An Idyllic Red and White Swedish Farmhouse In The Countryside

Mina damer och herrar (Ladies and gentleman), allow me to introduce you to Ekekullen, an idyllic farmstead in the village of Månstad, West Sweden. When Sara Sjöblom and her family moved in five years ago, they became the fourth generation to take-over the beautiful Falun red and white family home.  Sara and her partner have been renovating the property little by little over time while respecting the original structure, built by Sara's great grandfather. Think earthy tones, vintage and antique pieces and a wonderful, relaxed vibe. A perfect country home which combines and old and new and enjoyed by Sara's family, three cats and a flock of chickens. Välkommen in! 

Sara replaced a window with old doors bought from a friend - which her Father then renovated. "It's really lovely to just walk out of the kitchen into the garden in summertime" she tells me. 

The kitchen cabinets (from HTH) span the entire length of the kitchen and have been topped with concrete which has been impregnated and treated with a warm grey tone. 

These 'kakelugn' (swedish masonry ovens) get to me every time - they are just so beautiful, and the heat they give off is incredible! 

Sara found the chairs in a nearby 'loppis' (flea market) and painted them in 4502-Y from Beckers. 

It's funny how an item can suddenly evoke a memory which has been buried deep in the archives of the mind! Sara's vintage mirror reminds me of the one I saw in the Norwegian home of Tone Krok which I captured for my second book The Scandinavian Home. I had been convinced it was antique, but actually Tone had simply bought a new mirror and left it exposed to the elements in the garden for a couple of years - and it looked just like this one. Now that's a trick worth knowing! 

The grey ball vase* is from popular Swedish brand Cooee. 

A vintage coffee table - a local flea market find - rests in front of a sofa from Decotique.  

In the summertime, life moves outdoors to soak up the midnight sun on rayon chairs from Mio and a handmade table. 

Lounge chairs and a loveseat from Jakobssons (check out their entire outdoor range - so many lovely pieces!) have been arranged around a handmade table for a relaxed outdoor seating area. 

How unbelievably idyllic! It's everything I imagine a Swedish country home to be and more!

I love the outdoor spaces too - some lovely ideas here. Keep an eye out for more outdoor inspiration soon! 

Could you imagine living here? 

If you don't follow Sara on instagram yet, you're missing out! Hop on over to @ekekullen1 for more! 

Fancy taking a peek inside a few other Scandinavian country homes today? How about: 

A cosy country home in rural Norway

A warm rural Swedish country home that combines old and new

A cosy living space in a Swedish country home

Magical! 

Oh, and a total sidenote - Swedish names! In the UK surnames tend to be centred around a trade, for example 'Smith' or 'Taylor'.

I've noticed in Sweden however, many surnames tend to either be family names (Larsson - 'son of Lars') - some of which have become so common that the younger generation are swapping them out for made up names. In my experience it's also not uncommon for a married couple in Sweden to also choose the more unusual surname among the pair. 

But it's also common for surnames to have origins in nature. Sara's surname 'Sjöblom' for example, means 'seaweed'. 'Lindgren' of Astrid Lindgren fame, means 'green woodland' while Bergman (Ingrid Bergman) translates as 'Mountain man' and my own name 'Brantmark' means 'steep ground' (not quite as romantic as the others, I know!). I have always loved this. 

Where dot eh family names in your country originate from? 

Niki

Photography: Sara Sjöblom / Ekekullen

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A Pared Back Copenhagen Home With a Hint of Rock 'n Roll!

Hello! I hope you had a lovely Easter break! I'm feeling revived after a really wonderful week with my family - despite the distinct lack of spring here (snow today - really weather gods, REALLY?!). Luckily there's always music to keep us going. And there's nothing like a great tune to create spring / summer vibes (fake it 'til you make it!). There's a reason to my rambling, I promise. I thought I'd jump straight into the blog week with the Danish home of two musicians! Trine and Torben are the creative duo behind JØRCK a band which prides itself on dark dream pop. Their 19th century 83 m2 / 893 f2 apartment is a stone's throw from Kongens Nytorv in the heart of Copenhagen and doubles up as a recording studio from where Trine writes the lyrics and the pair experiment with sounds. The pared back space is peppered with design classics and interspersed with musical instruments - resulting in a harmonic bohemian space with a hint of rock n' roll! So friends, tune into their sounds on Spotify or YouTube and step this way for the tour!

A vintage leather 'The Spanish Chair' by Børge Mogensen is one of Trine's favourite pieces. 

A vintage type writer (source similar here*), iconic 7-series chair and a classic Gubi semi pendant lamp* can be seen by the window in the music room. 

A shirt hangs as art in the window behind a perfume collection. 

Can we also just take a moment to appreciate the floor? I bet is makes the most wonderful sound when you walk across it. Beautiful! 

Is there anything that stands out to you about Trine and Torben's home?

The shots were captured by photographer Anna Malmberg, whose Stockholm home I once featured here and styled by Swedish set designer Emma Wallmén (who also happens to have a beautiful home!). 

Fancy a peek inside another Scandinavian musician's home? Check out the former Malmö home of Nina Persson from the Cardigans. 

Ahhh, I'm so happy to be back on the blog again - is it strange that I miss it a little when I'm on holiday (the word 'holiday' is to be taken with a major pinch of salt in current times!!). It helps that I'm super excited about some of the homes and interior inspiration I have planned for the coming week. Stay tuned!

Wishing you a happy Tuesday!

Niki

Photography: Anna Malmberg

Styling: Emma Wallmén 

*This post contains affiliate links

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Swedish Easter Traditions Include Feathers, 'Hags' and of Course, Lots of Eggs!

Tomorrow marks the first day of Påsklov (the Easter Holidays) here in Sweden. 

You might be surprised to hear that easter is celebrated in Sweden, given that many are devout atheists. But actually, Easter is a big deal, even if the tradition is largely secular. Colourful feathers to appear on birch branches and little eggs are hung from twigs (as seen in my home above!). 

Although it might all look a bit different this year, usually the main 'eggcitement' (sorry!) starts on Skärtorsdagen (Maundy Thursday) when children dress up as Påskkäringor (Easter hags) and wander from door to door - wearing brightly coloured head scarves and faces painted with rosy cheeks and freckles  - asking for sweets (scroll down to the last picture in this post to see how cute they look!). 

Families gather on Påskafton (Easter Saturday - yes, they never can quite wait until the 'main day'!) and tuck into a smorgasbord of pickled herring, salmon, new potatoes, lamb, a cheese flan, various egg dishes as well as other delicacies - which is interspersed with singing as well as schnapps and beer. Post lunch games include egg rolling and 'egg picking' and of course, the children enjoy lots of chocolate delivered by the Påskhare (the Easter hare!). 

All in all, a really fun holiday.  

If you're looking for some pretty, yet simple ways to decorate your home this easter, here are few ideas: 

7 beautifully simple Easter craft ideas

My big easter DIY edit

Easter touches in a charming Swedish home

Also, you might like to whip up my favourite Swedish Easter dish: gubröra - it's great on crisp bread!

Oh, and for a fun touch on the easter table, try this easter bunny napkin idea!

What easter traditions do you have in your country?

I'm taking a few days off to spend a little time with my family and will be back again on Tuesday, 5th April. 

Wishing you all a wonderful week!  

Niki

PS the eggs in the picture are by Afro Art who sell some lovely easter decorations!

Photo: Niki Brantmark / My Scandinavian Home

Styling: Helen Sturesson

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A Young Couple's Classic & Elegant Danish Home

MSH is turning into a bit of a Danish home love fest this week. This is the third home I've shared from that Nordic country this week (I hope you enjoyed the lovely pastel infused apartment on Tuesday and the summer cabin yesterday!). When you see the pictures, I'm sure you'll understand why! Twenty-four-year-old Liva Tholstrup and her boyfriend have decorated their turn-of-the-century apartment in Frederiksbjerg, Aarhus in an elegant, classic Scandinavian style, combining earthy tones with design classics and a wealth of natural materials. Pretty ceramic collections, an array of vases and various wall decor help to give the space a lovely homely vibe. Julie Wittrup Pladsbjerg and Mikkel Dahlstrøm of Another Studio were there to snap some pictures. 

I love this look, simply because I really love the classic Danish style. It helps that the apartment has incredible bones too - which add a decorative touch to the simple aesthetic. 

Is there anything that caught your eye? 

When I was 24 (the same age as Liva) I had recently graduated from university and was living in Dubai, working as an event organiser. I was living in a shared rental apartment. I remember decorating my room (painting the walls, putting up posters etc) but it certainly wasn't in the same calibre as this! Where were you and what did your accommodation look like when you were 24? 

See more snapshots of Liva's lovely home here - and there's a wonderful article about it in Alt. magazine (in Danish). 

You can also check out more Danish homes in this archive! 

It's SO sunny and warm here today, in fact the nicest day we've had in months. So, I'm heading off in a minute to catch a few rays Scandi style (winter coat buttoned up, face angled towards the sun!). I hope the sun is shining where you are too! 

Niki

Photography: Another Studio - shared with kind permission

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A Charming Danish Summer Cottage With a Coastal Vibe

Saturday marked the spring equinox - which to me is a pinnacle moment in Scandinavia! From now on the hours of daylight will exceed the darkness, what a wonderful thought! It also gives us the license to dream that summer is around the corner (even if great swathes of the region are still blanketed in snow!). Many Scandinavians will be heading to their cottages over easter to start preparing them for the summer ahead. And no doubt, Helle Rye of @anordicmoment will also be making the trip (sanctions permitting). Helle loves to spend weekends and summer holidays at her charming cottage on North Zealand. The relaxed coastal vibe of the cottage contrasts sharply with the modern vibe of her city apartment. It's a place where she comes to relax, make the most of the great outdoors or read a book beside the woodburning stove. Enjoy the tour!  

Summer cottages are very much a pared back affair, with a strong focus on drawing the inside in. A simple shell poster in the kitchen is a lovely reminder of the nearby beach (and will help to find shell seekers identify their finds!). Source a similar one here*. 

Simple rattan furniture in the dining room helps to add a relaxed beach vibe to the space, while soft sheepskins make them feel a little more cosy!

In winter and colder summer days, Helle warms the cabin with the help of a wood-burning stove (something I'd love to install in my future cabin). Do you have one in your home?

A large jute rug (I recognise this one from IKEA) and light blue textiles add to the coastal vibe. 

I love the idea of using a jute rug on the wall as a headboard. I guess, it's really important to find a nice soft one - but it looks fab in this cottage! 

An outdoor bed? Sign me up! 

Bamboo furniture is always pretty - if you're interested in a similar look, keep an eye out for ones that can withstand all weather otherwise they'll quickly deteriorate. 

A popular addition to gardens across the world this winter: the outdoor fire pit! This one has been made extra cosy with a bench made from palettes and laden with cushions. So hyggeligt! 

Such a lovely, charming cabin! 

I love it how Helle has taken the opportunity to decorate the space in a completely different way from her city home. 

Could you imagine hanging here with friends or family, and a good book - all summer long? 

For more inspiration, check out the summer cottage archive - one of my favourites! 

Har det så fint! 

Niki

Photography: Helle Rye

*this post contains affiliate links which means if you click on a link and buy something I will make a very tiny commission, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting My Scandinavian Home! 

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