Danish Blues And Spring Pastels in a Danish living Area

Here in Southern Sweden, it's ice cold (minus 9 degrees Celsius - BRRRR!).  The sea has started to freeze and icicles cling to the rocks and swimming decks. On my walk yesterday evening I noticed how the world turned from dazzling white to pink and then an incredible blue as the sun went down over the frosty waters. A tone not unlike that seen in Maj Winther Træde's dining area and sitting room. In her sitting room Maj has painted the entire room pale blue and added a pale pink accent as well as touches of easter pastels such as yellow, lavender and turquoise. The theme is carried through to the dining area with one single statement shelving unit in dusty blue. Danish design pieces such as wishbone chairs, a panthella lamp and 7 series chair help to add an elegant vibe. A perfect spring oasis in the heart of a wintery Copenhagen! Welcome to Maj's world!   

In the dining area, Maj has combined an Eiremann 2 dining table from Please wait To Be Seated with classic wishbone chairs and a black and chrome chair. A shelving unit from Hay is used to display colourful glassware, vases and kitchen essentials. The rug is from IKEA. 

I wish I could tell you the tone of this blue, but Maj has mixed it herself. I am currently painting Liv's room blue (at her request!) and my one piece of advice, is to pick up as many different colour cards as possible. The colour you choose TOTALLY depends on the room. 

A pink Fritz Hansen 7 Series chair rests against the wall beside various prints including the Line by Hein Studio. The bench is from FDB Møbler (who've been hand crafting furniture in Denmark since 1942). 

How lovely - it makes me feel like spring is in the air, despite the snow outside! I hope you felt inspired by this dining area and sitting room too!

You can see more of Maj's wonderful world (including what she's wearing (pastels of course!), lifestyle shots and her latest interior projects) over at @majtraede. 

For more blue inspiration I love this stunning Norwegian home, the wonderful home of a Swedish food blogger and Sofie Amalie's danish home. 

And a little colour palette inspiration from a feature I wrote last year: True blue baby, 2020 loves you (still proud off that title!). 

Are you feeling the chill where you are too? If so, stay warm out there friends (or if you're Down Under - stay cool - I hear you have the opposite issue!). 

Klem!

Niki

Photography: Another Studio DK / @anotherstudio.dk (accept the 5th picture which was shot by Maj). Shared with kind permission. 

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My home: dining areas!

Morning! I hope you had a wonderful weekend?! Sometimes, an entire weekend at home is just what you need. It helped that the weather was hot hot HOT here in Sweden!.. And I finally got around to putting up my vintage industrial lamp, a birthday present from my parents. Sooo pleased! Here are a few snaps from my kitchen / dining area complete with my little three year old who was busy making me a Mother's Day card, awwww.....

My Scandinavian Home

My Scandinavian Home

My Scandinavian Home

My Scandinavian Home

A little guide: The white storage units are Swedish brand Marbodal. The vintage industrial lamp was sourced online. The Andy Warhol poster is from malmö moderna museet. It's actually a placeholder for now as I'm looking for a great 70's print with a touch of colour. The chair my little three year old is sitting on is trip trap. You may have seen my mid century drinks trolley before here! All my purple / pink cushions are from my favourite, Designers Guild. The floor was originally dark oak which we sanded down and white-washed to brighten up the room.

I have soooo many projects left for this room, my next step is to source an eclectic mix of vintage dining chairs. Watch this space!!

A belated Happy Mother's day to all you beautiful Swedish Mummy's out there! Niki x

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I love this Danish Dining Set In My Home!

Sponsored*

Last week I received an exciting delivery - this wonderful oak and white nano laminate table and four oak and leather dining chairs from Skovby. It was like Christmas, except sadly, these beauties are not here to stay, they're here for a shoot. But I might just keep them all the same - what do you reckon? I've always loved the incredible craftsmanship behind Skovby pieces, plus, we've been looking for a new extendable table for a while. Per is also completely taken with the oak and leather chairs - he says they're really comfy! I might just have to write to Skovby to ask if these beauties can hang around a while longer. Read on for more pics and to see if you agree! 

You'll likely recognise the brand Skovby since Helen Sturesson and I have done many photoshoots for them before (see also the #808 counter stool in my kitchen, the #131 home desk and #52 chair in Per's home office and the #452 display cabinet in the corner of my dining room. It's always an honour to collaborate with a Danish family business that spans three generations of cabinetmakers as well as recognised as a frontrunner within functional extension systems for tables. 

I chose the Skovby #119 dining table with an oak wooden under frame with a white nano laminate surface, but it's also available in eight other finishes. I love how the legs are slightly angled, giving the table a vivid and contemporary yet still timeless expression. 

The table is available in two different lengths: a 192 cm version (seen above) and a more compact 142 cm version for slightly smaller spaces. Best of all, they both extend! Beneath the tabletop, is a compartment for storing up to two extension leaves (available as additional purchases) so you can easily extend them another 45 cm to 90 cm! 

Below I extended it by 45 cm, which adds an extra two seats at the table - but for bigger parties, Christmas etc, I'm thinking the 90 cm extension would be perfect - you never know who might rock up - and with a table like this, the more the merrier! 

As mentioned, Per was particularly taken by the #825 chairs (I chose the oak and black leather version, but they are also available in 7 other versions). I have to say, the wood and leather was so lovely and smooth, plus the rounded backs and cushioned leather seat made them super comfy! 

The chair is inspired by mid-century furniture with a light, Scandinavian twist. I particularly love the grain in the wood - but if you prefer supreme comfort - you might like to go for the version with an upholstered back. 

We've always had a built-in sofa in our dining area (the cabinets give us a load of extra storage - the Brantmarks are a family of hoarders and hidden behind those cabinets is a load of stuff ranging from CDs and board games to my accounting and paper recycling, the latter two are not to be confused!). The cushions are all made from linen (a material I love since it adds texture and feels lovely to touch!) and the seating is actually a sunbed mattress from IKEA which I have covered in fabric! 

All in all, these pieces seem to fit our dining room like a glove, I love it when that happens! I hope you like this look too! 

If you're interested in these pieces, find your nearest store here (Skovby ship almost worldwide). 

Wishing you all a wonderful day! 

Niki

PS I've got such an exciting make-over to share with you tomorrow - I was bowled over by the creativity. I hope you have time to stop by! 

Photography: Niki Brantmark / My Scandinavian Home

Styling: Helen Sturesson 

*This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Skovby. All words are my own and I only ever work with brands I love and think you will too! Thank you for supporting the wonderful businesses that make My Scandinavian Home possible. 

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My home: dining area make-over

Last week I gave my home dining space a bit of a make-over with a lick of paint and some beautiful items from the Danish brand Nordal. Although Nordal's been around a long time, I only recently discovered the shop - and what a find! It's a family business which started when the father (Ingolf) fell in love with beautiful old Indian furniture. These days Nordal designs and sells a wide range of their very own beautiful pieces, while being careful to keep the original Nordal DNA. Anyway, I'm in love, and now I have a calm space at home to enjoy long brunches with family and friends! I hope you like it too!

Credits: photography Niki Brantmark (me!), styling by Genevieve Jorn.

What do you think?

I can't tell you how long I've been looking for a nice colour for the back wall. Thanks to Gen's recommendation, I finally settled on ALCRO fjäder which I mixed with a sand additive (Roll-A-Tex) for a more textured / lively finish. And I love it!

Here's a low down of other items in my dining area:

 1. dinner plate  2. cake plate 3. cup 4. tea pot 5. soup bowl  6. Chopping board 7. Cutlery 8. pure linen napkins  9. pure linen table cloth 10. glass bottle

The pure linen tablecloth and napkins are so fab! I was so excited when I received them that I've gone and organised a give-away here on instagram so you can win your own set! It only takes a second or two to enter (open until Friday 22nd July, 2016).

Sponsored post -  this post was made possible by Nordal. All words and thoughts are my own and I only ever work with products and services I truly love and think you will too! Thank you for supporting the brands that make My Scandinavian Home possible!

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Before & After: A Rundown Cabin Becomes a Vibrant Danish Summer Cottage

It's safe to say that when Ida Lundsteen and Edward first bought their summer house in Ejby Ådal - an hour west of the danish capital - it needed a lot of work! But the handy Danish pair could see its potential - both inside and out - and set to work themselves to transform it. Today, their hard work has paid off and they have an idyllic retreat in which to unwind in their spare time. Read on to see the before and after pictures and feel truly inspired!

Dining area before

Dining area after

The wood panelling was painted white, and the floor sanded down and treated with a white soap finish. A window was added to allow light to flow through from the side extension. Today, the dining area is bathed in natural light - a perfect spot to enjoy meals on chillier days! 

Kitchen before

Ida and Edward reconfigured the house, moving the kitchen to an area in the sitting room - formerly occupied by an old electric heater. 

Sitting room before

Looking at the pictures above, you can understand the sheer level of work that they have put into the renovation - completely gutting parts of the house. 

In the sitting room they added a lovely nook (with storage) in which to unwind with a book.   

Sitting room nook after

Bathroom before

Bathroom after

The small bathroom was completely updated. The sink was moved to the opposite side of the room, tiles ripped out and a new floor laid. Today it looks fresh and modern in black, white and brass. 

Side extension before

Side extension after

Ida and Edward built an extension onto the side of the house - adding a work space and practical mudroom. 

Garden and terrace before

Life at a Scandinavian summer house is all about enjoying the great outdoors. Doors are thrown open in the morning - and life spills outside to take in the long summer days. 

But for Ida and Edward - there was work to be done. The garden was completely overgrown and although there had been some form of patio, it needed to be worked over from scratch.

The pair built a large wood deck completely by hand - almost doubling their living space in summertime. They also capitalised on sloping land by adding built-in seating to the side of the decking. 

But my eye is on the sunk-in bath. So simple, yet such a clever idea. 

Patio before

Patio after

After a lot of hard graft, clearing foliage, pulling up the old patio and creating new decking - the family now have a wonderful outdoor dining area where they can gather and enjoy summer days long after the sunsets! 

How incredible! It's even more impressive knowing that they did it themselves, don't you think? 

Is there anything that stood out to you in particular?

The decking before and after couldn't have come at a better time for Per and I as we were discussing laying our own decking up at the cabin this summer. We were already feeling inspired by Per's brother who laid decking himself last summer - and now, after seeing this, we're feeling really empowered! 

I hope this lovely danish cottage as given you plenty of inspiration too. You can see more pics over at @bare_byg.

Other Danish summer cottages to love: 

A danish summer cottage oasis on North Zealand

Two idyllic Danish cottages available to rent

A beautifully simple, white Danish cabin

You also might like to check out the before and after archive for other renovations. 

And finally, I can't sign out without a final comment on the bath. I've seen many outdoor baths before (see 15 outdoor bath and shower ideas) - and the incredible wood burning bath at Settle hideaway, but this is the first time I've seen a simple, ordinary bathtub sunk into decking. What a great idea! I could just see myself having a soak there, glass of wine in hand. How about you? Would you like to see how it looks in winter? Here goes: 

Perfect! 

Niki

PS I mentioned yesterday that I would be sharing my latest studio update today, but the post isn't quite ready - sorry! I look forward to sharing it on Monday instead! 

Photography: Ida Lundsteen, shared with kind permission. 

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A Dreamy Manor On the Swedish Island of Gotland

We've come back to the city (Malmö) for a few days - even so, my heart as always at this time of year, is in the Swedish countryside. I have been busy taking my camera around our little neck of the woods on the west coast and hope to be able to share a guide (or at least some snapshots) with you after the summer. In the meantime, I'll rely on my summer fall back: the beautiful island of Gotland. 

And this incredible house has everything you might need for an idyllic summer in the swedish Baltic. Step this way to feel inspired! 

Swedes typically take around 3 weeks holiday in the summer, but it's not unusual to take anywhere between 3 to 4 weeks! Many will head out of town and camp, stay at a summer cottage (their own or visit friends and family) or head on a road or train trip in Europe. Either way, it's all about taking some time out to enjoy everything that nature has to offer at this time of year. 

As you are likely aware, the Swedish weather gods aren't always on our side. And while we have been enjoying some blisteringly warm and sunny weather lately, there's plenty of rain on the forecast next week! Greenhouses have become less about gardening and more about shelter these days, and the warm spaces are ideal for dining and taking afternoon naps when the weather is not quite on our side! 

Swedes are great at seeking out sunny spots. In the garden it's not unusual to find quite a few different areas so you can follow the sun! I love this dining area looking out over the fields of Gotland from under the boughs of a tree! 

This dreamy limestone 'gård' (Manor House) beside a church looks out over the surrounding farmland - and offers plenty of space to be alone (hey, I absolutely love my children, but things can get intense in the school summer holidays, am I right? 

The main room is so large, it offers both a sitting room and dining area. But you could also slope off to play the piano! 

You'd be hard pressed fining a home on Gotland without a local grey sheepskin throw.

I love the wood cladding finishing touch on the storage in one of the children's bedrooms - especially the green hue which helps to draw nature indoors and adds a serene touch. 

I love an A-frame ceiling, it adds a really awe-inspiring touch to a room, don't you think? Plus, old wood beams are a dream!

Quite a children's room, don't you think? 

One of the incredible things about these limestone houses is the thickness of the walls - check out the window area! The rough texture of the walls also catches the light in a beautiful way. 

While the dining spot further up this post makes for a great spot for supper al fresco, I could easily image a fika (coffee and slice of apple crumble!) right here, how about you? 

What a perfect place to unwind in the summer. Actually, scrap that - I could imagine living here all year-round, how about you? 

See more pictures and find out more about this manor house here. 

Would you like to see a few more cottages on the Swedish island of Gotland? Check out: 

A rustic summer cottage with a pool

Elsa's inspiring cottage

A beautiful limestone barn on airbnb 

A converted schoolhouse on the island of Gotland

This weekend I need to write an article about Christmas for a magazine - and I'm kind of struggling to get in the mood. Someone suggested I put on a Christmas jumper and play some jingles ("last Christmas....") let's see what happens! 

I hope you have a summerier weekend ahead than me! Thank you for stopping by - see you Monday! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Bertwig Fastighetsförmedling. 

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