Antiques and Flea Market Finds in a Delightful Family Home in Burgundy

Ciao! I'm reporting from a very sunny Madrid today (such a treat to be here! - if the man asks, I'm on a very hectic work schedule, of course...). Perhaps what I should really be saying though is 'bonjour!' - since here on the blog we're off to Burgundy, France and the delightful home of Aurélie Mazurek! Aurélie's home first caught my eye on Instagram thanks to the calm, 'washed-out' tones, rich textures and antique touches (not to mention her baking and pretty taste in clothes!). But chatting to Aurélie, I learned there's so much more to her home that meets the eye, and the influences and inspiration behind the space are just as charming as the décor itself! 

Where do you live?

In Yonne, a wine region. Life is calm and sweet here, yet we're still near to museums, the city, and the castle of Fontainebleau - we love to relax and walk our dogs in the surrounding forest.

Bertoia chair*, round basket bag*

 

Who do you share your home with?
My husband and our children Olivier (5) and Laura (3). They are just going back to school and starting two important stages: entering kindergaten and CP at the big school!

Made-to-measure natural linen drapes / curtains* (my go to source!)

What do you do for a living?

I'm currently working in ready-to-wear fashion. I used to have my own business creating decorative objects such as cushions, booties, and blankets out of vintage materials. I decided to take a break and return to a day job so I can spend more time with my children while they're still young. I might resume my creative path some day in the future, we'll see! 

Marshall speakers*


How would you describe your style?
I keep an eye on trends but I do not necessarily follow them! I like to create my own cocoon which includes reusing a lot of materials and furniture.

Tell us more about your sustainable outlook on decorating
We love visiting flea markets, it's a very interesting way for us to consume with purpose and I think it's these unique objects that tell a story and give a home it's soul. I like to be content with little and I find beauty and satisfaction from an item I found for 1 euro!

Antique linen*

Where do you find inspiration?
My family and my emotional legacy. My Grandmother gave me the love for old linen and beautiful materials, my uncle gave me the love for flowers and how to dry and preserve them, my Grandfather the love of the garden and cultivating land , my Mother taught me the art of cooking and my Father introduced me to design. These are the heritages that made me aware of decoration and inspired the lifestyle we lead today - and even though some of these people are no longer with us, their memory lives on in my linen, dried flowers and garden.

Belly baskets*


Your instagram feed Antique Home is so inspiring. Do you also find online sites as a source of inspiration?
Of course, instagram and blogs are a wonderful source of inspiration. But I think it's our environment that inspires us the most. The forest of Fontainebleau is a wonderful source of inspiration!

Thank you for inviting us into your lovely home Aurélie!

I especially loved hearing about how Aurélie's family have inspired some of the items in her home. I'm sure this legacy will live on through Olivier and Laura one day too!

 I still remember my Grandmother's beautifully pressed crisp white linen. My sister and I used to ask her to make the bed over us and one day my sister got her toe caught in a tiny nick and it turned into a gaping hole! Needless to say, she made the beds without us from then on!!

Do you have someone in your family who has influenced your interior style?

Have a lovely day!

Niki

Photography by Aurélie - shared with kind permission. Hop on over to her instagram for more lovely pics! 

* affiliate links

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A Charming Danish Home on a Shoestring Budget

Hello! Hur går det?! It's great to be back after a week in the mountains. I'm feeling all revived, the sun's shining and I'm ready to roll! I hope you feel the same this bright and sunny Monday?!  I thought I'd kick off the week with a tour of the charming home of Fie Frøling, finalist of the 'Danish Instagram of the Year' (and for very good reason!). Fie's home is packed with second hand finds, DIY items and an abundance of greenery. I caught up with her to find out a little more. Enjoy the tour!

Where do you live?
My home is in Næstved, Denmark and I have lived here with my boyfriend and our two dogs since 2014. I actually grew up in this house with my parents and sister. We're still in the process of renovating it.

Get the look: Marshall speakers, Ilva cabinet, Kimono from Sissel Edelbos,

How would you describe your style?

I would describe my style as mix and match with an ethnic, boho vibe and a hint of industrial. I love it when warm tones meet black steel and like to play around with feminine and masculine decor.

Get the look: Brok side table, source kilim cushions here, man in canoe print, Nordal rug (I have a similar one in my sitting room!).  

 Where do you like to shop? 
I love to buy my decor at different places. I have a serious soft spot for Swedish secondhand shops and the Danish website DBA. You can find some great stuff there. Our entire kitchen was bought from DBA. Otherwise I love to shop at unoliving.dk, Casanordic.dk, semibasic.dk, Ilva and Broste. They have amazing pieces at good prices.

It's nice to see so many plants in your home!
I have a huge love for plants. I can't go an entire month without buying a new green baby! They give such a cool effect against the black and warm colours. But also, I feel like they bring my home to life because you can watch them grow. Denmark isn't the most sunny and bright country but because of all my green plants I feel like it's never dark, they remind me of summer and rainforests.

I am fascinated by your bed headboard, can you tell us more about it?!
I made our headboard three years ago. We needed a new headboard but I couldn't find one I liked. I saw these pallets by our local train station which had been thrown out and had been lying there for some time and had turned grey and rusty. I was given permission to take them and then I screwed them to our bed frame. Et voilà! A headboard emerged! 

Thank you so much for the tour of your lovely home Fie! 

What a great tour - I specially loved the the rustic pieces and plants (you know, I still can't stop thinking about that urban jungle home a few weeks back, how about you?!). It's amazing what you can find at flea markets. Is there anything you loved in particular about Fie's home?

If you'd like to see more of Fie's home there are tonnes of lovely snapshots on her instagram feed @woodlandwhim. And for more homes with a boho vibe why not check out this archive (oh and I LOVE the Danish home archive too - a real favourite!).

Have a great start to the week!

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Best Of My Scandinavian Home 2018!

I can't believe I'm wrapping up another year on the blog (I started My Scandinavian Home in 2011, isn't that crazy?). It feels great to be able to say that I enjoy coming here as much as I did when I first started. This is definitely thanks to all of you, who make this such a positive place to visit each day. I'm so grateful for all your input, comments and words of encouragement. And even if you're a silent reader, I see you (in my numbers) and I'm happy you're here! Hopefully you walk away each day with a spring in your step and a new idea for your home! I'd also like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has contributed and all the amazing creatives out there who have so generously invited us into their homes and given the kind permission to share pictures. And to all the wonderful My Scandinavian Home sponsors far and wide who make this blog possible. Tack så mycket and Skål to you all! On with this year's round-up...

Top 5 Blog Posts

5. If you want to keep warm, where else would you sit than a vintage radio? In fact, this mischievous cat is great at finding places to cosy up all round Antonia Schmitz's Cologne home.

Antonia Schmitz / www.Craftifair.com 

4. In the blog survey at the beginning of the year many of you said you were looking to learn more about interior know-how. Could this be why '10 interior Styling Tricks To Learn From a Swedish Home' went down so well? Or perhaps it's just the lovely decor. Either way, this number was popular!

Photo: Fredrik Karlsson Styling Studio Cuvier for Alvhem

3. I'm such a big fan of Leanne Ford's work (the tour of a her woodsy cabin was one of my favourites). I'm happy to see her project - A Dated Home Becomes a Fresh, Modern Farmhouse - make it into the top five. That girls got style!

Photo: Alexandra Ribar

2. Some posts require a lorry load of work, and  '20 Instagrammable Places To Stay In Sweden' was one of them. I am thrilled the work paid off and will hopefully inspire you to visit this beautiful country! Make sure you come and say hi when you do!

1. And now for the most read blog post of 2018. Drumroll please... It was none other than the charming home of Johanne Landbo (titled '10 Small Space Hacks To Learn From A Danish Home). This was a personal favourite of mine too - great minds think alike! What a fantastic home!

Photo: Johanne Landbo

Top 5 Instagram posts of 2018!

Instagram has definitely been my favourite social media this year (after the blog of course - does that count as SM? Not really I guess!). Here are the top 5 posts on @myscandinavianhome in 2018:

5. I'm pleased you liked my new sitting room update which I shot for Bemz too! I plan on sitting in this little corner a lot over the holidays!

4. I can completely understand why this post was in the top 5 - I mean, look at that cat - isn't he handsome?! Of course, Audrey Rivet's entire home is just lovely too!

Photo: Audrey Rivet

3. We'd all love to live somewhere with large, spacious, light-filled rooms but that simply isn't always the case. And this box room in the Swedish home of Sara Margareta Hellman stole our hearts. It goes to show that mini can be mighty (and white isn't always the way to go in a small space).

Photo: Sara Margateta Hellman

2. Who doesn't love a gallery wall - especially one you can customise daily! Seems like we all felt truly inspired by the picture wall in the home of Janniche Kristoffersen!

Photo: Janniche Kristoffersen

1. Books are such an important part of a living space - and as an author I'm especially happy to see this picture of a set of shelves brimming with tomes in the relaxed home of Katarina Matsson inspire over 206122 people! Let's hear it for great reads!

Photo: Katarina Matsson

Top 5 Pinterest Pins

Got to love Pinterest. It's packed with amazing inspiration, do you find the same? I never know quite what will take off on Pinterest so I was excited to explore the top five:

5. I was hoping Louise's delightful, hygge Danish home might pop up somewhere in the 'Best of...' list - her use of colour is so inspiring!

Photo: Louise / Mor Til Mernee

4. If you're looking for a moment of calm this Christmas you could do well to pour yourself a cup of coffee (or something stronger) and click over to this Swedish home decorated in cream and caramel tones. A special shout out to the Karin chair designed by Bruno Mathsson - which made a huge comeback this year!

3. Linens, sheepskin, candles and a wreath - I couldn't think of a more perfect spot to chill than this one in the Swedish home of Anna Kvarnström.

Photo: Anna Kvarnström

2. This year, Genevieve Jorn and I made-over my teenage stepson's bedroom. It was such a fun project and I'm glad to see others feel inspired by it too! N.B. It definitely doesn't look this tidy today!!

1. Say the words 'mid-century meets boho' and you know you're onto a winner, don't you think?! If you haven't taken a tour of Mallory Fletcher's Brooklyn home yet, I suggest you hop over immediately! I'm not surprised her sitting room was my most pinned image all year, it's fabulous!

Photo: Mallory Fletcher / Reserve Home

I had so much fun putting this post together - I'd actually forgotten about some of these beautiful spaces / posts!

Did you have a favourite?

Right. I think that's it.

I'll be back on January 7th. But if you feel you'd like to stop by over the holidays for inspiration there are thousands of home tours and snippets of design inspiration to be found in the archive. Some of my favourites include:

Danish Homes
Swedish cottages
Norwegian Homes
Finnish Homes
International Homes
Vintage Inspired Homes
Bohemian Style
Rural Retreats

I'm off to tuck into turkey in London and maybe dabble in a little skiing in my heartland (Norway) (see Instagram stories for more!).

I hope you have a wonderful, relaxing holiday too!

Thank you for 2018!

Niki x

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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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