An Eclectic Home In The Heart Of Copenhagen

It's Friday friends! The weekend calls for something, don't you think? And today, I'm chatting to Ann Poulsen, a Dane who's passionate about DIY, sustainability and making her home feel as personal as possible. Velkommen to her beautiful Copenhagen apartment, decorated in a sea of colours, and adorned with art, vintage items and lovely, unique touches. 

Where do you live?

I live in an apartment in Copenhagen in an area called Island Brygge. 

Who do you share your home with? 

My boyfriend, Tim. He moved in a few months ago which explains why I haven't mentioned him in the renovating process on my instagram :)

What do you do for a living? 

I study Danish at Copenhagen University and also work in Langsamt, a store with a focus on sustainability. 

What is important to you when decorating your home? 

To design a space that feels like home and where I want to spend a lot of my time. Our home is our base. I feel best when things are tidy and I'm not surrounded by too much clutter. But it's also important to me that my home feels lived in. I also like my personality to shine through. I love to be creative and create a personal home where the decor is mainly made up of recycled and vintage finds. 

I love the tiles in your kitchen - where are they from? 

I bought them from a shop here in Copenhagen called Alverdens Fliser. I've always loved the herringbone pattern but there were so many colours to choose from! In the end I want for the beautiful blue and I've never regretted it! 

Your home is a wonderful, eclectic mix of colour and pieces - where do you find your inspiration from? 

I feel very inspired when I walk around secondhand shops. It always feels like I'm stepping back in time and it's fun to see the various trends from the past - I find the mix interesting. I also get a lot of inspiration from Pinterest and Instagram. 

 

Can you tell us a little about the colours you've chosen? 

In my bedroom I've chosen a mineral paint called Dusty Rose from Jotun Lady. It gives the room a raw, beautiful look and changes depending fin how the light hits it. In my kitchen, I've used Modern Beige from Jotun Lady. And in my living room, I've applied the yellow Gullhår from Jotun Lady. The green is from Bech & Jørgensen (colour code: 2014-N048). 

You have a lot of art on your walls - where do you buy it from?  

I like to buy posters from the exhibitions I have been to - it gives them a little history and art galleries always sell the finest art! I also buy a lot online. 

Did you make the piece in your bedroom (to the left) yourself? 

Yes! I made it around a year ago. It's quite easy to make with PU-foam, a canvas and the colour of your choice! 

Finally, what do you love most about your home? 

I love that it feels like home to both Tim and I. It's liberating to know I can decorate it however I like, and completely in my style. I don't think I will ever finish renovating - it's a never-ending project! 

Now that Tim's moved in, do you think he'll want to have a say in the decorating? 

No, not at all actually - he couldn't care less! He's really great as he never complains about the mess I make when I'm renovating either - and it can go for on for weeks! 

Thank you so much for telling us about your home Ann! 

You can see more snapshots and follow Ann's latest home decorating projects here. 

I love all the tones Ann's picked for her home - especially the blue tiles in the kitchen - refreshingly unique!  

Is there anything that stood out to you?

How about a few other Danish homes to enjoy over the weekend? Here are some of my favourites: 

Welcome inside the home of a Danish interior design consultant

On trend ceilings, art and books galore in a Danish home

A dreamy Danish home full of arts, books and design

Well folks, that's it from me this week. I hope you've enjoyed all the inspiration! Thank you so much for all your comments, I love reading each and every one of them - they're part of what makes this space a great community of fellow Scandic-design lovers! 

Trevlig helg!

Niki

Photography: Ann Poulsen

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A Lovely, Light And Airy Swedish Apartment

Who's ready for a lie-in? If it meant chilling here, I'd be happy to take an entire duvet day and make my way through the last episodes of The Queen's Gambit (have you seen it? If not, it's a must!). This week on the blog, we've been on a tour of a charming Stockholm apartment, an edgy Berlin flat, and a tiny house on wheels, so today I thought we'd take a breather and admire this light and airy space, where the beauty lies in the simplicity. Think milky white hues, soft fabrics and a whole load of light! 

Although not featured, I kind of want to go in and put a Samsung Frame TV (with light wood frame) on the wall instead of the picture. It would make a perfect TV corner and that's the perfect TV (I'm not sponsored to say that, even if I did do a collaboration around it back in 2016! - I just love it!). But maybe, it's because I'm still thinking about that series....

Got to love a plinth! They make such great plant stands, don't you think? 

Just the breather I needed! 

Love the dark blue kitchen cabinets too - they helps to break up the white. 

Is there anything that stood out to you?

I'll be back tomorrow with a colourful danish home full of art - I think you're going to like it!

Vi ses imorgon! 

Niki

Photos courtesy of Alvhem

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Before And After: A Tiny Off-the-grid Swedish Cabin In The Woods

Have you ever considered a more simple life? Perhaps one that involves swapping urban adventures for a serene rural life? Or maybe you've been considering down-sizing in order to save money and realise a dream! Either way - I think you're going to find todays tour amazingly inspiring! 

As an 'Organic Farming and Sustainable Living' student, Paula Edén had lived in a little caravan in the countryside. Since graduating, she'd always dreamed of returning to 'tiny house' living and a more simple life. Paula set about sketching her dream home and built herself a tiny cabin on wheels. Today, she lives completely off-grid in a 13 metre2 living space, where everything she needs is right there on her doorstep. 

The sketch

Paula had always loved the ideas of a traditional Swedish Falu-red cottage with yellow doors. Her sketch (above) would form the blue-print for the construction phase. 

The Construction

Paula was keen to ensure her cottage was constructed in as sustainable was possible. She worked with natural materials (avoiding plastic and aluminium) and also sought upcycled pieces from reclaim yards - for example, the chassis was made using an old boat trailer. 

Paula sought the help of her Father - a woodwork teacher - and also looked for advice from other people who had carried out similar projects, joining many Facebook groups. As a first-timer, Paula decided to break down the house building process into smaller parts, allowing her creativity to guide her as much as possible. 

As someone who has always been interested in interiors, Paula was keen to put form ahead of function - which is fairly unusual in the 'tiny house' world where space is of a premium! The interior was constructed with left over storm wood, which she combined with new bead boards. 

Once the construction work was complete, the fun began: decorating! Paula painted the interior an earthy sage green using linseed oil paint code S 3010-G70Y and complimented it with Waldemar wallpaper from Boråstapeter. The muted colour scheme and natural wood were deliberately chosen to reflect the surrounding nature. 

Delivery!

The house was delivered to a borrowed plot of land on a farm in Småland, on a hill surrounded by pastures, forest and lakes.  

The interior

The cottage has been kitted out with everything Paula needs - including seating lined with cushions and a set of table and chairs from where she sits to eats, reads and catches up with friends - after coming home from her job as a nursery teacher. 

Living completely off-grid, Paula uses the Wood-burning stove to cook her meals as well as for heating. She collects drinking-water from the nearby farm and a hole in the ground serves as a fridge. Paula also collects rainwater from the roof and swims in the nearby lake to wash. A small solar panel has been attached to the side of the cottage to generate electricity. 

The ceiling serves as extra storage for important utensils such as an oil lamp and a basket used for foraging and gathering homegrown fruit and vegetables. 

Look closely and you'll also spot her sleep loft - a cosy nook above the kitchen!

Vintage tins and jars in the kitchen add to the warm, cosy vibe of Paula's home while providing somewhere to store food. 

How lovely! 

Such a beautiful, cosy little space to potter around in!  

Per and I are planning to build a small cottage in the garden of the summer cottage - but we never actually considered building it ourselves! Feeling inspired, I asked Paula a little more about what it was like to build a cottage, and if she has any tips for anyone looking to do the same:

"It's so much fun to learn how to build a house! It's also great to be able to build your home just the way you want it. On the whole, I felt the process went really well.  I may not have done everything by the book, but I'm happy with it! 

Taking it one step at a time and leave room for creativity. Look for support from other people who have carried out similar projects (there are plenty of groups on Facebook).  And don't think too much, just go for it! 

Remember: not everything needs to be perfect - it won't turn out as you had planned anyway!"

Wise words indeed! 

I couldn't resist asking Paula one more question - how is she finding life in her tiny cabin in the woods and how does she have any plans for the future?

"I really enjoy living in the woods and I feel at home surrounded by trees and meadows. My dream is to be surrounded by a couple of other tiny houses occupied by friends so we can share water and electricity. There's something beautiful about silence, but life is more fun with others!" 

Thank you so much to Paula for graciously sharing her thoughts and images. You can see many more snapshots of her life on a farm over at @paulas.hus. 

Looking for other tiny house inspiration? Peek inside the world's smallest luxury home (it's also on wheels!), a tiny Danish beach cabin that's big on style and Dream life on a budget: a tiny cabin and pottery studio in the woods. 

Are you feeling as inspired as I am? I'd love to hear your thoughts on Paula's lovely home below! 

Niki

Photography: Paula Edén, first seen in Land magazine 

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An Edgy Berlin Home, Full of Contrast

Is it me or has it been a while since we were in Berlin? Given that it's only a six-hour drive away (plus ferry) from Malmö - I kind of miss that German city. Such is life right now, I guess. But nothing can stop us from paying a virtual visit, right?! So, today I'm taking you on a trip to Berlin, for a peek behind the facade of a building in the beautiful Schöneberg district. Nadine Engels lives with her husband and their ''little street dog'' Coockie (also the name of her popular instagram feed). The magnificent apartment is characterised by staggeringly high ceilings and exposed brick walls. But there's something entirely unique about the space too. Think raw, edgy walls, a touch of graffiti, pops of neon and wonderful contrasts throughout. Welcome to Nadine and Coockie's world! 

We did a lot of the renovation ourselves, and love the charm of the old building - even if it creaks everywhere!" - Nadine. 

"We were lucky to discover the beautiful dual-toned concrete wall when we removed the wallpaper, the only thing we added was the 'Miau' - which we did before our dog moved in....'' - Nadine.

I love the way the Tom Dixon copper round pendant light* contrasts with the exposed concrete wall!

The Walton Ford print is from an exhibition a few years back at Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Denmark (I remember going to see it!). The poster is still available in the museum webshop here. 

I love how Nadine has hung a Ferm Living Mirage Blanket* on her bedroom wall - it makes for great art! It's not the first time we've seen Ferm Living used in this way - remember this Berlin home with a Merge rug*? 

This linen bedding* is similar to the one seen. 

There are so many striking spots in Nadine's home, don't you think? I particularly love the bedroom and dining room! 

Is there anything that stood out to you?

Shall we take a little trip down memory lane and visit a few other Berlin apartments? I am always inspired by:

A lovely, budget-friendly Berlin pad (check-out the DIY fireplace!). 

A serene Swedish home in a Berlin rental

Bohemian touch in a magnificent Berlin apartment (love the kitchen walls!)

Have a lovely day friends!

Niki

Photography: Nadine Engels, shared with kind permission

*This post contains affiliate links with means I'll make a very tiny amount of money on anything you click through and buy - at no extra cost to you. 

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A Charming Apartment In Stockholm Where Past And Present Meet

Why, hello there! I hope you had a great weekend! I thought we'd kick off the week with a charming Stockholm home that's full of character and lovely vintage touches (I especially love the loo roll holder!). The space has been captured by Historiska Hem - an estate agent which prides itself on selling homes with a past. And I can totally understand why this one fits the bill. The apartment is housed in the historic Nederland Mindre 9, a property best known as the former home and studio of Swedish artist and sculptor Christian Eriksson. Dating back to the late 17th century, the house has been converted into a series of beautiful apartments where past and present go hand in hand. What a perfect opportunity for anyone looking for their own little slice of history in the heart of Stockholm! Ready to peek inside? 

I love how a narrow wall in the kitchen has been put to good use with a built-in plate-rack, painted the same colour as the cabinets - perfect for extra storage and adding to the cosy feel of the home, don't you think?

Owning a home with a Kakelugn (tiled masonry oven) is a bit of a dream of mine. This one appears to be in great working condition too! The entire 'oven' heats up and emits heat for hours on end, even after the fire dies. Oh, and they're pretty too! 

The bathroom is made up of so many lovely details - including a vintage cabinet. copper pipes, pretty floor tiles and a vintage loo roll holder. 

Sidenote: I am especially taken by the loo roll holder for the simple reason that no one in my family except me, is capable of taking the cardboard roll off the holder once it's finished. They just put the new loo roll on top. I mean. Seriously! How hard can it be?  

I'm thinking if I had one of these bad boys with space for four, it wouldn't bother me so much! What do you reckon? 

While we're on the subject, my Mother-in-law has a vintage loo roll holder in her bathroom at the summer cottage. It has a little built-in drawer and I recently found out that in the olden days, it was used to store a match box.... make of that what you will! 

What a magnificent entrance! 

I love the outdoor space too. You see this outdoor furniture a lot in Sweden, it's made by a classic Swedish brand Grythyttan (just in case you're looking for new outdoor furniture this Autumn / winter). I shared a whole load of 'cosy' outdoor inspiration a few weeks ago (in case you missed it). 

Is there anything that stood out to you about this lovely home? 

Fancy taking a peek inside a few other Stockholm homes today? Here are a few of my faves: 

The incredible Stockholm home of Lovisa Häger

Get the look from the fab home of a design hunter

A beautiful Stockholm home in calming green and grey tones

Wishing you a fabulous start to the week friends!

Niki

Photography: Historiska Hem photo Lina Ostling styling Rymandshem

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