An Idyllic Swedish Hide-away On the Island of Dalarö

When I was in Norway a few weeks back, I spotted many lovely houses with a turf roof just like this. Imagine my confusion then, when I discovered this log cabin is actually in Sweden! Yes, in a few week's time, one lucky family of three will be headed to this dreamy Norwegian-style hide-away on the island of Dalarö in the Stockholm archipelago. Tucked away between the forest and sea, the pretty, traditional exterior belies little of the Scandinavian design treasure trove that awaits within! Combine this with a bathroom under the stars, and the residence becomes a perfect oasis from which to enjoy the Scandinavian summer!

Tulip dining table*, Standard chairs* 

Vintage safari chair*

PK22 lounge chair*, Borge Mogensen 2333 sofa, Serge Mouille wall lamp*, Alvar Aalto zebra cushion cover, Adnet mirror

White linen bedding*

 Outdoor furniture from Skagerak

Wooden peg rail, Hammam towel*, linen robe*

How lovely!

Could you imagine getting away from it all over the summer here? I most certainly could! 

I love the outdoor bathroom too - such a big fan of showering under the stars! 

Other delightful Scandinavian summer cottages to dream about today: a charming summer cottage on the Danish island of Fejø, an idyllic Danish summer cottage, a romantic swedish summer cottage and a relaxed cabin in the Stockholm archipelago. 

Tempted to join us for a summer in Sweden? 

20 instagrammable places to stay in Sweden

Stedsans in the woods

Välkommen! 

It's been an early morning start for us today as Per and I are on our way to the Cinque Terra for a few days to celebrate our ten year wedding anniversary (thank you for all your suggestions!). I'm so over excited as I absolutely love Italy, it has everything: the history, the scenery, great people, delicious food, good wine, a beautiful coastline, ice cream, coffee.... ! Heaven! 

I hope you have a lovely couple of days too - see you Friday!

Niki

Photography: Jonas Ingerstedt, shared with kind permission. Found via Nordic Design with thanks

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Swedish Island Life: A Beautiful Limestone Farmhouse on Gotland

It would be weird not to dream about escaping to a pretty Swedish island on a Monday morning, wouldn't it?! And with summer around the corner (it's a whopping 25 degrees C / 77 degrees Fahrenheit in Malmö today) I can't help thinking how I'd gladly swap my house and everything in it for this rustic 18th century limestone farmhouse on the Baltic island of Gotland. And this one's for sale! Yep, I know! I mean talk about a summer paradise: sweeping lawns, a pool, old wood beams, pretty earthy tones and a guest cottage - not to mention a short cycle ride to the sea.  This place has everything I dream about in summertime and more! Välkommen in!
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Forget tiles, stones collecting from the surroundings offer perfect flooring at the foot of the oven! Contemporary touches such as a TISCA rug and classic Series 7 chairs* help to bring the space up to date.

A green wall and kitchen cabinets break away from the white and light blue in a subtle, yet pretty way! The tone on tone works due to the different surface texture. 

The relaxed summer cottage vibe is carried through to the dining room with rattan woven chairs and a rustic farmhouse table.  

Mix and matching bedside reading lamps (the standing lamp is from IKEA, source a vintage table lamp here*) adds a relaxed feel. Note how the white, green and blue theme is brought into the bedroom using bedding too.

An outhouse has been converted into a perfect little cottage for guests! 

Don't mind me... I'm just busy checking travel links to the island of Gotland.... 

Could you also imagine spending your summers here?!

Don't miss these other beautiful Gotland homes today: 

A charming 19th century house on Gotland

Your island retreat

A former lighthouse keeper's cottage

A Charming and relaxed cabin by the sea

An idyllic summer cottage and caravan! 

Have a wonderful start to the week raringar! 

Niki

This home is for sale through Bertwig.se

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Step Inside An Idyllic Swedish Country Home on A Hill

How was your weekend? We packed up and headed straight out to the Swedish countryside on Friday. I'd love to say it was relaxing, but the entire weekend was spent grafting on the kitchen renovation - I never knew such a small space could create so much work! I can barely keep my eyes open today! Has Monday come around a little too quickly for you too? If so, you might like to dream away with me about returning to the Swedish countryside by taking a peek inside this lovely torp (a small rural dwelling and agricultural unit in Scandinavia, similar to a croft). Martina Söderhielm lives with her husband Jacob and their three children high up on Billingen - the largest of thirteen mesas in Västra Götaland. Their home is made up of a pretty cluster of buildings dating back to the 1700s and surrounded by acres of rich pastures and a plucky brood of chickens. Välkommen in! 

Tripp trapp chair*, simple made-to-measure white linen blind* 

Game wall lamp, this terracotta waffle throw is similar 

My daughter has the same Apple Papple poster in her room (she tells him all her secrets). I love the plum and dark blue combination in this lovely children's room! 

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Oh, so lovely, don't you think?

It honestly makes me wonder if my family and I should move out to the Swedish countryside for good (how many times have I spoken about that over the years?!). When you look at these lovely pictures, do you feel the same? 

See more snapshots of Martina's lovely home on her instagram @livetpastorekullen. And check out other beautiful Scandinavian country homes in this archive. 

Here's to a wonderfully slow start to the week! 

Niki

Photography: Martina Söderhielm shared with kind permission 

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Two Idyllic Cottages To Rent In Denmark This Summer

It's going to reach a high of 12 degrees Celsius (53 degrees Fahrenheit) here in southern Sweden tomorrow and we're seriously excited (we've been waiting 6 months for this, I kid you not!). If you walk through Malmö tomorrow, you'll see people outside cafes in droves, with faces tilted towards the sun. With warmer weather finally on its way, my thoughts are drifting to the summer holidays and carefree days by the sea. If you haven't been to this part of the world in summertime, it's an absolute must. In case you're wondering where to stay, I stumbled across these two idyllic coastal cabins on Airbnb last week while planning my day by the Danish coast. Both are located in beautiful holiday destinations on the Danish coast and are a relatively short hop from Copenhagen!

1. Liseleje
Danes flock to Liseleje on the Danish riviera in the summer time to enjoy the authentic fishing village, al fresco dining on the quay and the long, golden stretch of sand. This charming white washed cottage sleeps 6 and is a mere 600 metres from the beach - and the interior is as pretty as can be!

2. Rørvig

About a one hour and a quarter drive from the Danish capital, this rustic log cabin is surrounded by woodland and situated near Rørvig harbour which is lined with quayside restaurants, cafes and shops. The area is also great for hikes. I'm loving the rustic vibe! Oh and it sleeps 6.  

Could you imagine spending your summer holidays at one of these lovely cottages?

I certainly could!

For more Danish summer cottage inspiration, I'm also loving these homes (although they're sadly not available to rent!):

A charming cottage on the island of Fejø
An idyllic Danish summer cottage
A Danish retreat

Wishing you a wonderful weekend friends.

Roll on the Danish summer!

Niki

Photography courtesy of Airbnb with thanks

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Island life: A Pared-Back Swedish Summer Cottage

Hej there, kompisar! I hope you had a fabulous weekend! I decided to shake things up a little this week and kicked off my Monday with a run along the beach (in case this sounds super smug, I can promise you this is the first and most likely the last time I'll manage a Monday morning run!). The sea has been on my mind a lot lately thanks to my rejuvenating trip to the Danish coast last week. Over the weekend (on instagram) I asked friends what the sea meant to them in one word and felt so moved by the answers which included 'home', 'escape', 'serenity', 'freedom', 'peace', 'tranquillity' 'restoration ''rejuvenation', and 'power' (among others). Perhaps this is how the owners would feel everyday at this delightful Swedish summer cottage? Located on the waterfront in the southern part of the Swedish island of Gotland, the pretty cottage is typically pared-back - allowing the inhabitants to lead a simple life and enjoy everything the Swedish nature has to offer.

Creature comforts such as a roaring wood burning stove and a Kong oil lamp are perfect for warming the cockles after a blustery beach walk (I could have used one of these after my dip last week!). 

Although basic, this guest room has everything you might need - reading lights, lovely blue and white bedding (this lovely linen bed set* is similar), a radio and a Gotland sheepskin rug*! 

Such a peaceful view from the end of the bed! How lovely would it be to wake up here each morning?

I've been thinking about removing the wardrobe doors in our hallway for ages (no one ever closes them anyway!) and replacing them with a simple curtain - I love the relaxed look (notPERFECTLINEN* is my go to source for made-to-measure curtains). 

Actually this reminds me a little of something else I read last week which made me chuckle: "no one is as hopeful as a Mother who leaves a pile at the bottom of the stairs in the hope that someone might take it up." Haha! Anyone else feel this?!

Could you imagine spending your summers here?!

If so, I've got news for you - it's actually for sale! Food for thought at the start of the week!

For more idyllic summer cottage inspiration today, take a peek at the summer cottage, rural retreat and log cabin archives which will have you dreaming of escape! Roll on the summer!

Have a wonderful start to the week friends!

Niki

Photography: Emma Jonsson Dysell Styling: Sofie Gidfeldt for Fantastic Frank

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