A Lovely, Inviting Berlin Flat Decorated on a Small Budget

Tjena, hur är läget? Or perhaps I should say 'hallo, wie gehts?!' Since today I'm taking you on an apartment tour in one of my favourite cities: Berlin! Oh, how I love that German city - it's buzzing with creativity and has a really special vibe. This lovely apartment in the Prenzlauer Berg district belongs to 34-year-old fashion stylist Juliane who was born and raised in Berlin. Her flat occupies a building dating back to 1900 and is blessed with 3.5 metre ceilings and beautiful stucco. Juliane has been incredibly smart with her budget, sourcing many items on eBay or the high-street and loves to make regular updates. Here's a little more about Juliane's home, in her own words: 

Maison du Monde mirror, sofa from IKEA

What's your background?

I left home after I graduated in fashion design back in 2009. I lived in Rome, Italy between 2009-2010. After I came back, I worked as a fashion editor and then decided to work as a fashion stylist, and this is what I do today. 

Your fireplace is a real focal point - can you tell us more about it?
I always wanted a big fake fireplace and was looking for one on Amazon etc. But due to my small budget, especially at the beginning when I had just moved in, I bought a lot on eBay and a woman was giving away this fireplace for free! It's super big (130 cm x 130 cm) and wasn't painted. I used simple paint lacquer from hardware store Orb. Most people who visit my place think it's always been there. One of my friends wasn't convinced at the beginning and asked why I wanted something so big in my living room! But as soon as I added the colour and decorated it, she got the idea. It has also been green before, so who knows how long the blue will stay!

Fireplace before:

Fireplace in green:

"The green was also a simple mix from the hardware store. I love all the colour cards and it's actually quite cheap. Sure, I love Farrow & Ball but sometimes, cheap doesn't mean bad quality. And the good thing is you can match the lacquer with the exact same colour."

Fireplace today:

The wall has been painted in 'Hochzeitsblau' from the new heritage series by Schöner Wohnen 

Who do you live with?

I have no pets or anyone else living in my apartment. So, it's just me and exactly 19 plants. I'm always counting them when I water so I don't forget any of them!

A group of vases from H&M Home and Søstrene Grene make a lively display on the mantel piece. 

When did you move in?

I've lived in this flat since Summer 2018, it used to be my boss's apartment in fact. 

Are you inspired by a particular interior style?

It's hard to say what interior style I like the most, because for me, it's like fashion. I never wear the same outfit twice in a row. With my apartment it's the same. I love making changes: some new curtains here, and new pillows there. 

IKEA kitchen cabinets have been painted in Graphite chalk paint from Rustoleum

Where do you shop for items for your home?

I love going to fabric stores or markets. I also like to use things I bought for a different purpose. Last time I ended up using a curtain for a DIY project and gave my headboard a completely new look!

I'm not sure I've ever seen such a narrow bathroom! Did it present any decorating challenges? 
Hahaha, yes! It's actually quite typical for these old Berlin buildings. My parents tell me that back in the day, people didn't even have a shower - just a toilet and the shower was added later. In my old flat, the bathroom was bigger, but it had super ugly tiles in aubergine. So, I was glad at least, that this one is in simple white and beige. Where the shower is today used to be a little storage room with a connecting door to the kitchen.

When I first came to look at the bathroom, I knew it would be a real challenge and that I would have to act really smart. No super big wall cupboards etc. Pinterest helped me a lot. I decided to go for a simple mirror with a wooden shelf beneath which my dad built for me. When my four-year-old nephew first came to visit my flat one Christmas, he couldn't believe how narrow my bathroom is and whispered: "Your bathroom is super skinny! Santa won't fit in here."

Curtains from Zara Home, Storage from IKEA, side table found on Ebay. 

How is life in Berlin right now? 

Quarantine is a big word here at the moment. Today, some shops reopened but everyone has to wear a mask when we go to the supermarket etc. I do take some long walks outside or ride my bike, but I am very lucky to have a balcony with sun 24/7. 

Thank you so much for taking the time to tell us more about your home Juliane! Stay safe and well :)

****

I'm feeling really inspired by the fireplace idea. It just goes to show you don't need to spend an arm and a leg to create a fabulous focal point!

Is there anything that stood out to you?

If you're curious to see more pictures of Juliane's home, hop on over to her Instagram here: @ps_ihomeyou.

And how about peeking inside a few more Berlin homes today? Here are some of my all-time favourites:

The beautiful Berlin home and country retreat of Our Food Stories
Get the look from a serene family home in Berlin
A lovely understated, warm and inviting Berlin home

I can't wait to take my girls to this city, I've been planning it in my mind for years! Until then, I'll be taking inspiration from these lovely apartments and dreaming.

Have you ever visited Berlin?

Have a great start to the week friends!

Niki

Photography courtesy of Juliane / ps_ihomeyou

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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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In Copenhagen, An Enchanting Home In Shades of Soft Sea-Green

Have you ever been to Copenhagen? There's something about the relaxed vibe and their love of all things hygge which makes me feel immediately at ease. It's been a while since I've been, so today I thought we'd take a peek behind a facade in the leafy area of Fredriksberg. Danish interior stylist, brand and visual storyteller, Sedsel Roug lives in a beautiful 145 m2 (1560,77 feet) ground-floor apartment with her Colombian husband Louis Carlos and three children Isabel (8), Luis (3) and Gabriel (3). The space has all the characteristics of a late 19th century apartment - including original wood floors, towering ceilings and large windows which let in soft pools of light. The harmonious feeling is accentuated by Sedsel's love for pale sea-green walls, fabulous vintage and antique finds and lots of art. I caught up with Sedsel to find out more. 

Your apartment has beautiful bones - can you tell us a little more about the history of it?

It's an old apartment dating back to 1860 with original wood floors and a ceiling height of 3.10 metres! 

How would you describe your style?

I like that my home is an experience and that one gets surprised from the blend of styles. I like to decorate with vintage pieces and art and mix all kinds of materials and shapes. I am particularly passionate about marble, brass and velour. 

"My favourite item of furniture is the Romeo Reha brass shelf from Italy, which I found at caution many years ago. It's timeless and like a work of art."

Would you say your home is typically Danish? 

My home is inspired by many different styles and countries. I have lived abroad (Brussels, Plymouth and New York for eight years) and love to travel to South Europe where I find inspiration for furniture and art. I also love to mix Danish design with wood details. 

What inspired your colour scheme? 

I'm very inspired by flowers and art. I mix all the wall colours until I feel inspired by the colour. I tend to go towards shades of green-grey / light sea green which has been made up using a blend of paint leftovers!

The tones are beautiful! Can you advise on similar colour codes?

Colour codes 3495, 4491 and 4502 from Flügger are similar to the walls in my home. 

Where do you source items for your home? 

I have bought many items at auction in Germany and Italy. Actually, most of my furniture and accessories are vintage. I also adore upcoming artists and collect ceramics and art prints. 

Any favourite artists? 

I adore Bycdesign Studio, Hein Studio, My Paradissi* and Aure Studio.

Finally, what do you love most about your home? 

I love how my home is constantly changing (I like to move furniture around!). I also love the light - there's not much natural light as it is a ground floor apartment - but the light that does come in is peaceful and enchanting. 

So lovely! There's something enchanting about Sedsel's apartment, don't you think? I particularly  love the sea green palette combined with wood furniture. 

Is there anything that stood out to you?

Wanna see a little more? Take a peek at @sedselroug! 

In case you're curious about where some of the items are from (I know I was), here's a round-up:

Get the look from Sedsel's home

1. Bycdesign Mid Collection 08*
2. Ikea STOCKHOLM 2017 Cabinet
3. Hein Studio Ostrea ROCK Glass Vase
4. Afteroom Plus dining chair City Velvet*
5. The E1027 Collection No 05
6. H&M Cotton Satin Duvet Cover*
7. Hein Studio The wise man 01*
8. Skagerak Georg dining table
9. Bolia Lady Armchair
10. New Works Kizu Table Lamp

What amazing pieces! Time to go vintage bargain hunting...

Meet you at the antique market?

Niki

Photography: Sedsel Roug, shared with kind permission. 

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Lighting-up Time: Three New Lamps In My Home

MSH partnership, all words are my own:

Lighting. One of the single most important factors in the home and often completely underestimated. Not only can good lighting make a room (or a part of a room) feel more comfortable, user-friendly, and practical - it can change the entire feeling of a space. Of course, natural light is the best, but sometimes it just doesn't quite cut the mustard, especially in wintertime (don't even get me started on the darkness here in Sweden right now!). So, ensuring you have enough lighting in your home at this time of year is essential. 

I usually think of it as the magic three: lighting that makes everything in the room more visible (ambient / general lighting), lighting that accentuates favourite features (accent lighting) and lighting that helps you to do specific tasks (you guessed it, task lighting!). I knew we had too little of all three in my home, so I recently did an audit - and picked up three beautiful new lights from Hudson Valley Lighting Group. Would you like to see them? 

1. Bowery Table Lamp

Our home office was the first area to get an update, in the form of the Bowery table lamp. You know me, I have a real weakness for brass - especially when it has an aged, old look and unique details, and this one is a real beauty! 

My desk looks so much more inviting now, especially as the sun starts to lower in the sky - maybe I'll get more work done now! 

2. Nora pendant lamp

You might recall the recent make-over in Liv's bedroom which I completed earlier this year. I was distinctively aware that the room wasn't finished (nothing is ever 'finished' in my home and that's just the way I like it!). Live and I have been layering the room with pretty things ever since and one of the most important factors, was an additional lamp.  She already has a great reading lamp on the other side of the bed and an overhead lamp so I was really looking for nice ambient lighting to give the space a calming feel. 

We chose the Nora lamp in aged brass and glass by Mitzi. I love that it's quite small yet catches the light like a jewel!

We draped the cable across the ceiling to give it a relaxed, playful touch. 

It's so pretty, and adds a lovely, warm feel at night! 

3. Corinth Pendant

This beautiful pendant, named Corinth made an instant difference to the room. So much so, my youngest daughter got home from school (it was already dark, such is southern Sweden at this time of year) and said 'WOW, it's so nice and light in here'. It honestly added a whole new dimension to the room and turned the bar cart area into a great focal point. 

One of the great things about this elegant lamp is that you get to decide the length / how far it hangs down from the ceiling as it comes with three sections of brass tubing. I went for two sections.

Plus of course, it adds a decorative touch to the room (I love the aged brass and glass combo) and since I selected a bulb with a warm tone, it emits a wonderful warm, diffused accent light after sunset! 

I know it sounds funny, especially as we've lived in our house for fourteen years, but adding these lamps made our living space feel so much more complete. That's the beauty of layering a home over time!

Do you have a favourite?

Check out the entire Hudson valley Lighting Group collection. 

I'd love to hear about your lighting situation at home - do you feel you have enough? perhaps you have a favourite fixture? Or one you dislike! Do share in the comment section below.  

Niki

Photography: Niki Brantmark 

Styling: Helen Sturesson

*This is a paid post in collaboration with Hudson Valley Lighting Group. All words and lamp choices are my own and I only ever work with brands I love and think you will too. Thank you for supporting the businesses that make My Scandinavian Home possible. 

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Igor's Happy, Plant-filled Space

Tjena! It's been great to get to know other bloggers over the years. I can go a little stir crazy at home day in day out by myself sometimes and these guys have become an amazing support network. We often get together in person or online to share ideas (and have a laugh). A few months back I met Igor Josifovic (such a great guy!) - creator of the hugely popular Happy Interior Blog and co-author of the best selling book Urban Jungle. Igor recently moved apartments in Munich and has set about turning his new place into one happy home too. I caught up with him earlier this week to find out more about his home and love of all things green (and blue!).




How would you describe your style?
I would say it is a very personal style above all full with details and hints about my character, my interests, my passions. I like to describe it as an eclectic bohemian mix of vintage and contemporary items with a nod to timeless Scandinavian design.




Would you say you are quite thrifty?
I think so as I really enjoy thrifting and finding items for the home with a previous life. But I love to combine - I like to match vintage finds with new items for a more contemporary look.








Where did your love of plants come from?
I think it is something that reaches back to my childhood when my mum had lots of plants in our home. In general I love the nature and anything natural so plants are an obvious obsession. And I enjoy the fact that you can bring in a bit of nature into your home with houseplants. A home without plants feels utterly void to me.



Do you have a favourite plant?
Oh this is like asking a parent if they have a favorite child haha. They are all special and unique in their way and I love them all. I tend to have some inclinations to certain plants or plant families from time to time though. Currently I enjoy my Staghorn fern with its lush and crazy foliage as well as my tropical Philodendron Red Emerald.






Do you have any tips for anyone looking to start their own urban jungle (or simply introducing more plants to their home?
Tip number one is our book Urban Jungle - Living and Styling with Plants. Together with my Urban Jungle Bloggers friend and co-founder Judith I wrote this book for anyone looking to introduce more plants into their homes and lives. I also encourage people to go step by step and refrain from trendy impulse shopping. Give it some thought and inform yourself about the plant in order to keep it happy and thriving and avoid any disappointments. After all a plant is a living thing too and it is great if we manage to keep them alive, right?!






I love the deep blue hues in your home, do you have a go-to paint colour?
I tend to look at the hues offered by Farrow & Ball as well as Kolorat, a young and up-and-coming German paint label. I have opted for two blue hues from Kolorat in my new apartment and I love them - the paint codes are K/74-46-10-59/T in the bedroom (dark blue) and in the kitchen and hallway (medium blue).




All photography: Igor Josifovic / Happy Interior Blog


GET THE LOOK


1. Antique Persian Area Rug
2. Wooden Monkey
3. KALLAX Shelf Unit
4. Velvet Cushion Cover
5. Cotton Velvet Cushion Cover
6. Bommel Korb
7. String Pocket
8. 3-Sitzer Tom Sofa
9. Cotton Tablecloth
10. Rattan Basket Square
11. Kissenhülle T-Bamboo
12. Tabouret pliable
13. Korb • RAUTEN
14. State of Independence
15. Tropical Green Rug
16. Bølling Tray Table

Thanks so much for showing us around your home Igor!

You can follow his latest renovations and projects over on his blog and instagram - and find more urban jungle inspiration in his wonderful best selling book here.

Have a lovely day!

PS I'd love it if you have the time to pop into my blog survey - it only take a few minutes to complete and it would be really helpful to find out your thoughts on My Scandinavian Home and ways I can improve it. As a thank you I'm giving away three signed copies of my Lagom book too!

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