A Tiny Danish Home That's Big On (Handmade) Design!

I was scratching around for something to post today. My criteria was to find something a little different from the other spaces I've shown this week. And since I went all white yesterday, I was thinking a pop or two of colour would be nice too. Little did I know my search would lead me to this beauty in the heart of Copenhagen! Measuring a tiny 44 m2 (474 f2), this little apartment in the Nørrebro neighbourhood serves as a pied-à-terre for Puk Sjelden, her husband Jake and their 17 year old twin daughters. The apartment is made up of two rooms: an open-plan kitchen / dining area and one double bedroom and has been renovated to incorporate clever design ideas, pops of colour and a series of fun DIY hacks.  Welcome to Puk's mini but mighty Danish world! 

The stripy stool is an IKEA DIY hack (check out the DIY highlights on Puk's instagram for the know-how) - and the built in bench and mattress are also handmade. The dining room wall has been painted in Sand from Jotun. 

Did you carry out the renovation yourselves? You seem very handy!
"We (or Jake!) are really handy and we do a lot of the minor details ourselves - like the blue shelves. However, we used a contractor for the larger renovations so that we didn't have to coordinate all the craftsmen. We were very involved in all the details throughout the process."

Puk and Jake have created two recessed shelves using electric blue paint ('Sadolin' code: U9.48.19) and light wood. 

How did you come up with the idea for the recessed shelving?  

There was a hole in the kitchen wall when we took over the apartment, so instead of covering it up we decided to turn it into a feature. The blue shelves came about because I wanted a change. They used to be a covered cabinet and I wanted to bring more dynamics to the room. The colour turned the shelving into more of an installation which I really like! It adds a bit of edge to the room. 

Print by danish artist Sini Salminen.

Can you tell me more about the pops of colour? 

It's funny because I used to be super afraid of colour! I always went for monochrome. But then a Danish design company inspired me to create the blue shelves - and now I can't get enough of colour! It can change the entire feeling of a room. 

What do you like most about your apartment?

I really enjoy the kitchen and the nook, it has a good feeling and it's so cosy hanging out here alone, together or with good friends. 

A Hay mega dot throw adds a sunshine feel to the bedroom. while simple crates provide as extra storage. A simple Pujo coat rack is perfect as a makeshift wardrobe! 

Isn't this space wonderful?

If you love this pad as much as I do you'll be excited to hear that it's also available to rent through Airbnb! Perfect little over nighter! I know where I'll be staying next time I'm in Copenhagen!

You can see more pictures here. 

Other small spaces to feel inspired by: 

A beautiful two room Swedish apartment

A mini but mighty Stockholm apartment

15 small space hacks to learn from a lovely Danish home

Anyone else dreaming of having a little pied-à-terre in town in which to hang out with friends and rent on airbnb? Such fun! 

Niki

Photography: Puk Sjelden / @poppelgade

A special thank you to my good friend Mette at @monstercircus for the tip!

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A Beautiful Swedish Home As White As Its Snowy Surroundings!

We're seeing a load more colour seeping into Scandinavian homes right now. But who said we have to follow the trend? Anette's beautiful Swedish home is proof that white will always be right, too! Her tone on tone palette with subtle nuances of light grey and the odd touch of rustic is the epitome of calm and just like the blanket of snow, it's a picture of peace and tranquillity. Better still, the 'all white' look is super easy to achieve with a few clever tricks. Välkommen in! 

Anette has worked hard to break up the white in subtle ways. The nuanced texture in the tiles and marble worktop / back splash help to add interest and depth to the space, while a rustic wood stool* helps to add contrast and bring the space together.

A chrome toaster*, bin and sink carry the white and grey thread throughout the kitchen. 

The Gervasoni Ghost sofa is always a winner as the linen adds a lovely relaxed look. If you find the price a little out of your league, combining a Söderhamn sofa from IKEA with an absolute white loose fit linen cover from Bemz will give you a similar look for a fraction of the price (great hack!). 

 

White can appear cool - but Anette has used layers of texture to soften the look. Think soft rugs, linen and fluffy white sheepskins* galore! 

Playing with different shapes is also a great way to bring a white look to life. The Atollo lamp* is one of my favourites! Isn't it fab?

Is anyone else a fan of wide wood flooring? I have a sneaking suspicion this one is from Dinesen (one of my favourites!). 

The beauty of using white in the home, is that you can add pieces without really 'adding them'. Does that make sense? What I mean is, a bold colourful chair in the corner of this landing could make the area look cluttered, left empty and it could look, well... empty!! But a white eames chair* with a soft white sheepskin* adds something to the space, making it more homely without the visual clutter! Clever! I might just use this trick on my own landing!

This bathroom is divine, don't you think?! The wooden table is from Granit but sadly seems to be out of stock. Annoyingly. 

It's that white linen* and rustic bench* look I so love again. It reminds me a little of my old bedroom, a look I might return to one day. 

White string storage is perfect for hiding any clutter (and 'colourful' items!).

Surprise! All that white and the exterior is actually jet black. What a beautiful contrast. 

Let's take a moment to admire the breath-taking scenery too. 

Beautiful. Really beautiful. 

I love the simplicity. 

Does this all white look appeal to you? 

If in doubt, you can see more pictures of Anette's home over at @whitelivingetc and you might also like to check out the beautiful white home of Malin Nilsson. I can also recommend the book For the Love of White by Chrissie Rucker - it's one of my favourites. 

Oh, and there's an entire archive dedicated to white homes here - just saying! 

Have a lovely day!

Niki

Photography: Anette / @whitelivingetc shared with kind permission.

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The Delightful Danish Home Of An Art And Plant Enthusiast

"Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life" - Pablo Picasso is famed as saying. And it's true. We have so many demands upon us. By surrounding ourselves with meaningful art and stopping to look at a painting, I mean, really look at a painting, we can get lost for a moment - and truly soothe the soul! It's the same with plants and a great book. Which is perhaps why, homes like this beautiful Danish one resonates with us so much. Charlotte (aka @cph.muse) lives on the edge of a forest in Søllerød in Zealand, Denmark with her husband, teenage son and puppy. The family bought the house in 2012 and have been painstakingly renovating the property while being careful to maintain the 1905 period features.  The result is a truly personal home and a perfect oasis in which to lose yourself for a while. 

"I love 'used' items - they always seem to have such a nice patina and usually tell a fun story. Virtually all of our furniture is second hand. I love vintage ceramics and glassware as well as plants, flowers and art." 

 

"Art creates a unique atmosphere in the home. Good art becomes more beautiful by the day and lasts forever. It makes me happy to look at something beautiful. I buy art through galleries, acquaintances and Lauritz."

"I love plants, gardens and nature. Nature makes me feel mentally calm. It's a real joy keeping plants alive and nurturing them so they become tall and beautiful." 

What a special home!

It's also made me want to go out and see what's available in the local galleries here in Malmö! Do you feel the same? Or perhaps, you already have a home full of art? 

It made me think a little of the Stockholm home of Karolina Modig (I love how she hangs her art so low!) and this Copenhagen home full of art, books and danish design! 

I also love that it's surrounded by nature - so beautiful! My childhood home was also on the edge of woodland and I'll never forget the noises we'd hear at night - from foxes screaming to the hoot of an owl. it could be a little disconcerting at times, but there was something incredible about opening the curtains each morning to layers of greenery. 

Do you live close to nature? 

Niki

Photography Charlotte / @cph.muse - shared with kind permission

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8 Ways to Add Instant Hygge To Your kitchen (From A Lovely Swedish Home)

Why, hello there! Sorry for the radio silence. We drove back from the Austrian Alps yesterday after a really fantastic week - it's just SO beautiful there! I loved spending so much time outdoors too. Something tells me it's going to be tricky to be at my desk all week (if it wasn't hovering around 5 degrees, I'd move it outside!!). Meanwhile, over in London, my Mother is renovating her kitchen after 30 years and freaking out. The latest is that she's opted for all white cabinets and marble countertops and is now worried the overall look will be cold and uninviting. This is not unfounded. After all, it's nice to go for a fresh, timeless look in the kitchen - but it does mean you need to work that bit harder to give it soul. The good news is, it's so simple, and doesn't need to cost the earth! 

This kitchen in Gothenburg reminds me a lot of our summer cottage kitchen with its light grey Veddinge cabinets, brass knobs and marble worktop. It's a look that could appear cold, had it not been for some simple styling tricks. Here are 8 things I spotted: 

1. Go potty over pottery: handmade ceramics are taking the interior world by storm right now - which makes my heart sing (along with all the talented ceramicists out there!). It's amazing how much warmth the textured surface can add to a kitchen.  

2. Add a little vintage: Break up the walls and cabinetry with a touch of vintage. This vintage wall-mounted wine rack immediately conjures up visions of summers in the chianti wine region! Wooden shelves - like the ones made from old scaffolding boards in this London kitchen - can also work wonders. 

3. Go tarnished: It's lovely to have gleaming worktops and super smooth cabinets, but it can start to feel a little cold with a super sheen tap too. I love something a little more tarnished like this brass one from Tapwell (we have the same one in our summer cottage kitchen) for contrast. 

4. Leave the chopping boards out! I was chatting to a friend the other day who said their husband was such a neat nick that every time she gets home all the surfaces are completely empty (she then spends half an hour taking everything back out!). Look at any Scandinavian kitchen and you'll spot chopping boards stacked on the side, giving instant warmth! Source vintage ones here*. Herbs, and lovely rustic containers also help to give a kitchen that lived-in vibe. 

4. Add a little rustic: How dreamy is this Swedish farmhouse table? It adds such a warm and inviting feel to the entire space. I also know that they're VERY difficult to find - and I did say 'instant' in the headline - so if you don't have one of these beauties rocking about, don't worry, rustic stools*, benches and even wooden bowls will do wonders for the space. 

5. Linen love: I wax lyrical about linen all the time - so I'll keep it brief, I promise! Lovely earthy line aprons*, kitchen towels* and other items are perfect for adding a soft touch! 

6. Vintage pendant light: I added a ship pendant just like this over the kitchen sink in our summer cottage kitchen and it totally transformed the space (I see they're currently selling them off in a sample sale here - hurry!).  

7. Soften up with sheepskin: fluff up your chairs and make them a little more comfy with different types of sheepskin - from the super fluffy* to the super curly*! 

8. Don't forget the art: adding paintings, prints and posters you love is a sure way to personalise the space. 

Don't even get me started on that hallway - isn't it beautiful?!

Even as I went back to look through the pictures, I found a load more ideas, please feel free to add your own tips in the comments below, I'd love to hear them! 

I hope that this post has helped anyone who is currently renovating a kitchen (my Mother included!) or simply looking to add a little warmth to your living space.

Speaking of lovely, cosy spaces, did you see the awe-inspiring private danish kitchen of the Noma head chef a few weeks ago? I'm still dreaming about it!

Have a great start to the week, it's good to be back! 

Niki

This apartment is currently for sale via Entrance. 

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Our Kitchen Update: Got A Feeling This Will Be One Good Sunday Roast!

Paid partnership with Samsung

Our fridge and freezer have been on blink for a while now. I was therefore super grateful to Samsung for approaching me to participate in their 'Sunday Evenings' series which meant replacing our existing fridge and freezer with much needed new ones. Thanks for coming to the rescue Samsung! I was also happy because Sunday evenings mean Sunday roasts in our house - and Sunday roast is my middle name! Full disclosure: I'm admittedly, not much of a cook as you know - but Sunday roasts I can do! Are they a typically British thing - or do you also enjoy them in your country too? It's one of the few traditions I brought with me - as in my mind, there's no better way to end a weekend than gather round the table with the entire family! 

So first, the appliances. Which ones did I choose and why? After a lot of research, I opted for the Samsung Refrigerator RR39M73657F/EE and Samsung Freezer RZ32M71357F - both of which have won 'best in test' at Swedish store Elgiganten for three years in a row! 

We loved that the insulation is really streamlined, which means you get more space for food (great for a family with three children who are getting bigger by the day!). We also liked that the freezer has a special Metal Cooling functionality which means you get an even temperature throughout (no more semi-frozen vegetables at the back!).  

And the vegetable drawer has a Humidity Control setting, which helps to ensure that our veggies stay fresher for longer - so less food waste, and an even better Sunday roast! In the words of the Swedes: Hurrah! 

Oh, and the fridge also comes with a water dispenser. It's a little luxury that I've been coveting for a while. Since we don't have any plumbing on that side of the kitchen, I was relieved to finally find a fridge that has a water dispenser that doesn't require any plumbing. The freezer also has a really nifty ice machine which hardly takes up any space.

After all, making a Sunday roast is thirsty work, right?!

This week I'm making roast chicken with roasted vegetables (and all the trimmings) - the girls are going to be so disappointed that this means no Yorkshire puddings, which is why I'm throwing in a pudding too! 

Do you have a special Sunday evening tradition in your home too? if so, I'd love to hear about it! 

Wishing you a lovely Sunday friends! 

Niki

PS I've learnt that there's a great second-hand market for old fridges and freezers. The ones we had might no longer have been efficient enough for daily family life, but they've gone to a great home!

A big thank you to Helen Sturesson for styling / interior design guidance. 

This is a paid collaboration with Samsung. However, all words are my own and I only ever work with brands and products I love and can truly recommend. Thank you for supporting the businesses that make My Scandinavian Home possible. 

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