2019 Colour Trend: Rust And Other Earthy Tones

I have just arrived back from a fun, yet massively intense few days in Germany, attending Domotex floor-covering fair and IMM Cologne. I caught up with a load of brands, met inspiring people from the world of interiors, chatted with bloggers and journalists and checked out the latest design news on the stands (cue biggest step count ever - bonus!). It was a great way to get the low down on what to expect in 2019 and it was the colours that really struck me. As always there are a fair few different directions, but the one I felt super excited about was the palette I'm going to refer to as 'Earth Year'!

Reflecting Nature
There's no denying the climate is changing at an alarming rate and we need to act, fast. Sustainability will continue to be a key focus in 2019 (thankfully!). This could be why we're looking to the 1970's for inspiration (it's the decade in which 'Earth day' was. born and homes were awash with earthy brown, rust, beige, harvest gold and greens. Yep, the trend colours for 2019 are all about nature and climate change - from rust (symbolising decay), terracotta (meaning 'baked earth'),  harvest gold (to reflect the sun), green (plants), and teal / blue (the oceans).  Nature also has a calming effect on our soul. In a world where we feel permanently connected and more than a little stressed, these gentle, earthy tones will help turn our home into a temple: creating a calm sanctuary in which to unwind.

Rust
Out of all the brown tones, rust seemed to be a firm favourite this year - it was everywhere at the fair - from velvet sofas and armchairs to table lamps and book shelves - this tone has hit the big time!

A touch of orange
As a throw-back to the 70's era, orange will most certainly pop up here and there. I have to say I've never been a fan, but when I see it in combination with rust and mustard yellow I could well be swayed, how about you?!

In the pink 
Every revival has a modern twist - and the dusty rose / dirty pink accent will continue to provide a pretty touch to interiors. As we've seen, it fits beautifully with the earthy browns - but also helps to soften the look. Go all out with a subtle tone on tone and you'll be bang on trend!

Feel the Teal
A new addition to the look, teal offers a fresh, spa-like feeling and helps to create a space where we can breathe thanks to it's gentle, nurturing tone.

Ocean blue

A mid-tone grey-blue is also in the mix. Whether in the form of paint (try Denim Drift by Dulux), accessories (the baby duvet below is called Ferm Living Moon*) or wallpaper (Raphael by Sandberg),  it offers a subtle retro vibe and is a fine match with rust, dusty pink and harvest gold. 

Finally, if you're feeling bold - you could throw in an electric blue. As mentioned in Friday's home tour, the 1990's is a rising trend - and you may remember (depending on your age!) there was a 70's revival in the 90's, so it all ties together!

What do you think? Are there any accents you're thinking of adding to your home. this year? Any shades you think will be big? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Niki

Credits: Jotun lady / Design Seeds / Unknown / Ferm Living / Ferm Living / Unknown / Dulux / Dulux / Ferm Living / Unknown / Ferm Living / Wunderblumen

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A Bright and Airy Portland Home in Sepia Tones

Gog morgon vännen! How was your weekend?! The official holiday month has started here in Sweden. Swedes everywhere are rushing off to summer cottages, mapping out road trips or simply wondering down to the nearest bathing desk in their dressing gown for a morgon dopp (morning dip!). We're currently in Varberg on Sweden's West coast (a bit of a surfer's spot) and I'm enjoying an hour's respite from my family (eeek, is that mean?! I do love them really, it's just that, you know, school holidays and all that...!). I thought I'd take an hour, pour myself a coffee and we could virtually transport ourselves to Portland Oregon and the home of assistant interior, prop stylist and interior designer Ezz Wilson, what do ya think?! Recently featured in Rue Magazine, Ezz's bright and airy home is delightfully sepia (cue: white with touches of tan, rust and ochre) with natural textures throughout. I caught up with Ezz to find out more about it!

Can you tell us a little about the history of the house? 

The house is a 100-year-old, former farmhouse that was turned into a multi-family building, and then back into a house, and then humbly patched and slap-dashed together before we moved in. So, needless to say, the layout is somewhat wonky! So much so that we almost didn't get the house. But it felt so cozy and charming that we decided to adapt to the layout as best we could. But there are days when you find a hidden chimney stack in the TV room wall or a mysterious doorway outline appears in the bedroom wall as the foundation settles over time and the drywall cracks and you think to yourself, "What on earth??" The size of the house is about 1500 square feet.

Stockholm 2017 chair, Chemex coffee maker*,  round basket bag*, The Scandinavian Home (so happy to spot this on Ezz's coffee table!). 

How would you describe your colour scheme?

Lots of whites, creams, and wood tones, but lately I'm adding some earthy colors like terracotta, rust, warm blush and ochre. I think that's about as wild as it's gonna get at my house! 

Kitchen from IKEA.

Peacock rattan headboard*, Natural and white striped pillow covers*, Tulip side-table* 

What inspires you?

I grew up in a sunny climate in the U.S., in a Puerto Rican family, and was heavily influenced by the Mediterranean and Caribbean, although I didn't care for those styles as a kid. If you told me that when I grew up, my house would end up full of rattan and wicker, I probably would've cried! When I was 19, I moved to Sweden for about six months, and I think that must have influenced my love for Scandinavian design as well. 

For a long time, I've felt that my style was the love child between a serene Swedish minimalist and a bohemian, beach-loving Spaniard, even though I wasn't sure how to execute that combination at first. But I finally narrowed in on what I really wanted this home to look and feel like. I need lots of white, calm and clean lines in my home to feel relaxed and clear-headed. Yet, I also need plenty of warmth, natural fibers and folky 70s vibes to get me through the long, dark winters of Portland and help me feel more connected to my roots and culture. 

I'm also very inspired by the design coming out of Byron Bay, Australia, as well as French magazines such as Maison Cote Sud, Toc Toc Toc Editions and Milk Decoration!

You have some beautiful pieces in your home, where do you shop?
I've found a lot of great pieces through my local thrift stores, Craigslist, World Market, Urban Outfitters and Target. I also love the following ethically minded companies: Fine Life Co - a beautifully curated shop in Arizona that mostly sells ethically made clothing but has some lovely ceramics too (and the shop owner Emily Benziger has a gorgeous home!), Bohemia Designs for Moroccan straw bags, stools etc and Bea Linen* for linen sheets.

Can you recommend three inspiring Instagram account 'must follows'?!

@audreyrivet, @bohemegoods, @taylorsterling. 

The loft space has been painted in the faintest hint of pink which goes beautifully with the rust coloured cushions!

Thank you so much for inviting us into your lovely home Ezz! 

If you'd like to see more pictures, check out Ezz's instagram feed and also issue 50 of Rue Magazine, for the full write-up! 

And for more 'sepia' home inspiration today I'm loving this cosy weatherboard cottage, white and warm brown tones in a lovely Swedish home and a soothing white and caramel home. 

I'm curious, is this your kind of scheme, or do you need more colour? 

Due to the (aforementioned) holiday here in Sweden my blogging is going minimalist and I'll be stopping in every other day instead of everyday (I hope that's OK?!). 

 Have a wonderful couple of days and see you Wednesday!

Niki

Photogtaphy by Chris Dibble for Rue magazine except pictures 4, 9 and 14 (taken by Ezz Wilson). 

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Candles and Stars in A Cosy Swedish Home at Christmas

There are some homes which I find I come back to time and time again, simply because they are unique and utterly inspiring! This lovely one in Bagarmossen, Sweden is one of them! I have featured Janniche Kristoffersen's beautiful green and home before, but I couldn't resist sharing a few more with all the cosiness that December brings.  Janniche's 'barely-there' festive touches perfectly blend with the green, caramel, rust and off-white backdrop and there are plenty of non-christmassy ideas to steal too!

IVAR cupboards from IKEA. RAR rocker. Cushion in Water Lilies fabric by Fine Little Day.

"I actually don't decorate every room, but there are some things I always use. The paper stars are important, adding some light to the dark Nordic days, other than that I use a string of fairy lights to add some more light to shelves and around windows. I also love to decorate with flowers, mainly amaryllis but also branches with red berries etc. I also dry orange slices in the oven and make garlands. Nice and a very easy thing to do!" 
 - Janniche Kristoffersen. 

Woodburning stove from Morso, Snöblomma light from Watt & Veke.

Bedroom wall painted in Caramel by Alcro  Crinkle Throw* by Hay. Natural linen curtains*. Bistro chair*, paper star and lights from Granit. 

5 Festive Traditions In Janniche's Home

Baking - We bake a lot of things: Lussebullar (Saint Lucia saffron buns), ginger bread, saffron biscotti and different types of fudge. The kids love it!

Adventsfika - Our weekends are fully booked up until Christmas eating our home-baked goodies with friends at home.

Decorating the Christmas tree - With the children

Visiting the Christmas market at Skansen - It's such a lovely place to get in the Christmas spirit. I just wish for some more snow to add a little more magic!

Celebrating Christmas Eve - We visit our family in Norway or Piteå, Sweden to celebrate Christmas Eve, so this is our main chance to enjoy a white Christmas :).

I love the sound of all of these traditions, it almost makes me want too go home and start baking!

If you'd like to see more of Janniche's home, check out her fantastic blog bloggaibagis and instagram @bloggaibagis.

What traditions do you enjoy?

Other Swedish homes to brighten up the start of the week: peach and rust tones in an elegant Norwegian home, a free-spirited Swedish family home on an island and a charming German home with three mischievous cats!

Great if you can help me out a little - is there anything you'd like to see more or less of in the run up to Christmas? Looking for any particular round-ups? If so, give me a shout below and I'll see what I can do!

Have a wonderful start to the week!

Niki

Photography: all pictures by Janniche Kristoffersen except number 8 by David Jerner and Emma Wallmén for Granit. 

Affiliate links marked with *

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My bedroom make-over in detail

I hope you had a great weekend?! Thank you so much for all your kind words about my bedroom make-over (feeling the love guys, feeling the love!). I promised to come back with info about all the items yesterday and then my family and I took an impromptu trip out to the forest to chop down our Christmas tree which was soooo fun but also meant I completely ran out of time! So, a little late, but here it is.....

The accent wall is painted in Jotun Lady Pure 'Blushing Peach' which I think makes the room feel so cosy, and warmer too (something of a necessity in the Swedish winter!!). It also makes a great backdrop for deep rust and chestnut hues as well as lighter off-white / wheat tones - thank you so much to My Scandinavian Home interior designer / stylist Gen for finding this colour for us! The big 'ole waffle throw is from Granit.

I love a big old fluffy bed with tonnes of pillows, cushions and throws, it makes it look so much more inviting don't you think?! The white pillow case is from John Lewis, the off-white linen pillow is part of a bed set from H&M Home and the dark rust from Granit.

We were looking for prints with a relatively calm feel.  I'm so happy with the limited edition New Form 4 print by Riikka Kantinkoski and Noon print by Kristina Krogh from the The Poster Club. The bedside lamp was handmade by someone in the UK years and years ago, and sadly (as far as I'm aware) is no longer made.

When we moved in, we couldn't find shelves to span the height of the four metre wall that would also hold a load of heavy objects. In the end my husband designed and built the shelves himself! If you look closely there are support brackets on the back and side wall for each shelf and then they are also suspended on a strong wire which runs from floor to ceiling. If you've got any questions about it just give me a shout (the man's super proud of them so he loves to help anyone looking to do the same!).

The four metre long Washed white linen curtains were made-to-measure by small, independent online shop notPERFECTLINEN. These guys also made the curtains in my window nook and are so wonderful to work with (they ship worldwide too!).

The pendant over the bed is the Feriel drop light by Paris Au Mois D'août - it really pulled the whole look together. I absolutely love it (and it's as light as a feather too). 

Here's a complete run down of all the items for you...

GET THE LOOK

1. Granit Maroon Linen Cushion
2. Nordal Candle holder
3. The Poster Club Noon print by Kristina Krogh
4. Jotun  Blushing peach 20047
5. Granit Waffled Maroon Bedspread
6. NordicWoolCompany Gotland sheepskin
7. Paris au mois d'août Feriel drop light
8. Bemz Loose Fit Urban unbleached linen Bedspread and Bemz Loose Fit Urban Bed Skirt 
9. The Poster Club New Form 4 print by Riikka Kantinkoski
10. notPERFECTLINEN Washed white linen curtains
11. Ikea Söderhamn armchair - covered with Bemz Loose Fit Urban Armchair cover


If I've missed anything - give me a shout below and I'll be happy to advise! I hope you like the make-over as much as we do!

Have a great start to the week!

Photography / Production: Niki Brantmark - My Scandinavian home. Interior design / styling - Genevieve Jorn.

Some of the items were generously gifted from companies across Europe - thank you! 
This post contains affiliate links.

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Chestnut Tones In A Delightful Swedish Family Home

This picture was actually taken in Petra's parent's home in Gotland. They share the same love of rust and chestnut hues!

Happy Friday guys - we made it! Did anyone else find that there simply weren't enough hours in the day this week? I've had so much going on that my youngest actually asked "Mummy, are you listening or are you dreaming of unicorns again?" Ha! I think this is why I was so happy to discover Petra Gardefjord's refreshing portrayal of family life in Sundbyberg, Stockholm. Petra juggles being a Mamma to three adorable bairns (along with her husband), running Betón™, a brick and mortar and online shop and curating The Blóg where she shares business tips. On instagram Petra shares compelling daily snapshots of life at home - complete with toy-strewn floors, nappy lights and delightful lazy saturday mornings  - set against a backdrop of beautiful design. Such perfectly imperfect inspiration for the weekend! 

Print by Ulrika Nihlén, Rug from Swedish Rags  , Tiptoe design table.

Shibui Nursery Mobile

Petra picked up this pair of chairs for 20 quid in a flea market - such a find! 

Print by Ulrika Nihlén, midnatt duvet cover

Rabbit with small hat poster, blanket from Mimmi Staaf

Off white double dot blanket*, Palm cushion* (how cute is that?!)

Artek chairs*, Muuto dot hooks*, Pinocchio

In search of the perfect shoes for her toddler, Petra started to design and sew moccasins back in 2013 - and found the ultimate footware in the process. Today Betón stocks eco friendly moccasins and accessories for babies and toddlers as well as other unique items for women.

How lovely! I love the rust, chestnut and white colour palette - it's given me so much inspiration for my home. I hope Petra's charming apartment has inspired you too!

I'm thinking a visit to her shop is also in order - fingers crossed I find myself in Stockholm soon! How nice would it be to have a pair of those moccasins?

A little more family home inspiration to complete the week: all things bright and beautiful in a pared-back family home in Singapore, a striking and relaxed family home in Malmö, a lovely light-filled Swedish home.

Speaking of families, it's my daughter's 10th birthday today (can you believe it?!) so we've got lots of people coming over in a few hours time to celebrate. Hurry! And then maybe we'll unwind a little on our sail boat tomorrow - aaaa, nice!

 I hope you've got some fun plans too!

Trevlig helg!

Niki

Photography: Petra Gardefjord

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