Those of you who follow me on Instagram might have noticed I started painting again, and I just finished my painting ‘Blue Tides’. The acrylic piece on canvas is an exploration of depth and geometry and a play between soft and hard lines. Also available as an art print reproduction.
Natural light is the absolute best interior accessory if you ask me. Nothing beats a sunlit interior to help you feel good at home. When designed right, rooftop spaces are often the ones that have the most beautiful daylight coming in, not to mention the exposed wood beams that often decorate the ceiling and the view you have when looking up at the sky or through the window. An apartment or room with a sloped roof can be a challenge to decorate, but once you get it right, it can become such a beautiful, cozy, and well-lit space.
This is why I’m so happy to have teamed up with VELUX, to give you my 5 top tips on how to decorate spaces underneath a sloped roof. You can even win a room makeover designed by me at your place with a budget of €3000 euro! You can find more info on how to participate on the VELUX Instagram or VELUX Facebook page.
Tip no.1: Flood the room with light
Making the most out of your rooftop space all starts with the windows. Did you know rooftop windows let in double the amount of daylight as a regular one? By strategically planning out the windows, you can guide natural light exactly where you want it to be and you can even create more headspace by building out part of the window.
Last week I had the opportunity to style a rooftop space here in Munich which was fitted with a VELUX CABRIO™ which allowed the space to be filled with such an abundance of daylight and a beautiful view over the rooftops in the neighborhood. While the CABRIO™ design doesn’t take up more space than a normal roof window, it can be folded out and opened up like a balcony, how cool is that?
It’s impressive what natural light in the right spot can do to a space. In case you are planning out your own rooftop apartment, VELUX has an online configurator where that guides you through the steps of selecting the right VELUX windows for your space which is a great place to start and they also have a wide variety of solutions to protect your space from heat and sun.
Tip no.2 Strategically place your furniture
When it comes to the interior of your rooftop space, you better optimize the space available as much as possible. Some areas typically require ceiling height (like storage space, or the main part of the kitchen), but other areas can easily fit underneath a lower ceiling. Think about a strategically placed bed, dining table, or office space. The really low spaces can be used for low shelving, either open or closed, and make a great display for your favorite accessories.
Image sources: Alvhem – Stadshem – Bjurfors
Tip no.3 Adjust your furniture to the room
Custom-made storage space is the best option for optimally adapting to the layout of the room, but if you don’t have the resources, you can find many modular systems, which let you design closed or open cabinets to your style and needs. Systems that come in different heights can be placed underneath the sloped ceiling and the open space on top can be filled in with baskets and beautiful storage boxes when you need extra storage space.
Images Sources: Alvhem – Bjurfors – Innerstadspecialisten
Tip no.4 make smart use of dead space
The challenge with attic spaces is usually the lower area, which can be optimally used for a built-in desk for example, or storage space, but often attic spaces come with little niches and corners that are even harder to decorate. Measure the size available and look for a way to turn the nook into a fully functional space like a wardrobe, home office, or even an open-plan bedroom like in the first picture below.
Images sources: Alvhem – Stadshem – Bjurfors
Tip no.5 Embrace your surroundings
Do you have a weird nook, beams in uncommon places? Instead of dreading them, embrace them as part of the room, as they add character and personality. A lower space by the window can be turned into an amazing window seat and that funky beam you have been dreading could be the ideal spot to dangle a statement pendant from, or the perfect spot for your favorite plant. The key to this is to leave yourself with enough time, decorating is a process and once you have the layout of the space figured out, the right accessories will come your way. Rather than seeing the awkward features as disturbances, embrace them, or even accentuate them to make your interior truly unique.
Image Sources: Ahre – Bjurfors – Alvhem
Together with VELUX, I’m giving away a room makeover designed by me worth €3000. We are looking for the most beautiful home with VELUX windows in Germany, Austria, or Switzerland and I will consult and restyle the winner’s home in person. I myself can’t wait to start with this project and to see pictures of your amazing spaces! You can find more info on how to participate on the VELUX Instagram or VELUX Facebook page.
This blogpost was created in collaboration with VELUX, however all opinions are my own of course. If you are looking to add more daylight to your sloped or straight rooftop you can find all info on VELUX solutions on their website. They have a great inspiration section where you can see example projects as well.
Living in a city apartment, I always appreciate great design that can be used in multiple ways. I love moving things around in my place and creating new setups with the things I have, while always looking for subtle updates that keep my interior-heart satisfied.
Recently the beautiful FH38 Windsor chair by Carl Hansen & Søn moved into my home. Its sculptural design features a taller backrest than necessary for a regular dining chair, making it a fusion of a dining chair and a lounge chair, and thus a comfortable and versatile addition to either dining or living room. The Windsor chair was designed by Danish architect and cabinetmaker Frits Henningsen in 1938 and has been in continuous production at Carl Hansen & Søn until 2003. Now, it has been reissued with modern comfort in mind and is available with a comfortable leather seat cushion.
The Windsor chair is shaped out of solid FSC™-certified oak and sanded by hand. The clean lines require multiple carpentry techniques to make and the chair is light in its expression thanks to its open spindle frame and the gently curved back, seat, and armrests. Each chair is unique and a distinguished example of traditional craftsmanship refined over centuries. I think the excellent quality carpentry is visible on the pictures I took, but it’s even more impressive when you use the chair and glide your hand over the oiled oak surface of the seat or the backrest.
Frits Henningsen viewed quality craftsmanship as essential, and unlike most cabinetmakers, always designed his own furniture pieces. As a member of the Copenhagen Cabinetmakers Guild, Henningsen became a major driver of the furniture exhibitions of the period, gaining recognition for his perfectionist style and vibrant personality. He gave new expression to traditional designs and drew inspiration from the French Empire, rococo, and British 17th-century furniture, which I think you can clearly see in the Windsor chair as well: the perfect fusion between classic furniture design and quality craftsmanship.
Look at this gorgeous Scandinavian loft apartment with an open-plan living kitchen and large windows that let in so much natural light. The kitchen layout fits very nicely in the space, as the kitchen island also functions as an extension of the supporting pillar separating the kitchen and dining area from the living room. The kitchen looks custom-made by a carpenter to me and the doors are produced out of a treated rough MDF board that has a very interesting texture. The aged brass handles and the occasional glass door balance out this rougher look and make it elegant.
The fluffy area rug in the living room separates this area visually from the rest of the loft and I love that a slight area of the brick wall has been exposed, for that typical loft feeling which contrasts so nicely with the custom-built cabinet in that corner.
While I’m not such a big fan of the design of the bedroom wallpaper, in particular, I do love that it gives an extra texture to the space. The fact that you can take a peek from the main loft area and see contrasting wallpaper in the other room makes this loft very characterful.
via Alvhem
The muted mint green wall color (not entirely sure, but it might be Jotun Lady Minty Breeze) in this beautiful living room transforms this classy Scandinavian interior. The living room seems to be the center of the apartment, with two light-flooded bedrooms on each side. The combination of the vintage cabinet in a darker wood tone, the light furniture and area rug, and the black and brass accents in the details goes perfectly with the color of the walls. I love the way the art pieces pop out of this wall color as well.
Both bedrooms are decorated modestly in a neutral color palette, though I love the way the wall color of the living room comes back in the vintage armchair next to the bed.
I love that the mint green wall color in this home goes more toward a grey tone, which is more muted compared to the bedroom in this Scandinavian home for example, which goes much more toward green. I like both variations but if you rather add a subtle mint green tone to your walls a more muted tone might be the way to go.
Styled by Grey Deco, photographed by Henrik Linden for Alvhem
I love the subtle difference the blanket on the bed can have in my bedroom. In the left picture, I used a wool chequered blanket from Arket (currently sold out, but keep an eye out on their blanket collection* as it will come back). On the right I the baby blue Crinkle blanket from HAY (still available here, but it will be removed from their collection as well.
The new release by Danish interior brand Ferm Living is something I’m looking forward to every season. They do a bigger release at the beginning of the year but have released some exciting new items a few weeks ago as well.
One of my favorites of the new collection is the asymmetrical Forma wool rug, which is great to add an extra dimension to a larger living room (I think it’s important that such a rug has enough space around the sides for it to work in a room). I also really like the Lay cushion series which features a nice contrast in textiles that look great on a neutral sofa.
Every single room in this beautiful turn-of-the-century apartment in Sweden is nothing short of amazing. The timeless furniture pieces combined with custom-fitted storage solutions and minimal and subtle decor work so nicely in this space and in every single room you can see something unique. The dining room with the solid black wood dining table and the walnut dining chairs works perfectly on the light area rug, which grounds the table into a rather large space.
The living room features an asymmetrical rug and a custom-built bookshelf that goes around the entryway toward the dining room. In the kitchen you can find another smaller dining table with beige dining chairs and a walnut round table and the bedroom shares the same color palette as the rest of the apartment, giving all the rooms a unique yet coherent look and feel.
Photographed by Alen Cordic for Bjurfors
Summer is not officially gone, yet I’m so in the mood for autumn to start. I love how some simple brown tints and a few lit candles can transform a space into the next season.
Nordiska Kök has created a concept kitchen in collaboration with Swedish interior designer Lotta Agaton for The House of Gärsnäs showroom in the heart of Stockholm. The kitchen is a fusion between modern minimalism and classic heritage grounded in tradition and functions as a beautiful and unique piece of furniture in the space. The timeless kitchen blends into the rest of the interior with classic shapes and minimal details.
photographed by Pia Ulin
