Hey Sweden!
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Hey,
I have to confess something to you! It hit me! And it came out of nowhere! What blew me away like that? This time it's not an interior piece, but a country! To be more precise: Sweden! As you may have already noticed, I was able to take part in a blogger trip to Växjö in Sweden. The moment I received the request, I was so excited that I was really nervous on the Thursday evening before departure. Sweden has always been a country that was high on my travel list. In my ideal world, I have often seen myself in a typical Swedish house by the lake with a dog and a (Swedish) man, celebrating Midsummer. OK, now I'm obviously using a Swedish cliché that Ikea presents every year. Speaking of Ikea! Definitely one of the first associations that come to mind when I think of Sweden. I was even more pleased that a visit to the Ikea Museum was on the agenda for the first day. What a perfect start to this trip!
Photo: kaptenhall // www.alexanderhallphotography.com
Before I spam you with all the information about the visit to the Ikea Museum, I'll go back to the beginning and tell you how I got to Sweden in the first place! The Swedish airline BRA has recently started flying once a week from Berlin Tegel to Växjö. And on the perfect weekdays too! Why? Well, you can easily get on the plane on Friday afternoon and then fly back on Sunday evening. That means you have a whole weekend there to explore the city and the surrounding area.
And in this regard, I can already tell you that there is a lot to discover there! Among other things, there is my dream interior design shop that came true, a glass museum, a property where we were the first guests to dine there, a hotel that took my breath away, various studios of exciting artists and not to forget: the indescribable nature! Oh, and of course I don't want to withhold the typical Swedish house from you. You can already guess that we were able to experience so much that this blog post would probably exceed any previous word count and that is exactly why I have thought of something! I, the little fox, thought that instead of just one blog post, I would split my entire stay in Sweden into three parts. I really want to do justice to all the places we were able to visit and you know me all too well by now: I like to go into great detail haha. Before you find out more about the hotels we stayed in and all the activities you can do in Växjö and the surrounding area in the coming days, we'll first get to the part that always makes my heart beat faster: the Swedish interior! And that brings me back to our visit to the Ikea Museum! OK, because it's you, I'll first post the first picture of the typical Swedish house and this friend of mine:
In the middle of Älmhult is the home of Ikea, or rather the place where it all began. In 1958! That was the year that Ikea opened its doors for the first time. Did the founder Ingvar Kamprad already think back then that he had set up such an internationally renowned company? The idea arose from creating furniture that could be transported in flat packages and was not too bulky. I would say that this was implemented pretty well! I remember that last year I transported a sideboard to me by bus... The museum is a great way to trace the past, present and future. Everywhere you can find typical Ikea furniture that you either already had at home or have seen countless times somewhere.
What I remember most? I finally found out what Ikea actually means: I (ngvar) K (amprad) E (lmtaryd) A (gunnaryd) - the name of the founder and the street he lived on. Ha! And once again my blog post has a learning effect, hehe. I also found the overview of all the materials used exciting and to see how rooms can be turned upside down.
Oh, and don't forget the option to put yourself on the cover! How does that work? The current catalog cover has been restyled and fitted with a camera, so you just have to press a button and you're on the cover in no time! Who needs Heidi Klum when you've got Ikea? We had our picture taken in typical blogger fashion, of course: with a cell phone in our hand and a complete lack of interest in what's going on around us haha.
All in all, I really enjoyed the visit and I would like to recommend an exhibition that will be shown there from April 28, 2018 to March 24, 2019: IKEA Hacked – Our products. Your ideas. You can find out more about the exhibition and the museum here: www.ikeamuseum.com
Oh, and don't forget: what do you notice about this picture? Yup, you guessed right: the museum is the only store that isn't decorated in the typical Ikea blue and yellow tones. Not bad either, right?
Another highlight of the Sweden trip that made my heart beat faster was definitely the visit to the interior shop Svenssons in Lammhult. OMG! I have never seen such a big interior shop! Every time you thought you had reached the end, there was another room with beautiful Scandinavian furniture. All the furniture that I usually admire online was gathered there, just waiting for me to drive up in a truck to bring it home. Unfortunately, my bank balance did not support the campaign. It didn't help that our guide Cathryn told me right at the beginning when we entered the shop that they also deliver to Germany. Yes, yes, she knew how to lure me in. I really recommend the shop to every interior lover! So, so that you know what I'm talking about, just have a look here: www.svenssons.se // Box 128, 363 44 Lammhult
After I had digested Svenssons and made up my mind to become a millionaire, the next shop came along just one day later and made my interior design heart leap again: Växjö Elektriska! A shop that has every lamp you can imagine! And there were all sorts of colors of my &tradition lamp that hangs in my bedroom. Since then I've had the dilemma that I would really like it in yellow. Meow! What was the idea of becoming a millionaire like?...
www.vaxjoelektriska.se // Storgatan 19, 352 30 Växjö
But apart from inspiring shops, Sweden enchants you immediately with its breathtaking nature.
Look at the water and let your thoughts wander. Simply enjoy the moment and concentrate on the breathtaking sights that lie before you. That's how I felt when I recently stood at a lake in Sweden at 6:30 a.m. on a Saturday morning and let nature work its magic on me. This silence and vastness that I associate with Sweden and that I now think back to all too happily in my everyday life in the big city. For this view, I even accepted that my alarm clock rang at 6:00 a.m. on the day in question.
Surprisingly, I found it very easy to get up at that time. This could either be because deep down I'm an early riser (as if!) or because I slept really well in my hotel bed. To be honest, I'm guessing the second option, because the basic conditions for a pleasant night at the be.hotel near Älmhult were already created in advance! What were they? Absolute silence! The hotel is in the middle of the forest and gives you the feeling of being able to unwind and switch off as soon as you arrive. Ah, I like it!
I have to admit that at first I had various horror scenarios in my head about what could happen to you at night in the forest. Yes, I know that I'm definitely watching the wrong films. So I put the horror scenarios aside and got used to what was to be our accommodation for the first evening. And that was a good thing, because I really liked what I saw: Scandinavian design that makes you feel good!
But apart from the design and the location, the owners of the hotel are amazing! I have rarely experienced such warmth and hospitality! In the evening, various artist friends were invited to come and tell us about themselves and their jobs! From a photographer, an author, a designer to a musician, there really was everything! So to be honest: you can't help but feel good there! And as if the nice get-together and the cozy atmosphere weren't enough, there was also delicious vegan food. To be honest: I never thought I could enjoy it SO much! My conclusion? If you want to unwind and experience nice hospitality, this hotel is my recommendation for you!
be.hotel, Boastad 120, 343 93 Älmhult, Sweden // www.be-hotel.se
Back from nature, the next day we had a completely different experience when it came to accommodation! The PM & Vänner Hotel in the city center of Växjö simply took my breath away! But wait a minute - I'll start differently! It's actually quite inconspicuous, and the entrance doesn't give you any idea what kind of hotel is hidden behind the glass doors! Scandinavian design at its best!
The breakfast and bar area made my interior design heart beat faster and I was already thinking in my head how I would design the room if it were my home. Have I ever mentioned how incredibly much I would love to live in a loft? Ah... But back to the hotel! The moment I opened the door to the room was quite magical. Although you usually look at opposite windows, this time a force of sunbeams shone down on me. Yes, I know that you are not always so lucky and have sun when you are in Sweden. But I would say that this hotel still exudes absolute flair!
As you can see, I can't stop raving about it, so I'll just give you a quick update: the hotel actually started out as a restaurant 25 years ago and was awarded a Michelin star two years ago. Because of that, they founded a gastro and design hotel, which they themselves see more as a restaurant with a hotel. So now I'll keep my mouth shut and let the pictures do the talking!
P&M Friends Hotel, Västergatan 10, 352 31 Växjö, Sweden // www.pmrestauranger.se
What would be on your agenda if you were to go to Sweden for a few days? I asked my followers on Instagram this question on Tuesday and guess what the most common answer was? Yup, you guessed right: looking for typical Swedish houses! That was also my first thought when I was invited on the blogger trip to Smaland and I could hardly wait to get the typical Swedish motif in front of my lens. But of course there were other answers too, such as exploring nature and celebrating Midsummer in typical Swedish style. Oh yes, both of those are also on my to-do list for my next visit to Sweden. But apart from the beautiful nature and the Midsummer festival, which only takes place once a year anyway, there must be other things you can do in typical Swedish style! I was allowed to go on the search for you and can recommend the following for your next visit to Smaland!
Huseby Bruk
Do you like the series "Downton Abbey" and would like to see a setting like this in real life? Then Huseby Bruk is the right place for you! Time has stood still on this estate in the 19th century and you can still imagine how the people lived back then. We were very lucky to have our lunch served there, of course true to the original, just like it was in the 19th century, which made the whole visit even more spectacular! But even without the food, which tasted phenomenal, a visit to Huseby Bruk is definitely recommended to immerse yourself in a bygone era.
Grimslöv, 340 32 Grimslöv, Sweden // www.husebybruk.se/
Poppins furniture clinic
First of all, I have to say that I am a huge fan of Mary Poppins and was blown away by this part of the programme based on the name alone. The fact that it is also one of my favourite hobbies - furniture - certainly gives you an idea of how incredibly happy I was with this item on the agenda beforehand! And I can already tell you that I was not disappointed! What am I even talking about? Behind the name "Poppins furniture clinic" is an upholstery shop in Lammhult run by Agneta and her husband. I am a fan of people who put their heart and soul into something and that is definitely the case with these two! I find the enthusiasm with which Agneta speaks about her job and the furniture very admirable! I was definitely itching to sign up for a workshop with her and pimp up old furniture. I was amazed by how many different fabrics there are there! When she then told me that she was in the process of refurbishing a Fritz Hansen chair, I was hooked and since then I have been trying to search through eBay classifieds to find a chair just like that for myself. Unfortunately, so far, to no avail...
Poppins Möbelklinik 363 44, Köpmannagatan 1, 360 30 Lammhult, Sweden
Swedish Glass Museum
Did you know that a Swede developed the design for the Coca Cola bottle? You can find out such information at the Swedish Glass Museum in Växjö City. Here, the most diverse vases, bottles and bowls from the last decades come together and have given me one or two “ Wow, that's beautiful." I found it particularly exciting to see how more and more women have learned this great craft over the last few decades and how the art of glass has changed.
Södra Järnvägsgatan 2, 352 29 Växjö //www.kulturparkensmaland.se
Atelier Mats Aronsson
So, now for a little insider information about me! It has to happen every now and then! You should know that I was doing an advanced art course back then, to understand why I was so excited about the part of the program that included visiting a studio. I hereby declare myself a fan of the flair that studios and artists bring with them! Several canvases stacked up and open tubes of paint always give me the smell of creativity. And that's exactly how it was in Mats Aronsson's studio! In addition to various machines that he needs for his print motifs and a living room aka showroom, in my opinion the heart of the apartment is hidden under the roof. A room where creative chaos reigns and many beautiful pictures have probably been created. Here, too, it was very exciting to see how much passion he puts into his work. Ah, art! I like you!
Kafé de luxe
When it was time to visit Kafé de luxe, some of the other bloggers said to me that they were really excited to hear what I would say about the café. Why? Well, as you know by now, I am a big fan of clean Scandinavian design. The café is definitely not clean and minimalistic. Retro charm is more accurate! However, anyone who knows me also knows that I really like the style and used to have a lot of vintage furniture at home. So the café is a place where I immediately felt at home because of the vintage flair. I can only imagine how Swedes meet up there and spend their time together. Oh, and not to forget: the food was outstanding! Okay, if there is one thing I can say about my trip to Sweden, it is that no matter where I ate, it was incredibly delicious! But away from the food, back to Kafé de luxe! Shortly before we left, we gathered there with all the bloggers and when I paid a little attention to the people around me (it happens from time to time), I saw that some of them were busy making macramés. Apparently the café is known for being a meeting place for art lovers every Sunday. Oh, I love that!
17-19, Sandgärdsgatan, 352 30 Växjö, Sweden // www.kafedeluxe.se
Växjö Lake
Do you remember that I wrote at the beginning that most of my followers in Sweden would like to explore nature? If you are one of them, I can definitely recommend you to take a walk around Växjö Lake. We have We did exactly that and were very lucky to have the photographer Alexander Hall by our side, who taught us some photography skills. Check out his Instagram account - he takes such incredibly great pictures of Smaland and his travels.
I've now seriously reached the end of my Sweden special and I'm really sad myself. There were so many great experiences and I've fallen in love with the country and can hardly wait to travel there again!
