A Gentle Return to Swedish Summer Cottage Life

Hello! Thank you so much for your patience over the past two weeks while I took a little time off to enjoy summer with my family. This morning feels bittersweet. Sweet, because I’ve had a wonderful couple of weeks soaking up everything I love about life in Sweden — long summer evenings, wildflowers, and the simplicity of days spent in a pared-back summer cottage. But there’s a hint of bitterness too, as summer slowly begins to retreat. School is starting soon, and there’s the faintest rustle in the leaves — that quiet signal that autumn is on its way, and with it, the long, dark winter waiting in the wings.

As I wrote in my Njuta book, though, I have to remind myself that I wouldn’t appreciate these golden summers nearly as much if I didn’t yearn for them through the rest of the year.

Have you had a lovely summer too? I know in many parts of Europe, it’s only just getting into its stride — and for friends further afield, it’s the middle of winter (hang in there — your turn is coming!).

To ease back in, I thought I’d share a wistful, traditional Swedish summer cottage that perfectly captures the feel of the season here. Every piece of furniture, every handwoven rag rug, every patch of romantic wallpaper — even the nicks on the stairs — tells a story of summers spent by the lake. It’s the kind of relaxed, unfussy home where nothing has to be perfect — and thank goodness for that. It means more time for picking flowers, lounging on the jetty, or debating whether it’s too early for ice cream (answer: it’s never too early).

And speaking of practical joys — keep an eye out for the baskets. They’re a bit of a Swedish summer hero. Woven, humble, and endlessly useful, they’re used for everything from carrying plates and cutlery down to the water’s edge, to transporting picnic supplies to the garden table, to collecting blueberries or firewood. Far more practical than a tray — especially when navigating bumpy paths, uneven lawns, or small children underfoot. They’re the kind of everyday detail that makes summer living feel that little bit more effortless.

You might also spot plenty of other classic Swedish touches in the photos — the tiled masonry oven, the curtains by the door to keep the draft at bay and retro glass food storage containers (now used for all kinds of nbits and bobs!).  If anything jumps out at you, I’d love to hear in the comments!

So pretty! I recognise many of the relaxed touches from our own summer cottage, which Per’s grandparents built nearly 100 years ago!

Did you spot the large array of baskets? And how pretty are those hand-painted tiles in the kitchen?

Another factor I thought about is the exposed cables. In Scandinavia, I've noticed it's perfectly acceptable to leave cables exposed - tacking them in a straight line across the ceiling, around doors or down walls - instead of paying vast amounts to chase and conceal them. Is this also the same where you live? 

Was there anything else that caught your eye?

Perhaps you'd like to kick off the week by touring a few more summer cottages today? How about:

Before and after: a rundown croft becomes an idyllic summer cottage
A magical wood-clad summer cottage
A charming open-plan summer cottage

Thank you for stopping by, I'm happy to be back — wishing you a relaxing start to the week!

Niki

PS I usually post Monday, Wednesday and Friday, but this week there'll also be an extra post tomorrow as there's an exciting event coming that I am keen to tell you about! See you then! 

@clindholm_design for Historiska Hem