An Idyllic Cottage in the Swedish Countryside

I might be sitting here at my laptop in the city of Malmö today, but that doesn't stop me from pretending I'm deep in the heart of the Swedish countryside. Fancy joining me? 

This quintessential Swedish estate in Katrineholm is made up of several buildings not unlike Astrid Lindgren's famous tale 'The Children of Noisy Village'. Laidback and unpretentious, the main cottage is filled with antique furniture, wildflowers and plenty of books creating a wonderful, homely space in which to read, play back gammon, tinker away on a piano or simply relax! 

On sunny days, life moves outside where everyone gets to splash around in the pool, tuck into long lunches or allow the sights and sounds of the Swedish wilderness to lull you into an afternoon nap. I'm sure it's a great area for chanterelle picking too - but the owners would never let on! 

How lovely. As someone who is currently thinking about building an outdoor cottage at our cabin, I was happy to see the simple solution of simply hanging a shower curtain (especially when the whole thing was getting more and more complicated in my mind). 

I also really like the timeless, typically Swedish white and grey interior - made cosy with extra plump sofas, sheepskins and a big fireplace! 

I'd love to hear what stood out to you. 

Could you imagine spending your summers here? If so, the property is currently for sale here. 

Now that I've got you in the mood, would you like to see a few other idyllic Swedish summer cottages today? 

Before and after: a rundown croft becomes an idyllic summer cottage

A charming swedish summer cottage in the forest

A beautiful swedish country home in a former Mission house

Oh, to spend the week in the Swedish countryside. Do you feel the same? 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Svenskfastighetsförmedling, with thanks. 

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A Charming Summer House on the Swedish Island of Gotland

Tjena! Summer in Scandinavia is still in full swing. You may have noticed from my posts lately that it's a time everyone takes super seriously - if you haven't got your out of office on, are you even Scandinavian? With this in mind, I hope you don't mind that I share one more summer cabin today. I know many of you are here to feel inspired by urban spaces too, so I promise to dig around and find something beautiful for you in the city for Wednesday. But this one, I couldn't resist! 

A barn-style property, this charming house on the summer paradise of Gotland was built in 1970 but has the appearance of a traditional Swedish house with its red walls and yellow window frames. The deck is a natural extension of the house, providing plenty of space to relax, hang out and dine in the sunshine, while a large open-plan living space ensures everyone can be together, yet still do as they wish. Large rooms like this can be difficult to furnish, but I think the owners have done a great job - carving out a spacious dining area and a cosy sitting room / TV corner in one. 

Upstairs, angled ceilings and beams create interest and an airy feel. I picked out one bedroom in particular that caught my eye thanks to the pretty botanical-themed wallpaper which draws nature indoors. 

I hope you feel inspired by the tour! 

Such a summer paradise, don't you think?  

One of the things I remember most from visiting Gotland was how wildflowers lined the roadside. Evidence of these can be found dotted around the rooms, and even the table outside! 

Do you have a garden or meadows nearby which are full of flowers that you can bring in at this time of year? I'm working on it in our summer cottage garden but it's going to take time - as a gardening rookie I had no idea how complicated it can be - but I'm enjoying the challenge! 

Is there anything that stood out to you about this lovely summer house? 

Check out more cottages on Gotland here and my guide to the island here. 

Have a great start to the week friends! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Svensk Fastighetsförmedling with thanks. 

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An Idyllic Swedish Summer Cottage in the Forest

Today, I'm continuing with my summer cottage theme to match the relaxed holiday vibe in Scandinavia right now - and the sun has come out just for the occasion! This Swedish beauty belongs to Johanna Hagbard (whose city home I featured in 2018). Johanna acquired this beautiful croft 40 kilometres (24.8 miles) from Gothenburg ten years ago. It had been derelict for many years - save for a local orienteering group who had been using it as a clubhouse due to its location in the middle of a forest. Needless to say, it needed extensive work. 

A handy couple, Johanna and her husband have slowly transformed the property into a magical year-round country escape - with a cosy interior and hand built sauna and a plunge pool. Summer days are spent outdoors looking out over the wilderness and lake in the distance and a caravan serves as an extra indoor space to hangout! 

Ready to feel inspired by the tour? Step this way! 

A magical place to spend summer, do you agree? I can imagine it's really cosy in winter too! 

You can see more snapshots from Johanna's lovely croft over at @johannahagbard. 

Would you like to see a few more pretty Swedish crofts today? 'Why not' I hear you say! Pour yourself a glass of something cool and enjoy:

A fairytale Swedish summer cottage

Jessica's idyllic Swedish croft from 1900

Before and after, a Swedish croft becomes a summer house

Oh, so pretty! 

My family and I are currently trundling up the E4 motorway on our way to Sundsvall to watch Liv swim in the Swedish nationals this week. We've been passing forest and more forest - with 5 hours of forest to go (it's a 10 hour very forest-y drive in total!). I'm excited as I've never been to Norrland before, and we've booked a little cottage on an island just outside the city. I'll share more from our adventure on my instagram stories if you'd like to follow along! 

Have a happy Wednesday!

Niki

Photographs by @johannahagbard, shared with kind permission. 

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A Charming Swedish Home in a Windmill

The Southern Sweden county of Skåne where I live is known for its flat land and steady wind - which is why you'll spot so many windmills! Although the majority are no longer in working order, some have been transformed into year-round dwellings - like this one!

Nestled in the countryside near Höganäs (see my travel guide here), this beautiful four-storey windmill is currently for sale - and when you see inside you might just be joining the queue to be the next owner! The windmill has been lovingly restored to ensure many of the original features are still intact, while the furnishings have been artfully placed around the angled walls to create a cosy home. 

Shall we take a peek inside? 

So lovely! It would be so fun to be able to invite people over and welcome them inside your very own windmill, don't you think? 

You can currently see the full tour and find out more details over at Nadjafi Kirstensen here. 

This is the perfect opportunity to take a tour of some other unusual dwellings today, don't you think? 

Check out homes inside a former....

Swedish fire station

Carpenters workshop

Bar

School

It might not be a windmill, but if you're visiting Skåne, you can stay in your very own tower just outside Malmö. 

Do you live in an unusual property? Or perhaps you dream of living in one? If so, do tell below, we'd love to hear more! 

Happy Wednesday! 

Niki

PS Per and I are celebrating our 15th wedding anniversary tomorrow - it's crazy how quickly the time has passed. I understand that it's our 'crystal' anniversary. Any ideas for a fun present (yes, left it a little late....). Our neighbour's cat is called Crystal, but I have a feeling that might not work for many reasons. 

Photography courtesy of Nadjafi Kirstensen, shared with thanks.

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