Note 19 - The Home Edit
Ett Hem, my forever home inspiration
Happy Sunday! Today is all about home and homeware. While it may sound a little cliché, I’m a Cancer, and I truly love being at home. There’s no better feeling than coming back to a space that feels comfortable and truly mine.
When I lived alone for the first time, it was so important to leave my mark on the space. Being able to choose everything in my home felt incredibly meaningful. Especially after living with roommates who didn’t share my aesthetic, and after growing up watching decorating shows and drawing house plans.
For the past two years, I’ve been living in the perfect flat with my boyfriend. We’ve found a way to make it feel like home for both of us, which was made easy by the space's bones: light wooden floors, beautiful natural light, and a kitchen that perfectly matches the aesthetic.
And now… we’re moving! We’ve signed a lease for an apartment in a new country (more on that soon!). I’ve been completely consumed by thoughts of how I’ll make it feel like home. Even though we’ll only have this specific apartment for a year, we'll ship our furniture in a container because it still matters how the space feels.
Which brings me to today! I wanted to share my favourite tips for making a space feel like a home, recommend some of my favourite homewear brands and more! I’d love to also hear your tips on how you make your house feel like a home. Message me or comment on my latest post on Instagram @effortlessedited!
The Home Edit
Favourite pieces in my home (left to right) : Cup - Pophams Home / Pitcher - Georg Jensen / Book - Skall Studio / Cushion - Arket / Blanket - Arket / Platter - / Candle holder - Hay / Choucroute print / Gothenburg print - Fine Little Day / Wishbone chairs / Candle - Earl of East / Book - Atelier September / Coffee Table - Article / Mirror - Ferm Living / Print: Louisiana Museum / Jewelry case - Sophie Bille Brahe / Bedside table - Zara Home / Kettle - Alessi
The Three Word Method
Yes, you’re correct, I’m talking about the styling method created by stylist Allison Bornstein. She encourages her clients to define their personal styles by selecting three adjectives: one practical (based on current staples), one aspirational (based on goals/Pinterest), and one emotional (based on desired feelings). For me, my home is just as much a reflection of my personal style as my wardrobe; it’s rooted in feeling. So I decided to apply the same exercise to my space. My three words are: cozy, Scandi, and effortless.
I want my home to feel deeply comfortable and lived-in, filled with soft, muted colours, light warm woods, and a distinctly Scandinavian approach to design.
Adding Meaning
The next big tip is to choose pieces for your home that carry meaning. Maybe it’s something you bought to celebrate a milestone, or a vase you picked up while travelling to a city you love. I love being able to look around my space and remember where I was when I found something, who it reminds me of, or what season of life I was in.
To me, this is what makes a home feel personal, and it’s also a reminder that a home is built over time. Filling a space all at once with new homeware can make it feel more like a showroom than a place that truly reflects you.
Moodboards & Shopping List
The last part to ensure everything looks cohesive is to test it out by creating Canva boards or Pinterest moodboards, and keeping an active ‘wish list’ of pieces for your home helps you see how everything works together before you commit. It ensures the pieces you choose don’t clash, and encourages a more intentional, considered approach to what you bring into your space.
What I Wore This Week
When My Outfit Matches My Home
This is what I wore on Friday while running a few errands. After living in cozy clothes all week, I wanted to put on something that would make me feel a little more put-together. Enter the Totême scarf coat.
It’s been on my wishlist for years, and I finally found it last fall on Vestiaire Collective for a fraction of the retail price. I love the cream-and-beige colour combination, and of course, the integrated scarf. When I left the house, I realized I was dressed in the exact same colour palette as my home, which felt like a fun little nod to this week’s blog post.
And if you’re wondering how I’m managing to wear such a light coat while Canada is completely frozen this week, here’s my tip: layer a puffer coat underneath (I recommend the Uniqlo ones). Voilà!
Everyday Delights at Home
Homemade cutting board
My overflowing bookshelf
Tekla Towels
There are a few things in my apartment that instantly make me feel good when I look at them or use them. One of them is a wooden cutting board I designed and made with my dad. We started it together, but I never got around to finishing it. Christmas 2023, I found it under the tree, fully sanded; my dad had completed it for me. I love its unique shape, and knowing the story behind it makes it something special.
Another thing that brings me joy is books. I’m a reader, so I need to see them around me. For now, they live in my office, but one day I dream of a big, custom-made bookshelf in the living room. A girl can dream, right?
And finally, it’s the small, everyday rituals that matter, like using the softest towels from Tekla. They add a touch of personality to my bathroom and make routine moments feel a little more considered. I 100% recommend them if you’re looking for design-forward towels, and their store in Copenhagen is a dream (they’ve also recently opened one in London).
This Week’s Edit
Ett Hem: Where Psyche and Soul Meet
I’ve mentioned a few times how much I love the Ett Hem hotel in Stockholm, but when it comes to home design, it goes beyond love; it’s my ultimate source of inspiration. Every room feels thoughtfully curated, yet effortlessly lived in. The warmth, the layering of materials, the coziness, I love it!
If you’re curious to dive deeper, I highly recommend this Substack piece exploring the hotel’s interiors, designed by Ilse Crawford. It captures so beautifully what makes Ett Hem feel less like a hotel and more like a home.
If I had to choose one homeware store to shop at for the rest of my life, it would be Ferm Living. This Danish design brand masterfully blends minimalism with organic shapes and unexpected materials.
My favourite piece in my home is from them: the Pond mirror. Its curved form and distinctive silhouette make it feel really stand out in a room. I also love their kitchen tools, which carry the same recognizable, organic shapes, and I find myself dreaming about adding some of their larger furniture pieces to my space.
Meg Mason has a new book: Sophie Standing There
Not quite a recommendation yet, since the book isn’t out, but I loved the author’s previous novel Sorrow and Bliss, and I couldn’t be happier that her newest book is being released this year.
Camille Charrière’ s Marble Dining Table is the Heartbeat of her Home on Architectural Digest
One of my Roman Empires is Camille Charrière’s dining table. It’s a custom piece, a patchwork of different stones inspired by the floors of Old Céline stores during Phoebe Philo’s era. These are admittedly niche references, but I’ve always loved the idea of taking inspiration from fashion and translating it into the home. It feels unexpected, personal, and really cool.
Love, S.
