My Scandinavian Home - 2015 round-up

Thank you so much for all your wonderful support this year. I've loved reading your comments on here, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter and Facebook. It's been a very special year for My Scandinavian Home. Last December I finally took the plunge and left the corporate world after 14 years to focus on My Scandinavian Home. And what a year it's been! Here's a round-up of 2015:

 Top ten home tours of the year*:

A light-filled family home in Sweden

A fabulous home in Fontainbleu France

A fabulous Swedish apartment

The mid-century LA home of Jessica De Ruiter

The colourful Dutch home

Black and navy in an elegant Swedish home

A beautiful Norwegian home in summer time

An incredibly cosy Finnish home

The calm Finnish home of Anna Pirkola

A Swedish apartment on the dark side of life

 *based on number of pageviews. Click on text under each picture for the full tour and credits.

Did you have a favourite?!

Last year I became a recognised 'Pinfluencer' by Pinterest (needless to say I have a slight Pinterest addiction!), it seems you may have too since some pins received over 400 repins! Here's a round-up of the....

Top five Pinterest pins of 2015:

From post: simple yet beautiful Christmas decorations

Anon. Can anyone kindly supply the credit for this beautiful picture?

From the post - Pretty Danish Christmas inspiration

Swedish Semmeltårta

Anon. If you know the credit for this please let me know so I can update this post!

Loving that the cake is in there!!

In January I started using Instagram (so late to the party I know!). In that time I've gained 24,500 new friends, thank you for making it so much fun!

Top five instagram pictures of the year:

Log cabin in the snow 
A bed next to a roaring log fire
A cabin in the Faroe Islands
A Norwegian cabin on an island
My sitting room

It seems you love your cosy log cabins?!

This December I finally received the first copy of my book: Modern Pastoral (out in Feb, 2016). Publishing my first book has been a dream come true, thanks you for all your tremendous support - and to my publisher CICO Books!

And finally, I owe the biggest amount of gratitude to all the photographers, stylists, designers, architects, and other creatives out there (please take time to look through the credits under the last image in each post) who generously give me permission to share their work and also to my fabulous sponsors who make My Scandinavian Home possible.

This year has been exhilarating, terrifying, thrilling, challenging, exhausting and above all inspirational. I wouldn't change a single moment of it!

I'd love to here about your year too in the comment section below.  

Back later with a final 'Merry Christmas' post! Until then....thank you.

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A Finnish home in a converted factory

It's the weekend - woooop! But before we hit the Friday night bars and restaurants (or take-away and telly?!) - I wanted to squeeze in one more wonderful home tour. 'Projekti Verkaranta' - or for the non speaking Finnish out there - 'Project Verkaranta' documents the transformation of an old factory into a wonderful family home. Jutta K, an upcoming designer, and self-professed lover of details, simple design and passionate 'do-it-yourselfer' has created a family home packed with DIY ideas (the daybed! the rail!), fabulous monochrome spaces (that kitchen) and cosy quarters. Let's take a tour...

Images 1,2,4 and 6: Photography Suvi Kesäläinen Styling Riika Siuluoto for Avotakka. Other photography: Jutta K

What an incredible space! I do love old industrial buildings - they always have the most wonderful natural light. And that kitchen is perfection, don't you think? I also spy a Saana ja Olli cushion (one of my favourite Finnish designs!).

Is there anything that stands out to you about this home?

More fabulous factory conversions here (scroll passed this one). And twenty-seven Finnish home tours to be discovered here (as before...).

Are you up to anything fun this weekend? I'm tempted to go out mushroom picking in the forest again in order to make these oh so yummy slices of home comfort! Perfect autumn nosh. That and celebrating the news that My Scandinavian Home has been shortlisted for 'Best European Interiors Blog' in the Amara Interior Blog Awards!- Thank you so much to everyone who voted for me (and to homeware brand Amara) - you're wonderful!! I'm thrilled!

Have a great start to the weekend!

PS Back tomorrow with a few pictures of a new addition in my home...

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Ilkka's Charming Rural Retreat In Finland

Hei! How are you today? Feel like getting away from it all? Today, I'm whisking you off to rural Finland and the charming bolthole of interior architect Ilkka Mälkiäinen. Acquired 12 years ago as a weekend escape from Helsinki, Ilkka and Janne have carefully renovated the country home to bring it back to its former glory. Think high ceilings, beautiful wood floors and rooms painted in deep charcoal and steel grey. Today, the home is a goldmine of Finnish antiques and vintage finds and packed with charm. Welcome to Ilkka and Janne's age-old country retreat! 

How beautiful! I love the relaxed, eclectic feel of the home. 

Did you have a favourite room? I've always had a real weakness for romantic style bathrooms. Imagine locking up your city apartment, coming out here to the quiet of the countryside and running a candlelit bath. Heaven! 

This takes me back to the day I captured a home for The Scandinavian Home deep in the heart of the Finnish countryside. And there was a moose grazing in the meadows beside the house. 

I've been wanting to return ever since - something for next summer perhaps? Have you ever been to Finland?

If you're after a little more Finnish dreaming today, here are a few other homes to love: 

A warm, modern Finnish home with a touch if the Med

Suvi's modern home on Finland's West coast

A Finnish home in a converted factory

Have a cosy day! 

Credits: Krista Keltanen / Jonna Kivilahti - shared with kind permission

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Step Inside Maiju's Delightful Home in Vaasa, Finland

I once visited Helsinki in November and was greeted with a sign that said "Nobody in their right mind would come to Helsinki in November. Except you, you badass. Welcome". It's since been hailed as one of the greatest tourism posters ever made! With temperatures hovering around 3 - 4 degrees Celsius in Helsinki this week, they certainly have a point. But there's also a certain beauty to Finland in wintertime, especially if you travel a little further afield. Maiju Saha, husband Janne and three children Paavo (12), Aina (7) and Theo (3) moved to a house in Vaasa on the south west coast of Finland two years ago. Dating back to 1941, Maiju has transformed the house into a beautiful oasis with deep green, blue and grey accents, while ensuring the original features remain intact. The result is a calm, cosy home and a perfect base from which to explore the city, nearby Kvarken archipelago and forests as well as experience the Northern Lights! 

I love this window nook; it looks so cosy and is a great way to capitalise on extra space so that the dining area doesn't take up too much space. The beautiful lamp over the table is a le Klint. 

Maiju designed the kitchen herself and got it built by a local carpenter. The cabinets have been painted in NCS S7005-G20Y and the walls in Tikkurila 'Merino'. 

The dining area has been painted in Jotun 'Tidløs'. The table is from Finnish firm Peltola Oy and the chairs are a mix of Ton Banana chairs and the Nattavaara chair from Jotex (which only appear to be available in black now). 

But my eyes are on that daybed (which Maiju built herself) - what a perfect little spot to chill! 

Source a similar vintage rattan side table here* (I love this plant stand* but since it's vintage, there's only one. Hurry if you're keen!)

Maiju has painted the living room in Farrow & Ball 'Old White' and used neutral accents and a large rattan rug (this one is similar) which adds a load of depth and texture to the space. 

The pretty wallpaper in the stairwell is Arbutus Woad 7 Russet by William Morris. 

If you are as taken by Maiju's lovely home as much as I am,  you might want to follow her delightful instagram @maiju_saw and blog Maiju Saw. Her DIY and ikea hacks are great (can you spot the ikea hack in this tour? You'll find the answer and step by step here - it's translated into English at the bottom of the post). 

It'd be rude not to share a few other Finnish home tours with you today:

A Finnish home in a converted factory

An inspiring Finnish home with a surprise element!

A beautifully simple cabin on an island in Finland

This post has really got me in the mood for a trip to Finland, I hope an opportunity crops up soon! Have you ever been? 

Hauskaa päivan jatkoa! (I hope this means 'have a nice day' in Finnish!). 

Niki

Photography: Maiju Saha, shared with kind permission

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