A beautiful vintage inspired Australian home + give-away winner

Remember this ethereal bedroom with ensuite I showed last Sunday? Well this morning I was really excited to discover the rest of the home. Vintage House Daylesford is a former 1860's miners cottage which has been lovingly restored to highlight the original features of the space and decorated to perfection with the help of the oh so talented Kali Cavanagh. And the good news? It's available to rent!

Interior : Kali Cavanagh,  Vintage House Daylesford via Desire to inspire and 79 ideas

The ethereal style is not far off Australia based Kara Rosenlund's home (also featured here) and this lovely vintage inspired guest house, don't you think? If ever there's an excuse to go down under.....

And now time for the announcement of the Urban Trait Watch give-away! Congratulations to Laura Whitehorn of beatles_song! We'll send you a message. The good news is that even if this isn't you, everyone gets 10 USD off with the code SCANDI up until March 14th!  Thank you so much for entering.

Have a lovely day!

Continue Reading...

A wonderful white and wood holiday home

I hope you had a lovely weekend? If you've been following my blog for a while you'll know one of my long term dream is to buy and do up a summer cottage by a lake in Sweden (do you share a similar dream?). My moodboards for this dream home are endless but once thing's for sure, I'll be adding this home. Designed by Frag Woodall, the concept is basic, drawing on natural materials and light and keeping to a simple palette of black, white and wood.

Frag Woodall, photographer Terence Chin with kind permission. Via 79 ideas

This wood and white combination is perfect for a summer home don't you think? The 'basket' in the corner of the room is made from Marimekko fabric. I love the striped bedding too- any idea where it's from?

But there's a twist. Interestingly this is actually an apartment in Sydney which has been designed to look like a holiday home. There's hope for us all yet! Thank you for the info Jessica at Nordic Space.

For more weekend retreat / holiday inspiration I am loving these homes (warning: could take you a good hour to scroll through them all - this home will come up first but just go on passed it).

Have a lovely Monday and see you tomorrow!

Continue Reading...

A fresh, bright and beautiful Dutch cottage

I do love a weekend escape. This white country cottage belonging to interior designer and co-owner of NU interieur /ontwerp Nathalie Fransen, architect Bas Van Egmond and their three children in the Netherlands hits the mark! The Dutch cottage has been renovated into a beautiful, fresh, light space using among other things, a lick of white paint, a new kitchen and bathroom. For a relatively small space of 34 metres square this family weekend retreat gives an illusion of space. Take me there!

Holly Marder for Decor8

I love this cottage, it has everything I could dream of in a holiday cottage, how about you?

You can see more pictures and read more about this Dutch space here. 

For more Scandinavian retreat inspiration you might want to check out this page (warning: you might want to pour yourself a coffee first, you could wile away a good hour looking through these Scandinavian rural retreats!). 

Have a lovely weekend!

PS we're off to the jungle here in Thailand for the weekend, exciting! See you Monday. 

Continue Reading...

A little piece of paradise in the Philippines

I was at an event recently and met a girl who grew up on a tropical island off Japan. I was fascinated. She said she didn't appreciate her surroundings as a child but loves to go back and visit as an adult. Many people feel like that about their own home towns. But could you imagine if yours was as stunning as Dedon island in the Philippines? Created in collaboration with designers Jean-Marie Massaud and Daniel Pouzet with the ethos of eco-friendly tourism and barefoot living, it is a little touch of paradise and the ultimate winter escape. Pass me the sun screen.

Dedon Via Style Files

I'm adding this one to my wish list for 2015 (but will need to save up a little first!).

When I post design hotels in tropical places (see also this fabulous hotel on Mykonos) I sometimes get comments asking what this has to do with Scandinavian homes. Well not much! But I think it's inspiring to show get-aways all the same - after all, everyone needs an escape from the Scandinavian winter from time to time or what? As you know I'm currently travelling in Thailand with my family (feeling like the luckiest person in the world) and am so inspired by the beautiful places we have seen and stayed in.

Do you have a place you long to visit?

PS if you'd like to donate to the Philippines following the typhoon on 8th november and read more about aid visit this page.

Continue Reading...

A Gotland retreat

If there's one place on my wish list it's the island of Gotland on the East coast of Sweden, it's supposed to be stunning. This summer cottage is situated on a little island called Furillen just off Gotland (even better!). According to Anna of blog La Maison D'Anna G, the space was formerly used as army storage and has been carefully renovated using raw materials as well relics from the original building. The blue accent and sheepskin rugs add a warm element to the cold industrial feel of the concrete and pared-back space. Very original and beautiful. 

Photography: Pia Ulin, Styling Cilla Ramnek for Residence magazine. Via La Maison D'Anna G with thanks

I like the way they have 'opened up' the Hay industrial light - it adds a cool twist, perhaps I should do the same with mine in my bedroom....I see they have the Muuto Wood Table Lamp, one of my favourites! I am also a big fan of sheepskin rugs over chairs - as you can see from my dining room (it actually makes them so comfy too!).

Anything about this home you love?

PS Don't miss my very exciting give-away this Friday just in time for the clocks to go forward  (open worldwide).......Ooooo what could it be?!

Continue Reading...

child friendly holiday homes in Copenhagen

How was your weekend? Oh how it rained here in Southern Sweden!  It got me thinking about holidays. If you have small children you'll know what a difference it makes to find accommodation that's not only beautiful but caters to your children's needs too. When Kid and Coe contacted me about their wonderful new website offering child friendly holiday homes I was on it. Cue hours of searching through beautiful homes under the disguise of 'vacation planning'! Here are a few pictures taken from the two Copenhagen spaces on the site.

Kid and Coe

Some of my other favourite home tours are this one in Bude, Cornwall and this one in Highgate, London. Thank you also to Gemma who wrote to me with the tip!

Thank you so much for all your comments on Friday both on the post of my sitting room and over at Facebook. You've definitely persuaded me not to paint the stairs white - which also saves me a lot of time and money too - PHEW!! Thanks for all your other tips too, so appreciated.

Happy Monday!

Continue Reading...

A beautiful Brazilian beach home

There are several continents I've never been to and one is South America. I've been dreaming of visiting Brazil for years and now that I see this ethereal rural coastal home (via Etxekodeco) I have to turn my dream into a reality!! I love the combination of floaty whites and rustic with cool vintage finds and modern art.

via Etxedeco, Elle Decoration UK

Could you imagine spending your spare time here?!

Speaking of spare time, next week the Swedish holidays have officially begun - yaaaaaay! It'd be rude not to do my part so I'll be joining in by spending lots of time with my wonderful family.  I'll still be blogging but since we'll be moving around a little I might have a few problems with internet so bear with me (after Shanghai I'm not taking any chances!).

Before I head off, I had to share with you an exciting mention on the blog of Sweden's wonderful interior magazine Sköna Hem who chose My Scandinavian Home as blog of the week. Tack team Sköna Hem!

I hope you all have a wonderful couple of days, see you Monday!

Continue Reading...

Monday morning Brazilian escape

It's Monday morning. A girls allowed to dream. If I'd woken up in Casa Lola, Trancoso, Brazil this morning my day would have started a whole lot differently. No full cup of coffee falling three flights of stairs (imagine the scene), no two year old insisting on a swiming costume for nursery. Just one harmonius happy family. 'Accommodations include a housekeeper'....'cooking available on request'. Guh! Make that a latte by the pool please.... :) I feel better already.

Casa Lola. Via Harmony Design

I love the seemlessness between the outdoor and indoor spaces, the juxtaposition of the wood and concrete, the vintage furniture, and the outdoor shower (I can't quite justify one here in our garden in Sweden!). Transport me there!

What about you? 

I hope you're having a lovely Monday, if not, come away with me!

Continue Reading...