Imagining a Weekend At Lovely Millington's house, Tasmania

Happy Friday! As you know, I try to stick to my Scandi theme here on the blog. But every now and again I go rogue and show a far away place - albeit with a touch of Nordic style. Today is one of those days. 

Photographer Abbie Melle had the pleasure of capturing Millingtons House for it's owners - and found it so peaceful. She particularly favoured the spot in the window which is 'perfect for some reading with a hot tea'. Perhaps this is why this lovely getaway appealed to me so much today - it's been one very hectic week and if I lived nearer, I'd book it for the weekend in a heartbeat! 

Located near the beach in Tasmania, the house dates back to 1925 and has recently gone through a big renovation. Today, the tones are inspired by the surrounding nature, and the decor is very much about finding a place to plonk yourself down and get comfy!

Keep a look out for the checked ceiling and lovely window seat and imagine crawling under the covers for a cosy read! The countdown to the weekend starts.... NOW! 

Sign me up.

Could you use a weekend here too? 

One of these days, I'm going to make it to Tasmania, and when I do, I'm going to spend months hopping between all the lovely holiday lets I've featured from the island. Maybe I'll even change the name of the blog to 'My Scandinavian and Tasmanian Home'. What do you think? 

Have you ever visited? 

Discover more about Millingtons House. 

Tonight I'll be raising a toast to all the strong, fabulous women I know - and don't know. Happy International Women's Day. 

I hope you have a wonderful weekend. 

Niki

Photography by Abbie Melle. 

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3 Swedish Airbnbs That Bring You Close To Nature

Many people flock to Sweden in summertime. Some are looking for a city break, while many others come for the beautiful nature. It makes sense. Sweden has a population of 10 million and a land mass stretching 1572 km from North to South, which makes it easy to find a secluded spot. It's one of the things I love most about living here. 

If you're thinking of visiting, here are three very different Airbnbs which will immerse you in nature so you can switch off, relax, take a dip and generally recharge your batteries, Swedish style! 

The indoor-outdoor cabin

Live an indoor-outdoor lifestyle at this cabin in Southwest Sweden, and wake up to the sound of bird song while looking out over the fields of Halmstad. 

The forest cabin

You'll feel like you're living in a treehouse in this cabin in Gnesta. And it's just a short hop to a bathing spot too so you get the best of both worlds. Sign me up! 

The floating boathouse

This unique stay in Bengtsförs invites you to cut loose - literally, and tow your floating home wherever the mood takes you. I love the idea of  waking up to different scenery every morning! The house has a fully equipped kitchen and bathroom and sleeps four. 

All wonderful in their own way. Which would you choose? 

I have a hard time deciding, I must say, but since we have a sailing boat already - I might just be inclined to go for the forest cabin! 

Incidentally, I saw a question about screens and insects on the My Scandinavian Home facebook this week, and some of you might very well be wondering about this when you see these places! In my experience, it's quite rare to get mosquitoes and other pesky creepy crawlies south of Stockholm - although they can be a bit of a nuisance around sunset in the height of summer. That's why you'll rarely see screen doors and windows in these properties. However there can be quite a few mozzies in the North, where they are attracted by the many lakes. So, if you're visiting that part of Sweden you might need plenty of good repellent - depending on the year. 

Do you have a lot of bugs where you are? 

If you're planning a trip and would like to see more Scandinavian airbnbs, check out my holiday rental / airbnb archive - there are so many good ones in there! I have also written quite a few Scandinavian travel and city guides! 

Happy Wednesday!

Niki

PS I had promised to share a small Copenhagen home belonging to a single mother and her son, but unfortunately I've had to move the post to April. I apologise for this, but I promise it'll be worth the wait! 

Photography courtesy of Airbnb, with thanks. 

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This Fabulous Colourful Copenhagen Home is On Airbnb

Hej kompisar! Is it just me, or when planning a holiday or weekend away, the lion's share of the work is in finding the perfect place to stay? I guess it's because, if like me, your environment can add so much to your time away! 

The good news is, if you're visiting the Danish capital, I might have saved you hours (weeks... months...?) of scouring the net! Look no further than this incredible three bedroom apartment in the hip neighbourhood of Vesterbro which features sky high ceilings, beautiful period features, original wood floors and incredible light-filled rooms. 

Owned and run by host Nikolaj Paaby Normand, the abode is filled with incredible one-off pieces, art, make-you-smile colours and a riot of pattern. Needless to say, these pictures taken by Anitta Behrendt, have graced the covers and pages of some of Denmark's finest interior magazines and the airbnb is considered a firm 'guest favourite'. 

Ready to take a nosey around? Step this way! 

Have you ever seen such a colourful dining set arrangement? It works thanks to a very calm backdrop, making it a focal point of the room. 

The apartment is full of one-off pieces which adds intrigue around every corner. 

Colour, texture, and pattern come together in the sitting room, giving the space a relaxed feel. While the furniture and Svenskt Tenn pattern have mid-century appeal. Again, a calm backdrop helps to draw the eye to the centre of the room and ensures the look doesn't become too chaotic. 

A calming blue accent wall appears in the bedroom, while the vibrant quilt and cushion ties the look in with the rest of the living space. 

Oj oj oj - as they say in Sweden. It's one thing seeing an incredible space like this in a magazine, it's another knowing that you can actually stay in it as an airbnb. 

Meet you there?

More information about this Copenhagen apartment on Airbnb. 

Would you like to dream over a few other Airbnbs in Scandinavia? Hey, why not plan an entire tour of the region? Here are a few of my favourites:

A charming Danish summer cabin on North Zealand

A limestone barn on the Swedish island of Gotland

The Stonecutters Farm on the island of Öland

A cosy ski chalet in Hafjell, Norway

A quintessentially Swedish lakeside cottage

Aaaand that's it from me this week. I hope you have a fabulous weekend and the sun shines for you! 

Niki

Photography: Anitta Behrendt

Design / owner: Nikolaj Paaby Normand

Shared with kind permission

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Getaway from it all: A Light and Airy Airbnb Garden Hideway

 It's one of those days where I've got a big photoshoot, the house is a mess, one of my girls has forgotten her cross country trainers.... and I've got a zoom call in half an hour. What I really feel like doing is emigrating to Australia. In fact, this studio will do!

You might recall the a very beautiful workspace belonging to Kawa Heart Studio. Dee also runs a light and airy Airbnb - accessed by a secret path. 'A space less ordinary', the studio is located in a former glass studio in their lush garden on the fringes of old Fremantle town, Western Australia. 

Built from recycled materials and powered by solar energy, Dee Kawai Tang has worked her magic with the interior, kitting it out with classic mid-century and vintage pieces which are bathed in sunlight from the Cathedral-style windows. All in all, a perfect garden hideaway in which to retreat, create and simply relax. 

I'd fly over right away if I could!

Could you imagine staying here too? 

There's a lot more colour entering the interior world right now, but I think this studio is a perfect example of how white is always right (see what I did there?). It looks so fresh, light and airy in this studio and everything within it really pops as a result. 

More info and pics of this lovely studio on airbnb.

Check out all my other favourite homes in Australia right here. 

Right folks, dreaming over for the day... I need to hurry across town with these trainers! 

Happy Wednesday friends! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Airbnb, with thanks. 

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A Dreamy Rustic Cottage in a Hidden Corner of Tasmania

I always try to stick to scandinavian homes here on the blog, but every now and again I go off-piste in a spectacular way! Like today. Those of you who know me well, will confirm my lifelong dream of visiting Tasmania, and I'm sure I'm not alone. Despite being on the opposite of the world and no doubt a very different climate, there are a few similarities with the Nordics (at least from what I have seen!). Firstly, Tasmania appears to be characterised by incredible, wild untouched nature. And secondly, this nature often inspires the decor in a beautiful way. 

I feel so drawn to the relaxed vibe of the cabins and cottages I so often discover on Airbnb! And this charming little rustic cottage is no different! Beautifully captured by Lean Timms who tells me 'it's such a special space, you'd love it' (I have no doubt!), the 160 year old cottage is hidden away in a secret, secluded corner of Tasmania, inviting guests to 'slow down, unplug and reconnect.' 

Owner Christine Hansen - founder of The Patina Factory,  recently returned from an eight year Hiatus in Sweden and has loving restored the one-bedroom cottage using only locally-sourced natural materials which compliment the antique timber frame. The result is a charming and relaxed cottage in which to kick back, unbind and enjoy the peaceful surroundings. 

Ready to take a look? 

"Living in Sweden, I really came to understand some fundamental things about what makes a building beautiful" - Christine Hansen. 

I'm already on that daybed looking out over the Mersey river, how about you? 

The style reminds me a of a farmhouse high up on a hill in Vermont that I captured for my first book Relaxed Rustic (formerly known as Modern Pastoral). Which also took my breath away! 

See more pictures of this luxury rustic cottage in Tasmania on Airbnb here and follow Christine for more over at @twissstreet. 

Have you been to Tasmania? Or perhaps you're lucky enough to call it home? If so, please do share your experiences in the comment section below! Did anything stand out to you? 

Here are a few other dreamy Tasmanian properties I've featured in the past: 

Captain's Cottage - a bolthole in Hobart

A wabi-sabi getaway in the Bay of Fires

A relaxed artist's cabin by the sea

Whale song shack 

Have a great start to the week friends! 

Niki

Photography by the talented Lean Timms, shared with kind permission. 

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