A stunning Dutch home blending old and new. And give-away winner....

Hello! I hope you had a wonderful weekend? I ended last week with a Dutch home tour and this week I'll start with one too (talk about going Dutch!). This one hundred year old farmhouse owned by Rosemarijn van Zandvoort of Skattejakt (check out her beautiful shop and blog) has been carefully restored using a blend of old and new. I think the old world rustic charm of the beams and wooden floor against the Scandinavian blonde wood and white walls (and a touch of poured concrete) looks truly fantastic, how about you?

Photography: Margriet Hoekstra with kind permission. Styling: Rosemarijn van Zandvoort Barbara Natzijl, VT Wonen Via The Style Files with thanks

l often look around my open plan sitting room and dining room area and think I have thrown together to many different types of wood. But when I see Rosemarijn's home it gives me confidence that everything doesn't need to match. How about you?

Try here for stunning aged / reclaimed wood floors.

Thank you so much for all the wonderful entries into last week's give-away to win a Ferm Living Candleholder String from Nest. I wish you all could have won, it was so much fun reading your lovely comments. I am excited to announce the winner: Bene Artuphel please send me a mail with your address so we can organise the shipment.

Have a lovely Monday!

Cosy sitting room the Norwegian way

There's a distinctive chill in the air here in Southern Sweden (how about where you are?) and I've noticed people are starting to get out their cosy knits BRRRRR! When I feel a nip in the air it always makes me romanticise about long walks in the snow followed by a steaming cup of hot chocolate (with a touch of rum) while thawing feet by the fire. This sitting room from the home of Norwegian blogger and photographer Elisabeth Heier is a firm favourite - just look at that wood burning stove and log storage! 

Elisabeth Heier with kind permission

I love the hall way too - I think that's a House Doctor rug - beautiful! 

I'm a big fan of Elisabeth's styling and photography (as you well know!) and have posted on her home before here and here. So beautiful!

If you're on the look out for wood burning stoves as I am check out these homes....

PS I loved the discussion on Facebook yesterday on 'all white homes' so many different opinions! 

Have a lovely, cosy day!

A serene Swedish apartment

When I look at the home of one of Sweden's most renowned glass designers Ingegerd Råman, I think....'and breathe'. It's so clean, and uncluttered it makes me feel instantly calm and relaxed! If only my own home could look like this! The decor has been kept really simple with white, grey, and black hues while the wooden furniture adds warmth. Oh how I could spend a few days here padding around on my own...

Gabriella Dahlman( with kind permission) for Sköna Hem via Riazzoli

What I love most about this apartment is how they have invested in a few key scandinavian design pieces such as the Thonet B9 and Artek K65 (15% discount with code MYSCAN), BestLite BL3 Floor Lamp, Louis Poulsen AJ Floor Lamp, AJ Desk Lamp and the Butterfly Chair. Beautiful!

Could you see yourself padding around here?

Keeping it simple in white and wood

This apartment is great inspiration for someone who likes to keep it clean, or is simply a little colour shy. The white and wood theme is so relaxed and warm in this Swedish apartment for sale through Fantastic Frank.

Fantastic Frank via wonderful blog 79 ideas

I think my favourite picture is the last one thanks to the beautiful Swedish 'kakelugn' in the corner and the pretty collection of glass bottles used as candle holders on a perspex side table - clever!

What about you? Could you do white and wood?

Sorry if you had a few problems entering the give-away yesterday (there was a technical problem for a few hours and me and technical don't mix very well!). The problem is solved so if you'd like to enter to win a fab Vitra L'oiseau worth 100 euros stop by here, I'd love you to join in the fun!

I hope you have a lovely day (20 degrees and sunny here in London - now that's more like it!), let's hope I take it back with me to Sweden tomorrow.....

White and wood home in Lomma

Hello! Back to something Scandinavian today and closer to home in the Southern Sweden west coast village of Lomma. This pretty white and wood home has been photographed by blogger and interior shop owner Daniella Witte for Nya Hem. I love how the pared back look has been softened by the use of patterned textiles for a homely feel.





Stylist: Suzanna Nilsson, Photographer: Daniella Witte for Nya Hem.

We're kind of used to seeing all white spaces so it's kind of interesting to see a wooden floor with a wooden ceiling, what do you think of this look?

Pictures shown with kind permission from Daniella.

I'm actually in London today (re-charging my British batteries for a few days). I can't believe I'll have lived in Sweden for 10 years next summer! This is definitely reflected in the way I have styled my home.  It's always nice to pop home though :)

Brooklyn home with reclaimed wood

Hello and happy Friday - wooohoooo! Ullis, a great and super stylish friend of mine (I'm still waiting to show her home here but apparently it's not ready...) tipped me off about this fab space belonging to Ariele, a self confessed 'builder, fixer and do it yourselfer', in Brooklyn New York. Ariele has a fab shop called Brooklyn to West where she sells the furniture she makes out of reclaimed wood. If her apartment is anything to go by I'm all over that shop like a wood saw (errr). Sadly they don't ship outside of the US so for those of us elsewhere it's just to drool!  

 

Brooklyn to West

What do you think? Do you have anything made of reclaimed wood in your home? I am always super impressed with tables made from upcycled wood doors.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Danish knock on wood

In Scandinavia wood floor is obviously a huge part of any interior space. So I am often being asked what type of wood floor to go for, usually a tricky question. But today I think I have the answer - Dinesen. This Danish wood floor company does everything right. The distinctive wide wood planks made from Douglas Fir are simply stunning. And it helps that the spaces are too!

Dinesen 

Modern floor, classic, simple, white interior with incredible architect, I'm in love!

This post about wood floors raises the big debate and one I am always battling with as a Brit in Sweden. Swedes are forever asking - why do you have carpets in England? What is your take on wall to wall carpet versus wall to wall wood floor?

White, wood and black in Italy

Well, well well. It's turning into a bit of a white / wood interior week. Going a little crazy today and throwing in a little black and stone into the mix with this fantastic Saint Tropez home featured in Elle Decor Italy right back in 2010 (so you may well have seen this before but forgotten about it).  Mi Casa (where I found this beautiful home via Emma Fexeus on Pinterest) gives a great insight into where the owner bought many of the items. Perfect!

Elle Decor Italy via Mi casa

Shopping news - I came across a fab online Danish shop yesterday, which you must visit....it's called Kind By Nature (not kind to the purse though!). 


And, exciting news too, I have a new sponsor - 'Art Chez Moi' - an online art gallery / shop - featuring some fab pieces of art (click through in the right hand margin to take a peek) thanks so much Art Chez Moi team!


And finally, my Facebook page is finally taking shape and I've found it's a great place to put little bits and bobs of interior inspiration, if you're on FB stop by and give me a little wave. 


Have a lovely evening!

A white, wood and neon loft space

Back in Scandinavia I thought I'd go all out white and wood today. But with a twist. Neon lighting. YAAAAY! This fab loft space in Canada belongs to fashion blogger and stylist Katharine Horsman and was photographed by Janis Nicolay for House and Home. I'm still drooling over the natural wood kitchen table. And of course the neon lighting over the bed - very very cool.

Photographer: Janis Nicolay for House and Home

Can't get a proper idea just how fab it is from the pics? Well, guess what - there's a video of this home too!

Have a lovely evening!

Waterfall Bay House, New Zealand

Two weeks ago I went to Japan (don't forget to enter my give-away here!) which has been top of my list for a long time. Another country which rates very highly on my 'must visit' countries is New Zealand, particularly the South island. So I was really excited to find this stunning home designed by architects Pete Bossley Architects on the Northern edge of the South island in the beautiful Marlborough Sounds. This home overlooks Waterfall Bay (the name sells it to me alone!!). But reading about the owner here, I am seething with home and life envy (they are involved in the wine and movie industry and they spend a days/few months  here a year....

Photos © Paul McCredie & Kieran Scott,  Pete Bossley Architects via flodeau 

A timber home mainly accessed by boat. Nothing wrong with spending the summer at this beautiful house! Even in the winter - sitting round that concrete fireplace looking out over Waterfall Bay. Yup. Is it something you can handle?!


See more pictures and a write up here.