Settle: A Rustic Hideaway In A Former Railway Carriage & Boutique Cabin

I have a total weakness for rustic spaces, do you? I spotted this cosy gem of a retreat over at Desire to Inspire yesterday and fell in love! 'Settle' is a retreat in Norfolk, England created by John - who owns and runs a reclamation yard, and his partner Jo - a well-known floral designer.  The incredible resort offers guests a choice to unwind in rustic railway carriages, bell tents or a boutique cabin overlooking woodland and lakes. I'm particularly in enamoured by the railway carriages and cabin which combine earthy textures and heritage materials with contemporary comfort - so, it's just to turn up, light a fire, maybe run a bath (wait till you see the outdoor one!)... and relax. 

The carriages: 

My eye is on one of the three beautifully restored retired railway carriages. Each offer two berths, a lounge area with a wood burning stove as well as a bathroom and small kitchen - although you might prefer to cook supper over the lakeside fire pit! 

The Cabin

If you'd prefer something a little more spacious, there's also the boutique cabin which looks like something out of a magazine (actually scrap that - it has been in a magazine!). Hand built by Jo and John, the fully equipped cabin has everything you might need for a relaxing retreat - a real home from home! 

The questions is, would you go for the freestanding indoor bath, or the lakeside wood-burning tub? 

Meet you there? 

In case you're keen - hop over to Settle to find out more (or simply dream!). 

Shall we indulge our shared love of rustic further today? How about these cosy gems? 

Before and after: a dated cabin becomes a Scandic-inspired Colorado retreat

A cosy candlelit cabin in the Norwegian fjords

Leanne Ford's dreamy cabin

A charming A-frame cabin on the Danish island of Orø

Have a hyggelig day friends! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Settle, via Desire to inspire - with thanks. 

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A Beautiful Rustic Home in Rural North Sweden

Do you ever romanticise about moving somewhere remote, wild and windswept? I often wonder what it might be like to live in the far North of Sweden, where the sun set marks a month of darkness, the sky lit by the beauty of the Northern lights. Maybe one day I'll make my move. For now, I'll live through others. And one of my favourite homes is that of garden designer Fanny Lindén and her family . You might recognise Fanny's beautiful, rustic home from these Christmas and Spring features. And this morning I stumbled across these images captured by Lina Östling and Mari Strenghielm (see her lovely former home on an island!) who paid Fanny a visit last year. The pictures give you a glimpse into family life and a world where the beauty is in the imperfection. Vintage and antique pieces proudly bear the hallmarks of time, and the doors are thrown open to a world where everyone is welcome - children, cats, chickens and whoever else chooses to wander in! Välkommen! 

So beautiful! 

I love the bright yellow barn door and vibrant Falu red facade, imagine how lovely it looks against the snow in wintertime! 

I can't tell you how tempted I am to live like this (maybe a gap year - as a former Londoner it would be a WAY too big step to make the move permanent off the bat, I'd need to test the waters first!). Could you imagine living somewhere rural? Or perhaps you already do? 

Other Rural Scandinavian homes to love this weekend:

Kati's rustic 19th century log house in Iitti, Finland

A magical rustic family home in rural Finland

An idyllic red and white farmhouse in the Swedish countryside

Wishing you a wonderful couple of days - see you Monday! 

Niki

Photography: Lina Östling Styling: Mari Strenghielm - shared with kind permission. 

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A Wonderful, Relaxed Family Home in The Normandy Countryside

Hello there friends! I hope you had a wonderful weekend!? We're currently up in Stockholm for my niece Ebba's 'studenten' (high school graduation). It's a beautiful day, and the water surrounding Sweden's capital city is sparkling, I'm so happy for her!  Meanwhile, in Normandy, France I'm sure the sun is also shining. Even if it's not, Stephanie, her husband and four children have the perfect shelter. I discovered their wonderful country home over at Decor8 (read the full interview here), and couldn't resist sharing a few snapshots with you here. The interior is rustic yet refined, and filled with authentic items, proudly bearing nicks and scrapes from their past life - give the home a truly relaxed vibe. Ready to take a look? Bienvenue! 

How beautiful! 

I love the simple earthy tones and the wonderful textures.

Is there anything that stood out to you? 

You can see more of Stephanie's home over on her instagram (which she updates almost daily) - and Francophiles will also be happy to hear she's recently opened up an interior shop: Steph Since 1979.  

Before I head off to join in with the graduation preparations (it's a hive of activity around here!) - here are a few other charming French homes to delight in today:

A bohemian retreat in Marseille

Old meets new in a former basket weaving workshop

A Swedish photographer and French hatmakers home

A wonderful, relaxed family home in the heart of the Beaujolais wine country

Wishing you all a wonderful start to the week!

Niki

Photography: Stephanie / via Decor8 with thanks.

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Kati's Rustic 19th Century Log House in Iitti, Finland

Good morning! How was your weekend? It was a bank holiday weekend here in Sweden and I spent part of it brushing up my Hygge knowledge in preparation for the filming I am doing with Carl Hansen & Søn in Denmark tomorrow and Wednesday (so exciting - I can't wait to share more info!). For those of you not familiar with the term, Hygge is a Danish word, used to acknowledge a feeling or a moment, alone or with friends which is cosy, charming and special, in a relaxed, humble way. It's a celebration of slow living and focusing on the simple things in life. I immediately thought of aspects of this log cabin in Iitti, Finland. The country house dates back to 1839 and Kati Pilli-Sihvola took on the task to lovingly restore it - being careful to maintain its original hyggeligt charm, while adding modern touches. Kati describes her style as 'country rustic minimalism' - and I feel the interior matches this perfectly! Ready to take the tour? Wool socks at the ready! 

Kati kept the original fireplace - previously used to bake and cook food - and added modern conveniences such as a range cooker and wood burning stove.

Look at that ceiling! Isn't it incredible? Kati has worked hard to restore it and it's a perfect reminder of the history of the building. 

Simple sheepskins, blankets and cushions are a hallmark of understated Scandinavian cosiness, while a vintage cabinet painted in dusty pink provides a perfect spot for bits and bobs. 

It's incredible to think this wall is almost 180 years old! 

In front of it, a basket is used to store extra blankets for when the temperatures plummet outside - or you simply feel like making things extra cosy! 

In the sitting room you can clearly see the wonderful old patina in the ceiling and also the old brick floor - combined with the darker walls, it's easy to imagine how hyggeligt it would feel in the evening under the glow of candlelight. 

Peeling paint on the 'spell' doors and a vintage leather chair adds to the rustic, relaxed vibe. 

What would a Finnish home be without a sauna? And I have to say, I've never seen one as incredible as this. It oozes old world style, and easy to envision generations before beating themselves with birch branches (a Finnish tradition) and feeling a sense of pure relaxation. Today, Kati and her family lovely to relax here.  

What a perfect tour with which to start the week! It certainly has me dreaming about pastoral life! 

For more lovely images of Kati's home take a look at her blog and instagram - they're full of inspiration. 

And here are some other Finnish home tours you might love today: 

Ilkka's charming rural retreat in Finland

Step inside Maiju's wonderful family home

A magical rustic farmhouse in rural Finland

Kaunis Suomi! Beautiful Finland! 

Wishing you a wonderful start to the week friends! 

Niki

Photography: Kati Pilli-Sihvola

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An Magical Rustic Family Farmhouse In Rural Finland

I hope you're having a great week! The warm weather has finally arrived in Southern Sweden so we've spending lots of time down outdoors making the most of it! The leaves have burst into life, and a drive through North Skåne countryside yesterday reminded me so much of a trip I once made to Finland. Have you ever been? I remember feeling mesmerised by the rolling hills, the wildflowers and my first sighting of a moose grazing in a meadow. It was magical! I wish I'd known about this rural home owned by Hanna and her husband Tomas and their children Frans, Hilda and Eedvin at the time of the trip, it would have been perfect for my Relaxed Rustic book (formerly known as 'Modern Pastoral').  Located in Western Finland, the rustic farmhouse is filled with beautiful vintage and antique finds against a backdrop of 17th century architecture and romantic wallpaper. When the family aren't tending to their sheep and chickens, the children are tearing through the rooms on a trike - just as Tomas' family have done for generations. In the words of the Finns: tervetuloa sisään! 

How magical! 

I love the Scandi rustic country style, do you? 

I think I'm secretly a country girl at heart! 

Hanna shares daily snapshots of life in the Finnish countryside over on her lovely instagram feed @punainen.pihlaja - well worth a follow if you're looking for some dreamy inspiration! 

Other Finnish homes to love today: 

Maiju's delightful family home in Vaasa

A tour of an idyllic Finnish summer cabin

A hideaway in the Finnish archipelago 

Have a lovely day! 

Niki

Photography: Hanna / @punainen.pihlaja - shared with kind permission

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