An Earthy Swedish Apartment Where Old Meets New

This Swedish apartment in Linnéstaden, Gothenburg fascinates me. It's contemporary yet traditional - urban yet country. And it's beautiful. Every room has its own subtle earthy tone which adds interest and an element of progression but also ensures a cohesivene look throughout. Keep an eye out for the rich patina in the sitting room and bedroom (I chatted about chalk and limestone paint the other day as I recently applied it to my bedroom wall).  In fact, keep an eye out for all the details - there's so much inspiration to be taken from this beautiful 60 sq m (645 sq ft), turn-of-the-century apartment! 

I once captured a similar glass cabinet in this corner of my home. I have a bit of a thing for these as they offer a beautiful way to ensure treasures and practical items stay dust-free while also on display. 

Notice the blend of furniture in the corner above which ticks every trend - rattan (set to continue for the foreseeable future), a marble 'sculptured' table and an arched mirror. 

Arched mirrors are a big micro-trend right now - so much so that I think I might just create a post around them, what do you think? It looks pretty in this corner - and helps to bounce light into the room from the window. But they also look great propped up against the wall in the hallway, landing and bedroom (if young kids are about always attach the mirror to the wall). 

While the cabinet has a traditional feel, the Alma wall light brings the look bang up to date. I have actually been thinking of getting a light like this too - I've been a big fan ever since seeing it in the danish home of Marianne Jacobsen. 

It's hard not to notice the texture on the bedroom wall. The effect has most likely been created with chalk paint paste using a spatula. It adds a LOAD of interest and depth to a room, however this look might be too much for some. What are your thoughts? 

I love how a simple linen curtain has been hung in front of the wardrobe. Not only do curtains add softness to a room, but they're also a great way to dampen sound, hide items or provide makeshift wardrobe doors. The only problem is, I know that in our hose no one will ever close them - the crazies have a hard enough time opening the curtains in front of the windows! Grrrr! 

Love the William Morris hallway wallpaper, it adds so much character, don't you think! A lovely entryway to come home to each day!

Is there anything that stands out to you?

If you're in love with the space - good news, it's for sale! You can see more pictures and find out all the details over at Alvhem. 

Right, I'd better hurry, due to family circumstances I am flying to London in a few hours time and have so much to organise (I haven't even packed yet - but I do have my double vaccination certificate and my negative test so that's a good start!).

Wishing you all a happy midweek! See you Friday!

Niki 

Photography: Henrik Lindén

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My New Home Yoga Studio / Corner!

Kindly sponsored by Sponsored by Nordal (all words, photos and product choices are my own)*:

Hej hej! Are you ready for the week ahead? The girls went back to school this morning (I can't tell you how hard it was for us all to wake up!), which officially marks the end of our carefree summer holiday - and the return to what will no doubt be a crazy Autumn. Eeek! This season, I've decided to do things a little differently. I've always been one of those people who loves to run around at a hundred miles an hour (my preferred choice of sport has always been tennis and jogging) - how about you? But due to unforeseen circumstances back home in London (more to follow soon when I feel ready), I've decided to take care of myself more in the coming months - take some time out here and there and slow down. 

I've been meaning to start yoga for several years and I finally took the leap a few weeks back - turning to my dear friend Sarah Brooks-Wilson (who's been practising yoga for years) for advice. Sarah helped me pick out these fine specimens from Danish brand - Nordal (co-owner Signe Nordal runs a yoga and Ayurveda studio called Simple Days in Sondrup, Denmark and developed this wonderful collection for Nordal as a result). And we spent a few days transforming a disused corner of Per's and my bedroom into a mini yoga studio! 

I promise I won't be sharing any pictures of my Downward-facing Dog pose just yet (trust me, it's not something you'd want to see!) - but I thought you might like to see some pictures of my yoga area, just in case you're looking for inspiration!

I've always loved this corner of our bedroom. It's flooded with natural light and since it's on the top floor - very calm. In the past it's been used as everything from a home workspace to more recently, a dumping ground for all kinds of things - big and small. It feels great to finally make use of it again!

As with the rest of my home, I was keen to stick to natural materials - selecting pieces in wood, cork, rattan and cotton - as well as ensuring beautifully soft fabrics and a clutter-free look in order to be able to really switch off! 

The yoga items include a cork mat, cotton belt and super soft blanket, cork blocks as well as a water flask (this one is GIANT and my whole family loves it, to be fair it could suffice for all of us on an outing - but so far, I've managed to hold onto it up here, let's see how long it lasts). And the large bolster is also super helpful. 

The screen is also from Nordal - I've had it a few years now (you might remember it from this post). 

To get me started, Sarah has recommended several apps including Downdog (her favourite), Asana Rebel,  and Daily Yoga. 

The relaxation / Shavasana at the end (using a YIN yoga mattress and a meditation bolster) has become one of my favourite parts of the routine, it makes me feel so wonderfully calm and also leaves me feeling centred and balanced the rest of the day. Just what I need right now!  

Sidenote: how unbelievably soft and comfortable is yoga wear? I'm SO going to be wearing this kit around the house, I might stop short at going to the shops in it for now, no matter how tempting!).

Honestly, before this, I'd only ever heard of a yoga mat! Thank you so much to Sarah and Nordal for helping me to create my studio. It's a perfect place for some respite during these crazy times. I'm looking forward to my Autumn routine already! 

Oh, and I came up over the weekend to find Liv and Allie doing yoga here, it really warmed my heart! Maybe Per will be in on the act too soon - although, that remains to be seen! 

I'd love to hear from any yoga fans out there - any tips for some great apps / online classes? I'm only just finding my feet so all thoughts welcome. 

As always, do let me know if you have any questions about any of these items / this corner of my home! 

In the meantime, if anyone's looking for me, I'lll be right here. 

Niki

*This is a paid partnership with Nordal. However, all words are my own and I only ever work with brands I love and think you will too. Thank you for supporting the wonderful businesses that make My Scandinavian Home possible.

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When A Swede Styles A Beautiful Sicilian Townhouse

You might recognise the name Marie Olsson Nylander from her unique interior style and her TV show 'Husdrömmar Sicilien or 'Sicilian House Dreams' (fans out there will be happy to hear there's a new series starting in September). If you're an avid reader of My Scandinavian Home and have a great memory, you might also recall this feature I wrote about her incredible house in Höganäs, Southern Sweden a few years back. Either way, her unique style and passion for one-off vintage pieces means it's hard to forget any space she has turned her hand to. These days, Marie spends most of her time in Sicily - and her instagram feed has taken on a wonderful 'rustic, eclectic, palazzo' vibe as she shares daily shots from her own Sicilian home and those she encounters through her work (trust me, it's worth a look!). I was particularly taken by her latest 'Sicilian Autumn' campaign in which she styled a house in Modica, Sicily using objects from her own home as well as handpicked items from the Ellos collection. Can you spot the Scandinavian influence?  

"My style is artistic, many call it eclectic but I do not like that word - it gets almost too extreme. I am dependent on texture, finding the right material is crucial to get the right feeling. Textiles and colours that go together well with brown tend to be my favourite, I love that. Brown makes everything soft, as does wood. I like drama, the unpredictable and a personal touch. I also like things which are hard to buy, but which obtained after years of life and commitment" - Marie Olsson Nylander. 

Beautiful! 

It looks lovely and cool - a perfect respite from the midday heat (I see it's going to be 35 degrees celsius (95 Fahrenheit) there this weekend - PHEW!). 

Is this your kind of style? If so, you'll most certainly want to hop on over to her instagram for more inspiration this weekend. And don't forget to take the tour of her Höganäs house! 

Here are a few other lovely spaces abroad styled or lived-in by a Swede: 

A Swedish photographer's home in the South of France

A Swedish family home in the French alps

The cosy home of a Swede living in Holland

I've got so many exciting things to share with you next week including the tour of my bedroom, my new yoga studio (probably sounds grander than it is - it's just a corner of the bedroom, but it does the trick and I love it!) and potentially a cabin update (the build starts soon and I've started to think a lot about the interior and might just need your help!). 

Wishing you all a 'trevlig helg' (lovely weekend!). 

Niki

Photography: Ida Lindhag

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A Beautiful, Relaxed Family Home With Sky High Beams!

One of my favourite houses lately - that of Jessica Reed Kraus. Located in San Clemente, California, Jessica and her husband renovated it a few years back and have transformed it into a wonderful family home. I love the exposed beams, wood panelling, relaxed vintage touches, built-in bunkbed and all the wonderful natural light. Also, the space is proof that sometimes it doesn't need to be more complicated than white with wood. The rich variations, texture and patina in the timber add so much! Oh, and the beams and nooks are a perfect opportunity to add a playful touch for their four children (check out the swing!). Enjoy the tour! 

Every time I look through the pictures, I spot a new detail to love! So inspiring!

I hope you've enjoyed this tour and got some nice ideas for your home too! Is there anything that caught your eye in particular? 

See more of Jessica's home on her very cool instagram feed @houseinhabit. 

Fancy taking a peek inside a few other homes today? How about these fine specimens (with a 'beam theme')?

A light-filled 19th century swedish loft apartment

A  bright and beautiful light-filled loft

A cosy country home in rural Sweden

Oh, and Per and I are going to view a house her win Malmö this weekend. It looks like a total renovation job but has a lot of potential - do we take on the challenge or will it totally stress us out? I'd love to hear from anyone who has carried out a renovation or is in the midst of one! We'd need to know what we were getting ourselves in for if we go for it! 

Niki

Photography: @houseinhabit

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A New Wall Colour In My Bedroom / How To Create a Textured Wall

Good morning friends, how was your weekend? Per and I have been busy painting our bedroom. Don't get me wrong, the 'blushing peach' (above) was really cosy, but with the impending (whisper it) autumn and darker days on their way (shudder!), we were keen to give it a fresh, light feel. In the past few years I've been really into lime paint and the beautiful matt nuanced / textured affect it creates. I've painted quite a few walls in my home already with this, but it occurred to me to share a little more about the process this time round- just in case you're tempted to do something similar in your home!

There's a bunch of great lime-based powder form paints out there. My go-to is Icelandic brand Kalklitir - (I've used it before in the kitchen and they kindly gifted this batch - thank you Audur!). We chose the shade 'Palladio' which is fairly light and I noticed, the same one Jacqueline Mikuta used in her apartment which I featured recently. It has a wonderful, calming aesthetic. 

How to apply it

Before you apply it, the trick is to think carefully about how nuanced / cloudy you would like your wall. Lighter colours will automatically show less affect. 

We used 1.7 litres of water for 1 kg of powder (although this varies depending on which brand you use) and applied it evenly using fairly straight / curved strokes for a relatively 'clean', subtle look. 

However, if you're looking for a more textured aesthetic, you can add more water and apply it fairly roughly, using a cross action (which we did on the final layer) - adding more in some areas than others. Or for a REALLY textured wall you can work the powder into a paste and apply it with a spatula.

Bear in mind that every wall is different and some have better absorption than others - so results will vary no matter what! 

Is it easy to apply?

When I shared the picture above on instagram I got asked a lot of questions about whether or not this type of paint is easy to apply. Firstly, I always think that when you see renovations online they always look so effortless. It's as if they appear by magic!!! But with any decorating there's always a lot of work involved - checking samples, taping adjacent walls and windows, removing appliances, cleaning the wall etc. 

However, once you get started applying chalk paint is really quick and easy with a brush - in fact I would say, it's way quicker than standard paint. But it can be very disconcerting the first time you use it as it feels like it's never going to cover whatever was underneath and looks SUPER patchy while it dries! Fear not though, it'll quickly settle and the coverage is great (we used three layers, but probably could have got away with two). 

On the other hand, applying it with a spatula is way more labour intensive - but no doubt worth it if that's the look you're going for! 

If you're using Kalklitir, there's more info about the application process here. 

How many layers do you need?

This always depends on the wall in question. I was slightly concerned as one of the walls in our bedroom (behind the office) is really dark - but since it had a matt (or semi-matt) finish we were able to apply the paint straight over it without any prep work. We ended up using three layers in total, allowing each layer to dry thoroughly in between.

Ready to see the result? Ta-daaaa:

As you can see, the texture is really subtle, but you can still see shifts in the colour which helps to add depth and interest the space. 

We're so happy with the result - I hope you like it as much as we do! If you have any questions about the paint please do give me a shout below and I'll do my best to help!

I'm so looking forward to sharing more pictures and info about our bedroom soon.

Have a great start to the week!

Niki 

Final image taken by me and styled by Helen Sturesson. 

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