Hello good people! I thought I’d end the week on a happy note—literally. This dreamy Swedish cottage sits on its very own island, aptly named Happiness Island. Located in the northern part of Lake Barken, just outside Smedjebacken, Southern Dalarna, it’s like something out of a fairytale. No wonder it’s the most-clicked property on Hemnet, Sweden’s big real estate site. Clearly, we’re not the only ones swooning and daydreaming about a peaceful weekend escape, just a boat ride away from the daily grind.
It’s easy to see the appeal. You arrive at your own jetty, wander through woodland, and find a charming green cottage with light-filled, whitewashed interiors and wood-clad walls. Inside, it’s simply furnished with rag rugs, baskets hanging from the kitchen ceiling, and a cosy spot to put up your feet. What more could a girl need? Get ready to fall in love!
The stonecutters' farm on the island of Öland
A dreamy summer cottage on Sweden's west coast
Oh wow. What a fantastical place. My husband sometimes daydreams about going somewhere remote and homesteading. If this was the location, I'd be all in! I'm not sure I'd ever want to give up my seat in the sunroom to help him out, though. I wish there were more pictures (I clicked the link, and couldn't find any). I'm curious about the studio over the boathouse, and am also (I sound like a broken record) wondering about the bathroom situation. What's it like during the winter?
ReplyDeleteI checked the link and it was sold in a flash so it's already been taken off the market (hence why there are no more pictures). I am not surprised! I agree with you on the sunroom, a perfect spot!
DeleteI just want to let you know that your posts are always a bright spot in my day. As soon as I see your email about your latest post, my spirits lift immediately! It’s interesting that in so many of the homes you show, geraniums are a staple indoor plant, which isn’t the case in the US. Most people grow them outdoors and never think of bringing them inside to last for years. I’ve been trying it now for a few years with pretty good results, thanks to the Scandinavian inspiration.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Jane, such a lovely comment and so kind of you to take the time to write. Yes, in Sweden, these are traditionally placed on windowsills inside!
DeleteI need more pics of the inside! Please...
ReplyDeleteI know, I'd love to see more too but sadly it was sold in a flash and they took the listing down. I wonder who the lucky new owner is?
DeleteI love your posts, they never disappoint. Thank you for giving us a bright spot in the day.
ReplyDeleteThank you, I am so happy to hear that!
DeleteJust as beautiful inside as out.
ReplyDeleteSo true!
DeleteThis is a truly enchanting cottage. There is not one thing I don't love!! You can have your streets paved in gold; this is my idea of heaven!! Geraniums....I have stories! A man I used to teach with had huge pots of geraniums in his classroom windows that bloomed beautifully all winter long. One year I thought that I would bring my outdoor geraniums inside and keep them over winter. I cut them back, kept them in a cool basement and watered them. They started regrowing in the spring and I brought them upstairs in front of French doors with southern light. One day I came home from an outing to discover a thousand baby grasshoppers on the floor around the plants!! Apparently I had been harboring a grasshopper nursery!! Oh my! They had to go back out and I never tried that again!! I think if you kept them inside all summer and fall it would work though!! : > ) Thank you again for sharing this amazing cottage. It is truly one of my very favorites ever!! Have a great weekend.
ReplyDeleteThis story made me laugh - thank you for sharing!
DeleteNo way! What a great story, so funny!!
DeleteThis is beautiful - a wonderful escape from the horrible stuff going on in the world. Have to say the turret in the first picture with its 'oooh er, missus!' face made me chuckle. It looks like someone has pinched its bottom!
ReplyDeleteHa! Love that! Now, that's all I can see!
DeleteIt must be hard to let go of a dream like this one! What's it in square feet/m. Wonder if the island comes with the property. Noticed a rainwater harvesting barrel, half barrels with plants and a wooden garden bed. That lamp by the window. Bathroom arose in my mind too! There's space to build one... if not. Thank you so much, Niki...Happy weekend.
ReplyDeleteIt is 100m2, and I am guessing there is either an outhouse for the bathroom, or a small room inside. But no plumbing. It comes with the island, but in Sweden, as well as Norway and Finland, you have the "allemannsrett", translated to "the right to roam", a law that basically gives everybody access to nature. You can camp, ski, skate, pick berries all over, with the exception of private gardens and fields. You also need to show consideration and not camp closer than 150 meters from a private house. The law is especially strong when it comes to properties with shorelines - you are not allowd to deny anyone access to the shoreline. This all may seem very strange and intrusive, but the fact is that it is a fantastic law, giving everybody equal access to nature. And after all, we are Scandinavian, and like to stay not too close, so we all show consideration. For instance, on this island, a person would be allowed to pull up with his canoe and go ashore, but nobody would consider doing that if there where people present on the island.
DeleteThank you for sharing this thoughtful and helpful response. Allemansrett is so fantastic. I love how everyone treats the law with so much respect too, as it means it can be sustained.
DeleteI keep looking and relooking at the pictures....I like the way the home is fancy on the outside but more simple on the inside. The trim on the outside of the windows is so fantastic!! : > )
ReplyDeleteI love that it's one of those homes that's worth revisiting time and again. These summer cottages are often simple and pared back - and the focus is on just
Delete'being'. I was also thinking about how everything in the cottage would have had to be brought over by boat, which also makes it a little limited when it comes to the decor.
I adore the greens and whites
ReplyDeleteWhat a happy house!!
Yes, such a lovely combination!
DeleteAls 14-jähriges Mädchen bin ich 1970 mit dem Chor zu ersten Mal nach Schweden gereist und habe dort, unter anderem auf Öland, meine Liebe zum Land, der Natur und zu den Menschen entdeckt. Ich erinnere mich noch heute an einen besonders blauen Himmel und an Wiesen voller Blumen, an einfache Einrichtungen mit hellen Möbeln. Als wir 1976 unsere ersten Möbel kauften gab es noch kein schwedisches Möbelhaus und es war nicht einfach, sich im nordischen Stil einzurichten. In diesem Jahr haben wir uns Kopenhagen und Malmö angeschaut. Es war wunderschön, und der Malmö- guide hat uns an schöne Plätze geführt. Seit 2016 besuche ich diesen Blog und möchte mich jetzt für die wunderschönen Berichte bedanken, die Auswahl der einfachen und entspannten Wohnarten treffen voll meinen Geschmack und ich reise jedesmal in Gedanken in mein Lieblingsland Schweden. Herzlichen Dank dafür
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for sharing your beautiful memories and kind words. It means a lot to hear how Sweden has inspired you over the years, and that my posts bring back those feelings for you.
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