Bohemian touch in a magnificent Berlin apartment

Have you ever been to Berlin? Or perhaps you're lucky enough to live there? I've visited a few times over the past few years and it's fast become one of my favourite cities. One memorable evening we wondered through the Kreuzberg district which is a really vibrant part of town and very cool, in an edgy, bohemian way (I was in awe!). That's probably why I was so excited to stumble across this incredible apartment in the same area. Owner Karina and her husband have decorated the space with restraint - choosing a few carefully selected pieces each with a story to tell - and at the same time allowing the magnificent architecture to take centre stage. And who better to capture the space than Jules Villebrandt of herz und blut?! Let's take a tour...

Photography: Jules Villbrandt. Home-owner: Karina.

What a beautiful apartment! Those floors! That ceiling.... I love the way an upper section in the kitchen has been left in it's original state, very beautiful don't you think?

Get the look from Karina's apartment: souce a beautiful, colourful boucherouite rug here, this is a great source for made-to-measure dual toned linen curtains, Angelpoise lamp.

You can see more pics and read a full interview over on herz und blut here.

You might also like to take a peek at a mid-century inspired Berlin home,  a Berlin home full of contrast and a calm Berlin home with a modern twist. So inspiring!

Oh and  something else you may find interesting (at least I did!) - this graphic maps out the top interior design trends for each US state, who knew?!

And finally, don't miss my sitting room refresh with Bemz tomorrow - am so excited to be sharing it with you!

Have a lovely day! 

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The bohemian summer home of a Swedish fashion photographer

Many Swedes choose to spend their summers on the beautiful east coast island of Gotland and I can totally understand why. One such person is fashion photographer Peter Gerhke (who has shot for H&M among many other brands) and his family. The family's relaxed, bohemian style stone country house is radically different from their permanent residence in Stockholm which is decorated with a far more contemporary feel. The family spend their time at the summer cottage bare foot, enjoying the grape vines and fig trees in the garden, cooking using home grown vegatables and herbs or fishing and swimming in the clear waters of the Baltic sea. Now that's a way to spend a summer!

Photography: Martin Löf. MILK Decoration with kind permission. 

I love the idea of hanging out bare-foot and care-free don't you?!

My favourite room, has to be the bathroom. I love free standing baths in the middle of the room, and just look at that beautiful original wood floor!

For more inspriation from Gotland you might want to check out this former light house keeper's cottage, the idyllic summer home of the blogger behind a Beautiful Living, and a beautiful Swedish summer retreat. Summer on Gotland 2015 anyone?!

It's Friday - woohoo! Any great plans for the weekend? Whatever you do I hope you have a fantastic couple of days. See you Monday!

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A Boho, Warm and inviting Home in Södermalm, Stockholm

Who lives here do you think? Looking at the pictures of this charming apartment in the boho district of Södermalm, Stockholm, I can't help think it belongs to a creative of some sort - potentially working in the field of music. Right or wrong, the lovely living space might be on the small size (it's 40 metre square / 430 feet square) - but the clever lay out makes it a perfect home for a single person, couple or small family. And it oozes charm!  Keep a look out for the eclectic blend of furniture, walls painted in a rich patina, and the way they've worked with the original kitchen to create a cosy, warm and inviting space. I could totally imagine rocking around here after work, how about you? Just add music! 

A perfect example of how an old kitchen can be revamped without ripping out all the units and starting all over again (which can be eye-wateringly expensive). 

Exposed beams add to the charm of the space. 

A mezzanine floor over the living room provides space for a separate master bedroom (the high ceilings have certainly help facilitate this!). 

How lovely! I find this relaxed, bohemian style so inspiring, do you? 

A quick translation / Swedish lesson from the floor plan: 

Kök (pronounciation): kitchen

Hall (pronounciation): hall

Badrummet (pronunciation): bathroom

Vardagsrum (pronounciation): living room

Sovloft (pronounciation): sleeping loft

Balkong (prounciation): balcony

I've found Swedish to be a very sensitive language. Speaking from experience, if you get the pronunciation ever so slightly wrong a Swede will likely not understand what you're saying (it could also be that my pronounciation is horrible!). All-in-all, it makes it a little tricky to learn. 

Do you speak a second language? Or perhaps a third, fourth or fifth like my linguistically skilled older sister? I'd love to hear about your experiences! 

And for more boho spaces today, check out these: 

The's boho-style abode in Berlin

A relaxed boho family home on the edge off a desert

Step inside Verena's relaxed, warm and inviting home

There are plenty more lovely homes to feel inspired by in the bohemian archive too! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Historiska Hem, with thanks

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An Inspired Bohemian Bungalow In Montana

There are some homes that you can imagine feeling at ease in straight away, this is one of them. Located in Missoula, Montana, the bungalow belongs to Bridget Ambrose - a healer and home stylist through Be Crow Be, husband Mathew, a product design director and their son Ryder. Among many other things (Reiki, integrated CranioSacral Practitioner etc), Bridget specialises in styling people's homes in a meaningful, sacred way. Her own home is a fine example of this. Plants, open shelving, layers of textiles and one-off vintage finds ensure a wonderful, relaxed, bohemian feel which Bridget describes as "a never-ending art project". While they may have amassed a fine collection of items, the pair also recognise the value of 'empty space' (a trick central to the Scandinavian style we all so love) - which gives the home its cosy and warm yet light and contemporary vibe. 

I love how Bridget has used wooden open-plan shelving, which she's lined with plants, baskets and decorative kitchen items, adding to the relaxed feel.  

I'm a big fan of nooks, especially when they help capitalise on space. Needless to say, this cosy built-in window seat around a custom reclaimed wood dining table is one of the family's favourite spots! A series of Tom Dixon Beat lights* have been hung over the table. 

How fabulous is this Mitt Accent Chair from Eclectic Goods?! I'm already wondering where I can put one in my own home, are you tempted too?! The painting is by Mel Remmers. Pick up a fluffy sheepskin like this one here*.

Rugs too small for the space? Just layer them up like this. Kisu rugs* sell vintage pieces like these. 

If you're going for a decluttered look, plenty of storage is essential. This Kinley Storage Unit adds to the room and also provides a perfect surface for art and plants. Perfect!

A vintage chest-of-drawers looks so pretty in the bathroom in place of a standard bathroom cabinet. I can't resist showing you the before (below) so you can appreciate the transformation! If you're feeling inspired, take a look at this complete guide to using vintage furniture as a bathroom vanity The vintage rug is from Jean Palmer Home. 

It's small hacks like the loo roll being hooked to the side of the cabinet that make this home so personal! 

How lovely! Do you see what I mean when I said you could walk into this home and immediately feel at ease? It's such a warm and inviting space!

See more of Bridget's home over at @becrowbe and read more about her services (some of which are remote) here.

Love a little boho? Take a peek at a creative warm and inviting family home, the golden vintage-inspired home of Sarah Shabacon and a cosy, boho Scandinavian family home.

Have a lovely day y'all!

Niki

PS I'm on an early morning train to the My Scandinavian Home Studio at Spinneriet just outside Gothenburg. We're going to take a look at some of the mood boards for the rooms we're currently designing - exciting! I love being at the studio, it has the most beautiful light (see the tour here!). If you're stuck on a room just give us a shout or read more about the service here - in celebration of the launch, we're offering 20% off our design service with code MYNEWROOM!

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Pretty Christmas decorating with winter branches

It really is cold here this afternoon. BRRR! I think that's why I was drawn to these lovely white Christmas images. I love the branches with presents, 'pepparkaka' (ginger biscuits), fairy lights. stars and baubles. So pretty! My little three year old made a ginger biscuit house this year.  I really love it, it's all hickeldy pickeldy! 

Via Bohemian Sense

The beautiful sitting room of blogger at Anna Leenas Hem

Via Bohemian Sense 

Jon Horvarth

Psssst! If you would like to make a ginger biscuit house but don't have the time to make it from scratch you can pick up a kit from IKEA!  You can also pick up pretty heart ginger biscuits to decorate with white icing. Perfect cheat!

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A Lovely, Relaxed Artist's Home Full of Plants

Tjena! We've had a great week on Sweden's West coast - despite a few howling gales. Now, we're starting to wind our way back to Malmö across the Skagerrak, Kattegat and Öresund seas (it's a loooong sail!). I'm already dreaming about home and my warm, cosy bed - so it feels apt to start blogging about beautiful interiors again today! And what better way to kick off the week than an artists home full of plants, books and inspiring DIY ideas! Denise is a freelance illustrator and art therapist, who's watercolour box is her constant companion. Her light-filled home in Berlin has been furnished with an eclectic blend of pieces, and although pared-back, it's full of character and serves as a wonderful, relaxed space to live and paint. Welcome to Denise's world! 

What a great home! 

I love her DIY headboard against the textured bedroom wall. The futon style bed also emphasizes the tremendous ceiling height. 

Did you spot her amazing rubber plant? I'm not sure ours will ever be that tall!

Is there anything that stood out to you? 

Denise sells her beautiful watercolors through her Etsy shop KunstZimmerBerlin and is also a part of The Conscious Club, a studio and store in Berlin for mindfully designed and crafted products (one to visit if you're ever in town!). I also love her instagram @kunstzimmer - it's full of inspiration! 

How I love a Berlin home, do you feel the same? Here are a few others I've featured: 

A small relaxed bohemian home, filled with plants

A serene family home in Berlin

A bohemian touch in a magnificent Berlin apartment

The wonderful loft of a furniture designer (OK, I cheated a little here, this is not in Berlin - but it's well worth a peek!)

Have a great start to the week! See you Wednesday (I'll be blogging three days a week until Monday as it can be a bit tricky on the high seas!). 

I hope you're having a relaxing summer, and keeping well out there! 

Niki

Photography: Denise / @kunstzimmer

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