Monday's home: shades of grey

Hello and happy Monday to you! I'm finally back in Sweden and despite the jet lag (although it's actually quite useful to be up at 4.30am!) it's lovely to be home. It's cold, grey and gloomy compared to Thailand and Singapore but sometimes that can be beautiful too. Take this apartment for example. Decorated in black, white and grey it's the oh so cool apartment of Josefin Hååg of 20 kvadrat photographed recently for Residence Magazine.

20 kvadrat, Lotta Agaton, Sara Mortensen. Photography: Kristofer Johnsson for Residence

I am loving that it has the real Lotta Agaton stamp (check out another styling project by Lotta here and her own home). Lotta is my absolute favourite stylist of the moment, she has such a unique personal style. She is also a firm believer that grey will be the go-to colour for interiors in 2014 like in the home featured here.

What do you love about this home?

Oh and I have some exciting news: the book featuring my house:  Design Bloggers at Home by Ellie Tennant launches in March. I can't wait to see a copy! I only hope there were no socks lurking under the sofa or something...!

And the second exciting thing is I'm holding a fab give-away here tomorrow so be sure to pop back for your chance to win.

Have a lovely Monday!

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Angela's Inspiring Light-Filled Munich Home (With The Cutest Snoozing Pup!)

You'd be forgiven for thinking the beautiful home of Angela Giovanna is in Sweden. There's something about the light and airy, pared back feel, gallery walls and designer pieces that give it a distinct Scandinavian vibe. And then there's those wonderful towering ceilings, huge windows and double conjoining doors that flood the space with light. I couldn't put my finger on what exactly, but there was still something about the architecture that gave the game away and I figured the building had to be in Germany. Angela shares her wonderful home in the old section of Munich with husband Tommi and their furry friend Juno (the pair are expecting their first child in September (a baby boy!).  The duo have decorated look their apartment using a  strictly monochrome theme with vintage furniture nestled beside a multitude of New Nordic design pieces, books and art. I reached out to find out more. Meine Damen und Herren, allow me to present Angela's inspiring home!

An Ivar cabinet from IKEA has been painted to match the colour of the wall - a simple, clever way to add storage without drawing attention to it. 

What drew you to the apartment in the first place? 

We love the typical style of the old buildings in this area and were so happy to finally find our dream home last winter. Since then we have been slowly filling it with a lot of good memories and creating an interior we love. 

A series of decorative objects including an echasse bowl*, David fragment sculpture and decorative coral have been arranged beside design books, magazines art and a lamp (from Westwing) in the sitting room. 

How would you describe your style?

I would define our style as a mix of design classics, vintage pieces and trend influences.  

Was a monochrome palette a deliberate choice, or has it evolved organically?

I love colours, but since I change my mind so often, I decided to go with a more monochrome scheme. It's timeless. 

Marshall bluetooth speakers* rest atop a vintage cabinet. Above, a series of decorative objects and design books have been displayed on Swedish String Pocket shelves. 

Do you have any favourite pieces? 

The pieces I love the most in our home are the ones that tell a story. We have a strong emotional attachment to some - like a vintage picture frame that my father gave me almost 20 years ago - and the glass cabinet in our home office (seen above). We also love to upcycle old flea market finds to create something new. 

There are many great German interior bloggers / instagrammers out there to follow for inspiration. Do you have any favourites? 

Yes, I love to follow @Sarah-cocolapine, @svenja_traumzuhause and @oursweetliving. 

Nothing like a snoozing dog! Being a non-dog owner, I'm curious, I heard something from training 101 that allowing a dog on the sofa is a complete no-no - is this true? 

Haha! Very good question! Before we got Juno, I was super convinced that I would be strict and not allow her on the sofa or bed. But when she was a puppy, she cried a lot during the night - so we allowed her to sleep in our bed. That was a big mistake - haha! She still completely owns them! 

On a different note, I noticed on your instagram @tasselsandfringes that you recently re-painted her dining room wall from dark to light. It looks fab (I couldn't resist sharing a couple of snapshots below) what made you decide to do this? 

Thank you! I really loved it in the dark colour, it gave the dining room a 'restaurant feeling' and was super cosy when lit with candles. But with coronavirus, the dining area became my home office and was simply too dark. In order to sit there eight hours a day, I needed to brighten it up. I love the light beige tone, it made a huge difference to the space. 

Such a lovely home! 

I can't wait to see what you do next - especially with a nursery to create - exciting times! 

***

You can see more of Angela's home and follow her future projects over at @tasselsandfringes. 

I've shared quite a few other lovely homes from Munich in the past (there must be a real creative hub over there!) - check out these if you're curious:

A delightful light-filled home in the rooftops of Munich

Irina's white, light-filled family home

Igor's happy, plant-filled home

I've had Munich on my list of places I could live one day thanks to its proximity to the Alps - in the winter, you can hit the slopes whenever you like - luxury! Lake Garda in Italy is only 6 hours away too, just saying!

Wishing you a great day friends! I'll be back tomorrow with a beeeeautiful danish home, so make sure you stop by! 

Niki

Photography: Angela Giovanna 

Affiliate links marked with *

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Old meets new in a beautiful Finnish home

Feeling super excited this morning as I'm off to Helsinki this afternoon for Finland's largest design fair - Habitare along with Decor8, Monsters Circus, Trend Stefan and Home for Soul among other bloggers. So fun! (Keep an eye on Instagram stories for updates!). This calls for a Finnish design post, don't you think? And beautiful Finnish homes are never hard to find (as you can see from this archive!). This lovely apartment belongs to Maija Rasila - interior architect and blogger for Avotakka magazine. Pihkala focuses on modern Scandinavian design and the renovation of her 100 year old house - where white and subtle shades of grey and blue provide a backdrop for design classics and vintage finds for a clean, calm aesthetic.  Let's take a peek....

Photography: Maija Rasila / Pihkala.

Such a lovely space, don't you think? So fresh! If you follow Maija's blog you'll see how the house is becoming more and more cosy as each layer is added (even though it's in Finnish she always adds a short summary in English at the bottom of each post).  I write a lot about taking your time to decorate a home in my book The Scandinavian Home - I think it's a vital part of transforming a house into a home. What are your thoughts on this?

Get the look from Maija's lovely home: Sitting room - Artek Beehive light, Menu afteroom lounge chair, Tisca rug.  Dining room - Eames chairs, art by Juhani Melender. Bedroom - William Morris wallpaper, Mantis sconce, white bed linen set. Hallway: Morris & co wallpaper.

If you'd like to see more Finnish homes today (hey, I'm in!), you might want to take a scroll through this archive (if this home comes up first simply got to the next) - Yup, those Finns really do know a thing or two about design! Can't wait to see more at the fair!

You can keep up to date with Maija's latest projects over on her blog and Instagram.

Right.... better finish packing, I've got a flight to catch! Weeeee!

Have a lovely day!

PS Happy to see my tips on 'how to get Scandi-style on a budget' in Ideal Home magazine this week!

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Igor's Happy, Plant-filled Space

Tjena! It's been great to get to know other bloggers over the years. I can go a little stir crazy at home day in day out by myself sometimes and these guys have become an amazing support network. We often get together in person or online to share ideas (and have a laugh). A few months back I met Igor Josifovic (such a great guy!) - creator of the hugely popular Happy Interior Blog and co-author of the best selling book Urban Jungle. Igor recently moved apartments in Munich and has set about turning his new place into one happy home too. I caught up with him earlier this week to find out more about his home and love of all things green (and blue!).




How would you describe your style?
I would say it is a very personal style above all full with details and hints about my character, my interests, my passions. I like to describe it as an eclectic bohemian mix of vintage and contemporary items with a nod to timeless Scandinavian design.




Would you say you are quite thrifty?
I think so as I really enjoy thrifting and finding items for the home with a previous life. But I love to combine - I like to match vintage finds with new items for a more contemporary look.








Where did your love of plants come from?
I think it is something that reaches back to my childhood when my mum had lots of plants in our home. In general I love the nature and anything natural so plants are an obvious obsession. And I enjoy the fact that you can bring in a bit of nature into your home with houseplants. A home without plants feels utterly void to me.



Do you have a favourite plant?
Oh this is like asking a parent if they have a favorite child haha. They are all special and unique in their way and I love them all. I tend to have some inclinations to certain plants or plant families from time to time though. Currently I enjoy my Staghorn fern with its lush and crazy foliage as well as my tropical Philodendron Red Emerald.






Do you have any tips for anyone looking to start their own urban jungle (or simply introducing more plants to their home?
Tip number one is our book Urban Jungle - Living and Styling with Plants. Together with my Urban Jungle Bloggers friend and co-founder Judith I wrote this book for anyone looking to introduce more plants into their homes and lives. I also encourage people to go step by step and refrain from trendy impulse shopping. Give it some thought and inform yourself about the plant in order to keep it happy and thriving and avoid any disappointments. After all a plant is a living thing too and it is great if we manage to keep them alive, right?!






I love the deep blue hues in your home, do you have a go-to paint colour?
I tend to look at the hues offered by Farrow & Ball as well as Kolorat, a young and up-and-coming German paint label. I have opted for two blue hues from Kolorat in my new apartment and I love them - the paint codes are K/74-46-10-59/T in the bedroom (dark blue) and in the kitchen and hallway (medium blue).




All photography: Igor Josifovic / Happy Interior Blog


GET THE LOOK


1. Antique Persian Area Rug
2. Wooden Monkey
3. KALLAX Shelf Unit
4. Velvet Cushion Cover
5. Cotton Velvet Cushion Cover
6. Bommel Korb
7. String Pocket
8. 3-Sitzer Tom Sofa
9. Cotton Tablecloth
10. Rattan Basket Square
11. Kissenhülle T-Bamboo
12. Tabouret pliable
13. Korb • RAUTEN
14. State of Independence
15. Tropical Green Rug
16. Bølling Tray Table

Thanks so much for showing us around your home Igor!

You can follow his latest renovations and projects over on his blog and instagram - and find more urban jungle inspiration in his wonderful best selling book here.

Have a lovely day!

PS I'd love it if you have the time to pop into my blog survey - it only take a few minutes to complete and it would be really helpful to find out your thoughts on My Scandinavian Home and ways I can improve it. As a thank you I'm giving away three signed copies of my Lagom book too!

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8 Interior Trends from Milan Design Week 2018

Last week over 400,000 companies, designers, creatives, makers, architects and communicators flocked to Milan Design Week to feel inspired by a week of talks, exhibitions, latest news and tours across the fair and design districts. It was one crazy week but fascinating to find out more about the latest trends and news from the interior world. One of the highlights of my week was a Safari Blog tour organised by the monthly Italian DDN magazine in which we visited some of the major Italian Design Brands. From dark wood and cool stone to soft, velvety textures and amber accents, here's my round-up of the latest 2018 interior design trends from the tour:

1. Dark wood

Wood remains a key material in the 2018 interior, but there's a distinct move to the rich, dark side. These beautiful wooden worktops by luxury modern furniture brand Poliform, slide so you can place them where you like on the countertop (in fact, the entire kitchen worktop is adjustable to fit your needs - Italian design at it's best!).

2. Black metal

 While brass is still present, black metal might just have stolen it's party crown. Think sleek, slim furniture, small details, accessories and art made from black metal with a matt finish. Known for creating innovative bedroom furniture (such as the iconic Natalie bed), Flou featured examples of this across their stand in the form of slim, handles on chest-of-drawers, side-tables and art!

3. Dark earthy blue, green, and Brown. Powder and Amber accents

2017 was the year the world fell in love with pink (in all it's powder, blush and earthy forms). And it seems we haven't quite had enough of it yet. But there's also a new accent in town. Amber. Walter Knoll's carpets and Badawi cushions (I soooo need one of these in my life) were designed in collaboration with fabric designer Helmut Scheufele and inspired by the landscapes and colours of Africa. The deep amber tones and soft pinks looked particular beautiful against a dark backdrop (loved the statement blooms too!).

4. Silk, Velvet and Other Soft Fabrics

Who doesn't love a beautifully soft fabric? Tactile materials such as silk and velvet are adding a lush feel to the home in 2018. Treat your feet to a silky smooth rug and sit back in an upholstered chair (like these on trend beauties: Soft and Jane by Poliform) or add decadent curtains in a rich coloured velvet. The movement and texture in the fabric also adds depth and interest to a space.

Note the angle on the Jane chair leg - another key trend to look out for this year!

5. Texture

I love pieces that want to make you reach out and touch them - and 2018 promises to be a year of enticing textures. Think simple patterns, tactile materials and other subtle undulating surfaces. This swoon-worthy cabinet by Natuzzi (one of is the world's best known furniture brand, known for creating harmony throughout the home) is spot on - and such a great colour too, don't you think?!

6. Sustainability

In a time where there are serious concerns about the planet and the effects our lives have on it,  I was relieved to experience a conscious effort to move towards creating furniture with a sustainable mindset. A fine example of this is the Kartell Organic Chair, made from a revolutionary organic plastic material that's both sustainable and high quality. Hurrah!

7. Slim-line furniture

Forget bulky pieces, in 2018 it's all about a slimmed-down, more streamlined look. Shelves, chairs, and tables have come over all sleek and the airy look and feel gives a wonderful feeling of space. I particularly loved the floor to ceiling BROMPTON Shelving Unit and other streamlined furniture by Boffi, it created a real sense of calm.

8. Stone

And finally, concrete, marble, terrazzo and limestone have risen up the interior rankings, adding cool texture, tactility and interest to different areas of the home. I was completely taken by this powder pink stone against grey steel (and touches of brass) by Scavaloni - producer of Italian design kitchens and bathrooms as well as furniture. 

I hope you found these trends as interesting as I did. Is there anything you find particularly exciting or intriguing? 

A big thank you to Francesca Russo from DDN magazine for designing the tour and to the fabulous gang of bloggers who made it so much fun (from left to right: Desiree Groenendal / Vosges Paris, Stefan Nilsson / Trend Stefan, Mary Middleton, Agata Dimmich / Passion Shake,  Francesca Russo / Design Diffusion, Me! Holly Becker / Decor8 and Ula Michalak / Interiors Design Blog. 

If you'd like to see more from the Blog Safari check out the film on DDN Video News (in Italian), a dedicated film of the blog safari and a film about the Fuorisalone Inhabits and Milan Design City in Piazza Castello.

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