shopping (I am!)? If so this list of last minute Christmas presents for Scandinavian design lovers (and their children!) might come in handy. 

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6 Subtle Festive Ideas to Steal from Alexandra's Swedish Home

Why, hello there! The big chill in Sweden continues and the Christmas lights look so pretty against the snow - even if it does make for treacherous cycling conditions (yes, Swedes cycle in the snow - with varying results I might add!).  

The minus temperatures also mean we only really go out if we have to - and homes are being transformed into cosy sanctuaries. This also means Christmas decorations come out a little earlier than they might do in other countries. However, I'm not talking the full monty - instead, I've noticed Swedes start out with subtle festive touches with a natural wintery theme and then continue to layer their homes throughout December (something I touch on in my new book Njuta*!). 

In Alexandra Löfgren's family home in Mölndal, south of Gothenburg is full of lovely, subtle touches and nice ideas. I especially love her son Matteo's room with it's brown, rust and blue colour scheme and a mini Christmas tree all of his own! So magical! Here's a glimpse of the rooms and six ideas to steal. 

1. combine amaryllis with other foliage from the garden such as branches with berries and eucalptus for a beautiful bouquet. 

2. A simple touch of pine in a vase draws the winter season inside without going all out 'Christmas'. 

3. Swap out your usual pendant light for a star pendant such as this one. It can easily be stored the rest of the year!

4. A mini undecorated tree in a pot can be decorated as time goes on - and kept until the following year! 

5. Add a mini Christmas tree in unexpected places - such as in the hallway or in a children's bedroom to sprinkle a little magic all over the home! 

6. Wreaths can be placed anywhere in the home, but I especially love seeing them over the bed, as seen here! 

I hope Alexandra's home has given you some cosy ideas! 

If you're looking for more Christmas decorating inspiration this weekend check out these home tours:

15 small festive touches to steal from a Swedish country home

A Copenhagen home full of festive cheer

A colourful vintage-inspired Christmas themed home in Denmark

Inspiring Christmas touches in a Swedish family home

11 Christmas decorating ideas in Mari's lovely Swedish home

And also, scour the Christmas decoration archive - for a ton of beautiful Scandi ideas to be found! 

If you'd like a virtual tour this weekend, Per and I will be heading to a Christmas market on the island of Bornholm, which has a focus on quality goods and creating a magical atmosphere - and I'll be covering it in my instagram stories! 

Have a cosy weekend! 

Niki

Photography: Alexandra Löfgren, shared with kind permission.

*promotion of my own work. 

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A danish home at Christmas

The Danes are famous for their beautiful Christmas decorations. Have you ever walked through Nyhavn in Copenhagen at Christmas? The quayside is transformed into a winter wonderland and festooned with fairy lights and fir tree branches. Christmas market stalls line the quay and the aroma of roasted chestnuts, almonds and glogg (mulled wine) fills the air. This danish home is a fine example of how beautifully Danes decorate for Christmas. Every single room has a touch of the festive spirit, even the bathroom and I love the rustic festive feel.

Bo Bedre via Decorator's Notebook with thanks

Is there any Christmas inspiration you'll be taking from this home?

I love how presents are dotted around the house, although I think the temptation might be too much for my little girls! I also love the irregular shaped Christmas tree - so pretty! For more Christmas tree inspiration I love this 'pared-back style' or for a modern touch - these very fun christmas tree alternatives. 

Here are a few snaps I took of our Christmas tree last year. We always go out to a place in the forest where you are allowed to chop down your own tree, it's one of my favourite days of the year. 

One present I'll be buying this Christmas (look away now brother-in-laws) is a gift card for a tailored t-shirt from Son of A Tailor. Basic tees will continue to be big in the style stakes for 2015 and this Copenhagen based company offer the perfect opportunity to 100% tailor your own classic organic cotton t-shirt - even the gift card itself comes beautifully packaged. Such a perfect present don't you think?! 

Have a great day! 

PS does anyone know the full credits for these images, I'd love to update the post? Thank you. 

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