The Storekeeper's House - A Beautiful Airbnb, Full of Character

I've figured out the best way to appreciate summer in Northern Europe - go against all gardening advice and sow grass at the beginning of July. That way every time it rains, you'll be super happy (our newly sewn grass is coming along nicely!). Even so, I am dreaming of escaping the chill and travelling to a faraway place (as exciting as it is to watch grass grow). Now, I know it's winter right now Down Under, but that doesn't stop me from gathering inspiration for a future trip (one day friends, one day!). And this beauty of a house is the latest one to be added to my little black book of beautiful stays! Read on to discover more about it. 

The Storekeeper's House in Tatura in Victoria, Australia was built in 1905 and started life as Flanagan's Store - a general store specialising in drapery and haberdashery and later, ironmongery, boot making and repairs. 

Carrie and Luis Casanova took on the major renovation two years ago - transforming it into a beautiful, warm and inviting home for guests. 

The house is full of character thanks to its original period features, cast iron stove, exposed bricks and lovely wood floor. Carrie and Luis have also scoured flea markets and second-hand sites to fill it with lovely old pieces, helping the house to reconnect to its past and celebrate the early storekeepers of Victoria. 

The house has three bedrooms (my eyes are on the one with the four-poster bed!), all fitted with linen sheets - of course! 

I love the bathroom with its claw foot tub and walk-in shower. Take a look at that antique chest-of-drawers which has been converted into a vanity too - such a great idea! 

Outside seating area provides a cosy spot for a cool glass of wine - and I also read there are plenty of cafes, bakeries and restaurants nearby. It's sounding more and more like my kind of place - do you feel the same?

The question is, when can I visit? 

All the details can be found over at Storekeeper's House and airbnb.

I love a great airbnb find, how about you? 

Here are a few others I've got in my little black book of holiday rentals: 

A charming miner's cottage among an acre of roses

Your own bohemian-style hideaway in the desert

A Swedish weatherboard cottage in South Australia

Two idyllic Danish cottages to rent this summer

In other news, I said that I was going to feature my cabin bathroom on Friday but let's just say... I've had a few teething problems so there's a slight delay with that one. I have something else inspiring lined up though, so please do pop back before the weekend! 

Vi ses på fredag! 

Niki

Photography: Abbie Melle, shared with kind permission. 

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Snapshots from Sina's Scandi Inspired Apartment in Hamburg

I've been featuring lots of Scandinavian summer cottages lately and thought today I'd take a break and head back into the city to share a vibrant apartment with you! Sina's 45 m2 / 484 f2 home in North-West Hamburg, Germany (4-hour's drive from southern Sweden, and even closer to Denmark) has a distinct Scandi vibe. It could be the minimalistic touch, the hint of colour and stripes so loved by the Danes right now - or the Sax Le Klint lamp as well as other Scandi design pieces or, most likely it's a combination of the three! Keep a look out for the corner shelving (so smart!) - and see if you can spot the well camouflaged TV! Ready to feel inspired? 

This lovely Crayon lamp in blue is by danish brand Hubsch (I really like the green version too!). The kitchen wall has been painted in K/11-23-38-20/T by Kolarat. 

Do you see it? 

The chair is from IKEA museum. 

The shelves are made up of a selection of IKEA units - which have been combined to fit the space. 

The print is from Stilleben - one of my favourite Danish stores (known for colourful and handmade items). 

The pretty yellow floral bedding is from Gina Tricot. I didn't know they did homeware and was surprised to discover a whole range of lovely bedding for those on a budget! 

So many nice ideas! 

Is there anything that stood out to you? 

You can see more snapshots from Sina's apartment here. 

I'll be back on Wednesday with an exciting home tour to share with you - and on Friday I'm hoping to finally be able to share the final reveal of our cabin bathroom! Holding my thumbs (as they say in Sweden!). 

In the meantime, why not take a delve through these archives for inspiration: 

Small spaces

Danish home

Swedish home

Norwegian home

Stor kram! 

Niki

Photography: Sina / @iets.met.kleur

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Sunny July has landed, and brought with it the official holiday month of Scandinavia. Out of offices are on, the shoes are off - and our Nordic friends are preparing to relax and soak up the sunshine! This charming and laid back Danish 'Kolonihave' (allotment cottage) gives a wonderful glimpse into the chilled vibe of the Scandi summer. 

If you've been following My Scandinavian Home for a while and / or read The Scandinavian Home, you'll have noticed a distinct difference between the way Scandinavians decorate their city spaces and summer cottages. The former tend to be a more contemporary affair with clean lines and a blend of new Nordic pieces and vintage / finds. The latter on the other hand are distinctly more relaxed and lower key. 

Why is that? Summer cottage life is all about flitting between the indoors and outdoors - from the sandy shores of the sea or lake to the dewy grass in the garden and into the kitchen for a refreshing glass of elderflower squash. You might decide to plonk yourself on the sofa and curl up with a book or laze in a hammock. There might be a knock at the door and an army of children from the neighbourhood charge in. Or friends might drop by for a fika. It's simply about relaxing your way. 

And if you're worried about your interior, the hygge vibe will quickly evaporate along with the squash! This is why cottages tend to be kitted out with simple yet lovely, relaxed pieces that only get better with age! 

When Susanne Storm first bought the allotment garden house in Rødovre, Denmark fourteen years ago it was in a terrible condition - so much so that she was actually 50th on the waiting list but still got the offer to buy it! Most would have torn it down and started again, but Susanne saw its potential and after several years of renovating using second hand materials, the family love to spend their weekends and holidays in the 60 m2 (645 f2) cottage. 

The house dictated the decor, and many of the items you see are either from Susann'es grandmother's house or found at flea markets - set against a calm white backdrop. 

An outdoor shower and toilet was one of the things that Susanne added to make the cottage more comfortable to live in. 

A perfect oasis from where Susanne and her family can relax all summer long! 

Glimpse inside other Danish 'kolonihave' including: 

A relaxed artists home on a Copenhagen allotment

A charming danish cabin on an allotment

Lovely details in a Danish allotment cabin

Have a lovely, relaxing start to the week! See you Wednesday! 

Niki

Photography: Lasse Wind, shared with kind permission. 

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Come and Discover the Nordic Market at Formland this August!

Paid collaboration with Formland. All words are my own and I only ever work with brands, services and events that I love and think you will too! 

Hello Scandi design-lovers, today I'm reaching out to all design and interior industry professionals (I know there's a big community here!) with some exciting news!

Between August 18 - 21 2022, Formland - the Nordic design fair in Herning, Denmark - will be opening its doors to showcase the latest news, trends and tendencies within Scandinavian design. Needless to say, it's a perfect opportunity to collect inspiration, do business and network with exhibitors, designers and leading experts!

Interested? Here's the exciting part: international visitors who attend Formland and book three 15 to 30 minute one-to-one meetings with exhibitors will receive a goodie bag, free lunch vouchers as well as a €300 reimbursement per person attending the fair (max. 2 people per company). Read more about the exciting benefits and terms and conditions for international visitors and plan your visit here. 

If you attend, make sure you stop by the 'Speak Up Scene' between 13.00 - 13.30 on Thursday 18th August, when I'll be attending a panel discussion about 'More or less? Maximalism or minimalism? What is the direction on the trend compass?' alongside trend experts Stefan Nilsson and Mads Arlien-Søborg. 

There'll be many other interesting talks and debates throughout the four days - and with eight halls filled with exhibitors (from small start-ups to large well established Nordic businesses) to be discovered, you'll certainly have your days full! 

Find more information about Formland and plan your trip. 

Hopefully see you there! 

Niki

PS I'll be back tomorrow with my usual Scandi interior inspiration - I've got a beautiful apartment to share with you!  

Photography: Tony Broechner / MCH (except top picture - Niki Brantmark). 

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Jessica's Beautiful Swedish Country Home and Garden

The towns and cities in Sweden have become distinctly quieter as more and more head out to the countryside to enjoy the nice weather (hey, we've waited a long time for this sunshine, we're not going to miss it!). For Swede Jessica Hedin, life continues at her quintessential country home from where she drives her business as a mindfulness therapist and coach - in between renovating a beautiful old house and toiling the soil to produce an abundance of home-grown vegetables and flowers. 

Step inside, and the house has been renovated with a deep respect for its past. Wood beams, panelling, exposed brickwork and original doors and windows provide a backdrop for an interior that's been painted in a soothing light green and white as well as with touches of traditional wallpaper. The living space has been furnished with a blend of antique furniture and light fittings which add to the wonderful, relaxed countryside vibe. Ready to take a peek? 

Beautiful! 

I particularly love the downstairs loo! And I find the garden so inspiring too. The grass was pretty much ruined at our cabin during the build and so I feel like we're starting from scratch. I don't think our garden will ever look quite like Jessica's, but I do love the idea of growing sweet peas, roses and dahlia as well as having a vegetable patch - something we've never been able to do in our tiny city garden! 

Is there anything that you felt particularly inspired by?

See more pictures from Jessica's house and garden at @angadalen and find out more about Jessica's work as a health worker and therapist - including courses and workshops here. 

Would you like to see a few other Swedish country homes today? I love: 

A charming and idyllic country home in summertime

A house and garden with a beautiful greenhouse on Gotland

A pretty red and white house in rural Sweden

In case you missed it: I have now moved into my summer holiday posting schedule (Monday, Wednesday and Friday). Have a relaxing few days and see you Friday! 

Niki

Photography: Jessica Hedin shared with kind permission

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