Blog Love - and My Inspiration: Modern Country

I'm in love. No really. I am. You see, I've discovered a beautiful design style that feels so right for our Twice Remembered Cottage. I've gone down many decorating paths since we moved to our home - well, to the extent possible for someone living in a house that's being remodeled. I've tried traditional style, rustic country, a bit of contemporary - oh, a little bit of everything. Having lived in a white apartment for ten years, one thing I knew when we moved here was that whatever direction took, there would always be lots of color and definitely no white walls! This explains my red cabinets, which I still adore to this day and don't worry...I wouldn't consider changing any other color.

The more I look at Swedish country style homes, the more I long for white, white, white!

But...

That whole "no white" kick changed a couple of years ago when I decided I wanted a calmer palette. We painted our walls a very light beige/off-whitish shade called Malted Milk. I've loved the change.

But...

The more I look at Swedish and French country style homes like this one in Norway that belongs to the talented Aina of Modern Country, the more I long for white, white, white! Aina so graciously gave me permission to borrow a few of the *gorgeous* photos she took of her home and I'd like to share with you what I love about it, why I think her predominantly white palette works,and what I want to copy for my own home! This is it girls...this is the future of Twice Remembered!

Many of the Swedish country homes I visit {via blogs} have white floors, which I think is so pretty! We did have our floors painted white for the longest time before we put our hardwood down, and I know I used the wrong paint...I was going for quick and cheap since it was temporary...but it was HARD for me to keep clean. So what I love about Aina's home is that she has wood flooring like we do now, and I really think it helps to warm up all the white and provides a nice anchor for such a pale color scheme. See how nicely her floors stand out?

I need to ask Aina if her walls are truly white or if that is a pale gray or blue I'm seeing? I know that for Twice Remembered, I'll stick to a shade of white or very, very, very pale off-white. And it goes without saying that I adore the beadboard!


Another element that I think makes "white work" here is that Aina has intermingled a balanced amount of darker elements such as baskets, dark metal accents,candle holders, shelf brackets, and so on. One of my favorite colors is a shade of brown that is so dark it's almost black. The contrast against the white is striking.


I can't resist a dark, well made, old fashioned basket - and you can put me over the edge by filling it with beautiful, crisp white linens!


More linens and the sweet ticking adds a bit of French charm...


This just goes to show that the whole world loves a chalkboard.


Aina has inspired me to start looking for lovely antique sepia photos at flea markets and online...How nostalgic is this?!


More dark elements and ticking! For our home, I would use red, black, or brown ticking I think.


What I love here: beautiful painted numbers on raw wood and white linen embroidered in red


Next year, we'll be in the market for a new sofa and this is very similar to the style I'd like to have - it has that European feel to it. I love Aina's natural fabric choice. I've seen a lot of white sofa's out there, and like white floors, I just don't think it would work in our home. I would have to go even darker than Aina's sofa, I do believe, but I wish I didn't have to! {Perhaps everyone in my family would agree to sit on the floor and just admire the beautiful new sofa for the next ten years?}


Not only does silver mercury glass look beautiful against white, it looks great with those dark accents, too!


More silver - so romantic!


LOVE this vignette! Those pillows on the sofa are definitely on my Twice Remembered "accent list". So French and so perfect!


I'm going to just say it: I want a chandelier in every room of the house. A little much? Maybe. But they are just so pretty! I especially love the crystal against the dark metal. {Is it just me, or is there nothing that looks bad against dark metal?}


*Le sigh.* With a mainly white palette, a plant, a vase of flowers, or any fresh greenery is especially refreshing {the very first photo at the top, for instance}...


Aina's skill at creating scrumptious, magazine quality vignettes is so impressive! I loved this photo for the darker elements, the old table, the little touch of red in the French linen - and I adore bread.



Aina's home is beautiful, her photography skills are beautiful, and her creations are beautiful as well! Just look at what she can do with vintage linens - and then check out her other items in her shop - Aina's Charme!







I can't tell you how much Aina and Modern Country have inspired me in the European/French/Swedish direction I want to take with Twice Remembered. Fresh, bright, romantic, nostalgic, a few pops of dark and a few pops of silver and a few pops of red {playing off our kitchen cabinets}, and lots and lots of white! Thank you, Aina!

{In the coming weeks, I'll be featuring a few other inspiring Swedish and French blogs. I can't wait to share them with you - and I can't wait to add some European charm to Twice Remembered!}