8 Ways To Create Cohesion In Your Home - Danish Style!

Home decorating is such a personal process. And in my mind, the warmest most inviting and unique spaces are usually made up of a wonderful mix of pieces collected over time. But combining furniture and accessories from different eras (and styles) can also make it tricky to achieve a cohesive look. This is where the 'röd tråd' (red thread) comes in. In the world of interiors, the Swedish term röd tråd refers to a theme which connects every room in your home in order to achieve a wonderful, considered, cohesive look. 

The chances are, you already have a röd tråd throughout your home - whether conscious or subconscious. But if you feel your home lacks cohesion, the good news is, it's easier to achieve than you might think! The answer lies in repetition. Pick a theme such as an accent colour (like blue, green, or yellow etc) a material (such as brass, chrome or rattan) or even a shape and repeat it several times in each room throughout your home. It can be as subtle or strong as you like. Allow me to illustrate this using a beautiful danish home (after all, the Danes are masters at this type of thing, right?). 

Dane Kinne Andersen has achieved a wonderful flow throughout her Copenhagen home by connecting each room with a yellow accent. Subtle it may be, but the touches create just the desired effect. I picked out eight props that Kinne has used for a cohesive look: 

1. Brass touches: metallic brass touches help to emphasise the yellow accent colour in every room of Kinne's home

2. Vases (see top picture): a beautiful yellow vase in the kitchen 'visually' binds the space with other rooms in the house. 

Off topic, but can we all take a moment to admire the pink HAY candle in a classic Skultuna Lily candleholder too? I love it when Danish and Swedish design come together!

3. Art: paintings and illustrations that contain your chosen röd tråd (whether that's a colour, shape or material) are great for creating cohesion between rooms. 

4. Furniture: in order to achieve cohesion, your accent colour doesn't need to be the exact same shade - it could be a darker or lighter version. In Kinne's sitting room, an Arctander chair in a yellowish shade as well as a brass magazine rack and vase help to tie the space in with the rest of her home. 

5. Bed linen: Kinne has opted for pale yellow bedding in the master bedroom for a wonderful sunny vibe - and of course, to tie the space in with the rest of her home. These days you can buy bedding in every shade under the sun (try Etsy*) - perfect for adding an accent colour to your boudoir! 

6. Paint: mix up your favourite hue and apply it to a wall, door frame, or in this instance, a chest-of-drawers. 

 

7. Flowers - you're probably drawn to flowers in your favourite colour already, but if not, and you feel your home lacks 'flow', think about the colours of the leaves and petals on the plants and flowers you buy. Here, a pop of yellow from a sunflower adds a vibrant touch to Kinne's nightstand.

8. Towels and robes: bathrooms are such a big investment. So much so, that I've always been loath to go all out with an accent colour (even if I do fantasise about pink tiles!). Call me safe, but a neutral bathroom will stand the test of time and you can still go wild with an accent colour using accessories such as towels and robes, just like Kinne! 

What are your thoughts on this? Do you like the idea of a red thread? Perhaps you already have a theme in your home - in which case I'd love to hear about it. 

Oh, and I couldn't resist adding in a garden shot - simply because the outdoor season has been extended indefinitely this year! Loving the French bistro chair / rattan combo, how about you? 

See more of Kinne's beautiful Østerbro home over on her instagram @kinneandersen. 

There are also a load more Danish homes in the archive. If you decide to pour a coffee and head off for more inspo, keep an eye out for that röd tråd! 

Niki

Photography: Kinne Andersen

*affiliated link which means I'll make a teeny amount of money if you click through and buy something (at no extra cost to you). 

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A splash of yellow in a Skåne home

Thank you so much to Dagny for sharing her office in yesterday's guest post. Moving from Iceland to Sweden for today's post, here's a house from our home county of Skåne (Fladie to be precise!). This family home currently for sale is a perfect blend of white, exposed brick and industrial with a few Scandinavian design classics and the odd pop of sunny yellow.

Bo Center

Such a great combination, I could live here, could you?

I spy the Eames DAR chairs (15% off with code MYSCAN), the yellow bumling light and Knoll Diamond chair.

I do love a splash of yellow, it's such a happy colour. See other perfect examples of how yellow can add a ray of sun to a home here.

Do you have any yellow in your home?

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Pantone Colours of 2021: Illuminating Yellow & Grounding Grey:

You know the year is coming to a close when Pantone announces its colour of the year! For 2021 they've taken a slightly different approach with not one but TWO individual, yet complimentary colours.  After the year that 2020 has been, everyone had an inkling that the guys might just opt for a vibrant colour. And they certainly didn't disappoint, listing the first shade as PANTONE 13-0647 or “illuminating yellow” – a bright, optimistic and vivacious tone. The second, is a more muted PANTONE 17-5104 - named "grounding grey". 

"Something that’s been apparent across the board is how much we need each other, that these connections with others have given us strength and fortitude, as well as the hope and the positive outlook that are essential to our moving forward,” Pantone’s spokesperson said. “By choosing two independent colors, that helped us subliminally convey that message.” 

While grey has always held a place in my Scandinavian-design heart, yellow is not a hue I've ever gone for in my own home (despite appreciating it in the homes of others!). However, after a little digging around the net for inspiration, I might just have been swayed. Take a peek at these sunny rooms - you might just fall in love with it too, either way, the colour will certainly put a spring in your step! 

What do you think? Did you find these space uplifting too? 

I think Pantone’s choices are really on the pulse of what's happening around the world right now. And although this is not the first time Pantone has chosen a shade of yellow as their colour of the year, this feels like a very much needed lift to our homes in 2021! 

In case you're feeling inspired to add a drop of golden sun to your home, here's a round-up of 11 vibrant pieces: 

GET THE LOOK

1. Alphabeta Uno pendant
2. Lemon Print
3. Lean lounge chair
4. Restore storage basket*
5. Aalto stool E60
6. Mono blanket wool*
7. C.Lamp
8. Suede oven glove
9. DLM table
10. Hatch Ikat Flatweave Yellow Area Rug
11. Bellhop table lamp


Here's to a brighter 2021!

Niki


PS I'll be stopping by tomorrow for my last post of 2020 and excited to share a few ideas I have for My Scandinavian Home for the upcoming year, I'd love to get your input too! See you then!

PPS Thank you so much to Ana for helping me to compile this post - and for all her wonderful behind the scenes work over the year.

1. Luisa Brimble 2. Farrow and Ball 3. Laure and Joliet 4. Mattias Hamré 5 & 6. Elle Decor - Sean Fennessy 7. Anki Wijnen 8. Cindy Denekamp 9. Studio Rhonda

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Ylva's Lovely Swedish Family Apartment with Blue and Yellow Accents

Final stop for the week: this beautiful family apartment by the harbour in Gröndal, Stockholm - a perfect oasis for Ylva, her husband and their two children Maj and August. 

The pad itself is quite the find. Not only does it occupy a corner in a building dating back to 1913 - meaning light from two sides, it also boasts not one, not two, but three beautiful kakelugn (tiles masonry ovens). While bones are important, what you do with it and how it works for you as a family is crucial, and Ylva's home is full of lovely corners and inspiring details. Let's delve a little deeper. 

The dining area in the kitchen might not be big, but it certainly looks cosy thanks to built in seating and plenty of natural light. 

The cosy sitting room is arranged in a sociable way, with two sofas facing one another and cushions, blankets and a fluffy rug for maximum comfort! Notice the pale yellow and light blue tones which act as a the red thread (refer to my previous post for more info!) throughout the apartment. 

A simple wooden IKEA stool can be painted in whatever colour you like and is a great way to add in an extra touch of your chosen accent colour. 

The rug from Nordic knots is a nice twist on the usual Jute mat. I have this exact blue Flowerpot lamp by &Tradition in my home too! The bench table is from IKEA. 

Baskets are a popular storage choice in Ylva's home - used above to store firewood. I love the addition of the little children's chairs in the sitting room - a sign that are all are welcome and catered for. Keep an eye out for my post soon featuring a wonderful danish design classic which is now available in a children's size. Can you guess which one it is? 

A classic Swedish bumling light in brass can be seen over the dining table and mix and matched chairs create an informal, relaxed touch to the space. 

Bedding is a fantastic way to quickly update a room (look closely and you'll notice two single duvets instead of one double as is customary in a Swedish home - and something I've expanded on in my book: Lagom*). Here, a yellow duvet cover matches the art work over the bed - and ties the room in with the rest of the flat. 

The children's bedrooms are the exact mirror reflection of each other. 

Yellow curtains offer a cheerful, sunny feel even when the sky is grey, and an array of baskets make the ideal storage for bears and other bits and bobs (this type of storage is particularly good as children can just chuck things in - which makes tidying up quick and easy). 

The yellow and blue theme is carried through to the bathroom in the form of paint work and art, while the maroon chequered floor is a wonderful nod to the age of the building. If you look back through the pictures, you'll notice this hue in other rooms too, albeit in very subtle ways. 

All in all, a truly lovely, well thought out home, do you agree? I'd love to hear your thoughts and what you have observed, always so interesting! 

If you'd like to see more of Ylva's home, hop on over to @doneriet on instagram where you'll find a ton more images. 

Right folks, that's it from me! Lot's to do today with work to finish off, a daughter's birthday to plan (Liv turns sweet 16 tomorrow!) and packing for my trip to Denmark for Formland on Sunday. All fun things, but I'll really appreciate that Friday glass of wine (or two) this evening!

Skål to the weekend! 

Niki

Photography: @doneriet, shared with kind permission.

PS Just a heads up that there is only two weeks left to make the most of the Skandinavisk 20% discount (myscandinavianhome20). You can read more about my two of my favourite fragrances for hand soaps, body washes, candles etc and see pics of them in my cabin from this sponsored post here. 

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A Delightful Light-Filled Home In The Rooftops of Munich

It's been raining all day here in Sweden - so I'm checking out! Fancy joining me on a trip to Munich? Judging by the beautiful light in the home of Friederike Gorytzka, it looks way sunnier down there! Friederike's lovely light-filled home is nestled on the top floor of an apartment building in the centre of town. Mid-century pieces and design classics have been arranged against a backdrop of white (the ceilings measure a staggering 3.6 metres in places!) and in the summer the balcony doors are thrown open to welcome in the sunshine. I caught up with Friederike to find out more about her lovely home.

//affiliated links marked with *//

Have you always been passionate about interior design? 
Just like other interior addicts, I started moving furniture around and rearranging things in my room as a teenager. When I moved into my own place (my first being university accommodation measuring a mere 17m2 “big”!) I loved to plan ways to make the most of the space and play around with furniture to see how it would look in different positions.

Gold mobile* (also seen in this home and my reading nook!)

How would you describe your style?
Hmmm, difficult! Maybe scandi and mid-century goes glam and non-puristic? Also, even if I really like the puristic Scandinavian style, I would never be able to reduce my living space to monochrome  / neutrals only. I love brass, marble, mustard yellow and anything from the brand Gubi. Gubi matches my style 100 %!

Gubi G10 floor lamp 

What is your approach to colour?

I noticed that more colour has entered my interior with age. I started with white and oak wood, then black accessories creeped in and lately I discovered my love for nude and mustard yellow. The pink lounge chair for example was a total impulse buy. I was never a 'pink-loving' girl, but combined with mustard yellow, pink loses it's sweet girly touch. But I do try to limit the variety of colours, white, black, wood, dusty pink and mustard yellow is enough!

Mantis floor lamp*, BoConcept sofa, photography - Lumas gallery

I spy so many fabulous design pieces in your home, do you have a favourite? 
Thank you! I have an absolute weakness for lamps and my first design piece was the white AJ floor lamp - which is still one of my favourites. I will always remember the proud feeling as a hard-up student when I opened the package with the certificate of authenticity. I must add - even when I was young and didn't have much money, I would never have bought a fake design classic. Another of my favourites pieces is the Schottlander lamp (I have two pendants and one floor lamp*!). I love the mid-century shape.

As an author, I am happy to see so many books. What do you like to read? 
Unfortunately, since I became addicted to Instagram and the internet, I don’t read as many books as I used to do.... but who could throw away books? I certainly couldn’t!  My library includes books I read as a teenager and philosophical tomes from university time. I also love German postwar literature and American contemporary literature (T.C. Boyle). And Scandinavian crime thrillers, of course! 

RoTM Lounge Chair*,  Nordstjerne vase, Billy bookshelves

What do you love most about your home?
The wonderful light thanks to the huge windows and skylights, the view from the top floor and the feeling of sitting in a birds nest. Ah, and the high ceilings!

Thank you so much for inviting us into your home and telling us more about it Friederike!

I've got my eye on that pink chair - isn't it fabulous?!

Is there anything that caught your imagination?

If you loved this home as much as I did, I can highly recommend following Friederike on instagram for daily snapshots. 

Oh and check out more German homes here, here and here (all wonderful in their own, unique way!).

Have a great day!

Niki

Photography: Friederike Gorytzka shared with kind permission

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