Swedish calligrapher Ylva Skarp's cosy winter home

Swedish calligrapher and designer Ylva Skarp knows how to create a beautiful home at Christmas (see it all decked out here). This winter she's created a cosy feel in her country home using sheepskin throws draped over armchairs, ottomans and dining chairs. You can see evidence of her work in various forms throughout the home- on fabric, in prints, engraved in the concrete floor and spontaneously written on blackboards. Such a personal home, don't you think?!  

Expressen. Photographer Helena Blom. Ylva Skarp.via The Style Files with thanks

I love the mix of rustic and industrial and how she has made her home a personal work of art. Is there anything that stands out to you?

Source sheeepskin rugs and throws here, You can get hold of one of Ylva Skarps beautiful prints here.

Thank you to everyone who entered the Occa-Home weekend give-away. The winner will be contacted by e-mail today and mentioned in the give-away post.

Have a lovely day!

A charming fisherman's cottage on Sweden's South coast

Hello! I hope you had a great weekend?! We had a bank holiday here, so my family and I took off for my brother-in-laws summer cottage where we played croquet, swam in the sea and sipped Prosecco - oh so relaxing, I do love a long weekend don't you?! With iut's beautiful coastline, living in Southern Sweden has its advantages particularly in the summer (the winter is a another story...). Yesterday I was having a sneek peak at what's for sale here right now (one of my favourite pastimes, is that sad?! Please tell me you do the same?) and I came across this charming thatched cottage by the sea. The restored fisherman's cottage is my idea of heaven. It's not far from Sweden's most southern point - Smygehuk, an idyllic fishing harbour where you can feast on the catch of the day. Tempted?!

Bjurfors

Is this your kind of home?

I whole-heartedly recommend you pour yourself a coffee and take a peak around the rest of the home - it's like looking back in time.

If you love country-style living and would love more inspiration this bright, sunny morning, check out this white and wood country home in California, this rustic retreat on Sweden's west coast and a Norwegian cabin by the sea. Oh so fabulous!

Have a lovely day!

A beautiful Swedish home and creative studio.

I do love the home of an artist don't you? Their natural creativity nearly always shines through. Take this home and studio for example. It belongs to a friend of Swedish stylist and blogger Pella Hedeby (who is responsible for the styling on this shoot). According to Pella the home is even more beautiful, relaxed and comfortable in real life and constantly evolves with the seasons. What a lovely space don't you think?!

Styling: Pella Hedberg. Photographer: Kristofer Johnsson (with kind permission), . Femina 2014

I love the vibe of this home, how about you?

To get the look pick-up some lovely linen cushions, search for easels, tables and vintage desk and ceiling lamps on Etsy, and source antique cutlery here.

If you have some time to kill over a coffee this weekend- there's home-tour after home-tour of Swedish country-style homes to be found here. And other fabulous homes photographed by Kristofer Johnsson here.

Before I head off to enjoy the weekend I also wanted to let you know that The Linen Works have just launched a new line of ultra soft Bamboo Linen bedding and to celebrate they're holding a give-away to win a set here, there are even 20 Japanese linen slippers up for grabs for the runners-up so it's well worth taking a few seconds to enter!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend and see you Monday!

A pretty Västergötland farmhouse

This is the home of stylist and writer Anna Truelsen, husband Michael and children Johanna, Joel, Jonatan and Joshua in Västergötland, Sweden. They had to wait ten years to buy the farmhouse, but it seems good things come to those who wait! The family spent five years renovating the home and Anna is now converting the barn to create a home office from where she'll write her blog My Lovely Things.

Stylist: Anne Ralf Hållbus Photographer Jonas Lundberg, Lantliv

Such a lovely home, very relaxed with a lovely mix of old and new (I see an injection of modern with Eames chairs throughout - for 15% discount (code MYSCAN) on Eames chairs click here. Yay!)  The key idea I'm going to steal from Anna's home is using a demi john as a vase and simple jam jars on the dining table with wild flowers, so simple yet so pretty!

One of my dreams is to have a lovely gazebo, converted barn or shed in my garden from which to write just like Anna. I'll have to keep an eye on her blog to see the end result, exciting!

That's it for me for the week. It's surprising how great the internet has been here in the (very beautiful) Gothenburg archepelagos. Have you been here? It's one of my favourite places in the world and where I met my husband 9 years ago. If you ever come let me know and I'll send you some tips, I've got so many favourite islands!

Have a lovely weekend and see you Monday!

Lovely work by stylist Sania Pell

Sania Pell is one very talented stylist. I've been browsing her portfolio and blog for hours (as you do on a cold wintery day in Sweden). She's lovely too (I know as I sent her a mail about sharing a few images and she couldn't have responded quicker and been more helpful) we're also both London girls and it transpires that we both studied in Edinburgh too so I have taken an even bigger liking to her work now - ha! But seriously, don't you love these images Sania styled for Cox & Cox last Autumn?

Styled by Sania Pell, Photographs by Emma Lee for Cox & Cox

Sania also has a couple of books out; The Homemade Home for Children and The Homemade Home. How cool. I have a dream to write an interior book one day. Do you have a dream like this? Perhaps we can write one together :)
These images set the tone nicely for my weekend. I've promised to bake cakes with my girls, although I'm feeling a little ill-equipped now that I see the cute footprint cookie cutter! Oh and I'm also missing a sweet and soft looking cat too. Hmmm.

Have a really lovely weekend! (see you on Pinterest!).

Ylva Skarp's Christmassy home

I seem to be in country mode at the moment as I simply can't stop showing beautiful homes from the Swedish countryside! This converted school house over looking a lake near Leksand in Dalarna was also photographed by Magdalena Björnsdotter for Lantliv. It's the home of Swedish designer and calligrapher Ylva Skarp and her family. Ylva's personal stamp can be seen throughout the house, which is all decked out for a truly cosy Christmas!

Photography: Magdalena Björnsdotter for Lantliv

Such a beautiful home! What do you think?

I know it's only November and the last time I mentioned Christmas everyone panicked (haha!), but this home gets me feeling so Christmassy! I can't wait until the first weekend in December when we'll drive out to a farm in the Skåne countryside and chop down our Christmas tree (a family tradition always accompanied with a steaming mug of glögg (mulled wine). Do you have a Christmas tree tradition in your family?

PS Happy Bonfire Night to all my friends in the UK :)

A charming rustic farmhouse in Skåne

If it's Scandinavian rustic charm you're after this incredible four sided 'Skånegård' (a traditional Skåne house that sits around a cobbled inner courtyard) this home is IT! Dating back to the 1700s, owners Gunilla and Sven Montan have painstakingly restored this farm house to its former glory. The half-timber structure, stone floors, whitewashed walls and carefully selected furniture work together to create a truly stunning home. 

Magdalena Björnsdotter for LantLiv

Wow! This is the second time time in the past few weeks I have completely fallen in love with a Skåne home. The first was here. There must be something in the Southern Sweden air! What do you think?

Before I love you to have a FAB weekend I'd like to say a big 'hej' to all lovely new My Scandinavian Home readers! If you've got the time I'd love to hear your thoughts and ideas and if you have a blog we can all visit!

I'm also on Pinterest (way to much) and Facebook....see you there? :)

Trevlig helg!