Antiques and Flea Market Finds in a Delightful Family Home in Burgundy

Ciao! I'm reporting from a very sunny Madrid today (such a treat to be here! - if the man asks, I'm on a very hectic work schedule, of course...). Perhaps what I should really be saying though is 'bonjour!' - since here on the blog we're off to Burgundy, France and the delightful home of Aurélie Mazurek! Aurélie's home first caught my eye on Instagram thanks to the calm, 'washed-out' tones, rich textures and antique touches (not to mention her baking and pretty taste in clothes!). But chatting to Aurélie, I learned there's so much more to her home that meets the eye, and the influences and inspiration behind the space are just as charming as the décor itself! 

Where do you live?

In Yonne, a wine region. Life is calm and sweet here, yet we're still near to museums, the city, and the castle of Fontainebleau - we love to relax and walk our dogs in the surrounding forest.

Bertoia chair*, round basket bag*

 

Who do you share your home with?
My husband and our children Olivier (5) and Laura (3). They are just going back to school and starting two important stages: entering kindergaten and CP at the big school!

Made-to-measure natural linen drapes / curtains* (my go to source!)

What do you do for a living?

I'm currently working in ready-to-wear fashion. I used to have my own business creating decorative objects such as cushions, booties, and blankets out of vintage materials. I decided to take a break and return to a day job so I can spend more time with my children while they're still young. I might resume my creative path some day in the future, we'll see! 

Marshall speakers*


How would you describe your style?
I keep an eye on trends but I do not necessarily follow them! I like to create my own cocoon which includes reusing a lot of materials and furniture.

Tell us more about your sustainable outlook on decorating
We love visiting flea markets, it's a very interesting way for us to consume with purpose and I think it's these unique objects that tell a story and give a home it's soul. I like to be content with little and I find beauty and satisfaction from an item I found for 1 euro!

Antique linen*

Where do you find inspiration?
My family and my emotional legacy. My Grandmother gave me the love for old linen and beautiful materials, my uncle gave me the love for flowers and how to dry and preserve them, my Grandfather the love of the garden and cultivating land , my Mother taught me the art of cooking and my Father introduced me to design. These are the heritages that made me aware of decoration and inspired the lifestyle we lead today - and even though some of these people are no longer with us, their memory lives on in my linen, dried flowers and garden.

Belly baskets*


Your instagram feed Antique Home is so inspiring. Do you also find online sites as a source of inspiration?
Of course, instagram and blogs are a wonderful source of inspiration. But I think it's our environment that inspires us the most. The forest of Fontainebleau is a wonderful source of inspiration!

Thank you for inviting us into your lovely home Aurélie!

I especially loved hearing about how Aurélie's family have inspired some of the items in her home. I'm sure this legacy will live on through Olivier and Laura one day too!

 I still remember my Grandmother's beautifully pressed crisp white linen. My sister and I used to ask her to make the bed over us and one day my sister got her toe caught in a tiny nick and it turned into a gaping hole! Needless to say, she made the beds without us from then on!!

Do you have someone in your family who has influenced your interior style?

Have a lovely day!

Niki

Photography by Aurélie - shared with kind permission. Hop on over to her instagram for more lovely pics! 

* affiliate links

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Old Meets New in a Charming Swedish Apartment

Why hello there, how are you this bright and sunny morning?! You might recognise this beautiful Swedish kitchen - it used to belong to Johanna Bradford and I featured it back in 2015.  This week the new owners put her former Gothenburg home on the market again (if you missed it last time, here's your chance to snap it up!). Some of the lovely touches Johanna added - such as the William Morris Pimpernel wallpaper and stainless steel kitchen cabinets remain - and it still has the entire apartment still has that wonderful 'old meets new' vibe. Enjoy the tour!

What do you reckon? Ready to move in?!!

Johanna has moved homes no less than 9 times since 2009! Needless to say I've been documenting her renovations along the way! Take a peek inside two of her previous homes here and here.

I love her use of bold patterned wallpaper. I remember having a lot of Laura Ashley wallpaper in my childhood home - how about you?! These days I don't have any, but seeing these spaces I feel now's the time to change that! 

What are your thoughts on wallpaper? Do you have any in your home? 

I'm on my way to Madrid (actually on the plane right now!) for a couple of days for a press event - very excited! I'm hoping to take my work poolside (don't tell the man - he thinks I've got a very full schedule). If you have any great tips for Madrid please send them my way, I'd love to hear them!

Have a lovely day!

Photography by Anders Bergstedt for Entrance. 

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Cate St Hill's Scandinavian Inspired London Oasis

Good morning! I hope you had an underbart weekend?! Get up to anything fun? We went on a road trip to the Blekinge archipelago to visit friends - if you visit Sweden, these islands are a must, they are so magical! The problem is that it was such a relaxing weekend, monday morning has hit me like a sledgehammer (is anyone else feeling slightly disorientated this morning?!), and I'm in panic mode about a 'scandinavian design' presentation next week (I think there are going to be up to 100 people in the room, gulp!). A central theme will be about how the 'less is more' philosophy of Scandinavian design has influenced so many people around the world, and this lovely home in Herne Hill, South London is a fine example! The house belongs to Cate St Hill, interior writer and stylist extraordinaire (check out her instagram feed here), her partner Olivier and very cute miniature dachsund Francis. I chatted with Cate to find out more about the soothing colour pallette, nordic influence and creating a little oasis in the heart of London.

//affiliate links marked with *//

 IKEA Kitchen cabinets, Hay J104 chair, Muuto platform tray

How did your passion for design begin?
I've always been interested in design and studied architecture at UCL in London before I became a design journalist.

Fired Earth tiles


Your style has a distinctly Scandinavian feel - do you have a long lost Nordic relative somewhere?
I really developed an interest in Scandinavian design when I travelled with a university friend for a month, spending a week in each country. We made little design pilgramages to as many Arne Jacobsen and Alvar Aalto buildings we could find.

Stelton coffee jug*, Teema mugs*

Sinnerlig pendant, Vento sofa

What inspires you about Scandinavian design?
I became inspired by the ways that Scandinavian interiors connect to nature and to people, and the respect for quality and craftsmanship. I like that a lot of Scandinavian design is built to last, they are pieces you can have in your home for a long time, the materials get better with age and the shapes and styles endure.

Have you carried out any extensive renovation work?

When we first found the house it was in need of a bit of work, the living room was painted bright purple for instance! So I wanted to strip things back, open the downstairs living room and kitchen up and transform two dark rooms into a light, open space.

Menu String lounge chair*

What is important to you when creating a home?

 I want to create a calm, tranquil retreat in which to escape the world. I wanted a space that would grow with us, the neutral walls, becoming a blank canvas for everyday life.

Mountain ABC print*, Samsung TV, loop candlestick

How do you add a cosy feel to your home?

I like to use plants, accessories and books to bring life and texture rather than lots of colour.

This pic of Cate's hallway was taken a while back when the space was a work in progress, even so I thought it was too pretty not to share (I hope you don't mind Cate!). 

Can you tell us about the subtle colour palette?

It's blackened by Farrow & Ball on the walls and plain white on the floor (I used Ronseal floor paint).  

And finally, your garden looks like a lovely oasis, do you sit out there a lot?
Yea! it's really sheltered and not overlooked so you don't really feel like you're in London. We've been using it a lot this summer as it's been so warm. It's north facing, I thought it would be really dark but it's a little sun trap during the day.

Thank you so much for telling us about your home Cate.

What a treat this home tour was on a Monday morning  - do you feel inspired too?! Perhaps we should all head out into the garden with our laptops! I'm thinking I'm going to need Francis in tow too - isn't he wonderful?!

Is there anything that stood out to you?

Just in case you're not quite ready to launch into the working week yet - you might just like to check out the grey and white home archive as well as these lovely London homes (makes me feel slightly home sick!). There's a chance Cate's might crop up first - if so, you know what to do (scroll on passed!)!

Have a fab start to the week!

Niki

Photography by Cate St Hill shared with thanks

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16

The Eclectic Home of a Danish Treasure Hunter

 

It's Friday friends, FriYAY!! Woooop! Any fun plans for the weekend? I for one, am looking forward to kicking off with a lie-in, it's been one looong old week. Thankfully, just as I was fading (fast), this pretty Danish apartment popped up and filled me with energy. The bright, playful home belongs to Luna Signe Hørdum Nielsen  - a writer, project manager, concept developer, founder of Moro Moro studio and one of Denmark's rising stars of the interior world (Luna is currently nominated for the esteemed Bolig magazine's stylist of the year award). I chatted with Luna to find out more about her beautiful, eclectic home in Copenhagen and new business initiative. 

Who do you live with?
I live with my boyfriend Jeppe, who is an IT engineer and sound nerd!

Saint ceiling light* (love these!), Fritz Hansen Egg chair*


How old is your apartment and where is it located? 
We live in a beautiful old apartment dating back to 1902 in the old Østerbro district of Copenhagen, near to nature and the water.

Can you tell us a little more about the layout?
It's 95 square metres (1022 square feet) and divided into six rooms: a kitchen, dining room, living room, office, bedroom and small bathroom. The apartment has high classical panels, stucco and rosettes, herringbone wood floors and three metre high ceilings.

Gubi TS coffee table

Wow - what a find! How did you acquire it?
It's Jeppe's grandparent's old apartment which Jeppe has renovated so the old decor and smell of smoke has gone - but the original details are still intact!

I love the energetic feel of your apartment - can you describe your approach to the interior?

The style of our home is really mixed. I blend colours, warm materials and crazy travel treasures with Nordic design, heirlooms,  flea market curiosities, gold from the trash, classic furniture, modern design and budget-friendly items.

Portrait of Hanne Wilhelm Hansen by Vilhelm Lundstrøm, Cat by Any Warhol,  Hay masks, the wall is painted in colour code NCS S 6020-B.

As a collector, how do you make sure the space doesn't become cluttered?

I have gathered items for many years, and occasionally I have to sell stuff so that Jeppe doesn't get tired of me!

 Luna made the art above the bed herself using circular mirrors and blue and purple paint to create a "space / heaven / sky kind of feeling." 

Where do you find inspiration?
I find inspiration in shapes, colours and materials as well as moods, people, crooked details, art and poetry. It's not important whether or not it all fits together. For me, it's important that my home inspires me, feels cosy, tells stories and hold memories.  

 Tell us more about Moro Moro Studio

It's a new Copenhagen-based creative studio specialising in vintage design, interior details and local crafts which have been hand-picked from around the globe. We also represent contemporary international designers and are always seeking new collaborations.

Aaaah, I SO enjoyed chatting to Luna and noseying around her beautiful living space . Isn't it inspiring?!

I can't wait for Moro Moro Studio to open, I'll be there with bells on!

So friends, that's it from me this week! if you'd like to see a few more pics from Luna's apartment over the weekend, check out her instagram - and for more Danish homes - try this archive (one of my favourites!!). 

I hope your weekend sparkles (there is no angry way to say 'bubbles' after all!). 

See you Monday!

Niki

Photograhy: Luna Signe Hørdum Nielsen with kind permission

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