A Beautiful Swedish Country Home With Touches of Autumn

Tjena! Hur är läget? Has Autumn kicked in where you are? Here in southern Sweden the edges of the leaves are starting to turn yellow and soon we'll experience nature's fiery last dance. I love to watch the Swedes embrace the season by drawing nature indoors. Just Northwest of Stockholm, 'höst' is a step ahead and interior photographer Mari Magnusson has added vibrant colours to her charming country home. Think dahlia and chrysanthemum in shades of yellow, orange, red, purple and brown, foraged leaves, and pumpkins set against a backdrop of soothing white. This home tour is a total joy!

Absolutely beautiful! What a country dream!

It makes me want to head out to the nearest park or nature reserve to forage for the fruits of Autumn. Do you feel the same?

Wait until you see how Mari decorates her home at Christmas - I can't wait to share some pictures! 

In the meantime, if you're not already following Mari on instagram, head to @anangelinmyhome!

There's also plenty more Scandinavian-style Autumn decorating ideas to be found here:  

11 Autumn updates to steal from a hyggelig Danish home

5 Mysiga Autumn Ideas for the home - Swedish style

A Norwegian home with a cosy Autumn vibe

Time to get foraging and light those candles! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Mari Magnusson, shared with kind permission

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Historical Charm and Modern Scandi Minimalism Combine in a Danish Farmhouse

Do you have an image in your minds eye of the perfect house? I have to say, the facade of this Danish cottage comes very close to mine. Thatched roof, whitewashed stone walls and a chimney gently bellowing smoke on a cold winters day - what's not to love? The bad news: It's not for sale. The good news: it's available to rent. Yep, this charming Danish farmhouse in Søllested, southwest of Copenhagen is a new addition to the VIPP portfolio which also includes the VIPP Hotel. Nestled on the incredible Søllestedgaard estate, the former gardener's residence has been beautifully renovated in keeping with the  the time it was built in the late 18th century. Inside, the newly refurbished interior designed by Julie Cloos Mølsgaard combines historical charm with modern Scandinavian minimalism. Featuring three bedrooms and a home office, guests are invited to relax and unwind - or explore the surroundings and make use of the fishing gear to catch dinner in the nearby lake. 

What a perfect place to getaway from it all - and 'work from home' if required!

I'm dreaming about the facade and THAT thatched roof. Beautiful. 

Could you imagine staying here? More details / make a booking here. 

If you're visiting Denmark, I can also highly recommend the design hotel Villa Copenhagen - Per and I had the most wonderful stay there. 

Ha det fint! 

Niki

Photography: Anders Schønnemann courtesy of VIPP Farmhouse.

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A Beautifully restored Country Retreat in Burrawang

While I may have focused on all things Autumn on Instagram yesterday (those Scandinavian wool and alpaca blankets are a must, after all), other parts of the world are slowly emerging into spring. And James Watts - managing director of ethically run rug store Armadillo, his partner Tony and their dog teddy - will be enjoying the season to come in style. 

Located in the historic village of Burrawang (great name!), in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia, their 1930s weatherboard cottage has been lovingly restored into a cosy country retreat. For the look, James' drew on his design background and a previous career in set design - and the pair wanted to create a layered, cohesive look with a British touch. Think one-off vintage finds, heirlooms, textiles and art as well as nature-based colours inspired by the countryside and sea. 

Ready to take a tour of their cosy home? Step this way! 

James and Tony worked hard to restore many of the original features, and anything beyond repair was replaced with consideration to the 1930s architecture. A front porch and decking were also added.  

The cosy, light-filled dining area is comprised of a built-in bench topped with textiles from Cultiver, classic Thonet chairs and a rug from Armadillo. 

Walls painted in Porter's paint Highlands Grey add contrast and drama to the kitchen - as well as a sense of cosiness in winter. The stools are from Great Dane and rug from Armadillo. Many of the smaller pieces are vintage. 

A basket / pot from Water Tiger rests on a table picked up at Lydie Du Bray antiques. A vintage light from Emac & Lawton lighting can be seen to the right. The jute rug is from Armadillo. 

The house has two bathrooms, the first of which is kitted out with fittings from The English Tapware Company and tiles from Teranova. 

The bedroom wall has been painted in Porter's duck egg (the bespoke bathroom cabinet looks like a similar shade but is actually Porter's Arctic Bay, the table lamps are from Bragg & Co and the bed linen picked up at Society Limonta. 

What a perfect retreat. I love the blend of Australian country with British nostalgia - it really speaks to me! 

Is there anything that stands out to you about James and Tony's country home? 

I'm particularly grateful to photographer Marnie Hawson for the kind permission to feature these images. I'm constantly inspired by Marnie's work having featured many of the homes she has captured in the past including her own vintage-inspired living space in a former post-office. Marnie is a values-driven photographer working with people and brands who have a genuine commitment to the environmental and social impact of what they do. I particularly love her Prints for Wildlife - with 100% of profits going directly to independent wildlife shelters. 

Fancy taking a peek around more homes Down Under this weekend? There are plenty to feel inspired by here (if this cottage pops up first, just scroll on by - although I can understand if you'd like to look through the pictures again!). 

Right folks, that's it from me this week. I hope you have a wonderful few days and see you Monday! 

Niki

Photography: Marnie Hawson 

Styling: Olga Lewis

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A Charming Summer House in the Finnish Countryside

I'm on a roll with Finnish homes this week (still dreaming about that cabin by sea, how about you? This lovely 1960s home in the countryside belongs to Nina Möller, co-founder of Bang Interiors. In her design work, Nina strives to create spaces that centre around quality, comfort, functionality and sustainability - all factors that transcend into her own family summer house. White walls provide a backdrop for an eclectic blend of furniture which includes vintage finds, antiques, design classics and contemporary touches. The result is a relaxed home in which to kick back and relax all summer long! 

What a perfect place to switch off and unwind! I can just imagine sitting out on the terrace while the children run around on the grass under the midnight sun! 

Could you imagine wiling away your summer here too? 

For more summer house inspiration today, pull up a chair and scroll through the Summer Cottage archive - there are hundreds of beautiful spaces to look at from the past ten years! 

Happy hump day friends (I'll never get used to that term - I think it's the British in me!!). 

Niki

Photography: Krista Keltanen / Editor & stylist Jonna Kivilahti, shared with kind permission

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A Swedish Country Home That's Charming Inside and Out!

Let's go on a trip to Borås, West Sweden today and stop by at the fairy-tale home of  Evelina Lovisa Lind, her husband, two boys and cutest pups Tage and Tore. A photographer, Lovisa takes daily snaps of their home and life in Västra Götaland County while she studies gardening. The family home is a wonderful blend of antique and vintage finds set against a 'moody' backdrop of greys combined with accent walls adorned in William Morris. Evelina has drawn the surrounding landscape indoors using botanical prints, nature inspired wallpaper, climbing plants and fresh flowers from the garden. Keep a special lookout for the beautiful pendant light (I'd love one for my own home!) and the whimsical DIY idea! 

Intercepting the tour to point out the beautiful recycled Tropez pendant lamp - made from paper mâché and inspired by a floppy sunhat! The botanical prints are by Swedish artist Jonna Fransson. 

So beautiful - indoors and out!

Greenhouses are having a real moment in Sweden - popping up left, right and centre and used for everything from traditional gardening to a garden room. Are they popular where you are too? 

And now for the simple, yet pretty DIY idea: a candle wreath wrapped in dried Pearly Everlasting flowers. It's a perfect way to prolong the summer, and it'll stay in place for years!  Here's how: 

1. Pearly Everlasting is known for its excellent dried flowers. To dry them out, cut the stems before the blossoms are fully open and then hang them upside down in a dark place.  

2. Weave the dried flowers around the candle wreath as you would when making any other wreath and keep them in place with a thin wire (see this tutorial for more guidance). make sure you give the candles plenty of space to avoid a fire risk (never leave naked flames unattended). 

Lovely idea!

Is there anything that stood out to you about Evelina's house and garden?

If you'd like to see more snapshots, hop on over to her instagram @lovisalind. 

Ha en bra dag! 

Niki

Photography: Evelina Lovisa Lind shared with kind permission. 

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