A former lighthouse keeper's cottage on Gotland

One of the things I love about writing My Scandinavian Home is I come across homes such as this one, which engulf me with inspiration and I know they will you too. This former lighthouse keeper's cottage is one of them. Located in Visby on the island of Gotland off Sweden's east coast, this family summer cottage has been beautifully renovated using white, greys and dusty pink and breathtaking views out to see. Safe to say, I could spend my summer here, how about you?

Photography: Jonas Ingerstedt (shared with kind permission) via Casa del caso

What do you love most about this home?

Each year my parents visit us from London and take my little girls away somewhere for a treat. Last year they had a fantastic time on the Danish island of Bornholm and this year they plan to go to Gotland. I think I'm going to have to pack myself in their trunki, I've been waiting to visit Gotland for years!

If you're not convinced, this post by Little Scandivian will have you sold. It's such a breathtaking island with so much to see and do, plus you get to rent holiday homes like this one. 

I've shown so many beautiful homes on Gotland before including this stunning summer cottage, a Gotland retreat, and a converted brewery.  Could you imagine restoring your own home here?

Have a lovely day!

Which interior look do you like best?

I love these interior spaces from the catalogue of Danish brand Bloomingville (spotted over at The Design Chaser). Copper accessories are a given in my eyes this season - I LOVE them. But the question is, would you put your treasured copper against white or pink?

Bloomingville via The Design Chaser with thanks

Personally, I don't think I'd go for an entirely pink accent wall (my man simply wouldn't allow it) - even though I do love this sitting room, this dining room and the heart wall in this little girl's room. Instead I think I'd opt for a a white wall with pink and copper accessories - is that cheating? I'm getting my 'accessorise in pink' inspiration from this home and this home. Cool but cute. What about you?

Copper shopper (te he he couldn't resist!): no one does copper accessories better than Tom Dixon (light and candlelight) or? Although I do also have my eye on this light and this By Lassen Kubus candleholder too. So many things beautiful things around right now.

Have a lovely Wednesday!

The beautiful on trend sitting room

Morning! Reporing from a very grey London this morning. But if anything can brighten up my day this stunning sitting room created by Danish designer Mette Helena Rasmussen can. The space encompasses the current rose / gold trend perfectly by matching a vintage rose coloured accent wall with a polished brass Tom Dixon Etch Light - how very cool and pretty. Oh and they've added my favourite reading light too the Flos 265 wall light - could this be an option for my sitting room? I spy other bang up to date trends too such as the light grey marble table with pastel legs. What a treat for a grey Tuesday!

Photography: Tia Borgsmidt (with kind permission) for Boligliv via Ministry of Deco with thanks

What do you think? Are you channeling the gold / light grey marble and rose trend?

I've had a few questions about long-haired sheepskin rugs lately - this is a great source!

Oh and you might be interested to know that Mette owns an online shop called Retro Villa which sells the most beautiful items.....could be dangerous!

Have a lovely day!

Fresh inspiration from a Gothenburg apartment

Lots of inspiration to be taken from this lovely apartment in Gothenburg styled and for sale through Alvhem. From the pretty wallpaper, flashes of colour, wall space (love the single pink pom pom) and metal storage units to the pretty balcony with cosy cushions and rag rugs. the entire apartment looks really fresh and ready for spring.

Alvhem

I could definitely see myself sipping a morning coffee on that balcony, how about you?

Speaking about sipping coffee (or something stronger perhaps...) there's only one day left before the weekend - yay! My parents are visiting from London so we're thinking of going sailing  (our boat is available for rent here in Southern Sweden for any of you budding sailors out there!). It's been a long winter so I can't wait to get out on the water for the first time this year. Do you have any plans?



Home tour: pretty in pink

It's a beautiful sunny day here in Skåne, Southern Sweden, perfect for a local home tour! I spotted this wonderful, quirky, relaxed family home on Design Sponge. It's the home of photographer Jenny Brandt and her graphic designer / illustrator partner Jens Grönberg and their two children Viola and Frank in Ystad (also the home town of Wallander, for those you who are into Swedish detective novels!). I love how personal they have made their home.

Dos Family / Sammy Rose via Design Sponge

Such a relaxed and lovely home don't you think?

You can see the rest of the home tour here. Oh and don't miss their fab webshop here!

I see they've painted their stairs white which is something we've been thinking about doing for a while here. Do you think we should go for it or not?

Not your average colour scheme

Some colour schemes are a dime a dozen and others are just daring and interesting. Today I'm looking at salmon/coral/melon and pink/rose/magenta.

Now I'm not saying I would use these colours in my own home. You can appreciate from afar without committing!  These rooms have just too much colour for my personal style.  I'm attracted to them because they are so vibrant and fresh.  Isn't it a good thing we don't all like the same colours?

 How do you feel about these rooms?  If you could transport any of them into your own home would you?

This colour scheme seems to be most popular in bedrooms. 

 Interior Designer Artistic Designs for Living, Tineke Triggs

The white bedding  and accessories work well to balance the hot colours.  White has many uses in decor and acting as a backdrop is just one of them.

You can't deny that these colours are great for a kid's room.  I'm really liking the hit of lime green as an accent.

Better Homes and Gardens

This is the subtle version of this scheme.  Just a hint of melon with a deeper pink. Both are tempered with lots of off white.  That seems to be a common thread through most of these rooms.

Phoebe Howard

More vibrant colours against light walls and furniture. The pink is leaning toward purple and there isn't that much of it. 

Jessica Lagrange

 This room turns it around and focuses on a rich magenta with smaller pops of orange. Do you think the headboard is dramatic enough or would you like to see a big piece of art over it?

Do you fancy one of these?

Living rooms

 Better Homes and Gardens

 Lots of white to play with these two vibrant colours. I'm longing for a little more pattern, perhaps a stripe with a third colour thrown in to replace the pink cushions. 

Here are some choice....

I would go for the purple one. How about you?

 

 While we're at it what let's think about the white vase... Hummm...

Choose one.  No matter what pillows you choose there's a vase that works.

  Can a room be over matched?  YES!

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Deeper pink leaning toward red with just hints of orange give a totally different look.  In this room a neutral tan  in varying values serves as a backdrop to the vibrant colour. I like the fact that this room is not too over matched.  Lots of pattern in the pillows.

Simplified Bee®: Sweet, Modern Pink & Orange Nursery Room for Baby...

Go for it !

Think pink in 2011

For more than a decade, Pantone's Colour of the Year declarations have influenced product development and purchasing decisions in multiple industries including home  design.  This year's Pantone colour is.....

Honeysuckle 

Pantone Colour Institute Executive Director Leatrice Eiseman says, "In times of stress, we need something to lift our spirits. Honeysuckle is a captivating, stimulating colour that gets the adrenaline going-- perfect to ward off the blues."  Yes indeed, Honeysuckle is that kind of pink, but there are many  tints and shade of pink that are options in decor.Perhaps there's one for you.

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Vibrant all the way.  You couldn't help but feel upbeat in this room.  Some rooms have so much colour energy they are difficult places to relax.  Personally, I love a room that soothes and this space would not be my first choice.  How about you? 

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A subtle and understated pink creeps quietly into this decor and settles in place. It produces a quiet, relaxed environment that calls you to curl up with a nice book.

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Another quiet pink combination that  works well for  relaxation.  The pink/ brown combination is one of my favourites and recently it is a popular  colour scheme for children's rooms. 

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Anything with gray is bound to be a favourite with me. I love the way grays are  the supporting actors in a room , letting other colours do their thing.  Gray is the new neutral, but it has been my neutral since the mid 80"s

tineke triggs

Orange and pink are a somewhat unlikely pair, but they work well together especially when one dominates. 

 

Oatmeal and pink  which is moving subtly toward coral  makes a fantastic duo in this Sarah Richardson design. 

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Yellow is another colour that you don't often see paired with pink, but it is one of my favourite combinations. The addition of orange makes this an energetic combo without being too much so because of the light colour on the walls. If I could make one change in this room,  I would paint  the walls a more neutral colour.

 tineke triggs

I love the chairs.  Enough said. 

 Ventana Construction LLC

This room combines two 2011 trends, honeysuckle and pattern.
 
What's your tolerance level for pink in decor?