A Striking Blue and White Swedish Home Full of Contrast

This beauty of a home oozes elegance. So, when I found out the owners, Felicia Alm and her partner Viktor are in their early to mid-twenties, I couldn't believe it! When I was 24, I lived with a flat mate (Beth) in a tiny flat in Earls Court. It was a massively fun time, but our accommodation was nowhere near as sophisticated and mature as this beautiful space (to put it into perspective, we were once burgled and didn't notice for days!!). Located just up the coast in Landskrona, this 72 m2 (775 foot square) apartment is in a building dating back to 1890 and blessed with 'spegeldörr' (traditional panel doors), a tiled masonry stove, herringbone floors and stucco ceilings. I chatted to Felicia to find out more about the renovation, her sustainable mindset and shopping for secondhand finds.

Galaxy ceiling light

 

The side cabinet was sourced at an antique shop in Rydebäck (a great tip for locals!)

Do you and Viktor work in the design world?
I have a bachelor degree in architecture and visual communication and at the moment dream about working with interior design full time. As a hobby, I also create posters and offer freelance graphic design. Viktor works for his family business in the healthcare sector - but we both have a great interest in architecture and real estate. 

 

 

Hay Polygon quilt, blue velvet cushion*

Is this the first time you have carried out a renovation project?
Over the past 3 years we have lived in three different apartments that we bought, renovated and then sold. Now it feels like we have found home, or at least for the moment haha! You can either call us two restless souls or real estate lovers.

 
Did the apartment need an extensive amount of work?
When we moved into our current apartment in April 2017, it was in need of a total renovation. So we spent the whole summer of 2017 renovating it. We tried to do as much as we could ourselves. We felt it was important to try to keep the different spatial features of the apartment while making it modern and personal.

 

What do you love most about your apartment?
Our blue bedroom is my favorite room in the apartment. In my opinion, the blue colour contributes to a calm, relaxing and harmonious vibe. The colour is Kvällshimmel (evening sky) from Jotun LADY. I really love to decorate with color and contrast.

Felicia picked up the fabulous chaise longue secondhand on Blocket.

 

How do you approach home decorating?
I have always had a great passion for architecture, interior design and graphic design. My interior style is quite varied and I like to mix old and new. I am someone who likes things to happen in my environment, therefore our home is constantly changing. When it comes to my home, I can be kind of impulsive. So, if I get a good idea I will probably execute it the next day, haha!

 

Where do you buy items for your home?
Because I like to change and refresh our home regularly, I think it's important to think sustainably. I therefore try to shop at Blocket (Sweden's version of Ebay) or antique stores - which are also cheaper. You can find really unique things out there. 

The sitting room / dining area is painted in Silverpil 10 by Alcro - and picture shelves from IKEA have been painted in the same tone.

 

What are your go-to interior shops?
Blocket, H&M Home and Ellos.

IKEA Sevedal kitchen cabinets with Eneryda handles.

Thank you so much for inviting us into your beautiful home Felicia!

Did you spy her cute dog Ester? She's kind of hard to spot but looks so at home!

See more of Felicia's elegant apartment over on her blog and instagram - or if you're now in the mood for blue - take a scroll through these fabulous spaces!

It's the Swedish half-term next week and we're heading off to Spain (you're so welcome to follow along on Instagram stories!). Since I'm the worse screen time offender in the family (I blame it on my job!) - I'm going to try to set a good example and step away my phone / computer as much as possible. This means a reduced number of posts. However, if you can always pop into my Home Viewing Exhibition over at the Swedish Design Museum where I'm constantly adding new Swedish homes - including a summer cottage on its very own island and a 'funkis' bungalow!

I hope you have a FABULOUS weekend!

Niki


Credits: Felicia Alm

Affiliate links marked with *

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15 Fabulous Danish Spaces That Will Brighten Up Your Day

Nothing puts a smile on your face quite like a home with a touch of colour (OK puppies, kittens etc might also do the trick - but I'm talking strictly Scandinavian interiors here!). And in my mind, no one does colour quite like the Danes. Our Nordic friends seem to have a knack of finding shades that are both bold and earthy in equal measure. Think soft pink, deep blue and mid greens applied to walls, pieces of furniture or a subtle hint in a painting or book jacket. Either way, combined with whitewashed walls and floors as well as art and books, and the overall look is fresh, vibrant, relaxed and effortlessly stylish. Another Studio, a Danish creative content and product development studio run by Julie Wittrup Pladsbjerg (who's home I recently featured here) and Mikkel Dahlstrøm, has an innate ability to seek out some of Denmark's finest homes for interior magazines. Here are 15 relaxed spaces from their portfolio - that really put a smile on my face, I hope they brighten up your day too! 

1 & 2. The colourful home of Sofie S. Boisen featured in ALT Interiør.

3. The pretty studio of artist Little Detroit featured in BoligLiv

4. Why have a bare wall when you can fill it with art like Karen Emilie Skou.

5. Princess and the pea (AKA one of the world's cutest pups) in the home of Mai-Britt 

6. Books piled high on the floor (featured in ALT Interiør)

7. Colourful book jackets make a wonderful feature in the home of Freja Bak Petersen.

8. Pretty in pink in the Aarhus home of Danish fashion blogger Maria Kaas featured in Femina DK.

 9. There's so much to love about Mia's dining room starting with the dark blue wall and touches of pink and gold1 

10. Sometimes all it takes is some colourful cushions and a deep blue pouf and the room is made, as seen in the home of @toves_room and featured in BoligLiv.  

11. When you have windows like these in Mia's home, it would be rude not to sit there and enjoy the view. With a coffee. For hours. 

12. A little table, a floor lamp, art and a vase in Kristiane's home (featured in ALT Interiør). Because no space needs to be dead space, not even if it's tucked behind a door in the corner of the room! 

13. How's this spot for a quiet afternoon siesta in Hanne's dining room

14. Feeling the blue touches in Karoline's sitting room (featured in BoligLiv)

15. Balancing colour to perfection: a bright blue floor which matches a fabulous lamp! I'm so curious to see the rest of Tova's danish home, how about you? 

Are you also feeling full of inspiration? 

Seriously, this is just the tip of the iceberg from all the fabulous spaces Julie and Mikkel have styled and photographed. Hop on over to the Another Studio instagram feed for countless more spaces! 

If you're feeling the Danish style, you might also like to come and join me in the danish home archive too - it's one of my absolute favourites (warning - you can get lost in there for hours!). If this post pops up first, just scroll on past. 

In the words of the Danes - ha en dejlige dag! 

Niki

Credits: Styling and photography by Another Studio, pictures shared with kind permission. 

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A Berlin Home of Many Colours

Guten morgen! I hope you're feeling fiiiine? Looking through the survey responses a few weeks back I noticed the request for more 'colour' (gulp!). You know me - I'm kind of colour shy. I think it comes from living in Sweden for 14 years! Don't get me wrong, Scandinavian homes often feature colour - but it's often exercised with a huge amount of restraint, and hues tend to be of the muted, earthy variety. Done right however, splashes of bright hues and accent walls can put a real spring in your step and make your home that more interesting. A fine example of this can be seen in the Berlin home of Franziska. I caught up with her to find out more...

 The green in the kitchen is a mixed 'Schöner Wohnen' color, code 04.031.02

I love the use of colour in your home it's subtle yet bold in equal measure, do you have a go-to paint brand?

I love the colors by Farrow and Ball. The color choices at Jotun are great too, but unfortunately they are not available in Germany.

The green is carried through to the hallway to give the flat a cohesive look. I once styled a home with a black hall (for The Scandinavian Home) and the owner told me the darker colour does wonders to hide a messy entrance-way. Got to love that!

It's fun to see two different accent walls in one room. How did you choose the colour combination?

My all time favourite colours are blue, green and pink. To these, I combine 'playing colours', for example in the form of pillows, pictures or flowers that change frequently. Everything inspires me: films and series, art, fashion, nature...

Franziska's home office is painted in Farrow and Ball 'Hague Blue' and Jotun 'Warm Blush'. A zingy yellow eames chair adds another dimension to the colour scheme. 

Do you have any tips for anyone looking to introduce colour into their home?

In order to choose a color you always have to consider the light, the room and the surrounding colors. That's why I would use a large color sample, pinning it on the wall and watching it change over the course of the day. Otherwise: Just try it! A wall is quickly re-painted and gives the room its own character.

The dusty rose bed linen (source similar here) and ochre cushion (this is similar - and budget friendly!) look pretty against the calm Farrow and Ball 'Light Blue' wall.

Where did you get the painting your bed, it's so beautiful?

It's a photo from Billy and Hells, two photographers from Germany. I bought it from Lumas.

And finally, what do you love most about your home?

The cozy, relaxed atmosphere in which I can live my creativity. The apartment is so beautiful with its high ceilings, the old large windows, the hinged door and the floorboards, that it is the perfect canvas that looks good with everything.

All photography ©Franziska / Lieblingsblicke

I especially love the tip to just go for the colour - as it can always be re-painted. Words to live by indeed!

Here's a summary of the key colours used in Franziska's home: 

From left to right:  Schöner Wohnen' color, code 04.031.02, Farrow and Ball 'Hague Blue', Farrow and Ball 'Light Blue' wall and Jotun 'Warm Blush'.

You can see more snapshots of Franziska's lovely home over on her instagram feed Lieblingsblicke. 

Thank you so much for inviting us into your home Franziska!

Looking for more colour inspiration? This archive has tons of it (if this home pops up first, you know the drill... just scroll on passed!). 

Have a härlig dag!

PS If you're intrigued about what's going down at Milan Salone del Mobile it's all on my Stories!

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Danish Blues And Spring Pastels in a Danish living Area

Here in Southern Sweden, it's ice cold (minus 9 degrees Celsius - BRRRR!).  The sea has started to freeze and icicles cling to the rocks and swimming decks. On my walk yesterday evening I noticed how the world turned from dazzling white to pink and then an incredible blue as the sun went down over the frosty waters. A tone not unlike that seen in Maj Winther Træde's dining area and sitting room. In her sitting room Maj has painted the entire room pale blue and added a pale pink accent as well as touches of easter pastels such as yellow, lavender and turquoise. The theme is carried through to the dining area with one single statement shelving unit in dusty blue. Danish design pieces such as wishbone chairs, a panthella lamp and 7 series chair help to add an elegant vibe. A perfect spring oasis in the heart of a wintery Copenhagen! Welcome to Maj's world!   

In the dining area, Maj has combined an Eiremann 2 dining table from Please wait To Be Seated with classic wishbone chairs and a black and chrome chair. A shelving unit from Hay is used to display colourful glassware, vases and kitchen essentials. The rug is from IKEA. 

I wish I could tell you the tone of this blue, but Maj has mixed it herself. I am currently painting Liv's room blue (at her request!) and my one piece of advice, is to pick up as many different colour cards as possible. The colour you choose TOTALLY depends on the room. 

A pink Fritz Hansen 7 Series chair rests against the wall beside various prints including the Line by Hein Studio. The bench is from FDB Møbler (who've been hand crafting furniture in Denmark since 1942). 

How lovely - it makes me feel like spring is in the air, despite the snow outside! I hope you felt inspired by this dining area and sitting room too!

You can see more of Maj's wonderful world (including what she's wearing (pastels of course!), lifestyle shots and her latest interior projects) over at @majtraede. 

For more blue inspiration I love this stunning Norwegian home, the wonderful home of a Swedish food blogger and Sofie Amalie's danish home. 

And a little colour palette inspiration from a feature I wrote last year: True blue baby, 2020 loves you (still proud off that title!). 

Are you feeling the chill where you are too? If so, stay warm out there friends (or if you're Down Under - stay cool - I hear you have the opposite issue!). 

Klem!

Niki

Photography: Another Studio DK / @anotherstudio.dk (accept the 5th picture which was shot by Maj). Shared with kind permission. 

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Colour Inspiration From a Lovely Swedish Apartment

Hello! How are you this bright and sunny day? In recent years, the interior world trend has edged away from a less is more white space (although they'll always feel timeless to me!) towards more of a mix and match menagerie of bold colours, patterns and prints. 

If you feel you're being carried along by the tide and looking to inject a little more colour into your home, this Swedish apartment might just serve as the perfect inspiration. Read on to discover which tones they have used and other smart uses of colour and contrast! 

In the kitchen, the cabinets have been painted in a soft shade beside a bolder blushing peach by Jotun. I used the latter in my bedroom, and absolutely loved it. Stupidly I painted over it on a whim and now I really miss it! 

A lovely mid blue has been used on a dresser by the window - which pairs beautifully with the peach - a very Scandi combo! 

Note how a shelf has been placed across the window, turning storage out of a disused area. If you have a window looking out onto a pavement, shelves like this can help shield you from prying eyes while still allowing light to come in. 

The sitting room wall (and hallway) have been painted in seashell by Becker. I would so love this shade at our summer cottage, if only for the name! So pretty, don't you think? 

Notice how they have brought in yellow as an accent colour. The trick is to bring in at least three pops for a cohesive, balanced look. Here, it can be seen in the blanket, flowers and a picture frame. 

Playing with scale is a great way to add interest to a space. Here, an oversized lamp makes a statement in the hallway. 

In recent years, paint has moved on from just the walls - and people are going wild with doorframes, wainscoting and other features. When done right, it can make a great impact! 

The wainscoting has been given a lick of 'dark teal' and the walls have been painted with 'rooibos' - both by Becker.

And finally, the children's bedroom has been painted in linen blue by Jotun - an incredibly popular shade in Scandinavia as it's incredible calming. Note the blue and pink combo has been repeated here. 

All in all, a lovely home, full of inspiring ideas!

Are there any paint combinations that stood out to you? 

Perhaps you have a favourite colour in your home that you'd like to share with us? 

In case you're looking for more colour inspiration, here are some Norwegian homes with very pretty schemes! 

A stunning Norwegian home in many shades of blue

Before and after: A rural Norwegian cottage gets a makeover

A charming little summer cabin by a Norwegian fjord

Before we all shoot off, a little note to say, it's a public holiday here in Sweden on Thursday and Friday and Alice (my youngest daughter) is competing in the nationals in gymnastics - so we're heading up to Stockholm to cheer her on. It's always a joy to watch her and her team mates and the other young gymnasts in action, if not highly emotional - I'll be needing big sunglasses! 

This means there'll be no post on Friday - but I'll be back again on Monday! 

Have a lovely few days! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Nya Kvadrat - found via Nordroom with thanks

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