A Bright White Swedish Apartment Where Old Meets New

Last Tuesday I celebrated my twenty year anniversary of living in Sweden. Can you believe it? I simply don't know where the time has gone. But it's been two wonderful decades! Over my years here, Scandinavian interiors have evolved a lot. Even so, there are some looks that are timeless - and one of those is what I like to call 'the Scandinavian blonde look'. 

Think a less is more approach where light colours and blonde wood take centre stage. The look is bright and airy, with touches of nature found around every corner. 

This lovely two-floored Swedish maisonette offers a beautiful bang up to date version of this style, complete with a contemporary stainless steel kitchen,  traditional wainscoting, wood beams, and a painted checked floor. Ready to feel inspired? 

You quite often find a painted wood floor like this in Swedish homes - particularly in the countryside. It's a technique that stems back to the olden days when tiles were considered very expensive, so people would imitate with paint. Today, it's a well loved feature - and relatively easy to achieve with some stencils and a little patience! 

I've seen more and more green tiles like these appearing in homes lately (only last week we saw something similar in St Oak apartment!). I love the old school touch! The loo with the raised cistern reminds me so much of the ones we had at my primary school too, although I'm sure the owners of this place have better loo roll!! 

All in all, a beautiful home, do you agree? 

Take a look at similar 'blonde wood' Scandinavian-style homes: 

A dreamy Copenhagen home full of books and art

The blond Nordic apartment

A bright, light and playful Swedish apartment

But the look isn't reserved for Scandi homes - take a peek at the kitchen of this Normandy family home! 

Wishing you all a bright start to the week! 

Niki

I am home with a very tired gymnast today. Thank you for all your well wishes! We had a great weekend - it was so fun to watch Alice and her team perform - and we were so proud of them for coming 5th in the nationals (although it will take a while for my pulse to drop!)! Per and I also spent some time afternoon in the breath-taking Stockholm archipelagos too - it's so peaceful there. If you haven't already, I hope you can visit one day!

Photography courtesy of Fastighetsbyrån, found via Nordroom with thanks

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Colour Inspiration From a Lovely Swedish Apartment

Hello! How are you this bright and sunny day? In recent years, the interior world trend has edged away from a less is more white space (although they'll always feel timeless to me!) towards more of a mix and match menagerie of bold colours, patterns and prints. 

If you feel you're being carried along by the tide and looking to inject a little more colour into your home, this Swedish apartment might just serve as the perfect inspiration. Read on to discover which tones they have used and other smart uses of colour and contrast! 

In the kitchen, the cabinets have been painted in a soft shade beside a bolder blushing peach by Jotun. I used the latter in my bedroom, and absolutely loved it. Stupidly I painted over it on a whim and now I really miss it! 

A lovely mid blue has been used on a dresser by the window - which pairs beautifully with the peach - a very Scandi combo! 

Note how a shelf has been placed across the window, turning storage out of a disused area. If you have a window looking out onto a pavement, shelves like this can help shield you from prying eyes while still allowing light to come in. 

The sitting room wall (and hallway) have been painted in seashell by Becker. I would so love this shade at our summer cottage, if only for the name! So pretty, don't you think? 

Notice how they have brought in yellow as an accent colour. The trick is to bring in at least three pops for a cohesive, balanced look. Here, it can be seen in the blanket, flowers and a picture frame. 

Playing with scale is a great way to add interest to a space. Here, an oversized lamp makes a statement in the hallway. 

In recent years, paint has moved on from just the walls - and people are going wild with doorframes, wainscoting and other features. When done right, it can make a great impact! 

The wainscoting has been given a lick of 'dark teal' and the walls have been painted with 'rooibos' - both by Becker.

And finally, the children's bedroom has been painted in linen blue by Jotun - an incredibly popular shade in Scandinavia as it's incredible calming. Note the blue and pink combo has been repeated here. 

All in all, a lovely home, full of inspiring ideas!

Are there any paint combinations that stood out to you? 

Perhaps you have a favourite colour in your home that you'd like to share with us? 

In case you're looking for more colour inspiration, here are some Norwegian homes with very pretty schemes! 

A stunning Norwegian home in many shades of blue

Before and after: A rural Norwegian cottage gets a makeover

A charming little summer cabin by a Norwegian fjord

Before we all shoot off, a little note to say, it's a public holiday here in Sweden on Thursday and Friday and Alice (my youngest daughter) is competing in the nationals in gymnastics - so we're heading up to Stockholm to cheer her on. It's always a joy to watch her and her team mates and the other young gymnasts in action, if not highly emotional - I'll be needing big sunglasses! 

This means there'll be no post on Friday - but I'll be back again on Monday! 

Have a lovely few days! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Nya Kvadrat - found via Nordroom with thanks

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St Oak - a Dreamy Apartment and Holiday Home Near Berlin

Do you recognise the signature style in the picture above? Maybe this beautiful kitchen in a former schoolhouse, this Berlin apartment and country house or this charming cottage in Österlen, Sweden might provide a clue. 

Yep, Laura and Nora of Our Food Stories fame have been weaving their magic again. And this time it's in the form of St Oak Apartments in the charming town of Kyritz, North of Berlin. The pair started the renovation last February and now the loft is open for bookings! 

When it comes to beautiful design, they've certainly left no stone unturned. Not only does the 160 sq.m. (1722 ft.sq) apartment have a dreamy DeVol kitchen (the girls are chefs so they certainly know a thing or two about kitchens!), the apartment is full of Scandi design favourites including pieces from Frama, New Works and &Tradition. 

Laura and Nora tell me that the town is lovely and calm and there's a lake nearby for swimming and boating. So, I might just have to pay a visit soon. 

Take the tour to see if you might be tempted too! 

It looks like a trip to Germany might be in order, do you agree? 

Discover more about this beautiful apartment and book your stay here. 

To find out more about the furniture, head on over to @st.oak_apartments on instagram. You can also see other renovations over at @_designtales_. 

Have a great start to the week! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of St Oak Apartments, shared with kind permission. 

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A Dreamy Cottage by the Ocean Filled with Vintage Finds

It was the vintage zinc bath tub looking out over the ocean which caught my eye.

Instantly knowing that there was more about this home to be discovered, I delved deeper into the @thevintagerose_ instagram feed - and an entire coastal cottage filled with vintage treasures unravelled before me!  

The heritage cottage belongs to Amanda Skipper - who has lovingly restored the hideaway on the shore of Moulting Bay on Tasmania's east coast over time. Today Amanda and her partner can relax and enjoy in the views - whether from the veranda, sitting room or of course, the bath tub!

Ready to dream? 

Beautiful!

Having grown up sailing and now living a few metres from the Öresund in Malmö, Sweden, I find there is nothing more relaxing than looking out over the water. It's as if everything gets put into perspective and all worries fall away. Do you feel the same? It's my lifelong dream to live in a cottage like this. 

It's not just the view though. It's also the way it tells a tale of a past life through old brick walls, wood flooring, arches, a fireplace and all the other architectural details. And of course all the vintage finds!

Could you imagine relaxing here too? 

See more of Amanda's charming cottage over at @thevintagerose_. And just because we could all use a little dreaming this weekend, here are some more homes by the sea to enjoy: 

The beautiful home of a Danish ceramicist

A magical rural escape beside a Norwegian fjord

A dream Danish house by the sea

My day at a charming Danish cottage by the sea

An artists cottage in a fishing village in Cornwall

Right folks, that's it from me. The weather is so beautiful today, I might just switch off my laptop and head out doors. It's POETS day after all - (Push Off Early, Tomorrow's Saturday). 

I hope you have a wonderful weekend! 

Niki

PS (contains ad for my own work) - While on the subject of relaxing by the sea - I've been meaning to say thank you so much to everyone who has picked up a copy of Njuta book - it really means so much!

Photography: @thevintagerose_, shared with kind permission

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