Best Of My Scandinavian Home 2018!

I can't believe I'm wrapping up another year on the blog (I started My Scandinavian Home in 2011, isn't that crazy?). It feels great to be able to say that I enjoy coming here as much as I did when I first started. This is definitely thanks to all of you, who make this such a positive place to visit each day. I'm so grateful for all your input, comments and words of encouragement. And even if you're a silent reader, I see you (in my numbers) and I'm happy you're here! Hopefully you walk away each day with a spring in your step and a new idea for your home! I'd also like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has contributed and all the amazing creatives out there who have so generously invited us into their homes and given the kind permission to share pictures. And to all the wonderful My Scandinavian Home sponsors far and wide who make this blog possible. Tack så mycket and Skål to you all! On with this year's round-up...

Top 5 Blog Posts

5. If you want to keep warm, where else would you sit than a vintage radio? In fact, this mischievous cat is great at finding places to cosy up all round Antonia Schmitz's Cologne home.

Antonia Schmitz / www.Craftifair.com 

4. In the blog survey at the beginning of the year many of you said you were looking to learn more about interior know-how. Could this be why '10 interior Styling Tricks To Learn From a Swedish Home' went down so well? Or perhaps it's just the lovely decor. Either way, this number was popular!

Photo: Fredrik Karlsson Styling Studio Cuvier for Alvhem

3. I'm such a big fan of Leanne Ford's work (the tour of a her woodsy cabin was one of my favourites). I'm happy to see her project - A Dated Home Becomes a Fresh, Modern Farmhouse - make it into the top five. That girls got style!

Photo: Alexandra Ribar

2. Some posts require a lorry load of work, and  '20 Instagrammable Places To Stay In Sweden' was one of them. I am thrilled the work paid off and will hopefully inspire you to visit this beautiful country! Make sure you come and say hi when you do!

1. And now for the most read blog post of 2018. Drumroll please... It was none other than the charming home of Johanne Landbo (titled '10 Small Space Hacks To Learn From A Danish Home). This was a personal favourite of mine too - great minds think alike! What a fantastic home!

Photo: Johanne Landbo

Top 5 Instagram posts of 2018!

Instagram has definitely been my favourite social media this year (after the blog of course - does that count as SM? Not really I guess!). Here are the top 5 posts on @myscandinavianhome in 2018:

5. I'm pleased you liked my new sitting room update which I shot for Bemz too! I plan on sitting in this little corner a lot over the holidays!

4. I can completely understand why this post was in the top 5 - I mean, look at that cat - isn't he handsome?! Of course, Audrey Rivet's entire home is just lovely too!

Photo: Audrey Rivet

3. We'd all love to live somewhere with large, spacious, light-filled rooms but that simply isn't always the case. And this box room in the Swedish home of Sara Margareta Hellman stole our hearts. It goes to show that mini can be mighty (and white isn't always the way to go in a small space).

Photo: Sara Margateta Hellman

2. Who doesn't love a gallery wall - especially one you can customise daily! Seems like we all felt truly inspired by the picture wall in the home of Janniche Kristoffersen!

Photo: Janniche Kristoffersen

1. Books are such an important part of a living space - and as an author I'm especially happy to see this picture of a set of shelves brimming with tomes in the relaxed home of Katarina Matsson inspire over 206122 people! Let's hear it for great reads!

Photo: Katarina Matsson

Top 5 Pinterest Pins

Got to love Pinterest. It's packed with amazing inspiration, do you find the same? I never know quite what will take off on Pinterest so I was excited to explore the top five:

5. I was hoping Louise's delightful, hygge Danish home might pop up somewhere in the 'Best of...' list - her use of colour is so inspiring!

Photo: Louise / Mor Til Mernee

4. If you're looking for a moment of calm this Christmas you could do well to pour yourself a cup of coffee (or something stronger) and click over to this Swedish home decorated in cream and caramel tones. A special shout out to the Karin chair designed by Bruno Mathsson - which made a huge comeback this year!

3. Linens, sheepskin, candles and a wreath - I couldn't think of a more perfect spot to chill than this one in the Swedish home of Anna Kvarnström.

Photo: Anna Kvarnström

2. This year, Genevieve Jorn and I made-over my teenage stepson's bedroom. It was such a fun project and I'm glad to see others feel inspired by it too! N.B. It definitely doesn't look this tidy today!!

1. Say the words 'mid-century meets boho' and you know you're onto a winner, don't you think?! If you haven't taken a tour of Mallory Fletcher's Brooklyn home yet, I suggest you hop over immediately! I'm not surprised her sitting room was my most pinned image all year, it's fabulous!

Photo: Mallory Fletcher / Reserve Home

I had so much fun putting this post together - I'd actually forgotten about some of these beautiful spaces / posts!

Did you have a favourite?

Right. I think that's it.

I'll be back on January 7th. But if you feel you'd like to stop by over the holidays for inspiration there are thousands of home tours and snippets of design inspiration to be found in the archive. Some of my favourites include:

Danish Homes
Swedish cottages
Norwegian Homes
Finnish Homes
International Homes
Vintage Inspired Homes
Bohemian Style
Rural Retreats

I'm off to tuck into turkey in London and maybe dabble in a little skiing in my heartland (Norway) (see Instagram stories for more!).

I hope you have a wonderful, relaxing holiday too!

Thank you for 2018!

Niki x

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A charming boho dairy in the Swedish countryside

Do you ever feel like leading a simpler life in the country? I definitely do, especially when I look at homes like this. Johan and Rinas live in an old dairy outside Falkenberg on Sweden's west coast where they collect freshly laid eggs, forage for chanterelle and make homemade juice. 'Lis Mejeri' has been decorated using 'something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue' - including many things found around the house when they moved in. Johanna Bradford and Kristin Lagerqvist - were lucky enough to visit in person and took these lovely pictures. Let's take a peek...

Johanna Bradford / Kristin Lagerqvist  Lovely Life

This is definitely one to share with my family and say *guys, fancy living like this for a while?*....

Could you imagine living somewhere like this?

See more pics of the dairy here (and on their blog here). 

It reminds me a little of the beautiful Strömma Farmlodge. More boho homes not far from Lis Mejeri here.

Have a lovely day!

PS Malmö / Copenhagen friends Emily Katz popped me a note to say she is travelling from Portland, Oregon to Copenhagen to hold a modern macrame workshop this Saturday 5th September.  Thought you wouldn't want to miss it....

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Mid-century meets Boho in a Brooklyn Home

Hejsan! How's everything with you today? I'm curious, do you have a city that feels like a home from home for no other reason than it feels right? One of mine is Brooklyn! I always get excited when I discover a home tour in the New York City borough, especially when it's as lovely as this one. Mallory shares her apartment in Greenpoint with her partner and two cats and runs The Reserve, a thoughtfully curated shop selling the most beautiful rugs, poufs and cushions made from vintage Moroccan textiles. Let's take a tour...

How would you describe your style? 
My style tends to shift faster than I can keep up, but I would describe it as eclectic meets Mid Century modern meets California cool (in New York, of course). I’m drawn to natural materials like wood, jute, and wool and I love designing our space with a soft color palette in mind.

Tell us about your passion for rugs: 

"I'm a big believer that woven rugs can add so much character and texture to your home and alongside plants, make a huge style statement! I'm a fan of rugs in the dining room, kitchen, and layered in a living room or bedroom. My jaw always drops when I see a pop of colour in a perfectly worn runner lining a hallway or entry."

Rugs can be really tricky - do you have any style tips for us? 

"My tip would be to invest in quality handmade pieces with a history. Beautifully worn Persian rugs or faded Moroccan Boujaad rugs are my absolute favourite to style with. One-of-a-kind always wins in my book."

Loving the poufs you sell, do you have any advice for anyone looking to buy one for their home (i.e. me!)?

With poufs, my advice would be to think outside the box! I use my floor poufs as additional seating when entertaining, as space holders for those awkward nooks and crannies in the house, as lovely-to-look-at pet beds, and I stack them up to use as ottomans for movie nights at home. I know many people that also use them in reading nooks for kids or as meditation pillows.

Urban Outfitters NYC paid Mallory's a visit a few weeks back and turned their bedroom into a 'floral wonderland! Love how Michael (one of their kitty cats) is taking shade under a cheese plant leaf on the windowsill too!
 

Photography courtesy of The Reserve (with kind permission).

Thank you for telling us a little about your home and sharing your tips Mallory!

Hands up who'd love one of The Reserve poufs in your home? (*own hand shoots up*).

Get the look*

1. Light Brown La Fleur Hanging Chair
2. Bohemian Tassel natural cotton cushion
3. Round Bevel Edge and Tulip Base Dining Table
4. White sheepskin rug
5. Moroccan Boujaad XL Pouf No 1
6. Ikea SINNERLIG Pendant lamp
7. Cleopatra Quilted Cotton Bedspread
8. Monte Cushion #1
9. Cotton Velvet Cushion Cover

You can see more of Mallory's home and keep up to date with the latest items in her shop on instagram.

And more fabulous boho homes here - just in case you're after a little more inspiration (if this tour comes up first just scroll on passed)! 

Have a lovely day!
 


PS It's the final day to get 25% off posters* at Desenio with code 'myscandinavianhome.  Here's what I did with mine.  *Except on the handpicked / collaboration poster category and frames.


 * This post includes affiliated links which means that I make a very tiny amount of money (perhaps enough for a coffee and a choccy biccy from each post!) if you click or buy some of the items. Thank you for supporting the businesses that make My Scandinavian Home possible.

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Theo's Charming, Bohemian-style Abode in Berlin

We've had quite a few pared-back homes on the blog this week so it's definitely time to shake things up a little, don't you think? Plus it's Friday - woohoo! So, today I'm bringing you the charming, boho home of Theo Melnik. Theo lives in Berlin with her boyfriend, herd of cats, countless plants and some very fine second-hand finds. Here's Theo to tell you a little more about her delightful abode in her own words...

Where is your apartment? 
It's in Berlin, in Neukölln actually :)

What do you do work-wise?
I am a copywriter / content creator. Essentially, I really love writing and taking pictures, and basically that is what I do for a hobby and also for my job #bestlife

You do indeed! Can you describe the layout of your apartment a little?
We have one bedroom, a living room, kitchen, bathroom, balcony, and a pantry.

What's your decorating philosophy?
I always look at materials. I like 'real' materials like wood, brass, marble and things like that. However, that doesn't mean it always needs to be expensive. For example, we've just built a kitchen surface using OSB and I totally love it. I just don't like it when materials pretend to be something they're not (like plastic veneers for example). Other than that I love mixing old and new (with probably more old stuff). I also love design classics, but ideally used ones, from their original time period. "

How do you select pieces for your home?
Honestly, sometimes I think items pick me. I often just spend hours on ebay searching for materials (or particular finishings) I like at the moment and then see what comes my way. I've found many of my favourite pieces that way.

Do you have a favourite room? 
That's a hard one. I love them all. I guess whichever is the tidiest at any given moment? Right now I probably like the kitchen best but I am planning a semi-major bedroom update soon (which my boyfriend doesn't know about yet....) which I hope to share soon. So my favourite room might change in the near future ;) 

And do you have a favourite piece?
Oh wow, that's even harder! It's probably very silly but I absolutely love my cutlery - I got two vintage brass sets and adore both (though one of them is still my absolute favourite). We also just got a dishwasher and it's a game changer. Oh and the mirror in the bedroom and the kitchen table (which I bought respectively for 1€ and 1,50€ on ebay, which is incredible).

Ha! That's four pieces - but we'll forgive you, as your home is full of beautiful treasures so we'd find it hard to pick one too!

Thank you so much for the tour and telling us a little more about your home!

Theo shares daily snapshots of her home over on instagram.

And if you're looking for more beautiful, relaxed boho home tours this sunny weekend why not take a peek at a relaxed boho family home in Florida, the wonderfully relaxed, bohemian home of Carley Summers and the boho home of Paloma Lanna.

Have a fabulous weekend all!

PS 5 ways to add the Swedish love of balance into your life.


Photography: Theodore Melnik shared with kind permission. 

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