Tiny Cabin Update: 4 Types of Internal Wood Panelling And The One We Chose

Disclosure: Norrlands Trä have kindly agreed to collaborate with us on this project after I approached them. 

It's been a while since I've shared an update on the tiny cabin we're building (see the plans here). Per paid a site visit on Sunday and I nearly had a heart attack when I saw the garden (wait till you see the pictures at this end of this post) - gaaah!  The good news is, the foundation has been laid and is now 'breathing' - small steps friends, small steps! But we cannot afford to rest on our laurels as things will quickly progress, so we've been working on the details. And this week, we looked into the internal wood panelling. Ready to see some pretty pictures and find out more? 

We were keen to find just the right wood panelling since it lays the foundation for the entire aesthetic. I immediately turned to Pinterest, before writing to several architects and settling on Norrlands Trä. The Swedish brand sell beautiful panels and place great importance on sustainability (only using FSC certifiable wood from the forests of North Sweden and matte water-based paints that meet the requirements for children's toys.  

Incidentally - I love the light wood shelf across the panelling in the picture above, do you like it too? Something to consider for the cabin! 

Choosing the panelling: 

I had no idea there were so many different options in terms of finish, width and style - all of which result in a slightly different look and feel. Here are some examples of the subtle differences: 

1. Contemporary: 

This panelling was my key inspiration (I think you may have seen it in a previous post about our cabin plans!). To achieve the smooth, contemporary finish, the Putsad Slätspont panels have been primed and then sandpapered resulting in a soft, smooth finish. Notice the very fine groove between the panels - this is because the wood panel has been made with an 8% moisture ratio. I know this sounds super technical but it's good to know if you're aiming to achieve this more contemporary look. Traditionally panels are manufactured with an 16% moisture ratio which means they'll move more once installed and the gap needs to be wider. I love this sleek, Scandi-modern aesthetic! 

This Putsad Slätspont comes in a few different colour ways - including this grey panelling looks equally pretty painted in earthy tones such as they grey in this cabin kitchen. But due to the small space (our cabin is only 30 m2 in total), we chose the white matt finish in S0500-N to help visually enlarge the living area.  

2. Contemporary with a rustic touch

The other sample I looked at was Borstad Slätspont - panels treated with rotating brushes which remove the soft spring wood from the surface, adding warmth and texture from the visible wood grain, and making it more durable. 

Many of the panels also come in this lacquered wood finish which I like to call 'Scandi blonde' (the one above is the Borstad Slätspont). For the right room, it's really beautiful and helps to draw nature indoors. Since we're already going for light wood on the loft fencing, door and ladder I felt a white finish would make a nice balance. 

3. Classic

Track panelling (in tis case SpårpaneL 4019) is often what first springs to mind when you think of wood panelling (especially in Scandinavia). The wide grooves give it a timeless, classic aesthetic.

4. Traditional 

Bead panelling rose to popularity during 19th century industrialism and is often added to kitchens to create a traditional look. It also looks lovely in other parts of a cottage - as seen in the Swedish stairwell above. I love this look, but since our cabin is a new look, I felt that a modern aesthetic would make more sense. 

What do you think? Do you have a favourite? 

I can't wait to see our new panelling on the walls - but as you can see from the pictures below, we have a long way to go! 

Message to my lovely Swedish Mother-in-law who is so generously letting us build our cabin in her summer cottage garden: I'm sorry, we promise order will be restored come summer! 

I look forward to updating you all again soon. 

Niki

All photographs courtesy of Norrlands Trä except the building work!  

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A Small, Cosy Swedish Pad with Warm Tones

It's all very well showing incredible country houses with sweeping staircases or apartments made up of a myriad of large, spacious rooms - after all, I'm a firm believer that you can take inspiration from just about anywhere. BUT, if you are dealing with just one room to live in it can be a little tricker to achieve the look you're aiming for. Fear not, this delightful Swedish studio is proof that sometimes the best homes come in small packages. Designed by Emma Fischer, the Gothenburg living space is a sea of earthy, autumn tones and features an abundance of texture giving the home a lovely, relaxed look. Step this way for the tour!

After my post about round coffee tables last week, I've had many responses from readers saying how much they love theirs. In many ways they are so much practical than a square table: no corners to bang your shins on and they're great for entertaining - but also, from an aesthetic standpoint, the shape helps to soften the look of the room. 

Also, the fluffy rug makes the entire room feel real cosy. 

I love how this sofa has a built in shelf - multi-use furniture is always handy in a small space. 

I'm a huge fan of glass cabinets and this vintage one is a beauty, don't you think? It's important to keep clutter to a minimum in small spaces, and this cabinet helps to maintain a neat and tidy look. I am guessing there's a wardrobe on the hallway for clothes etc. And the bed skirt could also be hiding drawers. 

Book lovers would also need somewhere to store their tomes - I would suggest built in shelves above the sofa or over the bed. 

So pretty! 

I hope you felt inspired by this too! 

See a gazillion more small spaces in this archive. 

I haven't quite decided on the order of my posts this week - but I'm looking forward to sharing a cabin update and my first Christmas post of the year (yes, I know it's a tad early, but it's starting to get very Christmassy around here in Oslo, and it's got me in the mood for some 'Jul' inspiration!). 

Ha en fin dag! 

Niki 

Photo -Anders Bergstadt

Styling - Emma Fischer

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12

The Vintage-Inspired Stockholm Home of Elsa Billgren

If you love vintage, you'll love the home of Swedish TV presenter and interior / fashion blogger Elsa Billgren. Elsa lives with her family in Mosebacke, in the hip district of Söder in Stockholm. Despite being in the heart of the capital, Elsa's apartment is a picture of calm thanks to rustic furniture that wouldn't look out of place in a country home, plants around every corner, relaxed piles of books, art and plenty of cushions, sheepskins and blankets! Once into bright colours (see her previous Stockholm home), Elsa has toned down to a more earthy palette over the years - but look closely and you'll spot soft hues of red, green and blue. Ready for the tour? Put your feet up and enjoy! 

The dining area is a made of a blend of vintage pieces including a fabulous rustic farmhouse table with drawers. 

I'm really curious about this table, as I've passed up tables like this in the past due to the bars just above the floor and lower drawers. Maybe I should take another look and see if it's possible after all. Does anyone else have experience with using these types of tables as a dining table? 

Contemporary pieces like the modern art and Valerie Objet number 2 wall lamp make a nice contrast with the older vintage pieces - adding a cool, personal vibe. 

A rustic side bench* provides a perfect spot for plants, books and candles. 

I love the quirky touch with the blue architrave around the door. Notice how Elsa has also added blue cushions on the sofa to balance the look.  

How beautiful! It makes me want to scour the internet for antiques - do you feel the same? 

Is there anything that stood out to you? 

Thank you to Idha Lindhag for the kind permission to share these images. If you'd like to see more of Elsa's home hop on over to instagram. She also has a book Elsas Husdröm 2021 and also a Podcast: Billgren Wood (both in Swedish). 

Have a great start to the week! 

I've just arrived in Oslo, Norway for a few days - very exciting to be out travelling again, even if it's for work! Follow my adventure on Instagram stories if you're curious to see what I get up to! I hope to write a guide here soon too! 

Niki

Photography: Idha Lindhag, shared with kind permission

*This post contains an affiliated link 

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12

Helen's Cosy Swedish Summer Cottage Living Room

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

A few weeks ago, I headed off to My Scandinavian Home interior designer Helen Sturesson's 19th century summer cottage in Blekinge on Sweden's east coast. We had such a lovely time! Last week I shared some information about the cottage's fascinating past and some snapshots of the cosy kitchen, including her Mum's incredible apple pie - take a peek here if you missed it! Today, I'm looking forward to showing you a tour of the main living room area and bedroom (the entire cottage is made up of three rooms: a kitchen, sitting room and bedroom. The loo is at the end of the garden and the bathroom is... in the Baltic Sea! A special thanks to Nordal - the Danish brand who made this trip possible - you'll spot many of their lovely pieces throughout the rooms! Ready to take a look?

The cottage is L-shaped, and the sitting room connects the kitchen (to the right) with the bedroom, when the family of four are here, they all share a room. Two windows flood the space with a warm southerly Autumn light. 

The room is made up of many different items collected over time - including a vintage sofa, a big glass cabinet which helps to keep books and games dust free as well as an incredible mirrored coffee table!

Oka coffee table with antique mirror sides and stone top, Mahe candleholder, Vela linen cushion cover

When Helen moved in, she peeled back the plaster on the wall to discover beautiful wood panelling. The planks are all numbers which could indicate the house has have been moved here - although this isn't confirmed (I have come across 'house moving' before in Sweden, does this ever happen in your country? 

CEMA pots in medium, large and extra-large, Club lounge chair in teak and paper rope.

Large 'kakelugn' (tiled ovens) stand in the corner of the main living room and bedroom and are amazingly effective at heating up the house.

Roa basket

In this picture you can catch a glimpse of the wood floor which squeaks as you move across it. A traditional Swedish 'trasmatta' (rug woven with rags / scraps of cloth which I wrote about in my Lagom book as they are a big part of the Swedish heritage) helps to keep drafts at bay and if you look very closely you'll notice the walls are wonky, adding to the charm! 

In the bedroom, floral wallpaper and natural wood help to bring the outside in and a candle brightens up the dark autumn day while adding a sense of calm.

Teak wooden stool, Aula linen bed cover

I hope you enjoyed this snapshot into Helen's cottage.

If you have any questions about anything, give me a shout in the comment section below and I'll ask Helen for the low down. 

Incidentally, it's not possible to buy the Nordal items directly from their website (they sell wholesale only), however, there are many webshops throughout Europe which stock their things. Find your nearest stockist here. 

Next week, I'm looking forward to sharing the final post of three: Helen's cottage ready for Christmas - weeeee, so excited about this one! 

Meanwhile, I'm busy packing for a two-day trip to Oslo, Norway (very excited!) where I'll be writing a guide for Simply Scandi magazine UK (my guide to Helsingborg appears in the latest edition and there's also a Christmas edition on sale right now which features a piece I wrote about our Swedish Christmas). The mag is available here in case you're curious! 

Do you think it could be interesting to share a guide to Oslo here on My Scandinavian Home too? 

Wishing you all a REALLY wonderful, relaxing weekend - and look forward to seeing you here again on Monday! 

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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6

A Bright and Airy Southern Sweden Home (With The World's Cutest Puppy!)

From a rustic railway carriage in Norfolk, England yesterday to a bright and airy Swedish home today - My Scandinavian Home is full of surprises and that's just the way I like it! I hope you enjoy the daily surprises! I discovered Swedish digital creator Kajsa Svensson on instagram a while ago - and have been meaning to share some snapshots from her lovely home in southern Sweden ever since. Expect large open plan rooms, pops of pastel, gallery walls, vintage furniture and cuteness overload. Ready to take a peek?

And wait for it. The cuteness overload I promised: Svea as a puppy!

Altogether now....

...awwwwww!

There's something wonderful about this home - it feels so welcoming and relaxed. 

I hope it's given you some ideas for your own home too! 

See more of Kajsa's home over at @kajsasven.

And for other Swedish home inspiration - pour yourself a coffee, find a cosy spot and delve into this archive. 

I've got a big photoshoot at my studio today - it's something I've been working on for a while and I'm slightly nervous but also very excited! I can't wait to share more soon! You may have noticed, I recently stopped posting on Fridays BUT I'm stopping by tomorrow as I'm super keen to share more of Helen's charming 19th century Swedish cottage with you. See you then!

Niki

Photography: Kajsa Svensson, shared with kind permission. 

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