Home tour | A monochrome Swedish apartment

For my latest home-tour post, I couldn’t resist sharing another beautiful Scandinavian apartment that has recently caught my eye.

This striking home sits in a turn-of-the-century building in the Swedish city of Gothenburg and is decorated almost entirely in shades of off-white, black and grey. Such a limited palette would make many spaces look cold, but the huge variety of textures and patterns means there’s no danger of that here. There are ornate floor tiles, striped runners, diamond-woven rugs, velvet cushions, fluffy woollen blankets, rustic baskets… all in similar colours so that they provide interest and warmth without clashing.

The furniture is a stylish combination of iconic designs, family heirlooms and IKEA purchases – proof that you can mix and match cheaper buys with investment pieces to create a look that’s chic but doesn’t break the bank. Other lovely touches include perfectly imperfect gallery walls, mismatched dining chairs, relaxed linens, stacks of magazines, and leafy plants dotted here and there.

The lighting throughout is beautiful, too: delicate glass chandeliers in some rooms, contemporary wall lights in others (including this one by Bloomingville, available from Bodie & Fou). My favourite is the black gauze pendant in the living area, which creates a real focal point.

The interior scheme is carried through onto the balcony, which has very clever seating-cum-storage topped with cushions. Even the children’s room is wonderfully stylish yet still retains plenty of fun touches, including wall-mounted display boxes filled with toys. And I have to confess I’m a little jealous of the teepee; I’m 32, but who wouldn’t want a teepee in their bedroom…?!

All in all, it’s stylish, informal and cosy – a tricky balance to achieve!

Photography by Alvhem, via Coco Lapine Design