Umber and Chestnut Accents in a Lovely Swedish Home

Rust, umber, chestnut, chocolate - rich shades of dark brown are turning out to be the unsung hero of 2018! I was sceptical at first and a tad nervous about painting my office in Norwegian Wood (especially after my seven year old's colour comparison, which I won't repeat!). But now that I've lived with it for a month (alongside the blushing peach in my bedroom) I absolutely love it. Deep browns have such a calm, warm and sophisticated feel to them. If you're still weary, but tempted, why not start with some more subtle touches? Gothenburg based Swedish interior stylist Elin Odnegård has opted for rich chocolate accents in her home which she has combined with milky white, beige, soft grey and powder for a truly calm aesthetic.  Let's take a peek...

An uber comfy looking 70's armchair picked up at a flea market has been paired with the 'Be Quiet' print and a Muuto wood table lamp. 

I do love the print! It reminds me a little of The Twits!

Elin has painted the wooden Ivar cupboard from IKEA in Norwegian Wood from Jotun.

A Tom Dixon Mirror Ball Pendant and Knoll Cesca Cane armless chairs bring a touch of the seventies vibe to the dining area.

The shelves behind the dining table are used to display a collection of one of ceramic pieces including pretty white vase made by Elin's friend Emmeli Hultqvist.

These powder coloured sheer curtains are so pretty - they add so much softness to the kitchen dining area which also features the Muuto Fluid pendant light.

The Rabbit with Small Hat print, a Sandqvist rucksack and personalised kitchen cabinets from IKEA look lovely against a wall painted in Balans by Jotun lady.

So, what did you think? Liking the brown accents?

If you'd love to see more of Elin's home hop on over to her instagram feed along where she sahres daily snippets along with her latest interior projects.  Or for more general information about Elin's work and to ogle some truly beautiful images from her portfolio - visit her website here.

For more brown inspo today there's always the 'brown' archive (yes, I have an archive for everything!) - I especially love this home!

Have a great day everyone!

PS It's so crazy hot here in Sweden that the Government has actually issued a ban on disposable barbecues due to the risk of forest fire anywhere south of Stockholm (the message was received in the form of a text and e-mail!) - absolutely nuts for the time of year!

Photography: Elin Odnegård

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The Magnificent Home of Swedish Cookbook Author Sofia Wood

Have you returned to live in the town where you grew up? Or perhaps you've never left? In 2020 Swedish foodie, blogger, podcaster and cookbook author Sofia Wood and her family packed up their home in Stockholm and returned to Sofia's childhood roots in Norrköping. 

It takes a lot to move cities (let alone countries), especially with children in tow, but as they say - fortune favours the bold, and the Wood family are reeping the benefits of a slower-pace of life while living in the most magnificent turn-of-the-century apartment. 

Located in the city centre, the property has the most beautiful period features, sky high ceilings, large spacious rooms and classic tiled masonry ovens. True to Sofia's style, it's also packed with personality and fascinating details - as well as the mouth-watering scent of in-season dish bubbling from the stove! Welcome to the Wood family home! 

Cherry red chairs bring vibrance and warmth to the kitchen / dining area, while a large jute rug helps to reduce noise during lively family meals.  

A traditional Swedish bench (no doubt found at an antique or vintage market) adds a cosy touch to the family dining area. 

Art by Ebba Andersson creates a focal point over the dining table, while the soft Skandinaviskt Ljus  (Scandinavian light) colour on the wall from Jotun adds warmth to the large room. 

Sofia's great passion is cooking. Many of her recipes have been shared in her cookbooks: Darling Pasta, Vinter hos Wood (Winter with Wood) and Chez Wood (At Home with Wood). This year, Sofia also released interior book Nyckeln till Hemmet (the key to the home) with Elsa Billgren, whose vintage-inspired Stockholm home I once featured here - and with whom she shares a podcast (in Swedish). 

I was chatting to a plant specialist last week who told me the biggest mistake people make with plants is going for a pot which is too small. Not on Sofia's watch - the incredible, large plant pot perfectly matches the huge fiddle-leaf fig! 

High ceilings and large spacious rooms can lead to sound issues. To counter this, Sofia has added plenty of textiles in the form of rugs, cushions and sheepskins. 

The sitting room area is full of beautiful details such as a cosy Little Petra chair and an iconic Pipistrello table lamp. 

A fluffy rug from Cappelen Dimyr adds softness, texture and a cosy touch while also helping to dampen the sound in the bedroom. 

Update: Thank you for your questions about the lamp. Sofia tells me it's a vintage Pia lamp by Gärsnäs. which is still in production today. 

What a fabulous home! It's so personal and unique - and full of wonderful details. It's not always easy to furnish such large rooms, but Sofia has got the balance just right!

My mouth is also watering from the delicious looking recipes I spotted on Sofia's blog over at Elle. Mmmm! 

Could you imagine living in an apartment like this? 

It's fascinating to see how style develops over the years. Take a peek inside Sofia's Stockholm apartment from 2015 - so different! 

I'm curious to know if you would consider moving back to your home town? I'm from the suburbs of London and I love visiting, there's so much going on. But I'm not sure I could live so far from the sea again, I love my daily dips too much! 

Happy Wednesday friends!

Niki

Photography courtesy of Sofia Wood, shared with kind permission. 

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8

A Striking Blue and White Swedish Home Full of Contrast

This beauty of a home oozes elegance. So, when I found out the owners, Felicia Alm and her partner Viktor are in their early to mid-twenties, I couldn't believe it! When I was 24, I lived with a flat mate (Beth) in a tiny flat in Earls Court. It was a massively fun time, but our accommodation was nowhere near as sophisticated and mature as this beautiful space (to put it into perspective, we were once burgled and didn't notice for days!!). Located just up the coast in Landskrona, this 72 m2 (775 foot square) apartment is in a building dating back to 1890 and blessed with 'spegeldörr' (traditional panel doors), a tiled masonry stove, herringbone floors and stucco ceilings. I chatted to Felicia to find out more about the renovation, her sustainable mindset and shopping for secondhand finds.

Galaxy ceiling light

 

The side cabinet was sourced at an antique shop in Rydebäck (a great tip for locals!)

Do you and Viktor work in the design world?
I have a bachelor degree in architecture and visual communication and at the moment dream about working with interior design full time. As a hobby, I also create posters and offer freelance graphic design. Viktor works for his family business in the healthcare sector - but we both have a great interest in architecture and real estate. 

 

 

Hay Polygon quilt, blue velvet cushion*

Is this the first time you have carried out a renovation project?
Over the past 3 years we have lived in three different apartments that we bought, renovated and then sold. Now it feels like we have found home, or at least for the moment haha! You can either call us two restless souls or real estate lovers.

 
Did the apartment need an extensive amount of work?
When we moved into our current apartment in April 2017, it was in need of a total renovation. So we spent the whole summer of 2017 renovating it. We tried to do as much as we could ourselves. We felt it was important to try to keep the different spatial features of the apartment while making it modern and personal.

 

What do you love most about your apartment?
Our blue bedroom is my favorite room in the apartment. In my opinion, the blue colour contributes to a calm, relaxing and harmonious vibe. The colour is Kvällshimmel (evening sky) from Jotun LADY. I really love to decorate with color and contrast.

Felicia picked up the fabulous chaise longue secondhand on Blocket.

 

How do you approach home decorating?
I have always had a great passion for architecture, interior design and graphic design. My interior style is quite varied and I like to mix old and new. I am someone who likes things to happen in my environment, therefore our home is constantly changing. When it comes to my home, I can be kind of impulsive. So, if I get a good idea I will probably execute it the next day, haha!

 

Where do you buy items for your home?
Because I like to change and refresh our home regularly, I think it's important to think sustainably. I therefore try to shop at Blocket (Sweden's version of Ebay) or antique stores - which are also cheaper. You can find really unique things out there. 

The sitting room / dining area is painted in Silverpil 10 by Alcro - and picture shelves from IKEA have been painted in the same tone.

 

What are your go-to interior shops?
Blocket, H&M Home and Ellos.

IKEA Sevedal kitchen cabinets with Eneryda handles.

Thank you so much for inviting us into your beautiful home Felicia!

Did you spy her cute dog Ester? She's kind of hard to spot but looks so at home!

See more of Felicia's elegant apartment over on her blog and instagram - or if you're now in the mood for blue - take a scroll through these fabulous spaces!

It's the Swedish half-term next week and we're heading off to Spain (you're so welcome to follow along on Instagram stories!). Since I'm the worse screen time offender in the family (I blame it on my job!) - I'm going to try to set a good example and step away my phone / computer as much as possible. This means a reduced number of posts. However, if you can always pop into my Home Viewing Exhibition over at the Swedish Design Museum where I'm constantly adding new Swedish homes - including a summer cottage on its very own island and a 'funkis' bungalow!

I hope you have a FABULOUS weekend!

Niki


Credits: Felicia Alm

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6

Angela's Inspiring Light-Filled Munich Home (With The Cutest Snoozing Pup!)

You'd be forgiven for thinking the beautiful home of Angela Giovanna is in Sweden. There's something about the light and airy, pared back feel, gallery walls and designer pieces that give it a distinct Scandinavian vibe. And then there's those wonderful towering ceilings, huge windows and double conjoining doors that flood the space with light. I couldn't put my finger on what exactly, but there was still something about the architecture that gave the game away and I figured the building had to be in Germany. Angela shares her wonderful home in the old section of Munich with husband Tommi and their furry friend Juno (the pair are expecting their first child in September (a baby boy!).  The duo have decorated look their apartment using a  strictly monochrome theme with vintage furniture nestled beside a multitude of New Nordic design pieces, books and art. I reached out to find out more. Meine Damen und Herren, allow me to present Angela's inspiring home!

An Ivar cabinet from IKEA has been painted to match the colour of the wall - a simple, clever way to add storage without drawing attention to it. 

What drew you to the apartment in the first place? 

We love the typical style of the old buildings in this area and were so happy to finally find our dream home last winter. Since then we have been slowly filling it with a lot of good memories and creating an interior we love. 

A series of decorative objects including an echasse bowl*, David fragment sculpture and decorative coral have been arranged beside design books, magazines art and a lamp (from Westwing) in the sitting room. 

How would you describe your style?

I would define our style as a mix of design classics, vintage pieces and trend influences.  

Was a monochrome palette a deliberate choice, or has it evolved organically?

I love colours, but since I change my mind so often, I decided to go with a more monochrome scheme. It's timeless. 

Marshall bluetooth speakers* rest atop a vintage cabinet. Above, a series of decorative objects and design books have been displayed on Swedish String Pocket shelves. 

Do you have any favourite pieces? 

The pieces I love the most in our home are the ones that tell a story. We have a strong emotional attachment to some - like a vintage picture frame that my father gave me almost 20 years ago - and the glass cabinet in our home office (seen above). We also love to upcycle old flea market finds to create something new. 

There are many great German interior bloggers / instagrammers out there to follow for inspiration. Do you have any favourites? 

Yes, I love to follow @Sarah-cocolapine, @svenja_traumzuhause and @oursweetliving. 

Nothing like a snoozing dog! Being a non-dog owner, I'm curious, I heard something from training 101 that allowing a dog on the sofa is a complete no-no - is this true? 

Haha! Very good question! Before we got Juno, I was super convinced that I would be strict and not allow her on the sofa or bed. But when she was a puppy, she cried a lot during the night - so we allowed her to sleep in our bed. That was a big mistake - haha! She still completely owns them! 

On a different note, I noticed on your instagram @tasselsandfringes that you recently re-painted her dining room wall from dark to light. It looks fab (I couldn't resist sharing a couple of snapshots below) what made you decide to do this? 

Thank you! I really loved it in the dark colour, it gave the dining room a 'restaurant feeling' and was super cosy when lit with candles. But with coronavirus, the dining area became my home office and was simply too dark. In order to sit there eight hours a day, I needed to brighten it up. I love the light beige tone, it made a huge difference to the space. 

Such a lovely home! 

I can't wait to see what you do next - especially with a nursery to create - exciting times! 

***

You can see more of Angela's home and follow her future projects over at @tasselsandfringes. 

I've shared quite a few other lovely homes from Munich in the past (there must be a real creative hub over there!) - check out these if you're curious:

A delightful light-filled home in the rooftops of Munich

Irina's white, light-filled family home

Igor's happy, plant-filled home

I've had Munich on my list of places I could live one day thanks to its proximity to the Alps - in the winter, you can hit the slopes whenever you like - luxury! Lake Garda in Italy is only 6 hours away too, just saying!

Wishing you a great day friends! I'll be back tomorrow with a beeeeautiful danish home, so make sure you stop by! 

Niki

Photography: Angela Giovanna 

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