My Summer Cottage Kitchen Renovation: Floorplan and Design

In paid partnership with Bosch
Quite a lot has happened in the last three weeks with the summer cottage kitchen renovation. I have spent the last couple of weeks measuring and sketching and now I think I may have arrived at a design direction - hurrah! Thank you so much for all your input - it's been invaluable! As you know, our little cottage is located in a small fishing village on the West coast of Sweden. The sea is a gentle grey-blue and I'm keen for the kitchen to reflect this. I'm therefore thinking about a soft, muted light grey or pale green palette blended with white and warm wood.

CABINETS
I've narrowed my search down to IKEA VEDDINGE cabinets (seen in the picture above) since I like the sleekness  - they feel less fussy for a small space and easy to clean 8as one of you pointed out on Facebook - thank you!).

As with any room that employs light colours and a clean look, I'm aware I'll need to add plenty of warm touches. I'm thinking accents of natural wood (hooks, chopping boards, stool etc), stone and tarnished brass.

MOODBOARD

FLOOPLAN
I took my scribbled measurements and pictures of our L shaped kitchen along to the IKEA kitchen design centre (you just book online and then rock up at the given time slot) - and lo and behold the designer happened to be an old friend I hung out with when I was on maternity leave (Jess) - who also happens to have great taste! Malmö's a small place and sometimes it totally pays off! This is the floor plan we arrived at:

CABINET POSITIONING
I would love to do away with the upper cabinets for a really fresh, up-to-date look - but the kitchen is way too small and we have way too much stuff (even after a Marie Kondo style declutter!). Sadly, I'm not sure a lot of open shelving is an option either since we are not at the cottage enough and the items would just collect dust - what do you think? I've left wall space to the right of the sink just in case!
All of the lower cabinets are drawers since they can be fully extended which makes them a more practical option than cupboards.

APPLIANCES
One of the beauties of selecting an IKEA kitchen is that Bosch appliances are a seamless fit (I am keen to use these in the cottage kitchen as we've always had them at home and I'm a firm believer in opting for reliable, good quality appliances that last). The oven and induction hob will be placed under an integrated fan (I love 'open' fans' but need to capitalise on storage). The dishwasher will be seamlessly hidden behind 'number 6' in the layout and the fridge-freezer will be built-in behind the cabinet door in position 11.

I hope you like these ideas. The plan is only preliminary so please do weigh in if you have any thoughts / advice - I'm all ears!
Even though there's a whole load of work ahead, this renovation is starting to feel real now and I'm getting SO excited. Weeeeee! 

Niki

Photography credit for main picture: Mikael Lundblad. 

*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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10 Ways To Transform a Room With A Single Painting!

I love reading your comments - it adds so much to the post and more often than not someone will point out something I haven't noticed and I'll look a the home tour from a new perspective. Yesterday,  for example, someone pointed out that there was no art on the walls - and it was in no means meant as a negative - more an observation that a home without art can also be interesting.  So today, I thought I would go to the opposite extreme and take a look at how a single painting can transform a space. When I was writing my first book, Modern Pastoral, the photographer James Gardiner and I captured a beautiful home in the Hudson Valley designed by Jersey Ice-cream Company. One of the things I noticed about the work of Tara Mangini & Percy Bright is how they apply art (mainly portraits, but also landscapes and still life) to bring the look together. Here are ten fine examples:

I found this fascinating, how about you?

Did you have a favourite?

It has totally spurred me on to look out for more original art for my walls. These are often good sources: 

Flea markets

Charity shops

Etsy*

Ebay

Do you have any other suggestions on where to source original portrait paintings? Perhaps some wonderful, modern artists?

I'm going to need to be careful though - there was a painting in my childhood home of my great, great, great grandfather who was an Admiral. My Mother used to have to cover it up with a sheet at night because my sisters and I were so afraid of it! There was something about the way his eyes followed you around the room. Did you have any paintings like that in your home? 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Jersey Ice-cream Company  / some credited to Beth Kirby

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Fifty Shades of White In a Beautiful Swedish Home

If everyone else goes right, go left (so the motivational quote goes). And as current interior trends entice us to add more colour to our homes - there's one lady who has stuck fast to her passion. You might recall Malin Nilsson's beautiful home in Råå, on the South West of Sweden from a Christmas post back in 2016. And I was excited to see from her aptly named instagram feed VittVittVitt ('white white white), that her home still pays homage to her favourite shade. It's a minimalist look that requires attention to detail and a love for texture - and Malin has it in spades, you just need to look closely!

Above: Stoff Nagel candleholder, Bertoia chair*, Chunky knit blanket*

The walls and ceilings have been painted in 0500 by Flügger. The woodwork (doors, skirting boards etc) has been painted in 0502 (also Flügger) to breath life and depth into the overall look.

Boxplay sofa by Claesson Koivisto Rune.

Texture in the form of shag-pile, metallics (how fabulous are these chairs?!), velvet and rattan help to heighten the visual impact of the space in a subtle yet cosy way.

Vintage chairs from Johansson Design mode Vinga, Gubi semi pendant*. 

The flowers add instant colour to the space and have also been arrange in a fairly relaxed, 'wild' way which brings softness to the room.   

So, what do you think? Does it stop your colour-dabbed paint brush in its tracks?  

It certainly makes me realise that white will always be 'right', even if I might just add a little more colour to my own home here and there this year. 

Other beautiful white homes to feel inspired by: the serene white home of a designer, the beautiful white farmhouse of an interior designer and a stunning white studio with vintage finds. 

Also; when is white too white?!!

For the colour fiends out there: this archive. 

Have a lovely day!

Niki

PS I have the worst cold today so if I've made any errors / I've used words that are a bit off it's because everything is a little hazy today! Any great remedies out there?! 

Photography: Malin Nilsson shared with kind permission

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Small Spaces: A Beautiful Swedish Home That Makes The Most of a 'Sceiling'

Sloped ceilings (or 'Sceilings' as they're known in the trade) have their down sides (literally!) - and can be tricky to work with (trust me, we have one on the top floor of our house!). But with a little work they can make beautiful, light and airy living spaces. This small, two room studio is nestled on the top floor of an apartment block in Gothenburg, Sweden. The designer has thought carefully about how to work with the different heights - resulting in a practical, space efficient home - which is comfortable and easy on the eye to boot! 

Bespoke shelving in the kitchen makes the most of every inch of wall space to create as much storage as possible (IKEA shelving can easily be cut to size to create this look). The stove and fridge-freezer have been prioritised as areas that need extra head room while the dishwasher can be opened from the side. 

While looking back at these pictures again I also noticed how they've snuck in a fan amongst the shelving - smart! 

Redundant work space (the ceiling is simply too low on the far left to use) has been decorated with fresh branches of lilac - which could easily be exchanged for fresh herbs! 

The sofa has been placed on the lower side of the room (a little out from the wall) - creating a comfy, spot. I also love how the beams have been painted black for contrast. 

A table for two has been tucked away at the far end. It looks a little tight on the right, but it looks as though there's enough space to shift everything to the left for more head room! 

Does anyone know who the wall lamp is by? Rita?! 

A ladder is stored out of the way but within reach for higher stuff - I see there is an alcove to the left - any guesses what could be hidden up there?! I've always wanted one of these ladders - but haven't found use for one yet! Actually, maybe the shelves in my bedroom? Would Per's handmade shelves withstand the weight though?!  

Artwork: Portrait M* by Gurilla,  Figure 02* by Bycdesign studio

A bench has been placed at the far side of the bed which can be used for lighting, books etc, while the higher side of the room is reserved for storage. Love the light green-grey wall too, how about you?!

Artwork: Shapescape 08* by Jan Skacelik, 

Lighting: Mass light by &tradition. 

On the bed: white linen duvet cover*, beige pillow case*, cream knit blanket, and grey linen throw* are similar.

Loved this! Such great inspiration for spaces with sloped ceilings too. 

I hope you've found this home inspiring too!

Other beautiful small spaces to feel inspired by today:

15 small space hacks to learn from a Danish home
10 ways to turn a pokey top floor flat into a swoon worthy living space
A Small Swedish space that will make you want to downsize

Have a wonderful start to the week - I hope the sun is shining where you are too!

Niki

Photography: Alan Cordic for Bjurfors - found via Nordic Design with thanks
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