The blog cabin: At home with interiors influencer Mette Holm

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It may be small but this unique one-bedroom timber house – owned by interiors influencer Mette Holm – is big on ideas and eco-cred.

Mette Holm is an interiors blogger who lives with her partner in a one-bedroom timber house in South Jutland, Denmark. Image: Martin Sølyst/Living Inside

Mette Holm – AKA the passionate design blogger Monsterscircus – is a petite figure with a big voice and large presence in the design world. She launched her site, which offers
DIY guides and tutorials with a mindful approach to adding visual appeal to the everyday, in 2011, and since then it has won numerous accolades and awards.

A modern take on gothic arches is painted on the living-room wall. The ceiling light is part of a pair, designed by dcw-editions.fr. The paint is from sadolin.co.uk. Image: Martin Sølyst/Living Inside

Mette aims to create an ‘aesthetic feast’ by showcasing traditional Scandinavian design and craftsmanship in stunning photographs and using modern eco-conscious methods. Mette says, ‘In the throwaway, mass-production culture we live in, I wanted to create a platform that focused on making daily life pretty, incorporating sustainability.’

The kitchen lighting is handmade by Grupa (grupaproducts.com), while the oak worktops are Forest Stewardship Council-certified. For similar sustainably sourced furniture try westelm.co.uk. The hand-carved bar stools are by Finnish designer and wood turner Sami Kallio (kallio.nu). Image: Martin Sølyst/Living Inside

When Mette started her blog, the DIY culture had ‘such a hippie vibe, I wasn’t sure
if it would survive. I just threw myself into it and, in the meantime, the approach to DIY altered to incorporate all aspects of lifestyle, from fashion to design and interiors. Taking even a five-minute break from technology and doing something creative instead clears the head and allows us to relax.’

Mette created a unique colour scheme in the rest room by mixing leftover paints to make the deep aubergine and cream shades. The pouffe, from bloomingville.com, doubles up as a side table with a tray on top. Image: Martin Sølyst/Living Inside

Mette’s home is quintessentially Scandinavian: built with Swedish timber and incorporating wooden elements with a minimalist style. There are also nods to art deco: the clean lines and muted tones associated with Nordic style are punctuated with bursts of colour, from the gothic-inspired painted arches to blankets, mirrors and glass dishes. ‘I like to make spectacular and eye-catching stories on the walls, but it only works if there are also elements of calm. Placing a visually exceptional item next to something more mundane brings out the best in both.

The daybed and white layered curtains in the reading room add a sense of calm to the statement wall that Mette painted using geometric stencils. For a similar bar trolley, try oliverbonas.com. Image: Martin Sølyst/Living Inside

Mette’s focus on sustainable living and upcycling is evident throughout, from
pedestals made from old vases and bowls to handmade cushions and rugs. ‘My home is
my laboratory,’ she laughs. ‘I find great joy from making things myself using existing materials. You will often find me amid a giant stack of glue guns, rulers and craft papers.

Mette updated and personalised a classic bed frame by upholstering a headboard in velvet. The quilt is from apc.fr, the black lamp from luciekaas.com. Image: Martin Sølyst/Living Inside

‘My aim always is to try to invent something new using affordable and recycled materials. It is a way of life.’

For more of Mette’s work, see monsterscircus.com

Report by Nicole Gray

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