Happy Interior Blog Recommends: Skandinavisk

I am a mixed breed but one thing I can reassure you: I have no Scandinavian genes in my body. Yet I am drawn to a certain Scandinavian notion of interiors and interior styling. And to quite a few Scandinavian brands. One of those is a young brand that I discovered in Copenhagen last year: Skandinavisk. A truly Scandinavian brand founded by two English guys who fell in love with two Scandinavian girls - now this I call a happy brand DNA!

Skandinavisk is a celebration of Scandinavian lifestyle, of vast silent landscapes, of cosy shared moments, of the world's happiest peoples. Of hygge. I couldn't put it better than what they're saying about themselves. When I met them in Copenhagen I was immediately drawn to their beautifully designed scented candles. In the meantime, they've extended their range with adorably happy tableware collection named FIKA (I blogged about it HERE).

Today, I am focusing on one of their scented candles with the mysterious name Ø. What looks like a weird letter is in fact an entire word bearing the promise of freedom, air, sea and wilderness - it means 'island' in Danish. It is inspired by hundreds of thousands uninhabited islands scattered across Scandinavian waters. It carries the poetic promise of the 'solitude of the archipelagos'. 

Now as someone who had spent a part of his life in Greece on the shores of the Aegean sea I couldn't help but give the candle a Mediterranean twist. And this is the result. A salty breeze, the sound of the sea, the scent of a happy escape to the island. 

Happy hump day!

Photography by Igor Josifovic

Tweet

Why This Room Caught My Eye

This Tuesday's eye candy comes from Sweden, to be precise from the Swedish blogger at 'Så fint jag vill'. I have no clue what that means, I just know she has a great style and lately I have stumbled over the pictures of her bedroom and loved the relaxed, cosy style she created. When I look at her bedroom I think of lazy weekend mornings, the moment when you turn around and sleep another 20 minutes, when you cuddle up with our duvet, grab a book and a cup of coffee and just stay in the warm, comfy bed. I am pretty sure you can relate to this feeling, right?

So, what caught my eye in particular in this room? Here we go:

• Grey color palette: The different shades of grey create a very calm and cosy feeling. It absorbs the daylight and makes for a perfect sleeping atmosphere.
• Linen bedding: Nothing, I mean nothing beats linen bedsheets. That feeling on your skin - trust me, it is a revelation. You will not want to get out of bed!
• Personal décor vignette: The shelf above the bed features a lovely, personal vignette with a figurine, fresh flowers, a book, an illustration, a candle, a vase, a plant - beautifully arranged and perfect for that dash of personality every room needs.

How do you like this bedroom? What catches your eye?

Photography via Så fint jag vill

Tweet

People, Food, Styling: The Ingredients Of A Happy Home

Last Friday I took you along to an enchanting dinner at the home of Copenhagen based stylist Nathalie Schwer. It was part of our design blogger tour for DesignTrade and hosted by Nathalie, Broste Copenhagen, Le Creuset and Simply Chocolate and put in magic photography by the impeccable Line Thit Klein. Today, I want to share a few more shots from this evening that lingers in my memory as a delightful experience of happiness. Because it had all the great ingredients that make a happy home.

A gathering of friends, good local food prepared with love, a beautiful home styling - the secret to a happy home is no magic spell. It is something natural and practiced throughout the history of mankind. Gathering around food, in shelters made warm and safe has been a natural habit in the early times of human existence. And the essence has remained the same: we gather around good food with people we love in houses we made our homes with personal styling and character. 

That is exactly the magic that happened last week on a Tuesday eve in Copenhagen. The simple magic of people, food and beautiful interiors. A gathering in a happy home.

Photography by Line Thit Klein

Tweet

5 Happy Inspirations: One Must Dash!

Today I would like to introduce you to my latest 'Happy Sponsor' - One Must Dash! The funky online shop for art prints and more home accessories is the concoction of two happy Swedish girls who share a passion for the same kind of humour and interior design. And their great humour shines through from start to end - even the name 'One Must Dash' sound like 'One Moustache' and thus a few products play with the hipster symbol of moustaches.

Their funky world is marked by a Scandinavian mix of white, black and grey hues and make bold statements - be it a graphic pattern or a funny quote. So do you still have that blank area on your wall that would need some embellishment? Why not checking out the funky and witty selection over at 'One Must Dash'? I've compiled my five favorites here. Which ones do you like?

Happy Wednesday, friends!

This post was kindly sponsored by One Must Dash

Photography via One Must Dash

Tweet

Home Tour: Swedish Interior Design

After many, many, maaaany dull and grey days, the sun has reached Munich and has spread a foretaste of spring. The lack of natural light was terribly oppressing. The farther north you move, the more difficult it gets with sunlight during the colder period. So it is sort of natural that Scandinavians focus on their interiors - their homes are the bright refuges during dark winter days. Scandinavian interior design has its own flavor - it's main ingredient is an abundance of whites to recreate the idea of a light flooded home, the colour accents to brighten up the space and a carefully selected mix of design classic and vintage finds.

This Swedish home is not different in its approach to interior design. White walls, wooden floors and ceilings, design furniture, vintage rugs and refined colour accents - it seems so easy to achieve yet the sophisticated look of such a Scandi home can't be easily reproduced without a good eye and impeccable style.

What about you, do you love Scandinavian interiors? Or do you prefer a more intense choice of colours, furniture and decoration when it comes to interior design? Let me know!

Photography by Daniella Witte for Nya Hem

Tweet

Happily Ever After: Bloomingville

As an avid traveler, I have to admit that there has been one particular city on my travel wish list for quite a while: Copenhagen. The Danish capital seems to be a real design hub in northern Europe and hosts some of the finest design brands and interior stores. Luckily, the web allows us to travel across boarders with one or two clicks and so I've decided to take you on a little inspiring visit to a fabulous Danish home decor brand: Bloomingville.

The unique Bloomingville style is a mixture of raw products with a nostalgic Scandinavian twist and reproductions of fantastic pieces from times past inspired by French brocante. Whether you're looking for an accent vase, beautiful kitchenware or fine home textiles, Bloomingville has a vast range of beautiful pieces for happy homes. 

My personal highlights are the transparent, slightly irregular vases in different hues that seem to glow when daylight shines through them. And I am in love with the vintage inspired boards, especially the one saying 'Happiness is not a destination, it is a way of life'. What a perfect sentence to round-up this Friday post!

What do you think of Bloomingville? Have you ever been to Copenhagen? If so, do you have tips for me?

Photography via Bloomingville

Tweet

Happily Ever After: Photographer Anna Kern

If you are interested in interior design, styling and photography, sooner or later you end up with something blissful from Scandinavia. Pristine interiors, a refined approach to styling, and design classics to please our craving for timeless beauty. That's how I ended up on the website of Anna Kern, a Swedish interior and lifestyle photographer.

I glanced through her amazing portfolio here and enjoyed every single click. Even though she features various interiors, you can always notice her great eye for colour compositions, angles and light plays. Whether it's a typical Scandinavian home with bright whites and small, colourful details or a more rustic, natural home with different tactile surfaces and patterns - her photography conveys the beauty that is inherent in any interior that is not an accommodation but a home with personality. Happy Friday!

Photography by Anna Kern

Tweet

Home Sweet Home

Do you know the feeling when you arrive home after several trips or a long vacation? Well after quite busy past days and a few trips I really enjoyed returning to my home. And though this is not my home but a beautiful Scandinavian living room as seen on Alvhem, I do appreciate the cosiness and intimacy of my home (and I promise to do a home tour of my tiny abode soon). Nothing beats the feeling when you snuggle up in your bed or on your sofa. When you walk around and you see yourself in all those little details at home. I truly understand the saying 'Home Sweet Home'. Enjoy every bit of YOUR home sweet home!

Photography via Alvhem Makleri

Tweet