A calm white and blue 'oasis' in Malmö, Sweden

Hello! I had such a wonderful evening last night to celebrate the launch of my book (feeling it a little today though I have to admit!). I'm nipping in to share a super fresh home here in Malmö,  which is currently for sale through Bjurfors, one of Sweden's largest and oldest estate agents. Bjurfors sold our first flat here in Malmö, and I have to say, they were amazing, I can highly recommend their services! The space has been decorated throughout in fresh white and touches of blue and looks so calm and relaxed. I'd love to be padding around here, I think it'd clear my head in an instant, don't you?!

Bjurfors

It's actually located high up in the eaves above one of Malmö's lovely main shopping streets - a little oasis of calm amongst the hustle and bustle. Perfect!

Could you see yourself padding around here?

A few items I know and love:  Smeg fridge, Beni ourain rug, these beautiful peacock blue velvet cushions are similar.

More white and blue themed homes include this wonderful danish apartment with industrial touches and a pretty white, blue and cognac Swedish space.

Have a lovely day!

PS thank you so much to Lou at Little Green Shed for this lovely post about Modern Pastoral. 

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Beautiful Wall Inspiration for Autumn!

Ever since I painted my bedroom in Blushing Peach, I've been crazy about the browns, rusts, chestnut, soft green and pinkish accents that are starting to seep into homes right now. And they're absolutely perfect for Autumn! If you're looking for colour palette inspiration for this season (or early 2019), I'm particularly loving the Calm and Raw series by Jotun Lady Pure Colour - so beautiful! Here's a peek (I couldn't resist including the hipster - this season's muse!!):

Calm

Soft neutral shades and warm, subtle contrasts

Raw

Warm earthy colours, shades of grey and burnt reddish tones which work together to create a relaxing yet refined style with a rustic touch. 

I think I need to get the paint brush out!

What do you think? Could you imagine having these tones in your home? Are you in the Calm or Raw camp?! I have a hard time deciding so perhaps a combination of the two would be beautiful!

You can find out more about these colours here and here.

If you'd like to take inspiration from real homes with beautiful Autumnal hues, I can highly recommend checking out: a dreamy home from home down under, the lovely, relaxed home of a DIY blogger in Berlin, and a beautiful Swedish space with Autumn tones.

Bring on the chill!

My sister's arriving today with my little niece (they're 10 months and 2 years!) - so excited! It's Allie's birthday tomorrow and my sister's two year old has been insisting on wearing a party hat all week in preparation for tomorrow! I hope I can get a few snapshots of them for tomorrow's post (I'll be sharing the full make-over of Allie's room). They're unbelievably cute and funny!

Have a lovely day!

Niki

PS This post is NOT sponsored, I just love the Jotun hues and lifestyle images and thought you might feel inspired by them too!

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Mia's Serene Stockholm Apartment is Full of Texture

I forgot to say happy halloween yesterday! Here, it was absolutely tipping it down all say so we had some very wet witches and ghouls appearing at our door. Full cred to them for weathering the storm for a handful of sweets! 

With all this rain, more rain and then some, everyone except the 'trick or treaters' have been hiding at home under a blanket - and this is where I think Swedish homes really come into their own. They are just so lovely and serene - like an oasis of calm even on the stormiest of days! 

Mia, a psychologist, and her family have a beautiful apartment in Stockholm which is the epitome of calm. Think soft, natural tones, lovely paintings and floral displays. Plus the entire apartment is layered with texture in the form of natural materials such as marble, sheepskin,  wood, linen and a very fluffy rug! 

I hope Mia's home leaves you with plenty of ideas for your own living space, I for one love the kitchen bench - such a clever way to squeeze in a table for four in a narrow space! 

Enjoy the tour!  

Lovely!

The wall mounted desk is such a clever idea - you can find a similar one here*. 

And those of you who have been curious about where swedes store all their clothes (winter, summer etc) I hope this floor to ceiling closet has provided some closure! No doubt, there is some kind of extra storage in the apartment basement too - there usually is. 

See more of Mia's apartment and the family's summer cottage on her instagram @madebymor. 

See more serene living spaces here: 

A charming blend of old and new in a Stockholm home

A stunning Stockholm pad in calming greens and greys (love the kitchen!)

This is not in Stockholm, but I just stumbled over this 'sofa make-over' Helen and I shot in her apartment   - it was such a fun day! 

Despite the calm home tour, it's all a little frantic here today. I'm on the early morning train to the IKEA headquarters in the forest for a meeting, and then racing back as my youngest and I are heading to London later today to visit my mother, sister and family (it's half-term here). Plus I am hoping to visit my wonderful editor from Simply Scandi magazine for whom I write a regular column. Guess what's on the forecast? More rain of course! 

Hope you're having a great week and that means your sunshine! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Mia / @madebymor.

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A Swedish Home That Will Sooth Your Soul!

Have you seen the 'calm app' which encourages you to stop what you're doing for 15 seconds and listen to the sound of rain drops? The aim is to make you feel relaxed through mindfulness (but apparently people are getting stressed out from all the ads they've been sharing, which does make me chuckle!). Either way, when I find apartments like this one I get my own little dose of mid week calm - do you find this too? I'm not sure if it's the soothing grey walls, the way the light falls or the soft, natural textures in the form of wood, rattan, leather and linen - but there's something beautiful about this space high up in the roof tops of Gothenburg. I'll leave you to enjoy the tour i lugn och ro (in peace and quiet)!



















... and relax!

I love that it has a little balcony looking out over the inner garden. Communal gardens like these are really common in Swedish apartment blocks. They're usually divided into unofficial zones which includes  somewhere to store bikes, a barbecue spot and a children's play area. The apartment I lived in before also had a communal vegetable patch - so lovely!

Is there anything that stood out to you?

If you're looking to create a calm oasis in your home too - here's our guide to some of the pieces:

GET THE LOOK

1. IKEA Stockholm 2017 cabinet  (where not sold, Marte Storage Cabinet
is a great alternative).
2. Object Blanc no 26 - Atelier CPH
3. Slit Table
4. Gubi Semi Pendant - Dia.60
5. Filton Coffee Table
6. CH23 Side Chair
7. Nicoline A. Milton - Adoray
8. STOCKHOLM 2017 Tray
9. Glo-Ball S1 Suspension Lamp
10. Cutter Bench 120

More Swedish homes in the archives include the wonderful home of a food blogger (check out the blue walls!),  the charming home of a designer and a vintage inspired home full of soul.

I'm just doing the final prep on my office make-over. It's been a surprising amount of work - gah - (partly due to how much rubbish I managed to accumulate) but it's nearly there now and I'm really hoping to share the results tomorrow. Fingers crossed!

Have a lovely evening!

Credits: Photographer Jonas Berg. Styling GreyDeco for Stadshem

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Mathilda & Anton's Serene Apartment in Southern Sweden

Hello friends, happy Monday! I was always get a little extra excited when I discover a home tour in Malmö - and this one is SO beautiful! Plus, it has a wonderful, serene vibe which I thought would help us launch into the week on a lovely, calm note! Tucked away on a quiet street in the leafy district of Rörsjöstaden, this turn-of-the-century apartment has been given some real TLC from owners Mathilda and Anton. The newly renovated living space has been decorated in a sea of neutrals, with warm wood playing a central role. Look closely and you'll also spy Scandinavian design pieces (I've done my best to include some links!), high street finds, vintage pieces and plenty of art! Välkommen in! 

The bamboo lamp, believe it or not, is from HM Home - what a find (currently out of stock, which doesn't surprise me)! The light oak table is from JYSK and the chairs are classic wishbone. The wooden kitchen cabinets are from IKEA. 

A vintage wall catches the light in the corner of the sitting room (source similar here*) while at is piled up beneath, waiting to be hung. 

An IKEA sofa and two armchairs are arranged around an IKEA coffee table. A String shelving unit runs along the back wall beneath a series of paintings and a Samsung Frame TV (cleverly disguised as art in the centre of the gallery wall). 

Mathilda has set up a home office on a fold-away vintage table by the window. 

Striped linen bedding from IKEA catches the light in the bedroom. The linen cushions are from Swedish brand Granit. 

There's something about this home, with it's beautiful natural light and soft tones that has made me feel ultra-calm this Monday, hope about you?

See more pictures of Mathilda and Anton's lovely Malmö hope over at @sekelskiftsdagboken

May this feeling of calm remain all week!

Having said that, I have a feeling I might just get pulses racing tomorrow. I'm busy preparing a post about an awe-inspiring Swedish holiday home in a former fire station (including before and after pics)! Whatever you're doing tomorrow, make sure you stop by!

Wishing you all a wonderful start to the week!

Niki

Photography: Mathilda / @sekelskiftsdagboken

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