Beni

I love Swedish surnames. Yes, many are the familiar ‘son of’ names, Svensson, Johansson, Andersson and so on, but so many others are inspired by nature, which I find rather lovely. Mine, for example, means ‘steep ground’ (perhaps not the most romantic, let's hope it's not a slippery slope...), while I have friends with names like Häggström, ‘bird-cherry stream’. Then there are famous Swedes such as Astrid Lindgren, whose surname combines ‘linden tree’ and ‘branch’, and filmmaker Ingmar Bergman, quite literally ‘mountain man’. And today I came across another one: Hallonkvist, ‘raspberry twig’. How nice is that? You might be wondering where on earth I’m going with this. There is a point, I promise, although the link is admittedly rather tenuous! Sarah Hallonkvist is an interior stylist based in Gothenburg, and in January she moved into a new home in Majorna with her little one, marking the beginning of a wonderful fresh chapter. Since then, Sarah has been slowly putting her stamp...

This post is sponsored by NordLif Home. All words are my own, and I only ever partner with brands I genuinely love. It’s been a while since I’ve made any updates to our sitting room at home in Malmö, but with autumn creeping in I suddenly felt it was calling for a little more warmth and texture. Do you ever get that feeling when the seasons change, that a room just needs something ? As regular readers will know, I’m a big fan of natural materials, warm earthy tones and Scandinavian design, especially pieces that feel timeless and easy to live with. So when Finnish company NordLif Home got in touch, their collection immediately caught my eye. They focus on solid wood furniture with a calm, natural feel, which, as you can imagine, is very much my thing! And with that, say ' hei' to the newest addition to our sitting room: the Astoria Fluted Bench . It's made from solid mango wood in a warm amber oak finish. My original plan was to place it at the end of our bed, but when it...

It's quite incredible what a difference a little colour can make to a home. It doesn't have to be a lot either – sometimes just a splash here and there is enough to completely change the feel of a space. Of course, choosing the right tones can be easier said than done. It certainly doesn't help when you walk into a paint shop and are faced with what feels like a million different shades of white alone! But the effort can really pay off, and this pretty Swedish home is such a lovely example. With its golden kitchen doors, hints of soft green, touches of blue and warm nude tones, it shows just how beautifully the Swedes weave colour into an interior. And keep an eye out for the children's bedroom, with its forest friends wallpaper , yellow window frame and oxblood chest of drawers. It feels like something straight out of a fairytale! Lovely! Very relaxed with rustic touches, yet still beautifully cared for and thoughtfully put together. Did you notice the picture of the ...

It's Friday, and today is shaping up to be a rather nice one! I'll shortly be heading over the bridge to Copenhagen for the store opening of Pink Rose, who make the most fabulous lamps, followed by a mooch around town and a visit to a few of my favourite haunts. And really, is there anywhere more relaxed than the Danish capital on a Friday afternoon? I hope you've got some fun plans too! Before I shoot off, though, I'd love to share this lovely Swedish home belonging to Frida of @lillabonora . The palette has a similar warm, golden feel to Linnéa's house , which I featured on Wednesday, and the good news is, I actually have some colour codes for you this time, should you feel inspired to get the paintbrushes out this weekend! There's so much I like about Frida's home. The soft, buttery walls immediately make everything feel warm and welcoming, especially when the sunlight pours in, and I love how she's paired them with natural wood, touches of brown, cr...