A Beautiful Light-Filled Sunroom in Holland

Hello there! Thank you for your patience, we're back after bottling up as much sunshine as our EasyJet baggage allowance would permit - not much then! But still, nice to get a little boost and see my sister and nieces before the darkness sets in! While on the subject of darkness, the clocks went back on Saturday which means cosy season has just begun. Have they changed where you are too? This means two things: 1. Ramping up on candles and warm lighting to amp up the hygge and 2. Working on capturing as much daylight in the home as physically possible during waking hours. And it's the latter which is the subject of today's post!

I've talked about the popularity of greenhouses (remember this beautiful Swedish one?) - but a space that REALLY comes into its own at this time of year is a sunroom. Sunrooms come in all shapes and sizes from ornate conservatories to a simple balcony with wrap-around glass - but they're all based on the same principal: enjoying the daylight while staying toasty. And this incredible 'vintergården' (Swedish for 'winter garden') in the home of Wiola (@rapsiodia_w) and her family in Leiden, The Netherlands is a dream!

Wiola's sunroom doubles up as a place to relax, a guest bedroom under the stars and a home office. And her cats love it (of course!). 

I have my eye on this sofa bed for our tiny cabin (look out for the update later this week). It's designed by Karup specifically for small spaces. 

In the corner I spy a lemon tree, with a LOAD of lemons on it. I have become ever so slightly obsessed with my lemon tree lately (just ask my family). Yesterday I ceremoniously brought it indoors for the winter as the temperatures. Mine only has two lemons on it (which Per refers to as the most expensive lemons of all time due to the level of man hours and nutrition involved!). Do you own a citrus plant of some kind? If so, you might well understand what I'm talking about! 

The art - the largest of which is by Marta Chmielecka - focuses on nature, a perfect way to connect the space with the garden. I also love the felt wall lamp from sustainable design shop Luma Lano. 

I have been a fan of this desk from IKEA for many years as it's perfect for smaller, narrow spaces. 

But more importantly, have I mentioned the floor yet? Soooo beautiful, don't you think?

The 'Meet Me at Jaures' print* adds a touch of colour to the home office area. 

Light floods through the sun room into the main living room which has been kitted out with a number of fab pieces including a TOGO armchair, a sofa from FÉST Amsterdam and the Elipse pendent*. 

What a wonderful space to enjoy at this time of year! I can definitely imagine curling up here on a Sunday afternoon with a cup of tea and a book, how about you? 

Not got the space for a sunroom? Join the club! No worries though, I find simply rearranging the furniture a little to ensure you have somewhere to sit by the window can work wonders at this time of year. 

I have to say, it's been such a long time since I featured a Dutch home. Here are a few other Dutch spaces to enjoy today:

Sanne Hop's earthy, warm home

A Swede sets up home in The Netherlands

12 inspiring living spaces designed by stylist Kim Van Rossenberg

Have a great start to the week! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of @rapsodia_w with kind permission 

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Höstlov / Autumn break!

Hej vänner! I'm currently enjoying some downtime with my family over the Autumn half term and will be back blogging again on Monday 8th November.

If you're looking for some beautiful Scandinavian home inspiration, why not pull up a chair and delve into the archives - you'll find ten years of home tours and other design ideas there. Here are some of my favourites: 

Swedish homes
Norwegian homes
Danish homes
Finnish homes
Vintage inspired homes
Bohemian style homes

I hope you have a relaxing week! 

Niki

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A Charming A-Frame Cabin on the Danish Island of Orø

Saturday marks the start of 'höstlov' (autumn half term) here in Scandinavia, and many will be packing their bags in search of a quieter week in the countryside. I wonder if Marie Monrad Graunbøl will be heading to her cabin on the beautiful Danish island of Orø? I first came across her cosy A-frame in the Skandinavisk Voices magazine, and since we're in the middle of building our own cabin, I couldn't resist taking a closer look and sharing a few pictures here! Ready to be transported to the Danish wilderness?

Orø is a small island in the Isefjord, an hour or two west of Copenhagen. It's especially popular in summertime, when Danes flock to their summer houses. But actually, one of the best times to visit is off-season, when you can experience the vastness of the wilderness in solitude. 

A picture of Marie's A-frame cabin taken by Mikkel Tjellesen, as seen in Voices magazine. 

Marie spends the majority of her time in Copenhagen, where she runs her visual communications studio Revolver, which offers journalism, editing, creative direction and interior styling services.  But there's nowhere Marie loves to be more than at her cabin on Orø:

"Each time I reach the ferry terminal, I get an immediate sense of tranquillity, I breathe more freely, and my mind seems clearer.... most often I greet the stunning scenery on a late Friday afternoon, exhausted from a week's work and longing for a welcome respite... life slows down at Orø" - Marie.

When Marie and her husband first bought the cabin, it was rundown with a rotting foundation and in need of a new roof.  The pair painstakingly replaced everything inside, ferrying items over from the mainland. It was a slow process, but now their hard work has paid off and they have a wonderful retreat.

Although fairly compact, the couple have everything they need at the cabin, and it's been decorated with a simple yet charming blend of artisanal pieces and vintage finds, creating a wonderful, relaxed feel. 

These days the couple know the cabin and island inside out, as Marie explains in her interview with Voices:

"We came to know all the little signs of the changing seasons, the loud, terrifying noises of pines swaying dangerously in the storm, and the true bliss of entering the house to the warmth of the woodturning stove."

What a perfect place to recharge the batteries, don't you think?

Thank you to Skandinavisk for the kind permission to share these images (hop on over to explore their fragrances - they're simply divine!)

Looking for more dreamy inspiration this week? I love these archives: 

Scandinavian summer cottages

Country-style living

Cabins

Rural retreats

Holiday homes

Speaking of recharging batteries, my family and I are heading to Mallorca tomorrow to visit my sister for the first time in 4 years! We CAN'T WAIT! She lives in the North of the island with her boyfriend Ben and my two nieces. It's so beautiful up there. 

I'll be taking some time out with Per and the girls and will be back here blogging again on Monday 6th November. Feel free to pull up a chair hang around and browse the archives (after ten years of blogging there's a ton of inspiration in there!). I'll most likely capture my trip on Instagram stories if you're curious to see the island. 

Have a wonderful week! 

Niki

Photography: Chris Tonnesen

Voices spread photography: Mikkel Tjelleson

Styling: Marie Monrad Graunbøl / Revolver 

Shared with kind permission from Skandinavisk. 

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Helen's Cosy Swedish Country Cottage Kitchen

Kindly sponsored by Nordal, thank you for supporting the brands which make features like this possible*:

Last week I spent a lovely few days at Swedish interior designer Helen Sturessons's cottage in the Blekinge archipelago on Sweden's east coast. I'd heard so much about it and was really intrigued to see it in person. The opportunity came thanks to a series of photoshoots which required a cosy backdrop - and her country cottage is just the ticket! A short walk from the Baltic Sea, the traditional red and white cottage was every bit as charming as I had imagined! 

The little 19th century cottage is made up of three small rooms (her family of four share a bedroom when they're here at weekends and in the holidays) and the wooden floors creak under foot as you move from room to room. Masonry tiled ovens and a woodturning stove (in addition to a thermostat) kept us feeling toasty throughout our stay as did some woolly socks and chunky woollen jumpers! Best of all - Helen's Mother turned up with a divine smelling apple and cinnamon pie. 

Here are a few snapshots from a cosy afternoon in Helen's kitchen - which she's kitted out with some seriously beautiful items from Danish brand Nordal - as well as other treasured items. 

When Helen and her family first bought the cottage it had no heating, and they would use the woodburning stove in the kitchen to heat up the room. Once-upon-a-time a father cooked meals for his seven children on this very stove (tragically the mother died when the children were young). These days, Helen has electric heating and the stove is used to keep coffee and tea warm.  

A wooden worktop is used for extra storage and keeping a few useful items at hand. 

Pictured: round herringbone board, TORC ceramic bowl, glazed ceramic pot, recycled wooden chopping board

Open shelves add to the relaxed feel of the kitchen. I especially love the traditional Swedish 'kryddhylla' (spice rack). Each of the glass pockets are used to store herbs and spices as well as sugar, flour and even small items like elastic bands and string. These days 'kryddhylla' are made of glass (as seen in Helen's kitchen), but you might also see them in a 60s/70s plastic variety or, if made prior to the 1920s, in porcelain. 

Do you have something similar in your country? 

The shelves are laden with glasses and crockery as well as other small items like egg cups and measuring jugs. 

Pictured: JOG red wine and white wine glasses, grainy cup in sand, grainy dot bowls, plain grainy bowl.

The cottage surroundings portray an ever-changing scene. At the far end of the plot is a woodshed - and beyond that the outdoor loo (the only one at the cottage!). Throughout my stay, a fiery array of leaves swirled to the ground before settling on the rain drenched grass. Helen tells me that the family sometimes see deer and elk wander past, though sadly we didn't see any this time. Even so, we were able to find a load of pretty plants and late autumn flowers in the garden, including this foraged branch. 

Finally fika (a Swedish word meaning taking a break and enjoying a hot drink and a small treat). 

In Sweden you generally eat apple pie with 'cold vanilla sauce' and most would choose coffee - whereas in England we'd go for cream, vanilla ice cream or best of all hot custard with a cup of tea! How do you enjoy yours? 

Pictured above and below: rectangle baker, pie knife, TORC ceramic bowl, cast iron teapot, recycled wooden chopping board, serving spoon

The pie tasted every bit as divine as you can imagine! I wonder if I can get hold of the recepe - it would be nice to nee able to share it with you. Watch this space!  

Pictured above and below: dark blue spotty grainy cake plate, dark blue cake plate, ceramic spoon rest

And the final touch: candlelight! So mysigt!

I have to say, I can almost taste Helen's Mother's apple pie just looking through these pictures! 

Thank you for a wonderful afternoon 'fika' and for having me to stay Helen! 

I can't wait to share more pictures from Helen's cottage soon. 

If you like the look of the Nordal Danish kitchenware, you can find it in various webshops around Europe here. Please feel free to ask about any other item you see, I'm sure Helen would be happy to share the info! 

Have a 'hyggeligt' day friends! 

Niki

*Thank you to Nordal for this paid partnership and helping to make My Scandinavian Home possible. All words and photos in this post are my own and I only ever work with brands I love and think you will too. 

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Step Inside Verena's Relaxed, Warm and Inviting Home

When I look for homes / interiors to feature I try to find ones that inspire with a certain lifestyle (a Swedish cottage by the sea, a magical mountain cabin or rustic country retreat for example). I also strive to find homes with a wonderful unique touch and bags of personality that are full of ideas. Today, it's the latter in focus (I'm sure there's a wonderful lifestyle here too!). I discovered Verena's German home on instagram a few weeks ago (if you have the time check out her inspiring feed hop over to @vren1984) and immediately fell in love with the warm, relaxed feel. Verona's eclectic home is the kind of place you can instantly feel at home. So, pull up a chair and enjoy the tour - I hope you'll walk away with lots of new ideas for your own home! 

Love the mix and match vintage dining set - it works because everything is made from wood. The sheepskins help to add a cosy touch. 

A real life scene - how refreshing! 

We drink the same Oatly Barista with our coffee - have you tried it? Word of warning, once you start, you can't actually go back to milk. It originates from right here in southern Sweden! 

An indoor swing - wonderful! We have one from Finnish brand Lillagunga in Ali's room and it's always been a big hit. 

I love a packed bookshelf, do you? The other day on instagram I asked how people chose to organise their books. Many said by theme and then author, others said by colour or language. But best of all - one person said that their husband loves to spend hours organising books - organising them according to theme, and then if he thinks the authors would get along and have a good chat he'll place them next to each another. How brilliant is that? You can see the post and read all the responses here. 

Great to see a rug / blanket used as art. Instant cosiness and colour! 

If you have the space - or like the idea of an open wardrobe, perhaps a DIY concept like this one could be something for your home? 

I DID enjoy this tour, I have to say. 

I hope you walk away with some nice ideas. Is there anything that stood out to you in particular? 

Want to hang around for a while? Excellent! Why not check out: 

A German boathouse on the shotes of the Baltic

A fab mid-century inspired home in Berlin

A charming German home full of vintage finds and three mischievous cats!

Have a great day! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of @vren1984, shared with kind permission

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