How To Update Your Rental In 6 Easy Steps

I receive a lot of mails from people who love the inspiration on My Scandinavian Home (thank you!) - but feel it's not always possible to incorporate the ideas into a rental space. I hear you! Having lived in rental apartments myself in the past (including some lovely ones, but also one very run down rental flat in London - where I spent some VERY happy years!) - I understand the limitations first hand. Depending on the landlord - you're pretty stuck with the architectural layout, floor, wall colour etc. But don't feel deterred - there are so many simple, budget friendly, reversible ways to transform even the darkest, dingiest of living spaces into a beautiful haven - no drills in sight! Here are 6 simple updates to get your started:

1. Let there be light! Strategically placed mirrors are ideal for reflecting natural light into dark corners and will make your rental space feel bigger. Avoid drilling into the wall by propping larger mirrors against the wall (a simple DIY stand as seen below might come in handy).

2. Get a handle on it: You might not be able to do anything about the overall colour, but you can add a personal touch to your kitchen, bathroom and other storage by swapping out the handles (try IKEA). Remember to save the original handles so you can swap them back when you move out.

3. Drape love: Not keen on the colour of your walls - or dealing with some very unsightly storage units?! Curtains (like the ones below by Gotain) are a beautiful, budget friendly way to add warmth, texture and personality to your rental while hiding a multitude of sins (including woodchip)! Plus if you have noisy neighbours (or you like to bliss out to your own tunes late at night) they act as a great sound absorber too!

4. Plant life: the 'urban jungle' movement has taken off big time in the past few years with green shoots springing up in homes all over the world! And it's perfect for rental spaces too. Plants add colour, vibrancy and freshness. Think about going big with a tree or creating a plant cluster with a selection of your favourite shrubs. See my ultimate guide to indoor climbers and hanging plants.  

5.  For the love of rugs! The floor can be a bit of a lottery when it comes to rental spaces - and it's unlikely you're going to want to rip up a plastic laminate in favour of a wood floor or wall-to-wall carpet as a gift to your landlord (no matter how tempting!). If you're floor is less than desirable look out for rugs that cover as much as the room as possible, or layer them up to create a pretty, soft mosaic. They'll help your living space feel more cosy, block-out drafts and work as a great sound dampener too. 

6. Going up! Don't under estimate the power of the ceiling! My London rental had a slightly yellow- tinged ceiling thanks to the previous tenants who were smokers and I remember staring up at it at night! If only I had thought about draping a canopy above my bed! Not only do swathes of fabric add that hygge feel but you can also pick out a colour and texture you love for a simple yet impactful update to the room! 

I hope you find some of these ideas helpful! 

Please feel free to weigh in with your own - I'd love to hear your ideas, tips and tricks! 

Niki

Photo credits: 1 Mikael Lundblad / Christina. 2 Erik Lefvander 3 & 4 Felicia Alm 5 Jesper Florbrant / Lovisa Häger for Gotain curtains. 6.Cajsa Berndsdotter 7 Malin Persson 8 Hilton Carter 9 Mikael Lundblad / Christina 10 Anders Bergstedt / Nouvel Interior

Thank you to Felicia Alm for all the help putting this post together! 

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Colour Therapy: The Happy Danish Home of Annemette Moesgaard

Hej! How was your weekend?! It was a triple coffee morning for me today having spent the weekend up at the cottage contemplating the kitchen (I've never been good at making decisions and now it's crunch time!). Thankfully we did manage to sneak in a visit to Copenhagen to see the Michael McIntyre Big World Tour on Friday night (that guy is so funny, go if you get the chance!). Denmark has been on my mind ever since, it's just so relaxed and I love the slight edginess you sometimes see in the interiors. So today, I thought I'd invite us all back for a virtual tour of Annemette Moesgaard's colourful home in Aarhus, Jutland. Annemette suffers from Scoliosis and often finds herself in chronic pain, to such an extent that three years ago her doctor placed her on permanent sick leave. Annemette has used her passion for interiors to create a happy private sphere in which to relax and recuperate. I particularly love the colour choices, art and details which make the space so personal and help lift her spirits on the darkest off days. 

Painted in S0515-Y60R, Formakami light*, Eames chair*, table top from Thorsø. 

"I like to surround myself with happy colours and things that make me happy. For me, colours are my sort of go-to on a bad day. Colour makes me feel better. And now I just think: life is too short not to surround yourself with things that make you happy." 

Annemette Moesgard. 

 Shell vase, expression mobile

Wire plant holder, Kubus candleholder, 

Beni ourain rug*, cognac leather pouf*, Three pink chairs poster

Pick up a similar mid-century desk here*. Eames chair*

Bedroom wall painted in Nordisk Hav by Jotun Lady

What a wonderful home! I can certainly see why it makes Annemette happy, can you?! 

You can see more of Annemette's home over on her blog and instagram. 

I often say Danes are the masters of gallery walls, and I truly believe it - if you're looking to create something similar I can recommend The Poster Club* (I think they ship worldwide) - or if you have the time, nip along to a local affordable art market (flea markets are also great!).  

For more Danish inspiration today why not check out the home of a Danish jewellery designer, a Danish home full of treasures and a Danish home full of vintage finds. So inspiring! 

Have a great start to the week friends!

Niki

Photography: Annemette Moesgaard shared with kind permission.

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Plans For The Summer? How About This 19th Century Estate in Normandy?!

Do you have any plans for the summer?! We'll likely head to our summer cottage to relax and (hopefully!) soak up the Swedish summer sun - if the kitchen is finished, of course! But we also like to find one new adventure to surprise our children with, even if it's just for a weekend. Last year we rented a VW camper van and drove around Cornwall, South West England (it was so much fun - but oh, how I loved being back in my own bed afterwards! have you ever slept in one of those things?!).  So, this year I'm thinking purely comfort (OK, and design!). Which is why this beautiful house popped up in my feed (thank you Style Files!)! Located 100km from Paris in a little village in Normandy, France, Riverside House is a 19th century estate overlooking the Seine river. The American / Canadian owner lovingly renovated the house taking inspiration from coastal California architecture and lifestyle. Rental guests can expect days "in front of a fire, sitting out in the sun under the centennial trees or walking off to explore the peaceful trails." Oh, how I could use a day or two like that right now, how about you?! And once you see inside, I've a feeling you'll be completely sold (at least I am!). Bienvenue! 

 

I might just have to leave this blog page open for Per to see when he comes home. A trip to Normandy might be in order!

Could you imagine spending your holiday here?

Read more about the Riverside House estate and make bookings here. 

In case, like me, you now have France on your mind, you might like to also check-out La Belle Vue guest house  and this idyllic holiday home in the South of France. Oh la la! 

Looking for inspiration for your own home? Don't miss Zoé de las Cases' Paris apartment and Normandy country home - SO incredible! 

Bon week-end! 

Niki

PS A little heads up that it's the final weekend to make the most of the 20% discount off a new room design from My Scandinavian Home Studio. If you're scratching your head about a room in your home, we can help you with a layout as well as colour, furniture and accessory suggestions, wherever you are in the world! Sign-up here! Code: MYNEWROOM :) We'd love to help! 

Photography courtesy of Riverside House with thanks. 

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My Kitchen Renovation: 5 Kitchen Colours I love Right Now

In paid collaboration with Bosch 

Last week I mentioned that we're finally renovating our summer cottage kitchen - woohoo! I'm so excited. Not only is it well overdue (see the before pictures here) - it also means a lot of time drooling over swoon worthy kitchens on Pinterest. I've narrowed it down to five looks I love right now (not all practical, I must say, but a girl can dream, right?!). 

1. Blue / grey tones (above) This kitchen belongs to my friend Tina Lekeberg, who's a bit of a colour guru! I love the muted blue, green and grey tones she's used (the darker cabinets have been painted in NCS 6010-R90B and the lighter ones in Restful Le Havre). I'm also a big fan of the light grey marble worktop and backsplash (I've honestly lived with wood worktops for too long and I'm looking for something a little more practical this time round). I also like how the plants add an immediate sense of harmony! 

2. Sage green: This is definitely one of the big kitchen colours of 2019, and there's something so calming about it! Light green is certainly a strong contender for the cottage kitchen (I'll take a couple of samples up with me next time I go).  Are you a fan too? And just look at those little porcelain wall lights! They're from a local shop here in Malmö - and I've had my eye on them for so long.

3. In the pink: How fabulous is the colour of this Reform kitchen from?! As I said a girl can dream - but in reality, our cottage kitchen hasn't been decorated since the 1970s and probably won't get another facelift for fifty years - unfortunately this means I'm kind of going to have to reign it in a little in terms of colour and go for something a little more timeless, do you agree? Don't even get me started on the fabulous tiles!!

4. Two tone: Will you look at this Norwegian kitchen?! The interior architect has used a deeper blue-green on the lower cabinets and a lighter mint-green/blue on the upper cabinets. I also have my eye on the brass / gold touches (are you a silver or gold person?). Since the summer cottage is quite old, I might try to go ever so slightly more traditional with tarnished gold, we'll see!

5. Soft grey: Which leads me to the final kitchen. These soft grey cabinets and brass knobs in the home of Cille Grut were captured for my second book The Scandinavian Home (I'll never forget the day we spent photographing her beautiful house on the Danish coast). The light wood worktop adds a warm touch to the space so if I were to go down this route, I should definitely think about incorporating wood somewhere to prevent the look from appearing cold. What do you think?

IKEA LERHYTTAN cabinets are similar to the ones in the kitchen above. I think they could be perfect for a small kitchen as they are fairly understated and don't take up too much 'visual space'. Also, Bosch appliances fit seamlessly with these IKEA cabinets (I'm very keen to integrate the dishwasher, oven, fan, fridge etc.) so this could be spot on! Hmmmm. Lots to think about! 

Next step: measuring-up and designing the layout. Oh, and testing those colour samples I mentioned. It suddenly feels like there's so much to do! 

I'm looking forward to updating you with my progress next week. In the meantime, please do weigh in below, I'd love to hear your thoughts! 

Niki

Picture credits: 1. Niki Brantmark / Tina Lekeberg 2. Photography Petra Bindell, Styling Emma Persson Lagerberg. 3. Reform 4. Photographer Nicklas Hart, Interior Architect Cecilie Claussen 

5. The Scandinavian Home published by CICO Books. Photography by James Gardiner © CICO Books 

*This series is in paid collaboration with Bosch. However, all words and pictures are my own and I only ever work with brands I love and think you will too. 

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