Converted Stables Become a Dramatic Home Full of Contrast in Norway

It's Friday friends - JAAAAA! To wrap up the week I'm leading us all over to the dark side (mwah ha ha) on a virtual journey to an incredible maisonette in Oslo. Formerly a stables, the two floor apartment is owned by Nina (blogger behind Note to Self), her boyfriend Jørgen, baby boy Gustav, and cutest pup Ipa. When Nina's not sewing or working as a graphic designer, the pair are transforming the space (often on a minimum budget) into a dramatic family home full of contrast and delicious, warm, dark grey, chocolate and beige accents. Enjoy the tour!

The maisonette has an upside down layout with the entry, bathroom and bedroom on the ground floor and an open-plan kitchen, sitting room and dining area on the upper level. I thought we'd start with the cosiest zone of all - the sitting room!

The sitting room wall has been painted in NCS S 7002B which makes a wonderful contrast to the oak floors, plastered brick walls and a fluffy 70's style shaggy rug (from Layered). And just how cosy does that velour Madison sofa look? The Blind No5 print is by Danish artist Kristina Krogh (available here).

It's incredible what a difference vintage wood adds to a monochrome space. Pick up similar  Thonet-style bistro chairs here (gah! So beautiful!). Nina never quite got on with the original brickwork and so they decided to plaster over it.

"The plastering gave just the right, tactile texture the apartment needed. And the colour was perfect too, so there was no need to paint it."

Where would a Scandinavian kitchen be without a natural linen tablecloth?! So pretty (and it looks better un-ironed too). It's nearing lunchtime here and I'm sort of drooling over the cheese too!

All hale the Bollo chair by Norwegian designer Andreas Engesvik (I've got my eye on the pink one). 

Since the pair are currently renovating a house elsewhere right now (their future home), they didn't want to invest too much money on the apartment. Even so, they still managed to transform the kitchen from this...

 To this...

...on a limited budget!

 To achieve the new look they plastered the walls and painted them in NCS S 7002B, spray painted the cabinets in NSC S 8002B, replaced the thick laminate counter top, kitchen taps, sink (all HTH), added Borghamn handles from IKEA and spray painted the switches, sockets and cables. 

Quite incredible, and so inspiring to know what you can do on a limited budget, don't you think?!

When the pair moved in the stairs were a varnished yellow colour...

They painstakingly sanded them down before washing them with white pigmentation, and then painted the walls and doors the same colour as the sitting room. They also added the same oak floor. 

What an incredible transformation, don't you think?! I've been wondering what to do with my stairs (which are also tinged with an old yellow varnish) and now I may have found the answer - I just need to brace myself for the work (and warn Per!)!

Nina saved a load on a designer clothes rail by creating one from a 12 mm copper pipe, which she bent into shape using a wrench, lightly sand papered and then sprayed matt black! So clever! More info on her blog here. 

The dark tones are also carried through to the bedroom which give the room a wonderful cocoon like feel - and no doubt feels blissfully dark at night, even under the Norwegian midnight sun!

Another Scandinavian must - natural stonewashed linen bedding (it's that ironing thing again! Source similar here) - the unbleached material looks particularly lovely against the dark grey walls!

And this little chap feels right at home!

Thank you so much for inviting us into your beautiful home Nina, Jørgen, Gustav and Ipa! I for one, might be tempted into over to the dark side in my own home after all. Anyone else feeling inspired too?!

See more of Nina's home renovations, creations and recipes over on her fabulous blog Note to Self as well as on her instagram feed.

I can't resist leaving you with a few other links to enjoy over the weekend too:

f you're looking for more home tours on the dark side try a cosy cocoon-like Swedish home (also featured here) and dramatic green and grey in a Swedish home - actually, do you know what? I'm just going to go ahead and give you the link to the entire 'dark colours' archive! Way easier!

And now for one of my favourites. Conversions. Don't you love it when a home has history (like the stables in today's post)?! See everything from converted garages, warehouses, schools, shops and even a bar here!

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!

Niki

PS This weekend I'm writing a guide to Malmö in which I'm hoping to cover off a load of the things I missed in my previous Malmö guide (and some of the new places that have popped up too) I'm so looking forward to my staycation! Look out for the guide soon.

All photography  © Nina / Note to Self

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A Pearl of a Home in Stockholm!

Can I just say, I've really loved writing my blog lately! I put this largely down to your input from the recent survey which has inspired me to push the boat out a little more and feature a greater variety of styles, the odd quirky (yet fabulous) home and a tad more colour and pattern- tack så mycket! I hope you've enjoyed all the recent tours too! Today's home, is another gem, and although unique, it's hard not to fall completely in love with it!  Situated on Mariatorg in Stockholm, Anna Lidman and Mattias' functionalism apartment has been decorated with an eclectic blend of furniture, unique design and bespoke, handmade items. Isabelle Pedersen of Lovely Life fame, recently paid a visit with her camera and snapped these delightful pics. Enjoy!

Anna bought the fabulous ceiling light from Stilnovo in Italy. The black and white drawings are by Anna's father Stefan Lidman who sells his work through Lidman ateljé, together with Anna's Mother Kicki, a jeweler.  

Bespoke shelves designed by Anna are used to store Mattias' large vinyl collection. I am really curious about the wallpaper, it looks fantastic! Does anyone recognise the design?

I love the combination of the Bertoia chairs with Hay J104 chairs around the kitchen table. And the sheepskin cushions add a lovely Scandi touch!

Anna made the sumptuous pink velvet headboard - and has combined it with a yellow Samba wool Klippan blanket and velvet cushion (this one is similar) to create a pretty focal point. The bench is from the IKEA PS Stockholm 2017 range (is it me, or does this seem to be popping up a lot in homes right now?) and the piano picture is by Anna's Father (yes, one very creative family!).

The lamp in the corner of the bedroom was also picked up at Stilnovo. Mattias inherited the armchair from his grandmother and the picture is By Stefan Lidman. A fiddle leaf fig also adds a vibrant touch (the arctic gardener would be proud!).

I hope you enjoyed the tour as much as I did! I read in Isabelle's post that Anna and Mattias' home is still a work in progress (the couple combined two apartments together to create a bigger living area) - I can't wait to see what they do next, how about you?!

See more pictures of the home here and a load of inspiring Swedish home tours in the archive here!

I'm sitting in a café in Stockholm wiling away my last few hours before I head back to Malmö this evening. It's been such an inspiring trip - but now, as it comes to a close I can't wait to see the crazies back home and give them a stor kram!

Have a great evening! 

Photography © Isabelle Pedersen / shared with kind permission.

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At Home With the Arctic Gardener

What to do when there's no greenery in sight? Turn your home into an urban jungle, that's what. At least this is the solution Agronomist Anders Royneberg has come to. Known as the Arctic Gardener, Anders has over 100 plants in his relatively small Oslo apartment, making him a bona fide member of the 'green squad' that's taking Instagram by storm. From spider and money plants to areca palm and kiwi trees, the Arctic Garderner's home is a true tropical oasis in the heart of Norway's capital city! I had a chat with Anders earlier today to find out more about why it's great to have so many plants, and how we can make our own homes that little bit greener!

 On houseplants as company:

"House plants are perfect roommates. They are quiet, well behaved and they don’t smell bad." 

 

On the 'green squad' community:

"I find fellow plant lovers to be friendly, supporting and creative. We all want a greener world both indoors and outdoors. I would say that most of us also are concerned about the environment and strive for a greener world."

On going the extra green mile: 

"Raise your plants off the floor and place them on the wall, sideboards, tables or chairs. It will give your home that lush green jungle feeling!"

On escape: 

 "Palms make me travel without even having to leave home. I can go to palm-fringed beaches and tropical forests in a split second."

On easy plants for the amateur: 

"Get plants with thick green juicy leafs. They store water in their leaves. They are survivors even though their owners forget them occasionally."

On plant health benefits: 

"I found that plants in my bedroom help me to sleep better. Not only do plants look great and bring vitality and life, they also have relaxing and purifying benefits. This I believe, promotes a healthy sleeping pattern."

 

On the best plant species for a beginner: 

"Try the spider plant (the one hanging next to the mirror). The spider plant has got spider-like plants dangling from the mother plant, like spiders on a web. It’s really easy to grow so if you are a newbie gardener, you should give it a go. Provide it with well-drained soil and bright, indirect light and they will flourish."

Photography: Anders Royneberg / Arctic Gardener 

It's incredible just how much the plants breathe life into this home, don't you think?! But imagine the level of care involved? I couldn't resist firing off 5 more questions to understand what this requires and what an arctic gardener likes to do in his spare time (sooo nosey I know, but aren't you curious too?!).

The Arctic Gardener low down:

Favourite plant? Calathea Orfobiola, I love the tropical feeling I get from her.

Least favourite plant? I am not a big fan of cactus because I love watering, and they don't.

Number of hours spent 'misting' a day? I try to mist every day, the more misting the better in my experience. Some say misting doesn't work, I say it does.

Dream 'jungle' holiday location?  The rainforest of Madagascar. They've got some huge plants over there, and I like big green plants! The bigger the better in my mind!

Best, secret Oslo tip? The Oslo botanical garden is small but super cozy. Its inside this beautiful old Victorian greenhouse and it's free of charge.

Thank you Anders!

If you love plants and don't already follow Anders on instagram - the @articgardener is a MUST!

And for more green home inspiration today I love Hilton Carter's incredible plant-filled loft, Igor's happy plant-filled home and a guide to indoor climbers. Pure urban jungle inspiration!
Do you have a favourite house plant?

Niki

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A Mini but Mighty Stockholm studio

It's all very well featuring regal, spacious apartments with dazzlingly high ceilings and sweeping staircases, but the reality is many of us live in much smaller (but beloved) spaces! This little gem of a studio in Stockholm measures a mere 28 metres square (301 square feet) and has everything you need at your finger tips - and looks pretty too! There are some small space rules there to be broken- and I for one, love how the owners have gone for the big SMEG refrigerator and turned it into a style statement - it just goes to show, you don't always need to compromise! 

Floor plan

Photography: Fredric Boukari for Historiska Hem (found via Nordic Design with thanks).

In case you're working through the puzzle of furnishing a small space, here are some things I've learned over the years which might help to achieve your own, functional yet stylish oasis.

5 Things To Think About for a Small Space

1. It may seem obvious, but flexible items such as tables that fold-away / extend and stackable chairs are ideal for homes where space is of a premium.
2. Use the full height of a room and store lesser used items higher up.
3. Opt for multipurpose furniture such as a sofa bed, shelving that can also be used for hanging (as seen in this home), and pieces that double up as storage (there are some great coffee tables with built in storage around!).
4. Work to create distinct zones using rugs / different flooring.
5. Use negative space to create an illusion of size - but don't be afraid to go for big pieces of furniture too!

Please feel free to add any tips and tricks you've discovered in the comment section. 

More space love: 15 small space hacks to learn from a Danish home, a small Swedish space that's big on cosiness, small space inspiration from a swedish home.

I'm heading up to Stockholm today to visit the Bemz headquarters (I've loved my sitting room and bedroom make-over collaborations with them so far, so I'm really excited to meet the team in person!). I hope I also have time to nip into the Carl Eldhs Studio Museum during my trip (another recommendation from Karolina Modig!). I'll be on stories if you'd like to follow along!

I hope you have a fun day too!

Niki

PS Anyone else still thinking about Purrli the Internet cat from yesterday's post? More importantly though - what a fabulous home?! Loved the art!

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