Timeless Charm and Dark Blue Walls in a Small Swedish Apartment

While colours in the fashion and interior design world come and go, there is always one that remains: dark blue. It's timeless. And I'm a huge fan. 

Softer than black but still striking, dark blue is a stalwart in the world of interiors and adds a cosy, cocoon like feel to a room. Combine it with fresh whites and warm earthy tones for a soft, elegant look, and throw in lots of natural materials in the form of wood, rattan, cane, linen and wool for a look that's bang up to date! 

This beautiful apartment in Gothenburg is a fine example of dark blue done right! Oh, and it's also great inspiration for anyone who has their bedroom in the living room too! Välkommen in! 

The Flos Sarfatti ceiling light is a design classic which you'll find in many Swedish homes. 

I don't think I'll ever tire of linen bedding - it's practical, catches the light in a beautiful way, and the more you wash it the softer it gets. Try Wonder Linen on Etsy* for similar! 

*affiliate link

Wooden hooks from Norrgavel are a Swedish bedroom essential! 

Contrast is continued in the kitchen with black units and off-white walls. Notice the copper piping, cabinet and painting too! 

Swedes are going crazy for range ovens right now! They're more widely available these days as you can get them in both gas and electric induction versions. 

Rule break alert: the rug version of 'messy hair, don't care'! I kind of like how this one extends onto the wood floor. It's a little like rolling out the red carpet - everyday!

A jute rug adds a softness to the black and white bathroom. We've also added one to our downstairs loo and it makes the world of difference! 

Such a lovely home full of contrast! Interestingly, the estate agent have presented two versions of how to divide up the sitting room / bedroom area - one open-plan, and one divided into two separate rooms (vardagsrum - living room, kök - kitchen, sovrum - bedroom): 

Which do you prefer?

Also, would you consider going for a dark colour in your home? In Albin's room we've painted two of the walls in dark blue, but I've always regretted not going for the entire room. Next project? 

Not quite convinced with the dark blue? See other homes with this feature here: 

A striking small Stockholm space in dark blue

5 ways to rock the dark blue and beige look

A stunning Norwegian home in many shades of blue

And for those of you planning a small space, here are some great examples of Scandinavian style studio apartments: 

An elegant Swedish 'ettan'

A small Swedish apartment packed with charm - and sunshine!

8 essential items for a Swedish studio apartment 

Happy Monday friends! 

Niki

Styling: Emma Fischer & Annica Clarmell

Photography: Walti Hösli

For sale via: Entrance

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Stephanie's Charming and Relaxed Family Home

It's Friday people! Woohooo! I'm feeling lighter already - but I am also aware that Per and I have a big DIY project going on at the cottage which needs to be tended too over the weekend (I'm so looking forward to sharing the results with you once finished). No rest for the wicked, as they say!! I hope you have slightly more relaxing plans. 

Speaking of relaxed...

I stumbled across Stephanie Friedrich's wonderful family home on instagram yesterday and knew I had to share it with you! Stephanie lives with her husband and two boys by lake Constance in Germany and have created a beautiful, relaxed base in which to relax. 

Light and airy, the walls are mainly white, with a touch of floral wallpaper here and a lick of paint there. But the charm lies in the unique blend of furniture and personal items spread around the rooms. if you're working with sloped ceilings and awkward angles in your home, you'll likely love the master bedroom and bathrooms which maximise the space while working around the walls. All in all, a perfect home tour with which to end the week! 

Step this way. 

What a lovely, relaxed home! Every time I look through the pictures I spot something new - how about you? 

One of the key things I noticed about Stephanie's home is how art is displayed. None of it is 'too perfect' and it's a wonderful mix of 2D and 3D! For example, in the kitchen, unframed art has been spontaneously propped up on top of a framed art. And in the sitting room, small objects have been placed on top of frames or simply lent against the wall. 

Is there anything specific that stands out to you? 

I wouldn't blame you for wanting to see more of Stephanie's home. If that's the case, pop along to her instagram feed @fraeuleinotten for more corners and snapshots from everyday family life in Germany!

Would you like to feel inspired by other relaxed family homes this weekend? Pull up a seat and dive into:  

Chestnut tones in a delightful Swedish family home

I love my friend Helen's former home here in Malmö

12 child-friendly ideas to steal from a happy family home in Berlin

Folks, that's it from me this week! Thank you for stopping by, I hope you've enjoyed the tours! I've loved reading your comments and mails :)

See you Monday! 

Niki

Photography: @fraeuleinotten, shared with kind permission. 

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A Swedish Cottage in the City - In Autumn Time

Many of my Swedish friends tell me that November is their least favourite month. Admittedly, it is very dark. Here in the furthest south the sun will set at 4pm today. And in Kiruna - a city in the far North famous for its ice hotel, the sun will dip below the horizon at a crazy 2pm! Could you imagine? And we still have six weeks until the winter solstice. 

But I have always loved November. I love the golden leaves. I love the cosiness of coming home to a warmly lit home and I love steaming stews and apple pie! 

This charming cottage is my way of sharing not only the beauty of the fairytale quarter of Högelid in central Stockholm, but also the capital city in all it's Autumn glory! It's also a rare opportunity to take a peek behind the facade of one of the city's historical homes. 

Welcome to Sweden in 'höst'! 

What a beautiful haven to come home to each day. It's hard to imagine this cottage is in the heart of a city, don't you think? 

Did I mention it's for sale? A unique chance if ever there was one! 

Incidentally, I have had quite a few questions lately asking if Scandinavians tend to own less stuff. The simple answer is yes! Granted, some of these homes have been decluttered to make them appeal to potential buyers, on the whole, Scandinavians take a 'less is more' approach to decorating. I wrote a load about it in my Lagom book if you'd like to find out more*! 

In the mood for some autumn / fall inspiration? Here are some of my favourite sources: 

Laura and Nora's home is full of lovely ideas

11 cosy autumn ideas to steal from a Danish home

5 cosy autumn trends, Scandinavian style

Happy mid week!

Niki

Photography: stern interiors

Styling: Olivia Lind

For: Fastighetsbyrån

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A Bright, Light and Playful Swedish Home

Hej allihopa! I felt like sharing something light, playful and different today - and this wonderful house fit the bill perfectly! Featured on instagram as @tegelsnackan the Swedish owners of this red brick house in Helsingland in central Sweden love their blonde wood and pops of colour - all set against a fresh white backdrop. They have also thrown in some fun chequered patterns and a few stripes for good measure. 

The result is a light and airy house that lifts the spirits, no matter the time of year, but especially when the winter darkness sets in (with a six weeks to go until the winter solstice, I'd say most parts of Sweden are already there. 

I love the uniqueness of this home and hope it feels you with ideas for the week to come! 

From the exterior you can already see that the owners have dared to be different with a bright red pergola and red window frames to match! 

This red theme is continued throughout the interior. 

If I am not wrong, I think this is the Arc vase by Danish brand Hay. The original format was 'mirror'  and the owners have painted it fire engine red! 

Also, spot the horse on the shelf? This is known as a Dalahäst (Dala horse), and is traditionally carved out of wood before being hand painted. It originates from the county of Dalarna - and has become a popular symbol for Sweden as a whole!

From a distance the checks in the hallway look like tiles, but look closer and you'll see that they have been painted onto a wood floor. This is a trick swedes have used for hundreds of years. Tiles have traditionally been very expensive where as it doesn't cost much to buy paint to create a similar affect. I have always loved this idea! 

A lick of yellow around the room ensures the sun is always shining, even if it's grey outside! 

Also, check out the IKEA storage used as a wall mounted bedside table - very clever! 

Aaaaah, I so enjoyed this tour, did you?  It's fun to see something different. Very refreshing! 

Are there any ideas here that you can imagine using for your own home? 

If you're not already following @tegelsnackan on instagram, hop over right away! 

Wishing you a fabulous start to the week! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of @tegelsnackan, shared with kind permission. 

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