A calm grey Swedish space with a hint of blue

Hej heeej! How are you today? Did you have a nice weekend? I'm feeling super relaxed after a visit to Ystad Saltsjöbad spa (with an overnight stay at Villa Strandvägen). If you're coming this way I can totally recommend it (dip in the sea optional - BRRRRR!) - the Swedish South coast is beautiful! But today we're heading to the West coast. Gothenburg to be precise - and this beautiful apartment. I think what really drew me to this space in the heart of the city was the blue-green sofa among a sea of grey. I love that it breaks off from the rest of the apartment, adding an element of surprise. The entire space also has a super calm feel - what a great way to kick off the week!

This apartment is for sale through Bosthlm. See more info here.

Blue-green, grey, white and black - what a beautiful colour combination, don't you think?

The MOBIL light in the sitting room is one of my favourites right now - it's by Gothenburg based designer Monika Mulder and you can find it here. I'm trying to figure out if I have the ceiling height for it in the sitting room (it could look so nice over our coffee table). What do you reckon?

N.B. low ceiling heights don't usually stop me - just look at my bedroom!! 

Elsewhere in the apartment: the rattan poufs are from IKEA. Pick up fab fashion prints here (15% discount with myscandinavianhome15 right now - love that!). Gloria candleholder by Klong.

Right-ho. Just pulling into the IKEA headquarters in Älmhult - must say it's feeling €%&/" freezing for what's meant to be the first official day of spring! When will I ever stop dressing like a Brit and more, er, weather-appropriate like the Swedes?!

Have a wonderful start to the week.

 PS Looking for lovely bedding? I've fallen in love with the stonewashed natural linen from Piglet in Bed after my Saturday morning lie-in. Heaven!

A beautifully serene Norwegian space

I've had the pleasure of visiting Norway twice in the last six months. Both times I've been truly amazed; not only is it the most beautiful country on earth, the people are so warm too! I've been welcomed into many homes - and felt truly inspired by what was within (you can see the results in my book The Scandinavian Home: Interiors inspired by light out soon - exciting!). Although I've never had the pleasure of meeting Norwegian architect and blogger Katerina Dima in person, we've been in regular contact over mail (us bloggers do like to keep in touch!). Originally from sunny Athens, Greece, Katerina lives in Sogndal with her husband and cat. Despite her background, she has always been drawn to the Scandinavian aesthetic and chosen to decorate her home in a 'cool tone palette' using soft greys and fresh white, adding a touch of yellow to the paint to add warmth. Sheer fabrics and natural textures such as wood, cotton, linen and wool add a wonderful softness to the space. Let's take a peek inside!

Photography: Katerina Dima / Only Deco Love.

I absolutely love the canopy over the bed - it's dream like!

Is there anything you love in particular about Katerina's home?

Get the look: bedroom - Skagerak mirror and Georg stool, relaxed light linen bedding and valence, (absolutely love this!),  Flowerpot lamp, Petits Papiers Mad et Len scented candle,
The Kinfolk Table. sitting room - le lampe gras wall light (also seen in Katerina's office), grey ruffled pillow (so lovely!), belly basket, Landmarks print.

You can keep up with Katerina's latest projects,  houses renovations, interior design ideas and whatever captures her eye in the interior world over at her lovely blog Only Deco Love and Instagram.

Got you in the Norwegian mood? You might also like to check out a cosy Norwegian home in the country, a serene home on a hill, the home of a Norwegian blogger - all beautiful in their own way!

Have a lovely day!

PS Looking for a new watch or a present for a friend? Don't miss the 15% discount off an Abbott & Mosley watch with a dial made from real Italian marble!).

The atmospheric home of a Swedish interior designer

Hello there! I hope you had a wonderful weekend? The man and I have been in Gothenburg for a couple of days where I finally paid a visit to Artilleriet - remember the studio?! In store, rich dark green walls provided an atmospheric backdrop for an assortment of art and the most fabulous home decor items - I was in design heaven! The vibe reminded me a lot of the home of one of Sweden's top interior designers - Lotta Agaton - a cosy cocoon-like space which came out on the market this weekend. Smoky dark grey walls combine with black, green and white accents in an apartment brimming with beautiful treasures. I'd want to buy it with everything intact, how about you?!

The home of Lotta Agaton - for sale through ESNY. 

Wow! Every time I see this space I fall more in love with it. It also gets me wondering about introducing darker tones into my home. Although, I have to say Lotta can rock a white backdrop too - as seen in her previous home.

I can't wait to see what she does next, how about you?!

Get the look from Lotta's beautiful home: sitting room - safari lounge chair (available through various auction sites), brown sheepskin throw, Kate Moss and Tom Ford books kitchen - snoopy lamp (in green), Gras wall lampe bedroom - flos 265 wall lamp. Hallway - rug by Gan.

For a similar wall tone try swatches from the Farrow & Ball dark colours collection.

Grey and green have also been combined in a beautiful way in this sophisticated Swedish space - what a beautiful blend?

Have a great start to the week!

A soothing Swedish space in shades of grey

It's so grey here in Southern Sweden today. A 'lights-on-all-day' kind of grey. So I'm doing my best to get that hygge vibe going. The candles are lit, the coffee's brewing and later I'm heading over to a friends house for 'fika' - just what the doctor ordered on a day like today, wouldn't you say? There's no point in hiding, so let's just embrace it? And actually when I see spaces like this Swedish home it's even possible to see the beauty in it too - in a calm, soothing sort of way. Other than the soft hues, there other factors at play in this apartment - like the use of space (the tiny bespoke work corner proves there's always room for a desk!) and I love, love, love the various forms of lighting and that Ghost sofa in grey. Let's take a tour....

Credits:  photography - Anders Bergstedt / styling: Nouvel Interior - for Entrance Mäkleri.

.......just add candles! 

A little guide: Flos multi light pendant, Ant chairs, the clothes rail is by Anna Leena. The walls have been painted in 'fjäder' by Jotun. To achieve a similar floor colour I can recommend Strong White by Farrow & Ball (I've used it in my bedroom and absolutely love it).

Does anyone know who designed the three legged stool and lamps in the bedroom and kitchen? It would be wonderful to know a little more about these, don't you think?

And before I shoot off for that all important fika, here's a little mid week link love I thought you might like..

Many people shy away from visiting Scandinavia in the winter - one look at @joonaslinkola (awe-inspiring!) and the @visitsweden instagram feeds though and you might well change your mind!

A lovely plant arrangement for the home. 

Healthy lunch, not so healthy supper. It's all about balance right?! 

Thrilled to be included in Domino Magazine's 'best Scandinavian feeds to follow on Pinterest - I do love a little pinning now and again I have to admit! Loving the other tips too - you can never follow to many Scandinavian pinners right?

Have a lovely *calm* day!

A beautiful, elegant small space apartment in Stockholm

In Stockholm, Sweden, apartments are known for being a bit of a squash and a squeeze. But when you're as skilled as the Swedes at creating beautiful light-filled homes in a limited space it's never a problem! The key, it seems, is a coherent colour sceheme throughout, an open plan design and fabulous windows as room dividers.  This 45 metres square (484 square feet) in the lovely district of Östermalm has all of this and more! How inspiring?!

Credits: for sale though Bo Sthlm.

The way the bedroom has been incorporated into the space is fantastic! For privacy and to cosy it up a little you could add some curtains to pull across at night. 

I absolutely love the grey, cognac and wine colour scheme, it's so elegant!

You might be wondering about clothes storage etc. (I was!) and after a quick look a the floor plan I see it's all in the spacious hallway.  Perfect!

Is there anything in particular you appreciate about this space? 

Steal the look from this Stockholm apartment: sitting room - EOS pendant light by VITA Copenhagen, try The Poster Club for similar prints, By Lassen Kubus candleholder. Bedroom - linen bed set. 

Interestingly,whenever I feature a home in shades of grey I inevitably receive a few comments requesting more colour. What are your thoughts - is this look for you? Do you have a favourite colour in your home? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Have a wonderful day! 

PS  I'm on the hunt for homes with pops of colour and pattern to feature this week - submissions welcome!