Favourite Right Now: The African Basket Gallery Wall

There's been so much talk about rattan on here lately that I've neglected to mention another rustic bohemian item that's been rocking the home world over the past few years: African baskets. From kitchens and sitting rooms to staircases and bedrooms, these beautiful decorative handwoven pieces are giving traditional 'print' gallery walls a run for their money and adding plenty of warmth and texture to boot! Here's a round-up of some of my favourites.

There are tonnes of different types of African baskets. Binga baskets from Zimbabwe tend to be popular for walls due to their flatter shape and light weight, but there are many other beautiful handwoven designs which make beautiful decorative pieces too. They're widely available online - I like The Basket Room, Paulski Art* and Sekai baskets* (the latter sells baskets in sets which are great for gallery walls!).

To hang them, all you need to do is thread some multi-purpose fishing line through the centre of the basket, creating a loop at the back. Baskets tend to be fairly lightweight so a small tack / nail should be enough to bear the weight. Some people also nail baskets directly to the wall using a slightly longer nail, but be aware this will damage the basket in some way. 

1.  Anna Malmberg (see the full home tour of her lovely, natural home here) 2. Avenue Design Studio (see the rest of  Holly's sitting room here) 3. The Design Files 4. Can anyone help with the credits for this wonderful pic?!  5. Simply Chi Vintage 6. I'd love to know the credits for this picture too! 7. Chicville USA 7. Madam Stoltz 8. Couleur Locale 

What do you think? Could you imagine creating a basket gallery wall in your home?

I think they make a great addition to prints and paintings!

I'll be back tomorrow with a very exciting home tour! See you then!

Niki 

*contain affiliate links

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Before and After: Our Laundry Room Make-over

Paid partnership with Elfa, all words and pictures are my own and I only ever work with brands I love and think you will too. 

Do you have a neglected room in your home? Despite living in our house for almost fifteen years (wow, has it been that long?), we've never touched our laundry room (except of course, to do our laundry!). 

It's situated on the middle floor beside the bathroom and bedrooms and is a small, windowless room - even so it's an absolute godsend!

At the beginning of the year, I declared that this would be the year we'd finally organise our home, and so far, we've created a new wardrobe and sorted Allie's bedroom. And now it's time to give our laundry room some tender loving care, with a little help from Elfa, who make super smart storage solutions. 

Here's how we transformed the room from an unloved space to a fresh, beautifully smelling and practical laundry room. 

Before 

'Don't air your dirty laundry in public' - so the saying goes. Thankfully, everything in these pictures is clean. Even so, it doesn't make it any less embarrassing! 

A narrow space, our laundry room has bright blue tiles on the floor, a row of simple hooks along the wall, and a drying rack hanging from the ceiling. The latter was probably our biggest bug bear as it swings around when you try to hang clothes on it, and Per constantly bangs his head on it while ironing his shirts. 

Stowed against the wall, the ironing board (which is desperately in need of a new cover - cringe!) often slides down in the night making an alarming clang.

On the opposite side is the washer and dryer as well as shelves where we keep bedlinen and towels (and the odd rogue item such as er, sunhats!). There's also a handy sink and cupboards which we rarely use as they're quite hard to get to beside the hanging dryer. 

OK, embarrassing moment over. Time for the fun bit: the transformation!

The plan

Wall mounted storage

In a small space like this, wall mounted, flexible storage is key. Elfa helped to design this highly functional formation for us.  The beauty of this system is that it's centred around wall hung tracks to which you can click-in all kinds of units and accessories such as shelves, drawers, hooks etc. You can also add to the arrangement over time. 

The wide section on the left is for two wall mounted clothes dryers and on the right, we'll have space for wall mounted shelves and hooks. 

We actually opted for one central bar in the end - but if you're inspired to do something similar and would like to make your space even more practical, you could opt for two central brackets to make your drying shelves even more adaptable to the space. 

On door storage

I've had my eye on the on door storage ever since my first post about Elfa. Centred around a central bracket, the baskets can be moved up and down. You can also add hooks. It's perfect place for all our laundry soap as well as other accessories. 

Prepping the room

We wanted the space to be more in keeping with the rest of the home. It can be really costly to re-tile, so instead we bought a special V33 tile paint which is especially designed for bathrooms. Per and I applied several layers to the wall (white) and floor (light grey). I've actually never tried a tile paint before and I'm amazed at the results! 

The next step was to lighten the shelves and worktop. To do this, we sanded down the oak before applying a special white oil wood treatment and finish by Osmo. 

And finally, we painted the rest of the room white before the ELFA units were installed. 

After

Tadaaaa! Can you believe this is the same laundry room? 

To the right of the room is the Elfa storage. We added two drying shelves, a wire shelf, a wire shelf basket, a storage track, storage track hooks and a clothing accessories kit. 

Collapsible drying shelves

Above you can see how the drying shelves collapse against the wall to make room for other things like sorting clothes and ironing. We can also change the height or remove them entirely. 

Shelves and hooks

The high shelves are ideal for extra storage (the storage boxes are part of a set from the Marie Kondo collection from Studio Elfa in Malmö).  

One of my favourite things is that now we can hang the iron from hooks. Oh, and did you notice I changed that gross ironing board cover to a new gingham one (from IKEA)? 

I also swapped out the old laundry baskets for a pretty rattan one (there's another laundry basket in the cupboard opposite for 'overflow' - we're a family of five, after all!).

Meanwhile, on the other side of the room...

The lighter wood, white tiles and light grey floor have really helped to freshen up the space. 

I also changed the door handles (it's all in the details friends!) - these are called Knob Helix, you might recognise them, as I have the same ones in our cabin kitchen.  And I picked up the baskets in town to store our bed linen and towels - so much neater! 

Door storage

Last but not least, the wonderful door storage is made up of a series of wire baskets which click into place. It's made space for all our laundry soap (I love Humdakin), cloths and other items - leaving the area around the sink clear. 

And there you have it, our new laundry room! 

Who would have thought that a room like this could bring so much joy (never thought I'd say something like that)? 

I hope you like the transformation as much as we do! 

Next step... the attic (gaaaah!). 

In the meantime, if you're in need of more storage at home, have a play arounds with the Elfa online 3D planning tool, or seek help from Elfa professionals (available pretty much worldwide) - you'll have your home organised in no time! 

If anyone's looking for me this weekend... I won't be hanging out here in the laundry room, hopefully, but I am thrilled with it! 

Have a great couple of days and see you Monday! 

Niki

Photography: Niki Brantmark / My Scandinavian Home

Styling: Helen Sturesson 

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A Dated Swedish Caravan (Camper) becomes a Stylish and Cosy Home

Homes come in all shapes and sizes. And today, I'm excited to share Monica Karlstein's caravan. 

Monica is well known in Sweden for her DIY expertise - and recently transformed a dated caravan into a beautiful home from home in which to travel the country and beyond in comfort and style! 

Let's dive in to the before and after renovation: 

It's quite incredible what you can do with a few rolls of Sandberg wallpaper (I love the print we put up in the summer cottage bedroom!), a link of paint and layers of textile, don't you think? 

Tiered hanging baskets offer extra storage where needed, and since they move with the caravan, you can be sure nothing will fall in transit. We use baskets like this on our boat and they are so handy! 

Note how Monica has used strategically placed linen curtains to separate the cabin and sleeping quarters when needed. 

The kitchen fittings have remained unchanged, but a lick of paint has transformed the area into a light and airy space to prepare meals. A row of hooks provide space for tea towels and other small items. 

The dining area now has uber comfy seats for evenings indoors (when the weather isn't behaving), while seatbelts can be used for passengers when in transit. 

Small touches like braided decor and baskets with plants help to make the space feel homely. 

Such a beautiful renovation. And best of all, they'll have a lovely place to stay wherever they go! 

Could you imagine touring Scandinavia in this caravan too? 

You can find more details about this makeover here (in Swedish but nothing that a few pictures and google translate can't solve!). 

I love to see what people can do with tiny spaces and have featured a few other 'homes on wheels' before  including a Swedish couple who turned a Mercedes Sprinter into a campervan and a tiny house built on wheels. Or for tiny home inspiration you might like to discover: dream life on a budget: a tiny home and pottery studio in the woods and a tiny Danish cabin that's big on style. 

I hope this post has inspired you today!

Kram! 

Niki

Photography by Monica Karlstein, shared with kind permission. 

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And the winner of the fab felt storage baskets are....

Congratulations to Cynthia Lions and Heather Milner! Please send me a mail with your address and we will organise shipment. Thank you to everyone who entered  - don't forget you can still get 10% with the code MSH10 up until 8th October (ships to USA and canada).

To celebrate the May day spring bank holiday (oh yes!), I've teamed up with Scandinavian inspired interior design store Blackthumb, and Sne Design - a young Norwegian brand with a passion for designing functional, playful and timeless products to offer you the chance to win one of two (yes two!) prizes - a Hoop or Lagre felt storage basket in a colour of your choice with fab leather handles. Oh how I wish I could keep them for myself! It only takes a sec to enter, find out how below.

These new Hoop baskets are a fantastic functional felt storage basket with leather handles, making a stylish addition to any space in your home. Baskets have a feature color on the outside and light grey felt inside. Designer: Christine E. Sveen. - See more at: http://blackthumbdecor.com/product/hoop-felt-storage-basket/#sthash.iUzY485X.dpuf

How to enter:

1. Visit Blackthumb and Sne Design and take a look around.

2. Comment below which item from their shops you like the most and why.
3. Let us know if you'd prefer to win the Hoop or Lagre basket. 

And that's it! The competition is open to everyone until Sunday, 3rd May 2015, Midnight GMT. The winner will be announced on the evening of Monday 4th May 2015 so make sure you pop back to this post to see if you are one of the two winners!

Oh and Blackthumb and Sne Design are offering all readers 10% off with the code MSH10 up until 8th May (ships to US and Canada only). 

Terms & Conditions

You must be age of majority in your country of residence. We are not responsible for any duties, import taxes that you may incur. Only 1 entry per person. 

This post is brought to you in collaboration with Blackthumb and Sne Design.  

Have a wonderful spring bank holiday! 

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The winner of the Nordal baskets is....

Thank you so much for entering the give-away to win a set of three natural baskets from fab Danish homeware brand Nordal. I'm excited to announce the winner as....Rena of Studio Hear Hear! Congratulations Rena, we hope these baskets will work perfectly with your plants and blankets!

 

Still got your sights set on these beauties?! Check out Nordal's list of dealers here!


This competition is now closed.

Terms & Conditions

You must be age of majority in your country of residence. We are not responsible for any duties, import taxes that you may incur. Only 1 entry per person. 

This post is brought to you in collaboration with Nordal, however all words are my own and I only ever work with brands I love and think you will too. 

Photography and styling: 1 - 3 Niki Brantmark / My Scandinavian Home. 4 Courtesy of Nordal. 

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Ylva's Lovely Swedish Family Apartment with Blue and Yellow Accents

Final stop for the week: this beautiful family apartment by the harbour in Gröndal, Stockholm - a perfect oasis for Ylva, her husband and their two children Maj and August. 

The pad itself is quite the find. Not only does it occupy a corner in a building dating back to 1913 - meaning light from two sides, it also boasts not one, not two, but three beautiful kakelugn (tiles masonry ovens). While bones are important, what you do with it and how it works for you as a family is crucial, and Ylva's home is full of lovely corners and inspiring details. Let's delve a little deeper. 

The dining area in the kitchen might not be big, but it certainly looks cosy thanks to built in seating and plenty of natural light. 

The cosy sitting room is arranged in a sociable way, with two sofas facing one another and cushions, blankets and a fluffy rug for maximum comfort! Notice the pale yellow and light blue tones which act as a the red thread (refer to my previous post for more info!) throughout the apartment. 

A simple wooden IKEA stool can be painted in whatever colour you like and is a great way to add in an extra touch of your chosen accent colour. 

The rug from Nordic knots is a nice twist on the usual Jute mat. I have this exact blue Flowerpot lamp by &Tradition in my home too! The bench table is from IKEA. 

Baskets are a popular storage choice in Ylva's home - used above to store firewood. I love the addition of the little children's chairs in the sitting room - a sign that are all are welcome and catered for. Keep an eye out for my post soon featuring a wonderful danish design classic which is now available in a children's size. Can you guess which one it is? 

A classic Swedish bumling light in brass can be seen over the dining table and mix and matched chairs create an informal, relaxed touch to the space. 

Bedding is a fantastic way to quickly update a room (look closely and you'll notice two single duvets instead of one double as is customary in a Swedish home - and something I've expanded on in my book: Lagom*). Here, a yellow duvet cover matches the art work over the bed - and ties the room in with the rest of the flat. 

The children's bedrooms are the exact mirror reflection of each other. 

Yellow curtains offer a cheerful, sunny feel even when the sky is grey, and an array of baskets make the ideal storage for bears and other bits and bobs (this type of storage is particularly good as children can just chuck things in - which makes tidying up quick and easy). 

The yellow and blue theme is carried through to the bathroom in the form of paint work and art, while the maroon chequered floor is a wonderful nod to the age of the building. If you look back through the pictures, you'll notice this hue in other rooms too, albeit in very subtle ways. 

All in all, a truly lovely, well thought out home, do you agree? I'd love to hear your thoughts and what you have observed, always so interesting! 

If you'd like to see more of Ylva's home, hop on over to @doneriet on instagram where you'll find a ton more images. 

Right folks, that's it from me! Lot's to do today with work to finish off, a daughter's birthday to plan (Liv turns sweet 16 tomorrow!) and packing for my trip to Denmark for Formland on Sunday. All fun things, but I'll really appreciate that Friday glass of wine (or two) this evening!

Skål to the weekend! 

Niki

Photography: @doneriet, shared with kind permission.

PS Just a heads up that there is only two weeks left to make the most of the Skandinavisk 20% discount (myscandinavianhome20). You can read more about my two of my favourite fragrances for hand soaps, body washes, candles etc and see pics of them in my cabin from this sponsored post here. 

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