my scandinavian home: Search results for small space

15 Small Space Hacks To Learn From a Beautiful Danish Home

Hej, hvordan har du det? I have to admit it's really hard to concentrate today - it's such a beautiful day! And when the sun shines in Scandinavia it's not something to be taken for granted! I was thinking of taking the Stand Up Paddle out at lunchtime ('thinking' being the operative word since it's still a bone-chilling 12 degrees in the water - eeeek!). While I procrastinate - I have a space to share with you which totally makes staying indoors worthwhile! This is the home of Danish model Johanne Landbo and her boyfriend. Located high up in the eaves in the city of Århus, Denmark, what the home lacks in size and ceiling height, it makes up for in clever small space solutions and beautiful design. Velkommen!

1. A clutter-free home creates the illusion of space. Johanne has used wall mounted floor to ceiling shoe cabinets to banish shoes from the floor.

2. Simple hooks hung over a door are really handy for everyday items (I use them in the bathroom and bedrooms in my own home) - they also don't require any drilling, making them ideal for rental spaces!

Shoe cabinet, door hook and Sinnerlig stool all IKEA. This round basket bag is similar.

3. Raising the ceiling to it's full height and adding skylights helps to generate a loftier feel. Plus if you're lucky - you might end up with beautiful beams like these (well worth their weight in hygge!).

Green Forest poster, this pendant light is similar. Source a runner like this here.

4. I love these old warehouse windows between the bedroom and hall. Replacing an internal wall with windows (new or vintage!) allows light to filter through to darker areas and widens the look of a narrow space. Drawing across a curtain is a great way to add a little privacy and darkness at night time.

5. Multi-purpose furniture helps each item to go that bit further, for example, this Gjöra bed doubles up as a place to hang plants (or clothes).

6. Installing minimalist, bespoke wall-to-wall wardrobes helps to make the most of every inch of a room and create a clean look and feel.

7. Johanne's home has been painted in a fresh, matt white throughout which bounces the light around.

8. Flat wall-mounted book shelves provide a less intrusive place to store magazines in a dead space between the radiator and eaves.

9. Stackable furniture is a small space's best friend! Here, the lower nest table can be tucked under the higher table when not in use.

10. If your sofa is in the middle of the room, break up the (often cumbersome) back of it with a bench that can also be used for coffee table books and other items.

11. Make full use of ceiling height. Lesser used items can be stored higher up.

12. Wall mounted, flexible lighting (such as the Mantis) helps to clear floor space and reduce the number of directional lights, since they can be rotated to where ever you need the light.

13. Stackable, modular shelving like Omar from IKEA help make the most of awkward corners.

14. Opting for less bulky / more streamlined furniture like the Adam stool by FRAMA CPH will achieve a clutter-free, airy look and feel.

15. Keeping the view clear on the balcony gives a continuation of space (and means you can enjoy it even on a rainy day).

Aaaa, I was so happy to discover so many great ideas to steal from Johannes home! Is there anything you found particularly helpful?

I also liked Charlie Cameron's tip on Thursday: to use negative space throughout your home (I've been thinking a lot about this).

You can see more pictures of Johanne's beautiful home over on instagram - and for more small living space inspiration today I can totally recommend these home tours too: small space that's big on cosiness, a tiny one room flat in Finland and Clever small space style in Stockholm.

Have a great start to the week!

All Photography: Johanne Landbo

6 Smart Ideas To Steal From a Small Danish Apartment

Goddag, goddag! I'm going straight in this week with the delightful Copenhagen apartment of Büsra Demirhan. A student living in a 47 metres square (505 foot square) apartment with her boyfriend, Büsra was selected by Danish magazine Bolig Magasinet as instagrammer of the month thanks to the clever way she has designed her small space on a tight budget, without compromising on style. Here are six very smart small space ideas that make a big difference!

1. Round table: Round tables have a smaller surface area than square tables and therefore take up less space - and can squeeze into a tight spot. Plus you avoid the risk of walking into a corner with your thigh (winces).

2. Extra storage: Büsra has used used dead space above the kitchen cabinets to store little used items. A wooden cup holder (this one is by Sætter and is taking the Danish interior world by storm right now) slots in neatly between the upper and lower cabinets.

3. Think slim: Narrow furniture - like this glass cabinet is ideal for small spaces.

4. Wall mount where possible: a flat screen TV has been tucked in among frames on the wall of the sitting room, leaving the floor clear. Wall mounted furniture is especially great for small spaces as it helps you to make full use of vertical space and creates a more airy feel.

5. Wall to wall, mirrored storage: one whole side of the sitting room area has been reserved for much needed storage. Using closed storage not only helps to keep a space looking clean and clutter free - but the mirror helps to visually enlarge the room. Perfect!

6. Get creative: A cupboard / wardrobe space off the corner of the sitting room has been reserved as a bedroom for Büsra and her husband. A simple curtain across the doorway helps to keep the space private without feeling you're closed in.

I hope this lovely space has given you plenty of ideas if you're currently furnishing a small space - or have smaller rooms in your home!

You can see more snapshots of Büsra's home over at @busrademiirham.

And there is a LOAD more inspiration in the small space archive (if this pops up first just scroll on over!).

Wishing you all a great start to the week!

Niki

Photography courtesy of @busrademiirham, shared with kind permission.

FILED UNDER: danish apartment danish home small spaces

A Mini but Mighty Stockholm studio

It's all very well featuring regal, spacious apartments with dazzlingly high ceilings and sweeping staircases, but the reality is many of us live in much smaller (but beloved) spaces! This little gem of a studio in Stockholm measures a mere 28 metres square (301 square feet) and has everything you need at your finger tips - and looks pretty too! There are some small space rules there to be broken- and I for one, love how the owners have gone for the big SMEG refrigerator and turned it into a style statement - it just goes to show, you don't always need to compromise!

Floor plan

Photography: Fredric Boukari for Historiska Hem (found via Nordic Design with thanks).

In case you're working through the puzzle of furnishing a small space, here are some things I've learned over the years which might help to achieve your own, functional yet stylish oasis.

5 Things To Think About for a Small Space

1. It may seem obvious, but flexible items such as tables that fold-away / extend and stackable chairs are ideal for homes where space is of a premium.
2. Use the full height of a room and store lesser used items higher up.
3. Opt for multipurpose furniture such as a sofa bed, shelving that can also be used for hanging (as seen in this home), and pieces that double up as storage (there are some great coffee tables with built in storage around!).
4. Work to create distinct zones using rugs / different flooring.
5. Use negative space to create an illusion of size - but don't be afraid to go for big pieces of furniture too!

Please feel free to add any tips and tricks you've discovered in the comment section.

More space love: 15 small space hacks to learn from a Danish home, a small Swedish space that's big on cosiness, small space inspiration from a swedish home.

I'm heading up to Stockholm today to visit the Bemz headquarters (I've loved my sitting room and bedroom make-over collaborations with them so far, so I'm really excited to meet the team in person!). I hope I also have time to nip into the Carl Eldhs Studio Museum during my trip (another recommendation from Karolina Modig!). I'll be on stories if you'd like to follow along!

I hope you have a fun day too!

Niki

PS Anyone else still thinking about Purrli the Internet cat from yesterday's post? More importantly though - what a fabulous home?! Loved the art!

FILED UNDER: small spaces swedish apartment

5 Great Design Tricks To Learn From a Small Swedish Space

It was a while since I featured a small space - which is a shame, as Scandinavian's are masters are these! This delightful apartment in Gothenburg, Sweden measures up at a mere 56 sqm (602 f2) - but the owners have still managed to squeeze in everything they need: including a light and airy kitchen, sitting room, home office, private bedroom, wardrobe space and a bathroom - and all with impeccable style too! Here are five things I love about this space - and what I see as the key to its success!

1. Keeping to one era: the mint green kitchen cabinets wouldn't look out of place in the 50s - 60s - and yet it was newly renovated in 2016. To match the look, they've added a Gubi semi pendant lamp* which was designed in 1968, a set of classic 7 series chairs (designed by Arne Jacobsen in 1955) and a vintage mid-century table and dresser. Despite the eclectic materials, this has helped to create a cosy, cohesive kitchen.

2. Lots of pieces, without the clutter! If you look closely at the windowsill there's a lot going on - 5 unique pots (love the spotty one - I think it's by Elin Frodig), a little lamp and a candlestick holder. But since they're all in the same tone, it looks interesting without looking visually cluttered,

I'd love a larder, sadly they rarely build new houses with these!

3. Grouping: in small spaces, it's really important to leave areas empty. This helps to give the illusion of space. This can easily be achieved by grouping objects together (as seen above with the shelves and gallery wall). If you have shelves at home that feel cluttered, try grouping items together in threes or fives and leaving space between the next group - it will instantly elevate the space!

4. Elfa storage: I always think Swedish brand Elfa is such an unsung hero of the interior world. The solutions are much more budget friendly than say, String (seen below) - and you can create endless different looks - as seen with the shelf and desk in the home office above, and the wardrobe below. A small space's best friend! FYI I'm not paid to say this, in fact I've never even spoken to them, I just love what they do. Hmmm. Maybe I should reach out?

5. Sliding doors: No, I'm not talking about the 1990s romantic-comedy (although - I did used to love that film!), I'm talking doors that glide into the wall and simply 'disappear'. We have three sliding doors in our own home and I can't tell you how much space they help save. But also, the door frame can be way wider which means more light can filter into the room. Perfect for windowless rooms like this little bedroom alcove! The one in the picture below is from Bauhaus.

PS I also love the use of bold pattern and colour in a tiny space - it adds so much drama and detracts from the size. Are you a fan off this too?

Perhaps you spotted some other great ideas from this lovely Swedish apartment, if so I'd love to hear below.

In case you're curious to see the layout etc - there's a load more info here (this flat is for sale!).

All in all, one lovely pad, don't you think?

I'll leave you with a few other teeny Scandinavian apartments to look at this bright and sunny (yet very cold Wednesday - there's a deep freeze going on here right now and tomorrow we're looking at a high of 8 degrees C - BRRRRRR!).

Cosy small space living in Gothenburg, Sweden

The cosy small Copenhagen flat of a creative and plant-lover

7 creative ways to make the most of a loft / attic space

Have a lovely day friends!

Niki

Photography Anders Bergstedt for Entrance

*affiliate links

FILED UNDER: small spaces swedish apartment

Beautiful Small Space Living in a 19th Century Swedish Apartment

Every now and then a real gem comes on the market - like this apartment in a 19th century farm building right in the heart of Gothenburg! Measuring a mere 38 m2 (402 foot square), the living space might be considered relatively small - but it's an absolute dream for a single occupancy or a couple. Think lovely high ceilings, large arched windows and doors and beautiful old beams. In summertime the apartment spills out onto an inner courtyard, extending the living space. All in all, it's a wonderful lesson in organising and decorating a small space - and of course a dream for anyone that snaps it up. Enjoy!