A beautiful Swedish space with warm natural textures

Hej hej! The winter has finally arrived in Southern Sweden - by that I mean a mountain of snow - which made for a bit of a treacherous bike ride this morning. Biking in the snow is one of those things I've grown accustomed to since living here. Truth be told you're rarely knee deep (or even a few inches deep). When I left the house at 6am this morning a little pathway had already been cleared outside our door (such is the efficiency of the Swedes). Still, it unnerves me and I spent most of my cycle ride thinking about investing in one of these. Genius? Anyway. I suspect you're here to see a beautiful Scandinavian home? And I have one just for you! This space in Gothenburg strikes the perfect balance between cool minimalism and relaxed - and includes some lovely touches in the kitchen including a green marble worktop, patterned kitchen fronts with leather handles, and a beautiful rustic dining setting. Natural touches throughout add just the right amount of warmth. Feeling inspired! How about you?

Credits: for sale through Bosthlm. Found via Coco Lapine with thanks. 

What a lovely space?!


I have to say this kitchen is one of the nicest I've seen lately. The Harlequin cabinet fronts and handles are both from Superfront (I'm thinking of getting similar for my bathroom). Etsy is a great source for mix and match vintage chairs like these.

Elsewhere in the home: you can buy beautiful made to measure dark grey linen curtains here. The grey-turquoise BESTÅ by IKEA are similar to the cabinet in the bedroom.

If you're on the look out for kitchen inspiration right now you might want to also check out friend Gen's inspiring black and white space, a French kitchen with a modern twist, and a Finnish kitchen with vintage finds.

In a few stops time I'll be stepping out into the white abyss again...this time on foot....time to wrap up! BRRRRRR!

Have a lovely day and stay warm!

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Revisiting a favourite Finnish island hide-away

If you've followed my blog for a few years you'll know I'm a big fan of the work of Finnish interior designer and stylist Minna Jones. Over the last few years Minna and her family have been busy renovating their cabin on an island in the Finnish archipelagos. I love watching the space evolve - from way back in the days when it looked like this and this, to today - with it's modern light wood and contemporary touches. If anyone is an expert at the art of restraint it's Minna - the space is neither to minimalist nor too busy, giving it a wonderful calm yet lived in feel. Let's take a peek inside....

Photography: Minna Jones - shared with kind permission. 

Such a wonderful space, don't you think?

A few items I know and love from Minna's home: dining area - artek chair 66, bertoia chair, Marimekko oiva tea pot. Sitting room - Knoll diamond chairs, Beni Ourain rug, cushions and throws by Marimekko, string shelves. Kitchen - lampe gras.

Curious to see how it looks from the outside? Take a look here. 

This home makes me want to pour a coffee or two and spend an hour or so in the Finnish home archive....one of my favourites!

Sadly I don't have the time as I'm on a train to the IKEA headquarters racing through the snowy countryside. Next to me is my Kerala lonely planet guide (and ticket to sunshine)....9 days to go! So excited! This will be my first time in India. My mother used to live there as a child and hasn't been back in over 60 years, so we're going together - something I've always wanted to do.

Have you got any winter escapes planned?

Have a lovely day!

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The atmospheric home of a Swedish interior designer

Hello there! I hope you had a wonderful weekend? The man and I have been in Gothenburg for a couple of days where I finally paid a visit to Artilleriet - remember the studio?! In store, rich dark green walls provided an atmospheric backdrop for an assortment of art and the most fabulous home decor items - I was in design heaven! The vibe reminded me a lot of the home of one of Sweden's top interior designers - Lotta Agaton - a cosy cocoon-like space which came out on the market this weekend. Smoky dark grey walls combine with black, green and white accents in an apartment brimming with beautiful treasures. I'd want to buy it with everything intact, how about you?!

The home of Lotta Agaton - for sale through ESNY. 

Wow! Every time I see this space I fall more in love with it. It also gets me wondering about introducing darker tones into my home. Although, I have to say Lotta can rock a white backdrop too - as seen in her previous home.

I can't wait to see what she does next, how about you?!

Get the look from Lotta's beautiful home: sitting room - safari lounge chair (available through various auction sites), brown sheepskin throw, Kate Moss and Tom Ford books kitchen - snoopy lamp (in green), Gras wall lampe bedroom - flos 265 wall lamp. Hallway - rug by Gan.

For a similar wall tone try swatches from the Farrow & Ball dark colours collection.

Grey and green have also been combined in a beautiful way in this sophisticated Swedish space - what a beautiful blend?

Have a great start to the week!

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A magnificent chalet in the Austrian Alps

A few weeks ago I was invited to visit the Bernd Gruber studio and workshop in Kitzbühel, in the Tyrol region of The Alps, Austria (imagine the little dance I did when it dropped into my mail box). Bernd Gruber is a carpentry and interior design business working with clients all over the world to create bespoke homes. Not only are the team passionate about incredible craftsmanship, honest materials and attention to detail (the fittings and furniture are created in their workshop in the quiet countryside of the Stuhlfelden region), the occupants are central to everything they do. 'The things we surround ourselves with know far more about us than we think: we are not the same person in each room. This knowledge allows us to create rooms that suit the character of their inhabitants – by telling a story about that character, ' says Bernd Gruber, who took over the business from his Father in 1992. Located a few kilometres from Kitzbühel, Chalet Jochberg was completed in 2015 and is a fine example of their work. The interior is both modern and timeless in equal measure and beautifully crafted down to every last detail. I could just imagine returning here every afternoon after a day in the mountains, how about you?!

All photography by Alexander van Berge.

What an incredible space?! The natural materials, the warmth of the wood, the incredible finish - and of course that view! I can just see myself sitting amongst those cushions with a good book and a glass of Gluehwein, how about you?

Is there anything that catches your eye?

Thank you Bernd Gruber for a fabulous weekend in Kitzbühel. I hope one day you're able to design my mountain chalet (I just need to to acquire one first......eh hem......anyone want to go in with me?!).

It's been a while since I've been in The Alps and there's no way I could leave without hitting the slopes! I had such a magical day skiing, taking in the scenery, snapping inspiring log cabins, enjoying the fresh air and of course, picking myself up from the odd wipe-out!  Have you ever been skiing in Austria? If not, I can highly recommend it!

Have a wonderful weekend!

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