My home: little girls room

Hej hej! I hope you all had a lovely weekend. Here are a  few pictures of my little girls room.  When I was little I used to share a room with my big sister and remember whispering and giggling well after the lights had been turned off so I was really keen for my girls to share too. When I planned this room my goal was to make it as light as possible and then pepper it with splashes of primary colours and pretty patterns.

All pictures: My Scandinavian Home

In case you're wondering, here's a little info about where things are from: their bed is the 'Snow' bunk bed from Mio. Almost everything else was picked up at one of my favourite local shops Udda Tina - the bed spreads, the long suffering stag (his right antler has been glued on more times than I can remember!), the white basket, purple dressing-up box and picture frames are all Rice. The pretty patterned boxes are House Doctor. The handsome giraffe is from a local Fair Trade Shop. I made the purple cushion using fabric from Panduro's Hobby and the rug is Designers Guild.

If you look closely you'll see I've cheated a little - these pictures haven't been taken on the same day so all the items have moved around a bit, it is a children's room after all! :)

The next step is the other side of the room - still a work in progress!

I hope you all had a lovely weekend.

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A Tiny House On Wheels, Norwegian Style

While researching for our little cabin (the build is hopefully starting this week - I can't wait to share our latest plans soon), I came across this beautiful tiny house designed by Norwegian company Norske Mikrohus (Norwegian micro house). Just like the tiny house on wheels I shared a few weeks back, the 20 metres square (215 ft2) house has been almost entirely constructed from wood - from the glazed pine panelling on the facade to the wooden fittings inside. This helps the house to connect with the natural surroundings - and gives it a lovely warm feel. But best of all, is the use of space. Designed for four people looking to enjoy short term stays, the cabin is full of clever solutions to ensure maximum use of space - as well as views of the surroundings. Norwegian compact living at its finest! 

One end of the cabin is taken up with a fully functioning bathroom and bunkbed. Notice how a little space has been left at the foot of the bed to provide room for a shoe rack and baggage spot (after all, it's customary to remove your shoes before entering a home in Scandinavia - is it the same in your country - or home?). A built-in ladder also shields the lower bed for privacy. 

The kitchen has everything you might need for a short-term stay including a sink, portable stove and even a small dishwasher! 

The bathroom has been designed so you can enjoy the surrounding landscape while taking a shower. The narrow sink and cabinet is ideal for small spaces.

I haven't seen a tiny house with this type of lounge solution before. I love how the sofa is designed to face the windows so you can sit and read or chat while enjoying the view. A foldable wall mounted table can be used as a desk or somewhere to enjoy meals while two drawers pull out for extra storage. 

The table can be boded away so that the space can be converted into a full-length master bed. I've been racking my brains over how the extended mattress works - if you're curious too and would like to know more, you can order the brochure here. 

What a fabulous little house! 

My family and I would be so happy in a little cabin like this - I'm taking notes!

Could you imagine unwinding in one of these? 

Read more about the 'Rast' cabin over at Nordisk Mikrohus. 

Looking for more tiny house inspiration? Check out: 

Off-the-grid: a tiny Swedish cabin in the woods

A beautifully crafted tiny house on wheels

Small spaces archive

Ha det så bra! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Nordisk Mikrohus found via Planete Deco with thanks. 

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A Charming French Family Home Full of Inspiring Details

Welcome to the world of Nathalie, her husband Damien and son Louis in Brest, France. The charming apartment is peppered with natural touches in the form of wicker, wood and linens and the walls are dotted with playful art against a backdrop of deep blues, soft chestnut and white. Ready to dive in and explore?

Friends who commented on the bed in yesterday's home tour (loved hearing your thoughts!) - look! A properly made bed! Yay! But I think what stands out to me most of all is the built-in headboard and shelf. This would be ideal in my stepson's bedroom where there's not really enough room for a bedside table. I love how Nathalie has painted it Hague blue too! The trip of flying birds are available from this Etsy shop*. 

These charming pictures are by Saar Manche (I once featured her home in The Hague here). 

Mustard yellow bedding*

Clever use of a half glass wall helps to light up the hallway and open the space up.

How cute is Louis' bedroom? I love the shade on the wall (it was already there when they moved in but it looks a little like the Blushing Peach I have in my bedroom!) and all the subtle, yet playful elements. The 'Lit Junior' bed is from French brand Mum & Dad factory and Nathalie sourced some of the wooden toys from Raduga Grez*.  

Camera grey lilacs, Wicker suitcase from Atelier Brocante (source a similar vintage one here*),  Wooden toys from Raduga Grez*.

The family dining room is simple yet interesting thanks to the mid-century side table, art from L'affiche moderne and Oak gallery and hanging plants.

The storage in the sitting room is made up of a series of String pocket shelves and cabinets from IKEA (I love this blend!). The 'Acorn' light is from Atle Tveit Design. 

What a charming home! I really appreciate how Nathalie's signature style runs throughout the home and pulls the entire look together.

I also love all the natural textures in the form of wicker baskets, wood toys etc and the playful art (so lovely for a family home, don't you think?).

Is there anything that stood out to you?

You can see more pictures of Nathalie's home over on her inspiring instagram feed @thalieandco and blog Thalie & Co.

Merci Nathalie for inviting us into your home today! I will be following your blog with eager eyes for news on the arrival off your little girl! Such special times ahead!

Take a peek inside more beautiful French homes, B&Bs and hotels here.

Niki

Photography: Nathalie /Thalie & Co, shared with kind permission. 
Affiliate links marked with *

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A Beautiful, Space-Saving Family Home in Stockholm, Sweden

I'm still buzzing the Swedish country home yesterday (and judging by the 20,000 hits about it on my instagram I sense I'm not alone!) - did you fall in love too? There's only one thing for it. Move on. After all, a move to the country is not on the cards for the Brantmarks (being the city slickers we are)! So, today I thought I'd focus on living in the city - and how to deal with the space-limitations that so often come with it. On the surface this wonderful Swedish apartment looks pretty spacious. But add a few children to the mix and the tiny bedrooms become a bit of a conundrum. After all, kids demand quite a lot of their rooms: a bed, a desk, somewhere to hang out with friends and / or play and storage. In this wonderful Stockholm home, the owners have made maximum use of the height to create three loft bed solutions which help to maximise space in the children's bedrooms. They've also worked with internal windows to ensure natural light flows into the darkest of corners. Best of all, everything has been done with the utmost style and the entire home has a wonderful personal and relaxed feel! Ready to feel inspired?

The kitchen has been artfully arranged around a classic masonry oven / tiled stove - with a space for wood storage built into the cabinetry

Imagine how cosy this must be with the roaring fire at night? It's set up for some seriously cosy and romantic dinners! 

A more formal dining setting occupies the window area in the sitting room - with a wonderful Nelson Saucer Bubble lamp overhead! 

One of the biggest decorating mistakes people make is buying a rug which is too small for the space. Well, not in this room! 

As a rule of thumb, a sitting room rug should be at least 15 cm - 20 cm  (6" - 8") wider than your sofa on each side. You may then decide whether to place all four legs of your sofa on the rug, or just the front two. 

FYI: I'd never judge anyone for the size of rug they choose in their home - so this is just a helpful guide if you're struggling to decide. Otherwise, anything goes! 

The owners have made the most of a narrow passage - using it as a library and wardrobe space.

Oh, and check out that beautiful wood floor! 

A built-in shelf behind the bed has becoming increasingly popular and is especially useful in a smaller space. 

I love all three of these small space children bedroom solutions! The owners have capitalised on the tremendous ceiling height to create 'vertical' bedrooms complete with desks, storage and cosy seating areas. 

Fun touches include striped wallpaper, gymnastics rings (my daughter has the same ones from Finnish company Lillagunga - as do all her gymnast friends!) and a Ferm Living pineapple rug. 

I really appreciate the eclectic mix of pieces in this tiny room - including a round shelf from Ferm Living*, a vintage chair and terrazzo side table. 

It's not unusual for magnificent old apartment blocks in Scandinavia to have grand entryways like this. Look at those tiles and how paintwork has been used to highlight the period features. Wonderful! 

What a truly inspiring home - and great inspiration for anyone looking to maximise space in the city!

Is there anything that stood out to you? 

Here are a few more Scandinavian city homes for you to enjoy today: 

The Oslo home of the Arctic Gardener

A creative Helsinki home with a cheerful and relaxed vibe

A cosy Copenhagen loft full of plants and vintage treasures

Har det så fint! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Historiska Hem 

*Affiliate link (which means I may make a very tiny amount of money should you click on the link and buy something - at no extra cost to you). 

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A studio is transformed into a lovely guest room

How wonderful would it be to have a dedicated guest room with a big double bed, made up with fresh, soft bed linen and light pouring in from the windows? For most of us this isn't a reality so we have to make do with the rooms we already have. But who's to say they can't be transformed into a warm and inviting guest room?!  My talented friend Holly Marder for example, uses a sofa bed in her studio in The Netherlands to transform the space into a private sphere for guests when they come to stay. Plus I noticed, that she has even left out a few noteworthy coffee table books (eh hem!) on the nightstand for them to peruse!

Credits: styling and photography Holly Marder / Avenue Lifestyle.

What a great solution? It helps that her studio is absolutely lovely too. I think it might be time I nipped over to The Netherlands to pay her a visit, don't you?! Te he he!

Get the look from Holly's studio / guestroom: wooden fold out sofa, stool cc (used as a bedside table),  wall sconce (find a vintage version here). Black linen duvet cover. Source botanical prints here. Modern Pastoral interior book.

You can see more pictures and the full feature here.

Any ideas to share on how to make a guest room inviting? I try to live by the following:

- Give a little guided tour when they arrive so they can find everything they need and feel at home
- Leave out a little welcome package in their room that includes: a towel, hair towel (better still, a hair turban - I love these!), dressing gown, slippers and wifi code.
- Place a pile of recent magazines (and a few coffee table books I know they'll love) on the night stand.
- Fresh flowers in the bedroom also add a wonderful touch!

Do you have any tips?

For bedroom styling inspiration I'd definitely recommend taking a look at Holly's own bedroom - one of my most visited posts of all time!

Have a wonderful day! 

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