Fab kitchen and sitting room in a Swedish apartment

Hello! And happy start to the week to you! The gloves were out today in Sweden (sorry for this continuous obsession with the weather...I am British after all!). BRRR! I could see myself retreating indoors and padding around this beautiful Gothenburg apartment today. I particularly love the kitchen with it's blue cabinets (you can find similar leather door handles here), light grey marble work surface, white walls and original parquet floor. And the touch of mid-century in the sitting room too. What a great space, don't you think?!

Entrance Fastighetsmäkleri

Entrance Fastighetsmäkleri

Entrance Fastighetsmäkleri

Entrance Fastighetsmäkleri

Entrance Fastighetsmäkleri

Entrance Fastighetsmäkleri

Entrance Fastighetsmäkleri

Entrance Fastighetsmäkleri

Entrance Fastighetsmäkleri

You can see more of this apartment here.

Anything you love in particular about this home?

Thank you to everyone who participated in my weekend give-away. The competition closed at midnight GMT last night. I will contact the winner of the fab book 'Holiday at Home' today via e-mail.

Have a lovely start to the week!

What colour kitchen cabinets would you choose?

The kitchen is such an important room. One of my Mum's friends always refers to it as 'the engine room of the house', which I think is spot on, don't you? Last night I got a message from a great friend in London asking for advice on what colour kitchen cabinets she should choose. We've all been in interior dilemmas before and when I saw the picture of her kitchen (scroll down to the last image), I knew I had to help, plus it gave me an excuse to drool over beautiful kitchens on Pinterest. I also found these beautiful kitchens shot by one of my favourite Swedish photographers, Jonas Ingerstedt...could white or a shade of blue be the answer?!

Blue from the kitchen of Saša Antić:

Or a shade darker?

Jonas Ingerstedt. Residence.

Tania's kitchen now (taken by Tania):




I absolutely love the dark blue one, but perhaps not for my friends space.

Any thoughts?

What colour is your kitchen?

If you'd like to see more inspiration, take a peek at photographer Jonas Ingerstedt's own kitchen, this stunning Danish kitchen in pastels and this white and grey Malmö kitchen. Infact, type 'kitchen' into the my scandinavian home search and you'll find hundreds of beautiful kitchens (I couldn't believe it!).

PS I was quite nervous about this post since I only ever post images of spaces on My Scandinavian Home I absolutely love. So putting the last image on here was enough to break me out into a slight sweat (eh hem. I mean a gentle 'glow'!) but it's important to get out of the comfort zone from time to time....especially to help a friend in need, isn't it?!

Have a lovely Tuesday!

A Danish kitchen in pretty pastels

When it comes to Scandinavian style decorating people tend to go for the all white look, monochrome, dark moody hues, pastels or bold brights. Do you have a penchant for one of these? In my home I tend to veer towards black, white and pastels although I do sometimes wish I liked bold brights! This Danish kitchen in the home of Julie and her daughter spotted on Boligciousblog has ramped up the feminine style with an entirely pastel kitchen. Could you go for a look like this?

Via Boligcious Blog and Design Chaser

The kitchen is from Tvis and available in a tonne of different colours. The owner is clearly a fan of Muuto too (who isn't?!) as I spot the E27 pendant light, nerd chair and bar stool and the mini stacked shelves are similar. I don't recognise the pattern on the wall - is it painted or have they put up wall paper? The Ferm Living Harlequin wallpaper is fairly similar.

For more pastel inspiration (it's easter after all!) check out this romantic Swedish home, a light and airy Dutch house this stunning sitting room in the home of a Danish designer.

Have a lovely day!

A cosy and warm Finnish table setting

With the shortest day of the year fast approaching here in Sweden natural light is scarce. As per Scandinavian tradition the best way to let natural light into the home over the winter months is through candle-light, whether on the dining table, in the windows or outside the front door. I've noticed that even my children's nursery have candle light on their breakfast table! This cosy dining table setting for two has been styled by Maiju of Finnish blog my second hand life for Lapuan Kankurit. It looks so cosy and warm, I could see myself having a 'fika' here with friends, anyone want to join?!

My Second Hand Life with kind permission. 

Other than the fabrics and square plates, everything used for this setting are flee market finds!

I found beautiful vintage lamps on Etsy yesterday, the candle holder is the Nappula from Iittala, find beautiful linen table cloths and napkins in white and dove grey here. The chair with the wooden legs is 'About a Chair' by HAY.

If you'd like to read more about this table setting you can always pop over to Maiju's wonderful blog.

I also love this Christmas table setting (imagine?!) and this New Years Eve table setting (I just bought star garlands like these from Illum but you can also buy similar ones online here). And look at these beautiful DIY rosemary napkin rings - perfect around a fresh white linen napkin?

How will you decorate your table this season?

PS I think you're going to love tomorrow's home tour! See you then :)

My home: kitchen star

Hello! Well can you believe it, it's still snowing?! And my Mum called me from London this morning all excited as it's snowing there too! ('What's all the fuss about?' I hear you guys North of South Sweden asking?! haha!). Today I thought I'd share a couple of pics from my kitchen. I have a bit of a black, white, light grey and wood theme going on. And of course a star for a touch of Christmas.

My Scandinavian Home

The mat on the floor is a traditional Swedish Tasmatta  (rag rug) which are handwoven on a loom using strips of recycled cloth.  Believe it or not, Swedish friends, I bought these two rag rugs in Jysk! I love that they have strips of silver cloth mixed in with the weave.

The tray is the Bricka Plattan by Barbro Tryberg.

Have a lovely day!

My home: kitchen blackboard wall

I'd been thinking about painting one of our kitchen walls with blackboard paint for a while. Hardly a new thing I know, but still these things take time in my home. And after lots of encouragement in the comments section from you guys we finally got around to it. As promised, here are a few pics of our new wall....and me enjoying a very rare minutes peace (planning my next project? mwah ha ha haa, don't tell man)! 

All pictures: My Scandinavian Home Blog

In case you're wondering where anything's from here's a bit of an 'I spy': Blackboard paint by Flugger. Second hand industrial lamp; I think it's Louis Poulsen but I need to get this checked. The pretty pink flower is a 'Gloriosa' and the green plant is a Fig. The footstool is BEKVÄM by IKEA which I've painted in mint green. Oh and my beloved sheep skin rug is from a farm in the North of Sweden.

Just one little thing worth noting - while we were painting we realised it was best to leave a border at the top of the wall and also on one of the edges leading out into the rest of the room - definitely worth thinking about if you're considering painting one of your walls in a strong colour.

Oh and I am wearing a veeeeery cosy new knit from TopShop which I can warmly recommend for blustery Autumn days like today!

Eeeek, hope you like the result, always nerve racking posting my own pics (plus it could take quite a few layers to paint over it again)! Hope you all had a lovely weekend.

Table for three

Hello Monday! Table for three anyone?! I mean, what a perfect set-up; the fab Eero Saarinen Tulip table, the mis-matched vintage dining chairs, IKEA's little black children's high chair (I think, although they don't seem to stock it anymore unfortunately), the white washed black board paint wall and the soft touch with the pretty pink flowers.  What a lovely space?! Note to self, must by flowers on my way home....or send man a small hint....

Covet Garden

A little erm, off the weather today as recovering from a friend's wedding in the beautiful fishing village of Öregrund, near Uppsala at the weekend. It was such a romantic day! I promise to be back tomorrow with lots of inspiration and a beautiful house tour (and a clear head hopefully!).

White with a little unique touch

I finished the week with sitting rooms that've all appeared in Alvhem estate agents this year. So I thought it would be fitting to start the week with a home that is also for sale right now in Stockholm (this time with Stadshem). I love the kitchen. Note to self: it takes just one interesting and eye-catching item which breaks away from the rest of the colour scheme (in this case the storage unit with the orange circular handles) to make a room. OK; the room happens to be beautiful too, which helps!

Stadshem

Right now I'm preparing for the exciting arrival of my Mum and Dad. Any tips for guest bedroom essentials? I always love to add a little 'luxury' touch!

Hope y'all had a lovely weekend!