A Cosy Swedish Country Home with an Autumn Vibe

Have you got that weekend feeling? Here, Autumn is in the air and hats are on! I feel like I'm ready for pumpkin soup and chanterelle toast tomorrow...! I wanted to find a beautiful Scandinavian home to reflect the cosy höst (autumn / fall) vibe - and this lovely Swedish country home is perfect! 

Sarah Macfie (a Swede with Scottish ancestors), her fiancé Archie and three sons Ralph, Hugo and Benjamin live in a white house near Gothenburg, West Sweden. Sarah loves antiques and spends lots of her spare time visiting her local thrift store, going to auctions and searching online for beautiful pieces with which to fill their home.  Couple this with earthy shades of earthy shades and plenty of plants and dried flowers, and the result is a dreamy space where no two pieces are alike. 

Don't forget to keep a look out for the moose! 

Such a lovely home - and very hard to believe that it's a new build, don't you think? 

There are so many things to feel inspired by in these pictures, but I especially love the traditional bed nook, kitchen window seat, the adorable baby picture (those feet / socks!) and of course the moose - isn't he handsome? I've only ever seen one in the wild once, and that's when I was Finland taking pictures for my first book Modern pastoral (now called Relaxed Rustic). They are huge! Have you ever seen one?  

Is there anything that caught your eye in Sarah's house? 

See more pictures here. 

Looking for more autumn inspiration this weekend? Check out: 

11 autumn update ideas from a hyggelig Danish home

A beautiful swedish country home with touches of autumn

A Norwegian home with a cosy Autumn vibe

Also I am holding a great giveaway on my instagram right now to win a beautiful table cloth and napkins from Swedish brand Lovely Linen - well worth entering (open to all!) enter here. 

Right folks, that's it from me this week. I hope you've enjoyed the home tours (Anna and Martin's floating cottage with sauna, kitchen and sitting room is causing quite a stir!). 

Have a fabulous weekend, see you Monday! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Sarah Macfie, shared with kind permission. 

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Anna and Martin's Tiny Handbuilt Cottage Floating on a Swedish Lake

"I've never tried that before, so I'm sure I'll manage it" - so said Pippi Longstocking, and these are the words Swedish florist Anna Starrén and her husband Martin live by. Martin had always dreamed of building a floating cottage from which to explore the lake beside their country home. And when his friend passed away, he put all his effort into turning his dream into a reality. Read on to discover more! 

The starting point was to build a floating pontoon (measuring 5 x 10 metres), upon which the little red and white cottage (measuring 4 x 3.5 metres) was built.  The pontoon is attached to the mainland using a series of mooring lines. 

The house has everything you might need for a relaxing day by the lake including a sleep loft, sauna, isolated floor, wifi, fridge, gas stove, shower, water converter, shower, dry loo, binoculars, bird book, ceramics for 10!, a coffee maker and an anchor! 

Oil lamps are dotted around the little cottage, providing light and heat. The cottage is also powered by 2 x 160 solar panels and a 3x 90 amp battery. 

The kitchen, sofa and ladder have all been hand built to fit the space. 

Anna says: "building this house is one of the best things we've ever done, it's become our year-round refuge."

Come winter, the lake freezes over and the little cottage becomes a perfect spot for ice bathing. 

A whole is cut into the ice so that they can still take a dip after a sauna. 

BRRRRR! 

Could you imagine winter bathing like this? 

If you're ever in Sweden during winter, you must try it - it's such a crazy yet wonderful experience (especially afterwards once you're all wrapped up warm again and nursing a mug off glögg!). Studies have shown it has numerous health benefits! 

See Anna's inspiring instagram feed @starrensannan for more pictures of the floating cottage, as well as their main house. You might also like to stop by Anna's homepage for more information about her work as a florist and upcoming workshops (how I'd love to do one of those - I wonder if she holds any at the floating cottage?). 

Would you like to see a few other unusual properties today? 

I love how a swedish couple transformed a Mercedes sprinter into a camper van and also this lovely little off-grid house on wheels is so inspiring! 

Happy lillördag! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Anna Starrén with thanks 

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Playful Touches in Erik's Calm Swedish Home

Good morning friends! I'm kicking off the week with a tour of Erik Josefsson's 60 m2 / 645 f2 apartment in Gothenburg. An interior designer, Erik is always keeping his finger on the pulse and updating his lovely turn-of-the-century home. I love how his style has evolved since I featured his previous abode in 2019. Keep a look out for touches of colour, pattern and playful pieces against a calm yet interesting backdrop. Ready to take a look? 

So many fabulous touches, and some very interesting colour choices too! 

Erik has been great at tagging the furniture and accessories in his instagram feed, so if you're curious to find out where he bought the items take a look there. You're also welcome to ask away in the comment section below, and I'll do my best to help! 

Have a great start to the week friends! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Erik Josefsson. 

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Brita and Kalle's Charming, Unique and Personal Swedish Country home

Friday calls for something extra special, don't you think? And I have just the home! When Brita Zackari and Kalle Zackari Wahlström first stumbled across the country home south of Stockholm, Sweden, it was love at first site! Since then, the pair have painstakingly renovated the property little by little, slowly transforming it into a unique home where they live full time with children Essa and Björn. 

The pair have done a lot of the work themselves, learning as they go - a process which has been covered on Sweden's popular TV show 'Help, we've bought a farmhouse' (in Swedish). A sustainable approach has been key, choosing for example, egg oil tempura (a matte and full coverage paint made from egg linseed oil emulsion and natural pigments) instead of traditional paint for walls, furniture and storage and furnishing a lot of the living space with vintage finds. 

The result is a charming home where Brita's Danish modern influence from childhood come together with Kalle's traditional Swedish country style. Enjoy the tour, you're in for a treat!

The furniture is a delightful blend of vintage and contemporary. I spy a pond mirror and Hay matin table lamp in the background. Look closely and you'll discover a collection of fascinating unique pieces in the form of vases, candleholders, mobiles and art. 

Don't be afraid to go dark in a small room. Here, deep green walls create a cosy feel while also helping to camouflage much-needed storage. 

Beautiful - and packed with personality! 

I love the earthy hues from the linseed oil - and all the unique touches. 

Is there anything that stands out to you? 

Take a peek inside other Scandinavian country homes this weekend in this archive (if this pops up first, you know the drill - just scroll on past and the others will be lurking below!). 

Have a wonderful weekend! 

Niki

PS If you've been missing my newsletter / not receiving posts directly to your inbox, don't forget to re-subscribe below! 

Photography: Fanny Rådvik

Stylist: Dennis Valencia 

Interior design / homeowner: Brita Zackari / Kalle Zackari Wahlström

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