Old Meets New in a Charming Swedish Apartment

Why hello there, how are you this bright and sunny morning?! You might recognise this beautiful Swedish kitchen - it used to belong to Johanna Bradford and I featured it back in 2015.  This week the new owners put her former Gothenburg home on the market again (if you missed it last time, here's your chance to snap it up!). Some of the lovely touches Johanna added - such as the William Morris Pimpernel wallpaper and stainless steel kitchen cabinets remain - and it still has the entire apartment still has that wonderful 'old meets new' vibe. Enjoy the tour!

What do you reckon? Ready to move in?!!

Johanna has moved homes no less than 9 times since 2009! Needless to say I've been documenting her renovations along the way! Take a peek inside two of her previous homes here and here.

I love her use of bold patterned wallpaper. I remember having a lot of Laura Ashley wallpaper in my childhood home - how about you?! These days I don't have any, but seeing these spaces I feel now's the time to change that! 

What are your thoughts on wallpaper? Do you have any in your home? 

I'm on my way to Madrid (actually on the plane right now!) for a couple of days for a press event - very excited! I'm hoping to take my work poolside (don't tell the man - he thinks I've got a very full schedule). If you have any great tips for Madrid please send them my way, I'd love to hear them!

Have a lovely day!

Photography by Anders Bergstedt for Entrance. 

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Then And Now: An Iconic Swedish Home Six Years On!

One of the beauties of blogging over time (it's been eight years and counting!) - is that some homes pop up over and over again, each time revealing either drastic transformations or small tweaks. This is the third time this instantly recognisable Gothenburg maisonette has popped up in six years, and I'm happy to see it falls under the latter camp. Former owners Catarina Skoglund, husband Robert and daughter Stella left their mark with exposed brickwork, William Morris Wallpaper and fabulous tiles (among many other fabulous details) which I first featured here. They then sold it in 2016.  The new owners have made their own small mark while maintaining many of the original details that allow the architecture to shine.  Can you spot them? 

I don't know why but I've always felt this house has an English air to it - could it be the narrower rooms, or perhaps the wallpaper? Either way, it always makes me feel really nostalgic! 

How fabulous is this black radiator? I love that they've made a statement out of it. 

Those blue stairs! A bold move that completely paid off. Would you dare to paint your stairs in a different shade? 

I love seeing the contrasting walls, it gives the home a lovely relaxed vibe. Look out for more and more contrast in living spaces throughout 2020! 

I couldn't think of a more lovely spot to sit and work! Although the cane daybed would always be calling me...

It looks like a mid-century piece which has been given a new lease of life with new legs (potentially?) and a striped linen mattress cover (find similar linen here*). Please do give me a shout in the comment section below if you know anything more about this daybed - I'm curious! 

Spotted after several hours looking at the pictures: the pipe in the corner has been disguised using a tube wrapped in the same wallpaper as the wall behind.

I love how the floor is more of a grey tone than white. I've done something similar in my bedroom using 'strong white' by Farrow & Ball which is actually a very pale grey (beats me why they gave it such a misleading name!).

What a beautiful home. I loved in 2014 and I love it now. 

I can't wait to see what the next owners do, can you?  

It's for sale here - just saying!

Shall we take a look at a few more homes with William Morris wallpaper and textiles? Here are a few of my favourites: 

A cosy boho swedish family home

Old meets new in a charming swedish apartment

An eclectic 19th century Swedish house

A thoughtfully curated Dutch home (love this!)

A Warm and inviting Danish home with beautiful textiles

Oh, and curious to see what Catarina did with her next home? Check out her free-spirited family home on a Swedish island, it's so beautiful! 

Talk about free spirit. Can I let you in on a secret? I haven't made it into the studio yet. In fact, I'm not even dressed. Talk about breaking every rule in the 'how to successfully work for yourself' book. I have two say though, it feels great!  

Have a fabulous start to the week friends! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Kvarteret Mäkleri - and found via Coco Lapine with thanks! 

*Affiliate links which means I might make a tiny amount of money if you click on the link and buy the item. 

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Lovisa's Charming 20th Century Swedish family Home

Sailing has taken my family and I to many towns, cities, fishing villages and even uninhabited islands around the Swedish coast. It's been such a wonderful way to discover the country! On one of our trips, we stopped in Kungsbacka, a lovely city on the West coast, just south of Gothenburg. And today I am excited to share Lovisa Hillhammar's house from the very same place. 

Lovisa lives with her husband Anton and daughters Mila and Vera in a beautiful old property built in 1923. The pair have been slowly renovating the house, restoring it to its former glory while adding modern touches. Keep a look out for the 'red thread' (touches of green throughout to ensure a cohesive flow from room to room) and clever use of contrast. For those of you who love wallpaper - you'll love the William Morris designs too! Välkommen in!

In the kitchen, Lovisa has opted for a dried sage, roasted chestnut and cream colour combination. 

Range ovens have been taking Sweden by storm lately, especially in older houses such as this one. Copper pans hung from a rail and a wall-mounted oil lamp hark back to the early 20th century. 

William Morris Wallpaper, open shelving, mix and match chairs and a glass cabinet ensure a cosy and relaxed touch in the dining area. The pendant lamp is by Gubi. 

I love the use of contrast in the sitting room, which includes different materials and dark and light tones. 

This black gloss door is a standout to me. Simple yet impactful. Gloss has started to make a comeback recently - often used in a single area to focus the eye and make a statement. 

There is plenty at play in the hallway - including green architraves, William Morris wallpaper, a Flos lamp, wall mounted candlestick holders by Skultuna and an antique mirror. A Cappelen Dimyr rug can be seen in the room behind. 

A wicker bassinet takes space in the window. 

What a beautiful family home! I love 'dried sage' tone throughout and the combination of earthy tones with wallpaper. 

Is there anything that stood out to you guys? 

If you're not already following Lovisa on instagram, it's a must! You can find her over at @hi.lovisa.

Would you like to see a few more Swedish 20th century houses today? Check out: 

A dreamy 20th century villa

A Swedish house that's like something out of a fairytale

A lovely turn-of-the-century apartment in Stockholm

That's it from me today, it's good to be back after the easter holidays! See you Friday friends. 

Kram! 

Niki

Photography: 1,2,3,4,5,6, 10, Anna Karlsson, styling Anna Bjelkholm for Sköna Hem. Others by Lovisa Hillhammar. Shared with kind permission. 

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A lovely Swedish home full of contrast

I do love a home full of surprises don't you? This lovely apartment styled by Emma Fischer for Bjurfors combines clean, white minimalism with darker bold patterns.  Mid-century touches, brown, beige, green and white hues and an abundance of greenery pull the space together to create a fascinating, yet truly cosy home in Gothenburg, Sweden. Enjoy!

Photography: Alen Cordic  Styling: Emma Fischer. For Bjurfors Gothenburg. 

I do appreciate bold wallpaper - it adds a really cosy element to a room. Having said that - my loyalty still lies with the fresh white aesthetic (it could be that I've been leaving in Sweden for 14 years and I know winter is fast approaching....eeeeek!) - I mean, just how lovely is that kitchen dining nook?!
I could totally imagine sitting there for my morning coffee - how about you?!

Do you have a preference for light or dark? Clean or bold? Do tell!

A few items I know and love from this lovely Swedish home: kitchen dining area - Series 7 chair, (does anyone know where the pendant light is from?). Bedroom 1 - source an original mid-century desk here,  menu chair. The Ikea Stockholm 2017 Chair is similar. Main room -  Ant chairs, Tulip table, jute handwoven rug. Bedroom 2 - Bumling lamp, Hay side table, I love this white linen bed skirt and brown linen bed set, pick up a vintage Beni ourain rug here.

Can anyone help with the name of the wallpaper in the main room? Wonderful if I can update the comments section of the post with the details! The wallpaper in the hallway is Pimpernel by Morris & Co.

A big thank you to Elle Decor US for including me in their piece ' 15 new Scandinavian Trends That are about to Take Off' - I am so happy to be a part of it!

Oh and thank you also to everyone who's provided input on any issues you've been having with the new blog template - so helpful! Hopefully, the majority have been ironed out now,  but give me a shout if you spot anything strange....

Have a lovely day!

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