When your car decides for you...

Have you ever had your car decide things for you?

Well, as I was driving home from work today and approached a second-hand shop on the side of the road (the one where last summer I fell in love with the large tray that I used as a table top for example here), I thought to myself that I certainly do not need more things, no matter how lovely they might be, and I was therefore not going to stop...

Now, some of you may find what happened next hard to believe, but my car took me completely by surprise when it suddenly swerved to the left and turned in to mentioned shop. Just like that. And parked outside this large and eclectic second-hand shop, it would have been rather rude not to pop inside just for a minute or two... would it not?

Sorry about the grainy, un-sharp photos here - this window-less
room and my camera do not always see eye to eye...

And there it was. The Moroccan-looking wooden stand that my beloved tray had been missing. With paint peeling and just the right amount of scruffy patina, it called out to me in all its ragged glory: "Please, Miss, adopt me! We belong together!" Now, I may be a woman of principle, but I am not heartless. And when a fellow with a wooden leg - or eight as it were -  pleads with me in that fashion, who am I to reject him?

So, that is how my car made what turned out to be the best decision possible on this grey Wednesday, and my wooden fellow and I, I have a feeling we are going to live happily ever after!

Wishing you all a lovely Thursday, and may it bring you joy, 

car-encouraged or not!

Helena

Angles from a former culture centre

There are two key things I'm drawing inspiration from in this lovely 18th century former culture centre in Stockholm. First, the way the books are piled high and used to add colour in the sitting room. And secondly the rustic workman's bench at the end of the bed. Of course the rest of the space is pretty nice too :)

With kind permission from Johan Sellén, featured in Elle Interiör via DecorDots.

I've actually just ordered two workmen's stools from this fab online vintage shop and patiently (read: anxiously awaiting) their arrival, I can't wait! Perhaps the next item on my list will be a workmen's bench for the end of the bed.

Any ideas you're looking to steal?

Have a lovely day!

Rustic / industrial Danish restaurant Höst

It's my husband's birthday next week so I've been doing some planning. Since he loves eating out, at least part of his present should be visiting a new restaurant. And with Copenhagen just over the Öresund bridge how could the the rustic / industrial Scandinavian restaurant Höst not be top of the list?! If you love interior blogs you'll have seen images of this before. But honestly? Höst was completed last year after a collaboration with the fab Norm Architects team (remember this monochrome home last week?!) and Danish designers Menu for Cofoco. And word on the street is that the food is equally sublime.

Norm Architects / Menu / Höst Styling: Emma Fexeus.

Table for two please. And it's more for him........honest :)

PS I hope he doesn't read today's post!

Little ray of sunshine in Gothenburg

There are some apartments which feel like a little ray of sunshine. And this one in Gothenburg (currently for sale) is one of them. It looks so warm. I can just imagine sitting at the rustic kitchen table, in the leather armchair in the sitting room or cosying up in that bed. And don't get me started on the white floors and exposed brickwork.

 

Stadshem

Oh and, once again I spy a moodboard over the bed....current trend alert?

A vintage inspired Brussels home

Hello! I'm back! Thank you so much to Dagny and Marianne for covering me while I was away. I have to say I'm feeling more than a little sorry for myself as I'm STILL ill. I'm sitting here tapping away in my (very cosy) white company slippers and chunky knit cardigan and a big cup of tea (I do love to take these things seriously). And as ever I'm cheered up by a beautiful home! This particular space with all it's vintage and mid century furniture belongs to a talented family in Brussels and was photographed by Louise Desrosiers for milk magazine.

With kind permission from photographer Louise Desrosiers. Milk magazine via Mokkasin.

 The floor has to be the clear winner here. You can just envision someone totally uncool walking in and saying 'OK, the first thing we need is a new floor here' but not this cool Brussels family, they've completely embraced it and it looks fantastic! there's always the reclaimed flooring company for the rest of us!

There are a few more lovely pictures of this home over at Milk magazine, and a full article if you speak French (or if you're like me with errr French hardly a strong point there's always google translate).

Right. Time to get back under my duvet. Have a lovely Monday!

Chilled dreams ...

For a week or so, twelve stunning long-stemmed roses have paraded their crimson charisma in the Swenglish kitchen, but as they hung their heads a little yesterday, looking tired and despondent, I thought I would try to encourage a little rosy encore performance from them before they become food for worms... 

Inspired - like so often - by blog friend and superb stylist, "flower magician" and photographer Minna Mercke Schmidt, I thought about the fantastic display she made recently for a Fairtrade Competition (organised to draw attention to Fairtrade products). Click here to see Minna's stunning display, which - not surprisingly - won the competition (Congrats, Minna!). For my little hessian pouch, however, I opted for a more "slumped" look, possibly reflecting how I feel this bitterly cold Saturday after a few hectic work weeks... ☺

Looking around the garden, I see that after the harsh winter, it is in dire need of some tender love and care, and perhaps, in places, more drastic cosmetic surgery... Hm, I wonder... Are gardens like many dogs - do they actually bear a striking resemblance to their owners? Well, plastic surgery is an unlikely contender to solve the appearance of this ragged thistle, but some sun-fuelled energy would not go amiss!

So that is what I dream of, this cold, cold February weekend: 

sun-stroked, rosy cheeks for garden and self!

... and speaking of garden...

Ladies and gentlemen... DRUM ROLL... 

I am so happy to present to you a fabulous new web shop for all of us 

who like to prettify our gardens in more ways than one.

The GARDEN FLOW Shop

My dear friend Charlotte Andersson (the Garden Flow blog), whose stunning garden I featured on my blog in several posts last summer (see Charlotte's Garden under Categories to the right, has just opened the Garden Flow Shop - a web shop which also has a show room in Sundsvall, Sweden, where Charlotte lives.

All the photos below are taken by Charlotte:

In true Charlotte fashion, the photos of the products are beautiful and the "goodies" include everything from hands-on planting tools and gardening clothes, to decorative items for your home and your garden, quirky vintage finds and do-it-yourself craft material (and much more).

Welcome to browse this inspiring new web shop - very soon Charlotte will also be able to ship outside of Sweden (I will let you know when) and then I think all of us will find it very hard to resist ordering a little spring inspiration from the Garden Flow Shop! 

 ***

Last, but not least, a huge hug to all of you lovely readers out there, who seem to still pop in to the Swenglish Home, despite the rare updates and my silence on your blogs. Roses and sunshine to you all!

Helena

Guest post: Soothing Gothenburg apartment

Hello everyone! I am Dagný Björg from the Feel Inspired blog where I share with my readers what keeps me inspired. I can't believe February is almost through - I feel like the time has literally flown away in this new year. I am starting to look forward to the warm Icelandic summer and have already noted down what I'd like to do and go this year. Have you started any summer planning yet? But, enough of summer talk - care to join me in a home tour? It's a small apartment in lovely Goteburg where everything seems to have it's place. I also really like the soothing color scheme of gray, brown, little bit of mustard yellow and wood which makes this home really warm and welcoming. 

 Hope you enjoy this home tour. Have a lovely day and hope to see you on my Feel Inspired blog!

Love,
Dagný Björg

Guest post: Denmark's most wonderful home

Hello everyone. I am Marianne from Nordic Bliss a Scandinavian girl living in the UK who loves Scandinavian style and is helping the Brits getting their hands on it as well through my little webshop.



What an honour to be guest bloging here on Niki's wonderful blog. I've been following it from the start and has always been inspired here. so when Niki asked me to do a guest post for her I told myself I had to find something wonderful. A few days ago I came across these photos on Femina's website and thought they would be perfect. This home has been awarded "Most wonderful home in Denmark" by DR (DR stands for Denmark's Radio, equivalent to NRK in Norway, SVT in Sweden and BBC in the UK etc.)





I loved the black exterior and patio with all the greenery. It is such an interesting contrast to the bright white interiors.




1. Set of 2 zinc boxes + + + 2. Glass bowl + + + 3. Trivet + + + 4. Tray table
I love how they mixed up the traditional country charm open shelves and white wood panelling on the wall with some stainless steel and metal accessories in the kitchen.


1. "Be Gentle" print by Ylva Skarp + + + 2. Pillow + + + 3. Glass vase + + + 4. Grey cotton throw

This cosy corner in front of the window makes me long for a Easter holiday. When I was younger and lived in Denmark we would always spend Easter on the coast. Lazy days going for long walks on the beach and enjoying nature and a few rays of sunshine.

So what did you think? Is this home one of the most wonderful Danish homes you've seen? Would you like to live here? I hope you are all surviving the winter and I wish you a lovely week.

Marianne xx

Source Femina
Photographer Mikkel Adsbøl

White and grey Stockholm apartment

I'm feeling a little worse for wear today with a temperature and everything :(  I was certainly cheered up by this Stockholm home though. Currently for sale through Fantastic Frank,  there are so many things to love about this small, yet charming grey and white apartment.

Fantastic Frank



I love the personalised soap bottle. I think I'll have to make a label saying 'Niki's shampoo' as the rest of my family seem to think my expensive hair care is shower gel, bubble bath or simply something to wash their dolly with!!

Anything that inspires you from this home?

I'm off for a short trip tomorrow. But  of course I'd never leave you high and dry! I've invited two of my favourite fellow bloggers to write very lovely and inspiring guest posts.

Have a lovely few days and see you Monday!