Inside Linnéa’s Warm and Timeless Swedish Country Home

Tjena! Today I have a beeeautiful home to share with you — and it comes with quite the setting!

You may remember Linnéa from way back in 2018, when I shared her previous home here on the blog. Fast-forward a few years, and she and her family have embarked on a completely new chapter.

Tucked away somewhere between Gränna and Jönköping, their newly built house sits on a 19th-century farm, surrounded by forest, cow pastures and cherry trees. Although the house itself is new, it was designed to feel as though it had always belonged here, with a warm, timeless interior full of flea-market finds, inherited pieces and IKEA.

Intrigued? I certainly was! So rather than me telling you the whole story, here’s Linnéa to take us inside and tell us all about it in her own words…

“I live in a newly built house on a 19th-century farm surrounded by forest, located somewhere between Gränna and Jönköping. I live here with my family, which consists of my husband Simon and our three children, Ebbe, 13, Elis, 10, and Gunnar, 6.

We inherited the farm from my husband’s parents six years ago, and initially, we had no plans to move here. I thought it was far too secluded, and the house that stood here before was old and in poor condition, unfortunately with very few charming original details left.”

“But over the years, the idea of moving here slowly grew on us, and eventually we decided to actually make the move. We tore down the old house, which was painful but felt necessary for us, and began our building journey in the summer of 2023.

Almost exactly one year later, on June 1, 2024, we could finally move in, after working more or less around the clock for an entire year.”

“My husband owns a construction company, and they did most of the building work, but Simon and I took turns being there in the evenings and on weekends. For a while, it felt like I was painting around the clock!

Since the farm dates back to the 1800s, we wanted to build a house in an old-fashioned style so that it would blend into the farm setting as much as possible, which is why we chose a more traditional, ‘old-world’ style.”

“I do think, however, that there is a fine line between an old-fashioned style and shabby chic, which isn’t entirely my style. I want the foundation to feel solid, substantial and timeless, but I’m happy to mix in newer pieces when decorating so that it doesn’t become too romantic, cutesy or shabby chic.”

“My home is my castle, and I have a feeling that this is where I’ll live until I die. I love the house itself, but I also absolutely love the surroundings. It’s quiet and peaceful here, while still being close enough for the kids to cycle to their friends’ houses.

When you drive to our house, you first make your way into the forest, but a few hundred metres before you arrive, the landscape suddenly opens up. At the top of the hill sits our home, surrounded by cow pastures and cherry trees. The view from the house, and especially from the upper floor, is absolutely incredible!”

“I want our home to feel warm, cosy and inviting. I want people to be able to come here and feel completely at home. I’d say my interior style is fairly classic and Scandinavian, with calm, light colours and, to use the slightly clichéd description, a mix of flea-market finds, inherited pieces and IKEA, hehe.”

What a treat to hear about Linnéa’s home in her own words, don’t you think?

Was there anything in particular that struck you about this tour?

If you'd like to see a few more pictures and follow her latest projects give Linnéa a follow on @hemlikheter.

I have to say, I’m very envious of all the beautiful flowers she can grow in her garden — and the bouquets she makes as a result are so pretty! I’m trying my best to grow things at the summer cottage, but it’s basically one big sandpit, and I’m learning the hard (and expensive!) way that it takes a very particular type of plant to survive in that kind of soil. Gaaaah! All tips welcome!

While on the subject of gardens, if you fancy taking a peek around more lovely country homes today, take a look in the country homes archive. You won't be disappointed! 

And on another note, I love all the storage in Linnéa's home. It makes such a difference when everything has a place, whether you want to keep your favourite things on display or tuck the rest neatly out of sight.

I recently interviewed an interior designer about clever ways to create storage in a small space and wrote a piece for IKEA about it here, just in case you're curious to learn more.

Happy Lillördag! 

Niki

Photography: Linnéa / @hemlikheter, shared with kind permission.

READ MORE...

3

A Swedish Summer Escape in the Stockholm Archipelago

Sometimes art imitates life, and it seems the blog is doing the same this week. On Wednesday, we went decidedly autumnal with a cosy home, wrapped in rich shades of amber, chocolate and brown. And today? We’re swinging right back to summer with a cottage on the idyllic island of Gåsö in the Stockholm archipelago, doors flung open and the sea sparkling just beyond.

Which feels rather fitting. The weather here can’t quite decide whether it’s autumn or summer either – one minute I’m reaching for a jumper, the next I’m wondering if I packed away the sandals too soon. Is it the same where you are?

So, let's embrace the last of the late-summer feeling while we can!

While much of Europe sweltered this summer, Sweden enjoyed lovely temperatures of around 20–25°C for much of the season. No wonder the Scandinavian “coolcation” has become so appealing: sea swims, fresh air, long light evenings and, perhaps best of all, being able to sleep at night!

And out on the islands, Swedish summer cottages really come into their own. This one is decorated in soft whites, pale greys and powdery blues, with warm, time-worn wood, wicker and the occasional cheerful stripe. It's relaxed, simple and very easy to live in.

And then there are those views. Imagine throwing open the doors in the morning, padding down to the water for a dip, then wandering back up barefoot for coffee. Would you ever leave?

Let's take a peek inside.

What a setting!

Could you imagine spending the weekend here? Scrap that – the whole week?

I noticed Kris, a long-time, much-valued reader of the blog, recommended some great games in the comments the other day, which I’m planning to order. They’d be absolutely perfect for a place like this! I really do love reading all your comments, even if I can occasionally be a little slow to reply (sorry!). 

You can see more beautiful Swedish summer cottages in the archive.

Have a wonderful weekend all!

Niki

Credits: Previously for sale via Sjönära, photography by Adam Andersson. 

READ MORE...

3

Inside a Warm and Rustic Swedish Home for Autumn

Skördefest. That’s the Swedish word for harvest festival, and at this time of year there are little signs of the harvest everywhere.

Growing up in England, I remember harvest festival being a big thing at school. We’d sing songs and bring in food from home to donate within the local community. Does anyone else remember this?

My own children haven’t had quite the same tradition here in Sweden, but you certainly know when harvest season has arrived. Farm stalls are dotted around the countryside with sweetcorn, squash and pumpkins, the hedgerows are bursting with blackberries (Per and I picked several kilos last weekend!) and people disappear into the forest with baskets in search of chanterelles, taking great care not to reveal their secret spots!

The owner of this lovely old brygghus in the Swedish countryside describes family as her heart and nature as her peace of mind, and that feeling really comes through in her home. Life here revolves around the farm, animals, growing things, renovating and, of course, family.

Right now, the harvest has made its way indoors too. Onions hang in rows beneath the timber ceiling, while potatoes are spread across the wooden worktop below, practical, but also rather beautiful, don’t you think?

Elsewhere, the home has a wonderfully autumnal feel, with warm wood, linen, amber glass and shades of rust, brown and oatmeal. I love the little dining nook by the window, the old pantry stacked with crockery, and all those worn, treasured pieces that make the space feel so relaxed and lived-in.

It’s a lovely reminder that autumn decorating doesn’t have to mean buying anything new. Sometimes a few things from the garden, a candle or two and the colours of the season are all you need.

Lovely! I love the vibrancy of the exterior of the house, and then the wonderful cosiness that awaits inside. It definitely gets me in the mood for the autumn season ahead!

Will you be changing anything up at home for the new season? If so, I’d love to hear what you have planned. And what did you notice most about this home? For me, it’s the mix of warm wood, amber glass, candlelight and all those beautiful signs of the harvest, so simple, yet so effective.

You can see more of this cosy home over at @lagadalsgard.

And if you’re in the mood for more autumnal inspiration, here are a few more homes to enjoy:

Cosy autumn ideas from Laura and Nora's lovely homes
11 inspiring autumnal ideas to steal from a hyggeligt Danish home
5 cosy autumn ideas to feel inspired by from a Swedish home

Have a cosy day. See you Friday, friends!

Niki

Photography:@lagadalsgard, shared with kind permission,

READ MORE...

8

A Hudson Valley Farmhouse Full of Soul

A quick note before we begin: I mention a few of my own books in this post, so just to be completely transparent, those references count as advertising for my own work.

I’ve had the great fortune of visiting Upstate New York twice. The first time was to photograph and write about a home for my first book, Modern Pastoral, which was later republished as Relaxed Rustic and is now about to reappear as Naturally Nordic (same book, third title, in case you’re as confused as I am! The title changes are down to the publisher). The second was for a greenhouse makeover with Emily Henderson. Both times, I was completely mesmerised by the nature and picturesque towns. A little shout-out here to my American readers, who are lucky enough to have all this on their doorstep!

It’s also no secret that I love looking at real estate, fuelled by a constant search for my elusive ‘forever home’, and every now and again I like to cast the net, shall we say, a little wider!

So when I stumbled across Fallkill, a late 18th-century farmhouse in the Hudson Valley, surrounded by a large garden with old stone walls, an artist’s studio and an antique barn, all overlooking rolling meadows, a meandering creek and forest, something about it felt familiar, yet completely enchanting.

It helped, too, that the interior has been so thoughtfully renovated in just the way I love: a touch of creativity, carefully sourced and meaningful pieces that hint at past lives, and plenty of the house’s historic charm left intact.

There’s also so much inspiration here for my own home this weekend (rubs hands together... Per starts to panic across town without quite knowing why). I hope you find a few ideas to take away with you too!

Really lovely! I especially love the daybed, with its relaxed layers of cushions and a blanket. It looks like the perfect spot to curl up with a book this weekend, don’t you think?

Is there anything that particularly stood out to you about Fallkill?

You can see more homes from Upstate New York here:

A light-filled barn conversion with fabulous rugs
The beautiful nature-inspired home of a ceramist

Incidentally, I sometimes toy with the idea of writing another book, which would be my fifth after Naturally Nordic, The Scandinavian Home, Lagom and Njuta! If I did, are there any Scandinavian lifestyle topics, interior styles, practical tips or other themes you’d particularly love to read about?

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend. And, as always, thank you so much for stopping by!

Niki

Photos shared with kind permission from The Lillie K. Team at Sotheby's International Realty / Fallkill. 

READ MORE...

10