Sunniva's Profile

The January Cure comes at such an opportune time for my family. We have been living in a chaotic mess since I went back to work after three months of maternity leave. My partner and I ripped apart our main living space this weekend in an effort to rethink the way we use our space. We came to the conclusion that pairing down and creating an office out of our dining nook will help control clutter and moving our seating area toward the lightest part of the room will create a more cheerful place for resting and conversation. We recently discovered that it is unsafe to use our fireplace, so we no longer feel bound to a traditional layout... hooray! We have also decided to swap bedrooms with our daughter. We will give her the small cozy room and take the larger room for ourselves (and our giant wooden sleigh bed). I just couldn't bear to leave the LO in a big room all by herself as we are soon going to be moving her portable crib out of the bedroom. Aside from improving efficiency and flow in our house we hope to rethink decor and placement, keeping only what we love and what works in our space. Wish us luck!

Big Project: The Great Room Swap
Little Projects: reorganize kitchen, minimize clothing, decor and furniture..., and rethink interior aesthetics

Check out the book Beloved Homes, published by Ikea. There is a great master bedroom/ nursery that uses fabric and furniture placement to differentiate the spaces. When I saw your space it reminded me of the airy bright feeling of the room in the book. As for your office, my advice is to invest in very organized storage solutions and a way to conceal the clutter of your desk - having a young baby is hectic and if you are sharing the space with your bedroom, it is important to keep a restful feeling. Best of luck and congratulations.

The under counter lights help so much. Beautiful transformation!

Great textiles in the bedroom!

In may family a traditional gift for special occasions is an heirloom quality wool blanket from the Norwegian company, Røros. They are magically cozy, versatile and the colors and designs are beautiful.

Great use of color! I agree, the green blinds are great and such an awesome shower for a small space.

If you can't do too much to change the space, it sounds like accessories are your best bet for toning down the color and injecting the room with some of your own style. Although this may not be your ideal kitchen, it sounds like the rental is a good fit, so I would start by deciding how to make the kitchen work with the rest of the space. Personally I think that adding some new elements such as wood or metal would help break up the space... then think about textiles and rugs that have a touch of the existing colors but bring in some new elements such as pattern and texture. A statement piece, like a beautiful fruit bowl on the island, may help anchor the style. With a kitchen I think function is paramount - ask yourself what you need to make this space work for you, and make these necessary pieces part of the design. Good luck :-)

I was a more adventurous cook when I lived alone. I miss that. I would shop at the farmers market once per week and then spend the rest of the week using up every single bit of food in my house. It was like a fun contest I had with myself to eat well and save money. I remember having only pad thai noodles and the ends of a bunch of different types of gourmet cheese one night - voila, light and decadent "mac and bleu"... it was amazing (if only I could remember how I made it)... now that I live with my partner, I have to plan for meals differently - sometimes I miss those moments of culinary inspiration that come from a nearly empty refrigerator and quiet evening alone.

When I was a child we visited my aunt's beautiful but tiny apartment in Oslo - to this day my mother still brings up the charming decor which featured Aunt Inger's double bed in the main living area (her young daughter slept in the only bedroom). Her secret was tucking the bed under the large window and dressing it in an antique lace tablecloth that didn't read "bedding." I think the fact that the bed was always neatly made and was covered in an unconventional textile piece was really important - bedding is an intimate thing, so keeping this private was key. I also recall that she had a few options for occasional seating in the room (an antique chaise and a couple of chairs), so guests weren't required to sit on the bed and could choose where they wanted to sit (to avoid awkwardness). Good luck!

Great story and excellent choice of TV shows. The hairpin legs were a great addition!