A Timber Swedish Cabin Surrounded by Woodland

What are your plans for the weekend? 

Having lived a separate week in their own apartments in Stockholm, Sofia and Mattias will no doubt reconvene here with their respective children to spend the weekend together. 

Made up of a series of separate cabins (built by Enkelrum) each with their own living quarters, the property provides plenty of space for their large family to gather and get away from it all, surrounded by beautiful nature. Sofia and Mattias also have the flexibility to work from home, and the separate dwellings mean they have the opportunity to carve out some privacy should the situation require. 

But most of all, it'a a place where the family come to relax - with the light green kitchen and simple timber interior reflecting the forest and countryside that surrounds them. 

Would you like to see inside? 

Such a perfect place to get away from it all and recuperate, don't you think? 

Enkelrum make a whole series of different size cabins - check them out here if you're curious to hear more! 

If you'd like to feel inspired by more cabins this weekend, check out this archive. 

Whatever your plans over the next few days, I hope you get the opportunity relax and have fun! 

See you Monday friends!

Niki

Photography: Emma Jönsson Dysell courtesy of Enkelrum. 

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An Eco Retreat Stay in the Forests of Sweden

Dreaming of an escape today? Allow me to whisk you away to depths of the Swedish forests, and this fairytale getaway! Nestled by a lake in the southern Sweden wilderness, Urnatur, meaning 'primeval nature' is the brainchild of forester Håkan Strotz and forest biologist and edible plants expert Ulrika Krynitz. The pair are passionate about ethnobiology and the interaction between man and nature and wanted others to experience an eco-retreat where you can get away from it all and go back-to-basics. 

Made up of an off-the-grid treehouse and a series of cabins built by Håkan and decorated by Ulrika, Urnatur invites guests to stay on Sjögetorp and Renemo farms and make the most of everything the surrounding nature has to offer. Sleep in the trees or snuggle up in a cosy log cabin before taking to the lake in a kayak, foraging for berries and other delicacies or cooking supper over an open fire. You might also want to explore the farm shop for lovely local wares too! 

It does look wonderful, I have to say - and a far cry from my studio in Malmö where I am tapping away at my laptop today. 

Could you imagine spending a week or two here come summertime? If so, visit the Urnatur website for more information. 

Thinking of visiting Sweden and looking for more places to stay? Check out the holiday homes, rentals, airbnb and design hotel archives to find somewhere wonderful! You might also like to delve into my Scandinavian travel and city guide archives to plan your trip in full! Välkommen!  

Speaking of escapes, Per and I finished the summer cottage master bedroom renovation this weekend and I took my camera with me to take a few shots! We are so thrilled with the outcome - even more so since we carried out all the work ourselves. I can't wait to share the results with you on Wednesday. I hope you'll like it as much as we do. See you then! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Urnatur, with thanks.

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A Beautiful Ski Chalet / Cabin in Hafjell, Norway

Happy New Year! I hope your 2024 has got off to a cracking start! I'm so happy to be back, here's to a great year of drool-worthy Scandi inspiration! 

It's no secret I think Norway is the most spectacular place on earth - and after Christmas, my family and I headed to the fells of Hafjell to blow away the cobwebs, ski, and generally relax by the fire. Temperatures reached minus 26 degrees celsius (-14.8 F), which shall we say, is fresh. But fortune favours the bold, as they say - and we wrapped up warm and headed out into the frozen landscape to njuta (savour) the vistas over the snowcapped forests and valley below. 

It's a place I hope everyone can venture to at least once in their lifetime whether you're into downhill skiing, cross country or simply relaxing by the fire! And if you do, I've found you just the cabin! Listed on Airbnb, I was immediately drawn to the the pared-down wood clad interior which has been kitted out in almost all natural materials to mirror the surrounding landscape. Meanwhile, a vast stone fireplace and a hot bath await to help thaw out your toes after a day on the trails. Ready to dream? 

What a beautiful cabin! Could you imagine staying here? You can find all the details on Airbnb here. 

Let me know if you think it would be interesting to feature a personal guide to Hafjell, Norway here on the blog - I'd be happy to share my experience as well as some tips for magical things to do in the area (ice bathing being one of them!). In the meantime, you can catch a glimpse of our trip in this instagram reel and my in instagram highlights if you'd like! 

How about taking a look inside a few other snowy mountain cabins today? Pull up a seat, pour a coffee and enjoy: 

A magical Norwegian mountain cabin

A contemporary Swedish ski chalet with a wonderful window seat

A lakeside Swedish log cabin in the snow

A dreamy scandi-inspired ski chalet in Whitefish

I am so happy to be back blogging again after the break. As always I'll be posting three days a week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday). If you'd like to ensure you don't miss a post, you might like to sign up to my newsletter, 

*And in other news - my new book Njuta, The Swedish Art of Savouring the Moment has now launched! Thank you SO much to everyone who has already ordered a copy, it really means SO MUCH. I hope the tricks and tips I mention in the book will help elevate each and every one of your days in 2024. Njuta is currently available through all retailers and libraries in the USA and Canada (if your local bookstore or library doesn't yet have a copy in stock, please do put in a request!). The book is also available on Amazon pretty much worldwide and Waterstones in the UK. Although, I promise, there will be more languages and retailers to follow. 

Have a wonderful start to the week! 

Niki

*advert for my own work

Photography courtesy of Airbnb with thanks

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6 Rustic Cabins For a Cosy Weekend

As we inch nearer December the temperatures are starting to dip and the North of Sweden, Norway and Finland are dusted in snow. Sadly, there's no snow here in the south yet, but the cold wind has me dreaming of snuggling up in a rustic log cabin by the fire this weekend. Do you feel the same? 

I did a little digging in the My Scandinavian Home archives to retrieve some of my favourite cabins. Some  are way out in the woods and others are deep in the Norwegian fjords or by a frozen lake in Finland. One of them (the last one) I have had the pleasure of visiting not once but twice in person! The first time was to shoot the Norwegian cabin for my book The Scandinavian Home*, and I was so mesmerised by it, I returned with my entire family that winter. If you click on the link you can take the entire fabulous tour - and see my girls in action. It was minus twenty-five degrees celsius so we were well wrapped up! 

I hope these cabins get in you in the mood for a cosy weekend and you can experience the wonderful feel of them through the pictures! 

1. Visit Lisa's cosy cabin deep in the Norwegian fjords 

2. A rustic hideaway in a former railway carriage, and boutique stay

3. A cosy Finnish cabin boy a frozen lake

4. A cosy cabin in the woods

5. Hilde's Norwegian cabin in wintertime

5. An incredible Norwegian cabin for cross country skiing

Oh, so lovely! I would be perfectly happy to spend my weekend at any of these cabins, how about you? They all look so cosy with their roaring fires, snuggly blankets and rustic backdrop! 

We are driving up to Norway after Christmas for a few days to relax and enjoy the snowy landscape - maybe do a little skiing if it's not too cold. Having seen these pictures, I can't wait! In the meantime though, I'll imagine I'm in one of these lovely places! 

Have a cosy weekend all! 

Niki

Credits: 1. Gunn Kristin Monsen 2. Settle 3. Krista Keltanen 4. Alice Saunders 5. Hilde Mork 5. James Gardener for CICO Books. 

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A Wabi-Sabi Inspired Getaway in the Bay of Fires, Tasmania

I love living in Scandinavia. Having been here for 18 years, I consider it my home. But sometimes - especially on a Monday morning - it's great to dream about faraway places! As you know, I've had my eye on Tasmania for many years (and now my sister Charlie - also has her heart set on on Tas thanks to some of the places here on MSH! I tell you, it's catching!). 

Maybe you'll also be tempted once you've seen the pictures of the beautiful SABI cabin in the Bay of Fires, designed by Fred and Jessica Eggleston. Described as a 'refuge of calm, free from distraction' the handcrafted stone cabin is serene, simple, raw and refined. Intentionally sparse yet rich in texture, romantic, spacious yet intimate - the cabin is located a short distance from the bay with its many hidden coves and cliff walks. The only thing you need to decide is whether to enjoy a book by the fire, soak in the Japanese-inspired tub or head out for a walk by the sea. I vote for all three. 

The kitchen has been kitted out with custom ceramic dinnerware and cast-iron cookware as well as everything you need to brew yourself the perfect cup of coffee (this could well be the tipping point for convincing Per - he does love his morning coffee!). 

The bathroom is inspired by a Moroccan hideout complete with floor to ceiling micro cement for a spa-like feel. My eye is on the rain shower.

Could you imagine getting away from everything here for a few days? 

Even if Tasmania is a little bit of stretch for many of us being so far, a girl can dream! Plus, there's lots of inspiration to take away from this striking interior.

I particularly love the wooden tub and can well imagine a soak in it. It's been made from a repurposed barrel and features a liner handcrafted from salvaged copper.  So clever! 

Is there anything that stands out to you? 

See more of SABI cabin at @sabi.stays and book your stay on Airbnb. 

Oh, and here are a a few other dreamy Tasmania hideaways: 

A cosy hideaway by the sea

Captain's Cottage

The Butcher's House

Whale Song Shack

Have a great start to the week!

Niki

Photography: Marnie Hawson 

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