Home Interior Design: small spaces

Showing posts with label small spaces. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Charcoal, indigo, light blue and white - this might well be my favourite colour scheme right now. It's just so elegant and makes the smallest of spaces look sophisticated and relaxed. Take this Swedish home occupying a mere 32 square metres (344 square feet) in Kingsholmen, Stockholm. Owner Anna Navier (an interior designer) has used this colour scheme (along the same spectrum) to divide zones for a coherent look. I also love how she's used a sheer white curtain to divide the room (I'd been thinking about a wall with windows - like this, this or this - to divide my bedroom and work space but actually maybe a linen curtain that allows soft light to flow through could work just as well - what do you think?). The small outdoor space is charming too. All in all a lovely home tour - enjoy!

Historiska Hem. Homeowner: Anna Navier. Photography: Fredric Boukari. Found via Planete Deco with thanks.

I feel calm just looking at this space, how about you?

Is there anything that stands out to you?

Get the look: bedroom - for a similar wall colour dark grey colour try Railings (described as 'handsome and commanding - love that!). This indigo bedspread and linen bedding are similar. Many of these pieces of art can be bought from Desenio (including the clouds poster). Sitting room - , buy a similar jute rug here, Zigzag floor lamp. Dining area: this, this and this industrial pendant lamp are similar. Outside: bistro chairs, linen table cloth, lantern.

I think there's a freshly brewed cup of tea with my name on that outside table in the sun - fancy joining me?! Speaking of gardens - I dream of having an outdoor shower or bath one day (taking this dreamy one as my inspiration!). Imagine?!

Don't miss more of Anna's work here.

Have a lovely day!

Modern Home Stylish Charcoal and indigo in the home of a Swedish interior designer Home Interior - Home Interior

Monday, May 16, 2016

Well hello there! How was your weekend? I feel like I blinked and missed it - but it was lovely anyway! Eye watering start here today - but through my blurry 6am vision I can still just about make out the beauty of this home styled by Emma Fischer for Bjurfors. Yet again it's a great example of how small can also be beautiful (remember last Monday's post? In this home the main living space has been divided into a sitting room and bedroom zone - with great results! And even the fairly narrow kitchen looks like an airy private dining room! Wonderful! Let's take a peek....

Photography - Alan Cordic. Styling - Emma Fischer. Bjurfors.

I think my favourite spots are the gallery wall (love the grey / green tone) and the kitchen with the balcony door thrown open. How about you?!

A few items I know and love: sitting room - rattan chair, coat & umbrella stand, source an over-sized industrial lamp here, I like this zig-zag cushion, menu chair in white. Bedroom - blue and white linen bedding (I discovered this dark green linen bed set at the same time - lovely!), chunky knit cushion, table lamp, basket. Kitchen - linen table cloth, pendant lamp, bentwood chairs.

Looking for more small space inspiration today? Try this archive.....

A few other links I love from the weekend:

This bedroom (the window!).

A mesmerisingly bold girls bedroom.

Indigo bed linen love (this bedding is similar).

Shall we skip the working week and kick back at this beach house? No early starts here....or perhaps a few evenings on this terrace?! How I love a sea view.

Have a wonderful start to the week!

PS That's today's lunch sorted....

Modern Home Stylish Serene and relaxed small space living in Gothenburg Home Interior - Home Interior

Monday, May 9, 2016

Well, hello there! I'm feeling all revived today after a long weekend in the sun - the highlight had to be our picnic on the little island of Hallandsv�der� off the south west coast of Sweden with this view (that cottage?!). The girls even took a dip - so much fun, but BRRRRRR! I hope you had a wonderful few days too? Right, on with today's tour! We've seen a 'shrinking homes' trend lately - which is why I wanted to kick off the week with this little Swedish gem - proof that very small (we're talking 32 square metres / 344 square foot) can be very beautiful too with a few very clever tricks. For example, a raised bed gives space for storage underneath, floor- to-ceiling shelves act as a room divider (a coat rack divides the hallway and kitchen) and a swivel chair can be used for the corner of the bedroom or turned into the sitting room area. Which means you really can get it all - a kitchen / dining area, hallway, bedroom, sitting room area and even a desk to sit and study / work. So clever!

Stadshem. Photography: Jonas Berg.

What a great use of space! Perfect inspiration for anyone living in an itsy bitsy space.

The narrow space-saving sink in the bathroom is especially handy too.

Is there anything that stands out to you?

Get the look: bedroom - the bed is bespoke with MALM drawers in white underneath. I love this rattan pendant lamp, white waffle blanket, this white clothes rack is similar (this clothes rail is a good space-saving one too), sitting room area: these mid-century nest tables (need to hurry though! If sold, try these), this is a great source for antique chaise longues, Hay hero dot cushion, vintage string shelves. Kitchen / dining area: IKEA shelves, white KitchenAid, this pendant lamp is similar.

It's also might be worth checking out the small spaces archive for lots and lots of one room apartment inspiration!

Have a wonderful start to the week (if only we were all here......?).

PS Lovely of those of you who messaged me about catching a glimpse of our family summer cottage - you've inspired me to explore the possibility of taking a few snapshots this summer. My husband's grandparents bought the land and built it and it's been passed from generation to generation. It looks very much as it did when it was first built - both inside and out. In the meantime, I was honoured to be interviewed about 'My Expat Life' for Motherland - are you a mother living outside your home country too?

Modern Home Stylish Because very small can be very beautiful too Home Interior - Home Interior

Thursday, February 18, 2016

There was an almighty thunderstorm here in Sri Lanka this morning, I'm not sure I've ever heard thunder claps like it. It was all very dramatic and cosy, wrapped up in our cotton sheets in the cabana while the rain came down outside. The skies have cleared and the sun is bursting through the clouds now. But in this Swedish apartment the beautiful dark expression remains. The use of black gloss on window frames, floors and doors still allows the light to bounce around the small space (it's a mere 39 metres square / 420 square foot). Add the perfect blend of classic and contemporary and the result is an elegant, yet cosy looking home.

Anders Bergstedt for Entrance

What a beautiful space! I love the tiles in the hallway too!

Is there anything that stands out to you?

Items I know and love: New York 'manhatten' print, Source beautiful vintage Thonet chairs here, similar cushions include this one, this one and this one (cushions always look best grouped if you vary the size and shape so make sure you include an oblong shaped one in the mix). For similar paint colours try Farrow & Ball darks.

You can see more of this home as well as a floor plan over at Entrance.

Other 'dramatic' homes with dark accents include this Stockholm pad, an elegant Swedish new build, and for something a little more boho - Krickelin's west coast home.

Hope you have a lovely day!

Modern Home Stylish A Swedish home with dramatic black accents Home Interior - Home Interior

Monday, January 25, 2016

Good morning! I hope you had a great weekend? Keeping it real on a Monday with this teeny weeny bungalow in Berkeley, California. I mean really teeny weeny. Less than 200 square feet (18 square metres) teeny weeny. In fact it's so small that when Rebekah Carey suggested moving in to what was effectively her Grandmother's 1905 garage her boyfriend Alex McNall thought she was joking. But he soon started to see the potential and the pair set about transforming it from scratch. The result is cosy, comfy and most of all practical. And what's more, not a single new building material was used in the renovation. It just goes to show you don't need a lot of space and a big budget to create a wonderful home. Let's take a tour...

Photography Ashley Kelemen. Domino Magazine. Interior design / styling: Rebekah Carey

Love the white panelled walls combined with the rustic wood beams - so charming!
Is there anything that stands out to you?

Get the look with smart space-saving solutions such as a folding dining table, vintage chairs (which you could also hang on the wall) and a leather butterfly chair (love this), as well as a bench that also doubles as storage space (try kallax with bran�s from IKEA). Use the full height of the room - and place items you seldom use out of the way on high shelves. This fab black leather mid-century stool is similar to the one seen (love the distressed look).

You can read more about this lovely home and details about the renovation over at Domino Magazine.

If you're looking for more small space inspiration today you might want to block your calendar for a few hours, put your phone on silence, pour a coffee (doesn't that sound nice?!) and browse this archive for Scandinavian studio apartments and the world's smallest luxury home - remember that one?!

Have a great start to the week!

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