5 Ways To Rock The Blue And Beige Look - Swedish Style!

Tjena! I hope you had a fabulous weekend! Today in Malmö, we've woken up to blue skies and sunshine - these days are few and far between AND such a blessing when they arrive. Cue: people you haven't seen all winter, suddenly outdoors, all smiles, with faces tilted up towards the sun! Yep, there's no sign of the winter blues today. Which got me thinking. Why is blue so often associated with melancholy and 'cold'. I actually think it can be such a lovely, warm and yet serene accent in the home, do you? Swedish stylist Emma Fischer has combined a dark blue accent with brown, beige and white in this Gothenburg home - and the result is beautiful! Plus, if you're looking to add an accent to your home and use it to create a cohesive look, this is a great example. Here are 5 ways Emma has used blue to create a 'red thread': 

1. Kitchen cabinets - if you're looking to change the colour of your kitchen cabinets without replacing them the best way is to either to paint them yourself (if you like the slightly more brush stroke, rustic look) or take them to a professional spray painter. I'm for the latter since the colour will be more even and long lasting, but it is a personal preference! 

2. Accessories - the chances are, you've chosen your accent colour because you love it - and therefore naturally drawn to it when acquiring new items for your home. Even so, it's good to think about picking up small items such as textiles, mugs (seen in the first picture), and trinkets for your home in your accent colours. Details can make a big difference to the overall look! Notice how Emma has added a tea towel in deep blue and a lovely linen tablecloth in beige / natural (I love this vintage one*), both of which help to strengthen the theme. 

I love this corner by the window! The vintage piece looks similar to the Karin chair - I wonder what it's called? Anyone know? Otherwise, I'll have a little dig around and see if I can find out. 

3. Paint the walls: Bit of an obvious one this, but the absolute easiest way to add an accent is to paint your walls. in this home, Emma has used popular Jotun St Pauls Blue (NCS 6108-B08G) in the bedroom, and an off white Jotun Antikgrå hue in the living room, which complement each other beautifully. Notice how, in the past it was popular to pick out one wall, but these days colour blocking the entire space (walls, wardrobes and all) is the way to go for a bang up to date look! 

4. Bedding: there's a huge amount of beautiful bedding out there right now and you can pick up pretty much any colour under the sun! In this room, Emma has layered soft off-white /natural linen. If the room had beige walls, dark blue bedding mixed with browns and beiges would also have been a great option. Try Bea Linen* for similar. 

5. Art: whether you use the colours in art to inspire the room or feel naturally drawn to art with your favourite accent shades - prints and paintings are a perfect way to help create a cohesive look (as seen with  the blue and beige tones in the 'Copenhagen' print by Astrid Wilson the sitting room below!). 

Beautiful use of colour, don't you think?

What accent colours do you have in your home? 

I've realised, after looking at this, that my home is a little all over the shop. I guess that's OK, after all, I do love to break the rules. Even so, I can't help thinking it might feel a little more harmonious if I applied the 'red thread' idea. Hmmm. 

It doesn't help that my home feels a total mess right now due to the school holidays (half term!). Thinking it might need to be a short week of blogging before the house completely transcends into chaos!!! Hope that's OK with you!

Have you also not quite established that cohesive look you're after? Here are some tips: 

8 ways to create a cohesive home, Danish style

5 lessons to learn about adding an accent colour to your home

Or, if you're still deciding on a colour, the beautiful homes in these archives might help: 

Decorating with blue

Decorating with green

Pretty in pink

Bright colours

Decorating with pastels

Wishing you a great start to the week! 

Niki

Photography Anders Bergstedt 

Styling: Emma Fischer

Mäklare: Alvhem

*This post contains affiliate links which means I might make a very tiny amount of money if you click on something and buy it - at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting My Scandinavian Home. 

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Hanna's Swedish Log Cabin in the Woods of Georgia

You can take a girl out of Scandinavia, but you can't take Scandinavia out of the girl. And this is certainly the case for Hanna Söderström - originally from the Far North of Sweden, just three hours from the Arctic Circle, and now living near Atlanta, Georgia. Hanna and her Swedish husband found their wonderful country home by studying Google Earth. Since acquiring the keys, they've carried out extensive work - transforming it from a dated 80's look to a Scandinavian oasis in the heart of the woods. I caught up with Hanna to chat Scandinavian design, texture, DIY and the roll nature plays in her home.   

How did you end up in Georgia?

I moved to Georgia in 1999 to play soccer as an exchange student while I studied business at Uppsala. I ended up getting an internship for Swedish American Chamber of Commerce in Georgia and thereafter worked in marketing for a Swedish company here in Atlanta. Later, I met my husband who is also Swedish. His family moved here when he was three. 

How did you find this beautiful property? It's so special! 

We were looking for the greenest spot on Google Earth within 45 minutes of Atlanta, that would never be developed on. We bought this house in 2010, a traditional log cabin that backs on to lake Allatoona and miles of hiking trails. 

It sounds like you found a magical spot - and true to your Swedish heritage - close to nature! I am guessing the cabin didn't look like this when you moved in? 

We have slowly updated the cabin into a rustic modern Scandinavian style living space, while still keeping the elements that make it unique: the stove, log walls, beams and front porch. In 2019 we added another 2000 square feet to the home, including the kitchen, back porch, master suite, finished basement and garage. 

You described the look as Scandinavian modern rustic; can you tell us more about this style and how you achieved it?

Cosy Scandinavian to me, is lighter wood tones and real, natural materials like stone, linen or cotton fabrics, wool and metals. I have applied matt earthy colours and textured walls and collected authentic farmhouse antiques that have a patina, which add to the cosy, relaxed feel. When we first moved in everything was orange and felt very 80s. I painted the ceiling and whitewashed the log walls and we installed lighter oak floors finished with a matt sealer. 

For a more modern Scandinavian feel, I like to contrast all the vintage and antique pieces with modern light fixtures and surprising decor elements. I have a real weakness for designer lights! For me, antiques and vintage need contrasting elements in order to stand out even more. 

You have some beautiful pieces in your home, including the antique Swedish chair that opens up into a table (see above - genius!). Where do you find furniture for your home?

Most of our furniture is inherited or vintage. We brought a sea freight container over from Sweden with all our belongings and furniture. Really, the only things that are new in our home are the textiles, upholstery, lights and some of the art. 

I love all the DIY ideas and hacks you share on your instagram (like the bed - see below). I have always been impressed by how good Scandinavians are at DIY. Would you stay this is part of your heritage? 

It's definitely part of my heritage. I grew up in the far North of Sweden, just three hours from the Arctic circle. There, you're kind of forced to know how to do things yourself, and if you don't know how to do things, you ask your neighbour! That's kinda my mentality. Also, my dad is a skilled carpenter and works with restoring properties. My mum was great at sewing and knitting. 

I love woodwork, painting, sewing and took classes in upholstery. But most of all, I like to learn while doing. I'm not an expert in any area but not afraid to try. That's what's fun and exciting. I like to encourage others (especially women) to try DIY. Usually, it's not as hard as it seems - and that's kind of my motto! 

Before

After

Hanna painted the bed in Annie Sloan French Linen, which works perfectly with the Dry Ground lime wash walls. 

 

I love that your home is so close to nature, and love how you've drawn the surroundings in, was this intentional? 

I feel brining nature inside is inherently Scandinavian. Branches, foraged flowers, pine contes, stones etc. I don't do much seasonal decor, instead we live with the season and let nature decide the accents. It's also important to us to make our food from scratch and pick and preserve mushrooms and berries. 

Hanna and her husband added antique doors throughout out the cabin. The ceiling lights in the bedroom are from American contemporary lighting manufacturer RBW. 

You've created a true Scandinavian oasis! A house like this is really 'finished' but more a process that constantly evolves over time. What's next? 

This has been my dream ever since we moved, and all the details have been played out in my head daily for years. Having this much space is a dream come true and I feel so lucky to have pursued my passion of transforming spaces here - and also for others. There are several areas of our home that still need to be renovated. We have a long journey ahead! 

Beautiful - and so inspiring!

I can't wait for the 'loppis' (flea markets) to re-open. In the meantime, seeing that bed has inspired me to scroll online for vintage and antique pieces that might not be the right tone, but have a beautiful shape. More often than not, you can personalise them to be exactly as you wish! 

Oh, and how amazing is the master suite!

Is there anything that stands out to you?

Take a look at Hanna's instagram @homeathand to follow her latest projects - or contact her directly to find out more about her interior design services. 

If you'd like to see some other inspiration over the weekend - why not take a scroll through the country homes archive - there are some really dreamy Scandinavian homes in there (plus some from further afield too!). 

I hope you've felt inspired by the posts this week on the blog! 

Hands up who's ready for the weekend (both hands shoot up). I've been eying up a book and my new chair for several days now!

Wishing you all a great couple of days, see you Monday!

Niki

Photography: Hanna Söderström @homeathand

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A Glimpse Inside My Sitting Room

Sharing another angle of my home today - perhaps one you haven't seen for a while: our sitting room. This week we had the pleasure of inviting this Danish beauty into our home: The classic MG501 Cuba Chair designed by Morten Gøttler. It was originally on loan from Carl Hansen & Søn for a photoshoot, but I completely fell in love with this new variant - with its paper cord seat and back and beautiful wooden legs. Since it's foldable, I thought it would be perfect for our tiny cabin in the future too! Here are a few pics from my shoot - and other details from the room. Roll on the weekend, I want to creep into that corner and  hide from the cold!  

I'm still on the neutrals in my sitting room - I probably should add a little more colour, but, well, you know me! After many sofa cover changes, I often to go back to this linen version* from Bemz! The table is vintage (you can source a similar bench on Etsy here*) and the rug is by the small family run Austrian business Barfuss (more info and pics here!)

Funnily enough, when we first moved in I thought about painting the stairs white. They were really shiny and orange at the time (see the before pictures of my home) - but now the wood has settled and I'm so happy with them just the way they are. 

I have to admit, the area under the stairs is a bit of a dumping ground - we've only just moved the garden cushions into storage - but they were there for 4 months, collecting dust! I had to double check for and clear away other miscallaneas items before the shoot (fidget toys, rogue socks, homework.... there's no need to what you might find under there!). 

In the picture above and below you can see more of a close-up of the beautiful handwoven paper cord back and seat of the Cuba Chair. I love that age old craftsmanship techniques continue to thrive in the Danish furniture industry, it makes the pieces feel that more special!

My beloved mug is by British ceramicist Josie Swift who runs CLÆ ceramics studio. I'm pretty sure coffee doesn't taste quite the same in any other mug! Do you have a favourite cup too?

I hope you enjoyed this glimpse of our sitting room right - and like the new addition as much as I do! 

If anyone's looking for me, I'll be right here with my feet up, reading a book (although if Per asks, I've been grafting away ALL day, obvs!).

I'll be back tomorrow with the final post of the week - and I have to say, the home tour I have for you is SO inspiring! Perfect for the weekend :)

Wishing you a lovely day friends, see you tomorrow!

Niki

This blog post isn't sponsored - the pictures were taken in collaboration with Carl Hansen & Søn for a social media partnership. The chair is a gifted press product (yes, I feel very lucky indeed!). 

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Emelie's Serene Swedish Home With Notes of Green

It's one of those days when I'm miles behind and I just don't know where the time is going. Elsewhere in Sweden in the mesmerisingly beautiful home of Emelie Sundberg - it's as if time has stood still. Her living space oozes calm and serenity! So, what's the trick? The stylist, photographer and founder of Inredningspodden - a popular Swedish podcast about interior design - has applied lovely muted tones of green throughout her home, which, when combined with wood and other natural materials, draw the inside in. Her choice of vintage and antique furniture as well as an abundance of plants and flowers also add to the wonderfully relaxed look. Welcome to Emelie's world! 

Simply stunning, don't you think?

It's easy to look at pictures like these and think how effortless everything looks, but trust me, Emelie and her husband have put in a huge amount of work into transforming the house into a beautiful family living space. Below is an example of one of the projects they have carried out. 

Emelie's Clever Hallway Hack: 

Emelie and her husband have completely transformed their hallway to make space for the family shoes and other outdoor wear. To create the look, they added wainscoting, built-in seating and a the Rakkestad wardrobe from IKEA. And then painted  everything including the window frame in Green Tea 846 from Beckers. What a fantastic transformation! 

This home will leave me dreaming all day, how about you? 

If you'd like to see more of Emelie's living space and see her latest projects, check out her instagram and blog. 

You might also like to tune in to her fantastic Inredningspodden podcasts (in Swedish) - there are 67 episodes to date. 

Fancy exploring other Swedish homes in serene tones of green today?

The earthy green home of Sofie Izard Høyer was the most popular home tour of 2020 - and I can totally see why, how about you? 

This beautiful Swedish home has become instantly recognisable for it's wonderful features and incredible decor (including notes of green!). 

I also think this Stockholm apartment in shades of blue and green is truly inspiring! 

Would you consider green in your home?

Niki

Photography courtesy of Emelie Sundberg

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7

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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