I thik this Swedish home looks very cozy and inviting and I love the contrasting elements in every single room of this well-planned space. The living room has been painted in a very light and warm tint of beige, which matches so nicely with the sheer beige curtains* in front of the windows that warm up the daylight coming in. The dark grey fabric sofa adds a lot of contrast to this otherwise very light room and the pillows in beige and mustard tints on the sofa add a few warm accents. What used to be a doorway has been turned into a built-in shelving with lots of carefully selected decor pieces and the sculptural pendant lamp in the middle of the room adds something special to the look.

The old fireplace in the dining room has been painted black, which is such a statement piece against the light walls and the white kitchen. The dining table and chairs are black as well, which adds to the powerfull contrast in this room. The kitchen has been built in a niche, which is very space-saving. While it has been fitted into a rather small space, it doensn’t feel cramped though, which is the most important thing. The length of the dining and kitchen space is quite long already, which has been made even more impressive by the use of the big round mirror above the heater next to the balcony door.

The bedroom, which can be entered from the dining room, has the same overall color palette as the living room. White* and darker beige curtains* have been combined here for a hotel-look and the beige and orange tints mimic the look of the sofa area in the living room.

via Alvhem

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Green and blue are cooler wall color options and usually have a very fresh and vibrant effect on an interior. The green walls of this home however are combined with so many warm tints that the interior looks fresh, yet at the same time very warm and inviting. The beige curtains* in front of the window warm up the daylight that’s coming into this apartment and I love the way the white floor lamp pops out of this beige background.

The beige sofa in front of the window has been decorated with a mixture of beige linen pillows*, combined with a mint green linen pillow that goes nicely with the color on the wall. Since the living room has two functional areas: one for sitting on the sofa and one for dining, the area rug serves as a nice visual separator between the two. The large round mirror with the black frame* reflects the space, which is even more impressive because of the wall color I think.

The round wood dining table combined with a mixture of chairs has been visually set into this corner because of the Flos 265 wall lamp* which can be directed towards the table and is a nice alternative to the usual pendant lamp above the table. The bedroom has a very simple decor, with white paint on the walls, but the beige linen duvet cover* and the green pillow on the bed hint towards the color scheme in the living room, which is a nice touch.

via Stadshem

I love the subtle color palette in this beautiful turn-of-the-century apartment. The walls are painted in different tints of grey and white, which goes so well with the hardwood flooring and the white moldings on the ceiling. The colors in this interior come from the smaller objects and accessories. I like this approach myself as well because it allows for switching up the color palette in a very easy way. Don’t feel like the tints of orange are working anymore? Change them into a blue or green color palette just by changing the art prints or the pillowcases. This is just an example of course, but you get the idea.

The living room has very light furniture combined with a white area rug and a glass coffee table, which lets the subtle touches of color shine. I love the way the art prints on the wall, the pillowcases, and the fresh flowers on the table stand out from all the grey in this space.

The dining room has an odd shape, which is solved by placing the dining table parallel to the longest wall. This wall has been given a nice gallery arrangement which finishes off things nicely. Also here the fresh flowers add a lot to the space . I think flowers always tend to do this, they are my go-to present to myself.

The bedroom is located right next to the living room and both rooms share the same odd layout. Each of the rooms comes out on the balcony, which is such a nice feature of this home. The bedroom has been painted in a darker grey wall color, which makes it a little bit cozier. Even though the color palette in the bedroom is a little more neutral, the color-blocked blanket on the bed stands out here so nicely as well.

via Entrance Makleri

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I have to be honest, after sitting at my desk to compose this summer table setting look, it’s going to be hard to stay working behind my computer instead of looking for an umbrella to sit underneath. I completely fell in love with these Business and Pleasure Co. Umbrellas*, which come in so many different colors. The fringes and the wood finish of the pole are just so delicate and instantly put me in a vacation mood. 

I think any table setting (granted this is not a full table setting in the classic sence) should have a general color and material palette, but I think especially in summer it should be fun. I picked a mixture of different materials and patterns – polka dots on the glasses, organic shapes on the salt and pepper shakers, stripes on the umbrella and chequers on the table cloth – for a fun effect that personally makes me happy.

I think a table cloth with a pattern is great as well because you don’t necessarily need to iron it. I personally hate ironing and don’t mind wrinkly table cloths, but ever since someone pointed out on one of my Instagram pictures that I really should iron my table cloth it’s something I started thinking about way too much. 

In my current apartment, there is a dining table for everyone to use, so I have the luxury to decorate an outdoor table there. I can’t wait to be back in at the Belgian house as well, as I think this round dining table is the perfect setting for an outdoor dinner.

Business and Pleasure Co. Umbrella – Navy Stripes – € 187*

Chequered table cloth in white and blue from H&M Home – € 19.99*

Wild flower bowl from San Raphael – € 15*

Set of 4 tumbler glasses with blue dots from Pols Potten – € 55*

Salt* and Pepper* shakers from Arket – € 12

Cutlery set of 4 from Sabre Paris – € 20*

Orga Rattan Tray from House Doctor – €69*

I think the power of an interior is usually in the details. Even though I think minimalist interiors can work for some people and I love the clutter-free lifestyle, for me it can be a little bit more. I think interior accessories and details can make a home feel cozy and personal. In my opinion, pieces of furniture have to be neutral and well-considered, but you can really change up an interior from time to time with the smaller pieces. It’s not such a big investment to change out a small interior accessory either. As you can see, I’m a big fan of accessorizing.

This beautiful Swedish apartment has so many beautiful details in the interior and I love the open plan kitchen that is connected to the living room.  The kitchen has been placed in the corner, opposed to the windows, and fits a large dining table in the middle. The kitchen itself is Ikea Bodbyn I believe, with a marble countertop. I like the glass bulb lamps* above the dining table and the way they match the wall lights above the kitchen countertop.

From the kitchen, you walk straight into the living room, which is decorated in a very cozy way. I love the combination of the rattan seat and the armchair with the sofa and the way the TV has been integrated into a gallery wall. The guest bedroom with a small home office is located right next to the living room. The vintage desk works so nicely with the big Monstera plant and the pink linen duvet cover*, darker pink pillows and the structured white rug underneath the bed add a delicate touch to the room.

The main bedroom really stands out because of the blue curtain going wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling adding a beautiful backdrop behind the bed. I love the way this blue color comes back in the built-in shelving as well.

via Entrance Makleri

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I think this attic studio home has such an impressive structure, both newly constructed elements, and original structural pieces of the old architecture. Part of the walls has this really rough look, which combined with the original wood beams has a very impressive effect on the space. The beams have been painted in a dark grey color, which makes them stand out in such a nice way.

The bedroom has been separated from the living area with a custom-built glass partition with black metal framing. The black metal matches the dark color of the original beams and it adds a great contrast to the sunlit apartment. This is such a great solution for studio homes especially.

You can find another great example of a black and glass partition wall in this blog post and for those of you who are looking to build a glass partition in your own home, I rounded up the most inspiring homes with glass partition walls in this post.

The wall of the attic bedroom has been painted dark grey from which the Formakami paper lamp* really pops out. While the dark grey wall color and the steel frame add a very strong and contrasting touch to the space, the mixture of beige and dusty pink bedlinen softens out this look. I love this combination of delicate and hard elements.

The kitchen has been fitted into the niche on the right side of the bedroom and de round dining table in front of the window feels like it’s in the center of the apartment. I like to think of the dining table as the place where everyone gathers so this makes so much sense to me in terms of layout. 

On the opposite side of the bedroom, there is a sofa area, which has been visually separated from the rest of the space by the use of this fluffy grey area rug. The curvy sofa in a grey velvet fabric works wonderfully together with the dark grey wall in the bedroom and I love the subtle decor and combination of art prints in this area.

via Ahre

Sometimes the apartment you live in doesn’t have the exact layout you would have wished for and you might need an extra room. I love seeing these kinds of smart solutions where two rooms are made out of one bigger one just like in this home. The kitchen and bedroom used to be one big room, which is split into two with a window to allow natural light to come into the kitchen as well. You can still see a part of the original kitchen (the one painted in white), which has been combined with a new kitchen with black fronts and white countertops, for a lovely contrasting look. The black frame of the window has a slightly industrial look to it, which matches the style of the kitchen.

Behind the kitchen window, you can find a small bedroom that fits the bed exactly, but it does serve its purpose. This room gets so much natural light and you can walk from the bedroom straight into the living room, which has been decorated in a very natural color palette. Throughout the entire space, the green of the plants and flowers really stands out and adds a fresh touch to the interior.

Styled by Emma Fisher, photographed by Henrik Linden for Alvhem

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In those old buildings like the one this apartment is located in, you often have those long and narrow rooms, which are slightly awkward. I think this room is so narrow, yet perfect for a little workspace. The vintage desk in front of the window looking at the tree just seems like an ideal spot to get some work done, doesn’t it?

I love the sheer beige curtains* that warm up the light coming from the window and the warm wood of the vintage desk and the red tints in the plant and books on the window sill give the color palette a lovely warm glow. The big round mirror on the wall reflects the space, which is especially nice in a narrow room like this one to make it seem bigger.

If you are looking for more home office ideas with vintage or antique desks, make sure to check out this blog post: 15 home office ideas with vintage desks

via Alvhem

I think this home looks very cozy and inviting in general, but the area that stands out the most to me is the kitchen. This white shaker kitchen consists of two modules: one with the hob and sink on one side for cooking and more storage space with a seating bench built-in with a shiplap wall on the opposite side. I love the cream-colored fronts with the brass hardware on the one side and the olive green on the other, all finished off with a wooden countertop and brass handles. By including a seating bench in the kitchen modules, you save space and still have lots of storage opportunities. The back chairs combined with the chequered table cloth* really add a lovely touch to the otherwise calm and cozy kitchen design.

The living room and the bedroom are connected to each other, and I love the way the wall colors complement each other. Note that the olive green and cream colors come back on the walls of these rooms (though in different shades), just like they are combined on the different modules in the kitchen. The living room has a velvet blue sofa, combined with tints of orange, which complements the warm cream tint on the wall. Apart from the more modest colors in the rest of this home, this is the most daring room color wise I would say.

The bedroom has a green wall and a very subtle decor. I love the mixture of the beige linen on the bed* combined with the beige crinkled bedspread*, and the subtle print on the wall. What really stands out is the custom-built wardrobe with the ladder to reach the top area. I think the built-in bench is so cute here as well and it looks lovely with the sheepskin and the round mirror.

via Alvhem

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The Archipelago House designed by Norm Architects is located on the coastline of Sweden. This summer house is a modern holiday home that embraces all aspects of family life. The structure of the house is made of wood, which fits in perfectly with the surroundings and the design is inspired by the local building traditions found in the boathouses on the shore. The house consists of four volumes that are connected by a wooden deck.

The interior of the house has a concrete floor for a modern look and feel, yet has many built-in closets and modules in wood, which match the outside of the house and also makes it very warm and inviting. I love the way the cabinets in the kitchen come back into the living room and the way the kitchen volume opens up to make space for the stairway to one of the five levels in the house. The built-in form an impressive wall of storage possibilities that looks great but also keeps the house clutter-free. The dining area opens up towards the terrace and when the window is open it feels like the interior and exterior are one space. The connection to nature is physically there, but it also comes back in the harmonious use of materials and in the natural color scheme of the interior.

For the furniture and design pieces, Norm Architects teamed up with August Sangren, with their roots in the art of bookbinding, and Karimoku with a proud history of being the leading wooden furniture manufacturer in Japan. The house is a perfect showcase of the combination of Scandinavian coziness with elegant Japanese decor. Both design cultures focus on functionality and calmness, with the focus on life being led by nature and its surroundings. I think it must be lovely to spend the summer in this house.