A light and airy Danish home inspiration with natural touches

Hello! My girls were so excited to wake up to a fresh layer of snow this morning. They were outside with their toboggans before I was even dressed! And the sun's shining too - yay! Before I head out to join them and their little rosy cheeks I wanted to share these lovely images by Danish brand Hübsch. The different spaces show off elements of the collection. Think natural materials such as rattan, sea grass and bamboo, soft cotton and pretty ceramics. Oh to have high ceilings and bay windows. Plus I've got my eye on that daybed....

Photos:Hübsch Found via House of C with thanks.

So pretty! The throws and cushions look so lovely and soft don't you think?

Nearly all of the items you see here can be found through Hübsch stockists. However, I'm also loving this fabulous peacock chair (it's really similar to the one in my bedroom) these bamboo folding chairs and a soft grey herringbone throw.

I'm really not joking about the daybed. I've been toying with the idea of exchanging my bubble chair (seen behind my vintage drinks trolley in these pics) for a relaxed daybed (inspired by Elisabeth Heier's window nook here) - what do you think? Would I ever leave it?

Other Danish homes I love include the Copenhagen home of a typographer and a Danish home with a warm soul.

And what do you think of this fabulous cabin?! How I could see myself there right now, how about you?

Oh and exciting news! The pre-order system for my book Modern Pastoral is now live - so exciting! If you are interested in pre-ordering a copy through the My Scandinavian Home Bookshop please click the 'pre-order now' button in the top left of this blog page and follow the instructions. If you'd like a signed copy please send a mail to myscandinavianhome@gmail.com along with your order confirmation, I'd love to hear from you!

Right, off to enjoy the snow with my girls...have a lovely day! 

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A small Swedish space in winter whites

Happy new year! I have a feeling 2016 will be a great year for us all...how exciting! It's suddenly got cold here in Southern Sweden (- 4 degrees C brrrrrr!) and yesterday we received a light dusting of snow so I thought I'd kick off the year with this fresh 'winter' home. The small apartment in Gothenburg, Sweden has been decorated in whites throughout and softened with cosy sheepskin throws and cotton blankets. I love the touches of black too. Perfect for a room which combines both sitting room and bedroom - don't you think?

Stadshem, Photos: Jonas Berg.

Lovely! Despite the trend towards darks and brights I still love a calm white space.

But really - my eyes are on those croissants - Mmmm! Late breakfast anyone?

Get the look: Karlstad sofa, rattan chair, fluffy white sheepskin throw, this industrial stool is similar as is this grey linen throw and these vintage mirrors (and just how pretty is this vintage art deco mirror?). Can anyone tell us where the black floor lamp and coffee tables are from, I'd love to know?

More small space inspiration here and here (and remember the world's smallest luxury home?!). In case it's monochrome inspiration you're after - this is one of my favourite black and white home tours of all time.

This morning I've really enjoyed catching up on all the posts I've missed from some of my favourite blogs. Here's a round-up of my favourites: Stil Inspiration's winter table setting, a DIY hall wall with a strip of black and how to bring Pantone's colours of 2016 into your home.

It's great to be back! 

Have a lovely day!

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Merry Christmas / Happy New year!

Photograph: Logan Smith @LMS_PHOTO / www.logansmithphotography.com

Thank you so much for following My Scandinavian Home blog in 2015, what an amazing year it's been (see the year in pictures here). 

I'll be taking a little time off with family until early January so I'd like to take this opportunity to say I hope you have a very merry Christmas and a very happy new year!

See you in 2016!

PS Don't forget to collect your free downloadable and printable 2016 wall calendar here.

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My Scandinavian Home - 2015 round-up

Thank you so much for all your wonderful support this year. I've loved reading your comments on here, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter and Facebook. It's been a very special year for My Scandinavian Home. Last December I finally took the plunge and left the corporate world after 14 years to focus on My Scandinavian Home. And what a year it's been! Here's a round-up of 2015:

 Top ten home tours of the year*:

A light-filled family home in Sweden

A fabulous home in Fontainbleu France

A fabulous Swedish apartment

The mid-century LA home of Jessica De Ruiter

The colourful Dutch home

Black and navy in an elegant Swedish home

A beautiful Norwegian home in summer time

An incredibly cosy Finnish home

The calm Finnish home of Anna Pirkola

A Swedish apartment on the dark side of life

 *based on number of pageviews. Click on text under each picture for the full tour and credits.

Did you have a favourite?!

Last year I became a recognised 'Pinfluencer' by Pinterest (needless to say I have a slight Pinterest addiction!), it seems you may have too since some pins received over 400 repins! Here's a round-up of the....

Top five Pinterest pins of 2015:

From post: simple yet beautiful Christmas decorations

Anon. Can anyone kindly supply the credit for this beautiful picture?

From the post - Pretty Danish Christmas inspiration

Swedish Semmeltårta

Anon. If you know the credit for this please let me know so I can update this post!

Loving that the cake is in there!!

In January I started using Instagram (so late to the party I know!). In that time I've gained 24,500 new friends, thank you for making it so much fun!

Top five instagram pictures of the year:

Log cabin in the snow 
A bed next to a roaring log fire
A cabin in the Faroe Islands
A Norwegian cabin on an island
My sitting room

It seems you love your cosy log cabins?!

This December I finally received the first copy of my book: Modern Pastoral (out in Feb, 2016). Publishing my first book has been a dream come true, thanks you for all your tremendous support - and to my publisher CICO Books!

And finally, I owe the biggest amount of gratitude to all the photographers, stylists, designers, architects, and other creatives out there (please take time to look through the credits under the last image in each post) who generously give me permission to share their work and also to my fabulous sponsors who make My Scandinavian Home possible.

This year has been exhilarating, terrifying, thrilling, challenging, exhausting and above all inspirational. I wouldn't change a single moment of it!

I'd love to here about your year too in the comment section below.  

Back later with a final 'Merry Christmas' post! Until then....thank you.

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Simple yet pretty Christmas / party table ideas

With only a few days to go before the holidays I thought I'd share some beautiful inspiration for creating a rustic Christmas table - or simply a lovely winter party table for friends and family! I love the idea of a natural white or grey linen table cloth or rough wood table decorated with foliage from the garden, with flowers and berries providing the only dash of colour.  I'm taking inspiration from these pretty, yet simple displays.

 

Pictures:
1 + 2:  A Quiet Style in collaboration with West Elm - see more of the lovely shoot here.
3: Hus o Hem - the entire post is full of beautiful inspiration (piled red apples anyone?).
4 + 5 + 6: Table inspiration from Swedish shop Artilleriet (see more here).
7 + 8: Call Me Cupcake - how delicious (and pretty) does that gingerbread cake with cream cheese and cranberry look?

get the look with these stonewashed white and light grey table cloths. 

This holiday I also hope to be tucking into this mouthwatering cake. And perhaps Thomas Kellers Chocolate Souffle. Mmmmm!

What'll be your favourite dish over the holidays?

If you're looking for more inspiration today  - check out 8 beautiful rustic gift wrap ideas? Or maybe pour yourself a coffee (or steaming mug of glögg?!) and take a scroll through the Christmas archive and Christmas / Party Pinterest boards.

Or if you feel like skipping the parties and heading to somewhere beautiful and remote this December, I'm thinking this pretty cabin in the Faroe Islands could do the trick?

Back tomorrow with the final post of the year (so soon?). Have a lovely day!

PS Thank you so much for all your lovely comments and mails about my new book- and for the pre-orders - it really means a lot to me! I hope you'll enjoy it as much as have writing it. I'll be back in the new year with more details! 

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My book - Modern Pastoral (sneak peek!)

Christmas has come early in my house.  After an entire year of shooting (with photographer James Gardiner) and writing, the first copy of my interiors book - Modern Pastoral has finally arrived! Although it doesn't launch until 11th February 2016 I couldn't wait to give you a sneak peak!   Modern Pastoral is published by CICO Books and features homes in Scandinavia and the US which embrace the pared-back lifestyle of living in the country. The homes take nature as the main point of inspiration - from exposed wood and rugged stone surfaces, to neutral textiles and rooms filled with light. They evoke an ideal, rural life adapted to modern living. Here's a sneak peek, I hope you like it!

These two photos were taken by My Scandinavian Home blog.

Finally having it in my hands is such an amazing feeling. When I look through it, it's like re-living the journey - from a day at a breathtaking house on top of a hill in Vermont to a cool cabin in the Catskill mountains and a pretty Danish summer cottage by the sea. I hope this book will inspire you to bring a touch of nature into your home too!

Thank you all for all your tremendous support without which I would never have had this opportunity! And to the generous homeowners who opened their doors to us and made us feel so welcome.

If you are interested in pre-ordering a copy please click the 'pre-order now' button in the top left of this blog page. If you would like a signed copy please send a mail to myscandinavianhome@gmail.com along with your order confirmation, I'd love to hear from you!

Modern Pastoral is published by CICO books and will launch on February 11th, 2016. 

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The Danish home of a ceramicist

I'm a big fan of Anne Black's beautiful ceramics (these hanging planters are a permanent fixture in my home). I was therefore soooo excited when I discovered pictures of her Copenhagen apartment ready for Christmas (shot by Birgitta Drejer). Anne's home is a lovely mix of mid-century finds, linens and of course - her signature ceramics against a backdrop of white. Let's take a tour....

Birgitta Drejer - Sisters Agency. Shared with kind permission.

I love the first picture of Anne baking with her daughter - so lovely! Making St Lucia buns and 'pepparkaka' or gingerbread biscuits with my girls is one of my favourite things about Christmas. There's never much leftover from the ingredients though - I'm not sure where it all goes....strange?!

What do you enjoy making at home?

Anne Black's ceramics are available here.


I mentioned earlier in the week that I have some exciting news and I'm finally able to reveal it tomorrow, so pop back if you have the time...

I hope you have a wonderful end to your week! 

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A beautifully simple DIY Christmas candleholder

I love this beautifully simple DIY candleholder idea, how pretty for a side table or the guest bedroom this Christmas?

Viennawedekind.com

See the full tutorial here.

I'll be back shortly with a fab home tour  - so make sure you pop back with a cup of coffee in hand! 

Oh and there are only a few hours left to enter the give-away to win a cordless vacuum cleaner from Electrolux. Hurry!

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8 beautiful rustic gift wrapping ideas

One of my favourite parts of Christmas is the gift wrapping. I absolutely love finding new ways to make presents look pretty under the tree. A few years ago I cut branches of holly and slipped them under brown string - I have to admit it was soooo prickly, my poor family couldn't fully appreciate the beauty of it)! I still absolutely love the idea of wrapping presents with natural items - simple brown paper and string, or even muslin and decorating with whatever is in the garden (without thorns!)- pine, skimmia, thyme, eucalyptus. And the presents smell lovely too. Here are my favourite eight DIY rustic wrapping ideas:

What do you think? Is there something outside your door you could use?

These lovely ideas are from:

1. Nåde-studio
2. Made by Mary - visit page for tutorial and more beautiful Swedish ginger biscuit inspiration.
3. Mur lifestyle
4. Local Milk - visit page for tutorial and more lovely christmas decoration ideas.
5. Hege in France  - Click over to see Hege's three beautifully simple christmas wrapping ideas.
6. Local Milk - Stunning Christmas inspiration including a cake, wreath and wrapping!!
7. Le Fork
8. Fox in the Pine

If you're quick there's still time to pick up brown paper, paperbags, and white paper. Plus hemp cord, rustic mesh ribbon online. Source brown string at your local DIY store or nursery. The rest can be foraged! 

Oh and if it's a present you're after - I love this DIY idea (perfect for a last minute gift too!). Or how about hyacinth's wrapped in newspaper?

More Christmas inspiration here and on Pinterest (where I'm madly pinning away - isn't there so much wonderful inspiration this year?!).

PS tomorrow I'll be participating in the live twitter #ElectroluxChat chat tomorrow (Friday 18th December) at 4pm CET (#ElectroluxChat- come and join us, there's a fab prize for My Scandinavian Home readers on offer too!).

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Win an Electrolux Ergorapido cordless vacuum cleaner

This week I'm excited to team up with Electrolux - developers of premium kitchen, laundry and cleaning appliances -  to offer one lucky My Scandinavian Home reader the chance to win an Electrolux Ergorapido cordless vacuum cleaner! See below for instructions on how to enter.

To enter all you need to do is:

- Let us know that you're in it to win it in the comment section below
- Follow Electrolux on Twitter. 
- Join the fun, live #ElectroluxChat on Twitter on Friday, 18th December, 2015 from 4pm - 5pm CET where myself and an Electrolux product expert will be on hand to answer your questions around 'Christmas Entertaining'.

The winner will be announced directly after the chat on Twitter at 5pm CET!

 This post is sponsored by Electrolux. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the company's which make My Scandinavian Home possible.

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