A Beautiful Ski Chalet / Cabin in Hafjell, Norway

Happy New Year! I hope your 2024 has got off to a cracking start! I'm so happy to be back, here's to a great year of drool-worthy Scandi inspiration! 

It's no secret I think Norway is the most spectacular place on earth - and after Christmas, my family and I headed to the fells of Hafjell to blow away the cobwebs, ski, and generally relax by the fire. Temperatures reached minus 26 degrees celsius (-14.8 F), which shall we say, is fresh. But fortune favours the bold, as they say - and we wrapped up warm and headed out into the frozen landscape to njuta (savour) the vistas over the snowcapped forests and valley below. 

It's a place I hope everyone can venture to at least once in their lifetime whether you're into downhill skiing, cross country or simply relaxing by the fire! And if you do, I've found you just the cabin! Listed on Airbnb, I was immediately drawn to the the pared-down wood clad interior which has been kitted out in almost all natural materials to mirror the surrounding landscape. Meanwhile, a vast stone fireplace and a hot bath await to help thaw out your toes after a day on the trails. Ready to dream? 

What a beautiful cabin! Could you imagine staying here? You can find all the details on Airbnb here. 

Let me know if you think it would be interesting to feature a personal guide to Hafjell, Norway here on the blog - I'd be happy to share my experience as well as some tips for magical things to do in the area (ice bathing being one of them!). In the meantime, you can catch a glimpse of our trip in this instagram reel and my in instagram highlights if you'd like! 

How about taking a look inside a few other snowy mountain cabins today? Pull up a seat, pour a coffee and enjoy: 

A magical Norwegian mountain cabin

A contemporary Swedish ski chalet with a wonderful window seat

A lakeside Swedish log cabin in the snow

A dreamy scandi-inspired ski chalet in Whitefish

I am so happy to be back blogging again after the break. As always I'll be posting three days a week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday). If you'd like to ensure you don't miss a post, you might like to sign up to my newsletter, 

*And in other news - my new book Njuta, The Swedish Art of Savouring the Moment has now launched! Thank you SO much to everyone who has already ordered a copy, it really means SO MUCH. I hope the tricks and tips I mention in the book will help elevate each and every one of your days in 2024. Njuta is currently available through all retailers and libraries in the USA and Canada (if your local bookstore or library doesn't yet have a copy in stock, please do put in a request!). The book is also available on Amazon pretty much worldwide and Waterstones in the UK. Although, I promise, there will be more languages and retailers to follow. 

Have a wonderful start to the week! 

Niki

*advert for my own work

Photography courtesy of Airbnb with thanks

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An Idyllic Fjord Side Summer Retreat in Norway

Today the weather gods have delivered horizontal snow mixed with rain here in Southern Sweden. Typically, we're still on our bikes, but it wasn't that fun getting to my studio I can tell you (I'm still thawing out!). But the light has returned, and that's what gives us hope spring is just around the corner. And after spring comes the wonderful Scandinavian summer. And with that in mind, I thought we could all dream about this idyllic summer retreat in Norway today! Captured by Norwegian brand Slettvoll as part of their spring-summer campaign, the fjord side cottage will have you dreaming of days on the water's edge under the midnight sun! 

The property has two separate buildings as far as I can see - a guest house (pictured top) and a main house - where the interior pictures were taken. With a setting like this, I'd be perfectly happy to wake up in either one - how about you? 

Sidenote: how beautiful is the outdoor furniture pictured above? You can find more info about it here. 

It's not always warm enough in the evenings to sit outside (when we were sailing last summer on Sweden's west coast, the temperatures varied between 12 and 15 degrees celsius (around the mid 50s Fahrenheit) for several weeks! BRRRR!) - but I wouldn't mind, if I had a view like this. 

I love how a bench with built-in storage doubles up as seating at the table. 

The calm, white interior decor is earthy and pared back, allowing the view to take centre-stage. 

Pretty much all the furniture in the picture is from Slettvoll - more info here. 

Beautiful! 

Could you imagine spending lazy summer days here? 

Actually, scrap that, I'd happily spend a week there right now,  snow, rain, gale and all! 

In an ode to all things Norwegian today, here are some other tours I love: 

A Norwegian house by a fjord

A simple, yet cosy Norwegian cabin by a fjord

A charming yet simple Norwegian cabin by the water

Oh, how I miss this incredible country! I still dream about my trip to Hardanger in 2019 with Skandinavisk  and dream about returning with my family! 

Have you ever been to Norway? If so, I'd love to hear about your trip! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Slettvoll - found via Planet Deco with thanks. 

PS This post is not sponsored, I just felt inspired by the pictures, and thought you might be too! 

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My Scandinavian Home Travel: The Hardanger Fruit Trail, Norway

It's not often you follow your nose on a trip but that's exactly what happened when I was invited to accompany Skandinavisk founder Shaun Russell and French perfumer Stéphane, on a scent discovery tour. The destination: Lofthus in the municipality of Ullensvang in the spectacular Hardanger region, a few hours east of Bergen, West Norway.  Known as the 'fruit basket' of Norway, the area boasts over 600,000 fruit trees which run in great lines from the lower slopes of the mountain plains with their crashing waterfalls and coniferous forests to the gentle, shimmering shores of the Søfjord below. The region inspired Skandinavisk's best-selling Fjord collection which is infused with  "joyous notes of woods and ripening orchards, wild berries, blackcurrants and raspberry flowers" and we were back to see if other fragrances might be born out of the area. I hope these pictures might also inspire you to 'check-in and breathe out' at Hotel Ullensvang and treasure a few days looking out over the blossoming fruit trees, Hardangervidda mountain plain and the magnificent Folgefonna glacier - it's a sight to behold.

"Fjordland is one of nature's greatest spectacles, a place where the mountains, the forests, the water, and the flora all come together, so as a source of inspiration it is hard to match." 

Shaun Russell. 

"We want to create the most authentic fragrance interpretations of the Nordic region. Only by visiting and experiencing it for oneself, can we recreate these natural moments." 
Shaun Russell.

Imagine getting married here?! Parts of Ullensvang Church date back to between 1250-1300! 

Our original Fjord fragrance was inspired by fjordland and the little-known fact that Hardanger is the 'fruit basket' of Norway, but there is always more than one way to interpret a region, so we want to explore further and see what else we could find."

Shaun Russell

We borrowed a wooden rowing boat from the hotel and took to the water. it got pretty hot out there - luckily there was a cool beer waiting at the hotel! I thought it was fascinating just how much the orchards looked like vineyards! 

In case you're feeling inspired to take in the wonderful scenery of the Hardanger region first hand, here are some tips I picked up along the way:

A Guide To Visiting The Hardanger Fruit Trail

When to go:
This part of the world is spectacular all year round but if you'd like to experience the fruit trails in blossom aim to be there around the last two weeks of May (this might vary).

How to get there:

• Nearest airport - Bergen (149 km / 2.5 hours drive
• Public transport: Bus from Bergen to Norheimsund and boat 'Teisten' to Lofthus (summer season only). Or Train from Bergen to Voss and then bus to Lofthus.

Where to stay:
Hotel Ullensvang

Things to do:

• Hike iconic trails such as the fruit trail, Queen's Trail and famous Trolltunga
• Take a cruise on the Hardangerfjord or borrow a rowing boat from the hotel
• Visit the 13th century Monk's steps
• Quench your thirst at a local cider farm
• Walk to the Voringfossen waterfall
• Freshen up with a morning dip in the fjord
• Go summer skiing on the Folgefonna Glacier

What to wear: 
- The temperature can fluctuate between baking hot and freezing cold within minutes, so layering is key! In spring / summer I would advise on taking jeans (or other hiking trousers), t-shirts, sweaters, hiking boots / trainers, shorts, sun hat, sunglasses, warm hat, fleece and a rain jacket.

Not ready to pack your bags just yet, but still inspired? You can pick up lush items from the Fjord Collection online.

Who knows? Perhaps there's a new fragrance just around the corner too. "We are already developing several ideas directly inspired by the visit while the memory is still fresh," Shaun tells me.

Watch this space!

I hope you enjoyed this Scandi-land travel post - a bit of a first on My Scandinavian Home! I'm curious to know if you think it would be interesting to see more posts like this in the future? As always, I'd love to hear your tips on places you've visited in Scandinavia and would love to recommend to others!

Niki

*This trip was paid for by Skandinavisk, all words and pictures are my own. 

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