Erik Lefvander

If you are a Scandinavian style enthusiast, you have probably already heard of Swedish Interior Design pioneer, Louise Liljencrantz. With a good eye for elegance and style, Louise is able to combine the subdued essence of minimalism with rich materials, full colors and character-filled objects.

So, it’s to no one’s surprise that her private home would be aesthetically pleasing–bordering a piece of art. Remaining true to her style, Louise managed to create a statement with her classic-meets-modern approach: Light grey walls, high ceilings, moldings, beautiful timber floors and an impressive collection of artwork, ranging from paintings to statement pieces of furniture.

Each element in this home seems to play a key role in the play with light and the effortless representation of true decadence and elegance.

I’m particularly in love with her stunning dining room.

Below are some images of Louise’s work... because I simply needed to share.

What do you think of her project?

Barr is the collaboration between acclaimed chefs Thorsten Schmidt and Rene Redzepi. Located in the beautiful Nordatlantens Brygge (North Atlantic House) in Denmark, Barr is a casual restaurant focused not only on the Nordics, but also on the the traditions found in the regions along the Northern Sea; Scandinavia, Germany, Benelux and the British Isles. The restaurant reflects the chefs’ fascination with the region’s food and culture; serving classic dishes and craft beer.







Snøhetta partnered with the chefs to create the brand and design the interiors for the restaurant, which sits in the former home of the famous Noma restaurant. They decided to maintain the stunning original stone walls and raw beam, creating a juxtaposition of old and new. The bar stretches across the room and the materials picked for the project–wood, leather and wool–evoke the restaurant's Northern influence.

All the materials were sourced locally; oak was harvested from trees grown less than fifty kilometers from Barr’s doorstep. The restaurant’s furniture was created by Malte Gormsen and the counters are CNC-milled oak.











It’s clear that Barr is a wonderful and relaxed experience.

If you are in Denmark, please visit them so we can live vicariously through you:
Strandgade 93,
1401 Copenhagen

Hav det godt!

I don’t know about you... but I’ve been having the hardest time getting into the Holiday mood this time 'round. You can probably tell by the following tweet:

Random lady: "Ah! it smells like Christmas". . . Me: Smiles while thinking, "Really? 'Cause to me it smells a lot like hot, dirty sewage water." #notinthemood

Don’t judge me, it’s stifling down here in my neck of the woods.

The good part is the the internet provides us with an abundance of daily inspiratio –so instead of wallowing in my weather issues or my drops of sweat, I’ve decided to give the spirit a chance and try all (or at least one) of the following things, so me and my little one can move towards some sort of Christmas enjoyment.

If you, like me, are in need of a little... try these:



Maiju Saw

1. No tree, no problem
Instead of racing out the door to get a Christmas tree just so you can get some excitement, try new and more creative avenues. Scavenge some nice branches and make your own tree.





Elisabeth Heier

2. Christmas gifts wrapping theme
Wrapping presents is usually on our list of obligations and there’s very little enjoyment drawn from a chore. Can we agree on that? I personally always pick a theme for my present-wrapping. The fun in this is that there are no rules and you can go the extra mile by personalizing everyone’s present–from wrapping to gift.





Kim Grimshaw & Aimee Twigger

3. Shake things up in the kitchen department
If you’re a regular here, you might have heard about the disaster that I managed to concoct last Christmas while trying to be an overachiever. Clearly, I wasn’t about to repeat my luck this year... so instead, I’ve planned on doing 2-3 things well. By that I mean if I’m going to embark on making, say, Christmas cookies and side dishes, they better knock everyone’s socks off.

Pictured above: Caramelized Shallots with A Chestnut Crumb and Mushroom Shaped Ginger Cookies that will make part of my repertoire. Wild, I know.




4. Make a one-of-a-kind wreath
This is something I have never tried - but earlier this year I got a brass ring and some materials to make my own… and what better way to get into the holiday spirit than with a simple and inexpensive project you can do at home with a ring and some eucalyptus?





Maiju Saw

5. The smell of Christmas in garland shape
A lot of my childhood memories are triggered by smell. Orange and cinnamon are right up there along with pine and mint for my Christmas memories – so yes, it only makes sense to make a garland out of them and hang it right above my bed. I won’t have any excuse to wake up Grinch-ey anymore, will I?

The best part about these projects are not that they will keep you busy or that they will bring you some “holiday feelings”... but that we can do them with our little ones. Extra family time is the goal, because in the end that’s what the Holidays are about.

Do you and your family have any recurrent DIYs for this season? Do share.

'Open' is probably the most appropriate adjective that we used when describing Scandinavian design in the past–but through time, it’s become a lot more than that. 2017’s refreshing new wave of nature-inspired designs came as a nice surprise after what had become a battle against colors on the interior front.












Photography: Alice Johansson

As an expat living in beautiful Brazil, I find it exciting to invite some of the rich ethnic vibe that Brazil offers into my home and add impact with texture and the unpredictable patterns of nature. My go-to’s are jute baskets, raw linens, hand-crafted rugs and ceramics... and combine that with modern furniture–as pictured above.

Scandinavian Interiors are truly a work of art: it’s not just about scaling down but about the playfulness of layers, eco-friendliness, light and the never-ending experience of midsummer in the wonderful Nordic lands.