Igor's Happy, Plant-filled Space

Tjena! It's been great to get to know other bloggers over the years. I can go a little stir crazy at home day in day out by myself sometimes and these guys have become an amazing support network. We often get together in person or online to share ideas (and have a laugh). A few months back I met Igor Josifovic (such a great guy!) - creator of the hugely popular Happy Interior Blog and co-author of the best selling book Urban Jungle. Igor recently moved apartments in Munich and has set about turning his new place into one happy home too. I caught up with him earlier this week to find out more about his home and love of all things green (and blue!).




How would you describe your style?
I would say it is a very personal style above all full with details and hints about my character, my interests, my passions. I like to describe it as an eclectic bohemian mix of vintage and contemporary items with a nod to timeless Scandinavian design.




Would you say you are quite thrifty?
I think so as I really enjoy thrifting and finding items for the home with a previous life. But I love to combine - I like to match vintage finds with new items for a more contemporary look.








Where did your love of plants come from?
I think it is something that reaches back to my childhood when my mum had lots of plants in our home. In general I love the nature and anything natural so plants are an obvious obsession. And I enjoy the fact that you can bring in a bit of nature into your home with houseplants. A home without plants feels utterly void to me.



Do you have a favourite plant?
Oh this is like asking a parent if they have a favorite child haha. They are all special and unique in their way and I love them all. I tend to have some inclinations to certain plants or plant families from time to time though. Currently I enjoy my Staghorn fern with its lush and crazy foliage as well as my tropical Philodendron Red Emerald.






Do you have any tips for anyone looking to start their own urban jungle (or simply introducing more plants to their home?
Tip number one is our book Urban Jungle - Living and Styling with Plants. Together with my Urban Jungle Bloggers friend and co-founder Judith I wrote this book for anyone looking to introduce more plants into their homes and lives. I also encourage people to go step by step and refrain from trendy impulse shopping. Give it some thought and inform yourself about the plant in order to keep it happy and thriving and avoid any disappointments. After all a plant is a living thing too and it is great if we manage to keep them alive, right?!






I love the deep blue hues in your home, do you have a go-to paint colour?
I tend to look at the hues offered by Farrow & Ball as well as Kolorat, a young and up-and-coming German paint label. I have opted for two blue hues from Kolorat in my new apartment and I love them - the paint codes are K/74-46-10-59/T in the bedroom (dark blue) and in the kitchen and hallway (medium blue).




All photography: Igor Josifovic / Happy Interior Blog


GET THE LOOK


1. Antique Persian Area Rug
2. Wooden Monkey
3. KALLAX Shelf Unit
4. Velvet Cushion Cover
5. Cotton Velvet Cushion Cover
6. Bommel Korb
7. String Pocket
8. 3-Sitzer Tom Sofa
9. Cotton Tablecloth
10. Rattan Basket Square
11. Kissenhülle T-Bamboo
12. Tabouret pliable
13. Korb • RAUTEN
14. State of Independence
15. Tropical Green Rug
16. Bølling Tray Table

Thanks so much for showing us around your home Igor!

You can follow his latest renovations and projects over on his blog and instagram - and find more urban jungle inspiration in his wonderful best selling book here.

Have a lovely day!

PS I'd love it if you have the time to pop into my blog survey - it only take a few minutes to complete and it would be really helpful to find out your thoughts on My Scandinavian Home and ways I can improve it. As a thank you I'm giving away three signed copies of my Lagom book too!

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Timeless Charm and Dark Blue Walls in a Small Swedish Apartment

While colours in the fashion and interior design world come and go, there is always one that remains: dark blue. It's timeless. And I'm a huge fan. 

Softer than black but still striking, dark blue is a stalwart in the world of interiors and adds a cosy, cocoon like feel to a room. Combine it with fresh whites and warm earthy tones for a soft, elegant look, and throw in lots of natural materials in the form of wood, rattan, cane, linen and wool for a look that's bang up to date! 

This beautiful apartment in Gothenburg is a fine example of dark blue done right! Oh, and it's also great inspiration for anyone who has their bedroom in the living room too! Välkommen in! 

The Flos Sarfatti ceiling light is a design classic which you'll find in many Swedish homes. 

I don't think I'll ever tire of linen bedding - it's practical, catches the light in a beautiful way, and the more you wash it the softer it gets. Try Wonder Linen on Etsy* for similar! 

*affiliate link

Wooden hooks from Norrgavel are a Swedish bedroom essential! 

Contrast is continued in the kitchen with black units and off-white walls. Notice the copper piping, cabinet and painting too! 

Swedes are going crazy for range ovens right now! They're more widely available these days as you can get them in both gas and electric induction versions. 

Rule break alert: the rug version of 'messy hair, don't care'! I kind of like how this one extends onto the wood floor. It's a little like rolling out the red carpet - everyday!

A jute rug adds a softness to the black and white bathroom. We've also added one to our downstairs loo and it makes the world of difference! 

Such a lovely home full of contrast! Interestingly, the estate agent have presented two versions of how to divide up the sitting room / bedroom area - one open-plan, and one divided into two separate rooms (vardagsrum - living room, kök - kitchen, sovrum - bedroom): 

Which do you prefer?

Also, would you consider going for a dark colour in your home? In Albin's room we've painted two of the walls in dark blue, but I've always regretted not going for the entire room. Next project? 

Not quite convinced with the dark blue? See other homes with this feature here: 

A striking small Stockholm space in dark blue

5 ways to rock the dark blue and beige look

A stunning Norwegian home in many shades of blue

And for those of you planning a small space, here are some great examples of Scandinavian style studio apartments: 

An elegant Swedish 'ettan'

A small Swedish apartment packed with charm - and sunshine!

8 essential items for a Swedish studio apartment 

Happy Monday friends! 

Niki

Styling: Emma Fischer & Annica Clarmell

Photography: Walti Hösli

For sale via: Entrance

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A Charming & Relaxed Swedish Home In Blue And White

Hejsan! It's one of those weeks where I'm constantly on the back foot - anyone else experiencing that? I'd never leave you high and dry without some beautiful interior inspiration though - besides this lovely Swedish space has been the highlight of my day! The blue and white colour scheme and relaxed nature of the space caught my eye. There's also a load to love - including the mix and match furniture, books, plants and art  which give the place in Kungsladugård, Gothenburg it's soul! I hope you feel as inspired as I do by this lovely home! 

It's so hard to find lovely old tables - but a close-up of this one reveals it's been handmade (possibly using IKEA legs and a door or other reclaimed item). So clever - and actually not that difficult to cobble together if you fancy doing something similar. 

The sitting room reminds me a little of the beautiful Varberg home of Kristin Lagerkvist 8(you can see a glimpse of her living room here). 

There are a few lovely things at play in the space above - including a wooden cabinet which has been painted in the same colour as the wall, Elfa shelves lined with books and other treasures and a simple grey sheepskin* draped over a mid-century chair - all of which make it feel personal and cosy!

So charming, don't you think?

Is there anything that stood out to you?

I'm still thinking about the Elfa book shelves (not just in the sitting room, but also in the hallway) - and wondering where I might be able to fit more shelving in my own home (so many books, such little time... and space!).

The blue and white theme has me thinking about the subtle coastal tones in this danish cottage, a striking blue and white Swedish home full of contrast and the details in this striking Danish house. Blue will always be one of my favourite shades - are you a fan too?

Right, better get on, so much to do! Eeeek!

Niki

Photography courtesy of Kvarteret Mäkleri

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Before & After: Liv's Tween Bedroom Becomes a Teen Bedroom!

In Collaboraton with Nordal

My eldest daughter Liv is turning thirteen this summer. THIRTEEN! Where on earth has the time gone? I've noticed her bedroom has become more and more important to her - it's a place to hang out with friends (both in person and online), do homework, chill, spread clothes out ALL over the floor.... you name it! 

The upshot? It's time to transform her room from tween to teen. And the pink's gonna have to go! 

For this, I needed a partner. And who better than Danish brand Nordal - a family driven interior design business selling exciting furniture and accessories for the home and garden - and valued long-term partner of My Scandinavian home. 

Here's what we did:

Before

I didn't think of taking real 'before' pictures, these were snapped with my phone a little into the make-over process (hence the blank wall and tape!), but hopefully it'll give you a hint of what it looked like before. The pink has served Liv well over the years, but everything was starting to feel 'too young'. Plus, at 177 cm (the same height as me!) - and all her sleepovers, it was time to get a bigger bed!

The brief

Liv is a real water babe. She has ALWAYS loved the water. I'll never forget her first bath - it was as if she was suddenly in complete harmony and at one with her surroundings. Over time, she became really fond of swimming in the sea and going to the local pool. These days, she swims four times a week with a local club. Blue was therefore a natural choice for the walls - and natural materials such as rattan, linen and jute would help to bring the feel of the Swedish coastline she so loves, into her room. 

I headed to the store for some samples. Let me tell you now, pale blue isn't the easiest of shades to get right. Firstly, there are about a thousand to choose from (which was a little overwhelming!), and secondly, they never look the same once on the wall. have you found that too? Gaaah!

In the end we settled on Moln by Alcro. Meaning 'cloud', Moln was the palest of pale blue shades - yet on the wall it felt calm and created just the hint of pale blue Liv was after. 

In my world, there's nothing like the last minute (I'm known for it - just ask Per!). All the beautiful items arrived from Nordal the day before the shoot (amazing turn around by the Danish team - thank you guys!), and it was all hands on deck - with help from Per as well as the My Scandinavian Home stylist extraordinaire Helen Sturesson, and even Liv and Allie! A fun day, I have to say! 

After

Tadaaaa! From teen to tween in a matter of days! Let me talk you through the transformation:

There's nothing like rattan to bring a relaxed beach vibe to a space and this beautiful 180 cm headboard was just the ticket! It's a perfect piece as it's stand-alone, meaning it simply slots behind the bed with absolutely no installation required! Hooray! 

I love the imperfection, plus Liv tells me it's surprisingly soft to lean against as it's very smooth. I can already imagine her and her friends leaning against it, chatting into the night! 

A reading light is an absolute essential for any bedroom. Since the room is fairly small - and children tend to have a LOT of things - I thought it was important to go for something wall mounted to keep it out of the way. I love the brass touch of the Athene golden wall lamp - it fitted well with the rattan and can also be tilted and swivelled in order to provide light for both the bed and desk area. 

In the height of the summer, it really only gets dark for a few hours a day, so black-out blinds / curtains are essential. Liv has always been a bit of a poor sleeper too (although a little better these days thanks to all that swimming!) so I placed a lot of importance on getting the window dressing right! These black-out curtains are from HM Home (I got them adjusted to the right length at a local dry cleaners). If you look closely, you can also see blinds!  Yep, not taking any chances! 

The desk has been updated to a lighter look from IKEA (the old one is now in Allie's room!) - and she also has a new ergonomic desk chair (in the hope that she'll sit there for longer doing her homework, worth a shot!). 

Since her bed is also her hangout zone, we ramped up the cosiness with Nordal cushions - including the dark blue Capella, knitted off-white Lyra and beige Capella.

We also added a grey-brown linen bed cover and dark blue cotton yoga blanket for contrast and cold nights! helping to keep warm on cooler nights. 

Another bedroom essential: the side table (this one is the Victoria pillar side table in light blue) for her books, glasses of water, no doubt her phone, earrings and other bits and bobs! 

The wall basket was designed by my friend Maria Gustavsson from Swedish Ninja and made locally here in Southern Sweden. 

Oh yes, and I haven't mentioned the amazing lamp yet! How could I forget that? The oversized SIF lampshade is a real statement piece and instantly brought a relaxed, rustic beach vibe to the room! I can imagine it looking FAB over a dining table too (if you have high ceilings).  

And finally, the rug! This Ava hemp carpet in size 160 cm x 240 cm is so soft and completed the look beautifully. Love the fringe! 

Needless to say, Liv's thrilled with her new room! 

But it's not quite finished. 

On the opposite side of the room, some new shelves are needed (update to follow!). And most importantly of all, this is a mere 'backdrop' for whatever she'd like to do with the space - including layering the wall with posters and photographs and surrounding herself with all her favourite things. 

In other words, it's time for me to step back and let Liv take over!

I hope you enjoyed the make-over!

If you're curious about any of the items, please do ask away in the comment section below. I'd be happy to help! 

You can find Nordal items in these webshops. 

Right, I'm off downstairs to see what Liv's done to her room (I can hear her pottering about!). I'm sure some posters and prints have already gone up! 

See also Albin's teenage bedroom make-over and Allie's before and after bedroom make-over (they certainly don't look as tidy as that today!). 

What did your childhood bedroom look like? Mine was covered in Laura Ashley wallpaper and my clothes were stored in an antique chest-of-drawers (I remember having to pry the drawers open!). 

Naturally, I ruined the entire look my Mother had created with posters of Bros, Aha and the Pet Shop Boys (totally showing my age here!!). Later, I remember adding framed black and white Robert Doisneau photographs. 

Those were the days! 

Niki

Photography by me, shoot styling by Helen Sturesson

This was a paid partnership with Nordal - however, all words and products choices were mine and Liv's (with a little guidance from Helen!). Thank you for supporting the wonderful businesses that help make My Scandinavian Home possible. 

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