Welcome Inside The Home of a Danish Interior Consultant

Why hello there, or 'hej' (pronounced 'hi' in Danish - which makes it pretty easy for us English speaking guys!). Today, I'm whisking you away to Odder, a small town in central Jutland, Denmark, which Cecilie Kovsted and her fiancé Magnus have made their home. Cecilie works an interior consultant at Tapetforum and as a sales employee at ARoS Aarhus Art Museum. Little wonder her home - which she frequently shows on her instagram feed @interiorunivers - is a real feast for the eyes. The duo have filled their 79 m2 (850 f2) apartment with ceramics, colourful prints and 'loppemarked' (flea market) finds -inspired by Cecilie's childhood home. Pour yourself a Danish-style extra strong 'kaffe', pull up a chair, and enjoy the tour! 

"I am in the process of changing our decor and I am trying to focus more on warm colours, Japanese ceramics and prints that match my 'theme'." - Cecilie. 

"Art means a lot to me, and as you can probably see, we have a lot of it in our home! Most of the prints are flea market finds or bought from interior design shops. I look for unique prints. I particularly love prints from Galerie Maeght and even visited their little shop in Paris - which I can highly recommend!" - Cecilie. 

Such an inspiring home - especially the art! 

You often see the same prints time and time again in homes, but I loved how Cecilie had sought more original art, particularly in her home office. 

Feeling curious, I scoured her instagram feed to glean some of the sources she's used for glassware, ceramics, prints and other decor:

Cecilie's Danish Interior Shopping Black Book

Kræss Store (glassware, ceramics, art etc!)

Atelier Mathilde Vesterskov

Le Klint (lighting)

Louisiana Museum Shop

ARoS Art Museum Shop

Since my family and I are actually heading to Denmark today (WHOOPEE! I'm SO excited as we haven't been since the whole - whisper it, pandemic began - follow along on my instagram stories if you'd like to see a little of Hornbæk!), I thought it would be apt to go all out Danish today. Here are a few other homes I love:

Malene and Jeppe's Home With Lots of Dots

A Vibrant Aarhus Home

An elegant Danish home in the heart of Copenhagen

And while we're on the topic of 'great Dane' style and design, I'll be stopping by tomorrow with an extra post to share some pictures I took near our summer cottage of some beautiful Danish glassware and one of my favorite Swedish summer drinks! See you then! 

Niki

Photography: Cecilie Kovsted

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A Lovely, Relaxed Artist's Home Full of Plants

Tjena! We've had a great week on Sweden's West coast - despite a few howling gales. Now, we're starting to wind our way back to Malmö across the Skagerrak, Kattegat and Öresund seas (it's a loooong sail!). I'm already dreaming about home and my warm, cosy bed - so it feels apt to start blogging about beautiful interiors again today! And what better way to kick off the week than an artists home full of plants, books and inspiring DIY ideas! Denise is a freelance illustrator and art therapist, who's watercolour box is her constant companion. Her light-filled home in Berlin has been furnished with an eclectic blend of pieces, and although pared-back, it's full of character and serves as a wonderful, relaxed space to live and paint. Welcome to Denise's world! 

What a great home! 

I love her DIY headboard against the textured bedroom wall. The futon style bed also emphasizes the tremendous ceiling height. 

Did you spot her amazing rubber plant? I'm not sure ours will ever be that tall!

Is there anything that stood out to you? 

Denise sells her beautiful watercolors through her Etsy shop KunstZimmerBerlin and is also a part of The Conscious Club, a studio and store in Berlin for mindfully designed and crafted products (one to visit if you're ever in town!). I also love her instagram @kunstzimmer - it's full of inspiration! 

How I love a Berlin home, do you feel the same? Here are a few others I've featured: 

A small relaxed bohemian home, filled with plants

A serene family home in Berlin

A bohemian touch in a magnificent Berlin apartment

The wonderful loft of a furniture designer (OK, I cheated a little here, this is not in Berlin - but it's well worth a peek!)

Have a great start to the week! See you Wednesday (I'll be blogging three days a week until Monday as it can be a bit tricky on the high seas!). 

I hope you're having a relaxing summer, and keeping well out there! 

Niki

Photography: Denise / @kunstzimmer

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Malene and Jeppe's Pastel Copenhagen Home - With Lots of Dots!

A few weeks ago Denmark announced that residents from Skåne county in Sweden are allowed back over the bridge! I honestly did a little dance. Oh, how I've missed my trips to Copenhagen! Until I manage to make the trip, I'm going to continue to get my fill of fabulous Danish design from the homes of creatives across Denmark - I hope you'll join me! Today, let's take a virtual tour of the fab home of Jeppe, Malene and their two young children Hugo and Sonja. The family live in a 200 m2 (2152 ftsq) apartment in Vesterbro, a hip neighbourhood in the Danish capital. Malene works as a production manager for achingly cool Danish clothing brand ENVII (check out @envii_official) and Jeppe is a carpenter. The latter comes in handy for their home renovations - which they do entirely by themselves. Welcome to a world of pastels, prints and lots of dots! 

"For us, it is important that it feels warm and cosy in our home. We love having friends and family over - and we like to ensure the furniture and styling doesn't feel too strict or 'smart' - you need to feel that people live here" - Malene. 

The dining room wall has been painted in Aloe Vera from Dyrup and a set of Hans J. Wegner wishbone chairs* have been arranged around the table. 

The prints are from Jenny Brandt Grönberg (who's sitting room I featured here), Nynne Rosenvinge, Clara Selina Bach and Galerie Maeght, among others. 

Malene picked up the little stool at Søstrene Grene and painted the legs lilac to match the cushions. 

In the master bedroom, Malene has combined beige 'Cuppa Coffee' paint from Dyrup with pink accents (including sustainable bedding from JUNA Design). The wall-mounted nightstand was handcrafted by Trævarefabrikernes and the wall lamp and stool are from IKEA. 

"I love pastel colours, and I fall in love each time I see something pink or dotty!" - Malene. 

In the bathroom, Malene and Jeppe have instilled tiles from Marokk and accessorised the space with an H&M basket and a Fine Little Day 'Swimmers' print. 

The hallway has been painted in Deco Pink from Jotun Lady and the wall-mounted unit is from Trævarefabrikernes (as before).

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Such a lovely home! I particularly love the pastels, they're fun yet calming all at once. 

Is there anything that stood out to you about Jeppe and Malene's home? 

See more pictures over at @londogmussehuset!

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We're currently island hopping on Sweden's West coast, sailing, swimming, crabbing and enjoying everything the Swedish summer has to offer (even if it could be a few degrees warmer and not raining like it is today - BAAAH!!). I've promised my little family to take next week off while we capture this wonderful area together to create a guide of our favorite islands once we return. I hope you'll feel inspired to visit once day!

In the meantime, you might like to explore the archives which hold THOUSANDS of beautiful Scandi-inspired homes - here are a few of my favorite categories: 

Swedish homes

Danish homes

Finnish homes

Norwegian homes

Icelandic homes

Scandi-inspired international homes

Summer cottages

Have a wonderful week friends, I hope the sun shines for you (and returns here!!). 

See you Monday 3rd August. 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Malene & Jeppe / @londogmussehuset shared with kind permission.

*This post includes affiliate links

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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." 

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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. 

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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. 

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