Tile style: Three Living Rooms, Three Different Vibes

Considering floor tiles for your living space? My sister's Goldendoodle (google 'Goldendoodle puppies' and your heart will positively melt) put paid to their wooden floor. So, in their recent renovation they opted for tiles instead. Growing up in a home with wooden floors and wall-to-wall carpets, tiles are a bit of a new area for me. So, for fun, I decided to experiment with three tiles from the Gemini Tiles floor tile collection available through CTD Tiles to create three different living room vibes. The brand offers an extensive collection of handpicked wall and floor tiles which take inspiration from both traditional and contemporary styles so there were a whole load to choose from! In the end I opted for the Cuban Black Block tile, Buxy Gris floor Tile and Cuban Silver Sky tile. I can't wait to hear which one you like the most!




Be still my beating heart! How fabulous is this Cuban Black Block Tile? Inspired by traditional hot wax paintings, the tile comes in size 223 x 223 mm and is made from glazed porcelain with a matt finish. The intricate geometric look instantly took me back to an elegant, eclectic contemporary Parisian hotel I stayed at last November. Think gold, luxurious velvet in deep earthy blues and emerald greens and the infinite depth and nobility of black marble.  I might just be willing to forgo my pattern shyness and go all out in my own home with this one - how about you?

Get the look:

1. Vitra Suita Sofa Designers Choice
2. Twice Ceiling Light
3. The Lily Candleholder
4. Ferm Living Marble Table Black
5. Gubi Bat Lounge Chair High Back
6. Embroidered Velvet Star Cushion
7. Boule Vase
8. North Shelf
9. & Tradition FLY Chair SC1 Smoked Oak
10. Gubi BestLite BL1 Table Lamp Brass
11. Fishbowl Vase





If the industrial look is more your thing - I picked the Buxy Gris floor tile for its cool, contemporary urban style. Think New York loft living meets Scandi minimalism! The grey porcelain floor tile comes in 600 x 600 mm and a 600 x 300 mm size and looks pretty fabulous with a cognac, grey, white and black palette. Throw in furniture made from cool metals, wood, leather and wool to bring natural warmth to the space. I love the fresh, earthy look of this style, and it's timeless too! Could you imagine incorporating this look into your home?

Get the look:

1. Tribeca Series Franklin Chandelier
2. Anderssen & Voll strip back the sofa
3. The Art of Fabric Print 3 
4. Vitra Eames Hang It All - Walnut & Chocolate
5. Lína Swivel Chair
6. Metal Candlestick
7. The MANTIS - DCW BS5 SW Wall Lamp
8. Carl Hansen CH28 Chair
9. Magis Lem Round Table



And last, but by no means less - if you love to rock a boho look, you might be drawn to this fresh yet cosy contemporary Mallorcan finca vibe. Inspired by traditional encaustic tiles, I feel the subtle colour palette and intricate pattern of the glazed porcelain Cuban Silver Sky tile in size 223 x 223 mm gives a space a lovely, cool look and feel. I love the idea of pairing it with beautiful natural wood finishes, rattan furniture, glass, brass and linen to add character while keeping the look calm, and cosy yet bang up to date. If you don't want to go all out, this is the type of tile which would also look pretty in the hallway or bathroom, don't you think?!

Get the look:

1. Gervasoni Ghost Sofa
2. Dutchbone Brute Side Table Aluminium
3. Binga basket
4. NORR11 Nomad Lounge Chair Bamboo Cognac Leather
7. Colton Coffee Table
8. Large Glass Vase
9. Genuine Moroccan Ottoman
10. Silk Cashmere White Cover Lamp
11. Round Metal Tray

Did you have a favourite style?

I could quite easily envisage all three in my home but if I had to pick just one I'd go for the third.  Perhaps that's just because the sun is slowly fading in Sweden and I'm pining after the med! Plus I've always loved pretty patterned tiles!

Niki

This post was brought to you in collaboration with Gemini Tiles, all words and styling are my own. Thank you for supporting the wonderful, hand-picked brands that make My Scandinavian Home possible! 

READ MORE...

1

Tile Edit: 25 Decorative Floor and Wall Tiles To Love Right Now!

There are so many fabulous floor and wall tiles out there right now. From curvy scallops and flowers to bold geometric shapes, could 2019 be the year to re-do your hallway, bathroom or kitchen?! Here's my edit of 25 fabulous tiles to love from Mosaic Factory - that are bound to put a smile on your face!

1. Terrazzo Wild 2. Terrazzo marble large 3. Terrazzo Cristal 4.Terrazzo Pattern 5. Marble 5 collection 6. Marble 5 7. Terrazzo Pattern

I've started to see Terrazzo tiles pop up everywhere and predict big things for this pretty tile in 2019. Think pastels, aqua and inky black with jewel-like inlays. And the best thing? You can customise the tiles to create the look you're after. The Marble 10 range for example, allows you to choose from 9 marble options which can be combined with a variety of cement colours. If you feel like really jazzing things up, you can also go for crystals and tempered glass!

1. Stamped ref. 10320 2. Modern ref. 10162 3. Modern ref 10847 4. Hexa Long ref. HL122 5. Diamond ref. L118 6. Classics ref. 10270 7. Zellige Fish Small 8. Classics ref 10520 9. Hexa ref. H170 10. Hexa ref. H128 11. Stamped ref. 10768 12. Classics ref. 10670 13. Stamped ref. 10320 14. Modern ref. 10194 15. Modern ref. 10808 16. Diamond ref. L106 17. Classics ref. 10200 18. Designers ref. FM100

Do you have a favourite?

I love the scalloped cement ones (7 and 18)!

For more information about the tiles, or to find the exact look you're after, hop over to Mosaic Factory where you can choose from 1000 patterns in different shapes and sizes and visualise the result in 3D before ordering online. Founded in Tangier in 2002, they also have showrooms throughout Europe.

Definitely time to get that tile style going on!

Hope your weekend sparkles - we've woken up to a load of snow and my girls have rushed out sledging with their friends here in Malmö!

Niki

// Credits: Lifestyle image 1: Cecile Fossey. Lifestyle Image 2: @modernluxeblog / photo: Cathy Pile

// This post is brought to you I collaboration with Mosaic Factory. I only work with brands I love and think you will too! Thank you for supporting the wonderful businesses that make My Scandinavian Home possible. 

READ MORE...

2

Tiny Cabin Bathroom Sneak Peek - Plus a Few Questions!

*GSI Ceramica and Cristina Rubinetterie are kindly partnering in our project. 

I can't tell you how much progress we've made in the bathroom at the cabin* since I shared the original plans. After a copious amount of work (who knew a 3.6 m2 (38f2) bathroom could take up so much time?), it's finally coming together! In fact, it's almost finished, woohoooo! Here are some snapshots of the progress which I snapped with my phone. Oh, and I'd love to hear your thoughts on some of the final details too. 

It's been fun to see the space come together - one layer at a time, starting from the bare bones. 

Wall tiles

For the shower and lower section of the wall we chose matt white square tiles with a simple white grouting (I felt this would give a cleaner, less fussy look in such a small space). 

Wall mounted loo and taps

I love a wall hung loo (specifically the WC Kube X from GSI Ceramica) they look so sleek and also help to contribute to an airier feel in a small space. I was also keen to install wall mounted taps (I selected the Basin Mixer CRITV257 from series Tricolore Verde by CRISTINA Rubinetterie). However, in order to achieve this we needed to build out a section of the wall by 15 cm (wide enough to fit a Gerberit cistern). I was a little nervous as it's already a narrow bathroom - but actually, I'm thrilled with the result. The shelf has turned out to be a real bonus!  

Bathroom paint colour

For the ceiling and walls (without tiles) I went for Kalk from the Jotun Lady Aqua bathroom range. It's a lovely, soft, warm tone which compliments the matt white sink and loo as well as the stone floor. 

Wall mounted sink and cabinet

Here's a close up of the sleek, timeless Kube X washbasin (60 x 47) in matt white. I'm so happy with it as well as the Prisma Unit cabinet (also from GSI Ceramica) - it's perfect for storage, and since the entire unit is mounted, it gives the illusion of space. 

Taps and shower

Above and below you can see a close up of the basin Mixer CRITV257 and External Thermostatic shower mixer with overhead and hand shower CRITV486 from CRISTINA Rubinetterie. The 'brushed old brass' finish has a beautiful patina and adds so much texture. 

Shower door

We still need to add a glass wall (80 cm wide) between the shower and sink. However, I haven't decided if we also need a shower door (70 cm wide) across the front, what do you think? 

Floor tiles and details

And finally - the stone floor. I sourced the Tumbled Turtle tiles from Swedish brand Stiltje (I love the owner Pamela; she has incredible taste!). We really splurged on these and once the floor had been laid, there were a few tiles leftover which we used for the ledge above the sink and a corner shelf in the shower.  

I hope you like what we've done so far! I'm so excited the bathroom is nearly finished. We're on the home straight! 

 

The next step is to add:

1. A shower wall and potentially a shower door 

2. A privacy film inside the garden glass door (or should we go for a blind?) 

3. A loo roll holder - any thoughts on where this should go? 

4. Hooks for towels, robes, swimwear etc. 

5. All our toiletries! 

I'd love to hear your two pennies worth! 

Hopefully it will all be finished in the next few weeks - I'm so looking forward to sharing the final reveal once everything is in place!

Niki

All photos taken with my iPhone. 

*For those of you who are new to My Scandinavian Home - Per and I are building a 30 m2 (323 f2) cabin in the garden of my Mother-in-law's summer cottage on Sweden's West coast. You can see the plans here. 

READ MORE...

24

Our Small Bathroom Plans / Design For the Cabin

GSI Ceramica and Cristina Rubinetterie are kindly partnering in our project. 

I was up at the cabin yesterday (see our plans) and the build is progressing nicely! I can't tell you how excited I am! Buoyed by the progress, I thought it was time to share an update on the next phase of our build: the bathroom! 

Floorplan 

With only 3.66 metres square (XX f2) to play with, it's a case of dream big, think small! Even so, we had several criteria for the bathroom: it should be low maintenance, long-lasting, practical and of course beautiful! Let's start with my favourite - the latter! 

Inspiration:

Natural & Raw

Since being up at the cottage is all about enjoying nature, I am keen to keep the look natural. I love the idea of rough finishes and a fairly minimalist approach - with a warm, earthy palette. 

The Design

With the little space we have, I knew a bath would be out of the question (I guess we have the sea nearby!) - so we focused on a WC, sink and shower. 

I've worked with the incredible Italian brand GSI Ceramica for several years now and appreciate how the company prides itself on combining the latest technology with craftsmanship, rooted in a thousand-year-old tradition of Civita Castellana ceramic district.  I always appreciate the high quality which is vital since we're keen for our little cabin to be as low maintenance and long-lasting as possible  - something I've learnt from my Scandinavian friends!

The GSI Ceramica design team came back with these drawings which were spot on: 

The matt white loo and sink are from the Kube X Collection which you mind recognise from this feature. I love the rectangle forms, slender edges and pared down lines. It's a collection that offers something for every size bathroom too, so I knew it would be perfect for our small space! 

1. WC: Kube X 941509: This wall-hung loo is seriously awesome: it features Swirlflush (the quietest flushing system in the world!), helps to save water and has a soft close seat - all important when you live in close quarters, don't you think?

2. Kube X washbasin - 60 x 47: A sleek, narrow washbasin which is perfect for small spaces (loving the white plug!).

3. Prisma Unit 60 x 47: A cabinet was essential - especially with a tween and teenage girl knocking about! This unit launches in 2022 and has been specially designed to fit the Kube X Collection. I opted for a 'Bianco' matt Finnish. Here's a sneak peek of what to expect from the collection: 

4. Four Season Mirror with LED - 60 cm: yes, we'll spend most of our days up there with salty hair and make-up free, but you know, we don't want to scare guests, and this mirror comes with a built in LED light  (always wanted that!). 

Taps & shower

For the taps and shower, we chose items from Cristina Rubinetterie. You'll likely recognise the name since the Italian brand is available in over 60 countries and they've been producing beautiful pieces for the bathroom, kitchen and wellness interiors since 1949! I was looking for something simple and elegant, yet practical with a beautiful finish, and the Tricolore Verde collection fits the bill perfectly!  

1. Wall mounted basin mixer CRIT257*

2. External thermostatic shower mixer with overhead and hand shower CRIT486*

*Both in a beautiful matt, brushed old brass finish. 

A note on wall hung loos and taps:

We learned you have to allow for up to 20cm wall space to create room for the cistern and tap fittings. We were slightly concerned that this would eat into the already small space, but came to the conclusion that it would create a perfect opportunity for a built-in shelf above the loo and sink.

Tiles:

And finally, the tiles! I was considering wood panelling (as you can see from the original design) but after some deliberation, I decided to go for more practical, square hand cut tiles in white from a local Swedish tile manufacturer. And for the floor - beautiful Tumbled Turtle tiles from Stiltje. Both very raw with a matt finish -of course!

Thank you for bearing with me through a very long post - I hope this info is helpful for anyone planning a new bathroom in 2022!  

Now, it's just to build it (gaaah!). In the meantime, here's a snapshot of how the bathroom looks right now: 

There's work to be done! 

Niki

Photo credits: 1. Villa Hagerman - M Arkitektur 2. Hotel Santa Clara 3. Coco & Jack 4. Mathew Williams for Remodelista 5. Bert & May 6. Sequence by GSI ceramica 7. Cristina Rubinetterie

READ MORE...

2

Our DIY Budget Powder Room Makeover

Not your standard opening picture. But I thought I'd show an honest 'before' picture of our downstairs bathroom - swimsuits and all. 

We've been putting off renovating this room ever since we moved in fifteen years ago and it's still sporting the same red ceiling and blank walls. There was nothing wrong with it per se, it was just very plain and a little dated. Nothing that warrants ripping the entire room out and starting from scratch at least. Even so, it had become unloved and a dumping ground - there were even some skis in the shower! 

Renovating a bathroom, no matter how small, can be hugely expensive. But having painted the tiles in our laundry room, I felt optimistic that something could be done to our downstairs loo on a budget too!

Here is what we did. 

The first step was to paint the ceiling (I can't tell you how satisfying it was!). We used a white from the Jotun Lady Aqua range. The floor also got a makeover with 3V3 tile paint in Tarmac. 

And then came the rest:

Ta daaaa! 

There's quite a lot at play here. We removed the glass shower door and hung up an L-shaped shower rod (we bought a simple white one and then painted it in the same paint as the floor). The shower curtain (light stone from Humdakin) and rattan matt add a softness to the room and help to dampen the sound - always good in a guest bathroom!  

We kept the wall tiles (one of the biggest costs when renovating bathrooms is the work that goes into replacing tiles) - but since the walls were so vast and blank, we decided to put up a glass cabinet (Hastrup from Jysk). It was no easy feat; we had to use a special sensor to detect what was behind the wall. The last thing we wanted to do was drill through a pipe or electric cable. This is a major danger when drilling into bathroom walls, I'd highly recommend calling in an expert to avoid any accidents! 

When it comes to budget makeovers, I am a firm believer that the devil is in the details. Picking out smart pieces really help to elevate a room. The brushed brass toilet brush and toilet roll holder are both from Danish brand D-line. 

I've had the little rustic stool for years (pick up a similar antique stool here*). And the art is by Swedish painter Carola Kastman. 

The next step was to give this corner an overhaul:  

Here is the result, drum roll please....

We tried to keep the existing bathroom cabinet and sink but it simply wasn't practical for numerous reasons, so in the end we swapped it out for this very reasonably priced cabinet, sink and tap from Hornbach. 

I updated the colour on the cabinet using Mohair from Jotun Lady (thinking about it now, I probably should have used a specific bathroom paint, so let's see how it fairs!) and added knobs and a towel rail from D-line. 

I have never liked the plastic silver lights that were here when we moved in. The problem was we didn't want the faff and expense of changing the mirror so we had to find a light that exactly fitted the holes! I was very relieved to finally stumble across this bathroom light in Bauhaus! 

The final corner to get a simple makeover was this one: 

We swapped out the existing aluminium towel hooks for pretty handcrafted ones from D-Line (which match the other details). 

I'm a big fan of baskets (these are from Granit and IKEA) - they make each hook go a lot further and now we have a lot more space for bits and bobs like swimwear, slippers (from Humdakin), hair stuff etc. 

This is how this corner looks now: 

Right folks. That covers everything I think!

I hope you have enjoyed reading about our budget DIY bathroom makeover! If you have any questions just give me a shout below and I'll do my best to help. 

By the way, have you noticed how tidy it looks? I'd love for it to stay this way. But will I still find empty loo roll cartridges on the side when I go in? Definitely (does this drive anyone else nuts?). Will it be filled with drying swimwear and ten thousand towels within 24 hours? No doubt! 

But for today at least, I will be enjoying it in all its neat and tidy glory!

I hope you have a wonderful, relaxing weekend! 

Niki

A big thank you to Per for helping with so much of the DIY - I'm so lucky to have a handyman and physicist in the house! So much appreciation for the brainstorming and advice from Helen Sturesson too! 

Also, thank you for the press gifts D-line, Humdakin and IKEA.  

READ MORE...

16