A White Swedish Apartment with Lovely Outdoor Lounge Area

The leaves are starting to unfurl in Sweden which means gardens and balconies have been a hive of activity: sweeping, pruning, scrubbing down furniture - you name it. While we know in our hearts of hearts that the temperatures could very well plummet later this week, there's an optimism in the air that lunches alfresco are just around the corner! 

That's is probably why this fresh white apartment in Gothenburg caught my eye. It has all the trappings of an ideal My Scandinavian Home contender: a lovely mix of old and new, Scandi design pieces (keep a look out for the vintage Dux chair and Frama stool) and plenty of plants. But also, the small garden has been converted into a charming outdoor sitting room - complete with sofa, coffee table and parasol, offering the perfect place to relax with a book on a sunny afternoon. 

Välkommen! 

Here's the floor plan in case you're curious: 

Glossary: Kök - kitchen, Sovrum - bedroom, Bad - bathroom, Vardagsrum - sitting room, klädkammare / förråd - wardrobe / wardrobe, and uteplats - outdoor space. 

Lovely! So fresh, yet with a touch of charm. 

I think the garden design is really clever, with a semi-circular bush shielding the space from the communal pathway. 

Is there anything that stood out to you about this Swedish home? 

See more white-themed home tours in this archive. 

Wishing you all a great start to the week! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Stadshem (currently for sale!). 

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A Timber Swedish Cabin Surrounded by Woodland

What are your plans for the weekend? 

Having lived a separate week in their own apartments in Stockholm, Sofia and Mattias will no doubt reconvene here with their respective children to spend the weekend together. 

Made up of a series of separate cabins (built by Enkelrum) each with their own living quarters, the property provides plenty of space for their large family to gather and get away from it all, surrounded by beautiful nature. Sofia and Mattias also have the flexibility to work from home, and the separate dwellings mean they have the opportunity to carve out some privacy should the situation require. 

But most of all, it'a a place where the family come to relax - with the light green kitchen and simple timber interior reflecting the forest and countryside that surrounds them. 

Would you like to see inside? 

Such a perfect place to get away from it all and recuperate, don't you think? 

Enkelrum make a whole series of different size cabins - check them out here if you're curious to hear more! 

If you'd like to feel inspired by more cabins this weekend, check out this archive. 

Whatever your plans over the next few days, I hope you get the opportunity relax and have fun! 

See you Monday friends!

Niki

Photography: Emma Jönsson Dysell courtesy of Enkelrum. 

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A Stunning French Country Home Filled with Antiques

One day, when my children are fully grown, Per and I dream of spending part of our winter somewhere sunnier and warmer than Sweden. Not the entire winter - I love pulling out my knits and lighting candles in autumn, and the first flurry of snow in December - but just enough to take the edge off the raw, dark days! We're still thinking about where this might be (tips welcome!) - but the South of France is a strong contender. 

In fact, I could very much imagine myself in a beautiful country home like Maison Aumône - then again who couldn't? The property belongs to Rachel Baker, founder of 3 sources - and is located in the Petit Luberon National Park surrounded by rolling hills, ancient woodland, vineyards and orchards. 

Formerly available to rent on airbnb, these days, the country house is the site for retreats run by Rachel (keep an eye out for the next one here) - which offer a perfect opportunity to witness the impeccable restoration and admire French antiques at every turn! 

Oooooh, to wake up here, cycle to the market through the vineyards, before enjoying a local wine on the terrace.  Who's with me? 

Absolutely beautiful! 

The historical features and antiques are a feast for the eyes and the entire interior is like pure poetry. Would you agree? 

See more pictures and read more about Rachel's work over at 3 sources. 

Would you like to dream over more houses in the French countryside today (go on, indulge me!): 

A charming Swedish family home in the South of France

A Swede's charming home in the South of France 

Old meets new in a 18th century former basketry

A Swedish photographer and French hat maker's home in France

Sara Slims' fairytale French chateau

À bientôt!

Niki

Photography: 3 sources, found via Nordroom with thanks

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Lacy's Beautiful Family Home in Earthy Tones

Men hejsan! They say a picture can speak louder than words and today is one of those days. 

Photographer Lacy Hoysradt's childhood home was a fixer upper which she witnessed her parents renovating by hand. And now she and her husband Reed have also caught the bug - and have been very busy doing up their 70s house in Austin, Texas despite their three young children. How have they coped? Lacy explains: "There is a beauty in the process... it's okay if your life and your home are currently under construction." Words to live by as we take a tour of their beautiful home today - and as we start a brand new week! 

Keep an eye out for earthy, warm notes of brown and green, a smart breakfast nook, lovely ways to display family photos and vintage finds. 

Welcome to Lacy's world! 

So many beautiful corners!

You can see so many more snapshots and find out about where she sourced items over on Lacy's instagram. Lacy has also shared some some of her and Reed's amazing DIY projects on the blog at Bespoke by Lacy

I hope Lacy's lovely home has filled you with inspiration! 

I have shared many homes located outside of Scandinavia on the blog before - see the entire international homes archive for more tours. 

Stor kram!

Niki

PS Thank you for your request to see a picture of my gold boots in the comments on Fridays Norwegian home tour featuring a fabulous walk-in closet - I'll see if I can take one for you soon! Everyone needs a pair, I tell you! 

Photography by Lacy Hoysradt, shared with kind permission. 

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A Fabulous Walk-in Closet Idea in a Norwegian Home

It might not feel like spring in Southern Sweden yet (it snowed in some parts of Skåne yesterday!) but it's on its way, I can feel it! Can you? One of the biggest joys is preparing the home for a new season - which also means storing away heavy winter clothes and making room for pretty spring and summer clothes!  

In my experience, one of the biggest dilemmas is lack of storage space. In 2023 I made it my mission to create organised storage in our home - building a wardrobe and adding shelves to our attic. And our house definitely feels less cluttered as a result (although not always tidier - but that's a whole other issue!). Even so, I am always on the lookout for more clever ideas. And I instantly fell in love with the smart walk-in closet solution in Caroline's Norwegian apartment! 

Caroline is a journalist and editor for Elle magazine and lives in the beautiful neighbourhood of Grünerløkke in Oslo. Read on to feel inspired by her 57 m2 (613 ft.sq) home and clever storage idea, it might just solve a conundrum for you too!  

Carolina has gone for a wonderful palette of blue, dusty pink and brass in her Norwegian home which adds a feeling decadence. I love that it is also filled with one-off pieces, pattern and quirky touches! A Togo sofa is always a comfy addition! 

In the bedroom, a 'sky' headboard adds a wonderfully fun and unique touch to the space - and the blend of new nordic pieces such as the Flos light beside antique finds adds to the relaxed feel. 

And THIS was what I was talking about in my intro: a fabulous walk-in-wardrobe built into the corner of the bedroom! 

The 'wardrobe' is made up of two glass doors which Caroline designed and had made according to the exact measurements of the space. 

Inside Caroline has used the Décor design from Elfa (which I also used for my storage - the entire system is great as it's really flexible and you can personalise the design to work for your needs and the space you have) to create shelving for her shoes and hanging space for clothes and other items. 

What a clever way to transform the corner of a bedroom into storage - do you agree? The frosted glass doors provide a glimpse of the interior of the wardrobe, without allowing the clothes and shoes from taking over the room and making it feel cluttered. 

I have to say, I'm drooling over her clothes and shoe collection too - so many fabulous items! 

I hope this has filled you with inspiration for the weekend! Or maybe just inspired you to pull out those sparkly shoes and hit the town! Follow Caroline's instagram for more interior and lifestyle inspiration. 

Speaking of which, I don't own many pairs of shoes, but last year I bought a pair of gold sparkly ankle boots, and they really seem to bring out the best in people and put a smile on everyone's face. I always make a point of wearing them on friends' birthdays to add some sparkle! Do you have a favourite pair of shoes too? 

Check out these other ways to get organised at home: 

Divide and conquer - ways to make more out of a room

7 simple steps to a tidy home

16 ways to turn a small room into a practical and organised bedroom

Before and after: our laundry room makeover

That's it from me this week folks. Thank you for stopping by - see you Monday! 

Trevlig helg! 

Niki

Photography: Birgit Fauske

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