A Dreamy Swedish Cottage in the West Coast Archipelagos

On May 8th I'll have lived in Sweden for twenty years. TWENTY YEARS! I often think back to the summer I met Per - which signalled the start of my Scandinavian adventure. It was a warm and sunny July and I flew over to visit a Swedish friend. We took a road trip up to the stunning West coast archipelago where we spent a week hopping between islands, picnicking on warm granite cliffs and cooling off in the waters of the Kattegat sea. 

I fell in love with Sweden (and so it seems, a Swede!) that summer, with a special place in my heart reserved for the magical islands of the west coast. Even today Per, the girls and I love to sail there and explore the cosy fishing villages and beautiful nature. One of our favourite spots is the car-free island of Gullholmen. It's located just off the island of Orust and instantly recognisable from the tight cluster of cottages and dreamy boathouses. 

Life is slow on the island, and days are spent lolling on decks, watching boats sail past, enjoying a coffee in a little cafe or walking on the quieter stretches of the island to take in the scenery. Needless to say, it's a dream. 

So, when I spotted this charming cottage on ESNY, I couldn't resist sharing it with you to give you a glimpse behind the facade and dream of summer's on this magical little island! 

As with most Swedish summer cottages, the decor is simple and pared-back, with a nod to the coastal location. A glimpse of the channel and surrounding village can be seen from the windows, ensuring the island vibe is never far from sight! 

We're seeing so many window nooks right now, don't you think? They make such a lovely addition to a kitchen - offering a relaxed spot to grab a coffee and chat to whoever is cooking / brewing the coffee! 

Traditional rag rugs (as seen in the hallway) are the floor covering of choice in a summer cottage - I love that they come in all kinds of colours! 

A sea view and a kakelugn? I can just see envision how cosy this would feel come winter, with the wind whipping at the windows! 

Could you imagine sitting here, enjoying supper while the sunsets over the water? Pass me the rosé! 

The cottage even comes with a boathouse and private jetty. That's me sold! 

How idyllic! Could you imagine spending your summers here? 

Did I mention that the address is 'Krabban' ('the crab')? Love that! 

Sadly, this cottage is a little out of reach budget-wise for Per and I - but maybe if we all chip in together with some form of crowdfunding we could divide it between us, right? Always good to dream! 

See the complete viewing here! 

Would you like to see a few more cottages from the West coast of Sweden this weekend? Check out: 

A magical little summer cottage on the island of Klåverön

A charming little Swedish summer cottage by the sea

An idyllic cottage on the island of Orust

And if you're thinking of visiting the area (it's a bucketlist place for sure!), here's my guide to 10 beautiful islands to visit.

Have a wonderful, relaxing weekend friends! See you Monday! 

Niki 

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Charming Seabird Cottage, on Lamb Island, Australia

For anyone who needs to hear this today: Anna Swain is selling beautiful 'Seabird' on Lamb Island just off Brisbane, Queensland Australia. 

Not familiar with Anna Swain? A glance at her instagram and you'll quickly establish that everything she touches turns to gold, in a beautiful, rustic and relaxed kind of way. And Seabird is no different. 

With panoramic views of Moreton Bay, Anna and her husband Andrew moved the property to the island by barge, before turning their hand to the decor. 

The house is filled with an eclectic mix of treasures including 120 year-old Egyptian bathroom tiles, solid timber fans and claw-foot tubs as well one-off vintage and antique pieces - all of which come with the house! Everything has been carefully handpicked to ensure life is all about kicking back and soaking up the golden light while watching boats drift by. 

While it may sound like an ideal holiday home, good transport links (it's 25 minutes by ferry to Brisbain and an inter-island ferry can whisk you to neighbouring Russell island with its shops and primary school) mean you could also turn it into your year-round dwelling! What a dream for anyone looking for a change of pace!

 Ready to take the tour? 

Be still, beating heart! So beautiful! 

Could you imagine kicking back here? If so, any potential buyers can reach out directly to Anna via her instagram (where you can also see plenty more pictures!) - just saying! 

Would you like to view more dreamy island homes today? After all, what are Monday's for, if they're not for dreaming? Take a look at: 

Riika's idyllic cabin in the Eastern Gulf of Finland

Stonecutter's farm on the Swedish island of Öland (available as a holiday let!)

Elsa's charming cottage on the island of Gotland

Here's to a relaxing start to the week! 

Kram! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of @annaswain, with thanks 

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An Artist's Cottage, Atelier and Gallery by the Sea in Cornwall

Usually we go to visit family in England at Easter, but this time sadly we didn't have the time. Often when we go, we pay a trip to Cornwall in the southwest, where some of my ancestors are from and my sister has a beautiful house (they rent it out too - more details here, in case you're a budding surfer or simply love beach life and coastal walks!). 

The rugged coastal nature and quality of the light has been a draw for artists since the early 19th century.  

And it must be with a very heavy heart that the landscape painter has decided to sell her home (found via Nordroom today!), atelier and gallery in nearby Padstow. You can tell that so much love has gone into the decor - with it's white washed walls, pillars and beams, arched doorways and lovely antique furniture. And the stepped garden is lovely too! A perfect coastal sanctuary in which to inspire creativity. 

The coastal vibe is accentuated with subtle details such as a pendant light made from a ships horn!

A wood burning stove in the centre of the room is made from a repurposed spun steel trawler net bobbin.  

Shells and other beach combing finds have been displayed in bell jars. Art decorates the walls in every room.

The  reclaimed doors have gothic and Georgian elements. 

Notice how treasures have been displayed in a glass cabinet built into the side of the stairs. I love this idea! 

Books shelves are laden with white tomes. Look closely and you'll see they are all labelled. I am wondering if they could be catalogues from galleries? My mum has a ton of these too. It could also be that the owner has taken time to cover the books to preserve the original jacket, before labelling them. Or a blend of the two. 

Upstairs, a subtle blue wall helps to connect the home with it's coastal location. 

An atelier on the top floor serves as a perfect place to sit and paint in quiet. 

The garden has views over the camel estuary, and this seat offers an ideal perch to sit and watch the town go about it's business along with passing gulls. I see it's already occupied! 

The front of the house is perfectly positioned to be a shop or gallery. 

What an amazing opportunity to fulfil a dream of living in Cornwall and start a gallery! More details here in case you're feeling inspired! 

My Mother would love this house - I must send her the link straight away. She used to work in the art world and wherever we go, she pops into galleries looking for paintings. Needless to say, Cornwall is one of her favourite haunts! 

If you're planning on visiting England - do try to visit the Southwest. It's full of pretty coastal villages like this one. Last summer my family and I went on a day trip to St Ives - home of the Tate and Barbara Hepworth museum and sculpture garden, which I absolutely loved! 

Would you like to see other homes by the sea today? 

A pretty white cottage by the sea

Past meets present in a captains cottage dating back to the 1760s

15 coastal living ideas to steal from a Danish home

Maria's house by the sea on Sweden's breathtaking high coast

11 ways to bring nature into your home, Danish style

And so many more in the coastal archive! 

Altogether now: 'Oh, I do like to be beside the seaside, Oh I do like to be beside the seaaaaaa!'

On a final note, I seem to have got a little out of sink with my posting days - the next post will be on Friday and after that, I'll be back to my usual Mon - Wed - Fri routine! Thank you so much for following along! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Inigo with thanks. 

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Maria's House By The Sea on Sweden's Breathtaking High Coast

This summer, my eldest daughter Liv is swimming in the Swedish nationals. She has worked so hard to qualify (mornings before school and all) so there's no way we're going to miss it, even so it's taking place in Sundsvall, some 980 kilometres (600 miles) from Malmö! And then I realised something. It's only a short hop to Sweden's Höga kusten (High Coast) in the Gulf of Bothnia - a world heritage site known for its archipelago and breathtaking scenery. Needless to say, it's somewhere I've always wanted to visit but never really had the opportunity until now! 

While researching our trip, I remembered Maria's beautiful house in the area (I have followed Maria on instagram for quite some time now!). The pictures Maria shares of her home often have me dreaming of living a life in an old house on the water's edge - particularly as magical as this one. 

A traditional red and white house, it's filled with earthy tones, wood panelling, vintage furniture, roaring fires, views over the water and plenty of star-gazing! Welcome to Villa Kusten on the Swedish High Coast. 

Down by the water's edge, Maria and her family have an outbuilding where they can enjoy long lunches, evening meals and gatherings overlooking the water. 

What a magical place to live! 

I especially love the dining area in the outbuilding - and the jetty! Imagine enjoying a midsummer's eve supper out there? 

Her house looks equally lovely in the snow too. There's no light pollution so on a clear night you can see the entire galaxy and if you're lucky, the Northern Lights! 

This has made me even more excited about my trip to the Swedish High Coast this summer. I hope I can find somewhere as wonderful as this to stay.  I'd better get planning! 

If you've been to the area, please do share your tips! I promise to take lots of pictures and share a guide afterwards. 

See more pictures of Maria's house and garden over at @villakusten. And for those of you who share the same dream as I do to live in a house by the water, here are a few other Scandinavian homes to love today: 

My day at a Danish cottage by the sea

An idyllic Finnish summer cabin on the water's edge

A magical fjord side retreat in Norway

Also: 

15 coastal living ideas to steal from a breathtaking Danish home. 

And in case you'd like to visit Sweden this summer, here are a few of my guides: 

10 beautiful islands in the Gothenburg archipelagos

Island hopping in the Swedish Baltic

Happy Wednesday!

Niki

Photography courtesy of @villakusten shared with kind permission.

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