My Studio Make-over (And How One Sofa Helped Transform the Space!)

Paid partnership with Bemz - thank you for supporting the Nordic brands which make My Scandinavian Home possible

When I first started my business I worked from home. I'd have the washing machine whirring in the background and other working-from-home neighbours stopping by for a cuppa (I'm sure many of you can relate these days)! For a while I loved it, but over the years I started to miss the companionship that comes with being around others and two years ago I moved into a beautiful studio space in town.  It's run by upholsterer extraordinaire Carina Grefmar and we also share the space with Helena who works for a Swedish furniture business called Maze. Needless to say a whole load of coffee goes down on a daily basis!

The only thing is, the room I share with Helena was still pretty much unfurnished save for one Söderhamn sofa and a whole load of boxes! It had becoming increasingly embarrassing, not least because we both work in the world of interiors! And then Bemz launched a Minimalist Fit design cover for IKEA sofas and everything was about to change! 

This side of the room had become a bit of a dumping ground for samples, props and other items. The problem is, once you start with one item, everything else seems to quickly gather - do you find this too?  

I sat down with My Scandinavian Home interior stylist Helen Sturesson (above with her trusty ruler!) and we hatched a plan. 

What we did

You are likely familiar with Bemz as I have partnered with the Swedish brand for many years. I simply love the entire concept. I mean, beautiful designer covers for IKEA armchairs and sofas in a choice of different high quality fabrics, what's not to love? It's the perfect way to give an old piece a whole new lease of life. 

The new Minimalist fit cover differs from their loose and regular fit covers as it doesn't require you to take apart the sofa, you simply pull it on over the top. And it comes with or without arms - in this case I decided to add arms to my sofa for a smarter look (cue a morning at IKEA!). 

I chose the Minimalist Fit cover in Brera Lino in Pebble by Designers Guild - made from 100% linen. 

I love the Pebble tone, the soft linen texture, the seams - everything! Isn't it pretty? I also picked out some cushion covers in Brera Lino Cocoa with French Seams. 

To finalise the look I also added quite a few pieces made by local Southern Sweden designers as well as friends from further afield. Here's a quick round-up in case you're curious:

'Landscape', vinyl paint on linen by local artist Simon Vendin, Design of Edge coffee table, Sculpture from the SANT series by Malmö based Karolina Brobeck & Mini Karami, branches from my friend Sarah's garden (she left secateurs on the doorstep!). 

And from further afield: Tense Lamp by New Works (thank you to local store Svenssons for sourcing this!) and the Palus rug from Armadillo. 

Our desk space in the window is made from several large planks from a local DIY store. I love looking out over the majestic buildings in central Malmö - there's always something interesting to see.

Finally a space we can be proud of! Wohooo! 

I'm so looking forward to plenty of fikas (swedish coffee with cake) - if you're in the area, please do drop by, there's always a coffee pot on the go!

Curious about getting a Bemz design cover for your sofa or armchair? Keep an eye out for the Black Friday sale over at Bemz this week. Here are some of my favourite covers in action: 

My sitting room three different ways

My sitting room refresh with Bemz

One Swedish sitting room, two cosy ways

My daybed update 

My autumn bedroom makeover 

I can't wait to show you the rest of the room once it's finished - this girl is on a mission now! 

Have a cosy day! 

Niki

Photography: Niki Brantmark / My Scandinavian Home

Styling: Helen Sturesson 

This post is brought to you in paid collaboration with Bemz and contains affiliate links. However, all words are my own and I only ever work with brands I absolutely love and think you will too. Thank you for supporting the Nordic businesses that help bring fresh content to your mail box and make My Scandinavian Home possible.

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Clever Small Space Solutions in a Cool Stockholm Apartment

This incredible apartment is for anyone living in small space, scratching their heads trying to figure out how on earthy they're going to fit everything in AND still achieve a minimalist aesthetic! Occupying a 19th century building overlooking Riddarfjärden, the easternmost bay of Lake Mälaren in central Stockholm, this 36 metre square (387 feet square) industrial style apartment is cool, funky, unique - and above all else practical. Trust the swedes! Scroll on down to get some ideas! 

In small living spaces using the full height of the room is key! These bespoke, built-in units make plenty of room for storage, and help to keep other areas free of clutter. 

Doubling up on space by adding a raised bed with storage underneath makes optimum use of every inch! At night, blackout blinds roll down from the ceiling creating a cosy zone and ensuring total darkness! 

Under-bed railing provides a perfect place for hanging clothes. 

To ensure a more minimalist look, group items and leaving plenty of 'blank space' around the display. 

Bespoke floor-to-ceiling pine shelving in the hallway paves the way for storage space and laundry, while a large mirror helps to visually enlarge the apartment and bounce light around. 

An internal window allows light to flow through to the windowless bathroom and let off some steam! 

I thought it would be interesting to share the floorplan too (courtesy of Historiska Hem) so you can clearly understand the footprint. It's in Swedish - säng = bed, kök = kitchen, rum = room, bad = bathroom.  

What do you think? Have you ever seen a space like this before? 

I absolutely love it! And would be half tempted to move in myself (it's for sale via Historiska Hem), not least for the views! How about you? 

More small space inspiration in this archive (if this pops up first, just scroll on past!). 

Have a great start to the week! 

Niki

PS come here looking for Scandinavian Christmas inspiration? Click here! Plus, I'm planning to share some beautiful ideas with you later on in the week! 

Photography courtesy of Historika Hem with thanks.

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Beautiful Danish Christmas Decorations in a Cosy Swedish Cottage

 

These images were taken as part of a paid Christmas campaign for Pernille Bülow*

As I walked home early evening yesterday, the night sky was bathed in a warm light from the glow of fairy lights and candles shining brightly from windows and I felt a sense that Jul (Christmas) is just around the corner. In Blekinge, Sweden, interior designer Helen Sturesson's decorations will be slightly different this year thanks to a stunning handmade Christmas collection by Pernille Bülow - a glass atelier on the Danish island of Bornholm. It's safe to say the Pernille Bülow elves have been burning the midnight oil to create the most beautiful mouth blown baubles you'll find this year (some of which are made from recycled glass) - as well as candleholders, oil lamps, vases and dinnerware. I chatted to Helen to find about her family Christmas traditions up at the cottage, and to take some photos of the collection. 

When does the Christmas period begin for you? 

It starts on the first Sunday of advent when I put up star lanterns and line the windowsills with candles and oil lamps. Around St Lucia (13th December), we put up a Christmas tree and dot more Christmas decorations around the house. 

How do you like to decorate your home for Christmas? 

As well as the star lanterns and candles, I also love to find a little Christmas tree in the garden which I bring indoors and decorate with a few pretty baubles. And I make a wreath or two, also using whatever is available outside. Since it's so small, our cottage doesn't need more than that to feel festive and cosy.

Above: Oil lamp, Handmade SKY christmas ornament Below:  ReUse oil lamp, Waves Christmas ornament, Gaia Candleholder

Your cottage makes the perfect backdrop for Pernille Bülow Christmas decorations - what are your thoughts on the collection? 

I love that the ReUse items (bowls, glasses and decorations) are made from recycled glass and also that everything in the entire collection is handmade or mouth blown on the Danish island of Bornholm. Every piece feels really unique and good quality. You get so much more value from items that come directly from a designer / atelier and are not mass produced.  

Above: Handmade prisma baubles (on a ReUse serving plate), SKY clear ornament, SKY smoke ornament, SKY ornament ruby

When do you head to your cottage for the holidays?

We usually go there one or two days before Christmas. 

Prisma ornament in ruby

What do you love most about being at the cottage at Christmas time?

It's more cosy here than at our apartment in the city. I love to light the fire in the Kakelugn (tiled oven). It's very peaceful here and I really like to be near my parents and brothers who live nearby. 

Where do you spend Christmas Eve and what does your day look like (the day Christmas is celebrated in Sweden)?

On Christmas Eve we drive over to my parents which is around 15 minutes away. The entire family gathers so we're usually about 12 people in total. We all bring dishes for the 'Julbord' (the Christmas spread) and rally around in the kitchen to finalise the meal before it goes on the table. 

After lunch there's always someone who wants to sit down and watch 'Donald Duck and his friends wish you a Merry Christmas' - a bizarre Swedish Christmas tradition - while others chill and chat! In the evening Tomten (Father Christmas) arrives bearing gifts and we drink glögg (mulled wine). 

Over the table: Mouthblown Sky pendant lamp

On the table: Balu wine glass, ReUse jug, ReUse bowl, ReUse drinking glass, Sky vase

What type of dishes does your Julbord include? 

We have a fairly traditional one with ham, pickled herring, Jansson's Temptation (a potato dish with anchovies), meatballs, salmon etc washed down with 'Julmust' (a form of Christmas cola) a little beer and schnapps. In the evening we drink glögg (spiced mulled wine) with gingerbread and tuck into Rice á la Malta or Christmas porridge. 

Above: Baubles: ReUse twisted bauble, ReUse clear glass Setting: ReUse plate from recycled glass, ReUse bowl

What do you do on Christmas Day (the day after the festivities)? 

It's a very relaxed day. We meet up with my parents again and go for a long walk together in the countryside before eating leftovers from the Julbord. Sometimes we head back to the city to meet up with Kristoffer's family. 

Above: ReUse oval platter Below: Sky ceramic lamp, ReUse Sprød christmas ornament

When do you take down your decorations? 

I don't really stick to a specific date - it's basically when the tree starts to look awful! The stars are the last things I take down. It feels so dark without them. My son always gets sad and cries when we take the star down in his bedroom - he loves the cosy, warm light it emits. 

Thank you so much for sharing your Christmas with us Helen, it sounds so lovely!

And thank you to Pernille Bülow for entrusting Helen and I with all the beautiful glassware! 

Follow any of the links in this post to treat yourself or friends (everything they sell makes a perfect present, but especially the clear mouthblown baubles which come in a lovely box!) - or head over to the Pernille Bülow online shop (they ship almost worldwide and it's free if you buy for a certain amount). I have a suspicion their elves will be working overtime in the coming weeks as the Christmas decorations are the prettiest I've seen this year.

Is there anything that stood out to you about the decorations or Helen's mysig family Christmas at the cottage? 

Stay cosy friends!

Niki

Photography; Niki Brantmark / My Scandinavian Home (except for first and last cottage image by Helen)

Styling: Helen Sturesson 

*This post is a paid partnership with Pernille Bülow. All words and images are my own and I only ever work with brands I absolutely love and think you will too! Thank you for supporting the small Nordic businesses and ateliers that make My Scandinavian Home possible.

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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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