Holly's beautiful sitting room make-over

Hej hej! One of my favourite interior designers, Holly Marder, is doing up her house in Delft, Holland bit by bit and I'm glued to her blog Avenue Lifestyle, for updates! It's such a treat every time she completes a room (see Holly's beautiful kitchen, bedroom and studio and you'll know what I mean)! Today I'm excited to reveal Holly's lovely new sitting room where she has used white washed walls and sheer linen curtains (source similar, made to measure ones here) as a neutral backdrop for a beautiful blend of vintage, mid-century, and modern designer pieces as well as handmade ceramics and a selection of artowrk.  Enjoy!

Photography / interior design: Holly Marder - Avenue Lifestyle. 

Such a stunning room, don't you think? Relaxed, calm, interesting and above all else cosy!

Holly is a master at gallery walls (I also love the one she created in a client's bedroom in Amsterdam). Here she's combined oak, walnut and white frames with a mix of contemporary and traditional art including 'dragonfly' by Eile-Ethel Polli, 'nude painting of one minute pose' by Gretchen Kelly, and 'eye eye' by Fine Little Day. Such a lovely combination!

I also like how she has used a mid-century bar cart to fill the gap next to the chimney breast (I still love my bar cart but wondering where to put it right now since acquiring this brass one, I'm sure it'll find a home soon! Thoughts?!). You can source a similar vintage mid-century bar cart here.

Is there anything that stands out to you?

Get the look from Holly's sitting room: Flos pendant light, source a vintage Beni Ourain rug here, the sofa is from the SofaCompany.  These fab vintage mid-century trolleys / bar carts are similar. Flos parentesi light, African Bingan basket, hand turned plates on wall by Julie Alrichem.  Glass coffee table,  white plate from The Fine Store (on table).

The sun's shining here in Malmö so I've promised to take a walk along the beach before starting to write a chapter for my new book - Lagom (a Swedish philosophy meaning not too much, not too little - just right!). It feels apt in today's world where we're all rushing about and connected 24/7. The book is very much about slowing down and finding balance, the Swedish way - whether at home, or through activities like blackberry picking , kayaking, baking bread, swapping your car for a bike or even finding a beautiful old cottage by the sea in which to relax and unwind in the holidays! I hope you'll find it inspiring! 

Have a lovely day!

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A Swedish home in calming green

Hello! Monday? Again? It really has been a case of - Friday *blink* Monday?! The entire weekend has been a bit of a blur except for a wonderful picnic in Rövearekulan national park  - so nice! Did you get up to anything fun? I thought I'd roll the 'green theme' onto to Monday and share this lovely Swedish home with you. The space has been decorated in a mix of calm earthy green tones and crisp white, with natural touches such as cotton, linen, wood and leather adding a warm and inviting feel. Above all else though - I'm looking at all that light (I've become a little obsessed since reading that if you sit next to a window to work you can boost your productivity by up to 15% - so glad I fought for that window sit in the open-plan office I used to work in now! - do you sit by a window?). I'm also eyeing up those beautiful young oak tree saplings.... so simple, yet so lovely!

Photography: Anders Bergstedt for sale through Entrance. 

What a lovely apartment?! 

The clothes rail in the bedroom is great (I feel more relaxed in the knowledge that there's a wall-to-wall wardrobe opposite so this is merely for tomorrow's outfit or favourite pieces!). Ferm Living sells one similar here. Loving the light twisted around the end, such a nice touch!

Is there anything that caught your eye?

A few items I know and love: lamp by house doctor, try The Poster Club for similar prints, Lampe gras floor lamp, feather duster.

Have a great start to the week!

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A home with pretty pastels and inspiring details

Is there no end to the talent on Instagram? A few minutes scroll last night turned into an hour long session as I went from inspiring feed, to inspiring feed (cue double coffee morning today!). One of my new favourites of which is @Wunderblumen. Daniela regularly updates her feed with inspiring snapshots of her half-timbered house in Kassel, North Germany, which she shares with her husband Stefan and their three children and cat, Polly. As well as beautiful style updates for children and adults alike (check out this cute spring outfit for starters!) snapshots of her home reveal soft pastel hues, vintage finds, pretty floral touches and inspiring details. Here's a sneak peek...

Photography: @Wunderblume

Such a beautiful home, don't you think?

I particularly love the painting of the girl on the sitting room wall. It's by an artist from the Faroe islands (available here). I was also excited to see Daniela has the same brass mobile as me (which I've hung here) - great minds...! And of course, the soft pastel touches.

Is there anything that stands out to you?

Get the look from Daniela's home (in order of appearance): brass mobile, source a beautiful mid-century credenza here, art, the light blue wall colour is by Farrow & Ball. The ceramic wreath seen on the wall above the dining table and bed is handmade by Kat's (great shop!). Wallpaper by Sandberg. Children's dress from Kids on the moon.

Such a perfect home tour to wrap up the week, don't you think? But if you'd like to hang around for a while and more homes with a pastel touch you can always nip over to this archive (if this home comes up first just scroll passed). Yes, I have an archive for everything!

Thank you so much again for all the positive feedback around my new book, it's made all those nights burning the midnight oil worthwhile. I was also thrilled to see it appear in the home of TDC and @aboutthishaus as well as many other of my favourite bloggers and instagrammers and in newspaper and magazines including The Sunday Times, Home and Garden and Marie Claire UK - to name but a few! *feeling humbled*.

I think I'll be kicking off the weekend with one of these - Skål på er!

Do you have any fun plans for the weekend?

Have a wonderful couple of days and see you Monday!

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Snapshots from Claudi and Tiger's lovely Berlin home

Tjoohoo! It's a beautiful day here in Malmö (hey, I'll take anything other than snow right now!). Yesterday I had such a fun day filming with German TV channel  DW-TV around the fascinating term  'lagom' (a Swedish word essentially meaning not too much, not too little: just right) set to air this Saturday. The TV crew were based in Berlin, which is one of my absolute favourite cities (have you ever been? - if not you must!). Today I thought I'd share the home of another Berliner: Claudi. Claudi is a photographer and blogger behind Do it, but do it now and regularly shares snapshots of her home, DIY ideas and fabulous places in Germany's hip capital city. Her home, which she shares with her feline friend Tiger (short for Tigerlily) is packed with vintage finds, mid-century pieces, handmade details and an abundance of plants. Let's take a peek....

Photography: Claudetta Böttcher / Do it but do it now.

Oh so lovely and relaxed! I particularly like the unusual pieces like the green chair in the kitchen and round shelves in the sitting room - so inspiring! Did anything catch your eye?

A few items from Claudi's home: source vintage crates here,  black letter board, Kay Bojesen monkey, this rug is similar (made to order!), blanket from Elmas Home. 

For more pics of her home, DIY ideas, and tips on Berlin (among other things) check out Claudi's blog (in German) and instagram. I've also been having a snoop around Claudi and her boyfriend's fab interiors shop Elmas Home - definitely worth a look!

You might also want to take a peek at these lovely spaces with a mid-century touch: a charming innercity home with soul, a Dutch home in an old tannery and a fabulous mid-century modern home in LA home - a few of my favourite homes! 

Have a lovely day!

PS My Milan Design Week 2017 trend report is now available to read here!

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A charming Swedish home in white, wood and ochre

Sometimes the most simple schemes can be the most beautiful. Like in this space. A relatively titchy (44 m2 / 473 f2) Swedish apartment where white walls, wood furnishings, and ochre accessories come together to create a lovely, warm and cosy home. I particularly love the mid-century touches (seen in the kitchen and sitting room) and the shelf with hooks in the bedroom. So charming and full of lovely ideas, don't you think?

Photography: Maria Sahlander Styling: Emma Fischer for sale through Bjurfors. 

Such a lovely, cosy home!  

Is there anything that stands out to you?

Get the look: kitchen - source mid-century dining chairs here, this glass teapot is similar. Sitting room - this is a great place to pick up a mid-century credenza, the poster is by Berit Mogensen Lopez available here.

Yesterday was a completely crazy day, thank you so much for all your warm wishes and congratulations on my new book both here, on Instagram and Facebook it meant so much to me! I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it! Unfortunately I haven't got time to relax and dwell on the good feeling this morning as I'm waiting for the imminent arrival of a crew from the German International TV channel DW-TV who would like to interview me for a documentary - exciting! More info soon, I promise!

In the meantime, today is the last day to receive 20% off a wonderful signed, limited edition print by Ruvan Wijesooriya from Absolut Art! Simply use the code MSH20 at checkout to redeem the discount. I've got my eye on Girl and Window....

Have a lovely day!

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