Scrolling

This Charming 19th Century Swedish Villa Could Be Yours!

Up for a little Swedish house hunting today? I spotted this 19th century yellow and white villa in Norrtälje, just North of Stockholm this morning and it really is what dreams are made of! Think incredible bones, large spacious rooms (the kitchen in particular is beautiful!) and SEVERAL pretty outdoor spaces. Plus, you'd have space for all your creative activities (keep an eye out for the sewing room!), a music quarter and a magical garden in which to prune the roses and barbecue all summer long. Gaaaah! Is it too much to demand my family pack up and move 600 km? I guess so. But, perhaps one of you can snap this up on my behalf? After seeing the tour, you might just be as tempted as I am! 


Can you spot the knäckebröd (crisp bread) in this picture? I love that this kitchen works to keep the tradition of making your own crisp bread alive! 











Oh, how lovely. Seeing all the flowers in the garden has me dreaming of summer days, how about you?

Could you imagine living here too? 

I love that you might just have space to call your own - and do whatever you like with. If you had access to a 'hobby room' what would you use it for? Music? Sewing? Painting? I guess my favourite hobby is photography. Or perhaps I'd use it to write another book. Either way, I'm sure I'd find a use for it!

See the entire tour and find out all the details (including floorplan etc) here

Ha det så trevligt!

Niki

Photography: Courtesy of Historiska Hem, with thanks

Twitter FaceBook

Pin It
5

A Danish Artist's Beautiful And Inspiring Copenhagen Home

God morgon! Oh, have I got a beautiful home tour for you today! Located in Østerbro, Copenhagen, the Danish home of Marie and Jacob is full of everything I love: sun light, mid-century pieces, Danish design, art, and a very handsome furry friend! Twenty-eight-year-old Marie works as an information security consultant and loves to paint in her spare time. Her paintings can be seen throughout the 100 square metre space - and are part of what gives their home a wonderful, unique and personal touch. The recently renovated space also features beautiful second-hand / vintage pieces as well as statement lighting and soft serene shades. Velkommen!  

An IKEA kitchen has been combined with a natural stone worktop from Zurface, giving it a luxurious finish. 

Marie and Jacob have made the most of a wide windowsill - turning it into a space to sit with a coffee, soak up the sunshine and watch the world go by. 

The chairs and table were picked up second-hand online and a Drop Chandelier from 101 Copenhagen hangs overhead. 

A painting by Marie takes pride of place in the sitting room - adding a wonderful element of colour. The seating is from the Sofa Company


I love how Marie and Jacob have made full use of the windows in every room. In the sitting, a Coventry chair and Arum table lamp* have been combined to create a perfect reading corner. 


In the spare room, the couple have capitalised on the natural light to make a home office. 



I love this rack (source a similar solid oak rail here*) - we could really do with this many hooks in our bathroom (there are always about 15 towels on the go - it drives me nuts!). I'm also itching to put up some art but Per is not happy about drilling into the tiles. What are your thoughts on this? Is it a bad idea? Or should we just go for it? 

How lovely! 

I especially appreciate how Marie and Jacob have added just the right amount of furniture to fit their needs and nothing more! It strikes that perfect balance - pared-back yet warm, something I talk about in my Lagom book.  

Is there anything that stood out to you? 

See more pictures of their lovely home - and keep up to date with Marie and Jacob's latest renovation projects over at @strandboulevardan.  

Shall we take a peek inside homes of a few other artists today? Here are a few I love: 


Do you have a lot of art in your home? 

Niki

Photography courtesy of @strandboulevardan shared with kind permission.

*This post contains affiliate links

Twitter FaceBook

Pin It
6

An Earthy London Home, Packed With Personality

Good morning! I'm feeling all refreshed and revived after a few days off - plus full of energy as I'm back in my studio for the first time in months. Weeeeee! What a difference a change of scene can make. Hopefully we can all experience it soon (meanwhile, I'll make the most of it, who knows how long it might last!)! In the meantime, there's the internet helping to escort us to homes far and wide without leaving our sofa! I spotted this wonderful home of hair stylist Cyndia Harvey over at The Modern House. Located in a peaceful mews in Brockley, South London, the living space is full of rich, earthy tones and packed with fabulous vintage and antique finds, giving the overall look a truly personal feel. 

Cyndia lived in Jamaica until she was eleven years old. As an adult, she lived in various rental spaces until moving into this space three years ago. Cyndia took absolutely nothing with her from her previous home. Instead, she scoured local markets, picking out art-like pieces and anything that 'spoke to her' including a French rattan chair, 20th century wardrobe and ''crazy blue suede bed''. As a result, Cyndia feels a connection to all the items she owns - and loves that they tell their own, unique story. 


The white walls help to give the space a gallery-like walls, allowing the unique furniture and art to take centre-stage. 


Recently I've talked a lot about the 'rödtrÃ¥d' (the red thread). In this home there are a few factors that bring the overall look together. The first, are the earthy tones of ochre, ombre and rich brown seen throughout. The second is the angular triangular shapes - which have been repeated several times in the main living room. This helps to give the entire living a space a wonderful, cohesive look. 

The bespoke kitchen island is the only modern piece - and was inspired by a Donald Judd desk. 

One of the things that really stood out to me while reading the full interview over at The Modern House, is how Cyndia took her time to decorate her home, picking out pieces one by one. 

Decorating with antique and vintage pieces is a slow, ongoing process, but your patience will definitely pay off: it's the best way to create a truly personal home that's also sustainable! 

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

Read the full article and see more pictures of Cyndia's home here. Curious about Cyndia's hairstyling? Check out her awesome work over at @cyndiaharvey.

Intrigued by other eclectic homes? Here are some more to enjoy this sunny Monday: 


Have a wonderful start to the week! 

Niki

Photographs courtesy of The Modern House

Twitter FaceBook

Pin It
12

San's Relaxed Hamburg Home With an Industrial Touch

Hejsan hoppsan! I loved reading all your comments on Liv's bedroom reveal post yesterday. I have to say, I'm so relieved many of you had the same terrible taste in 80's boy bands as me (except Morten Harket of course, that one still stands)! T

Today I wanted to stop by to share this lovely, relaxed home in Hamburg with you. In a normal world, Hamburg would be a mere 4.5 hours' drive from Southern Sweden, but it feels a world away right now (gaaaah, will this ever end?). Luckily, we have the internet - and lovely people like San Snova, who has invited us into her lovely, relaxed 56 sq metre apartment today. It's such a privilege to peek around others people's homes isn't it? San's flat is instantly recognisable thanks to its wonderful raw wall, fab kitchen tiles, plants, funky side tables and dramatically high ceiling. Enjoy the tour! 





I love these two coffee /side tables they add a cool edge to the room! Look closely at this picture and you'll also spot two of the biggest micro-trends right now: sculptured candles (this shell one is by Hebe) and 'wow' vases (the one on the desk is 'Kink' by Muuto*). 



Bang on trend colours in the bedroom I see: lavender bedlinen* combined with a beige bedspread - love that! Such a simple, yet lovely way to bring the latest spring trend into the home. 

See more of San's Hamburg home over at @sansnovazuhaus

It's been a while since we saw this 'raw' wall look - I'm a big fan as I think it adds contrast and a certain edginess. Are you a fan too? Before you decide, here are a couple of other homes with a similar look: 


It's half term here and things are getting kind of crazy around here! Time to take a little time out with my girls, I think! 

Wishing you a wonderful few days - see you Monday! 

Niki

Photography: San Snova - shared with kind permission

Twitter FaceBook

Pin It
8

Before & After: Liv's Tween Bedroom Becomes a Teen Bedroom!

In Collaboraton with Nordal
My eldest daughter Liv is turning thirteen this summer. THIRTEEN! Where on earth has the time gone? I've noticed her bedroom has become more and more important to her - it's a place to hang out with friends (both in person and online), do homework, chill, spread clothes out ALL over the floor.... you name it! 

The upshot? It's time to transform her room from tween to teen. And the pink's gonna have to go! 

For this, I needed a partner. And who better than Danish brand Nordal - a family driven interior design business selling exciting furniture and accessories for the home and garden - and valued long-term partner of My Scandinavian home. 

Here's what we did:

Before

I didn't think of taking real 'before' pictures, these were snapped with my phone a little into the make-over process (hence the blank wall and tape!), but hopefully it'll give you a hint of what it looked like before. The pink has served Liv well over the years, but everything was starting to feel 'too young'. Plus, at 177 cm (the same height as me!) - and all her sleepovers, it was time to get a bigger bed!


The brief


Liv is a real water babe. She has ALWAYS loved the water. I'll never forget her first bath - it was as if she was suddenly in complete harmony and at one with her surroundings. Over time, she became really fond of swimming in the sea and going to the local pool. These days, she swims four times a week with a local club. Blue was therefore a natural choice for the walls - and natural materials such as rattan, linen and jute would help to bring the feel of the Swedish coastline she so loves, into her room. 

I headed to the store for some samples. Let me tell you now, pale blue isn't the easiest of shades to get right. Firstly, there are about a thousand to choose from (which was a little overwhelming!), and secondly, they never look the same once on the wall. have you found that too? Gaaah!

In the end we settled on Moln by Alcro. Meaning 'cloud', Moln was the palest of pale blue shades - yet on the wall it felt calm and created just the hint of pale blue Liv was after. 

In my world, there's nothing like the last minute (I'm known for it - just ask Per!). All the beautiful items arrived from Nordal the day before the shoot (amazing turn around by the Danish team - thank you guys!), and it was all hands on deck - with help from Per as well as the My Scandinavian Home stylist extraordinaire Helen Sturesson, and even Liv and Allie! A fun day, I have to say! 

After

Tadaaaa! From teen to tween in a matter of days! Let me talk you through the transformation:


There's nothing like rattan to bring a relaxed beach vibe to a space and this beautiful 180 cm headboard was just the ticket! It's a perfect piece as it's stand-alone, meaning it simply slots behind the bed with absolutely no installation required! Hooray! 


I love the imperfection, plus Liv tells me it's surprisingly soft to lean against as it's very smooth. I can already imagine her and her friends leaning against it, chatting into the night! 


A reading light is an absolute essential for any bedroom. Since the room is fairly small - and children tend to have a LOT of things - I thought it was important to go for something wall mounted to keep it out of the way. I love the brass touch of the Athene golden wall lamp - it fitted well with the rattan and can also be tilted and swivelled in order to provide light for both the bed and desk area. 

In the height of the summer, it really only gets dark for a few hours a day, so black-out blinds / curtains are essential. Liv has always been a bit of a poor sleeper too (although a little better these days thanks to all that swimming!) so I placed a lot of importance on getting the window dressing right! These black-out curtains are from HM Home (I got them adjusted to the right length at a local dry cleaners). If you look closely, you can also see blinds!  Yep, not taking any chances! 

The desk has been updated to a lighter look from IKEA (the old one is now in Allie's room!) - and she also has a new ergonomic desk chair (in the hope that she'll sit there for longer doing her homework, worth a shot!). 


Since her bed is also her hangout zone, we ramped up the cosiness with Nordal cushions - including the dark blue Capella, knitted off-white Lyra and beige Capella.

We also added a grey-brown linen bed cover and dark blue cotton yoga blanket for contrast and cold nights! helping to keep warm on cooler nights. 


Another bedroom essential: the side table (this one is the Victoria pillar side table in light blue) for her books, glasses of water, no doubt her phone, earrings and other bits and bobs! 

The wall basket was designed by my friend Maria Gustavsson from Swedish Ninja and made locally here in Southern Sweden. 

Oh yes, and I haven't mentioned the amazing lamp yet! How could I forget that? The oversized SIF lampshade is a real statement piece and instantly brought a relaxed, rustic beach vibe to the room! I can imagine it looking FAB over a dining table too (if you have high ceilings).  

And finally, the rug! This Ava hemp carpet in size 160 cm x 240 cm is so soft and completed the look beautifully. Love the fringe! 

Needless to say, Liv's thrilled with her new room! 

But it's not quite finished. 

On the opposite side of the room, some new shelves are needed (update to follow!). And most importantly of all, this is a mere 'backdrop' for whatever she'd like to do with the space - including layering the wall with posters and photographs and surrounding herself with all her favourite things. 

In other words, it's time for me to step back and let Liv take over!



I hope you enjoyed the make-over!

If you're curious about any of the items, please do ask away in the comment section below. I'd be happy to help! 

You can find Nordal items in these webshops

Right, I'm off downstairs to see what Liv's done to her room (I can hear her pottering about!). I'm sure some posters and prints have already gone up! 

See also Albin's teenage bedroom make-over and Allie's before and after bedroom make-over (they certainly don't look as tidy as that today!). 

What did your childhood bedroom look like? Mine was covered in Laura Ashley wallpaper and my clothes were stored in an antique chest-of-drawers (I remember having to pry the drawers open!). 

Naturally, I ruined the entire look my Mother had created with posters of Bros, Aha and the Pet Shop Boys (totally showing my age here!!). Later, I remember adding framed black and white Robert Doisneau photographs. 

Those were the days! 

Niki

Photography by me, shoot styling by Helen Sturesson

This was a paid partnership with Nordal - however, all words and products choices were mine and Liv's (with a little guidance from Helen!). Thank you for supporting the wonderful businesses that help make My Scandinavian Home possible. 

Twitter FaceBook

Pin It
15

Subscribe To My Scandinavian Home

Subscribe to My Scandinavian Home

skovby ad


 

site by ANAAR

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website.
MORE INFO