'Glad Midsommar'

Studio Impressions / photographer Marcus Bell and team, Brisbane, Australia. Bali Wedding - Angie and Ben

“I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,

Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows,

Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine,

With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine.” 

― William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream

Happy Midsummer! And a great weekend (for those of you in the Southern hemisphere!). See you Monday! x

PS - for midsummer floral hair garland inspiration see today's post by 79 ideas and this page on Pinterest. Beautiful alfresco table settings here and here.  And a Swedish garden you'd want to spend midsummer in. 

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A beautiful retreat on Ibiza

Hejsan, hejsan! Hope you all had a wonderful weekend and great midsummer! Here it's been raining for three days, no exaggeration! In panic, I've been trawling the web for a spot of sunshine. In case you're still wondering where to go this summer I think I have the answer. This rental villa in Ibiza. Exposed brick, beautiful old wood beams, modern concrete and chandeliers and the ubiquitous mediterranean blue. The question is, could you tear yourself away from it at the end of the week? Eeeek!

Ibiza's secret villas via Etxekodeco

Seems a very far cry from the original Ibiza party scene. What do you reckon, could you relax here for a week? or make that a fortnight?!

What are you up to this summer? Any other tips?!

PS Just a little note to say that after my three day midsummer break I logged on only to be appalled by the ad showing on my Midsummer post. Eeeeek! Since I'm aware that you're a super intelligent and sophisticated bunch I've momentarily put a halt to the google adwords while I get my head round all the tech etc. Back to the drawing board!! :)

Hugs from a wet, rainy Sweden.

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An apartment with a penchant for all things Tom Dixon

One of the hottest light brands right now has to be Tom Dixon. And looking at this Swedish apartment it's not hard to see why. The space is pared back and simply decorated save for the fabulous Beat Light Tall, Fat and Wide over the dining table and the Copper Shade pendants in the sitting room. I also spy a Tom Dixon Etch Candle holder on the table too (I have one of these in on my coffee table and they let off such a warm glow). Another lovely touch to this space is all the fresh summer flowers which have been organised into a mix of different vases and placed on a light grey marble slat. Great table inspiration for anyone celebrating midsummer tomorrow, don't you think?!

Fastighetsbyrån via Planete Deco with thanks

I do love the Beat Lights I have to say! I wonder if there is anywhere in my home I could put them....hmmm. I've also got my eye on the London Candle to remind me of home!

I also spy  a mid-century credenza. There's a great post about credenza's over at one of my favourite blogs SF Girl By Bay. You can often find one up for auction here.

Tomorrow it's Midsummer's Eve and in Sweden that calls for a big celebration. My family and I will be heading to my brother-in-laws summer cottage (by the way, how idyllic was the summer cottage in yesterday's post?!) where we'll pick wild flowers for my little girls to wear in their hair and then they'll dance all afternoon around a maypole. Afterwards we'll tuck into a late traditional lunch of pickled herrings, locally produced new potatoes, boiled eggs and Västerbotten pie washed down with schnapps and beer. Followed by lots and lots of strawberries.....and cream. Yum!

Will you be celebrating Midsummer's Eve?

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A Swedish Apartment for One (or Two) on a Serene Island

Tjena! Sweden is slowly waking up after a long weekend of Midsummer celebrations. The sun shone for us all too (usually Midsummer's Eve can be particularly dicey as the Nordic weather gods know we all want to eat alfresco!). All in all, it was a beautiful weekend of wildflowers, dancing around a may pole, singing and catching up with friends and family! Take a look at this post to learn more about the Swedish Midsummer celebrations in case you'd like to join in with the revelry! 

Anyhow, I'm sure you're here for the Scandi interiors inspiration today not to hear about my weekend, so let's crack on! This lovely little apartment measuring 34 sqm / 365 ft2, has everything a single person or couple might need to enjoy life near the Swedish capital, yet still feel close to nature. Situated on Stora Essingen, an island on Lake Mälaren, the peaceful surroundings are there to be enjoyed year-round. 

The main living space is open-plan and has been organised so that you can enjoy meals looking out over the water.

A classic Gubi semi-pendant lamp has been hung over the table. But the real eye-catcher is the striped tablecloth (it was only a few weeks back that we were discussing how much a tablecloth can transform a room and here is yet more proof!). The closest I found was this nautical striped fabric on Etsy*. 

A gallery wall (source similar prints at The Poster Club*) and collection of cushions add a cosy touch to the living room area. 

I love this corner with a wall hanging, Flowerpot table lamp in 'beige red' and a cabinet. The latter looks like it could be an IKEA hack using Bestå units and adding a cane front. I noticed last time I was there they now have an IVAR cabinet with cane front in the range too! 

Notice how subtle pink tones can be seen in the living room area. This is part of what the Swedes call a 'red thread' - using the same colour in every room to create a cohesive feel throughout a home. 

Swedish string pocket shelves and a row of wooden hooks create space to display an array of pottery. 

It's in the bedroom where the pink has been allowed to really shine through - seen on both the wall cabinets, curtains and bed linen! Love this, how about you? 

If you're curious about the layout, here are more details (courtesy of Historiska Hem). 

Glossary: vardagsrum - living room, kök - kitchen, sovrum - bedroom, bad - bathroom. 

I could totally see myself enjoying a slow breakfast looking out over the water, how about you? And I'm very tempted to add that lovely pink tone to a small bedroom in our house, I wonder if Albin would let me? I doubt it! 

Is there anything that struck you about this serene space? 

I also love these homes in the Stockholm archipelago: 

The beautiful home of a Swedish stylist

An estate in the Stockholm archipelago

A traditional Swedish villa over looking the water

An idyllic island hideaway

If you're looking to combine a trip to the Swedish capital with a stay in the Stockholm archipelago, we loved our press stay at this hotel last summer! 

See more lovely Swedish homes in this archive. And don't miss some of these tours that I've shared lately: 

Have a great start to the week! 

Niki

Photography: @jockeono Styling: Lindholm Design for Historiska Hem. 

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5 Ways To Celebrate Midsummer's Eve Like a Swede

This Friday it's arguably the biggest event in the Swedish calendar: Midsummer's Eve! It's a magical day includes dancing around a pole with flowers in your hair and a delicious afternoon meal alfresco with friends and family. 

Why not join in the celebrations from afar? Here are five ways how: 

1. Make a floral crown for your hair 

2. Build a small 'midsommarstång' (midsummer pole) to put up in your garden like this one and dance around it! 

2. Invite family and friends over and dine outside no matter the weather and tuck into herring, salmon, some form of quiche, new potatoes, washed down with beer. Follow with deliciously ripe strawberries. 

3. Sing songs and down a shot of Akvavit with a resounding 'SKÅL!' (cheers). 

4. Play Kubb! 

5. If you're single, place seven different wildflowers under your pillow before you go to sleep and you'll dream of the man you are going to marry! 

Glad Midsommar! 

I'll be back again on Monday :)

Niki

This beautiful photograph is by Emily Slotte

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A lovely Gothenburg apartment to kick off the week

I hope you all had a great midsummer weekend?! We had such a wonderful time at my brother-in-laws cottage (a little pic of my midsummer belles and man already to dance here)  and then we celebrated midsummer day with great friends in Malmö. I'm still recovering today! Phew! I definitely need something to brighten up my Monday morning. And the good news is I found this pearl of an apartment currently for sale in Linnéstad in Gothenburg. Light and airy, white floors /(in parts) and beautiful pared-back style. What a perfect Swedish home tour way to start the week with don't you think?

Stadshem

Such a lovely space. I could pad around here today how about you?!

Other lovely Swedish apartments to brighten up a Monday include this classic apartment, a cognac and blue themed space and a white and grey serene home.

I hope you have a wonderful start to the week!

PS Thank you so much to Anya who sent me the information so I could credit Friday's 'glad midsommar' post.

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Glad Midsommar!

The summer solstice was on Monday, but in Sweden, Midsummer is always celebrated on the Friday - so as I pack up and get ready to wander meadows in search of wild flowers, I wanted to stop by and wish you all a lovely Midsummer's Eve! May the sun shine (that would be a first!) and your flowers stay bright! 

Looking to celebrate? See 5 ways to celebrate Midsummer like a Swede. And find the recipe for that luscious looking strawberry and elderflower chiffon cake here. 

I'll be back on Monday with a Scandi-inspired tour. See you then! 

Have a wonderful weekend! 

Niki

Credits: 

1. Forest Bound

2. Honestly Yum

3. IKEA

4. Domino magazine

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Finnish inspiration

Some light inspiration from Finnish brand Iittala today who have branched out into the world of interiors and launched a new storage system and light for spring / summer. I love the clean lines and the way the spaces have been styled around the products.

What do you think of these new pieces? Do you own any Iittala glasswear?

I had a great time in Copenhagen yesterday evening visiting the new Muuto headquarters. We got to see the latest Muuto collection and meet some of the talented designers behind it. We also enjoyed hot dogs and champagne on their roof terrace! I can't wait to get my photos sorted so I can show you some of their latest collection, it's all very exciting (you can buy fab items from Muuto here). Afterwards I went to Tivoli Gardens and went on some of the scariest rides I've ever been on eeeeeek! It was so much fun though! Have you been to a funfair lately?

It's Midsummer in Sweden tomorrow so I'll be off to dance around a May Pole with my family! I hope you all have a wonderful Midsummer and see you Monday!

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A Pretty Red and White House in Rural Sweden

When I think of the Swedish summer, I think of a charming little red and white summer cottage surrounded by forest. This is probably because that was my first experience of Sweden back in the day - but it's always stayed with me! This house in Västra Götaland County, West Sweden is somewhat larger than the one in my head - but it's still so quintessentially Swedish! Plus, it has all the trappings of an idyllic Swedish country home - lush surroundings, a beautiful lake nearby and a few neighbours with whom to celebrate midsummer! 

Step inside and you'll be greeted by beautiful wood panels painted in a soft muted green - and a classic style kitchen to match. Wood burning stoves and traditional Swedish tiled masonry ovens help to heat the rooms come winter, and the entire space has been kitted out a blend of old and new. It's the type of place that you'd want to pull up a chair and stay for a while, no matter the season! 

Beautiful!! 

I love the lighting in the kitchen, it's like a modern version of the pendant we have over our dining table at the cabin. The Frama Circle lamp is similar, but if you know who sells these exact pendants, please do let us all know in the comments! 

Oh, and it could be yours! It's currently for sale through Stadshem. Any takers? I'd love to drop in for a cup of tea - or join your midsummer to enjoy the revelry, if you're the lucky one to snap this up! 

Other Swedish country homes to feel inspired by: 

A cosy country home in rural North Sweden

An idyllic red and white farmhouse in the countryside

A warm rural home that combines old and new

Have a great start to the week! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Stadshem with thanks

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