Bright ideas: Lighting up our Cabin and a Friend's Bathroom

Paid partnership with Hudson valley Lighting Group, all words and pictures are my own

There's nothing like the autumn and winter darkness to make you realise you don't have enough lighting at home (yelp!). Put simply, you need at least 5 different types of lights in a standard size room (a mix of ambience, overhead and task lighting). Outdoor lighting is also important to extend the alfresco season, brighten up an entrance and create a welcoming vibe! Last week, Per and I headed to the cabin to install two lights in the fading autumn light. 

The first one we installed was the District pendant by Troy Lighting which is made from hand blown glass with soft black detail. The cabin has a 4-metre ceiling height, so we borrowed a ladder. Here's me checking the length (for someone who has a slight fear of heights, this was a brave moment!). The light comes with a black ceiling canopy which looks super smart once in place.  

As with all handmade pieces, the handblown glass has subtle imperfections which give it a lovely vintage feel. It comes in two different sizes (this is the smaller one measuring 40 cm high x 20.32 cm wide), and three different glass finishes: clear, topaz and smoke. Since it's a fairly small room, I chose the clear glass for a 'barely there' feel. 

I love the closed concave bottom - it's not unlike a fine bottle of wine! But more than that, it catches and reflects the light in a lovely way. 

Outdoor lighting 

Meanwhile, outside it can be pitch black (save for the moon and stars) at this time of year at the cabin. 

I've learned good garden lighting is key for three reasons: it means you can still be outside and enjoy mild evenings after the sun goes down, it creates a welcoming feel when you arrive home and finally, there's something unsettling about looking out into a black hole of darkness through the window, and good garden lighting can do wonders to lighten up the outside world - highlighting your deck, a tree or other parts of the garden, helping you to feel less 'closed-in'. 

Note: try to steer clear of lights that emit light directly upwards as this can disorientate migrating birds.  

For us, the first step was to install a light in the decked area so we can sit outside on autumn evenings (when the weather allows for it of course!). The Atwater Wall Sconce by Troy Lighting caught our eye as we liked the vintage brass finish and the warm glow. 

Specifically designed for outdoor use, it's available in three different sizes. This one is 45.72 cm high x 16.51 cm wide. 

I particularly like the finish - it's a tone I've used throughout the cabin. I also really appreciate the golden glow, it creates a really welcoming, cosy vibe! 

It's so much cosier to sit out here in Autumn now. Maybe we'll invest in a fire pit next, what do you think? 

Lighting up my friend's bathroom

And finally, it would be mean spirited of me to keep all these wonderful lights to myself. My friend Ullis (who I've known since I was five and lives a few doors down) has recently completed her bathroom renovation and it's amazing! There was just one piece missing - mood lighting! 

Ullis already has spotlights in the ceiling, so the overhead lighting was covered, what was needed was a warm mood light. Which is where this beauty came into the picture!

Made from solid cast brass, the Diggs wall sconce by Hudson Valley Lighting Group is small but fairly weighty (you do need a good, solid wall for this one). It looks great all over the home, but I also love that it can be installed in the bathroom. 

It has a hooded design with a handcrafted look and feel which looks equally pretty switched off or on.  

It gives off such a lovely warm glow, don't you think? I love it when a plan comes together! 

I'm considering installing this in our stairwell too (a dark area of our home that's in need of more light!). 

I hope you like these lamps as much as we do. Do you have a favourite? 

You can see all the lights have selected from Hudson Valley Lighting Group in the past here, here and here. 

This weekend is perfect timing to do a light edit in your home and ensure you have enough each room. Is there somewhere in your home you need to work on? 

Have a great weekend friends, vi ses på måndag! 

Niki

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A Swedish House Where the Town and Forest Meet

On Monday someone wrote requisition to see more urban apartments. I hear you, I have been featuring a lot of rural homes lately. I promise to keep shaking it up and try to share a little of every Scandinavian style - watch this space! Today's property offers the best of both worlds, which I'm hoping will also tick the box! Located on the outskirts of Kungsbacka, it has the benefit of having the town's facilities in walking distance, yet backs onto woodland (which looks especially pretty at this time of year). 

But it's not the location that caught my eye (although if you'd like to buy it, this could be good to know!), it's the decor. Built in 1906, the house has been completely renovated in keeping with the age and style of the property. I especially love the wood panelling (ever since building our little cabin, I'm even more of a fan!), and the way doors, ceilings, skirting boards and architraves have been painted in a darker tone. The upstairs bedrooms have also been painted in deeper soothing tones, adding a cosy touch. Oh, and the owners also have impeccable taste when it comes to furniture and lamps too! Ready to take a look? 

Notice how the kitchen is painted in two subtle tones, which immediately adds difference. Although rather spartan in this picture, you can imagine how lovely it would look when the whole family gathers round! 

What a wonderful house! I could definitely see myself living here, how about you?

Whoever snaps it up is extremely lucky. Hmmm, maybe I should speak to Per, although it is a little out of our budget! In case you're curious, there's more info about it here. 

Love to see some Scandinavian apartments today? Here some goodies: 

Playful touches in Erik's calm Swedish home

A smallish Swedish home, that's big on character

A calm one room oasis in the heart of the city

Live small? Get inspiration here!

I'm off to take some photos of a lamp now - it's such a gloomy day, I think it will need to be switched on. I'm looking forward to showing you the results on Friday! 

Vi ses! 

Niki

Photography: Mika Ågren 

Styling: Epok Interior 

Listed Fastighetsmäkleri

Found via Planete Deco with thanks

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A Cosy Country Home in Snowy North Sweden

*This post contains affiliated links

Here in Malmö in southern of Sweden, it's been unseasonably mild - so much so that it's still considered to be summer meteorologically. But Sweden is one looooong country, and in the far North they've already had their first flurry of snow. 

Frida Lindgren shares snapshots from her everyday life in Tvärålund Northern Sweden - including glimpses inside her cosy country home, which she shares with her husband Anders, two sons Axel and Viktor as well as a host of pets! If you've been following my blog since 2018, you might recognise Frida's house - but as someone who loves to tinker with interior design, it's being constantly updated, so I felt it was time for a new feature! 

Think maximalist rather than minimalist, lots of pattern and prints, vintage finds and layers of texture to keep the cold at bay. Oh, and I love the swing and star lanterns - keep your eyes peeled! 

We had jars exactly like this in our kitchen growing up. I remember there was a really long one for spaghetti! They create such a nice display and are really practical too! 

According to reports, the more you have your food on display and can see what you have, the less you are likely to waste food. Do you organise your food into jars or keep it in its original packaging? We're kind of a mix but I'd love to be better! I love these labelled spice jars*. 

Side cabinets like these are massively popular right now. The good news is, you can easily find simple inexpensive ones second hand and then give them a new lease of life with a lick of paint! 

Checks and gingham patterns are also having a moment - and tablecloths* and bedding* are a perfect way to bring your home up to date. I'm really happy with my gingham ironing board cover too (something I never thought I'd hear myself say - although it still doesn't actually prompt me to do any ironing ). Since then, I've found a whole market out there for them like this one for autumn and one for spring - who knew? 

How pretty is this peacock chair? Such a great find! 

The sitting room area is layered with texture including a large rug, blankets and sheepskins for a cosy feel. 

Now that I've just updated my laundry room (thank you. so much for all your lovely comments non Friday!), I have a new found love for the room. Frida has gone for a traditional look with wallpaper, a chequered floor and plenty of baskets. 

The swing I was talking about. What a perfect way to sit and look out over the wintery landscape at the end of the day. 

Ever since moving to Sweden, I've loved these Christmas paper star lanterns* that hang in the windows, they look so pretty in the winter darkness. 

How cosy! And such beautiful surroundings too. It's really got me in the mood for winter and the holiday season ahead, how about you? 

See more of Frida's lovely home over at @froken.frida. 

Are you in the mood for more snowy pictures today? Grab a coffee and blanket and check these homes out: 

A lakeside Swedish log house in the snow

A stunning white farmhouse in the snow

Simple Christmas touches in a Norwegian by a snow-covered fjord

Have a cosy start to the week! 

Niki

Photography: Frida Lundgren / @froken.frida, shared with kind permission. 

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Before and After: Our Laundry Room Make-over

Paid partnership with Elfa, all words and pictures are my own and I only ever work with brands I love and think you will too. 

Do you have a neglected room in your home? Despite living in our house for almost fifteen years (wow, has it been that long?), we've never touched our laundry room (except of course, to do our laundry!). 

It's situated on the middle floor beside the bathroom and bedrooms and is a small, windowless room - even so it's an absolute godsend!

At the beginning of the year, I declared that this would be the year we'd finally organise our home, and so far, we've created a new wardrobe and sorted Allie's bedroom. And now it's time to give our laundry room some tender loving care, with a little help from Elfa, who make super smart storage solutions. 

Here's how we transformed the room from an unloved space to a fresh, beautifully smelling and practical laundry room. 

Before 

'Don't air your dirty laundry in public' - so the saying goes. Thankfully, everything in these pictures is clean. Even so, it doesn't make it any less embarrassing! 

A narrow space, our laundry room has bright blue tiles on the floor, a row of simple hooks along the wall, and a drying rack hanging from the ceiling. The latter was probably our biggest bug bear as it swings around when you try to hang clothes on it, and Per constantly bangs his head on it while ironing his shirts. 

Stowed against the wall, the ironing board (which is desperately in need of a new cover - cringe!) often slides down in the night making an alarming clang.

On the opposite side is the washer and dryer as well as shelves where we keep bedlinen and towels (and the odd rogue item such as er, sunhats!). There's also a handy sink and cupboards which we rarely use as they're quite hard to get to beside the hanging dryer. 

OK, embarrassing moment over. Time for the fun bit: the transformation!

The plan

Wall mounted storage

In a small space like this, wall mounted, flexible storage is key. Elfa helped to design this highly functional formation for us.  The beauty of this system is that it's centred around wall hung tracks to which you can click-in all kinds of units and accessories such as shelves, drawers, hooks etc. You can also add to the arrangement over time. 

The wide section on the left is for two wall mounted clothes dryers and on the right, we'll have space for wall mounted shelves and hooks. 

We actually opted for one central bar in the end - but if you're inspired to do something similar and would like to make your space even more practical, you could opt for two central brackets to make your drying shelves even more adaptable to the space. 

On door storage

I've had my eye on the on door storage ever since my first post about Elfa. Centred around a central bracket, the baskets can be moved up and down. You can also add hooks. It's perfect place for all our laundry soap as well as other accessories. 

Prepping the room

We wanted the space to be more in keeping with the rest of the home. It can be really costly to re-tile, so instead we bought a special V33 tile paint which is especially designed for bathrooms. Per and I applied several layers to the wall (white) and floor (light grey). I've actually never tried a tile paint before and I'm amazed at the results! 

The next step was to lighten the shelves and worktop. To do this, we sanded down the oak before applying a special white oil wood treatment and finish by Osmo. 

And finally, we painted the rest of the room white before the ELFA units were installed. 

After

Tadaaaa! Can you believe this is the same laundry room? 

To the right of the room is the Elfa storage. We added two drying shelves, a wire shelf, a wire shelf basket, a storage track, storage track hooks and a clothing accessories kit. 

Collapsible drying shelves

Above you can see how the drying shelves collapse against the wall to make room for other things like sorting clothes and ironing. We can also change the height or remove them entirely. 

Shelves and hooks

The high shelves are ideal for extra storage (the storage boxes are part of a set from the Marie Kondo collection from Studio Elfa in Malmö).  

One of my favourite things is that now we can hang the iron from hooks. Oh, and did you notice I changed that gross ironing board cover to a new gingham one (from IKEA)? 

I also swapped out the old laundry baskets for a pretty rattan one (there's another laundry basket in the cupboard opposite for 'overflow' - we're a family of five, after all!).

Meanwhile, on the other side of the room...

The lighter wood, white tiles and light grey floor have really helped to freshen up the space. 

I also changed the door handles (it's all in the details friends!) - these are called Knob Helix, you might recognise them, as I have the same ones in our cabin kitchen.  And I picked up the baskets in town to store our bed linen and towels - so much neater! 

Door storage

Last but not least, the wonderful door storage is made up of a series of wire baskets which click into place. It's made space for all our laundry soap (I love Humdakin), cloths and other items - leaving the area around the sink clear. 

And there you have it, our new laundry room! 

Who would have thought that a room like this could bring so much joy (never thought I'd say something like that)? 

I hope you like the transformation as much as we do! 

Next step... the attic (gaaaah!). 

In the meantime, if you're in need of more storage at home, have a play arounds with the Elfa online 3D planning tool, or seek help from Elfa professionals (available pretty much worldwide) - you'll have your home organised in no time! 

If anyone's looking for me this weekend... I won't be hanging out here in the laundry room, hopefully, but I am thrilled with it! 

Have a great couple of days and see you Monday! 

Niki

Photography: Niki Brantmark / My Scandinavian Home

Styling: Helen Sturesson 

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