10 Dreamy Scandinavian Summer Cottages

As my family and I pack up our things in preparation for a few weeks at the cottage (hurrah!), I thought it would be apt to spread a little Scandinavian summer cottage love with you, what do you say? Over the years, I've shared hundreds of idyllic summer hideaways - each of them unique, all of them inspiring in some way. Here are ten I love to revisit (only virtually sadly!) time and time again. I hope you enjoy the trip down memory lane too - click on each link for the tour! 

1. A magical Norwegian cottage with a wabi sabi vibe

2. A charming Swedish photographer's cabin in the woods

3. A Norwegian inspired hideaway on the Swedish island of Dalarö

4. A Hyggeligt Danish cabin in the forest

5. A Swedish island summer oasis

6. A charming Danish cabin with a coastal touch

8. An idyllic summer house in the Swedish countryside

9. Finnish cabin on its own island

10. A Norwegian summer cabin on the edge of a fjord

Gorgeous! 

As a bonus - you can find the first picture (a Norwegian fjord side cabin) here.  

All of these retreats immediately transport me to a back-to-basic lifestyle where eating, sleeping, swimming and hanging out with friends and family is the order of the day. I hope you feel the same! 

I can't wait to get to the cottage now and spend some downtime with my family. Roll on long summer days (please weather gods, be kind to us!). 

I'll be back on My Scandinavian Home on Monday 26th July. In the meantime, I'll likely be swinging by instagram from time to time and there's always the archives with over 2500 Scandinavian inspired home posts (I counted the other day since MSH will be turning 10 this autumn!). These are particularly popular.

Summer cottages

Before and After renovations 

Swedish homes

Danish homes

Finnish homes

Norwegian homes

Converted properties

Outdoor spaces

Wishing you all a wonderful couple of weeks! 

Niki

Credits: 1. Slettvoll 2. Hilde Mork 3. Lina and Karl Anderson 4. Jonas Ingerstedt 5.@nordiskrum 6 & 7. Emma Sundh 8 & 9. @anordicmoment 10 & 11. Carina Olander 12 & 13. Johanna Lehtinen 14. Per Erik Jæger / Siv Brenne for Jotun. 

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Latest Tiny Cabin Update: I Need Your Help!

It's been a while since I've updated you on the little cabin we're building in the grounds of Per's family's summer cottage (see our plans here). Word on the street in the Bjärehalvön is that the build will start in September (so exciting!). It's kind of crept up on me though and now I'm in a panic. This week, I started looking at windows and doors. It's safe to say, I'm starting from scratch with this, but learning fast. And I've narrowed it down to two options (hopefully): 

1. Doors that concertina up - like these fine specimens from Outline, seen here in a small Danish cabin of Lena at Peekaboo design. The beauty with these is that they still have a traditional touch but create a wonderful seamlessness between inside and out. 

2. The other option is to go for doors that open separately, like in this charming summer cabin below owned by Lina Kjellvertz (I once featured her fabulous Mallorcan house), designed by Sommarnöjen (Velfac sell similar doors). 

At this stage, I'm not even sure if option one is possible with, but it's worth investigating - so I thought I'd throw it out there.

Which do you think would work the best? 

Curious to see more Scandic-inspired tiny cabins today? I love: 

Small space inspiration from Swedish attefallshus

An idyllic Finnish summer cabin

A little Danish cabin in the woods

Or for something a little different, the before and after pictures of a Mercedes sprinter van which was converted into a tiny camper van are incredible! 

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend! 

Niki

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Before and After: A Traditional Norwegian Cabin Gets a Beautiful Colour Update

A few years ago, Berit stumbled across her dream croft surrounded by forest in Lunner, Hadeland, South-east Norway. The 50-metre square (538 sq.ft) cabin had great bones, but was in need of an update. Keen to put her own personal mark on it, Berit turned to Hytteliv magazine and interior designer Siv Brenne, who together with paint brand Jotun set to work on transforming the space while working to highlight the original features. The result is a peaceful retreat in soothing tones, and the perfect place to unwind. 

Kitchen before: 

Kitchen after: 

The kitchen has been given a fresh, calm update with wall panels in 1140 Sand, the ceiling in 471 Lys Antik (both LADY supreme finish matt) and the kitchen cabinets are from Bærum Kjøkkensenter, painted in colour s3005-B8OG. 

The sand shade has also been applied to the traditional-style sitting room area to give the living space a cohesive look. 

Master bedroom before:

When Beret bought the cabin, the small master bedroom was a sea of blues ranging from a more earthy shade to a bright sky blue. 

master bedroom after:

A soothing blue-grey tone (6315 Jade) was applied to the walls while the window frames were painted with a slightly darker 6232 Sjøalge to ensure the original features pop. Furniture and accessories in white and sand help to carry the theme through from the kitchen and sitting room. 

Guest bedroom before:

The guest bedroom was a riot of blue and red - which I am not opposed to since it gives it an air of traditional Norwegian country. However, the transformation is so charming....

After:

The top bunk is mounted on the wall to give an airy touch to the small room (I'm curious to know if the walls would hold this at our summer cottage - I'd love to do something similar!). The walls and beds have been painted in a lovely light 1376 Froströk, while the door and window frame have been given a darker 6232 Sjøalge treatment to match the master bedroom). 

Bathroom before:

After: 

The bathroom has also been given a traditional touch with antique furniture against a backdrop of wood panels painted in calming 4017 Pilasterblå. The blind is from Green Apple and bench is from Lama. 

The exterior was also given aan update. A dramatic 734 Brunsvart (brown-black) was a applied to the wood panels and been paired with window frames in a softer 1376 Froströk and shutters in 4252 Kimrök Dämpad - creating a wonderful cohesive look between outdoors and indoors. 

What a lovely update! I love the soothing palette. It demonstrates just how important it is to work with a cohesive colour scheme before you start to decorate. 

Is there anything that stood out to you? 

For more fab before and afters, check out this archive - some really incredible ones in there! Also, take a peek in the Norway homes archive - a favourite of mine! 

A couple of other things before I head off:

If you subscribe to My Scandinavian Home via e-mail, the feedburner will no longer work from tomorrow onwards (unfortunately) so I'm working on a new solution in order for you to continue receiving my posts straight to your inbox! I'll be back soon with more info!

And secondly, my article: Handmade Tale: The Rise of Handcrafts for the Home is now live over at IMM Cologne online magazine if you fancy a read! I love this movement, it makes me so happy! I hope it inspired you, too.

I'll be back tomorrow with a beautiful Scandi home tour. See you then! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Hytteliv & Jotun

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An Endearing Danish Summer Cabin on an Allotment

It's only a couple of days until midsummer, and Scandinavians are gearing up to the big event. The atmosphere in the city is slowly changing as folk load up the boot of their cars, ready to ride out to the countryside. Danish family Nicolai, Sofia and their three-year-old child will no doubt be exchanging their urban apartment to enjoy the long weekend at their charming little kolonihave (allotment house). The small wooden cabin is located in Åbyhøj, a quiet suburb of Aarhus known for Northside festival - a popular 3-day music event. The cosy pared-back abode has everything the small family need to enjoy the summer holidays - including a kitchen, dining area, sitting room which doubles up as a bedroom, and a loft bed. On warm days, life spills out onto the newly built terrace and lush garden. Kom indenfor! 

I love the relaxed summer vibe, mixed furniture and touches of green and blue - a perfect little escape! 

Is there anything that stands out to you? 

Scandinavian allotment houses are really special. I've explained the history behind them here. If you feel like taking peek inside a few more, click on any of the links below:

A charming Swedish allotment cottage in summer time

An inspiring Danish kolonihave with white washed walls

A truly idyllic Swedish kolonistuga

So lovely! I hope you're feeling inspired too! 

Niki

Photography:

1, 2, 3, 5, and 9: Julie Wittrup Pladsbjerg & Mikkel Dahlstroem / Another Studio

4, 6, 7, and 8: @sofiaganer

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A Swedish Summer Oasis On The Island of Gotland

"Summer breeze makes me feel fine...." those are the words going through my head as I imagine the cool breeze blowing in over the Baltic Sea as I chill by the pool at this Gotland summer house. It's for sale, but sadly a little out of our budget - but I do have my mind set on Surflogiet (a surf glamping place a little further up the coast). I see that there's a perfect 'work from home' spot at this cabin though, so if you're considering a life change, this lovely 71 sqm (764 ft.sq) Swedish cabin on the west coast of the island could well be just what you're looking for. Plus, there's room for two guests in the little outhouse too! 

As with most Scandinavian summer cabins, simplicity is the name of the game. It's about going back to basics (save for the pool!) and making the most of the outdoors. We all know that the Swedish weather might be on the chilly side at times so this covered terrace with bi-folding glass doors is spot on.  

A pair of Cuba Chairs (I also have one in my sitting room) sit side by side in the sitting room. Behind them is a Gubi Grasshopper lamp.

The soft earthy green wall helps to draw the surrounding nature indoors. 

See what I mean about the workspace? Not a bad view for a Wednesday morning! 

Many of my Swedish friends spend their summer hoping between their friends and family's summer cottages, so extra beds are always important. Just make sure to bring your own bedding if you're invited! 

Could you imagine hanging out in that lounger all summer long? 

If you haven't been to Gotland, it's a wonderful place - full of galleries, ceramic studios and funky / off beat cafes and restaurants. Plus Visby, the medieval capital is really picturesque. I shared more about The Baltic island in this guide. 

Fancy taking a look back at other Gotland holiday homes I've featured? Here are a few to get you started: 

A rustic Swedish summer cottage 

A 19th century farmhouse

Your island retreat on the Swedish island of Gotland

And many, many more right here! 

I'm staying in a hotel tonight - a HOTEL! I didn't think I'd see the day! I'm in Denmark for two days of filming with Carl Hanson & Søn and I spent yesterday touring the CEO and founder Knud Erik Hanson's home. It has 40 rooms and every single item has a history. It made me want to re-think the way I decorate my home! I can't wait to share more with you. 

In the meantime, wishing you a lovely 'lillördag!'

Niki

Photographs courtesy of Bertwig

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