A Rustic Surfer’s Cabin Above Roaring Beach, Tasmania

The Headland, Roaring Beach. Who wouldn't want a romantic address like that? A cabin at the end of a 1.5 km driveway, tucked above the sand and surf. But what if I told you it’s not just the rustic surfer’s cabin that’s for sale—but the entire headland directly above Roaring Beach, in Nubeena on the Tasman Peninsula, creating your very own secluded wilderness escape just an hour and a half from Hobart?

The current owners of this wonderful bespoke wild cabin, Jamie and Ingrid know a thing or two about design—they also 'rescued' The Little Black Shack, a cosy waterside eco cabin overlooking Mackerel Beach in Australia, and The Little Onsen Cabins in the mountains of Japan. And now, they have turned their hand to this charming cabin too, lovingly designing and restoring it and transforming the space into a solar-powered, handcrafted, off-grid retreat.

“With the help of neighbours (in between surfs), and using rough-sawn Tassie oak from the local timber mill, we rescued the original shed built by surfers over 30 years ago. We also recycled and repurposed existing materials and made everything else by hand. Then we filled it with pre-loved bits and pieces from our travels around the world—and Tasmania.”

Ready to take a peek inside the cabin and soak up views of the spectacular headland and coast? Pour yourself a coffee, and get comfy, this one is a dream! 

Incredible! I could totally see myself heading down for a surf (I can’t promise I’d be any good, mind you!) before wandering back up to the cabin to thaw out on the sofa by the fire. Can you imagine exploring the wilderness and then cosying up in this cabin, too? 

It must be so hard for Jamie and Ingrid to let it go—let’s hope the new owners will love it just as much as they have. If this sounds like your dream escape, a little birdy tells me the auction will be held by Sotheby’s on April 7th (contact David Medina). Ooooh, the opportunity! For more pictures, tap here. 

For those of us making do by soaking up these images and dreaming of a far-off life—did anything in the photos catch your eye? If so, I’d love to hear below! 

Have a lovely day,

Niki

Photography: Indiana Kwong & Oscar Sloane, shared with kind permission. 

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Cosy Off-Grid Living in Swedish Lapland: Inside Olly & Lisa's Rustic Cabin

Oh, are we in for a treat today! They say if you can't beat it, join it – and with the cold settling in, I’m taking you on a journey to the chilly North to the cosy, rustic cabin of artist Olly – one half of the creative duo Olly Suzy. This British collaborative pair pride themselves on tracking, painting, and photographing endangered species in the wild.

Together with their children, Olly and his wife Lisa embrace life in their off-grid retreat, charmingly named ‘Bear’s Nest’. Perched high on a hill, it’s surrounded by wilderness in a remote part of Swedish Lapland, just south of the Arctic Circle. The cabin was a labour of love, designed and built from the ground up. Completely off-grid, with no road access, its core was constructed off-site and transported by a military truck – quite the logistical feat!

Now, the pair relish their remote, rustic lifestyle. At the heart of their home is a wood-burning stove, which serves as their source of heating, cooking, and even melting snow for water. Candles and lanterns brighten up the cabin after dark. They’ve also got an ‘utedass’ – a separate little hut with a dry toilet. The cabin’s interior is a delightful blend of Swedish and English antiques, creating a warm, relaxed, and deeply personal haven.

Photographer Mark Anthony Fox recently paid them a visit and captured these stunning images. Ready to take a tour? Let’s dive in!

How wonderful! 

Imagine how quickly the stresses and strains of daily life would fall away here? There's something special about going back-to-basics, it's so good for the soul. 

You can read more about Olly's fascinating line of work here and there is a a full article about it and more pictures over at House & Garden if you'd like to take a look. 

Is there anything that stood out to you about Olly and Lisa's rustic off-grid cabin? 

Do you remember the little Danish cabin in the woods I once visited belonging to Conservationist Wildlife Photographers Uri Golman and Helle Olsen? If not, do head over to the post to take the tour! Tragically, long after I featured their home, Uri suffered from a serious incident on one of his expeditions but his passion and work for the Wild Nature Foundation continues. You can read more about his story here. 

Thank you so much for stopping by this week–and for all your insightful comments and emails. I am so happy you have been enjoying the home tours!  

Have a cosy weekend friends, see you Monday! 

Niki

Credits: All photography by Mark Anthony Fox, shared with kind permission. 

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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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