my scandinavian home: work space

A Swedish Home with Colour Pops and a Lovely Workspace

Heeeeej there friends!

I'm writing this blog post from home this morning as later I'm be heading to Copenhagen for a meeting (it's a beautiful, sunny day so I can't wait!). I usually go into my studio to work these days, so sitting here at my desk got me thinking about how it needs a revamp (easily distracted, I know!). Which led me to the workspace in this Stockholm home. Funny how things can happen like that.

Although a simple space, the spot exudes charm in a very Scandi way! I particularly love the way the owners have painted an old gate-leg table grey and then placed it perpendicular to the window (it's always great to have natural light when you're working, but never directly from behind your screen). And the fabulous little Hay Matin table lamp is the icing on the cake! All that's left is an ergonomic desk chair and you're good to go. Oh, maybe a coffee first.

Oh, and of course I have thrown in the rest of the lovely Stockholm home too for you - after all, who doesn't love stacks of books, pops of colour, pretty spring-like wallpaper, and the odd dotty piece of furniture?

Varsågoda!

Very inspiring!

Incidentally, the pockets in the hallway are from Swedish brand Norrgavel ('påshylla')- they make for great hallway storage and something I've had my eye on for a while. You never know, my children might just put their things in them rather than on the floor. I'm not so sure though!

Note the stools dotted around. They look like vintage Artek 60 stools, which have become truly iconic!

Is there anything that stood out to you about this lovely Swedish family home?

Here are a few other home workspaces to feel inspired by today. If you're in need of a nice looking ergonomic chair, I've had this one for years.

And in case you'd like to see more Scandi homes dotted with colours, I love these:

Hygge and pops of colour in a Danish home

A tiny Danish home that's big on (handmade) design

12 simple ways to add colour to your home this spring, Danish style

Right, I'd better get myself ready for my trip over the bridge. If you're up for a virtual visit to the Danish capital in the sunshine today, I'll share some glimpses in my instagram stories!

Stor kram!

Niki

Photography: Therese Jahnsen, styling: Thomas Lingsell for Historiska Hem

Studio Update: Now We Have Shelving and a Coat Rack!

Sponsored by Maze Interior

Last month I showed the picture above of my studio in Malmö. Since then, I've been doing a little reshuffling (never a dull moment around here, I tell you!). I'm not sure if I mentioned that I share the room with Helena who works for Maze Interior - a Swedish brand specialising in 'smart, playful and simplistic design that has the lowest possible impact on the environment'. After the recent studio make-over we felt we were still missing storage, so we got to work (along with Helen Sturesson) with some items from the collection (easy when they have so many great things to choose from!). I thought I'd share the whole process with you, in case you're also looking to create wall-to-wall shelving in your home or office. Even if you're not - I hope you enjoy reading about the update all the same!

Planning phase

For the shelves, we opted for the Pythagoras Collection - a shelving system which allows you to arrange brackets and shelves in numerous ways as well as choose between different colour and material combinations.

For the design, we used the online Pythagoras Lab to plan the layout.

We were keen to have both open and closed shelving and incorporated this into the plan using a series of shelves and drawers - all in white ( you know me!).

Putting up the shelves

Once the shelving had arrived (it's made in Sweden so it was all pretty swift!), we marked out the wall using old school post-its and a ruler (yes, so old school, I know!).

It's worth noting that the studio building is well over 100 years old so the concrete walls are pretty wonky, crumbly and all-round tricky! So, for the sake of creating a sleek look (and saving the walls from being at the mercy of my very basic DIY skills) - we roped in the help of a local carpenter.

Contrary to the original design, we decided to place the triangular brackets in different ways, creating a subtle playful look. I'm so pleased with how that's turned out.

Sidenote: I went out to buy a spot of lunch last week and came back with the print and frame from a second hand shop, such a find I think!

The final look

I love it when a plan comes together!

To finalise the look, the sofa was pulled out from the wall - ask a Dane about their favourite styling trick and many will tell you that you should never have your sofa flush against a wall (unless you live in a teeny space). Even moving it out 15 centimetres can make all the difference to a room!

We decided to start the shelves quite high as we wanted to be able to store bigger items underneath - but if you don't have this as a requirement, you could also add one more shelf lower down.

I particularly love the drawers - they're so handy.

Another sidenote: The tile and wood floor samples are for my tiny cabin - I went for the stone on the left for the bathroom floor, I can't wait to see how it looks! Just above them you can see four figurines - all made by local artist Simon Vendin (the same guy who painted my new picture seen in the first and second to last pic of this post). Needless to say, I love this work!

Magazine storage

We also felt it would be nice with some extra storage beside the desks (I don't know about you, but I always collect piles of paper, it seems to be my nemesis both at work and home!). The wall-mounted Now S magazine rack is my new best friend!

It's made from recycled wire and produced in Sweden and comes black, white or matt brass. If you have a ton of magazine and newspapers (or other paperwork) you might like the larger format, known simply as Now.

Helena made the cup - she's so talented at pottery!

Coat & Hat Hanger

We also added a much-needed place to hang our coats (rather than throwing them over the back of the sofa!). This is the Kite clothes hanger (which comes in white, black or grey). I love the barely there look, plus it offers just enough storage. If you need something that holds more items, it's worth checking out the entire collection of hangers and hooks.

The room is feeling so much more practical, neat and complete now. We hope you like the update as much as we do!

If you have any questions about anything you see in the pictures, please do give me a shout and I'll do my best to supply info, links etc!

Right, I'd better crack on with some work - I've got piles of paper to get through!

Wishing you all a great start to the week!

Niki

Photography: Niki Brantmark Styling: Helen Sturesson

FILED UNDER: concept stores My Scandinavian Home Studio studio work space

An Incredible Workspace / Studio and Gallery in Delft Holland

Many moons ago interior designer and photographer Holly Marder of Avenue Design Studio came and shot my home for a magazine feature and we've been in touch ever since. Not only is Holly a lovely, funny person, she's also amazingly talented. Every interior she touches turns to gold and I've featured so much of her interior work here in the past. I was so excited to discover that Holly recently opened a new studio and gallery space in a Dutch canal house in Delft, Holland. The building itself is incredible and boasts soaring ceilings, sash windows and an original parquet floor. And true to style, Holly has used the natural light that floods through the windows as a backdrop for a gallery of "curated collection of art, objects, furniture and design" as well as a design studio. Ready to feel inspired?

The design studio

I remember when Holly worked from an attic space which doubled up as a guest room. Naturally it was a lovely space - even so, I think we can all agree that the new Avenue Design Studio headquarters is a step up! Connected to the gallery via an outdoor patio, the space is used for presentations, meetings and consultations surrounded by a "rotating collection of curated objects and art which are collected for projects in the process of being finished" as well as samples and materials.

The magnificent studio table is a travertine piece which has been custom made for the studio. A large mood board (try Ferm Living for similar pinboard) serves as inspiration for various residential interior design projects.

Gallery by Avenue

Holly is forever sourcing unique pieces for projects as well as collaborating with artists, so a gallery space next door was a natural progression and a long-term ambition.

The gallery, which is open to the public (I need to visit ASAP!), showcases a collection of vintage and contemporary design as well as furniture and objects designed in the studio. Think earthy tones, natural and tactile textures and a serene look and feel.

How beautiful! To think people work in spaces like this - gaaaah!

I'd love to visit the gallery too - the only problem is I'd want to buy everything so it would be very dangerous!

You can see more Avenue Design Studio projects here.

And Holly's own living spaces:

Looking to revamp your home office or workspace? There's plenty of small space inspiration here:

The black and white desk of a Finnish blogger

Vintage inspired home offices

Per's workspace (back when he was teaching from home last year!)

And other, larger studios / workspace inspiration here:

A surfer's creative studio

An interior designer's studio

An inspiring light-filled workspace in Hannover

workspace envy: studio slow

A Norwegian design studio

And of course, I can't resist including a link to my own studio in Malmö. I moved in three years ago having worked from home for several years. It took me ages to decorate it, and I'm even doing a bit of a reshuffle here tomorrow (you know me!). I can't wait to share more pictures with you soon. In the meantime, you might like to see the behind-the-scenes tomorrow over at @myscandinavianhome stories.

That's it from me this week friends! Thank you for your kind comments, I'm so happy you've enjoyed the tours this week (if you've missed them, hit the 'older posts' button below - they're not to be missed!).

Have a wonderful weekend!

Niki

Photography: Avenue Design Studio / Studio Artspret / Fanny Hååg / Rachel Terpstra

FILED UNDER: Office spaces studio work space

My Studio Make-over (And How One Sofa Helped Transform the Space!)

Paid partnership with Bemz - thank you for supporting the Nordic brands which make My Scandinavian Home possible

When I first started my business I worked from home. I'd have the washing machine whirring in the background and other working-from-home neighbours stopping by for a cuppa (I'm sure many of you can relate these days)! For a while I loved it, but over the years I started to miss the companionship that comes with being around others and two years ago I moved into a beautiful studio space in town. It's run by upholsterer extraordinaire Carina Grefmar and we also share the space with Helena who works for a Swedish furniture business called Maze. Needless to say a whole load of coffee goes down on a daily basis!

The only thing is, the room I share with Helena was still pretty much unfurnished save for one Söderhamn sofa and a whole load of boxes! It had becoming increasingly embarrassing, not least because we both work in the world of interiors! And then Bemz launched a Minimalist Fit design cover for IKEA sofas and everything was about to change!

This side of the room had become a bit of a dumping ground for samples, props and other items. The problem is, once you start with one item, everything else seems to quickly gather - do you find this too?

I sat down with My Scandinavian Home interior stylist Helen Sturesson (above with her trusty ruler!) and we hatched a plan.

What we did

You are likely familiar with Bemz as I have partnered with the Swedish brand for many years. I simply love the entire concept. I mean, beautiful designer covers for IKEA armchairs and sofas in a choice of different high quality fabrics, what's not to love? It's the perfect way to give an old piece a whole new lease of life.

The new Minimalist fit cover differs from their loose and regular fit covers as it doesn't require you to take apart the sofa, you simply pull it on over the top. And it comes with or without arms - in this case I decided to add arms to my sofa for a smarter look (cue a morning at IKEA!).

I chose the Minimalist Fit cover in Brera Lino in Pebble by Designers Guild - made from 100% linen.

I love the Pebble tone, the soft linen texture, the seams - everything! Isn't it pretty? I also picked out some cushion covers in Brera Lino Cocoa with French Seams.

To finalise the look I also added quite a few pieces made by local Southern Sweden designers as well as friends from further afield. Here's a quick round-up in case you're curious:

'Landscape', vinyl paint on linen by local artist Simon Vendin, Design of Edge coffee table, Sculpture from the SANT series by Malmö based Karolina Brobeck & Mini Karami, branches from my friend Sarah's garden (she left secateurs on the doorstep!).

And from further afield: Tense Lamp by New Works (thank you to local store Svenssons for sourcing this!) and the Palus rug from Armadillo.

Our desk space in the window is made from several large planks from a local DIY store. I love looking out over the majestic buildings in central Malmö - there's always something interesting to see.

Finally a space we can be proud of! Wohooo!

I'm so looking forward to plenty of fikas (swedish coffee with cake) - if you're in the area, please do drop by, there's always a coffee pot on the go!

Curious about getting a Bemz design cover for your sofa or armchair? Keep an eye out for the Black Friday sale over at Bemz this week. Here are some of my favourite covers in action:

My sitting room three different ways

My sitting room refresh with Bemz

One Swedish sitting room, two cosy ways

My daybed update

My autumn bedroom makeover

I can't wait to show you the rest of the room once it's finished - this girl is on a mission now!

Have a cosy day!

Niki

Photography: Niki Brantmark / My Scandinavian Home

Styling: Helen Sturesson

This post is brought to you in paid collaboration with Bemz and contains affiliate links. However, all words are my own and I only ever work with brands I absolutely love and think you will too. Thank you for supporting the Nordic businesses that help bring fresh content to your mail box and make My Scandinavian Home possible.

FILED UNDER: My Scandinavian Home Studio Office spaces studio work space

An Inspiring, Light-Filled Workspace / Studio in Hannover

What does your work (creative / bill paying / studying) space look like? Since my career started in the early 00's the 'workspace' has changed an incredible amount. My first ever job fresh out of uni, was in Dubai. We had a nice office above the tennis stadium but it still makes me shudder to recall the receptionist diligently recording our arrival time in an excel sheet - waiting to admonish us by the end of the week ( a regular occurrence for a night owl!). I've also worked in corporate offices in London, Lund and Copenhagen - as well as from home. But these days I finally feel like I've 'landed' in the shape and form of a wonderful, light-filled studio in the centre of Malmö. Best of all - every morning a freshly brewed coffee awaits - no excel timesheet in sight.

This year, those who can, have worked from home - and I have a sneaking suspicion, this is set to continue. For those of you who need social interaction, a local studio is a great alternative. Thankfully, there are some wonderful, relaxed, friendly, and practical ones popping up in every city.

If you live in Hannover, Germany you're in luck! My talented friend and businesswoman extraordinaire Holly Becker of Decor8 blog has just opened Decor8 Studio.

Divided into two rooms, the studio is located bang in the city centre and perfect to rent for offsite team meetings, photoshoots, podcast production, workshops, events and just about anything else your work might involve. It's also decorated in true Holly Becker style: minimalist, with pops of pastel and some beautiful furniture and accessories. So, even if you don't live in the north German city, there are plenty of ideas to steal for your own home and workspace!

Ready for the tour?

The Shoot Space

The light-filled 'shoot space' room has been painted in fresh white with a beautiful pale yellow / wheat ('Organic No. 317') accent wall. FYI This colour was everywhere at 3 Days of Design in Copenhagen a few weeks back - and set to be a strong trend for 2021!).

A simple round table from IKEA serves as a perfect place for meetings and a Vertigo pendant lights up the room after dark.

The Punctual shelves in blue are from Ferm Living and a vintage Alky lounge chair by Castelli Brown provides as a perfect spot for a quite read between shoots!

Simple white sculptural pieces such as the Shell vase* and Ridge vase can be seen on the shelves alongside interior magazines.

Holly made the desk herself using plywood and trellis legs.

The Gathering Space

The bright and airy room next door is a dedicated 'Gathering Space' and features a kitchen and dining area as well as a balcony with lovely views over Bödekerstr - a picturesque quarter of Hannover. In this room, Holly has opted for an earthy accent wall in 'Linen' - a textured clay-based paint by Nen.do) which gives the room a wonderful, calm feel.

A HAY loop table takes centre stage under a large rattan pendant light from Market Set (one of my latest favourites from the lighting world!).

An HK Living knotted cushion and white sheepskin throw* help guests to feel comfy!

The gallery wall has been made up of a blend of mirrors, photography, samples and prints (The Poster Club* is a great source for similar prints and ships worldwide - just saying!).

A Skagerak natural wood and white bookshelf has been placed near the window beside a Menu afteroom chair* and a linen pin board from Ferm Living.

I'd be quite happy spending a day or two (actually scrap that - working FULL TIME) in this studio, how about you? Sadly, Hannover is a little far from Malmö, so instead I'll be stealing some ideas for my own studio instead, how about you?!

You can see more pictures of the studio in the latest edition of 'Holly magazin' (in German)- alongside a piece about our Autumn #30dayhomelove instagram challenge which is currently running on instagram. If you haven't already, why not come and join the final 14 days?

Visit Decor8 Studio / @decor8studiospace to book this space.