Grey / white and a cute kids room in a lovely Swedish space

It's almost the weeeeekend - woohoo! And this one's especially exciting for me as I'll be packing for my trip to New York on Monday (I'm heading over to work on my book - eeeeeeee!). But first, today's home tour. And what a lovely Swedish monochrome toned one it is. Simple and calm with clever space-saving solutions (desk and wall to wall string shelving in the hall - got to love that idea!). A perfect home to complete the week, don't you think?

Stadshem

How lovely is that children's room?!

Quick guide: sitting room: Paris print / House Doctor rug / Muuto light / Sheepskin rug / Moroccan pouf. Hallway: string shelves / task light / Hay boxes. Bedroom: floor lamp / linen bedding / buy a selection of prints from The Poster Club. Children's room: similar bunting / star cushion / chest-of-drawers / rucksack / throw / train set (Smallable sells beautiful decor for children's rooms). 

See more white and grey home tours here, here and here.And I'm loving all these children's bedrooms.

Have a really great weekend and see you Monday!

PS Next week will be my first time in Upstate New York (Hudson Valley, Catskill mountains...) I can't wait! I'd be so grateful for any tips you might have?! I promise to share a few pics on instagram!

A simply stunning and calm Swedish space

Sometimes, not very often though, I search and search for the perfect home to post and simply can't find anything. From experience, I know that often this is when the most beautiful home tours of all pop up. And today is one of those days. For me, this home is the epitome of calm, Swedish pared-back simplicity. It has just the right balance of traditional (beautiful period features and architecture, antique and vintage furniture) and modern (brass fittings, grey marble worktop, industrial lights, classic design furniture...) and a wonderful use of natural materials throughout. Beautiful styling by the team at Sarah Widman and definitely worth the wait, don't you think?!

Alvhem Mäklari. Styling: Team Sarah Widman.

To me this is one of those homes in which you could never feel anything but calm. Just what I needed on a rather hectic Thursday!

Could you live here?

Other lovely spaces for a touch of calm today include this striking danish home (cue: music from that piano), a lovely white and grey Swedish space and the serene home of a Swedish singer here in Malmö. Or perhaps a duvet day in this Danish bedroom could do the trick?!

Have a lovely, relaxed day!

PS If you find some time this weekend,  I'll be holding a fabulous give-away with a very cool, coveted Finnish design prize. I'm sooo excited as I think you're going to love it! Watch this space....

Duvet day in this monochrome bedroom?

Hello! I must say it's great to be back at my desk this morning after the madness of a three day photo shoot (I do have some lovely memories though- like this incredible view down to a Danish beach - Denmark is just stunning). I'd also love to have a duvet day and still be snuggling up in bed, I'm so tired! Which is probably why I was drawn to this incredible bedroom today! It has everything I could possibly need - calm dark grey and white colour scheme, soft linen bedding, open and closed storage (I love these), a work corner bathed in sunlight and a stack of magazines. Oh yes, transport me there now! Could you take a duvet day here?

 

 

Alvhem

I would sleep so well in this room, how about you?! Zzzzzzzz. 

A few items I know and love:  Hektar reading lamps, white linen bedding. I like this moss knit throw. HAY light, this clothes rail is similar, String shelving system. I like these hooks. Try Farrow & Ball Down Pipe for a similar dark grey wall and I recently painted my floor in Strong White, which comes out a beautiful pale grey.

Other bedroom's I would sleep easy in include Holly Marder's lovely space in neutrals and Tine K's calm Danish room. I'd also quite like a night here, how about you?! You can see my complete archive of bedrooms here (scroll down past the first one as it it will be the one in this post)- warning, it might make you feel like you want to go back to bed (or at least revamp your entire boudoir!). 

More lovely white and grey home inspiration here (Swedish) and here (Finnish). 

Have a lovely day!

A striking dark and white Swedish space

I enjoyed touring the world's smallest luxury home (imagine?!) and the Manhatten loft this week, but today I thought we'd return to Sweden with this gem of an apartment. I haven't seen dark floors for a while and I've kinda missed them. The dark wood looks so beautiful against the white and light greys, don't you think? My eyes are on the hallway - with it's start contrast of black and white - so simple yet so striking. And I'd never miss the mid-century touch (side-table, mirror...) and plants and flowers in every corner. Lovely!

Stadshem. Photo: Janne of @Flashbackphoto. Styling: Emma Hos

What a great space - is there anything you love in particular?

More lovely dark floor spaces here and here (proof they look fab in a small space too!). Or why not go all out dark like this Australian summer house?!

A few tips on where things are from (as always jump in in the comment section below if I've missed anything!): Knitted pouf, DLM side table,  Tom Dixon beat light, Bertoia chair (by the desk), RENARP desk light, Frama E27 light is similar (in kitchen).

My V.V.V.I.P guest (Mum) has arrived from London - yay! And in true Swedish style we're heading out of the city to enjoy a few days at the cottage. I love the whole Scandinavian summer cottage concept- there's something about going back to basics and living the quiet life for a few days. You can see some of my favourites here.

Since I'm hoping to spend a lot of time outdoors while I'm up on the West coast, I'm turning to the great outdoors in tomorrow's post too with some terrace and backyard inspiration....see you tomorrow!

And have a lovely day...I hope the sun's shining where you are too?!

Calm white and grey in a Swedish apartment

Hello week, how quickly you came around again?! Wouldn't you love just one more day of long breakfasts, tinkering and generally taking it easy? I'm going to dream for a minute that I'm in this lovely Gothenburg pad and it's actually Sunday, I've just woken up, the coffee's brewing.... *ahhhh* so nice! I do love the Stadshem style, and this particular space in white and grey is particularly lovely, don't you think?

Stadshem

What do you say? The perfect place from which to start a week?

I spy so many pieces I know and love: Kitchen: Muuto E27 light, Menu afteroom chair. Sitting room: House Doctor DIY01 light (I also love this one), traditional Kakelugn, IKEA RANARP floor lamp. Bedroom: Linen bedding, IKEA Aröd lamp, DLM side table. Etch tea light holder.

Interestingly I discovered this apartment in the same block with a totally different look and feel, which style do you prefer? 

Although this specific home doesn't have any hanging plants, they really are taking Spring 2015 by storm (as seen in this, this and this home). I discovered a great guide on how to create a hanging garden the other day. Do you have any hanging plants in your home?

Have a lovely day!

The calm Finnish home of Anna Pirkola

There's something wonderful about Finnish style. And the home of Anna Pirkola, a concept designer, interior, blogger, prop stylist and set designer is no exception.  Decorated in white, grey and light wood and peppered with design products- it certainly pays homage to the Finnish interior design style. But Anna's home is unique too.  She's added flee market finds in the form of beautiful kilim rugs and a mid-century bureau, DIY pieces (workspace lamp, wall hangings etc) and a large record and art collection. Enjoy the tour (with Nina Persson or First Aid Kit in the background perhaps?!).

 
 

Photography: Anna Pirkola of Da Daa. Inspired by French By Design, with thanks

A quick guide to some of the lovely pieces in Anna's home: Hay bella coffee table, Muuto silent vase, Dark blue painting by Hanna Perälä, Smeg fridge, Gubi Ronde pendant light. Muuto leaf floor lamp, white metallic shelves from IKEA, Visu chair.

Anna's blog is full of inspiration including DIY projects (lamp for your home office),  thoughtful items for the home (I love this little place to put your jewellery at night from here) and an insight into idyllic life in Finland (how nice does her brother's cafe in her great grandparents cottage look?).

See more delightful Finnish homes here - the Finns really do have a lovely sense of style don't they?

Before I head off I also wanted to alert you to a fab collaboration between luxury Swedish brand Hästens and award winning textile designer Gunilla Lagerhem Ullberg. The result? Beautiful 'Herbarium bedding' decorated in a kaleidoscope of clematis and hollyhocks (abundant in Sweden in the spring and summer) and made from the finest Egyptian cotton.

Have a great day!