A creative Helsinki home with a cheerful & relaxed vibe

As you know (I think I've been harping on about it ever since - sorry!), I finally got to visit Helsinki for the first time last summer. And it exceeded all my wildest expectations. It was such a vibrant city but above all else, it exuded creativity (if you go, don't miss the design walk!). Seeing these pictures of visual artist, Saija Starr's apartment in the heart of Helsinki immediately transported me back to my wonderful weekend in Finland's capital city. On her blog Cosy Home, Saija describes her home life and interior as an amalgamation of: 'swaying book blocks, long breakfasts, art, coffee moments, brightly coloured containers, old furniture and the ever changing sequence.' Let's take a peek inside...

Credits: Saija Starr / Cosy Home.

Love this! It's so charming and relaxed but above all else personal, I also like how the pops of bright colours add such a cheerful touch (take a closer look at how Saija has created small pockets of colour. In the sitting room for example, she has combined a poster, vase and painting which share the same tones).

I also love how the space has a wonderful, lived-in vibe. I could imagine walking in here and immediately feeling at ease. How about you?!

Get the look from Saija's home: sitting room - 'the party' painting source mid-century armchairs like these here, Remix blanket. Kitchen - Marimekko teapot. Iittala Nappula candle-holder in high and low versions.

The big painting is 'A Party' by Saija. You can see more of her art work here.

You can follow Salja's latest projects and home updates on her wonderful blog or over on her Instagram feed.

If you'd like to see more Helsinki homes today I'm also in love with this apartment that artfully blends of danish and finnish style, the home of a design blogger and a graphic designer's penthouse - and many more in the archive. Oh I do love Finnish style!

Have a lovely day!

The lovely, relaxed home of a Danish student

I love this relaxed home of communications masters student Julie Wittrup Pladsbjerg which she shares with her boyfriend in Aalborg, Denmark. Julie is a keen writer and interior decorator and recently did an internship at one of my favourite Danish interiors magazines BoligLiv. She loves to mix old with new and has a big thing for plants, which can be seen dotted around the apartment. There are so many details I love about this space - the black and white wall in the bedroom with the low shelf as a side table, the DIY shoe rack in the hall, the open dressing room. Did your home look as cool as this when you were a student (I'd love to say mine did)?!

All photos Julie Wittrup Pladsbjerg

A few items I know and love: Kubus 4 candleholder, string lights, Eames DSW chair, Tom Dixon copper shade pendant, string pocket shelves, Hay clamp light.

Is there anything you love in particular about this space?

Thank you Julie for sending me the wonderful pictures (you can see more pictures of this fab home on Instagram).

If you're a fan of black and white and after a little more inspiration there are tons of beautiful monochrome spaces in my archive here, many of which also have a lovely mid-century touch.

Now, I'd better get back to my 'white floor make-over' - almost there, exciting!

Have a lovely day!

Pretty greens and blues in a Copenhagen home

This lovely 1920's Copenhagen home in a former sculptur's atelier is decorated in the prettiest of pretty greens, turquoise and blues. It's one of those homes which never goes on the market - owner Josefine Bentzen, an award winning industrial designer, who lives here with husband Steen Piil inherited it from her parents. The couple have decorated the space with the perfect blend of romantic country, mid-century and scandinavian modern to create a truly unique and personal home. What a treasure?! 

Boligliv.

My Mum works in a former artists studio in West London and the space is structured in a very similar way, with the same high windows on the walls and an angled sky light. The windows are also likely to be north facing to ensure reflected or indirect light which helps the artist have greater control over values, contrasts and subtle colour changes within a painting or sculpture (if you live in the southern hemisphere these would face south).

Artist or no artist, wouldn't it be fab to have windows like these in your home?!

Other items I know and love: source a vintage Cobra phone on ebay, try Lauritz for a RAR rocking chair, or Design Collectors for a modern version. Mid-century credenzas are often coming up here.

I love the idea of spaces that have an interesting past. Previous spaces I've shown include a former carpenter's workshop, an artist's home in a converted button factory and a family home in a former kindergarten. So wonderful, don't you think?!

Does your home have an interesting past?

Have a lovely day! 

Could you go all out geometric?

At the start of the week you're a allowed to go a little all out don't you think?! That's why I wanted to share this home in The Jardine district of Sao Paulo with you. The space belongs to a young lawyer who returned to Brazil after a spate in Italy.  He commissioned famous architect Filipe Hess to renovate his newly acquired apartment to it's orginal 1950's former glory and at the same time reflect the relaxed European lifestyle he so enjoyed in Italy. The result is a beautiful mix of mid-century and industrial. And not a corner without a geometric pattern of some sort. Kind of cool don't you think?

AD. Photographer: Filippo Bamberghi. Architect Filipe Hess. 

I am in love with the kitchen and bathroom floor, how about you? You can source geometric floor tiles here (any other tips?). 

Or  simply add some patterned accessories from the likes of Norsu or OYOY.  And for the colour shy and the non-comitted I came across this fab monochrome  peel and stick, removable honeycomb wallpaper. 

For a Scandinavian take on the mid-century / geometric trend it's worth taking a peek at this home here in Malmö. 

Have a lovely day!

A Danish home with a warm soul and quirky touches

Here in Southern Sweden there's a winter storm on it's way (again). I think there's something kind of cosy about being indoors while the wind howls outside, don't you? Plus it creates time for all those projects. This Danish space belongs to Dorthe Kvist, a landscape gardener, stylist, and interior designer and her husband and two children. Situated in Vanlose, Denmark. the family home is perfect inspiration for this type of weekend since many of the items within (shelves, tables etc) have been made by hand. The space has also been decorated using a mix of sentimental items such as photos, inherited furniture and flea market finds as well as modern ceramics and quirky touches.  The result is a cosy, personal space with plenty of soul. I could ride out a storm here, how about you?

Bolig Magasinet. Photography: Martin Solyst. Stylist: Eva Marie Wilkin. Home-owner: Dorthe Kvist

Bolig Magasinet. Photography: Martin Solyst. Stylist: Eva Marie Wilkin. Home-owner: Dorthe Kvist

Bolig Magasinet. Photography: Martin Solyst. Stylist: Eva Marie Wilkin. Home-owner: Dorthe Kvist

Bolig Magasinet. Photography: Martin Solyst. Stylist: Eva Marie Wilkin. Home-owner: Dorthe Kvist

Bolig Magasinet. Photography: Martin Solyst. Stylist: Eva Marie Wilkin. Home-owner: Dorthe Kvist

Bolig Magasinet. Photography: Martin Solyst. Stylist: Eva Marie Wilkin. Home-owner: Dorthe Kvist

Bolig Magasinet. Photography: Martin Solyst. Stylist: Eva Marie Wilkin. Home-owner: Dorthe Kvist

Bolig Magasinet. Photography: Martin Solyst. Stylist: Eva Marie Wilkin. Home-owner: Dorthe Kvist

Bolig Magasinet. Photography: Martin Solyst. Stylist: Eva Marie Wilkin. Home-owner: Dorthe Kvist

There's just so much to take in from these images - but I think my favourite thing about this home is the use of colour from pastel pinks to bright yellow. How about you?

More pics and complete interview here (in Danish).

Feeling creative? Here are some more fab DIY project ideas you may have missed: Creating a Children's blackboard cupboard, a polka dot accent wall, a DIY walk-in wardrobe on a shoe-string budget, a fun cloud doormat to brighten up the hall, a simple but cool 'plus' garland, Or if you fancy some potato printing - this is such a cute idea, and so much fun to create!

And one final project for the weekend - I'm fascinated by the VIPP shelter -apparently it's hidden somewhere in the forests of Sweden and VIPP are going to hold a competition to guess where it is. I wonder if the shelter is the prize? If so, I'm putting my running shoes on.

I hope you have a wonderful couple of days and see you Monday!

PS One of my favourite Swedish illustrators, Elina Dahl is holding a print and poster sale here, Her home is one of the most commented tours on My Scandinavian Home ever!

A relaxed, bohemian space in Stockholm

This relaxed, boho apartment in Stockholm has been furnished with a mix of mid-century, industrial and contemporary Scandinavian.  It's the kind of place i cold see myself instantly feeling at home in. I particularly love the day bed and step ladder as a bed side table. One other thing I noticed was the wiring / cables. Usually homes are styled within an inch of their lives so cables are either hidden or photo-shopped out. In this case they're entirely visible - and I have to say, it's kind of refreshing. Although it hasn't stopped me from providing a few cool cable tips below!

Fantastic Frank - found via Coco Lapine with thanks. 

I love the relaxed, raw vibe of this apartment, how about you?

I see they have the Uten.silo organiser which is a favourite of mine, I've been thinking about adding one to my home work space.  What do you think?

Back to the cables! If like me, your power chords are a bit of a battle, the best thing to do would be to get them chased into the wall by an electrician. But the good news is there are other cool ways with wires. Here's my round-up of fab DIY ideas:

5 fab ways with wires
Turn your cables into wall art.
Go all in with a neon power cord (I also love these colourful cables)
Jazz up a wire with coloured tape
Hide them behind wooden beads
Neaten up extra cable length with cord tacos.

Do you have any of your own tips?

Have a lovely day!