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A Beautiful Southern Sweden Home (With An Adorable Pooch!)

I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but Per is from Sweden's eighth largest city - Helsingborg. It's a fairly small town (says the Londoner!) but what it lacks in size it more than makes up for in charm. The town is characterised by pretty squares lined with cafes and restaurants, cobbled streets and wonderful views over the Ă–resund strait to Kronborg castle in Denmark. It's not often I feature homes from the town, so I was very excited to stumble across Hannes Mauritzson's apartment earlier this week. Hannes lives with his partner Alexander and beloved dog Charlie in a building that dates back to the late 19th century. When Hannes isn't at his desk in a PR firm in Malmö, he's styling and capturing his home for his inspiring Instagram feed @hannesmauritzson. I caught up with my new Nordic friend to find out more about his adorable furry friend, interior design and life in Helsingborg. 

Charlie seems to have captured the hearts of many near and far, can you tell us a little more about him?
He always charms people. Whenever I ask people what they would like me to publish its always more pictures of him! 



I'm not surprised, he's the cutest! What breed is he?
Charlie came into my life about two years ago. he's an Irish soft-coated wheaten terrier with lots of energy, there's no denying that! But I think that's one of the things that makes home so loveable. He greets everyone we cross paths with and sees everyone (including other dogs) as a potential best friend! 

Charlie keeps guard over a rattan and wood bench from HM Home (I've got my eye on this along with the chair!). 

Your home is so beautiful, do you work in the field of interior design?
I work in PR and Digital Growth at a Malmö-based PR firm. When I'm not in the office, I use my time to be as creative as I can. I love interior design and have started appreciating photography more and more. I love spending hours figuring out what to photograph and how to stage a picture to post on Instagram

It's fun to peek inside a Helsingborg apartment - can you tell us a little more about it?
Our apartment dates back to the late 19th century and is in a lovely town called Helsinborg, SkĂĄne (Scania), in the southernmost part of Sweden. The city is by the Ă–resund, the strait which forms the Denmark-Sweden border. Our apartment has four rooms. 


Did it need a lot of work when you moved in?
It was completely renovated when we moved in. But that didn't stop me from repainting it anyway! I bought about ten different colour samples for the bedroom, but ended up settling on something completely different without even getting a sample.

Ha! Been there done that many times! Which colour did you settle for in the end?
I love the texture and look of whitew3ash, so it as an easy decision to make. I decided on Washed Linen from Jotun, Lady Minerals. The colour turned out to be perfect! 

Cane headboard from Jotux, this brown linen bedding* is similar

What's your approach to decorating? 
When I decorate a room, I usually use colours that make me feel calm, like grey and beige. I try not to over furnish a space in order to create a room that is both visually appealing and healing. For example, I'd rather use one large vase than several smaller details. 



How would you describe your style?
My style follows the traditional Scandinavian household. Recently I've started to buy more antique and second hand items which is both kinder to the environment and my wallet! I feel the perfect mix of old and new contributes to a household that is filled with life. I love items that have a past. 


How do you make your home feel cosy? 
To compliment the neutral base, I decorate with vases, coffee cups, and dried flowers. Dried flowers hang all over my walls at home - it may look weird to some, but for me, it contributes to a home that feels comfortable to live in. 

Finally, can you share your three best tips for anyone visiting Helsingborg?
1. Enjoy a Swedish fika: If you ever decide to take a trip to the charming city of Helsingborg, I highly recommend treating yourself to a cup of coffee and a slice of cake at the lovely cafe Ebbas Fik. They serve a traditional Swedish fika, but with a unique, American-inspired 50s twist. 
2. Take a hike: After your fika, take a long but cosy walk along the strait until you reach PĂĄlsjö forest. The view is spectacular! 
3. Go interior shopping: If you're more interested in interior design, which I totally understand, I suggest you visit Staken & Veken. They sell candles made from scratch in all different shapes, sizes and fragrances. They of course also have a wide variety of antique furniture that's impossible not to fall in love with. 

Thank you so much Hannes. I'm starting to feel like a trip to Helsingborg is in order! 

What a great way to finish off the week! I hope you felt as inspired by Hannes home as I am! 

In case you'd like just a little more inspiration over the weekend here are a few more southern Sweden homes from the archive: 


Right, I think that's it from me for the week! Thank you so much for stopping by!

Trevlig helg! 

Niki

Photography: Hannes Mauritzson
Affiliate links marked with *

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A Small Swedish Space, That's Big on Cosiness!

Hejsan hoppsan (says no one in Sweden really!). What do you say about coming on a virtual journey to Stockholm with me today? I've got a very cosy, small space to show you! The apartment in question belongs to Christina, an avid fan of do-it-yourself (or at least not afraid of fixer uppers!).  When Christina's not tinkering away with beautiful fabrics and covers at Bemz (where she works with social media)  - she's working on a total gut renovation of a loft in a former water tower dating back to 1910 (follow the journey here). In the meantime, Christina and her partner Tor are living in a 35 square metre (376 square feet) apartment built in 1872. Amazingly they've also found the time to do this little joint up too - and it looks super cosy! I caught up with Christina this morning to find out more and get her top tips on decorating a small space.





What's the best way to create a cosy feel without making a small home cluttered?

Take time when decorating and try to source as many second-hand and vintage items as possible. It's better for your wallet and the environment and helps to create a personal look and feel. 

What gives a home it's soul? 

Layering tactile textures and adding a good dose of greenery will breath life into your home. 





 What are your three top tips for anyone decorating a small space:

1. Get organised. Reduce visual clutter and highlight pieces that you want to showcase.   
2. Create a feeling of space. Work with negative spaces to create a more lofty feel. 
3. Don't choose smaller pieces of furniture just because you have a smaller home, fewer, larger pieces are often a better use of space and help you to focus on the most important features of the room.





Photographer Mikael Lundblad  / @_mikaellundblad Interior design: Christina. Featured in Apartment Therapy.

Such a lovely, personal home, don't you think?

In case you're curious about any of the items or feel inspired to steal a few ideas for your own home, we've gathered some items which we think fit the bill perfectly!

Get the look

 

1. Genuine Icelandic Sheepskin Chair Cover
2. Project 62 Madrot Glass Globe Floor Lamp
3. Lulu & Georgia Rug
4. KINS - African Mudcloth Cushion
5. Brass Candlesticks
6. Star Voyager Hand Crafted Star Theme African Mask
7. Afro Art Candlestick
8. Cabin Porn Book
9. Misses Flower Power Vase
10. Bemz Cushion Cover
11. Nelson Daybed
12. Bemz Cushion Cover
13. Mateo Grazzi Vintage Chair
14. Candle Holder
15. Broste Copenhagen - Caspa Desk Lamp
16. Linen duvet cover
17. Food52 Grey Splatter Enamel Serving Utensils
18. Serax - Terra Watering Can
19. Poppi Serving Plate
20. Olive Wood Chopping Board
21. Salt Dining Chair

You can read more about Christina's home over at Apartment Therapy and follow her Water Tower project here

Have a lovely day!

PS  Don't forget - you can get 15% off at Bemz with code 15myscandinavianhome until 11th Feb (see my picks for my sitting room, bedroom armchair and window nook!).

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Small Space Make-over: A Teen Boy's Bedroom

Children's rooms are always fun to renovate as you can go a little more crazy, but when they start to hit their teens it's time to reign it in again and create something a little more grown-up. My stepson Albin, is 16 and spends a fair amount of time in his room (sometimes I think I hear him talking to himself but he's actually gaming against friends (in my mind, gaming is still Horris Goes Skiing on a ZX Spectrum circa 1984 so you can understand why this gets confusing!). When it comes to interior decorating, Albin has a fairly laissez-faire approach (understatement!). As long as he can sleep, study and play on his computer / watch football, tennis, baseball or WHATEVER is scheduled at the time, he's as happy as Larry (I'm still wondering who that is?!). Despite Genevieve Jorn and I being give free reign to design his room (which measures 7.7 metres square / 82 square feet), we were keen to ensure the look reflected his personality, run items from my wonderful make-over sponsor Danish homeware brand Nordal passed him, and ensure he had everything he needed!



 

Teenage Boy's Bedroom checklist*

Bed + reading light
TV and gaming console
Shelving for books
Storage for sports equipment
Desk with task light + drawers
Clothes storage

*according to Albin!

Inspiration

Photography: Bettina Holst / Coco Republic / IKEA



Floor plan








I really wish I had a 'before' picture (totally forgot to take one) but if you can imagine all white walls, no shelving and a slightly ripped poster stuck on the wall using sellotape you're on to something!

 

The tour

A 200 cm bed perfectly fitted the width of the room - with enough space for a TV, placed on a narrow wall mounted shelf, at the end. Layers of textile in the form of cushions and a rug (all Nordal) and the blue-grey wall colour (S 7010-R90B Ambience by Nordjö) helped to add a cosy feel. 

Simple wooden shelves were painted in the same colour as the wall and mounted higher up for extra storage. Gen and I love a corner gallery wall (remember this one?!). This ensemble includes a Happy Mondays print, and an old drawing by Albin. He can easily add to the gallery over time too. A wall-mounted reading lamp helps to light up the corner after dark (in a small room, wall mounting items help to free up floor space).

From left to right: Satin Pothos plant from a local flower shop, and grey and blue cushions with lovely fringed edges, a patterned rug and lampshade from Nordal.

Since Albin is often at his Mothers he doesn't tend to store a lot of clothes at ours, so we decided to do away with the wardrobe to create more floor space. A clothes rack (from IKEA) with storage underneath works as a great replacement and doubles up as a bedside table.

We couldn't place the desk in front of the window because of the big radiator. However, it still gets plenty of natural light in the corner. Right now a big palm adds a splash of colour to the corner of the room but we could add a wardrobe in it's place if needed. PS Loving the tassles on the rug!

I found the desk chair in a local second hand shop (imagine how excited I was?!)- it's originally from Hungary, and perfect because it's still relatively ergonomic (it swivels and the height can be adjusted). As you can see from the picture, I still need to sand down the seat and re-varnish it - Gah! Where does all the time go?!

My sister took the framed picture of Albin, the man and I many moons ago on a beach in Falsterbo. I love it as it was such a happy, sun-kissed day. There's a good chance we might just be replaced with a signed picture of Zlatan Ibrahimovic imminently though! The Nordal library lamp was moved up from our sitting room


And here he is, looking pretty happy with his new room, I must say...

... and perhaps wondering why I swapped his Malmö FF poster for an Arsenal one (out of shot) - kidding, England was a much better match!

I hope you liked the make-over as much as my stepson! In case you're looking to do something similar, here are a few of the items we picked:


1. Library table lamp
2. Dark blue cushion cover
3. Black wall lamp
4. Cotton quilt bedspread
5. Fabric lamp cover
6. Graphic canvas carpet
7. Natural cushion cover

*Find a webshop stockist near you here (Europe only).

If you are wondering about anything else just give me a shout in the comment section below and I'll do my best to help!

Come here for a home tour? You might like to check out the Danish, Swedish and Norwegian home tour archives.

Have a lovely day!

Niki

Photography / shoot styling: Niki Brantmark, Interior design direction / styling: Genevieve Jorn

This make-over was made possible with the help of Nordal. All design, styling and words are my own and I only ever work with brands I love and think you will too. Thank you for supporting the companies that make fresh content possible.

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The Cosy Rural Home of a Swede Living by a Scottish Loch

As a Brit living in Sweden for the past 18 years, I'm often asked which culture has influenced my home decor style more. I'd definitely say the latter, but I'm sure there's a deeply ingrained British touch there too (there's always a pack of Earl Grey tea in our kitchen cupboard for starters!). I love to see how other homes of those living abroad look. And today, the beautiful home of Patricia Amalia Rodi - a ''Swedish Frenchy in Scotland'' - popped up on my instagram feed. I caught up with Patricia to find out more about her home, how she renovated it on a tight budget and how her past has helped shape her present.

Can you tell us a little about your background? 
My dad is French and I spent lots of my time in France as a child (I even lived in Nice and Paris in my twenties), but I was born in Sweden and grew up there until I moved to Scotland - which is where I've been for the past eight years. I work as an interior stylist, blogger and content creator. 


Your house is lovely, where is it and who do you live with? 
I live in the Scottish countryside, more specifically in a Victorian house built in 1860, overlooking a loch in the Argyll and Bute area of Scotland. I live with my husband Patrick and dog Alva. 


How long have you lived there and did the house require any work? 
We bought the house two years ago and it was a total renovation project. We have restored the whole house ourselves, bringing it back to its former glorying using reclaimed materials. It's been a massive undertaking, but we have learnt so much in the process, from restoring windows, laying floors, plastering - you name it! 

That is an amazing feat! What did it look like when you first found it? 
The house hadn't been touched for over twenty years and was covered in awful carpets and plastic floors. However, some of the historical and traditional features were still intact - and this connection with the past was something we wanted to treasure. The renovation has taken us nearly a year. Since we didn't have the money for a grand reshuffle, or to pay builders (except for our amazing joiner Gareth), we kept most of the layout as it was and worked to preserve the period features. This meant removing the dusty old carpets, sanding floors, laying reclaimed floors, plastering and painting inside and out. It was really hard work but nonetheless incredibly rewarding when you stand back and realise that you have done it all by yourself. 

What have you learnt most from the process?
It has taught me not to rush through the process of putting together a home. Indeed, it can be hard to live somewhere unfinished, mundane, and chaotic. But I've learnt that I need to allow the home to slowly unfold over time so that it rhymes and changes with the patterns of our life. 

How has your background inspired your decor? 
I have always been deeply passionate about interior, food and nature - spending my childhood scurrying between my Father's restaurants in Gothenburg, Sweden where I grew up; the countryside of Southern France where I spent every summer with French aunts; and the seaside of San Remo, Italy, where I just ate too much gnocchi and burrata! My interior style is inspired precisely by my multicultural background and childhood memories of Italian tiles, French antiques and Scandinavian modernism. 

And finally, what do you miss most about Sweden?
Oooh the dreaded question! I love the Nordic farmhouse, vardagslyx (everyday luxury), and the mysig or hygge (cosy) approach to life. I miss these cultural components that are so entrenched in the Swedish lifestyle. I know that I used to take them for granted sometimes, but they really do have a calming impact on everyday life. 

As a Swede, I love to make our home cosy. I think that's why our home is always filled with people. There's always cake (or food) in the house, the candles are lit, the coffee is brewing and there's always a record playing in the background. I really like that Swedes know how to bring a special feel to mundane weekday life. 

Thank you so much to Patricia for inviting us into your cosy Scottish home.

I love the idea of living in a Victorian house beside a loch - it sounds so romantic, don't you think? 

See more pictures of Patricia's home over at @patriciarodi and discover more about her work here. Her blog over at Lovely Life is simply beautiful too!

I loved hearing about how Patricia's past has shaped the decor and feeling in her home. How do you think your past has shaped your home? I'd love to hear in the comments below! 

Would you like to see a few other homes belonging to Scandinavians living abroad? Pull up a chair, pour yourself a cuppa and feel inspired by these: 


Happy Lillördag friends! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Patricia Amalia Rodi

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A cosy cocoon-like Swedish home

As the days get darker and colder here in Sweden it's tempting to stay indoors, light candles and cocoon yourself in a jumble of soft blankets (I'm thinking this one!). Although dark interiors might not be for everyone, there's no denying that the elegant home of Swedish stylist Lotta Agaton evokes the feeling of a cosiness with it's grey walls and ceilings and layers of soft textures. I could quite easily curl up here for the day and read books and magazines - how about you?!









Credits: home-owner / stylist Lotta Agaton. Photography Pia Ulin

This apartment is just so incredibly striking, trust Lotta Agaton to create such a beautiful space (her last home was pretty great too!)! And full credits to photographer Pia Ulin for capturing it so beautifully too!

Is this your kind of style?

A few items I know and love from Lotta's home: Molecular light (although not featured, I also love this table lamp!). Kaare klint safari chair. Brown sheepskin throw. The rug in the hallway looks like a Gan.

For a similar wall colour try Farrow & Ball dark hues. And there's a whole archive dedicated to 'decorating with grey' here.

If you came here looking for Christmas inspiration try here (there'll be more festive posts to follow this week too!).

Have a wonderful day! 

PS it's the last day to enter to win a poster of your choice from Korkartellet - hurry

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