Two Danish Coffee Tables, One Hyggelig Sitting Room!

Sponsored by Skovby, all words and photos are my own and I only ever work with brands I love*

The blankets are unfurled, and the candles are lit. It must be November! Our sitting room really comes into its own at this time of year, and my family and I spend many a night right here sipping coffee (OK - maybe we exchange it for wine sometimes too, while relaxing and hiding from the cold!) - is it the same in your home? I was therefore super happy to have the excuse to hang out here for a whole day MID-WEEK to capture these beautiful coffee tables for Skovby (you'll likely recognise the name, I've been working with this wonderful danish brand for many years and have always loved their  passion for wood and fine craftsmanship). 

You might recall we usually have a long vintage rustic bench as our coffee table, so it was fun to see how a different arrangement might look. And actually, I realised that there's something very handy about using two tables instead of one. Read on to find out more and take a closer look at these fine specimens! 

So, what's the advantage of two tables? 

Well, firstly, opting for two instead of one (I've chosen the Coffee table #241/264 with a white HPL top and oak white oil legs and coffee table #241/265 in oak white oil) with two different heights, means you can nestle them into one another or pull them apart, which gives you greater flexibility depending on the size of the party. You can also separate them completely - using one as a side table and one as a coffee table. In a small sitting room this is worth its weight in gold! 

Incidentally, the round shape is also a small space saviour, and helps a space to feel softer and more  inviting (it's funny how that can happen). 

Our sitting room suddenly felt a whole lot more practical, user-friendly and sociable! Per will be very happy with this indeed! 

Oh, and there's another important advantage: if you chose two tables, you can get a little more creative with the design. For example, I have combined white with wood in order to create a greater visual impact. 

Incidentally, the Skovby coffee table series is made up of a load of different elements (designed by Danish designer Per Hånsbæk) and invites you to choose the shape, wood type and size of the tabletop -  as well as between classic wooden legs, an edge steel frame or an adjustable height base. So, you can be as creative as you like! 

Keep in mind that a coffee table should be around two-thirds of the length of your sofa. 

What do you think? Are you tempted to opt for two tables instead of one? Or perhaps you've gone for something completely different (ottomans, chests, suitcases - I've seen it all!). I'd love to hear more about your coffee table!

If you're curious about these, you can explore the entire Skovby coffee table series and find your nearest stockist here. 

You might also like some of the other fine specimens from Skovby. I've captured many of their items in my home in the past, including a desk and chair in Per's home office space, a serving trolley which I used to serve glögg last Christmas, bar stools in my dining room and one very fine bench among others!

In the meantime, if anyone's looking for me, I'll be right here sipping coffee and enjoying the hygge until these fine specimens are (sadly) collected on Friday. 

Have a hyggeligt day! 

Niki

*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 exceptional Scandinavian businesses that make My Scandinavian Home possible. 

Photography by me, styling by Helen Sturesson. 

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My home captured by Karin: dressing room

As promised, today I'm introducing the first in a mini weekly series called 'my home captured by Karin'. While we were away recently my photographer friend Karin Björklund (who also took my profile picture) spent the day in our home and took lots of lovely pictures. It's fascinating to see how someone else sees your home. I call this room 'my dressing room' since this is where I have my dressing table, keep all my clothes and like to swan about, wafting perfume, reading magazines and generally acting like the movie star I am not! But the rest of my family call it the guest room or TV room....:)

Karin Björklund for My Scandinavian Home

As a guest room it looks like this (it used to be our bedroom). One day the floor will be white.....

Eeek, what do you think? Do you have a versatile room like this in your home?

Here's a bit of a guide on where things are from: wallpaper - Designers Guild, Around Coffee Table - Muuto,  Finnish hemp textile cushion - Saaana ja Olli, mirror - Graham & Green, perfume and apothecary bottles - vintage, tribal gold necklace -Whistles.

For more sitting room inspiration check out these lovely rooms and for dressing room inspiration you could try my Pinterest board here. 

PS Merci Beaucoup to Clémence who listed my scandinavian home in your top 5 interior design blogs on Tuesday in Paulette Magazine, such an honour!

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My New Wall Sconce From Hudson Valley Lighting Group!

Paid partnership, all words are my own:

It's only since living through fifteen dark Scandinavian winters that I've realised the importance of lighting. On a practical level you need a lot more lights than you think. And the more variety the better. Not only do you need overhead and task lighting, you also need lower level lighting to help create the right ambience. In fact, I'd go as far as saying that lighting can totally make or break a room. I'm therefore always on the lookout for new lamps and was excited to discover Hudson Valley Lighting Group. The US based company (with an international site) stocks literally hundreds of lights in a diverse range of styles from chandeliers and pendants to flush mounts and wall sconces. Needless to say, there's something for everyone - whether you prefer historical pieces or something that's bang on trend (or a combination of the two!). There's one lamp in particular that caught my eye.

Meet my new Chloe wall sconce from Mitzi! Made from high quality marble and aged brass it was one of those pieces that instantly appealed. And when I brought it home it seemed to slot into my sitting room as if it had always been there. Don't you love it when that happens? 

The lamp is also available in polished nickel but I felt the brass was a better match with the earthy brown and golden touches I already have in my sitting room. 

I positioned it so that in the evenings it would add a soft glow to one of the darker corners of my home and light up a few treasured pieces such as a sculpture by a Swedish artist and dried flowers from last summer. 

Isn't it pretty?

One of the big interior trends of 2020 is to invest in high-quality pieces that will stand the test of time. This lamp perfectly fits the bill since it's beautifully made and would look great in many different corners of my home over time (I'm already considering having it next my bed!).

Are you looking for new lighting for your home? If so, here are a few others that caught my eye: 

10 Lamps I Love 

Get The Look

1. Troy Lighting Ace Lamp
2. Mitzi by Hudson Valley Lighting Stella Light
3. Corbett Lighting Socialite Light
4. Mitzi by Hudson Valley Lighting H120704-AGB-CE
5. Mitzi by Hudson Valley Lighting Angela Lamp
6. Hudson Valley Lighting Chandler Polished Nickle
7. Hudson Valley Lighting Chandler Brass
8. Mitzi by Hudson Valley Lighting Estee Lamp
9. Troy Lighting District Lamp
10. Troy Lighting Quantum Light

Did any stand out to you in particular?

If you're feeling curious, hop on over to Hudson Valley Lighting Group to check out the entire range.

Oh, and they ship worldwide too! Result! 

Niki

This post is brought to you in collaboration with Hudson Valley Lighting Group, however, all words 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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A Beautiful, Spanish Style House in California

It's a little grey here in Scandinavia today so I thought I'd escape to Altadena, California for today's home tour - fancy joining me?! This beautifully renovated home is the work of interior designer Rosa Beltran of Homepolish. Rosa told Domino magazine that the "home was a badly done faux Mediterranean 1990's spec house" when she was called in to help. After countless structural changes, interior updates and newly sourced furniture and light fittings, the house has been transformed into a beautiful, light and modern Spanish architectural style house. Let's take a tour.

// affiliate links marked with * //

The ceilings in the sitting room are 9 metres (30 foot) high - Rosa felt they made such a dramatic statement, the room didn't need many other elements. My eyes are also on that tree in the corner of the room - it's such a clever way to add a little height and draw the eye upwards.

Roost padron chair, Batik cushion*, Moroccan pouf*

The extra wide windowsill also doubles as a lovely nook - and a perfect spot for a morning coffee looking out over the garden. Imagine?!

Layered rugs soften the look of the monochrome stairwell, and the tribal fabrics add an exotic touch to an otherwise classic look.

Jute rug*, Kilim rug*

The high ceilings and spacious design of the bedroom allowed for a wrought iron four-poster bed - a material typically seen in Spanish style houses. I love the way this has been combined with other textural elements including a sculptural pendant lamp, Scandinavian style bench and linen curtains.

 The bathroom was inspired by the hammam experience - and features the most beautiful wall-to-wall mirrors (the patina!), a Moroccan style tiled floor and rustic wood elements.

Rustic wooden bench*, Light grey Clover tiles

Living here would kind of feel like you're permanently on holiday, don't you think?! How fabulous!

I've got a weakness for rustic wood (one of my favourite pieces is my bench / coffee table in my sitting room) and batik so I'll totally be pinning the sitting room and bathroom!

Is there anything that stands out to you?

You can read more more about this renovation and see a few more pics on Domino magazine. Thank you so much to The Style Files too (where I first spotted it).

Things are getting a little crazy around here as the summer holidays are coming up. Sweden pretty much shuts down in July and it's like the whole country is trying to get everything done before they leave - oj oj oj! It doesn't help that this is a short week too as it's midsummer's eve on Friday.

Speaking of which, I've been compiling a midsummer inspiration post which I can't wait to share with you over the next few days! Wild flowers at the ready...

Have a great day!

Niki

Photography Chad Mellon. Shared with kind permission from Domino Magazine.

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Get the look: inspiring sitting room of an interior designer

Well hello there! I had a great start to the week yesterday with a photo shoot at my friend, interior designer Genevieve Jorn's home in the centre of Malmö. If you're an avid reader of My Scandinavian Home I'm sure you're already familiar with Gen's home - we've been following her fabulous renovation one room at a time over the past year (take a peek inside her kitchen, office and bedroom). And now, with a little help from beautiful danish brand Nordal, a selection of art and her tree, 'Benjamin'- her sitting room and dining area is now complete! Here are a few shots from the cosy living area where Gen, her husband Kasper and cutest little Olivia love to hang out!

Photography: Niki Brantmark - My Scandinavian Home. Styling: Genevieve Jorn - interior designer.

What a great space? I secretly wanted to stay and hang out right there on the sofa all week!

I especially love how the space is filled with art, personal touches and a mix of old and new.

The wooden pharmacy sideboard, console, and dining table compliment the original herringbone floor and add a wonderful warmth to the room - and the plants truly bring it to life (Gen bought 'Benjamin' from an online second hand store for a song! It's so worth keeping an eye out for bigger plants online - businesses are often selling them off!

Is there anything you love in particular about this space?

Get the look from Gen's sitting room:

1. This wall decoration with beads is similar 2. Fur cushion 3. Console table 4. Pharmacy sideboard 5. Wooden stool 6. Garden pot grey 7. Garden pot, natural

If you're wondering about any of the other items give me a shout in the comment section below and I'll do my best to help.

Have a great day!

PS Nordal ships throughout Europe.

The post is brought to you in collaboration with Nordal. However, all words are my own and I only ever work with brands I absolutely love and think you will too! Thank you for supporting the businesses that help bring fresh content to your mail box and make My Scandinavian Home possible.

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A contemporary home with a mid-century touch

 If you've seen the pictures of my sitting room (here and here) you'll know I am a big fan of mid century furniture. This is why the home of Natalie Myers caught my eye for today's post. It was designed by Veneer Designs, a full service interior design studio which brings a modern organic mid-century inspired perspective to contemporary spaces.  I certainly see that here with the beautiful mid-century furniture complimented by kilim rugs and cool art photography. What a great space don't you think?!

Veneer Designs via Plastolux with thanks

I especially love the pale pink Kilim rug in the sitting room - how beautiful is that?! Perhaps something for my sitting room? I also like the Hudson Bay Point blanket on the single bed  - although I'm a little too primary colour shy to have it in my own home, how about you?

I've shown so many mid-century inspired home tours here before, in case you missed them here are a few of my favourites: a unique German space, the stunning home of Natalie Schwer and this monochrome space with a mid-century touch. Oh so cool.

Have a lovely day and see you Friday! 

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Converted Stables Become a Dramatic Home Full of Contrast in Norway

It's Friday friends - JAAAAA! To wrap up the week I'm leading us all over to the dark side (mwah ha ha) on a virtual journey to an incredible maisonette in Oslo. Formerly a stables, the two floor apartment is owned by Nina (blogger behind Note to Self), her boyfriend Jørgen, baby boy Gustav, and cutest pup Ipa. When Nina's not sewing or working as a graphic designer, the pair are transforming the space (often on a minimum budget) into a dramatic family home full of contrast and delicious, warm, dark grey, chocolate and beige accents. Enjoy the tour!

The maisonette has an upside down layout with the entry, bathroom and bedroom on the ground floor and an open-plan kitchen, sitting room and dining area on the upper level. I thought we'd start with the cosiest zone of all - the sitting room!

The sitting room wall has been painted in NCS S 7002B which makes a wonderful contrast to the oak floors, plastered brick walls and a fluffy 70's style shaggy rug (from Layered). And just how cosy does that velour Madison sofa look? The Blind No5 print is by Danish artist Kristina Krogh (available here).

It's incredible what a difference vintage wood adds to a monochrome space. Pick up similar  Thonet-style bistro chairs here (gah! So beautiful!). Nina never quite got on with the original brickwork and so they decided to plaster over it.

"The plastering gave just the right, tactile texture the apartment needed. And the colour was perfect too, so there was no need to paint it."

Where would a Scandinavian kitchen be without a natural linen tablecloth?! So pretty (and it looks better un-ironed too). It's nearing lunchtime here and I'm sort of drooling over the cheese too!

All hale the Bollo chair by Norwegian designer Andreas Engesvik (I've got my eye on the pink one). 

Since the pair are currently renovating a house elsewhere right now (their future home), they didn't want to invest too much money on the apartment. Even so, they still managed to transform the kitchen from this...

 To this...

...on a limited budget!

 To achieve the new look they plastered the walls and painted them in NCS S 7002B, spray painted the cabinets in NSC S 8002B, replaced the thick laminate counter top, kitchen taps, sink (all HTH), added Borghamn handles from IKEA and spray painted the switches, sockets and cables. 

Quite incredible, and so inspiring to know what you can do on a limited budget, don't you think?!

When the pair moved in the stairs were a varnished yellow colour...

They painstakingly sanded them down before washing them with white pigmentation, and then painted the walls and doors the same colour as the sitting room. They also added the same oak floor. 

What an incredible transformation, don't you think?! I've been wondering what to do with my stairs (which are also tinged with an old yellow varnish) and now I may have found the answer - I just need to brace myself for the work (and warn Per!)!

Nina saved a load on a designer clothes rail by creating one from a 12 mm copper pipe, which she bent into shape using a wrench, lightly sand papered and then sprayed matt black! So clever! More info on her blog here. 

The dark tones are also carried through to the bedroom which give the room a wonderful cocoon like feel - and no doubt feels blissfully dark at night, even under the Norwegian midnight sun!

Another Scandinavian must - natural stonewashed linen bedding (it's that ironing thing again! Source similar here) - the unbleached material looks particularly lovely against the dark grey walls!

And this little chap feels right at home!

Thank you so much for inviting us into your beautiful home Nina, Jørgen, Gustav and Ipa! I for one, might be tempted into over to the dark side in my own home after all. Anyone else feeling inspired too?!

See more of Nina's home renovations, creations and recipes over on her fabulous blog Note to Self as well as on her instagram feed.

I can't resist leaving you with a few other links to enjoy over the weekend too:

f you're looking for more home tours on the dark side try a cosy cocoon-like Swedish home (also featured here) and dramatic green and grey in a Swedish home - actually, do you know what? I'm just going to go ahead and give you the link to the entire 'dark colours' archive! Way easier!

And now for one of my favourites. Conversions. Don't you love it when a home has history (like the stables in today's post)?! See everything from converted garages, warehouses, schools, shops and even a bar here!

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!

Niki

PS This weekend I'm writing a guide to Malmö in which I'm hoping to cover off a load of the things I missed in my previous Malmö guide (and some of the new places that have popped up too) I'm so looking forward to my staycation! Look out for the guide soon.

All photography  © Nina / Note to Self

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