A Warm and Relaxed Swedish Cottage by the Sea

Hello friends! It's so great to be back here on the blog after my summer break! I am easing myself in slowly with this wonderful summer cottage in the picturesque fishing village of Simrishamn, south Sweden. It's a popular summer destination and this cottage, with its charming touches from the 1860s and sea views is a perfect place from this to enjoy all the town has to offer! 

I was planning on sharing a carefully whittled down selection of pictures from the listing, but the task became impossible - there is simply too much inspiration to be gleaned from each and every room. What I love most about this cottage is how the owners have veered away from a more obvious blue and white coastal theme. Instead, an ode to the summer and sea can be seen in a variety of clever ways - from the warm yellow tones, straw hats, art, scalloped edges and sea-themed lamp shades! Välkommen! 

You'll be hard pressed to spot new items in this lovely home. Chairs, tables, cabinets and mirrors have a distinct vintage and antique vibe  while other touches have a traditional touch to match the soul of the 150-year-old property. 

Rattan, bamboo and woven rugs bring in a relaxed costal touch while rag rugs (seen furthest away in the above picture) bring time-honoured tradition to the cottage, while also helping to keep drafts at bay. 

A mix of pieces help to create a relaxed atmosphere in the sitting room. 

I don't think I've ever seen so many hooks! They are highly practical in a summer cottage when storage is limited, although you'd need to pack your prettiest garments - and underwear would need to go elsewhere (I'm not sure I would want to wake up to a row of Per's boxers!). 

The yellow bedspread brings instant sunshine to the space - well needed given the rainy summer we have just had in Sweden! Any tips on where this might be from? if so, please do share in the comments section below! 

Wildlife art in the stairwell draws the surrounding nature indoors, while curtains help to create privacy for extra bunks in the landing. 

Open storage is great for short term stays. I like the way they have made the most of space under the sloped ceiling. 

How lovely! I could definitely see myself wiling away the summers here, about you? 

See more pictures and the full floor plan here. 

You might also like to take a peek inside a few other these coastal cottages:

A charming coastal cottage in Denmark

A beautiful danish ceramicists house by the sea

A striking holiday home by the sea in Iceland

Also: 

15 coastal living ideas to steal from a Danish cottage

Thank you for stopping by, I'm excited to be blogging regularly again (Mondays. Wednesdays and Fridays) from now on. If you'd like to be alerted to new posts, you might like to sign up to my mail subscription here. 

Kram! 

Niki 

Photography courtesy of Ekström & Co

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11 Ways to Bring Nature into Your Home, Danish style!

Did you know adding touches of nature to your home has been proven to boost happiness? And it's something our Scandinavian friends do so well. 

Today I'm taking you on a tour of Tina Abild's idyllic Danish summer cottage on the Kattegat coast which is full of nature-themed touches. Here are 11 ideas to feel inspired by! 

1. Natural materials: wood, rattan, linen all helps to bring texture to a room.

2. Wildflowers: there's nothing like the wonderful scent of flowers cut from the nearby meadow or hedgerow! Forage first thing in the morning to avoid drooping. 

3. Terrarium of foraged items from the beach: display a small selection of items collected from one spot, in this case dried seaweed, driftwood and pebbles from the nearby beach have been displayed a in a glass bell jar. 

4. Art that reflects nature: collect art that is reminiscent of the surrounding environment. I this cottage, a fish serves as a reminder that the Kattegat sea is a short walk away. 

I love the old ironing board used as a side table, so clever!  

5. Dried and pressed flowers: collect your favourite blooms to dry and press and use as art the following year. 

6. Driftwood display: old, gnarled wood from the beach makes for a beautiful display in a glass jar. 

Adding baskets with handles to hooks creates space for yet more storage - for example for small items like gloves, hats and other pieces that are difficult to hang. 

7. Dried flower wreath: when it comes to a second home it's next to impossible to keep plants alive, instead get crafty with flowers and dry them in the shape of wreaths for a decorative display. 

Tina made this pretty lampshade herself - it's a great way of up cycling a vintage Le Klint sax lamp! 

8. Display books about nature: even better if the tome is about the surrounding area! 

9. Hang simple bunches of dried flowers: a simple display of thistles looks pretty hanging from a doorknob. 

10. Use botanical or floral themed textiles: carefully selected curtains, bedspreads and curtains can also serve as a way to draw the natural surroundings indoors. 

Any avid readers of My Scandinavian Home will have noticed lately just how popular these vintage glass cabinets have become - particularly of the wall-mounted variety! Adding curtains is a great way to hide more unsightly items from view! 

11. Line the windowsills: if your windows open outwards, use the sills to showcase stones, shells and wildflowers like cow parsley! 

Another simple, yet pretty idea - using beautiful vintage textiles as makeshift curtains to obscure the bathroom from view! Look how well the details show up in the light. 

Outdoor showers are a summer dream, don't you think? One day we'll build one at our cabin, but in the meantime, I'll admire Tina's shower from a far! 

So many beautiful ideas! I can't wait to take go for a walk by our cabin now so that I can have a little forage. Has Tina's idyllic summer cottage inspired you too? 

See more snapshots and follow Tina's latest projects over at @sommerhus.ved.kattegat.

Would you like to see a few more Danish summer cottages today? Here are some truly inspiring getaways: 

A Danish summer cottage oasis on the north coast of Zealand

A dreamy Danish cottage with an outdoor bathroom

A charming summer cottage on the island of Fejø

Stor kram! 

Niki

Photography: @sommerhus.ved.kattegat shared with kind permission. 

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Julie's Bright Danish Summer Cabin by the Sea

This weekend, the clocks went forward in Sweden - which always feels like a giant leap towards summertime (even if it was painful when the alarm clock went off!). In honour of the occasion, I couldn't resist sharing a dreamy Danish summer cabin with you. 

But it hasn't always been dreamy. In fact when Julie Løwenstein and her husband Simon Schack first discovered the cabin in Rørvig, it was dark, dank and had been on the market for an age. As a stylist for Bolig magasinet, Julie knows her way around a renovation and how to give homes a lift. The couple found that painting the interior white was key to creating a bright living space - and they also put in a new kitchen and bathroom.

Today, the simple, yet vibrant cabin has everything the family need to enjoy weekends and holidays away from the city. 

See the full tour and floor plan here and read more about Julie's cabin at Bolig Magasinet (in Danish). 

For more charming cabin / summer cottage inspiration, I love: 

A danish cottage oasis on Zealand

A dreamy danish cottage with an outdoor bathroom

10 idyllic Scandinavian summer cottages

Have a fab start to the week friends! 

Niki

PS This post has been edited. 

Photography: Anitta Behrendt

Styling: Julie Løwenstein - shared with kind permission

Featured in: Bolig Magasinet

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A Traditional SwedishVilla Overlooking the Stockholm Archipelago

I've been to Stockholm many times, but it was only when I visited the surrounding archipelago that I truly grasped the allure of living there. We passed thousands of cottages on the water's edge nestled among forest, while commuters, kayakers and sailors ambled along the waterway. I was straight on 'Hemnet' (Sweden's database for the property market), searching for a new family home! Alas, we're still based in the south and very settled, but a girl can dream! I mean, who wouldn't want to return to this beautiful villa in Oxön each day, one-hour drive from the city? 

The villa combines traditional Swedish style with a coastal vibe and capitalises on the light that reflects off the water - as well as the magnificent views of the Baltic Sea. 

This winter, the tiled masonry oven seen in the corner here, will no doubt roar into life. I don't know about your neck of the woods, but here in Sweden many house owners are panicking about electricity prices and looking for alternatives - wood is in high demand! 

One of my favourite types of bathroom cabinets - up cycled antique dressers! 

Can you see yourself waking up at the weekend and heading out here in your robe with a morning coffee? 

The family bathroom also makes use of an antique dresser, while twin basins help to ease the morning congestion (we could so do with this in our family bathroom, how about you?). 

How wonderful! I can just imagine returning here each day, could you? That view! 

In midwinter some of the waterways freeze over, paving the way for long distance ice-skaters - who snake their way through the islands. It's a sight to behold! 

Dream away over other Scandinavian waterside properties here:

A magical rural escape by a Norwegian fjord

An idyllic fjordside summer retreat

A Norwegian cabin by a fjord

 

Have a relaxing start to the week! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Eklund via Nordroom with thanks. 

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