Singing the bedroom blues

Heeejsan! It's way past mid-morning but I can't seem to shake that tired feeling (despite the copious amounts of double strength coffee of course). It has a lot to do with an early morning breakfast meeting with my wonderful mentoree Ebba (have you ever done any mentoring? It's surprisingly energising, not to mention rewarding - I can highly recommend it!). But, being the terrible morning person that I am, all I want to do now is crawl back under the covers - how nice would that be?! I've got lots to do though so instead I'll *dream* of a quiet doze in this Swedish bedroom. I mean, just how beautiful are the walls? The grey-blue tone is both cocoon-like and calm in equal measure and looks so striking against the white ceiling, window frames and doors. Add to that the wooden furniture and soft linen bedding and the entire space is an oasis of comfort and calm! Of course, there's also a roaring fire waiting just around the corner to keep you toasty over breakfast - perfect!

For sale through 55Kvadrat. 

Could you imagine a duvet day here?

Get the look:
It's very difficult to recommend a paint colour (although if anyone can let us know this exact paint colour we'd all be happy bunnies?!). My best advice is to nip down to a paint shop and pick up several different tones which match this and try them out on the different walls in the room. The colour can vary dramatically depending on the orientation of the room and time of day.

Bedroom - notPERFECTLINEN sells beautiful bed linen like this (ships wordwide) Hallway: Muuto dots. Sitting room -  Bertoia chair, Tuuli Burman creates beautiful Finnish birch baskets. 
 
Loving the walls in this bedroom? You might want to check out my 'decorating with blue' archive. All hail this wonderful hue?!

Have a lovely day!

PS Don't forget to enter the give-away to win a framed, limited edition Palm Print from Absolut Art! It only takes a sec too!

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A monochrome Danish home with Christmas touches

Hello there, how're you faring up this week?! I think I've got just the home to bring you a little mid-week calm! It comes in the form of Henriette Bach's cottage in Holte, in the Northern outskirts of Copenhagen. Henriette is part owner of design firm Nordstjerne, which creates beautiful items for the home. Henriette favours a minimalist approach to decorating, carefully selecting items she loves, including treasures collected on travels and of course items from her company. She's also inspired by nature which you can see from the abundance of sheepskins, and natural elements. I love the subtle Christmas touches too. Let's take a tour....

Photography: Nicoline Olsen shared with kind permission.

So serene!

Is this your kind of style?

Items I know and love: Sheepskin, Sofa from Eilersen, cushions/ pillows Day Home, Danish Christmas ornaments and dark grey stocking from Nordstjerne, Bestlite floor lamp, Bestlite wall lamp,  I love the light grey cashmere blanket, source a similar beautifully soft one here. 

You can see more of this lovely home and read a full interview over at BoligLiv.

Other links I love today:

Don't miss this pretty Swedish Christmas inspiration from Residence magazine.

I had the pleasure of visiting this Danish home briefly last summer (it was fabulous) - I'll always love these images of it in the snow all decked out for Christmas too.

How pretty is this Christmas tree? - it reminds me of my girls decorating the tree a few years ago. I've finally got around to putting a few cosy touches to my sitting room too (over on Instagram)...

Comfort food of the day.

I'm so happy with the posts I've got lined up for the rest of the week - including a Scandinavian gift wrapping guide, a fab give-away, some lovely festive home tours, plus some very exciting news....I look forward to hanging out with you!

Have a lovely day!

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Let it Glow: 5 Pretty Candle Displays You Can Make In An Instant!

The winter solstice 2019 will be at 05.19 this Sunday, 22nd December (counting down the seconds? You bet I am!). From then on, the days slowly get lighter - PHEW! Anyone else feeling a tiny bit relieved? In my mind, the only saving grace is that the darkness gives us an excuse to light candles, and lots of them, which makes for one very cosy home! On the dining table, in the window, by the sink. As long as there's nothing flammable nearby, there's no end to where you can add a little glow. Here are 5 of my favourite, simple DIY candle displays this winter! 

1. Swedish Advent ljusstake: two weeks ago, Per mentioned in this interview how much he loves the traditional Swedish 7-arm candelabra. I have to say, they do look very beautiful in the window (from the inside and out!). Sadly, they're not easy to find in all countries, but if you fancy something similar, why not make one yourself with different size vintage brass candleholders. So pretty! 

2. Jam jars and pine: everyone has a few jam jars lurking in a drawer - why not make use of them and create these simple tea light holders using garden twine and pine (if you don't feel like lopping them off your tree, ask for a few off cuts at your local Christmas tree market, I'm sure they'd be happy to help! 

3. Moss candleholders: no vintage brass candlesticks to hand? Fill glass jars with moss for an instant candleholder - twine and rosemary optional! Do keep an eye on them when lit though - especially if the moss is dry! 

4. Candles and pine in the window: you can't get more simple than white candles in jam jars and branches of pine laid across the windowsill - and it looks super cosy too! 

5. Simple DIY table wreath: A daily Something has shared this simple DIY candle wreath here. I love the idea of the delicate grey, tapered candles too - so elegant! Could this be something for your Christmas table?

Did anything catch your eye? I'm a big fan of moss and have already made a few candle holders with it at home (I also love to wrap moss around the bulb of hyacinths and amaryllis). 

A quick reminder to be really careful with candles - always blow them out when you leave the room and make sure your home is well ventilated! 

If you'd like a few more Christmas decorating ideas check out: 

6 beautifully simple Scandinavian DIY Christmas Decorations

16 DIY Christmas decorations made from nature

3 lovely DIY Christmas decorations

There's also plenty of Scandinavian home tours all decked out for Christmas in the archive! 

Have a cosy day!

Niki

Credits: 1. Christina Strehlow 2. Linnea, Lovely Life 3. Source unknown - Pinterest (tips welcome!) 4. DIY Jewellery ideas (if this is not correct, please let me know!) 5. Pufik Homes 6. A Daily Something

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Pretty Danish Christmas inspiration

Morning! I hope you had a great weekend? I'm on the early morning train, traveling through the countryside, the sun is sloooowly starting to rise but it's cold brrrrr. Where I really want to be is back in bed (or in this room with dark green walls - could this be the wall colour of 2016?). Failing that I'd love to be pottering around, putting the final touches on our Christmas tree (this is our home several Christmas's ago).  That's why I couldn't resist sharing a little more festive inspiration today, this time from Broste Copenhagen. The Danes really do know how to decorate for Christmas, don't they? 

Broste AW15 Photography: Line Thit Klein. Styling Marie Gravnbøl

So pretty! I love the touches of eucalyptus and washed grey linen.

All of these items can be purchased through a Broste stockist. I also absolutely love this linen tableware.

More beautiful Danish homes at Christmas include this beautiful house in the snow and inside a rustic log cabin.

A few more Christmas links I love today: 

This simple white star garland.

Christmas cards - the art of beautiful penmanship made easy. Oh yes we can!

Decorating with a personal touch using instagram / instax.

If you love the macrame wall hanging trend but would like something a little different from the white -  how about this one? Art in itself?!

10 of the best simple table decorations.

Fab Alternative Christmas trees. 

Pretty Scandinavian Christmas inspiration for the home.

Have a great start to the week! 

PS This is not a sponsored post, I just love the images....

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A cosy Swedish home ready for Christmas

Hello there! We woke up to snow yesterday and today it's sparkling in the sun, such a beautiful sight, but it's coooooold! Brrrrrrr! The knits are out and snow boots firmly in place. At home there's only one way to go at this time of year: sheepskins and candlelight. And Sandra Nilsson's cosy Swedish home beautifully captured by Carina Olander has that 'hygge' feel down to a fine art. Natural materials such as linen, wool, and wood bask in the warm glow of flickering candlelight. Look out for the simple fir and moss displays and of course the Christmas tree. What's not to love?!

Credits: Photography Carina Olander (shared with kind permission). Stylist Anna Truelsen. See the full feature in Hus & Hem 13/2016.

So toasty! And so many inspiring details. Yes, it's perhaps a little too early for a Christmas tree but not for candlelight, subtle fir wreaths and textured moss displays.

I'll be taking inspiration from these DIY ideas.

And there's plenty more, beautifully simple inspiration to be taken from my Christmas board.

.....This will be us this weekend!!

Get the look: sitting room - chunky knits, white stonewashed linen by the yard, grey sheepskin cushion and linen cushions. Hallway / storage area - source a beautiful vintage mirror here (love the art deco ones!), galvanised buckets. These tall, traditional candleholders are lovely. Vintage apple crates. Dining room - grey gotland sheepskin throws, grey and white linen tablecloth.

You can see more of Sandra's lovely home over on Instagram or blog Vintage House. Oh so lovely!

How will you be decorating your home this season?

Have a lovely day and stay warm fellow Northerners!

PS Get more tips on how to create a cosy home the Scandinavian way here. 

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A White Swedish Apartment in Stockholm In Winter Time

Not many cities are as beautiful as Stockholm in winter. And there to enjoy it is Marta Vargas, her fiancé Graeme and their English springer spaniel Summer. Located in Midsommarkransen (I love this name - it means 'Midsummer wreath'), the family of three (soon to be four!), live in a little apartment overlooking "a tiny forest, with deer, beautiful sunsets and many types of birds." Originally from Barcelona, Marta is a graphic designer, photographer and art director and combines her position in the design team at Spotify with other freelance endeavours. The one bedroom flat offers a pared-back yet warm and inviting base from which to explore the city and its surroundings. Here are some snapshots from Marta's wonderful snowy world in the Swedish capital! 

Marta and Graeme used their time during the pandemic to renovate their kitchen - investing in cabinets from Skandinaviska Shakerkök.  

Source a similar wooden clothes dryer* from River Bend Roes. 

A 'snöblomma' advent star* lights up the window, and you can catch a glimpse of the small forest beyond. 

A small space between the open-plan kitchen, dining and sitting room area provides the perfect spot for a Christmas tree, simply decorated in tones of off-white, gold and brown.

A cot from Baby Bay has been set up beside a Jotex headboard for the imminent arrival. 

How lovely! 

It makes me want to relocate to Stockholm, how about you? 

FYI the last picture is actually in Undersåker, 7 hours North of Stockholm. It was taken during a stay at a cottage overlooking a frozen lake for Marta's 30th birthday. Imagine! 

Feel inspired by more photos over at @imartavargas and www.martavargas.com today. 

And here are a few other lovely Stockholm homes: 

The fab Stockholm home of a designer hunter

A charming apartment in Stockholm where the past and present meet

A beautiful Stockholm pad in earthy green and grey tones

On another note, I mentioned that things have sort of piled up my end. I hope you don't mind that I skip tomorrow's post in order to catch up (and breath again!). I figured that Marta's lovely home and the landscape surrounding it offers enough dreamy Scandinavian inspiration to carry us through to Monday, what do you think?

If you're doing some final touches to your Christmas decorating (or just getting started), take a peek at the My Scandinavian Home Christmas archive - there are thousand of Scandi 'Jul' ideas in there! 

Wishing you a wonderful weekend! 

Niki

Photography: Marta Vargas, shared with kind permission.  

*This post contains affiliate links

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Sitting pretty in Lund

Today I love the sitting room in this apartment currently for sale in the South Sweden historic university town of Lund. The mix of black, white, grey and pastels is such a pretty palet and combined with the beautiful Kakelugn fireplace in the corner: a perfect space!

Bo-laget

I know I'm a little obsessed by it at the moment.....but I think I've decided on a white, grey and washed out pastel colour scheme for my new bedroom. I love H&M home's 'Linne' collection and the Bodie & Fou linen duvet cover in blue/grey. My other discovery is these simple and pretty candles from LET LIV. Oooo such little time, and so much decorating to be done!

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The dark side of decorating

The queen of Swedish interior design Lotta Agaton firmly believes dark coloured walls are the new white in 2014. This home mixes dark grey with dark floors and then brightens the space with a lick of white on the ceiling (love those wood beams and pillars!) and white rugs. I have to say the pictures on the wall really pop against the dark grey walls. I like it. 

Maison-Hand via Lotta Agaton

Could you go the dark side? Or perhaps you're there already?!

I spy the fab Knoll  platner side chairs and Knoll dining table (and they're both on sale too!). I think these are my favourite items of the moment.

If you haven't already, don't forget to enter the St.Valentine's Day give-away here, you've got until midnight tomorrow and you know I'd love you to win.

Have a lovely day. 

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