Читать книгу Lagom: The Swedish Art of Living a Balanced, Happy Life - Niki Brantmark - Страница 9

the lagom home

Happiness begins at home (or is that charity?). Either way, research shows that our environment affects our stress levels,¹ which in turn affects our physical well-being. After all, home is where we start and end our day. And, in my mind, if there’s one area where Swedes have truly triumphed, it’s in the home. The typical Scandinavian home is the very essence of lagom. It’s neither too sparse nor too fussy, neither overly minimalist nor overdone. In other words, Swedes have the balance just right. But how?

When it comes to decor, our Nordic friends exercise a huge amount of restraint. Walls are often white or light grey. Not only do these muted tones brighten the space but they also create a wonderfully serene feel. Nothing brash, nothing loud, no bold patterns – just calm.

Furniture and accessories are carefully thought out, too. New pieces are chosen for practicality as well as aesthetic appeal. Nothing is superfluous, with no frills or over-the-top designs. Single items are set apart to give them breathing space, helping the eye see the beauty in every piece. Ultimately, the home becomes a little oasis, a haven from the busy world outside.

Siebe/Unsplash

CLEAN + CLUTTER-FREE

Generally speaking, Swedes have a natural ability to maintain an uncluttered home. They simply don’t have much stuff and they don’t hoard. If we wish to achieve a simple, balanced lagom way of life, we first need to rid ourselves of all the things that clutter our homes.

Signs you need to de-clutter

+ You have an entire cupboard or room for items you never use.

+ Or, you wish you had an extra room for storing your clutter.

+ It takes you more than five minutes to find something you’re looking for.

+ You feel stressed at the thought of friends coming over (or, worse still, turning up unannounced) because you have so much to clear away first.

+ You own items you neither use nor find joy in.

You may be lucky enough to have a neat and tidy haven already, in which case – congratulations! You’re well on your way to a lagom life (in the home, at least). But if you checked more than one of the boxes above, there’s work to be done.

De-cluttering

Many of us are guilty of owning too much stuff. That cupboard with boxes of photos circa 1984, old mobile phones the size of a brick, keys for the garden shed at your last house. We’ve become a world of hoarders, because, let’s face it, it’s very hard to let go of things. Maybe you bought it because you thought you’d need it at some point. It may still have a price tag on it, and you feel guilty about getting rid of something brand new. Or you may have received a gift or inherited something you know you’ll never use but can’t bring yourself to throw away. No matter the reason, these items are cluttering up your home and having a negative effect on your well-being.

Scientists list distraction, anxiety, guilt, embarrassment and frustration among the negative effects of hoarding. Furthermore, clutter makes it harder for us to relax and inhibits our creativity. Yikes!

Ultimately, de-cluttering is an exercise in willpower and self-control, but it’s certainly not impossible. And it can also be an incredibly therapeutic process. Not only do you experience direct financial, emotional and physical benefits but it also paves the way to a blissfully neat and tidy home. So, let’s get started.

‘Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.’

William Morris

© Niki Brantmark

Ten simple ways to de-clutter your home

Create a de-clutter to-do list, crossing off each task as you complete it.

Dedicate ten minutes each day to one task (baby steps, my friend).

Go one room at a time and organize items into three boxes: keep, donate and throw away (never a ‘maybe’ box – speaking from experience!).

Follow the ‘one in, one out’ rule – for everything you buy, one thing goes.

Fill a bin bag a day with items you no longer need.

Reduce the area where clutter can accumulate – dedicate a container for toiletries or a folder for paperwork. If new items don’t fit, then it’s time to re-think what’s in the area and get rid of something.

Take out all the items in your wardrobe. Remove five hangers and then put everything back in order of preference. Anything that doesn’t have a hanger goes.

Create a memory box or use an accordion organizer for your kids’ drawings and other treasured items.

Keep a basket or bag by the stairs or in a spot that accumulates clutter and slowly fill it with items. Once it’s full, sort through and put everything back where it belongs.

Stick to the ‘one-touch rule’ for paperwork: sort it as soon as it arrives by recycling, filing or taking action.

FURNISHING YOUR HOME, THE LAGOM WAY

Swedes have an innate ability to furnish a home in a way that’s practical, easy on the eye and affordable. The art, I’ve discovered, is slowing down and taking your time to search for meaningful, purposeful items, such as a comfortable, ergonomic chair for a quiet read, plants that help clean the air or an ornament that puts a smile on your face.

Step inside a Swedish home and you’ll likely discover a selection of high-street pieces, vintage and secondhand finds, hand-me-downs, homemade items and small treasures from nature, such as plants, pebbles, shells and pine cones. The materials are honest, and the shapes timeless.

By buying less and carefully selecting what to include in your home, everything has space to shine and tell its story. And because of your patience in seeking beautifully crafted items with meaning, you will treasure them for years to come – as will future generations, too!

New is not necessarily better

As a naturally nosy person (and a lover of interiors), you can imagine how thrilled I was to learn about the Swedish custom of giving a guided home tour the first time someone visits. While on these tours, it struck me that Swedes have a knack for blending furniture. I particularly admire those who create the ideal balance of old and new, vintage and modern. It’s a perfectly understated way of decorating and is very much in line with the Swedish mind-set. An expensive designer lamp or armchair will be offset by a mid-century credenza to ensure the home is neither too showy nor too bohemian. Of course, it’s fine to own a few designer pieces, but everything should be in moderation.

In my mind, nothing makes a home cosier (or mysigare, as the Swedes would say) and unique than vintage pieces. Not only do they tell a story but you also feel satisfied knowing that you’re doing your bit for mother earth. And it’s amazing what you can pick up secondhand for a song, truly reinforcing the idea that ‘One man’s loss is another man’s treasure!’

Maria Gustavsson, Swedish Ninja © Niki Brantmark

Six tips for buying secondhand

Make a list (or two) Include secondhand stores, flea markets and car-boot sales in your neighbourhood. And think further afield, too, because smaller, out-of-town flea markets are often where you find the biggest bargains. Make a note of the items you’re looking to buy, too.

Check the condition Try to see the item in person so you can check for damage. If it’s not possible, request photos of any nicks or scratches and ask whether it’s in full Working order.

Measure first Make sure you know the exact dimensions of the space where you’re thinking of putting the item and take the measurements with you.

Be flexible You might not find exactly what you’re looking for, but something else equally wonderful might pop up.

Arrive early and bring cash The best things go first, so be ready to buy immediately. If you’re unsure about a price, check online for similar items to compare.

Turn it into a day out Even if you don’t find anything, a mini road trip with a friend is always fun.

Jazmin Quanor/Unsplash

Get flexible

If a brand were to be the embodiment of lagom, it’s IKEA – a company founded, of course, in Sweden. With a vision ‘to create a better everyday life for the many people’, the furniture marries function with understated form and is famous for being flat-pack and affordable.

IKEA is not alone in producing increasingly multi-purpose furniture. For example, it’s not uncommon these days for a sofa to be modular, include built-in storage and convert into a bed, or for a side table to feature a removable tray and basket for magazines. By investing in multi-purpose furniture, you automatically purchase fewer pieces (and consequently save money) and have a more flexible home.

Think practical

Your home has to be highly functional for you to feel happy and relaxed. Above all, it should be easy to live in. Swedes are masters at carving out distinct zones for living, eating and sleeping – even in the smallest spaces. Think about your requirements and try to have a space (no matter how small) dedicated to different activities. You might find that two areas can double up as one.

Tap into your inner carpenter

The cheaper and self-sufficient option, DIY is part of the lagom way of life. My Swedish husband laid our wood floor without so much as an expletive, and it’s not unusual for one of my girlfriends to whip out her toolbox when something needs fixing. Although I’m still an amateur, I find DIY liberating, satisfying and surprisingly mindful. If you don’t have one already, I urge you to buy a toolbox, look for guidelines online and unleash your inner carpenter!

CREATE A

TOOL WALL

If you like having your tools to hand, creating a dedicated tool wall in your study or garage is not only extremely handy, but can also look pretty cool. All you need is a pegboard, which you can get at any large DIY store, and accessories to hold everything from scissors and sticky tape to heavy-duty tools. Your inner creative will thank you for it!

Get crafty

I am continually amazed at how creative the Swedes are – they’re a real dab hand at upcycling and making things from scratch. Cooking and baking is one thing, but some of the items my friends knock up are awe-inspiring. Knitted cushions, handcrafted trays, even lamps and entire kitchens are pulled off at the whirl of an electric drill.

You see, arts and crafts are in a Swede’s DNA. As children, they’ve seen their parents sit and create, and they hone their skills at school where everyone learns to sew, cook and do woodwork. These days it’s referred to as ‘slow living’, an antidote to our busy 24/7 lives. Not only are creative tasks incredibly mindful but they’re also therapeutic and highly satisfying. Here are some ways you can get creative in the home:

The simple update

Thinking of throwing out a table or sideboard? How about giving it a lick of paint or new handle pulls instead? A new colour could give it just the look you’re after, and by adding some new leather or ceramic handles, the update can instantly give the space a fresh feel.

HOW TO MAKE

A VASE OUT OF A REPURPOSED LIGHT BULB

This DIY idea not only looks beautiful but it’s also easy to make and won’t cost you a penny!

plainpicture/BrittaWarnecke

What you need

+ Eye protection

+ Pliers

+ A light bulb

+ Scissors

+ Twine or fishing wire

1. Don your eye protection, then use pliers to remove the metal tab at the base of the light bulb.

2. Hold the metal base and carefully break the glass inside the base of the bulb. Remove all glass fragments.

3. Hold the bulb by the metal base and use pliers to break the glass surrounding the filament. Remove the glass and filament.

4. Cut the twine to the desired length and tie around the base of the bulb.

5. Add water and fresh flowers (or any decoration that takes your fancy) and hang your bulb vase in the window.

GET COSY AND CLOSER TO NATURE

There’s a stereotype that minimalism is cold and uninviting. But with a little creativity, it’s easy to overcome. As you can imagine, Swedes have this down to a fine art, and much of their secret lies in their use of nature. With acres of unspoiled forests, coastline and mountains on their doorstep, it’s common to use plenty of natural texture in the Swedish home. Think materials that are sensory to the touch, such as wood, leather, felt, wool and stone. Sheepskin throws are draped over the backs of chairs; wool blankets are waiting to be unfurled at the slightest sign of a draught; cotton rugs are dotted about the floor.

When you decorate your home, why not learn from the Swedes and think about adding natural materials with different structures and textures? It’s amazing how much warmth a simple wooden coffee table or sheepskin throw can add to an otherwise minimalist space.

Bring nature indoors

If you’d really like to up the nature stakes, go for a forage and collect wild flowers, feathers, sticks, pine cones, pebbles, shells and anything else you might find on the beach, in the woods or simply growing through cracks in the pavement. Display them in your home on a windowsill, shelf or as a centrepiece on the dining table to create an instant connection with the great outdoors and add a sense of balance and calm.

Gaelle Marcel/Unsplash

Six house plants that will survive anything

Look in any Swedish home and you’ll see plants lining the windowsills and brightening up dark corners. They’re certainly on to something. Studies have shown that having just one plant in a room can ease stress levels, absorb harmful toxins and help purify the air. It can also help enhance your mood and increase productivity,² boost concentration and memory and, ultimately, make you feel happier. It’s also a wonderful way to bring the home alive.

+ Rubber tree plant

+ Snake plant

+ Madagascar dragon tree

+ Spider plant

+ Aloe vera plant

+ Fiddle leaf fig tree

More than just a plant

For many people, plants are more than just a bit of greenery – they’re a living friend. I’m a little embarrassed to admit that some of our plants have names, and according to friends I’m not alone. Our most treasured plant started life as a cutting from one of my grandfather-in-law’s shrubs. Sadly, he’s long since gone, but the plant lives on in his memory.

Why not get a cutting from a friend’s or relative’s plant, or give one as a present to mark an occasion? Not only is it free but it’ll also hold special memories. You never know, it might live on for generations to come!

Lauren Mancke/Unsplash

Keeping it simple

Instead of displaying a huge bouquet, think about placing a single flower in a vase. You’ll more easily be able to admire its delicate shape and colour.

Think outside the vase

Having a get-together? How about giving the wall a natural touch by sticking on blooms from your garden? It creates an instant seasonal display.

Or, for something more permanent, pick a selection of your favourite leaves and place them inside double-sided glass frames. These look beautiful on the wall or arranged along a windowsill.

‘Sometimes a single, modest bloom can say more than an entire bouquet.’

Ilkka Suppanen, Finnish designer at be&liv

THREE CREATIVE WAYS

TO TURN NATURE INTO MEMORIES

It’s wonderful to experience the great outdoors first hand, but if you’re stuck inside you can still reap the benefits. A study led by VU University Medical Center in the Netherlands found that simply viewing images of nature reduces our stress levels.³

These lovely ideas below not only help to combat stress (if the study is anything to go by) but also take us back in time to a magical place where we felt happy and relaxed:

+ Create a gallery wall using a montage of photographs of sunsets you’ve enjoyed on holiday. Make sure each one is labelled with the place and date to jolt your memory and transport you back in time.

+ Love to surf, paddleboard or simply chill on the beach? Why not bring back a small sample of sand, put it into a glass bottle and mark it with the name of the beach? The different colour sands make a pretty display and serve as a wonderful reminder of carefree days at the water’s edge.

+ Put up a picture of a landscape that you love – a seascape from your childhood, fields at harvest time or a forest you enjoy going to at the weekends.

LET THERE BE LIGHT!

Living in a country as famous for its midnight sun as its long, dark winters, it’s little wonder the Swedes are obsessed with light. Whereas warmer countries design homes around shade, Scandinavian architecture and decor focus on maximizing light and drawing it inside.

Windows are left unobscured, and curtains are often sheer so as to slip in as much natural light as possible. White or pale grey walls help light to bounce around the home. And it seems the Swedes are on to something. A slew of studies has shown that access to natural light can help reduce depression,⁴ aid recovery, increase job satisfaction and enhance performance. So let the sunshine in!

Let there be darkness, too!

With all this natural light streaming in through the windows 24 hours a day in summer, you might wonder how Swedes get any sleep at all. But look closely at any window and you’ll usually see a tightly rolled blackout blind, ready to be unfurled at night (desperate for light they may be, but Swedes would never deprive themselves of all-important sleep!).

Christophe Morr/Unsplash

Lighting-up time

Walk around a Swedish town at night and you’ll notice restaurants, cafés and people’s homes lit with a lovely warm glow, which is as inviting as it is flattering to the eye and soothing to the soul. Swedes’ innate ability to light a home with a soft, golden hue takes time and dedication, but there are a few shortcuts you can take. If you’re looking to dial down the lighting in your home – or are entertaining a Swede anytime soon (get it wrong and they’ll wince and grimace like a bear waking up after winter) – there are simple steps you can take. We’re focusing on ambient or mood lighting, designed to create a warm and inviting atmosphere. Candlelight is akin to 1,500 K (kelvin) and overcast daylight is around 7,000 K, so you’re looking at a 2,700 K light bulb to achieve a warm tone similar to the beautiful, flattering golden light you find at sunrise.

The good news is most LED light-bulb packaging is marked with a colour temperature chart, where reddish-yellow light suggests soft, ambient lighting and blue indicates a colder, more intense light used for specific tasks.

Once you’ve got your light bulbs down to a tee, here’s the trick: keep upper walls relatively dark and then use low, soft ambient lighting in strategic places. Or go a step further and hide the ambient lighting so there’s no visible source, yet the lower walls and corners of the room are still lit in soft, warm light, to create an intimate feel with a touch of mystery.

Colour temperatures on the kelvin scale

Practical lighting

Don’t forget that Swedes are highly practical, too. It’s therefore important that a room’s lighting is adequate for all tasks. Think carefully about the way each section of the room will be used and ensure the correct blend of task, overhead and ambient lighting. Exchanging static switches for dimmers⁵ is a great way to use the same light for more than one purpose. Dial down the intensity for mood lighting, or ramp it up for tasks that require something more intense, like reading.

Candlelight

Who doesn’t love the romantic glow of a flickering candle? This soft, warm light is neither too dark nor eye-glaringly bright and perfectly highlights the contours of a face. It’s little wonder that candlelight is used in restaurants or on special occasions all over the world.

In Sweden candles are a big part of daily life. A single flickering candle may be on the breakfast table to brighten dark mornings. Or candles may supplement electric lighting on chilly evenings when the snow falls silently outside.

When the light starts to fade, why not add a few strategically placed candles to your own home to soothe the soul? Dot them around your living area, enjoy a candle-lit dinner on a regular Tuesday or simply brighten up an otherwise dark corner and feel the stresses of the day fall away.

Jovi Waqa/Unsplash

The lagom way with candlelight

Morning coffee by candlelight Some days the sun simply doesn’t want to come out (especially in the winter). At my daughter’s nursery, they often eat breakfast by candlelight – creating a calm and cosy atmosphere to start the day. Why not add a natural glow to your mornings, too? Who wouldn’t enjoy coffee by candlelight?

The art of arranging candles According to etiquette, you should use at least two candelabras or four single candles on a table. But rules are there to be broken, right? I think it’s beautiful to dot small tea lights in random formations along the entire length of a table. On warm evenings, hang jam jars with tea lights from branches to give a lovely rustic touch to dining al fresco.

Candles in unexpected places Candles don’t need to be confined to the sitting and dining rooms. Think about putting them in unusual places like by the sink in the downstairs bathroom – guests will be pleasantly surprised to powder their nose under the soft glow of a candle.

A warm welcome The next time you have a dinner party or celebration, place simple large, outdoor candles on either side of your front door for an extra warm welcome.

KEEP IT CLEAN

Whenever friends or family come to visit, they marvel at how spotless Swedish homes are. There’s rarely a speck of dust, never mind a cobweb or trail of mud, in sight (my messier Swedish friends may guffaw at this, but I stand by my observation).

The art of being a domestic god or goddess in the cleaning department would require an entire chapter to itself (and given my more, shall we say, ‘relaxed’ approach, I wouldn’t be the best person to write it!). But there are two particularly ‘clean’ Scandinavian practices that have inspired me:

Look, no shoes!

If there’s one big no-no in Sweden, it’s entering a house with shoes on. Whether you’re nipping in for a cup of coffee or a formal evening reception, there are no exceptions. Arrive at a house party and you’ll see neat rows of shoes lined up at the door and people mingling in their socks.

If you think about it, it makes sense. An independent study by UK firm Rug Doctor⁶ took swabs from a cross-section of shoe soles and found a large number of disease-inducing bacteria, such as E. coli and salmonella, as well as traces of gut and faeces bacteria from humans and animals. Not to mention mud, grime and everyday germs.

Removing shoes is also a good way to preserve your flooring and carpets, and if you live above someone, they’ll be extremely thankful not to hear the clip-clopping of heels overhead, too!

How to banish outdoor shoes indoors

But how do you ensure that everyone leaves their shoes at the door? There are some fun ways to solve the situation.

Why not create a designated place for people to place their shoes as they come in, and put a basket of cosy slippers and thick woolly socks by the door to change into? Not only will your home stay nice and clean but your guests will feel more comfortable, too.

Out with the carpet, in with the rug

The one thing you’ll never see in a Swedish home is wall-to-wall carpet. ‘But they’re cosy,’ I lament. ‘They’re so unhygienic!’ Swedes grimace. And they do have a point.

Your best shot at keeping a carpet clean is a good vacuum cleaner or a specialist deep-cleaning agent. Rugs, on the other hand, can be beaten outside, put through the washing machine or taken to the dry-cleaner. Plus, they’re easy to move around and exchange at will – win-win!

The humble rag rug

Look around a Swedish home (particularly a rural dwelling) and you’re more than likely to come across a trasmatta, or rag rug. This traditional rug is usually handmade on a loom from scraps of worn-out clothes and old rags. You can easily find a trasmatta in the shops, but why not give your old textiles a new lease of life and create your own? They’re great fun to make, and if you don’t happen to have an old loom knocking about, you can use a crochet stitch – there are plenty of YouTube videos showing you how.

A treat for your feet

If you like having something soft underfoot but also like a clean and dust-free home, how about layering rugs to create a complete floor covering? Stick to similar tones but with different patterns to create your very own floor art.

plainpicture/Johner/Ulf Huett Nilsson