A Peek at the Lights in My home and Studio!

Sponsored by HVLG International. All words and pictures are my own.

Do you find that when it comes to decorating a home, there's always some items that are easier to buy than others? And it's so personal! While I might be less good at sourcing rugs, I have a huge passion for lighting and it's one area of our home that I have fully covered! Could it be the dark Swedish winter? Or perhaps that I see lighting like art? Or maybe it's the huge variation waiting to be discovered. Either way, I'm always on the hunt!

Last week, I added three beautiful new gems to my home and studio from Hudson Valley Lighting Group International. While this was purely an instagram collaboration, I'm so happy with them, I thought maybe you'd like to see the gems here on the blog too! 

At home

In the corner of our sitting room I added the Nora wall sconce by Mitzi. I was drawn to it because it's like a jewel, brightening up what can be a fairly dark corner. It's also not too big which is great, as behind that curtain is our flatscreen TV and my children wouldn't be very happy with me if something were to obscure their latest series! Oh, the decorating struggles! 

This is the brass version, but it also comes in nickel if you prefer a silvery finish! Oh, and it's also suitable for use in the bathroom. You might recognise the style as Liv has a matching Nora pendant in her room (take a peek here). 

In the studio

A few years ago I made the big move out of my home office to a studio in the centre of Malmö, and I've never looked back! It certainly helps that I share my studio with two lovely, talented ladies (so many laughs as well as support and words of encouragement). 

Last week, I set up this Curves No.1 table lamp on my desk, and I have to say there was a lot of excitement 'Oohing and Ahhing' as we gathered around to admire it. The brass, rattan and linen details are beautiful! It's not all only aesthetics though - the height is adjustable and the lamp swivels, so it's highly practical too! 

Here's a closer look at the fine brass base and details.

You might also be excited (I was) to discover this table lamp has a sister - the  Curves No.1 floor lamp. Which now stands proudly beside the studio sofa. 

I was so happy to discover that this lamp was equally easy to put together - it took seconds for it to be up and running (I'm not one for a major amount of fuss, are you?). 

The lamp features the same brass and rattan details. And I love that it combines traditional touches with a modern aesthetic. It could fit in anywhere and be moved around at whim! 

It also features a foot button to turn it on and off - big bonus in my eyes! 

I hope you like these lamps as much as I do - and have enjoyed a peek inside my home and studio today.

You can read discover more about them and see the full collection at Hudson Valley Lighting Group International (ships worldwide).

You can also see more of their lamps throughout my home and cabin here: 

A new wall sconce from HVLG International

3 new lamps at home from Hudson Valley Lighting

Lighting up at home with these lovely lights

Bright ideas: lighting up our cabin and my friends' bathroom

Feel free to ask about any other details you see in my home and studio and I'll be happy to help in the comments below! 

I'll be back on Friday with a beeeeeautiful home tour. See you then! 

Stor kram!

Niki

All words and photography my own ( Niki Brantmark / My Scandinavian Home) 

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My Scandinavian Home - Best of 2016

Well friends, this has been one crazy year. I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed blogging in 2016 - it's been a little oasis of calm each day (I hope you've felt the same).  I've absolutely loved reading all your thoughts and ideas on here, Facebook and Instagram (if I've missed your page please leave your link in the comment section below, I'd love to check it out!). It's been a wonderful year of home tours, styling updates and give-aways. Here's a round-up of the...

Top six My Scandinavian Home blog posts of 2016:

 1. Serene, small space living in Gothenburg. Photo Alan Cordic, styling Emma Fischer for Bjurfors.

2. My home at Christmas - photo - me with help from my little six year old), styling Genevieve Jorn.

 3. Six beautifully simple DIY Christmas decorations - credit: Marij Hessel for VT Wonen. 

 4. My bedroom tour - photo by me, styling Genevieve Jorn.

 5. Decorating my home with posters - photos / styling  by me

6. A romantic Swedish home with vintage touches - home-owner - Cattis sold through Entrance.

I've also developed a slight Instagram obsession (haven't we all?!) and am so happy to have amassed over 50,000 friends! It's a perfect place to share little snippets of Scandinavian life  - including rustic cabins and wonderful corners of Norway, Finland, Sweden and Denmark. Looking at the top five most popular instagram posts of the year it seems you share this passion too...yay! Here's a round-up of my...

Top 5 Instagram posts of 2016

 1. A canoe trip in Finland - Photography - Henrik Koskelo / @hentus (featuring Konsta Punkka)

2.  Christmas in a cosy Swedish home - photo Carina Olander stylist Anna Truelsen.

 3. A snapshot of Nyhavn, Copenhagen I captured on a visit to Denmark's capital city.

 4. Pink chair by a desk - Photograph - Anders Bergstedt for Kverteret Mäleri.

5. A charming Little red cabin - this little pic has been separated from it's owner- can anyone help?


And last, but not least - Pinterest!! Where mood boards come together and ideas come to life (if you can tear yourself away from the screen!). Here's a round-up of the My Scandinavian Home...

Top 5 Pins of 2016

1. This little pic I took of a corner of my home has had over 1.5 million impressions in the last month alone! It must be that little guy at the top?

 2.  Quite a few (million) of you like the idea of a bench at the end of the bed like in this Swedish home captured by one of my favourite duos photographer Carina Olander and stylist Anna Truelsen.

 3. Stonewashed linens have been everywhere this year - and these lovely ones in the home of Vintage Piken are possibly yours and my favourite!  Photo by Line Kay.

 4. On Pinterest it's all in the pink it seems, as the fourth most popular pin was this lovely picture of an Amsterdam bedroom captured by my talented friend Holly Marder.

 5. And finally, we do love a gallery wall - and Maaike Koster of My Deer certainly knows how to create one! See the rest of her wonderful home here.

I have to say, these are also my favourite posts and pins from 2016 too! But do you have an absolute favourite?

On a different note, back in the spring I was excited to launch my first interiors book - Modern Pastoral (exploring my passion for rural retreats, and sharing beautiful homes like Milkweed Barn in the Catskill Mountains below!) it was such an amazing feeling to finally get it in my hands and I'm so happy to see others around the world enjoying it too! Thank you!

Photography: James Gardiner from Modern Pastoral by Niki Brantmark, published by CICO Books.

This summer we photographed 10 more fabulous homes across Scandinavia for my second book The Scandinavian Home - which will be out in the shops next March - I am so incredibly excited as I know it will be right up your street! Creating the book was the most amazing experience, even when lost on a Norwegian mountain in the dark. I tell you, the site of that magical rustic ski cabin full of layers of sheepskin at the end of the dirt track at 1 am is one I'll never forget! But more on this in the new year....

Before I head off I'd also like to say a huge thank you to all the amazing photographers, interior designers and stylists out there who have filled us with inspiration this year - and also to my wonderful sponsors who make My Scandinavian Home possible. Many of them are small online shaops, and when you buy something an actual person does a little dance!

And finally - thank you to you all for all your wonderful support and words of encouragement this year, you're wonderful!

Wishing you a very merry Christmas and a *fabulous* new year!

PS If you feel like being horizontal this holiday (isn't that what they're for?!) but would still like to feel inspired, you can always explore my archives (full list to the left) - days of inspiration, I promise! And don't forget to enter the HUGE Houseology give-away to win an amazing gift voucher to spend on your home in 2017 (think all those Scandinavian design items you've always wanted!).

PPS see you on January 9th!
 

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Irina's White, Light-Filled Family Home

I love to share all kinds of homes on My Scandinavian Home - from the more relaxed, bohemian style to the clean and minimalist look. And today is a fine example of the latter. Irina's home in Munich caught my eye for several reasons: it's light and airy (which feels important right now), it's void of clutter (which is extremely intriguing since she and her husband have a little four year old son at home, so I wanted to hear more about how she achieves this, and hopefully pick up some ideas for my own home - yep, forever hopeful!). And finally, there's one piece of furniture that I've never seen before - but absolutely love. Read on to find out more and feel inspired!  

What is your home decorating philosophy? 

I really do believe that less is more. I feel better when I'm surrounded with less things and only items which I like and find useful. My favourite quote is "Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful."

How do you keep your home so neat and tidy with a small child around?

Of course, it requires a bit more effort to keep the home looking like this, when you have children. I need to clean up a little bit more often, but it's my choice. And I have a rule to never get mad at my husband and son if they leave things / toys in the wrong place."

I love your wooden screen! 

The oak screen is from Hubsch and I use it all over our home - sometimes to soften light, sometimes as a room divider. 

Skog (forest) print by Fine Little Day* 

Your home stood out to me in the 30 Day Home Love Challenge because of the way you play with shadow and light in your photography - is this conscious? 

Photos with beautiful light / shadow patterns are my favourites. Luckily, we have huge panoramic windows at home, so usually there is enough light to play with, but I sometimes think about adding some curtains to make the light softer. 

Do you have curtains in your bedroom?

We don't have curtains in our bedroom - but we do have electric blinds. If there's anything that wakes me up in the morning - it's my son! 

Children tend to have a lot of toys and other things, how do you keep your sons' room so neat?

I like to go by a less is more approach - buy less toys, but really good ones. We prefer classic toys and almost never buy on impulse. 

I see you focus on child-friendly home decor in your shop mysoulmateplace, how did this come about?

I started my shop in 2017 in Russia, while on maternity leave. I actually have a higher education in finance and worked as a marketing manager / specialist in various companies from the Forbes500 list, but always dreamed of working in the interior and product design sphere. When I first opened my studio, I was selling only my own designs and the shop quickly grew. After we relocated to Germany, I had to start all over. Now I focus on children-friendly home decor / decor you can play with. My goal is to help families keep their homes beautiful without worrying about decor pieces and child safety. All the pieces are very smooth, lightweight and made from natural wood. 

With everything going on right now, has your perception of 'being at home' changed?

It's a strange time now. Maybe it's time to slow down, rethink and be closer to family. Usually my husband has a lot of business trips and my son is at kindergarten, so I'm home alone (I work from home). And now, we are all together at home 24/7. It's a unique opportunity for us and we try to enjoy every minute, despite all our worries and concerns.  

Thank you so much for transporting us to your lovely, light filled home today Irina! 

If you'd like to see more snapshots of her lovely Munich living space, take a peek at her beautiful Instagram feed @mysoulmateplace. And don't forget to browse her online shop mysoulmatespace - so many beautiful things! 

Is there anything that stood out to you in particular about Irina's home? Do you also live by a 'less is more' philosophy? I'd love to hear your thoughts below! 

Niki

Photography: Irina / @mysoulmateplace

*affiliate links

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The Calm, Earthy Home of A Danish Design Collector

Tjena! Hur är läget (how's it going?!)? I'm nearing the end of my first week back in the studio after the holidays and slowly cranking into action - but it's sort of painful! Know the feeling?  It's also distracting when the sun's shining and it feels like the rest of Scandinavia are still on holiday - including Danish photographer and stylist Marianne Jacobsen. Judging by her (pretty wonderful) instagram feed, Marianne is currently chugging through Europe by train. It's trips like these, as well as nature, Scandinavian design, minimalist spaces, light, art and architecture which inspire Marianne's daily work and the way she decorates her home in Aarhus, Denmark. Designed by famous architects Friis & Moltke in 1969, her house is full of timeless Danish design pieces as well as other collector's items in calming, earthy tones. I caught up with Marianne to find out more about her minimalist style and what's next on her wish list!

How would you describe your style?

My style is Scandinavian, minimalistic, delicate, eclectic and with a cosy / warm atmosphere (Danish!). I'm also very conscious about choosing a style that fits perfectly with my home. My house was designed by the famous Danish architect Friis & Moltke in 1969 and the architecture is inspired by Le Corbusier. I prefer to live with natural materials like wool, wood, stone, marble and leather. 

Le Klint lights

Alma light, Poet sofa*, The Poster Club* sells prints like this one (and ships worldwide)

How do you choose pieces for your home?

I love to live with carefully selected, beautiful Danish classic furniture and also timeless design pieces from other countries. I love Italian design like Cassina, but I do primarily opt for Danish design, since I love the deep roots we have in beautiful craftsmanship.

Montana Show shelves in 'latte' (I love this Danish storage - and have used the same brand in Allie's room).

Do you have a favourite possession? 

My absolute favourite is my Poet sofa* with sheepskin from House of Finn Juhl - such a beyond beautiful and timeless iconic piece. Likewise, I love my CH07 by Hans J. Wegner in walnut with leather seat and my Show shelves in latte from Montana!

Moebe shelves / desk, Series 7 chair, Gubi wall light*

What do you have your eye on next?

I'm dreaming about the Tabouret Méribel & Berger by Charlotte Perriand (Cassina) and the PK61 by Poul Kjærholm (Fritz Hansen).

Auping bed, VV Cinquanta Wall light

They million dollar question for us hoarders, how do you keep your home so clean and decluttered? 

I just love to live minimalistic and with calm, earthy tones. It's just the way I am since I'm an organised soul that loves to live with few, very beautiful and significant pieces in my home. My mantra is 'less is more'. It's natural for me to declutter my home, but not too much since I like my home to feel cosy. 

Thank you so much for taking time out from your holiday to tell us about your lovely home Marianne!

If you'd like to see more pictures of Marianne's home and latest photography / styling projects hop on over to her instagram or homepage. They are a feast for the eyes!

There's also a load more beautiful Danish homes to drool over in this archive (just saying!).

Anyone else a huge fan of Danish design? I noticed the other day, almost my entire wardrobe is made up of Danish design - with some of my favourite go-to brands being Day, Birger et Mikkelsen, By Marlene Birger and Stella Nova.

Eeeek. Suddenly feeling a trip over the Öresund bridge (AKA 'The Bridge') to Copenhagen is in order... the Swedish crown is so weak right now though, I might have to keep the trip under wraps - not sure how popular it would be with Per!!!

Have a happy Thursday guys - nearly POETS day - WOOHOO!

Niki

Photography and styling: Marianne Jacobsen

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