A Cosy Cliffside Hideaway on North Devon’s Rugged Coast

I've just arrived at our little cabin for the weekend, tapping away at my laptop, wrapped in a blanket, with candles lit and a cup of tea on the go. It’s so lovely to be here (even if it's taking a while for the place to heat up) and got me in the mood for weekend retreats. And where better to transport us today than a cosy, secluded getaway on the North Devon coast in England?

Nestled on a cliff overlooking Exmoor’s dramatic coastline and surrounded by forest, Rockton Mews is situated in a former coach house and has been beautifully renovated, all while ensuring the stone walls, roaring fire, and spectacular sea views take centre stage. I love the use of dark blue-grey, which creates contrast, adds a sense of drama, and connects the apartment to the sea beyond. It’s a perfect place to unwind and relax over a weekend—or hey, maybe even a week or two!

Ready to take a tour and dream away? 

Naturally you'd need to arrive in a racing-green Landrover Discovery (definitely the car of my dreams!). 

A windowsill in the kitchen doubles up as a spot for a cup of tea and a read. 

The open-plan room includes a kitchen, small dining area and sitting room - 

Could you imagine spending the weekend here? In my mind, I'm already pulling up in the Landrover Discovery, ready for my coastal walks and wine by the fire!

The interior has been beautifully done too - a perfect blend of modern and rustic, with a cosy twist! Is there anything that caught your eye? 

Oh, and if you're heading to England, you can actually experience this place in person as Rockton Mews is available to rent through Boutique Retreats. You can also see some before and after pictures of the renovation and words from the owner here, and follow Rockton Mews on instagram for more pics and news. 

The harbour in the last picture is so quintessentially English! It makes me look forward our trip back over the Christmas holiday.

Did you see this cosy English cottage I shared a few weeks ago? Another charming one! 

Have a great weekend - thank you for stopping by. I've loved reading all your comments and emails too! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Boutique Retreats / Rockton Mews

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Charming Seabird Cottage, on Lamb Island, Australia

For anyone who needs to hear this today: Anna Swain is selling beautiful 'Seabird' on Lamb Island just off Brisbane, Queensland Australia. 

Not familiar with Anna Swain? A glance at her instagram and you'll quickly establish that everything she touches turns to gold, in a beautiful, rustic and relaxed kind of way. And Seabird is no different. 

With panoramic views of Moreton Bay, Anna and her husband Andrew moved the property to the island by barge, before turning their hand to the decor. 

The house is filled with an eclectic mix of treasures including 120 year-old Egyptian bathroom tiles, solid timber fans and claw-foot tubs as well one-off vintage and antique pieces - all of which come with the house! Everything has been carefully handpicked to ensure life is all about kicking back and soaking up the golden light while watching boats drift by. 

While it may sound like an ideal holiday home, good transport links (it's 25 minutes by ferry to Brisbain and an inter-island ferry can whisk you to neighbouring Russell island with its shops and primary school) mean you could also turn it into your year-round dwelling! What a dream for anyone looking for a change of pace!

 Ready to take the tour? 

Be still, beating heart! So beautiful! 

Could you imagine kicking back here? If so, any potential buyers can reach out directly to Anna via her instagram (where you can also see plenty more pictures!) - just saying! 

Would you like to view more dreamy island homes today? After all, what are Monday's for, if they're not for dreaming? Take a look at: 

Riika's idyllic cabin in the Eastern Gulf of Finland

Stonecutter's farm on the Swedish island of Öland (available as a holiday let!)

Elsa's charming cottage on the island of Gotland

Here's to a relaxing start to the week! 

Kram! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of @annaswain, with thanks 

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6 Rustic Cabins For a Cosy Weekend

As we inch nearer December the temperatures are starting to dip and the North of Sweden, Norway and Finland are dusted in snow. Sadly, there's no snow here in the south yet, but the cold wind has me dreaming of snuggling up in a rustic log cabin by the fire this weekend. Do you feel the same? 

I did a little digging in the My Scandinavian Home archives to retrieve some of my favourite cabins. Some  are way out in the woods and others are deep in the Norwegian fjords or by a frozen lake in Finland. One of them (the last one) I have had the pleasure of visiting not once but twice in person! The first time was to shoot the Norwegian cabin for my book The Scandinavian Home*, and I was so mesmerised by it, I returned with my entire family that winter. If you click on the link you can take the entire fabulous tour - and see my girls in action. It was minus twenty-five degrees celsius so we were well wrapped up! 

I hope these cabins get in you in the mood for a cosy weekend and you can experience the wonderful feel of them through the pictures! 

1. Visit Lisa's cosy cabin deep in the Norwegian fjords 

2. A rustic hideaway in a former railway carriage, and boutique stay

3. A cosy Finnish cabin boy a frozen lake

4. A cosy cabin in the woods

5. Hilde's Norwegian cabin in wintertime

5. An incredible Norwegian cabin for cross country skiing

Oh, so lovely! I would be perfectly happy to spend my weekend at any of these cabins, how about you? They all look so cosy with their roaring fires, snuggly blankets and rustic backdrop! 

We are driving up to Norway after Christmas for a few days to relax and enjoy the snowy landscape - maybe do a little skiing if it's not too cold. Having seen these pictures, I can't wait! In the meantime though, I'll imagine I'm in one of these lovely places! 

Have a cosy weekend all! 

Niki

Credits: 1. Gunn Kristin Monsen 2. Settle 3. Krista Keltanen 4. Alice Saunders 5. Hilde Mork 5. James Gardener for CICO Books. 

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A Swede's Lovely Vintage-Inspired Home in the South of France

On Monday we took a peek inside the home of a Norwegian living in Portugal, today I thought I'd continue the 'scandi abroad' theme! 

Kristin Lagerqvist and her family divide their time between Varberg and Languedoc-Roussillon, South of France. You might recognise this already as I recently featured Kristin's French home. However, they have now moved to an even more beautiful home (if that was possible!). 

The story goes that Kristin was tasked with finding an Airbnb for one of her clients and stumbled across this townhouse. She instantly fell in love with it - telling her husband "if it ever comes on the market, we need to buy it". Sure enough, some time later, the property became available - and true to her word, they exchanged one week later. 

Remnants of the houses former life as a vineyard farmhouse are still evident from the barrels in the basement and the decorative floor tiles remain intact. Kristin and her husband have been careful to preserve the integrity of the house while making their own personal mark using vintage finds from nearby markets. Ready to take the tour? 

Bienvenue chez Lagerqvist! 

Kristin used what she could from the existing kitchen while giving it a lift with an IKEA worktop and units. 

The pair built this magnificent wall-mounted plate rack by hand before painting it in Kristin's signature blue. Get the know-how here. 

Perhaps my favourite room in the house - the sitting room is flooded with light from two directions and filled with lovely local finds. 

An accent wall with bare plaster adds a relaxed touch to the space. 

The house came with an orangery just off the kitchen - which will serve both as a sunroom and also a garden for herbs etc. 

Be still my beating heart! What a find! I can see why Kristin snapped it up, can you? 

Many swedes dream of having a winter home somewhere warmer and lighter in the winter - personally, I'd be happy to escape the cold and dark months of January, February and March and often mulling of where I'd rather be! Perhaps Mallorca? Or after seeing this, South of France could also be on the cards. Do you have a time of year in your country you'd be happy to escape from? 

You can see more pictures of Kristin's homes in Varberg (once featured on My Scandinavian Home here) and France over at @kricklin. 

Kristin also runs an online shop as well as workshops and is a real dab hand at gardening (I bought a copy of her book Livskraft Från Trädgård och Hav last Autumn and it's full of lovely ideas). 

Right folks, I'd better get going - I'm meeting my Australian friend to go and watch England V Australia in the women's world cup football (they're showing it on outdoor screens here in Malmö!). I've loved watching this world cup - have you been following too? 

Niki

Photographs: Kristin Lagerqvist, shared with kind permission.

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