The Incredible Earthy Green Home of a Swedish Interior Designer

A few years ago I was at our summer cottage when I stumbled across a beautiful photo shoot on the beach. Feeling intrigued (OK, nosey!) I strolled over to find out more. It was the work of Swedish interior designer Sofie Izard Høyer. We've been messaging each other back and forth over the years and I was excited to discover she's recently completed the renovation of her Gothenburg home. As with everything Sofie turns her hand to, it looks incredible! Located in Vasa in the heart of Sweden's second largest city, Sofie lives with her two daughters Mira (14) and Siri (11) surrounded by a wonderful blend of old and new, against an earthy green backdrop. Welcome to their world!

Sofie on furniture: 

"I love to blend old with new and am completely crazy about Danish design, which could be due to my half Danish heritage. 

On colour:

"I love green, the colour of nature! I've used different shades of green from Jotun Lady throughout my apartment as well as a touch of grey. In the open-plan sitting room and dining room, I've used Organic Green. We don't have a TV here, instead we like to hang out, play games, read, and sit and chat for hours. In my bedroom I've applied Green Leaf. In the kitchen I opted for Vallmofrö - which I also applied to the dresser to create a greater sense of calm. In the children's room I went for a lighter Minty Breeze."

On materials:

"I love natural materials with lots of texture such as untreated leather, wood, oxidized brass etc. It's important to me that furniture is sustainable and beautifully made so that it stands the test of time."

On bedrooms: 
"In my daughters' room (below) we didn't want to make it so dark because they often spend time in there during the daytime. In my own bedroom (above), I decided to go for a slightly darker green as I love to lie on my bed and listen to podcasts or audio books by candlelight." 

On decorating: 

"When decorating, I think it's very important to unite the building, furniture and people who live there in order to create a sense of harmony."   

On the future: 

"I love out apartment, but one day, I dream about building and decorating my own house - I love the sea and would love to live near the water." 

****

What a beautiful home. A sense of calm oozes from the pictures, don't you think? I love the idea of the three girls hanging out, reading, playing games and chatting! 

Is there anything that stood out to you about Sofie's home? 

Oh, and that beach shot I was telling you about? I managed to find it in her portfolio....

The evening really was as magical as it looks :)

For more of Sofie's work, check out her instagram and website - where you can also find out information about her interior design work. 

Looking for a little more inspiration today?  I love these homes from deep within the My Scandinavian Home archive: 

A cool Swedish home with inspiring touches (that shoe display!!)

A beautiful Gotland home in shades of grey

A danish island summer oasis

Small side note: We're now in the Gothenburg archipelagos, winding our way up through the islands by boat. I brought my camera so I can hopefully put together a guide once I'm home - everyone should visit this part of the world at least once! 

See you Friday friends1 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Sofie Izard Høyer, shared with kind permission. 

READ MORE...

6

An Afternoon Tea In My Backyard - Fit For Royalty!

 Scandinavian brand story*:
An afternoon tea fit for royalty. That's how it felt in my little back yard a couple of weeks back. And I owe that to Georg Jensen. Last spring, the Danish brand announced an extension of one of its most recognisable tabletop collections designed by the Swedish designer Sigvard Bernadotte (1907 - 2002). And I couldn't be more excited! Formerly a Prince, the forward thinking and free spirited Sigvard Bernadotte, traded his aristocratic title to become part of Sweden's design royalty. His collaboration with Georg Jensen began in 1930 at the start of the functionalist movement and the bold simplicity of Bernadotte's silver designs were a huge over night success. In 2002, Georg Jensen reissued many of the items in stainless steel making them more accessible to the humble likes of you and I! Just add coffee, milk, and buns. OK, I did have a little prosecco later on in the day too...!

If this is a royal collection, then the Bernadotte Thermo jug is surely the queen - it's a true Scandinavian design icon. I love how it keeps your drinks hot (or cold) for up to six hours too - a perfect excuse to sit around all day! 

Another favorite: the Bernadotte dish on a stand. I used it for bread, but it also makes a beautiful fruit bowl! 

I was excited to see that in 2019, Georg Jensen added several new pieces to the line, including a series of vases, serving plates and platters, cutlery pieces and other small items - all of which respect the design heritage of the Bernadotte line. 

There's something wonderful about using milk jug (as oppose to just chucking the entire carton on the table we so often do at breakfast time) - and this stainless steel and mirror polished one is the crème de la crème (see what I did there?!). I love the shape and weight! It's also perfect for other things like salad dressings. 

What a wonderful afternoon! I'll be dreaming about this come winter!

If you love iconic Scandinavian design as much as I do and curious about the Bernadotte line and other Georg Jensen pieces I've used for my table setting, here's a quick guide: 

GET THE LOOK

1. Bernadotte Thermo Jug
2. Bernadotte Dish on A Stand
3. Bernadotte Creamer / Milk Jug
4. Bernadotte Bottle Opener
5. Bernadotte Etagère
6. Bernadotte Tea and Coffee Spoons
7. Cobra Lunch Plate
8. Cobra Porcelain Cup
9. Cobra Glass Set
10. Bernadotte Medium Vase

Do you have a favourite piece?

Wishing you a wonderful start to the week!

Niki

Photography: My Scandinavian Home
Styling: Helen Sturesson

PS I'll be back on Wednesday with an inspiring and beautiful Swedish home tour - never been seen before! See you then!

*This post is brought to you in partnership with Georg Jensen, who I am honoured to collaborate with. Thank you for supporting the wonderful businesses that make My Scandinavian Home possible. 

READ MORE...

5

A Charming Swedish Home Furnished with A Mix of Old and New

It's Friday friends, how about one final home tour to complete the week? Welcome inside the charming home of photographer Sara Johansson, in Munkedal, West Sweden. Sara and her husband bought the house three years ago and have renovated the living space while working hard to preserve the original features. Projects have included bringing the wood floors back to their former glory and removing 'dummy' ceilings to reveal wonderful high ceilings. Sara has furnished the house with a mix of old and new - having picked up many pieces at flea markets. Today the house is enjoyed by Sara, her partner, their one year old son Oliver and the family cat. Although Sara confides that the house will always really be a work in progress (I recognize that do you?!). Enjoy the tour! 

So beautiful! 

I particularly love the kitchen, it has a wonderful Swedish style rustic country feel!

Is there anything that stood out to you? 

See more of Sara's charming home over on her instagram @lyckligavagen. 

Caveat - I'm actually writing this post from the passenger seat of our car while we head down the motorway to an Apple repair shop - as my laptop has appeared to have died. The sun's shining on the screen and I'm trying to navigate Per's computer - so I apologize now for any typos and spelling mistakes! 

I SO hope the Apple guys can work their magic and fix it. Baaaaah. Don't you hate IT issues?! 

Anyhow friends, I'll take this opportunity to wish you a magical weekend. I hope the sun shines for you!

Vi ses på Måndag! (See you Monday!). 

Niki

Photography: Sara Johansson, shared with kind permission

READ MORE...

17

A Charming Little Summer Cabin By a Norwegian Fjord

We're at the summer cottage this week, so I'm strictly in holiday mode - even if the weather is not! Even so, I couldn't resist pouring over beautiful 'sommarstuga' (summer cottage) inspiration and thought it would be rude to keep this little gem to myself! The Norwegian cabin in a former boat house belongs to Jotun colour Manager Lisbeth Larsen. Measuring a teeny 36 square metres (387 sqft), the cabin in beautiful Nesodden, Viken County, has everything you might need for a wonderful holiday including a sleep loft, dreamy open-plan living space and direct access to the Fjord! Oh, and being the colour maestro that Lisbeth is, it also has a beautiful harmonic feel. Ready for the tour? 

The cabin has been furnished with a mix of old and new including a kitchen from Kvik, table and bench from FRAMA and vintage chairs which have been painted in Lady supreme finish 4477 Deco Blue. 

On chillier summer days (err... like today, as well as the past 10 days, and if the forecast is anything to go by - the next 10 days too - baaaah!), a Jøtul wood burning stove comes in handy (if I ever satisfy my lifelong dream of a burner, I'd like one of these bad boys!). 

The back wall behind the sink has been painted in LADY Minerals 0394 Varmgrå and LADY Minerals sealer. 

The wonderful wide wood plank floor is from Moelven and the bulk of the cabin has been painted in LADY 10679 Washed Linen. 

This cosy bedroom to the right of the sink has been painted with LADY Pure Colour 4629 Skuggblå and the bedding is from Swedish brand Himla. 

You couldn't get closer to the fjord if you tried. How wonderful to enjoy a morning coffee looking out over the water! 

Could you imagine spending your summer here? 

Love the blue and greige colour scheme too, it perfectly matches the cabin surroundings, drawing the nature inside. 

Oh, how I love property conversions, how about you? They always make for the most interesting homes! Here are a few others I love:

A beautiful rustic barn conversion

A home inside a shell of a magnificent old warehouse

A Finnish family home in a former schoolhouse

Also see the schoolhouse, warehouse and barn conversion archives - so inspiring!  

Do you have a favourite?

I'll be back on Friday (now on Swedish summer holiday timings!). 

Ha det så fint! 

Niki

Photography: Per Erik Jæger

Styling: Siv Brenne

READ MORE...

5

A Vibrant Aarhus Home - Sustainably Decorated, Danish Style

I love Scandinavian homes with tones of earthy green, grey or chestnut accents. But every now and then a Danish home pops up with vibrant hues which catch the light and brighten up my feed. They are like a happy breath of fresh air! Tanja Gotthardsen's apartment in Aarhus is one of those. Her interior is full of wonderful vintage finds and colourful art, and accessories against a backdrop of luminescent blue and pink. I wrote to Tanja to find out more about her lovely Aarhus home and was excited to discover that there's more than to the apartment than meets the eye. Tanja is a huge advocate for sustainability. The Dane runs a consultancy business which helps sustainable brands and businesses communicate their efforts and her home is testimony to her commitment to using sustainable brands. Read on to find out more!

How do you work with brands?

At the mom moment, so many businesses are greenwashing, rather than doing the actual work. I strive to help make the honest, ethical and environmentally responsible brands stand out from the crowd. I also hold public talks, panel debates and run a consumer oriented blog, where we discuss subjects such as material innovation and human rights - subjects that are also touched upon on my instagram. 

How does your own home decor reflect your ambition?

My decor is primarily made up of second hand finds which I've collected over the years having visited everything from flea markets and thrift shops to more curated vintage boutiques. I also have a few more recent purchases from sustainable brands that I've worked with. 

Are there any particular Scandinavian home decor brands you would recommend? 

For sustainably made furniture, I would look towards TAKT CPH and Make Nordic. Their furniture and materials are certified sustainable, and they put a lot of effort into ensuring pieces that will last a lifetime. Our couch is from Make Nordic. 

For softer elements, such as cushions, throws and bedding, I would suggest Mumutane (socio-economic), Ordinary Things (organic and socially responsible) and Aiayu (organic and socially responsible). 

For vintage / secondhand I would keep an eye on Curated CPH for art prints and The Basement for furniture, lamps and vases. 

The wall colours in your home are so beautiful - is the paint also from a sustainable brand?

The paint I've used is what we call in danish 'naturmaling' - it's a chalk-based paint without any harsh additives. It's made locally by Linoliebutikken - run by a couple who have developed the chalk-paint over the decades. They use the most beautiful pigments in their paints, and it makes the walls extremely vibrant and changeable throughout the day.  

    

Do you have any tips on how to decorate our homes in a more sustainable way?  

Absolutely. My best tip is to remember that the most sustainable item, is the one you already own. Use as much as you can of what you already have. When you want to purchase something new, be honest and ask yourself: "how much will I actually use and treasure this?" After that, start asking questions about how sustainable it is. Many brands postulate sustainability but can't elaborate. Ask them how they ensure it is environmentally friendly and ethically made. You may initially find it difficult to discern the trustworthiness of their answers, but the very act of asking the question will in itself push for change. 

If you wish to learn more, we're am entire community of sustainability advocates that can teach you how to dig deeper. 

Follow Tanja's instagram @tanjagotthardsen for more info! 

What a beautiful home! - The colours, the furniture, the accessories, everything!

Thank you so much to Tanja for sharing these pictures and talking about how to create a more sustainable home - the Danish way. Truly inspiring! 

My first stop is that paint shop! 

I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below. 

How about kicking off the week with a tour of more delightful Aarhus homes? 

An artful and relaxed home in Denmark (with great art!)

A magnificent Danish home with a touch of hygge

A charming Danish home with a fabulous pink bathroom

Wishing you aa wonderful start to the week! See you Wednesday*

Niki

Photography: Tanja Gotthardsen - shared with kind permission

*I'll be posting three days a week over the summer in order to wind down and spend a little more time with family (Monday, Wednesday and Friday)

READ MORE...

5