trendey

These lovely images above come from the German online magazine Freunde von Freunden. Freunde von Freunden portray people in their living environment, with unique photos and great attention to detail. This article is about the Swede Malin Elmlind who lives in Berlin. Asked to describe the nature of the Swedes, Malin lifts an aspect that is all-too familiar.

The swedish people are laid back and relaxed, but at the same time one has to deal with a certain “norm” in Sweden. You have to learn to live with that “norm”. People in Sweden always check their surrounding, see how other people behave, how they live and what they wear. The swedish people really take care about their appearance which can be really stressful when you are young. But there is also a positive aspect to that social pressure, because the swedish people take a lot of strength from it and it really helps me in my job today.

Since trendey is a Swedish-British blog I wanted to share with you at the same time some modern Swedishness and some modern Englishness. The last-mentioned is represented by this modern London townhouse.

No English home is complete without a study! (is that right, Henen? That’s my idea of it anyway))) The owner of this house claims he is a total addict of car boot sales. And the interesting old sliding doors below is a flea market bargain. As Britain’s pubs are being eliminated by fine wine bars, there is a lot of old and wasted pub-furnishment around to buy (how cool is this)

Moving along to the kitchen. It feels rustic, country-ish and a bit Provençal. I would have wanted it a bit more spacious (Swedes are space-snobs, I know) and would have added an unframed old painting or two, but I like the style!

I am now back from my stay in Italy, quick-stopping at home before further travel to (even) colder latitudes in northern Sweden! The pretty seaside village we stayed in had those winding cobbled streets with those charmig pastel coloured houses that look just like a dream. Pastels in home decor is always rediscovered and revived in Springtime, like a fresh sunny greeting. But mild softish pastels, I like all year round. When it’s not too sweet, and preferably combined with rawer materials and well, unpolished. So this I bring back home, summer’s last gasp!

[ pics via trine thorsen & coastal living ]

This kitchen, which was used as the set for Sophie Dahl’s cooking show “The Delicious Miss Dahl”, is tranquil, bright and bang on trend with a rustic cooker, smart Belfast sink and public toilet style tiles. Although I’m not normally a huge fan of the all-white colour scheme or the shabby chic look, I really like this kitchen design. To me, it’s a blank canvas and perfect backdrop for adding splashes of colour and fun decorative objects according to mood and season. I just know this kitchen will look great even when it’s totally messy!

In the TV show, the kitchen looked much more lively than on the above estate agent pics (the north London house to which the kitchen belongs was for sale a few months back for £1.45 million (!)) With only a couple of additions - like a cheerful and pretty wallpaper and assorted vintage items, the kitchen became a much more colourful and homely space.

Personally I am not particulary fond of white interiors. I’m a Swede right, I see it all the time. I live in a city that has given name to a shade of white! Though there is something appealing with all white and crispy – especially when the atmosphere is like in these bedroom pics or like the pics below. With grace and a worn expression, without being all shabby chic.

| pic: Sköna hem |

| pic: Marie Claire Maison |

It’s a cozy rainy Saturday in Stockholm so here comes three sweet country style bedrooms.

| photo: Eric Thunfors for Expressen |

| photos: House Beautiful |

As shown in Sköna hem. I love the powdry wall colour and the atmosphere…

…the lovely cupboards

…and the effortless details.

I could live here! :)

Your thougts?

|photos: Johan Kalén for Sköna hem|