Today I want to share a peek at the calming, pared-back home of Swedish blogger Nadja Mini Helminen, which is one of the most beautiful I’ve come across in a while. It’s set by the sea just outside Stockholm, and the whole place has been designed to showcase the wonderful Scandinavian light.
Inside, the house retains many of its original features, including wooden panelling and plaster ceiling mouldings which have been painted white to give them a contemporary twist. They look fantastic with whitewashed floorboards and sheer white curtains, and few other adornments are needed. In fact, the only artwork on the walls is a graphic map print by David Ehrenstråhle.
But what I love most about Nadja’s home is the combination of marble and brass, which adds a subtle touch of decadence to an otherwise minimalist scheme. It’s a pairing that’s used in almost every room – there are marble-topped tables with brass legs, brass floor and side lamps (including Niclas Hoflin’s ‘Kavalier’ lamp, which I’ve had my eye on ever since coming across it at Hotel SP34 in Copenhagen last year), and brass accessories such as candlesticks, plant pots and vases. Interestingly, though, it’s not in response to the current trend for metallic accents; Nadja has long been a fan of the material and actually started building up her collection more than 20 years ago.
The marble-and-brass combo is mixed with different textures in every room, creating different moods to match each space’s function while ensuring the house as a whole remains cohesive. In the living room, there are smart grey sofas, velvet cushions and a fluffy Beni Ouiran rug from Morocco; in the bedroom, swathes of relaxed, gently crumpled linen. The dining room is particularly striking, with its brown leather chairs, faded antique rug and low-hanging pendant light.
Even the kitchen follows the marble-and-brass theme, with sleek white units, marble worktops and splashbacks, and a brass pendant lamp.
What do you think of the scheme? Would you use marble and brass in your own home?
Photography by Kristoffer Johnsson for Residence magazine; styling by Lotta Agaton
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