An Inspiring, Light-Filled Workspace / Studio in Hannover

What does your work (creative / bill paying / studying) space look like? Since my career started in the early 00's the 'workspace' has changed an incredible amount. My first ever job fresh out of uni, was in Dubai. We had a nice office above the tennis stadium but it still makes me shudder to recall the receptionist diligently recording our arrival time in an excel sheet - waiting to admonish us by the end of the week ( a regular occurrence for a night owl!). I've also worked in corporate offices in London, Lund and Copenhagen - as well as from home. But these days I finally feel like I've 'landed' in the shape and form of a wonderful, light-filled studio in the centre of Malmö. Best of all - every morning a freshly brewed coffee awaits - no excel timesheet in sight. 

This year, those who can, have worked from home - and I have a sneaking suspicion, this is set to continue. For those of you who need social interaction, a local studio is a great alternative. Thankfully, there are some wonderful, relaxed, friendly, and practical ones popping up in every city. 

If you live in Hannover, Germany you're in luck! My talented friend and businesswoman extraordinaire Holly Becker of Decor8 blog has just opened Decor8 Studio. 

Divided into two rooms, the studio is located bang in the city centre and perfect to rent for offsite team meetings, photoshoots, podcast production, workshops, events and just about anything else your work might involve. It's also decorated in true Holly Becker style: minimalist, with pops of pastel and some beautiful furniture and accessories. So, even if you don't live in the north German city, there are plenty of ideas to steal for your own home and workspace! 

Ready for the tour?

The Shoot Space

The light-filled 'shoot space' room has been painted in fresh white with a beautiful pale yellow / wheat ('Organic No. 317') accent wall. FYI This colour was everywhere at 3 Days of Design in Copenhagen a few weeks back - and set to be a strong trend for 2021!). 

A simple round table from IKEA serves as a perfect place for meetings and a Vertigo pendant lights up the room after dark. 

The Punctual shelves in blue are from Ferm Living and a vintage Alky lounge chair by Castelli Brown provides as a perfect spot for a quite read between shoots! 

Simple white sculptural pieces such as the Shell vase* and Ridge vase can be seen on the shelves alongside interior magazines. 

Holly made the desk herself using plywood and trellis legs.

The Gathering Space

The bright and airy room next door is a dedicated 'Gathering Space' and features a kitchen and dining area as well as a balcony with lovely views over Bödekerstr - a picturesque quarter of Hannover. In this room, Holly has opted for an earthy accent wall in 'Linen' - a textured clay-based paint by Nen.do) which gives the room a wonderful, calm feel. 

A HAY loop table takes centre stage under a large rattan pendant light from Market Set (one of my latest favourites from the lighting world!). 

An HK Living knotted cushion and white sheepskin throw* help guests to feel comfy! 

The gallery wall has been made up of a blend of mirrors, photography, samples and prints (The Poster Club* is a great source for similar prints and ships worldwide - just saying!).

A Skagerak natural wood and white bookshelf has been placed near the window beside a Menu afteroom chair* and a linen pin board from Ferm Living. 

I'd be quite happy spending a day or two (actually scrap that - working FULL TIME) in this studio, how about you? Sadly, Hannover is a little far from Malmö, so instead I'll be stealing some ideas for my own studio instead, how about you?!

You can see more pictures of the studio in the latest edition of 'Holly magazin' (in German)- alongside a piece about our Autumn #30dayhomelove instagram challenge which is currently running on instagram. If you haven't already, why not come and join the final 14 days?

Visit Decor8 Studio / @decor8studiospace to book this space. 

I hope this tour has given you plenty of inspiration today! If it's got you in the mood for a revamp, there's a load more inspiration here: 

Home office

The fab Brooklyn home and studio of a creative duo

Interior designer Genevieve Jorn's Malmö home office (and see the 'before' here) 

The lovely light-filled workspace of a nutritionist

5 vintage inspired home offices

Studios / Co-working / Atelier spaces

Interior designer Holly Marder's studio in the attic (which can easily be transformed into a guest room)

The inspiring studio and home of Pepa Poch (the plunge pool!)

Before and after: an awe-inspiring Berlin photography studio

From my own home:

My home office

Per's home office

My favourite ergonomic desk chair which is also stylish! 

What does your workspace look like? I'd love to hear about it in the comments below! 

Niki

Photographs courtesy of Holly Becker / Decor8 Studio

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Sitting comfortably?!

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Earlier on in the week I completed my well overdue home office revamp (see the before and after here)- phew! It's been a dream sitting there ever since (I'm not sure why it took me so long, isn't that always the case?!). Even so, there was still one piece of the jigsaw missing. As someone who loves design, I'm often tempted to go for form over function. And one thing I've been compromising on is my office chair. Apparently this is so easy to do when you work from home. And as someone who sits for long hours at a computer - the flea-market wooden chair was just no longer cutting it. The final straw came when I needed physio on my neck - apparently thanks to my beloved chair - gulp! It was time to bring an ergonomic desk chair into the mix!

I was thrown into a slight panic: we all like things to look good in our home, and well, ergonomic chairs are not always synonymous with 'design'.  After a little research I selected the Humanscale Diffrient World Chair, created by iconic industrial designer Niels Diffrient.

The chair has everything my physio listed. Made from an intelligent mesh, it's height adjustable (to find your optimum height, stand in front of your chair and adjust so your seat is just below your knee. In a sitting position, your feet should be flat on the ground and knees bent at a 90 degree angle), features depth, back tilt and arm support, has good lumbar support, and offers all the features needed to encourage posture changes throughout the day: it swivels, rolls on good quality castors and has a back rest that flexes with your body.

In other words it's unbelievably comfortable when I'm sitting around reading magazines all day working - and good for my general well being. Result!

Now, I thought it was just me who thought it looked pretty sleek, but then my Danish artist neighbour Daphne (not to be confused with my other neighbour's dog by the same name!) popped in for a fika (coffee and cake) earlier, spotted the chair and started hopping up and down saying this is exactly what her husband needed to replace his giant-sized monstrosity currently cluttering up a corner of their sitting room AKA the 'home office'! And let me tell you, she has very good taste!

So here I am, happy as Larry (anyone know who Larry actually is?!), tinkering away at my desk - no neck pain in sight.

Although I do need a new monitor.

And I once read in a guide somewhere that you should always keep your feet warm by wearing socks when working from home.

Is there no end to the list of 'office well-being' requirements? Oh well, at least I have the chair now. Baby steps my friends, baby steps!

If you're feeling inspired for your office (home or otherwise) - the Humanscale Diffrient World Chair is available in black, grey and white from Houseology (ships worldwide). You can also see other chairs in the collection here.

Stay comfy!

PS  For those of you who think my office is usually this immaculate - it's not - it's simply because I've just renovated the space (except for the floor which, thanks to the high res image, I can clearly see is also in need of a touch up - although it's quite charming, no?!). I'm certainly going to make the most of it while it lasts though!


This post is brought to you in collaboration with Houseology,  however all words are my own and I only ever work with brands I love and think you will too.

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In Malmö, Gen's Inspiring Home Office / Guest Room Refresh

It's been a while since I visited Gen - and it's always fun as she's constantly updating her home! This time it was her home office that's been given the make-over treatment. For those of you who are new to My Scandinavian Home, Genevieve Jorn (@genevievejorn) is an ÜBER talented Canadian interior designer living in Malmö. I've been lucky enough to collaborate with Gen many times over the years.  I captured her home office a few years back. As beautiful as it was, it was fairly dark, and this room is quite narrow and doesn't get a whole lot of light. Recently, Gen replaced heavier dark details with soft, neutral textiles and touches of light wood and rattan and it has made a huge difference! A large white ergonomic desk stands in the centre of the room. The space also serves as a guest bedroom when friends and family are in town and when they're not, the bed becomes a perfect place for afternoon siestas or a quiet spot to read! I took my camera along to snap a few pictures...

Isn't it lovely? I seriously could have stayed all week (taking the occasional nap on the daybed!), it felt so serene!

If you're considering converting a room in your home into an office / guest bedroom I hope it's given you lots of inspiration! Here's the low down on where some of the items are from:

GET THE LOOK

1. Studio Paradissi Pebbleface 04*
2. George and Willy Studio Roller
3. Ikea Ivar Cabinet
4. Grupa Arigato Table Lamp
5. Ikea Skarsta Desk
6. Ikea Långfjåll Chair
7. Studio Paradissi Abstract 402
8. SandSnow Linen White Linen Curtains*
9. H&M Bamboo Mirror
10. Tell More off-white Linen
11. Ab Småland Crinkle Sand Sheets
12. Gurila Portrait M
13. Grupa Arigato Wall Lamp
14. Kummin Cushion Linen Cover
15. Pismo Rattan Side Table

Also seen (on floor): Malene Birger No 03 print and Rubin Studio Composition 03

The wall colour is Antique White 1016 from Jotun lady.

Gen's used the white Arigato wall lamp and table lamp from Grupa - I like the way this brings the different corners of the room together (and there's no denying that they're pretty amazing lamps too!).

Curtains are often tricky but Gen found her beige* and white* ones at SandSnowlinen* on Etsy. They make lovely custom-made linen curtains to order.

Just wondering if there is anything else important to mention. Ah yes! The drawers under the bed - did you spot them?! They were salvaged from a vintage chest of drawers that Gen was throwing out. Love this idea!

You can also take a peek at Gen's bedroom, living room, kitchen and daughter's bedroom.

Have a wonderful day!

Niki

Photography: Niki Brantmark / My Scandinavian Home Interior design: Genevieve Jorn

Thank you to SandSnowlinen*, George and Willy, Grupa and The Poster Club* for contributing to this post. 

*Affiliate links

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Beautiful Danish Lamps In My Study - In Shades of Toffee and Smoke

Brand news: 

A few weeks ago, I showed a beautiful photographer's home from the Danish island of Bornholm - and it was a perfect reminder of the sheer creativity on the island. As you're aware, one of my favourite 'makers' is located right there in the Baltic Sea: Pernille Bülow. I absolutely can't get enough of her mouth blown SKY lamps, and Per is mesmerised too (always helpful when the man is on board too, don't you think?!). A few weeks ago Pernille Bülow launched three new beautiful shades: Smoke, Toffee and Green. As a fan of all things earthy, I immediately reached out about the toffee and smoke variant to hang in my home office along with hate clear version I already have. It was like everything just fell into place. Don't you love it when a plan comes together?! 

The mouth blown glass pendants all have unique organic shapes and feel so beautifully smooth. I love the small imperfections too as they show that they are individually made in the atelier. 

For this cluster I have used: Smoke large, Toffee medium, Clear gold medium.  

You can choose between brass / gold or chrome / grey fittings (I love the former for my home) and if tones of brown aren't your thing there are 11 different colours to choose from (they also look great hung individually). 

I love it when a plan comes together! 

Could you imagine having the these beautiful lamps somewhere in your home? 

If you're curious about where else you might be able to hang them, check out how they look in other areas of my home (and in various shades):

Dining area

Over a vintage bar cart

In the kitchen

FYI they ship worldwide. 

I love my little home office even more now. In other news: Per is teaching from home right now and there's always a little tussle over who sits here. So, this week I'm turning the window nook in our bedroom into a home office / study just for him. Keep an eye on the blog for the results (and hopefully, one very happy man). 

Niki

This post is brought to you in collaboration with Pernille Bülow, however all words and pictures are my own. Thank you for supporting the wonderful businesses that make My Scandinavian Home possible! 

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Vintage inspired office spaces

Imagine these office spaces on a daily basis? (oooo that rhymes - I'm a poet and I just don't know it :). Swap flourescent strip lights and withering plants with vintage pendent lamps and beautiful things to look at all day.

Picture: Stylizimo.  

What a collection of wonderful vintage things! Source similar at flea markets in your area, or try online at The Old Cinema. You can find shabby chic garden chairs at Petersham Nursery, London or Green Square in Copenhagen. 

Picture: found on Lotta Agaton blog. Photographer: Bjarni B Jacobsen. 

The pic above and the following two are taken from Oliver Gustav's home shown on Lotta Agaton's lovely design blog. Oliver Gustav lives above his eponymous shop in Copenhagen. His apartment / home office is very rough and ready with a tremendous mix of old and new and certainly beats an open plan office or what?!

I have seen this fantastic large numbered calendar in the design shop at Lousiana, Denmark, does anyone know the name of it? I would love one in my home office, it would be hard to forget the date!

Buy vintage pendent lamps at Lauritz. Source a wired basket from Granit. Buy an orange Wesco bin like this one from Amazon.

And finally,  I love this light and airy office space shown on the Adore Vintage blog.

Roll on Monday morning!

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Colour tips and Inspiration from a Danish Interior Stylist's Home

A new dawn, a new day... and a whole new month! Let's kick off with some colour! What struck me most about the Danish home of Charlotte Kruse is her home office - a hot topic these days, and this one is very inspiring indeed! But there are some other corners of her home I love too - not least because they include some wonderful pastel hues. I caught up with the interior stylist in Herning, central Denmark, to find out more about her home, sources of inspiration and favourite online stores. 

What do you do for a living? 

I have my own company Studio Decor where I style and take pictures for interior and lifestyle companies. And I also teach small business owners and instagrammers how to style beautiful pictures. 

Who do you live with? 

I live with my boyfriend and our two dogs (Pomeranians) in a small house. 

The arch was added last week - what a lovely addition, I love the soft feel it adds to the space. The white opal glass pendant* is by Louis Poulsen. 

Your house has lovely high ceilings, when was it built, and can you tell us more about the size and layout? 

Our house is from 1926. It's 87 m2 (935 f2) and we also have a workshop that's 27 m2 (290 f2). It consists of a kitchen, living room, dining room, a master bedroom and a second bedroom which I use as a study - it's where I run my business from. 

I love that your home is so colourful, can you tell us more about the tones in your home?

I absolutely love colour and use it as much as I can in my home. Colours make me happy and give the room a special feeling. I really like pastel colours, rose and other warm tones. I love to play around with colour, mix my own (the colour in the kitchen is a mix of leftover paint) and see how the rooms turn out. For the most part, I love the result - if I don't, I'll just try again!

Would you say it's unusual for a Dane to have lots of colour in their home? 

Over the past few years, colourful homes have become more and more popular in Denmark, especially on instagram! We want our homes to be as full of life and personality as we are! 

What colours have you applied to the walls in your home? 

Bedroom: Green Harmony from Jotun Lady

Kitchen: a home-made blend of NCS s2010-Y50R and NCS S3020-Y70R (I used a little more of the latter). 

Living room: Hummus from Jotun Lady

Do you have any tips for anyone looking to apply more colour to their home?

If you'd like to add more colour to your home, opt for toned down hues. They are softer and add a pleasant feeling to the room.

 

You have lots of art in your home, where do you. buy your prints? 

Most of my prints are from instagram collaborations - they are from Desenio and Juniqe. I also have bought some from Permild-Rosengreen and Little Detroit. 

Can you share three styling tips? 

1. Give your home a whole new feel by adding colour

2. Always be on the lookout for cool inter items in thrift stores or Facebook marketplace. You can buy a lot of unique items for a little less! 

3. Use plants and fresh flowers in your home. They bring joy to the room and create a nice atmosphere. 

The patchwork curtains seen above are taking the Danish interior world by storm right now. They are made in Denmark by Arvestykke. I also spy a little wooden stool* just like the ones I have by my bed and vases by Ljungby. 

What are your three favourite online shops? 

Luxo Living, Fabrek and Sakura Copenhagen. 

Where do you do you find inspiration?

I like these instagram, including these Danish accounts: @mariaharmuth, @christinedelmar, @trinesblend and @danicachloedk - but also look a lot on Pinterest! 

Thank you so much for telling us more about your home and sharing all your styling tips, shops and sources of inspiration! 

***

If you'd like to see more snapshots of Charlotte's home and find out about her courses, hop on over to @decorstudiodk or Decor Studio. 

For a total colour fest today, you might also like: 

A fabulous Danish home in a plethora of colours

Home tour: how to add colour the Danish way

Lessons to learn from a colourful yet calm Norwegian home

Do you use lots off colour in your home, or do you prefer neutral tones? I'd love to know!

I'll be back tomorrow with a tour of a wonderful home in Finland, watch this space! 

Niki

Styling and photography: Charlotte Kruse / Decor Studio

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