Take a tour around a colourful Scandi eco home
Open living is the theme of this contemporary home, built by Swedish house experts Jorntrahus and designed by stylist Maggie Colvin.
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Open living is the theme of this contemporary home, built by Swedish house experts Jorntrahus (opens in new tab) and designed by stylist Maggie Colvin. Inspired by the house company's wood-based eco structures, the interior is full of sleek, streamlined Scandinavian style.
An airy atmosphere fills the open-plan living room, partly due to the glass staircase and open mezzanine floor, while tactical spot lighting and uplighting add to the bright feel. Neutral furniture and flooring allow the vibrant wall paint and zesty accessories to take centre stage.
1/10 Scandi House – Ideal Home Show 2011
2/10 Scandi House – Ideal Home Show 2011
An unused corner under the stairs is transformed into a cosy hideaway with comfortable seating and a neat console table. The warm yellow shade works with the dark wood furniture to create an updated colonial vibe. Canvases have been covered in yellow and lime floral fabrics, from Marimekko (opens in new tab), for a quick and easy, homespun update.
3/10 Scandi House – Ideal Home Show 2011
In order to boost this house's eco credentials still further, the paint - which is a massive feature in this contemporary interior - all comes from Dulux's (opens in new tab) Ecosense range.
Sold in packaging which is 20% recycled, the paint is 90% less solvent than standard emulsions and has carbon footprint that is 50% lower than other ranges, highlighting Dulux's commitment to reducing fuel consumption and the use of hazardous chemicals.
However, no compromise has been made on the paint's stunning colour, which is echoed in the fresh accessories and craft-based wall art.
4/10 Scandi House – Ideal Home Show 2011
Sustainable features can be found throughout the home, including the giant lampshade in the kitchen, designed by Sarah Turner (opens in new tab), which is made out of 360 recycled Coke bottles! The sleek, modern Poggenpohl (opens in new tab) kitchen is packed with eco-friendly solutions including flow-resistant taps and energy-efficient appliances from Siemens (opens in new tab).
5/10 Scandi House – Ideal Home Show 2011
Utility rooms can often be forgotten about in terms of style and colour, but you'd be hard-pressed to ignore this bold space. The walls are coated in Dulux's (opens in new tab) Flame Frenzy, with a white bicycle wall stencil acting as a refreshing and eclectic focal point. Keys are organised with colourful homemade tags in a wall-mounted wooden post rack.
6/10 Scandi House – Ideal Home Show 2011
Colour is continued in the cloakroom, where a feature wall is covered in a purple and silver geometric-print Dulux (opens in new tab) wallpaper. A simple black-and-white photo is mounted on card with a handwritten message, then framed for a quick, easy and cost-friendly update for your walls. We also love the zesty lime hand towel against the heather hues of the wallpaper - it's an instant decorating pick-me-up.
7/10 Scandi House – Ideal Home Show 2011
We loved this petal-pink girl's bedroom with its fairy-light adorned carved mirror and ballet shoes stencil over the bed. Artist Alice Milner's quirky faux-shelf, adorned with paper plates, stencils, embroidery, and wooden letters from Posh Graffiti (opens in new tab), makes an individual focal point - this can be seen reflected in the mirror.
8/10 Scandi House – Ideal Home Show 2011
Blue for boys! This fresh-feeling little boys' room is cleverly divided into zones for its inhabitants, using homemade stripy canvases to mark out whose area is whose. White, space-saving furniture from Chic Shack (opens in new tab) and blue bedlinen from Runaway Coast (opens in new tab) create a coastal feel in this room, while aeroplane wall stencils from Wall Glamour (opens in new tab) make a subtle addition.
9/10 Scandi House – Ideal Home Show 2011
This bedroom is packed with glamour. Everything in it makes an impact, from Dulux (opens in new tab)'s eye-popping blue-and-silver damask wallpaper, to the French-style upholstered bed and bright bubble-base lamp. Crisp white bedlinen and neutral soft furnishings ground the striking feature wall, without diluting its impact.
10/10 Scandi House – Ideal Home Show 2011
There are plenty of coastal-style design elements in this eco home and the bathroom is no exception. Here, a hand-crafted ornamental boat is placed next to the bath and, along with the Forest Falls green paint and striped bathmat, adds interest to an all-white suite. Flow-resistant taps are another energy-efficient feature.
Want to see inside more of the Ideal Home Show 2011 homes? Click to step inside the Prince of Wales' house and Ken and Deirdre's Coronation Street home.
Heather Young has been Ideal Home’s Editor since late 2020, and also edits its sister title Style At Home. She is an interiors journalist and editor who’s been working for some of the UK’s leading interiors magazines for over 20 years, both in-house and as a freelancer.
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