A White Summer Cottage in Finland that Oozes the Simple Life

This morning I'm prepping for my panel discussion about 'maximalism' at Formland design fair in Denmark tomorrow. So, I thought - why not go all out with a minimalist tour on the blog today (I can't help it, it's the rebellious streak in me!). Tarja, her husband and two boys spend their summers at this lovely summer cottage in Finland - and everything about it oozes the simple life. The wood panel walls, ceilings, beams and floor are a sea of white while furniture has been kept to a fairly spartan selection of vintage pieces - all of which emit warmth and nostalgia, giving it the space a cosy touch. 

I can just imagine the family leaving the hectic city behind and heading here to switch off for the weekend / holidays. No distractions, no schedule to keep, no mess - just an easy life flitting between the calm interior and the great outdoors! 

See more of Tarja's city house and country home over at @villavalkea

What type of vibe did you get from this cottage? I'm curious to hear! 

It's been while since I featured a Finnish home, why not stay a while and take a look at a few more: 


Stor kram! 

Niki

PS I'll share a post on the 2022 trend: 'Newstalgia' or new maximalism soon! It's an exciting development I the world of interiors, with something for everyone. 

Photography: @villavalkea

Twitter FaceBook

Pin It
7

10 Idyllic Scandinavian Summer Cottages

There is nowhere I'd rather be in summertime than Scandinavia, it's a magical time which everyone embraces it with every fibre of their being. Being up at the cabin, I love to cycle around the village and take in the atmosphere. There's a certain joy in the air when everyone is leading a simple, yet joyful life with the same rhythm of sleep, swim, eat repeat (with a cool glass of rosé thrown in the evenings!). In honour of this, here is a round-up of some of my favourite Scandinavian summer cottages, I hope they will also have you dreaming of summers in Scandinavian and that you'll visit some day! 











10. Glimpses of my very own little cabin - which I'm hoping to share more of soon! 

I hope you enjoyed this tours - and  this post might have inspired you to spend a summer in Scandinavia - it's a beautiful place to be. Just make sure you're prepared for every weather! 

Was there a particular cottage that really resonated with you? I'd love to hear which one and why! 

By the way - the top image is 

Nik

Twitter FaceBook

Pin It
4

Christina's Light-Filled Danish Cabin is Available to Rent!

Do you remember Christina Krabbe's beautiful Danish home I featured earlier this year? I have just discovered that Christina and Jonas also own a dreamy summer cottage in Mols Bjerge national park with the forest, beach and a small farm shop on their doorstep. It's also near Ebeltoft, a picturesque old port and market town on the east coast of Jutland.  The cottage measures 142 m2 / 1528 f2 which means there's plenty of space for extended family and friends (although sometimes it's lovely to just to be your own little unit too, don't you think?) and in true Christina style, it's filled with light, subtle colour and secondhand finds. Oh, and did I mention it's available to rent? Let's take the tour! 

Maybe a trip to the Danish East coast is in order? I've never been to Mols Bjerge - it's now on my travel list! 

See more pictures of Christina's summer cottage and city home here. It's available to rent through Landfolk here

You can find a load more Scandinavian summer cottages in this archive

Thank you SO much for all your lovely comments on the feature about our little cabin kitchen on Friday, it really meant the world! I hope I can share more room tours from our 'smultrönställe' soon! 

Wishing you all a great start to the week! 

Niki

Twitter FaceBook

Pin It
2

Sunny July has landed, and brought with it the official holiday month of Scandinavia. Out of offices are on, the shoes are off - and our Nordic friends are preparing to relax and soak up the sunshine! This charming and laid back Danish 'Kolonihave' (allotment cottage) gives a wonderful glimpse into the chilled vibe of the Scandi summer. 

If you've been following My Scandinavian Home for a while and / or read The Scandinavian Home, you'll have noticed a distinct difference between the way Scandinavians decorate their city spaces and summer cottages. The former tend to be a more contemporary affair with clean lines and a blend of new Nordic pieces and vintage / finds. The latter on the other hand are distinctly more relaxed and lower key. 

Why is that? Summer cottage life is all about flitting between the indoors and outdoors - from the sandy shores of the sea or lake to the dewy grass in the garden and into the kitchen for a refreshing glass of elderflower squash. You might decide to plonk yourself on the sofa and curl up with a book or laze in a hammock. There might be a knock at the door and an army of children from the neighbourhood charge in. Or friends might drop by for a fika. It's simply about relaxing your way. 

And if you're worried about your interior, the hygge vibe will quickly evaporate along with the squash! This is why cottages tend to be kitted out with simple yet lovely, relaxed pieces that only get better with age! 

When Susanne Storm first bought the allotment garden house in Rødovre, Denmark fourteen years ago it was in a terrible condition - so much so that she was actually 50th on the waiting list but still got the offer to buy it! Most would have torn it down and started again, but Susanne saw its potential and after several years of renovating using second hand materials, the family love to spend their weekends and holidays in the 60 m2 (645 f2) cottage. 

The house dictated the decor, and many of the items you see are either from Susann'es grandmother's house or found at flea markets - set against a calm white backdrop. 

An outdoor shower and toilet was one of the things that Susanne added to make the cottage more comfortable to live in. 


A perfect oasis from where Susanne and her family can relax all summer long! 

Glimpse inside other Danish 'kolonihave' including: 


Have a lovely, relaxing start to the week! See you Wednesday! 

Niki

Photography: Lasse Wind, shared with kind permission. 

Twitter FaceBook

Pin It
3

A Light and Airy Danish Summer Cottage Oasis

Swedes are still recovering from a magical Midsummer weekend of sunshine, floral crowns and revelry! I had an apartment lined up to show you today, but since the mercury is set to hit 30 c (86 f) in Scandinavia today, I thought a summer cottage by the sea might be more apt! This classic black and white cabin in Tisvilde on Denmark's North Zealand coast, is owned by interior stylist and furniture manufacturer Ophilia Thalund. Ophilia has created an airy, light filled interior in soft shades of white, blue, grey and brown. The sparsely decorated space features items collected over time including flea market finds as well as pieces collected on travels - resulting in a personal oasis in which to relax on balmy summer days!

A classic 'trasmatta' rag rug* - a mat made from scraps of clothing and other leftover textiles - helps to protect the floor in the kitchen. 

In Scandinavian cabins, natural materials and simplicity rules the day! 

A simple white butterfly chair can be easily transported outside when the sun shines! 

A wood bench doubles up as a side table for coffee table books and an antique bottle has been repurposed into a cool lamp! 

Ophilia often sits at this antique desk when she's working up at the cabin. 

This rustic wood stool* is similar. 

Wood panel walls and soft grey-blue shades help to connect the cabin to its coastal location. 

Lovely! I can imagine on a day like today all the windows and doors are thrown open and everyone is flitting between the sea and the garden - occasionally popping inside to collect a drink or slice of watermelon. Just like us! 

Take a look at more dreamy Scandinavian summer cottages today. 

Speaking of summer - the school holidays are in full swing and I will be dialling down to my summer blogging schedule (posting on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays) in order to spend time with my girls - and try to keep the chaos at home at bay (cue: a trail of destruction including coils of wet towels, a rapidly diminishing pantry and a crazy number of glasses in use at any one moment - does anyone else recognise this?). Even so,  it's my absolute favourite time of the year! I hope you are able to take a little downtime and relax too. 

If you're thinking about visiting Stockholm this summer - why not stay in the beautiful archipelagos so you can combine the sea and calm surroundings with the city? Here's a 20% code off for you if you stay at hotel Vår Gårds Saltsjöbaden for three nights or more between 1st - 31st July 2022: NIKISUMMER. I loved it so much last winter I'm taking my whole family there this July! 

See you Wednesday! 

Niki

Photography: Birgitta Wolfgang Bjørnvad / The Sisters Agency shared with kind permission. 

Twitter FaceBook

Pin It
6

Subscribe To My Scandinavian Home

Subscribe to My Scandinavian Home

skovby ad


 

site by ANAAR

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website.
MORE INFO