Home tour | A pale-grey apartment in Gothenburg

Today’s home tour is a Gothenburg apartment that exemplifies the kind of effortless Scandinavian style that I’m always drawn towards. What’s more, few of the furnishings or finishes used are particularly expensive, showing that you really don’t need to have a huge budget to create elegant, timeless interiors.

The apartment is actually fairly small (just 67sqm), but it doesn’t look it thanks to the way it’s decorated. Walls throughout are painted in the palest shade of silvery grey, and the tall windows have been left undressed (apart from blackout roller blinds in the bedroom) to maximise the amount of natural light. White floorboards, coving and ceilings enhance the sense of space, while pale wood, rattan and linen accents create a relaxed, slightly rustic vibe.

The living room is particularly beautiful, with a linen-covered sofa and a gorgeous ‘Pedrera’ coffee table from Gubi (affiliate link). The layout is very clever, with a cosy Berber-style rug creating a defined sitting area that contrasts nicely with the airy dining space, and a sideboard and circular mirror acting as a focal point in the absence of any fireplace or stove. Black wall lamps and black ‘Thonet’ dining chairs (affiliate link) offset the muted colour scheme perfectly and add a dash of sophistication.

The bedroom is set off one side of the living room and is a tranquil, calming space. I love the peg rail and the ‘YPPERLIG’ shelving unit from IKEA’s collaboration with HAY, which create a versatile display / storage area opposite the bed. The bedside table is also from IKEA, but it’s been customised with a metal drawer knob and wooden storage box.

The bedroom doubles as a home office. It’s not something I’d normally recommend, as I generally think it’s best to have a bit of separation between work and relaxation spaces, but this is a great example of how to do it if you have no other option. The desk fits well with the overall look of the room and doesn’t dominate the space; it’s also kept neat and clutter-free (I’m guessing the computer and any paperwork are cleared away to the wardrobes when not in use), meaning there’s nothing to distract from sleep.

To the other side of the living room is the kitchen. It’s a compact space, but the owners have made it look larger than it is by sticking to a white colour palette for the floor, door fronts, worktops and tiles. They’ve also installed open shelving to give a bit of extra storage, opting for the iconic ‘String Pocket’ system (affiliate link) positioned low on the wall.

There’s more wall-hung storage in the hallway, where a bank of IKEA ‘IVAR’ cabinets has been used to create a striking and useful feature. I also like the way coat hooks have been screwed into the bottom of a picture ledge – an ingenious solution in a narrow space.

How about you? Do you like the look of this apartment as much as I do? And are there any ideas that you’d like to borrow for your own home?

All photography via Stadshem

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