This Fabulous Colourful Copenhagen Home is On Airbnb

Hej kompisar! Is it just me, or when planning a holiday or weekend away, the lion's share of the work is in finding the perfect place to stay? I guess it's because, if like me, your environment can add so much to your time away! 

The good news is, if you're visiting the Danish capital, I might have saved you hours (weeks... months...?) of scouring the net! Look no further than this incredible three bedroom apartment in the hip neighbourhood of Vesterbro which features sky high ceilings, beautiful period features, original wood floors and incredible light-filled rooms. 

Owned and run by host Nikolaj Paaby Normand, the abode is filled with incredible one-off pieces, art, make-you-smile colours and a riot of pattern. Needless to say, these pictures taken by Anitta Behrendt, have graced the covers and pages of some of Denmark's finest interior magazines and the airbnb is considered a firm 'guest favourite'. 

Ready to take a nosey around? Step this way! 

Have you ever seen such a colourful dining set arrangement? It works thanks to a very calm backdrop, making it a focal point of the room. 

The apartment is full of one-off pieces which adds intrigue around every corner. 

Colour, texture, and pattern come together in the sitting room, giving the space a relaxed feel. While the furniture and Svenskt Tenn pattern have mid-century appeal. Again, a calm backdrop helps to draw the eye to the centre of the room and ensures the look doesn't become too chaotic. 

A calming blue accent wall appears in the bedroom, while the vibrant quilt and cushion ties the look in with the rest of the living space. 

Oj oj oj - as they say in Sweden. It's one thing seeing an incredible space like this in a magazine, it's another knowing that you can actually stay in it as an airbnb. 

Meet you there?

More information about this Copenhagen apartment on Airbnb. 

Would you like to dream over a few other Airbnbs in Scandinavia? Hey, why not plan an entire tour of the region? Here are a few of my favourites:

A charming Danish summer cabin on North Zealand

A limestone barn on the Swedish island of Gotland

The Stonecutters Farm on the island of Öland

A cosy ski chalet in Hafjell, Norway

A quintessentially Swedish lakeside cottage

Aaaand that's it from me this week. I hope you have a fabulous weekend and the sun shines for you! 

Niki

Photography: Anitta Behrendt

Design / owner: Nikolaj Paaby Normand

Shared with kind permission

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A Rose-Tinted Swedish Home with a Contemporary Twist!

Alla hjärtans dag - or Valentine's Day calls for something pink, don't you think? And you certainly won't need to look through rose tinted glasses to see the blush tones in this Swedish home! 

Fear not though, 'sweet' and romantic it's not - but rather, it has a distinct contemporary vibe thanks to striped cushions with a zing of orange as well as notes of brown. Keep a look out for some very cool furniture in the shape of a Ekstrem chair - which we also saw in Julie's Danish home (featuring lots of pink too!), a playful mirror and some lovely lamps! 

Elsewhere in the home, you'll see a soothing shade of green in the bedroom and a deep blue in the loo - all of which are designed to keep you guessing and make for a thoroughly interesting abode! 

Such a cool apartment, and so different! 

Are you a fan of pink? 

Here are a few other 'pink' themed articles I found in the archives to get everyone in the mood for today:

Pinks big comeback in 2017! 

A retro 'funkis' home in Norway (note the green which is opposite to pink in the colour wheel, making it a perfect pair!). 

A very cool yet calm rose-tinted French family home

Before and after: a dingy stairway becomes a vibrant place - with stairs in every shade of pink!

And don't forget the pink stairs in Susie's home - someone told me the other day that a painter refused to do the job and I think Susie ended up painting them herself! A true labour of love! 

Glad alla hjärtans dag! Happy Valentine's Day! 

Niki

Photography: Johansson

Styling: Lindholm

For Historiska Hem

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A Charming Swedish Townhouse Where Old Meets New

There was something that immediately resonated with me when i first spotted this townhouse in the Gamle Enskede area of Stockholm. And then I read the blurb: 'an English townhouse' built in 1909 and designed by Victor Bodin.  

Needless to say, I've seen quite a few two-up, two-down formats like this in my childhood in London. But this is different. It has a distinct Scandinavian twist! Firstly, the wall between the kitchen and sitting room has been removed creating an airy open-space and secondly the decor is undeniably Swedish. It's also very unique. 

Think botanical wallpapers, scalloped edged rugs (I want one!), a vibrant gallery wall, candy stripes, pops of cherry red and a mix of antiques and modern day finds. Let's take a peek inside. 

I love this. It feels so familiar yet so unfamiliar at the same time. Sort of English cottage meets Swedish traditional meets Scandinavian contemporary - making the space truly unique. 

Is there anything that caught your eye about this wonderful house? 

While I couldn't find more homes like this to share, I did uncover a few lovely houses in the archive that I had forgotten about. If you have time this morning, dig into these: 

A Swedish cottage in the forest 

Scandinavia meets the med in a Mallorcan finca

Johanne and Lukas' Copenhagen townhouse from 1927

Have a fabulous start to the week! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Skandia Mäklarna with thanks 

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Interior Designer Saša Antic's Inspiring Stockholm Home

With a population of ten million, Sweden is a relatively small country. And if you move in the design circle, it's only matter of time before you meet - even if you live in an entirely different city! 

Eleven years ago, I featured interior designer Saša Antic's mini yet impeccably designed apartment in Stockholm. It was one of those memorable spaces which I've find myself returning to time after time for inspiration. 

A few weeks ago, I was at the IKEA mothership (i.e. the IKEA headquarters in Älmhult) where I've been working on a project and I came across Saša! A lovely and interesting guy, we got chatting about home decorating and how he loves to constantly rearrange his living space - even making his own furniture and storage to go with it. And then he dropped the bomb shell - after 20 years, he'd moved to a new apartment.

Naturally, I was straight on the case, and this morning these beautiful images shot of Saša's home by Stellan Herner fell into my inbox. So here it is in all it's glory. Välkommen! 

Located in the Vitabergsparken quarter of Södermalm - a central area of Stockholm known for it's hip, boho vibe, Saša's apartment measures a more sizeable 60 sqm (645 ft.sq) - allowing for a seperate kitchen, sitting room and bedroom. 

Saša's a big fan of colour and the tones he's picked out for his pad are inspired by the English countryside (could this be why I was immediately drawn to the space?): Look closely, and you'll notice that the walls are only painted a third of the way up - helping to add contrast to the rooms yet also ensuring a cosy feel to a space with incredibly high ceilings. He's also been careful to apply the same colour to skirting boards and architraves - for a complete look that's very 'now'. 

Art features heavily in the space - with large, bold work creating a focal point in the sitting room, hallway and bedroom. 

Never one to follow the crowd, Saša has been careful to pick out quirky and unique pieces of furniture - like this red bar cart! 

Each room keeps you guessing in terms of tone, furniture and texture. In the bathroom, lace curtains add a soft touch as well as privacy from the busy Stockholm streets - while allowing a glimpse of the trees.

Absolutely wonderful space, don't you think? 

I'm so happy I bumped into Saša, or I'd have never discovered his pad! Funny how life works isn't it? 

You can follow Saša's latest interior design and concept work over on his homepage and instagram feed. 

Take a peek inside a few other Stockholm homes this weekend: 

The Stockholm home of a design hunter

A charming Swedish apartment in wintertime

A blend of old and new in a Stockholm home

Happy Friday friends! I hope you have a fantastic weekend! 

Niki

Photography: Stellan Herner

Styling: Saša Antic

Shared with kind permission

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An elegant Malmö home with Shades of Green, Ochre and Red

I'm all settled in my studio today and it's one of those bitterly cold February days - so I'm not planning on going anywhere! It makes sense therefore, to feature a home right here in the heart of Malmö! 

I have driven past this apartment a thousand times, unbeknown to me that there was an elegant space filled with art, concealed just behind the facade! 

Despite the large spacious rooms and beautiful bones it was actually the choice of furniture that stood out to me - a blend of contemporary finds and the occasional vintage piece as well as the deep earthy tones including forest green, red, ochre and slate - adding. contrast and cosiness. 

All it needs now is for someone to take over the reigns and make it their new home. Could that be you? 

Did you spot the projector on the wall in the first picture? I can't tell if the owners have made a box to conceal it themselves, or it was bought like this (I'm thinking the former), either way it's so subtle - way better than a big TV screen, don't you think? 

Is there anything that popped out at you? 

See more Malmö apartments here today: 

The wood and white home of a creative

The earthy home of a Swedish florist

An artists home in a former atelier

Have a lovely day folks - stay warm! 

Niki

Photographs courtesy of Bo-laget with thanks. 

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