A Rustic Summer Cottage On The Swedish Island of Gotland

Thank you for sharing all your thoughts on Thursday. I've been thinking about you all and also how to approach all of this here on MSH. After some thought, I've decided to do what I (hope I) do best: provide somewhere where we can all come each day, pour a coffee, put our feet up and feel inspired - even if just for a few moments at a time. What do you think? 

With that in mind, today we're heading on a virtual trip to the Swedish island of Gotland. I paid my first visit during our Baltic sailing trip last summer (you can read / see pictures of our trip here) and I've been dreaming about it ever since. Located off the east coast of Sweden, the island offers everything you can possibly imagine: breath-taking scenery, rolling hills, great swathes of deserted sandy beaches, roads lined with banks of wildflowers, hundreds of ateliers, galleries and farm shops, you name it! It's a truly magical place! 

Tempted to add this to your 'future holidays' file? If so, this traditional limestone cottage with pretty blue window frames is waiting for you! It sleeps 8 and made up of a main house and guest house both of which have been decorated in a charming pared-down, rustic way. Oh, and it has a heated pool (after all, the Swedish summer can be highly suspect at times!). Ready for the tour? 

Beautiful!

This is EXACTLY my type of holiday home! Could you imagine staying here too?

Have you been to Gotland? If not I can highly recommend it, and when you do, this place is available to rent through Airbnb (totally one to add to your list!).

In the meantime, here is some more beautiful inspiration from the island:

A charming 19th century house on Gotland
A relaxed Swedish summer cabin by the sea
Your island retreat on the island of Gotland
A pared back Swedish summer house on Gotland
A Beautiful Gotland home in soothing shades of grey

And if you'd like to add one thing to your own home to get a taste of the island - and feel that little more cosy, it's a Gotland sheepskin throw*. I've had mine for 5 years and it's invaluable!

Think I might just go back and look through my pictures of our trip to the Blekinge archipelago and Gotland again and re live it!

Nothing like starting the week with a little dreaming, don't you think?

Niki

Photographs courtesy of Airbnb. 
*Affiliate link

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Could This Beautiful Danish House Be Your Summer Residence?

Where do Copenhagers go for their summer holiday? Not as far as you might think. Many flock to the Danish riviera and the small fishing villages dotted along the coastline of North Zealand (unless the forecast is dreadful in which case, you might just see a mass exodus to Mallorca!). I had the pleasure of visiting Tisvilde, a small coastal town several years back for my book The Scandinavian Home. The former fishing village comes alive in summertime and is a mere 50 minute drive from the Danish capital. And one lucky family will get to enjoy the vibe from this listed early 20th century house! Referred to as a 'historical gem', the estate overlooks the Kattegat Sea and comes with an annex and cottage (in other words, plenty of space for extra guests!). The only setback? It's on the market via Adam Schnack for a cool 23,500,000 DKK (approx 3.5 million USD). Let's take a peek inside!































Can't quite stretch to this figure but would still love to visit the area? How about a couple of nights at Helenekilde Badehotel? Overlooking the Kattegat Sea, this family-run hideout dates back to the late 19th century and is overseen by former ballet dancer Alexander Kølpin. Think summery rattan furniture, lovely linens and jute rugs and a view to die for. The breakfast is said to be divine too!







Could this be your home from home this summer? I've had my eye on this hotel for a while - and it's only a 1 hour 20-minute drive from Malmö - not sure what's holding me back!

Or perhaps you're thinking of snapping up the house? If so, perhaps I can stop by for a coffee and smørrebrød when I make that road trip?!

Thank you so much for the tip Frida / Trendenser!

Mind if I share a few other beautiful Danish homes today?

A dreamy Copenhagen home full of books and art
A charming Danish home on a shoestring budget
The colours in this Danish home will be hot in 2020!

Hav en god dag! 

Niki

Photography: House courtesy of Adam Scnhack / Hotel pictures courtesy of Helenekilde Badehus

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How About A Getaway At This Cosy Lakeside Cottage?!

If your Christmas holidays are anything like mine, we'll all need a holiday to recover from the holiday! And I've got my sights on The Leo Cottage on Lake Michigan, Union Pier, Michigan. It's hard to imagine that interior designer Kate Marker completely transformed the 1920s property in a matter of months - and on a budget too! In my mind, I'm already chilling on the antique furniture and clearing the cobwebs with lakeside walks. But the big question is - do you go for the master bedroom with the beautiful reclaimed clawfoot bathtub or fireside reading in the smaller, yet super cosy second bedroom? Tough call! Whichever, you decide, I'm sure you'd leave e feeling completely revived and ready for the year ahead. Enjoy the tour!  

Isn't it cosy?! 

Could you imagine relaxing here for a few days? And if so, did you decide which bedroom you'd prefer?! I think I'd plump for the one with the wood burning stove - it looks so toasty! 

The Leo Cottage is available to rent here (just saying!). 

Oh, and if I've got you in the mood for a winter getaway but Michigan is a bit of a stretch, here are a few other cosy cabins available to rent this winter: 

An airbnb hideaway in the woods (before and after!)

A cosy log cabin in a Dutch national park

A dreamy cottage to rent in south east England

Two idyllic Danish cabins to rent

The shack on Bruny island

Roll on the winter holidays! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of The Leo Cottage with thanks. 

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A Striking Swedish Cabin On The Island of Ingarö

Here in Sweden, the schools have gone back and offices up and down the country are starting to fill up (can you hear the braincells creaking back into action?!). Pelle and Simone Porseryd have no doubt recently returned to Stockholm fresh from a relaxed getaway at their summer house on the island of Ingarö in the Stockholm archipelago. Standing 54 metres above sea level, the contemporary cabin has a beautiful wooden facade and asymmetric windows overlooking the rocky landscape and water beyond. Inside, vintage Scandinavian classics and newer pieces are silhouetted against an earthy, dark backdrop. The look is understated and full of contrast, yet cosy and undeniably cool. And then there's that black sauna too. Let's take a peek! 

I could totally imagine flitting about here all summer - how about you? 

I bet the view from the sitting room window is constantly changing - and equally dramatic rain or shine. 

Seeing this cabin has made me all confused. In my dreams I had always imagined a traditional Swedish cottage but this contemporary style has thrown a spanner in the works - it's beautiful too, in another kind of way! Hmmm. 

If you're feeling inspired by this retreat, you might also like this relaxed Swedish cabin by the sea and an idyllic hide-away on the island of Dalarö. 

Kram!

Niki

Photography: Kristofer Johnsson (shared with kind permission) / Styling Alexandra Ogonowski. Featured in Residence magazine. 

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