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Lookbook inspiration: Scandic design in winter

Here in Sweden it's getting darker in the mornings (read - impossible to get up), candles are lit and my woolly hat and chunky knits are officially out. It's at this point I start to get excited about the winter months ahead. I've started to see a hint of the festive season in the shops too and done right, it's kind of exciting, don't you think? One of the first out is designer furniture and homeware store Houseology who have several new ranges and a brand new Christmas collection. The items are presented in a series of three lookbooks (chic, luxe and urban) which capture the spirit of the season. Here's a sneak peek from the Urban lookbook which focuses on the 'simplicity of Scandic design in winter' (we like!). Think cool and contemporary, pared back, industrial materials, iconic designs and striking mid-century furnishings in a palette of monochrome, blush and brass. Perfect inspiration for the winter months to come, wouldn't you say?!







Houseology

I love how the candlelight, blankets and cushions warm up the look for a cosy feel.  And how pretty are the Fabeo Cable Cushion, Murmur stem stripe cushions and Elvan zigzag throw against the concrete backdrop?

A few items I know and love: Normann Copenhagen knot chair, Ercols original butterfly chair, white porcelain star, Etch tealight holder, antique brass knife (really liking the brass cutlery trend for AW15). Everything you see in the pics can be found at Houseology (you can also check out the links directly from the Urban lookbook and get inspiration from the 'Luxe' lookbook for a winter scheme with a touch of Parisian glamour!

Is there anything that stands out to you?

Have a lovely day - and stay cosy!


This post was sponsored by Houseology. All opinions are my own and I only ever work with companies I know and love with inspiring content which has a natural fit. Thank you for supporting the sponsors who make My Scandinavian Home possible.

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A magical Norwegian mountain cabin

Just how much do you love the sound of staying at a cosy mountain cabin at this time of year?! Last summer, James Gardiner and I went to photograph the most magical Norwegian hide-away for my book: The Scandinavian Home. Located near Lillehammer (scene of the 1994 winter Olympics), the delightful timber cabin belongs to Marianne and Jon and their two children who love to ski in the winter and hike or simply hang out and enjoy the nature in the summer.  It's hard to imagine that when the pair first acquired the property it was completely run down and off the grid. "For the first five years, we had to bring our own water and ski down from the nearest road," Marianne confided. The pair kept the original building and created a magnificent extension, inspired by a traditional Norwegian seter. Today it's a beautifully cosy, magical mountain hide-away and the perfect spot to sit and recover from a day on the cross-country ski tracks or simply get away from it all.




Many of the items in the home - including the side table by the window, knitted chair cover, artwork, lamps, coat and towel hooks and cushion covers  - have been handmade by Marianne who runs Slow Design Studio. The mid-century armchairs were a flea market find (source similar here).




Wall-to-wall seating is made cosy with the use of ex Norwegian army blankets, an abundance of locally sourced sheepskins (pick up similar here), and a ton of cushions.  Clever in-built storage storage beneath the seating is used for candles, spare blankets and everything in between.

An Ay Illuminate pendant light hangs over the table which is surrounded by Tolix Marais chairs softened with sheepskins. One of Marianne's beautiful knitted lamps which she sells through her online shop can be glimpsed on the wall behind. The floor is made from concrete with underfloor heating. They can turn on the heat and lights remotely so that it's already toasty when they arrive. So nice and welcoming!



The kitchen was designed by Marianne and made by a local carpenter using old barn wood. If you look closely you'll see the leather pulls - which have been made from old reindeer reigns.  The backsplash is made from copper which has been treated with acid to give it an aged look. 


A huge sliding barn door can be opened up to allow the warmth of the sun to penetrate the dining area - or closed to buffet the wind and snow storms and generally keep the cold at bay. Simple pine table and benches provide an ideal spot when the sun comes out.

You can see more of this cabin in my book - The Scandinavian Home by Niki Brantmark, published by CICO Books. Photography by James Gardiner. ©CICO Books.

I was so mesmerised by the area that six months after the photo shoot, I returned with my family. Marianne and her family were kind enough to invite us to stay in the cabin.  The vista was equally stunning in winter time, when temperatures can plummet to minus 25 degrees celsius (minus 13 Fahrenheit) brrrrrrr! The light was crystal clear and we spent our days on the nearby ski slopes, intermittently diving into mountain cabins to warm-up over a hot chocolate (the girls), and glögg (the man and I!). A sauna back at the cabin worked wonders to warm the cockles and we'd spend the evenings on the long seat looking out over the panoramic views of the undulating snow-covered landscape. As the sun went down the valley was dotted with the glimmer of head torches as cross country skiers made their way home. It's a site I'll never forget! Here are a couple of snowy snaps I took during our stay....

The family enlisted the help of Marianne's sister, architect Benedicte Sund-Mathisen of Suma Arkitektur to extend the cabin and create frameless windows.
The original timber cottage dates back more than fifty years. Poles at the side of the road help snowploughs locate the road after a particularly heavy dump of snow! I have to admit we got stuck more than once (even though our car has specially adapted winter tires!) - and I learned a few new Swedish swear words in the process!!


Although the days were short, when the sun shone the light was crystal clear and the girls loved sledging on the slope in front of the cabin.

Aaaaaah, how I'd love to visit this region again one day. 

In case you'd like to find your own magical Norwegian mountain hide-away this winter, try Airbnb! Perhaps we'll see you there?!


Have a wonderful weekend, and stay warm!

PS You must check out this rustic log cabin too! Guh!

PPS If you're Christmas shopping this weekend our scandi-inspired adult and children gift guides might come in handy!

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City Guide: 20 Things to Enjoy In Malmö In Wintertime


 In paid partnership with @malmötown. All words, pictures and recommendations are my own. 

I moved to Malmö, southern Sweden in 2004 and I'm so proud to call this city my home. Many choose to visit in spring and summer when the days are long and the weather is mild - but actually, Malmö makes a great weekend getaway in wintertime too! Think cosy cafes and restaurants, 'mysig' (cosy) Christmas markets, blowing out the cobwebs with a blustery walk along the city beach and warming the cockles in a sauna. Here are 20 of my favourite things to do in Malmö in wintertime:



1. Enjoy a steaming glögg (spiced mulled wine) or hot chocolate surrounded by sheepskins and blankets on picturesque square Lilla torg.





2. Visit one of the Christmas markets for arts and crafts, local Swedish delicacies and winter warmers (mid November - December)! 


3. Take in the pretty Christmas lights on Lilla torg and Gustav Adolfs torg (November - January)! 

4. Celebrate Lucia on 13th December - Experience one of the many candlelit Lucia processions in Malmö - it's one of the most important events in the Swedish calendar and centred around 'Lucia' the bearer of light in the winter darkness. 

5. Stroll around some of the city's residential areas by night - including Gamla Staden and Västra Hamnen and feel inspired by the 'Adventsljustake' (advent candles) and paper star lanterns that light up the windows (November - January). 

6. Blow away the cobwebs with a walk along Ribersborgsstranden (the city beach) for amazing views of the Öresund Bridge (famous from the TV series 'The bridge'). Some years the sea freezes over come January and February, it's a sight to behold! 

7. Enjoy a sauna and a dip in the sea at Ribbersborg Kallbadhus (peeping into the left of the picture above)  - no bathers required! Sea frozen over? No problem, they'll cut a hole in the ice for you!



8. Ice-skate on the lakes at Ribbersborg. 

Note: always consult the local authority website to check the ice is safe to enter and always carry the necessary safety equipment. 

9. Or glide around one of the free ice rinks at Vinterdröm (winter dream) in Folkets Park (ice-skates available to hire), before tucking into a warm drink and pizza at local boho favourite Far I Hatten

10. Visit one of the many city museums and art galleries including Malmö museer, Moderna Museet, Form Design Center and Malmö Konsthall

11. Sample 'surströmming' (fermented herring) - a pungent Swedish delicacy, and other 'delights' at the Disgusting Food Museum






12. Shop for practical yet stylish winter clothing such as thermals and fur-lined boots as well as sports and outdoor gear at Naturkompaniet, Peak PerformanceStadium and XXL - or pick-up traditional knits (above) on Lilla torg. 

13. Shop for beautiful design and Scandinavian Christmas decorations at Granit, Designtorget, Svenssons, Grandpa, Lagerhaus, and Ã…hlens

14. Pick up vintage and sustainable pieces - and enjoy lunch at AB Småland.

15. Join locals at Malmö Saluhall - a fantastic indoor food market, filled with stalls serving delicacies from all over the world. 

16. Take some time out with a coffee and good book at Atrium, or if you're feeling active book a round of boules and brunch at Boule Bar.

17. Recharge your batteries over an afternoon 'fika' (coffee and cake) at Konditori Katarina or Noir Vin & Kaffekultur

18. Book a traditional Julbord (traditional Swedish Christmas buffet) at Ã…rstiderna or RÃ¥dhuskällaren.   (November / December). 

19. Dine at Aster - featured above (one of Malmö's new best kept secrets - excellent food, very cosy - hard to find, difficult to book - but, oh so worth it!!), Ruths (great for brunch or supper) or Quan (wonderful atmosphere, excellent food). Book well in advance! 

20. Enjoy a night cap on the sofa at MJs or a cocktail at the top of Malmö Live with incredible views over the city.


Need somewhere to stay? Book a room at Story Hotel (above) or Clarion Malmö Live for views over the city. Or MJs and Duxiana for fab design. 

Staying a little longer and want to explore the surrounding area? We love downhill and cross country skiing at VallÃ¥sen (around 1-2 hours away), taking a hike and enjoying a barbecue in Bokskogen beech forest or going to see the wild seals in the MÃ¥kläppan nature reserve on the Falsterbo peninsular.

However you choose to spend your time, I'm sure you'll leave Malmö with rosy cheeks and lots of new Scandinavian experiences under your belt! 

I really hope to see you in my wonderful, adopted hometown soon! 

Niki

PS Are you a local or visited Malmö in the past? Feel free to share your own experiences and any tips on activities to enjoy in winter below! 

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Dream Life On A Budget: A Tiny Cabin And Pottery Studio In The Woods


Ever thought about packing up your belongings and jumping in the car to pursue your dreams? If so, you'll feel truly inspired by Natasha Lawyer and Brett Bashaw! The pair met in a cafe in Seattle in 2013 and married six months later. Having lived in a Volkswagen van, an apartment with a pink carpet and a vintage airstream they decided to pursue their shared passion for pottery and dream of living in a small house in the woods. In 2014 Natasha and Brett packed up their belongings and moved to Vermont, USA where they bought eleven acres of land. They spent their first winter transforming a tiny home (measuring 166 sq. ft / 15.4 sq. m) and building a potting shed, bath house (112 sq. ft / 10.4 sq. m), pottery studio (392 sq. ft /36 sq. m) and chicken coup and christened their new home the 'Sugarhouse Homestead'.  Today you can find the couple drinking lattes, making and selling awesome pottery through Sugarhouse ceramic Co., tending to their two little dogs and flock of chickens and planning their next big trip. I caught up with the couple to find out more about life in Vermont, and what it means to live in a tiny home.


Why Vermont?
We'd always imagined living in a little cabin in the woods and doing that in Seattle was impossible. Seattle is such a boomtown with all the tech companies moving in and it just got too expensive and overwhelming and full of people (and the traffic and transit system are both terrible). We'd travelled through Vermont when we took a six-month trip across North America and it felt so woodsy and open and reminded me a lot of where I grew up in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. So, we made a plan and started to figure out logistics.

Did you buy the property before you moved?
When we sold the airstream and packed up everything we owned into our pickup truck to move to Vermont, we had no idea where we would end up. We'd booked an Airbnb for a few weeks but we had no plans after that.

That is so brave! How did you find the property?
The property we ended up buying was among the first we saw. Eleven acres with a big meadow and acres and acres of maple trees. It just felt so green and open and woodsy and gorgeous. It's such an amazing place to be.

It looks beautiful from the pictures! Were there any buildings there when you bought the land? 
When we purchased the property it was just a land sale. We negotiated for the sale to include a shed which the former owners had been using as a makeshift office and we converted it into a cabin so we could live on the property right away. 

What other work have you carried out on the property?  
As soon as we closed on the property, we immediately purchased a pre-fab building to be converted into our pottery studio. We spent the winter building walls, wiring, insulating, flooring and finishing the interior. We also added a little potting shed for storage and garden supplies. We moved into our property in December and it was too late in the year to do any excavation work for water. So, we spent our winter without plumbing, using a portable-potty and showering at the gym. We set up an off-grid water system in our little cabin kitchen and carried water in from our well all winter. Then when spring finally came, we were able to do some excavation work and add plumbing and build ourselves a little bathhouse, which we've spent the last few months working on. 

Wow, what an achievement! You've certainly worked hard to create your beautiful homestead. Your living quarters measure a mere 166 sq. ft / 15.4 sq. m. Have you always lived in such a small space?
We've lived in a Volkswagen car together that we travelled around North America in. Then we bought a vintage airstream and renovated that and lived in it for a year and a half. 

The washroom
"We planted ourselves a little garden and a fruit orchard as well as got ourselves a little chick coup and some chickens too. This is the first time either of us have ever owned a property so it's been a really special thing for us." 

The Potting shed
What are the benefits of living in a small space?
I've always been drawn to interior design, so I like getting to decorate a bunch of different spaces and living small, spread across three different buildings allows us to do that. Designing means that you're a lot more intentional about what you put in a space. Quality wins out over quantity. For us it's about choosing a way of life that allows us to live freely. We didn't have 300,000 USD to build a huge house, so we had to improvise. If your not rich you have to be creative about the way you get what you want and adapt to a lifestyle that is within your means. For us, that has meant living small. 

The Pottery Studio
And the pitfalls?
Brett and I got used to living in a small space together when we lived in our Volkswagen van for six months and then our airstream for a year and a half. The pottery studio adds a lot to our living space so for us, there really aren't any huge pitfalls. Less storage, but really, it's almost better that way because it makes us conscious about our belongings. 

How would you describe your interior style?
I like to think of it as Scandinavian meets Anthropologie with a touch of greenhouse mixed in. 

What are your 5 best tips for decorating a small space? 
1. Items should be functional and beautiful. One doesn't have to win over the other. 
2. Seek out beautiful everyday items and curate your space so that every item feels special to you. 
3. I tend to lean toward a neutral Scandinavian look for the backdrop of a space. A lot of white and layered wood tones, simple furniture and as many plants as possible.
4. I've been adding a few pops of colour into some of our spaces lately, using bedding and pillows, but the bones of the space remain very neutral.
5. I tend to layer a lot of one of a kind pieces into the space from our travels, thrifted from the Salvation Army and Antique shops for a cosy feel. 

I love the look of your pottery, can you tell me more about your business?
My husband and I run a little pottery business out of our studio. Sugarhouse Ceramic Co was born from a love of illustration and design that I bring from my former life as a designer at Anthropologie and current side-hustle as a studio artist. Brett brought to the table a love of business and well-made goods, as well as a splash of perfectionism and good craftsmanship. It's our first joint venture! 


Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us Natasha - what an incredibly inspiring move! I love your pottery too!

To find out what Natasha and Brett are up to at the homestead on a regular basis, you can find them on Instagram at @sugarhousehomestead and @sugarhouseceramicco and their pottery is available at www.sugarhouseceramicco.com.

Where have you always dreamed of living? Or perhaps you're already in your 'forever home'?

Niki

PS Peek inside the world's smallest luxury home, how to create your very own garden retreat on a shoestring budget and 16 tips on how to turn a tiny room into a dreamy yet practical bedroom.

Photography courtesy if Sugarhouse Homestead

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Beautifully Simple Ways to add a Scandi Glow to Your Home This Advent!

It's been snowing all night here in Malmö and our world has transformed into a winter wonderland. 

In Scandinavia, Christmas (or 'winter') decorations are taken very seriously not least because candles and fairy lights help to brighten up the darkness and touches from nature draw the cosiness of the season indoors. 

Our Nordic friends tend to start decorating on the First Sunday of Advent - starting in a simple way with star lanterns, candles and maybe a wreath for the door. The star of the day of course, is the advent candle. These come in many shapes and forms including a numbered candle, four candles in a wreath, a simple candleholder in the window or even a crown hung from the ceiling. You may choose to forgo the tradition entirely and just enjoy the warm glow of candlelight in the evening. 

Here is some inspiration for those of you who love candles as much as I do! 

There are just so many different ways to do candles - from ore fanciful to incredibly simple. All beautiful in their own way. Do you have a favourite? 

Would you like to see a few other ideas? Take a look at: 


Perhaps you have your own First Sunday of Advent / winter decorating traditions / ideas you'd like to share? If so, please do tells us all about it in the comments below! 

Have a cosy day friends, stay warm! 

Niki

PS Please always exercise caution with candles in your home. Keep naked flames away from anything flammable and never leave a lit candle unattended. It's also a good idea to only use candles in a well ventilated space. 

Credits: 1. Northern Sisters Collective, 2 Maja Olausson, 3. Tina Sosna, 4. Magnus Lundgren, 5. What decorates my day 6,7,8 Unknown - found on Pinterest (can you help?) . 

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