Home tour | A grey Gothenburg apartment styled for spring

For my latest home tour I’m heading back to the Swedish city of Gothenburg – the location of so many of the places which I end up featuring here – for a peek at a beautiful apartment that’s full of inspiration for simple spring styling.

It’s set in a 19th-century building and packed with original features, including grand double doors that create a wonderful sense of flow between the different rooms. Tall windows flood the whole place with light, and the neutral colour palette enhances the fresh, airy feel. Walls throughout are painted in the same shade of soft grey, providing the perfect backdrop for an eclectic collection of furniture that encompasses sleek Scandinavian classics alongside rustic wooden pieces. It also works beautifully with the leafy green plants and seasonal flowers dotted throughout the apartment.

The living room is my favourite space: elegant but relaxed, with linen cushions and throws, a low-slung sofa, an unusual camp-style daybed and the iconic ‘CH24 Wishbone’ chair by Hans J Wegner. A black ‘Semi’ pendant light by Gubi dangles low over the seating area to create a focal point, and a pair of small coffee tables (the ‘Around’ table by Muuto and the ‘Don’t Leave Me’ table by HAY) provide a versatile alternative to a single larger one. Perhaps the most striking features, though, are the String shelving systems on either side of the doorway, which display a carefully curated collection of ceramics and artworks; they also incorporate a handy desk, complete with the brilliant ‘YPPERLIG’ lamp from IKEA (which I have on my own desk and love).

At one end of the living room is the kitchen-diner: a bright, sunlit space with a sociable table that’s ideal for family meals and informal get-togethers. The furniture largely consists of simple wooden pieces, but even here there’s classic Scandinavian design in the form of Verner Panton’s ‘Flowerpot’ pendant light. A long hanging rail across the back wall provides a clever way to display kitchen ingredients and keep essentials such as aprons to hand.

At the other end of the apartment is the master bedroom, whose understated furniture and linen bedding create a soothing sanctuary for unwinding at the end of a busy day. I love the vintage stool used as a bedside table, and the way a linen curtain has been hung across the built-in shelves – a simple yet effective way to hide clutter and maintain a restful vibe.

Finally, I couldn’t resist sharing a look at the children’s bedroom – the only room where a wall colour other than grey has been introduced. The muted, moody blue used here forms a cocooning atmosphere and differentiates this room from the others, helping its mini occupants to feel like they have a space all of their own.

All in all, this apartment is a masterclass in understated style, and it’s the kind of home I’d love to live in myself. What about you?

Photography by Janne Olander for Stadshem