Turn Your Outdoor Space Into a Cosy Haven This Autumn / Winter

Studio Joanna Laajisto

Baby, it's cold outside. At least in Sweden! Usually, this would be a cue to move indoors, but there's nothing normal about 2020, right? This autumn it's all about catching up with close friends and family al fresco. Which means it's time to up the backyard / balcony ante! The good news is, the Scandinavians have been pros at this for years. Visit a café or restaurant in Sweden, Denmark and Norway, and you'll find every chair in the outdoor area has been prepped with a fleece blanket. And they don't stop there. Sheepskins, outdoors rugs, string lights, lanterns, candles and fire pits are all pre-requisites to a cosy evening al fresco - no matter the weather! I started to up my backyard game a few weeks back, but I've realised there's a whole lot more I can do. Are you also looking to turn your outdoor space into a cosy haven? Here's a little inspiration to get you started.

Apartment Therapy

Early Autumn nights call for candles, lanterns, a beautiful set of string lights and maybe even the warmth of an open flame. All this, not only to illuminate your outdoor space but also to create a relaxing ambience and the kind of comfort we crave right now! 

Designen Wonen

Dyke and Dean

Andreas Mikkel Hansen

Entrance Makleri

Bon Traveller

Bon Traveller

Fresh Exchange

The Spoiled Home

The Spoiled Home

Lastly, round up some extra chunky blankets and put them within easy reach for you and your guests to grab. You can never have too many! 

Deavita

Just add woolly jumpers, a hat and a steaming mug of glögg and you're all good to go! 

What are your plans for staying connected this Autumn (or Spring if you're in the southern hemisphere)? 

I'm thinking lots of Zoom calls, but we also might just fire up the barbecue this weekend for halloween!

Niki

Thank you so much to Ana Degenaar for helping to collateral the lovely pictures for this blog post! 

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A Charming Swedish Home With Pops Of Golden

I've just arrived in London for my book launch as well as a very exciting collaboration with new Scandi homeware brand Eërtmug (if you're in town try to get down to the pop-up shop in Shoreditch on Saturday where you can pick up beauties like these - with all proceeds going to Centrepoint!). Miraculously it's going to be beautifully sunny all weekend (how's that for a warm reception?!) and it's the same in Sweden too. Even so - don't you find there's a distinct crispness in the air? Today, I'm taking inspiration from this lovely Swedish home which embraces the fiery colours of autumn. Think  tones of cinnamon, golden brown and mustard yellow mixed with olive green and a hint of yellow.

Credit Fantastic Frank / stylist - Ida Lauga

So cosy!

I love how the autumn sunshine pours in through the double balcony doors. I can just imagine drinking a coffee and reading all day in those warm pools of light!

Is there anything that captures your imagination?

Get the look: Dining - Series 7 chairs. Sitting room -  this bar cart is similar, pick up a mid-century mustard yellow chair here. Bedroom - blue linen duvet cover and pillow cases (I have the same in my bedroom and it's such a cosy colour for this time of the year!).

Other homes with autumn touches include a dreamy estate in Australia, a beautiful Swedish home with beautiful autumn touches, and a lovely small Swedish space.

And that's it from me this week! If you're curious about my London adventures follow along over on Instagram Stories!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend - and see you Monday!

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My Autumn Bedroom Make-over with an IKEA hack

Paid partnership with Bemz which includes affiliate links, all words are my own*

Hejsan! I'm curious: are you a fan of change? I love change and find that surrounding myself with a new environment always gives me new energy (Per's actually the opposite, which can be, shall we say interesting!). I often make small changes at home, but with Autumn looming (dare I say it!) I felt it was time for something bigger!

As pretty as it was, I've grown tired of the 'blushing peach' wall in the bedroom and felt it was time to change up our bedroom to give it a fresh lease of life. Per and I applied lime paint to the walls a few weeks ago, and I've since been layering the room with new pieces as well as beautiful textiles from Bemz (the Swedish brand makes luxurious designer textile covers, cushions and other accessories for IKEA furniture and I've been a fan ever since my sitting room make-over way back in 2017!). So, what 's changed in the bedroom? Here's the low down: 

Overall look

To me, a bedroom should have a wonderful element of calm. It should be somewhere that's easy to switch off - and also somewhere heavenly to wake up. I consulted with the MSH interior designer Helen - and we decided to go for soothing tones of white and soft beige as well as cosy Autumnal tones of cocoa, acorn and rosemary. So pretty together! 

I've also added a new mirror (we've never had a full body one so maybe I'll no longer look like I've been getting dressed in the dark!), various vases and a reading lamp (all Ferm Living)! 

Let's get started with the bigger pieces: 

Headboard

As you may have noticed, we've never had a headboard before. To be honest, I always thought it was impossible with the window. But I was keen to give it a go as I knew it would make our bed feel so much more sumptuous and 'grown-up'(!) come Autumn! 

This one is the STAVANGER / BORÖY headboard from IKEA which is perfect as it just slots between the bed and the wall leans. I then added a Bemz universal headboard cover which comes in different widths and a choice of 130+ fabrics, and it just slides on over the top of any headboard. How crazy is that? See the end of the post for details on discount and samples.

I chose a new linen fabric which launches this Autumn (more info to follow!),  however, there are a couple of other beautiful white linen fabrics available. 

Side note: the windowsill has always doubled up really nicely as a shelf for books, plants, my Anse vase and morning coffee  - and admittedly a whole host of other things like batteries, receipts etc *rolls eyes!*.  

The bed skirt

Are you a fan of bed skirts? Once considered twee and a little OTT (I am still scarred by some of the floral ones I witnessed in the eighties!), bed skirts have totally come into their own in recent years, have you found the same? 

I love them as they hide a multitude of sins under the bed including unsightly bed bases, storage and that ghostly black gap (hands up anyone who's ever checked under their bed before going to sleep). Plus, they add a wonderful element of calm to the room. 

My new one is the Boxpleat, Rosendahl Pure Washed Linen, Absolute White. It's so pretty - and has a lovely, relaxed feel about it. 

Bedspread

I love a throw. They make a bed look so much neater when made. This is the Loose Fit, Brera Lino by Designers Guild, Natural which has beautiful seams (if you're thinking of getting this, go big. My bed is 180 cm x 200 cm and I opted for the 240 cm x 240 cm one). 

I love the subtle contrast with the white bed skirt too. What do you reckon? 

Cushions

I'm not sure how these cushions slipped through the net (Per banned me from buying more for the house sometime a go) - but I'm so glad they did! I always think Cushions are a perfect way to add accent colours (this time I went for Autumn vibes in acorn, cocoa and rosemary)- and also to snuggle up against for some cosy bedtime reading. 

I picked out four larger cushions to lean against the headboard (size 60 x 80 cm) and then smaller ones to pile on (50 x 50 cm).  

Armchair

A bedroom wouldn't be complete without a 'chairobe' (your entire wardrobe of clothes waiting on a chair to be put away or worn...!), guilty of this? I am! 

We've had an IKEA Söderhamn armchair in our bedroom for donkeys, and I was keen to cover it in a retro bouclé, tweed or teddy from the new Bemz Tactile Collection. You'll most likely have spotted the trend for textured fabrics over the past 12 months and now we can all update our existing IKEA sofas and armchairs! Liking that a lot! 

I chose the Söderhamn Armchair cover regular fit, Boucle, ivory. All I need now, is a pile of books and a candle and I'm good to go! 

And that's it! 

I hope you like our new bedroom as much as Per and I do!

If you've got questions about anything you've seen just give me a shout and I'll be happy to help. I'll likely do a follow-up post highlighting the details soon (just in case you're curious about the vases, lamp, print etc!). 

If you're interested in buying a Bemz cover, I'd advise ordering samples first so that you can test out the colours and fabrics at home (it can be hard to tell online). 

Right guys, that's it from me. Wishing you all a lovely day! 

I'm tempted to go back to bed now, what do you think? 

Niki

Photography; Niki Brantmark

Styling: Helen Sturesson

This post is brought to you in paid collaboration with Bemz and contains affiliate links. However, all words are my own and I only ever work with brands I absolutely love and think you will too (#Ilovemyjob!). Thank you for supporting the businesses that help bring fresh content to your mail box and make My Scandinavian Home possible.

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Before and After: A Victorian House Becomes a Warm and Cosy Home

Autumn always makes me feel really nostalgic. I think it's the crispness in the air which reminds me of going back to school after the summer holidays, collecting conkers in the wood behind our house and kicking leaves on the way home. It also reminds me of running onto a frosty hockey pitch in my PE kit (shorts and and a very airy t-shirt - i.e. not designed for the weather). 

It was this mostly romantic train of thought which led me to today's home - Harnham House in Salisbury, Wiltshire UK. Dating back to 1880, Hannah and her partner Ollie moved into the Victorian property in spring 2018. Previously a rental, the house was in fairly good condition but still required a lot of work. Hannah and Ollie set about renovating the space, taking four years to transform it into a warm and cosy home. Ready to see the before and after pictures? 

Kitchen before 

The kitchen needed to be completely gutted.

Kitchen after

Hannah and Ollie installed a kitchen from DIY kitchens. Open shelving on the back wall helps to create a relaxed feel, while a rail from DeVOL makes space for utensils. 

The walls have been painted in Pure Brilliant White from Dulux. 

Dining area before

The Victorian features such as a brick fireplace had been covered up under layers of plaster. Hannah and Ollie peeled back the layers before painting the chimney breast white. 

Dining area after

The original wood floor was given a new lease of life, and an efficient woodburning stove was added to the fireplace.  The recessed walls on either side of the fire have made a great place for storing firewood and table linen as well as other pieces. 

The walls in the recess have been painted a subtle 'blanc de blanc' by Valspar paint.

Stairs and hall before

The hall floor and staircase were peeled back to the bare bones. 

Stairs and hall after

Beautiful wood panelling with a built-in shelf (painted in Lick green 01) was added to the hallway. Beneath, a bench and shelving make space for shoes, accessories and other items. 

The stairs were given a white lick of paint, leaving a central strip of exposed wood for the tread. Meanwhile, a snoozing dog guards the foot of the stairs, while Hannah and Ollie sleep. 

Meanwhile, the family cat has bagged the guest room (in true feline style!). I don't blame her, it does look like a lovely, calm place for some shut eye! The walls have been painted in Dulux 2510G90Y, which makes a great backdrop for vintage and antique furniture. 

What a beautiful transformation! 

Everything looks so warm and cosy. I can imagine it really comes into its own in Autumn time! 

Did you spot the cat? 

I'd love to hear your thoughts - do share below. And also, do you feel extra nostalgic in autumn? If so, what kind of memories does this season conjure up for you? 

See more Hannah's home over at @hanhamhouse (they still have some rooms left to renovate). 

Would you like to see a fee more British homes today? 

A dreamy cottage to rent in South East England

Jessica's autumnal bedroom

12 budget friendly ways to transform your sitting room into a cosy oasis this winter

This cabin isn't in England, but it popped up in my feed earlier and it's so worth re-visiting: 

The soot house 

On an entirely different note, and in view of 'candle season' being upon us, Per was at a seminar held by the Swedish fire brigade yesterday.  based on all they have witnessed and various studies, they advised having a smoke detector in every room in the house including all the bedrooms. In addition, they said a fire extinguisher in the kitchen is essential - do you have this in your home? Apparently, IKEA have inexpensive, yet good smoke detectors). I also have my eye on a nexa or solskiden fire extinguisher (hey, who said an extinguisher can't be beautiful?). Stay safe friends. 

I'll be back on Friday to share an autumn update in my sitting room - I hope you're going to like it!  

Niki

Photography: @hanhamhouse shared with kind permission. 

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12 Budget Friendly Ways To Transform Your Living Room Into a Cosy Winter Haven!

Are you starting to feel the winter chill? Here in Malmö, the temperatures are hovering around a very chilly zero degrees Celsius. BRRRRR! I heard somewhere that like flowers, people bloom at different times. My friend from Greenland comes into her own at this time of the year, while I've always been a summer person. When do you bloom?  Winter not your season either? Don't worry, there's so much we can do to brighten up the season and make our homes as toasty as possible. And it's all in the detail! Jeska Hearne of Lobster & Swan is one step ahead. The Sussex based photographer, stylist and online store owner has transformed her living room into a cosy winter haven. I spotted 11 very cosy, yet very simple and budget friendly ideas to steal. It's time to batten does the hatches and snuggle up, friends. 

1. Blankets in a basket: if there's one thing I've learned from living in Sweden, it's to always have blankets on standby! Walk around town and you'll spot fleece blankets draped over the backs of bistro chairs and just like in Jeska's home - a wicker basket full of blanket in the sitting room! 

2. Bring out the sheepskins: drape them over chairs or benches or use them on the floor as extra rugs! Haven't got one? Pick up a bundle of fluffiness here*.  

3. Throw in some extra cushions (preferably in warm autumn colours): Just so that you can really hunker down! 

4. Layer it up! One of your sofa's not so pretty? Or perhaps it's just not soft enough? Pick up some super soft fabric (you can buy linen by the metre here*) and chuck it over your least favourite sofa or chair and it might just become your favourite! 

5. Put logs on the fire! Nothing says hygge like a crackling log fire. But hang on, what happens if your fireplace isn't in working order? Simply fill it with pillar candles in all different sizes. No fireplace at all? Join the club - bah! - and light candles on every surface instead. So cosy, so very Scandi hygge! 

6. Double up on lamps! Hey, it's a dark time of year, there's nothing more frustrating than not being able to see passed your hand! Rather than going for high voltage over head lighting, do as our Nordic friends (and Jeska!) and dot extra lower level, indirect lighting around for a soft, warm glow. 

7. Bring the outside in: think about activities you love to do in the wild - like shell-seeking on windswept beaches or hiking through silent forests and bring home relics which instantly take you back. Just looking at them will make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside! 

8. Light 'feel good' incense': tap into all your senses - including smell! Have you noticed just how far home fragrances have come? The Autumn / winter ones are some of my favourites (I'm looking at you HYGGE candle and Eir natural incense). 

9. Lanterns that glow: this year I've been loving my oil lamps (there's one in Jeska's living room lurking just behind the arm of the sofa!), they last way longer than candles (you just need some lighter fuel handy) - plus you can change the amount of glow according to your mood! Pick up a vintage one here*, or invest in a Klong - it'll last you a lifetime! 

10. Bring in a touch of the forest: wood immediately adds warmth - even more so if the surface is rich with patina. A low table made from a tree stump like the one in Jeska's home is like warmth on a stick (or three sticks in this case!). 

11. Hot drinks all round: tea, coffee, hot chocolate, Irish whisky - a cup of something warm and delicious at your fingertips is never wrong I winter! 

12. A touch from the garden: the last leaves maybe about to fall, but there's beauty in decay too! Bring in some branches from your backyard or the ground of your local park and place them in a vase or hang them from the ceiling for instant cosiness!

Don't even get me started on the floor! But I did say 'instant' cosiness so let's just sit back and admire it for a few moments and move on! 

What do you reckon? Did you get any new ideas for your own sitting room? Perhaps you've got some tips of your own to add in the comment section below? (FYI I've been experiencing a few problems with comments disappearing over the last few days and working hard to fix this asap. Sorry for any inconvenience!).  

Or perhaps you just want to pop round to Jeska's and curl up on her sofa for a while (you might just find me there too!). 

As with all spaces in Jeska's home (check out her bathroom - such an incredible before and after transformation! - handmade kitchen and bedroom in autumn colours), there are so many other beautiful details to feel inspired by. I particularly like her sofa (from sofa.com), lamp from Olive and the Fox, Flower print by Lucy Auge Art and Invest print by Jai Bess. 

Here are a few other cosy ideas you might like: 

11 inspiring autumn updates to steal from a hyggelige Danish home

5 ways to cosy up your home this winter

5 simple ways to create a cosy corner

Perhaps we'll all become winter fiends after all! 

Niki

Photography: Dean & Jeska Hearne / Lobster & Swan shared with kind permission

* Affiliate links

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