An Inspiring Studio Flat - And Shrove Tuesday Celebrations, Swedish style!

Big shout out to all of you who live in a one room studio. This Gothenburg apartment is for you! The studio flat occupies one room of an old apartment building - and has been designed to incorporate everything one might need - a mini cloakroom, a practical yet drool worthy kitchen (handcrafted by Taras Hallgren & Son), a dining area, sitting room and semi-private bedroom with lots of storage and a dressing area! What a perfect pied-à-terre! Keep a look out for the telly too - a rare find on My Scandinavian home simply because photographers and stylists like to hide them from view. But in this home, it takes pride of place - and can be watched from the dining area and sofa. All it needs is a 360-degree swivel and you could watch it from bed too! But really, my eyes are still on the kitchen - I love the dark green cabinets in combination with the stone. Vackert! 

How cute is that little side table in the last image. I wonder where it's from. Any idea? 

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

Curious to see how it looked before? Click here (thanks anon in comments!). Which look do you prefer?

There's a load more small spaces to feel inspired by in this archive. 

Here in the Brantmark household today I can hear Liv leaping around in her bedroom doing an online PE class. Meanwhile, outside the world is blanketed in snow - and there'll no doubt be a little sledging action later. No ice action on the frozen sea though - especially after seeing this film of a guy ice-skating in Holland!! How crazy is that?

And of course, we'll be tucking into 'semlor' - dreamy buns packed with marzipan and whipped cream and Sweden's answer to 'Fättisdagen' (literally translated to 'Fat Tuesday', better known around the world as Shrove Tuesday. Recipe here! And a fine example below, captured by Malin Poppy Darcy Mörner:

Will you be enjoying one of these today? Or perhaps pancakes? If the latter - what filling? In need of some inspiration! 

Wishing you all a lovely day, stay warm, stay safe!

Niki

Photographs: Anders Bergstedt

Styling: Nouvel Interior

For: Entrance

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A Cosy Living Space In a Swedish Country Home

Why, hello there friends! Monday huh? Well, that came around quickly. Here in Sweden, we were treated to a magical weekend - a rare diamond - with two days of clear blue skies and frozen seas upon which we could ice skate. It was simply incredible! And now, the clouds have rolled over and we're all hunkering down at home once again, fires roaring. A few miles from Västerås, interior stylist, creator, author and founder of Babes in Boyland, Nathalie Myrberg is busy stoking the fire at her home at Målhammar.  The family moved to the former stables in the height of the pandemic in 2020 - and plan to convert half of the house into a summer cafe and farm shop.  Nature, the slow life and sustainability are close to Nathalie and her family's heart - and their home is full of vintage treasures. Here are a few snapshots from corners of the rooms they've completed so far! 

This is a mere snapshot into Nathalie's life in the Swedish countryside - but it's early days, and I for one look forward to following their project over on Nathalie's Instagram and the blog! 

Perhaps one day, we might all even be able to visit!

Would you like to see more cosy Scandinavian country homes today? Here are a few that are bound to inspire:

A warm rural Swedish country home that combines old and new

A cosy Norwegian country home

Ilkka's charming retreat in the Finnish countryside

Wishing you a wonderful start to the week!

Niki

Photography: Babes in Boyland / Nathalie Myrberg 

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Our Dining Area With New 'Soft Blue' Wishbone Chairs!

It's been a while since I shared a snapshot of my own home - in fact I think this is the first time this year! So, I thought I'd complete the blog week by sharing some pictures of my dining area that I took in collaboration with Carl Hansen & Søn along with interior designer Helen Sturesson. 

I'm sure you instantly recognise these chairs as the CH24 Wishbone Chair- a true Scandinavian design classic. Except with a twist; Carl Hansen & Søn recently launched this 'Soft Blue' version, which is simply divine!

It was so lovely to see the table all dressed up and circled with these iconic beauties. Our dining area has been the hub of the home over the past year and a place for crazy family dinners, homework, my office - and even maths lessons (Per set-up a white board against the back wall and taught his sixth form college students crazy formulas I'd never have the hope of solving!). Never a dull moment in the Brantmark family! 

I was so happy to see that it can still scrub up well when required! 

At 3 days Of Design I visited the Carl Hansen & Søn showroom in Copenhagen (a must if you're ever in town) and watched a craftsman weave the seat of a wishbone chair (it takes around one hour, using 120 metres of cord!). It was so cool to see the guy in action, and a great reminder that these chairs are mostly handcrafted. 

I hope you enjoyed this little peek inside my home - and my shots of Carl Hansen & Søn's latest offering (more info here). 

I wish I could have kept the entire set, but alas, I reluctantly (and diligently) sent them back over the bridge - baaaah! At least I've got these pics to prove that these beauties were in my possession! 

This evening our dining room is back to its normal self - and ready for a Friday take-away! So rock 'n' roll these days, right? What's your Friday tradition (right now)? 

I'm hoping we can get out on the snow and ice this weekend. 

I hope you have some fun outdoor plans for the weekend too!

Wishing you all a wonderful couple of days - see you Monday!  

Niki

PS Carl Hansen & Søn didn't sponsor this blog post (it was a social media collaboration only) - I just thought it would be fun to share the shots with you! 

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Danish Blues And Spring Pastels in a Danish living Area

Here in Southern Sweden, it's ice cold (minus 9 degrees Celsius - BRRRR!).  The sea has started to freeze and icicles cling to the rocks and swimming decks. On my walk yesterday evening I noticed how the world turned from dazzling white to pink and then an incredible blue as the sun went down over the frosty waters. A tone not unlike that seen in Maj Winther Træde's dining area and sitting room. In her sitting room Maj has painted the entire room pale blue and added a pale pink accent as well as touches of easter pastels such as yellow, lavender and turquoise. The theme is carried through to the dining area with one single statement shelving unit in dusty blue. Danish design pieces such as wishbone chairs, a panthella lamp and 7 series chair help to add an elegant vibe. A perfect spring oasis in the heart of a wintery Copenhagen! Welcome to Maj's world!   

In the dining area, Maj has combined an Eiremann 2 dining table from Please wait To Be Seated with classic wishbone chairs and a black and chrome chair. A shelving unit from Hay is used to display colourful glassware, vases and kitchen essentials. The rug is from IKEA. 

I wish I could tell you the tone of this blue, but Maj has mixed it herself. I am currently painting Liv's room blue (at her request!) and my one piece of advice, is to pick up as many different colour cards as possible. The colour you choose TOTALLY depends on the room. 

A pink Fritz Hansen 7 Series chair rests against the wall beside various prints including the Line by Hein Studio. The bench is from FDB Møbler (who've been hand crafting furniture in Denmark since 1942). 

How lovely - it makes me feel like spring is in the air, despite the snow outside! I hope you felt inspired by this dining area and sitting room too!

You can see more of Maj's wonderful world (including what she's wearing (pastels of course!), lifestyle shots and her latest interior projects) over at @majtraede. 

For more blue inspiration I love this stunning Norwegian home, the wonderful home of a Swedish food blogger and Sofie Amalie's danish home. 

And a little colour palette inspiration from a feature I wrote last year: True blue baby, 2020 loves you (still proud off that title!). 

Are you feeling the chill where you are too? If so, stay warm out there friends (or if you're Down Under - stay cool - I hear you have the opposite issue!). 

Klem!

Niki

Photography: Another Studio DK / @anotherstudio.dk (accept the 5th picture which was shot by Maj). Shared with kind permission. 

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5 Great Design Tricks To Learn From a Small Swedish Space

It was a while since I featured a small space - which is a shame, as Scandinavian's are masters are these! This delightful apartment in Gothenburg, Sweden measures up at a mere 56 sqm (602 f2) - but the owners have still managed to squeeze in everything they need: including a light and airy kitchen, sitting room, home office, private bedroom, wardrobe space and a bathroom - and all with impeccable style too! Here are five things I love about this space - and what I see as the key to its success! 

1. Keeping to one era: the mint green kitchen cabinets wouldn't look out of place in the 50s - 60s - and yet it was newly renovated in 2016. To match the look, they've added a Gubi semi pendant lamp* which was designed in 1968, a set of classic 7 series chairs (designed by Arne Jacobsen in 1955) and a vintage mid-century table and dresser. Despite the eclectic materials, this has helped to create a cosy, cohesive kitchen. 

2. Lots of pieces, without the clutter! If you look closely at the windowsill there's a lot going on - 5 unique pots (love the spotty one - I think it's by Elin Frodig), a little lamp and a candlestick holder. But since they're all in the same tone, it looks interesting without looking visually cluttered, 

I'd love a larder, sadly they rarely build new houses with these! 

3. Grouping: in small spaces, it's really important to leave areas empty. This helps to give the illusion of space. This can easily be achieved by grouping objects together (as seen above with the shelves and gallery wall). If you have shelves at home that feel cluttered, try grouping items together in threes or fives and leaving space between the next group - it will instantly elevate the space! 

4. Elfa storage: I always think Swedish brand Elfa is such an unsung hero of the interior world. The solutions are much more budget friendly than say, String (seen below) - and you can create endless different looks - as seen with the shelf and desk in the home office above, and the wardrobe below. A small space's best friend! FYI I'm not paid to say this, in fact I've never even spoken to them, I just love what they do. Hmmm. Maybe I should reach out? 

5. Sliding doors: No, I'm not talking about the 1990s romantic-comedy (although - I did used to love that film!), I'm talking doors that glide into the wall and simply 'disappear'. We have three sliding doors in our own home and I can't tell you how much space they help save. But also, the door frame can be way wider which means more light can filter into the room. Perfect for windowless rooms like this little bedroom alcove! The one in the picture below is from Bauhaus. 

PS I also love the use of bold pattern and colour in a tiny space - it adds so much drama and detracts from the size. Are you a fan off this too?

Perhaps you spotted some other great ideas from this lovely Swedish apartment, if so I'd love to hear below. 

In case you're curious to see the layout etc - there's a load more info here (this flat is for sale!). 

All in all, one lovely pad, don't you think?

I'll leave you with a few other teeny Scandinavian apartments to look at this bright and sunny (yet very cold Wednesday - there's a deep freeze going on here right now and tomorrow we're looking at a high of 8 degrees C - BRRRRRR!). 

Cosy small space living in Gothenburg, Sweden

The cosy small Copenhagen flat of a creative and plant-lover

7 creative ways to make the most of a loft / attic space

Have a lovely day friends! 

Niki

Photography Anders Bergstedt for Entrance

*affiliate links

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