Amanda's Charming Vintage-Inspired Swedish Country Home

Tjena! Today we're heading to the Swedish countryside to dream of a simple life. One which involves a beautiful country home, a separate ceramics workshop and even an antique and homeware shop with a cafe selling delicious cinnamon buns and fresh coffee. 

Välkommen to the home of Amanda Forster who lives in the countryside near Jönköping with her family and their delightful dog. Amanda shares her passion for decorating, flea market finds and ceramics while surrounded by sheep, hens and a beautiful garden on her instagram feed @ladanskuriosa. What vintage finds Amanda doesn't choose to keep for her own home, she sells in her beautiful boutique Ladans Kuriosa (the curiosity barn) - somewhere I am now very keen to visit the next time I pass by. 

I hope you enjoy the tour of this charming home which is filled with beautiful items, cosy layers of textiles and pretty wallpaper. maybe it will have you dreaming of a new life in the Swedish countryside! 

So beautiful! And so cosy in Autumn too with the fireplaces, blankets and sheepskins. 

Could you imagine cosying up here this weekend? 

It was hard to find pictures of Amanda's pottery studio - but there's a lovely film clip here. And you can find plenty more pictures of her home and store here. 

Check out more country homes this weekend in the archive (if this crops up first, just scroll past). I was so happy to read how much you all fell in love with Frida's home on Monday. Take a peek here if you missed it. 

Have a wonderful weekend all, thank you so much for stopping by. 

Niki

Photography courtesy of @ladanskuriosa, shared with kind permission. 

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A Charmingly Restored Swedish Country Home

As we near the end of September, there's an Autumn crispness to the air and woolly jumpers are just around the corner. In her lovely Swedish country home, Frida Sömskar has welcomed the season with DIY touches - including an apple garland here and a pumpkin display there, giving her home a warm and cosy touch. 

But that's not the only reason I have fallen in love with her home. When Frida and her family first discovered it, they were told to knock it down and start afresh, but instead they decided to work with the beautiful old bones it had and give the wreck a new lease of life - doing pretty much everything by hand. 

Today, remnants of its past life can be seen in almost every room and blend with newer touches in a traditional style . Pretty wallpapers, wainscoting, shelving units, vintage furniture and lovely textiles have been all part of the mix that help to create a relaxed vibe. Oh, and even the playhouse has been given a charming a make-over!

Välkommen to Frida's world. 

Charming in every way!

There were so many details to fall in love with, but I think what really captured my attention was the apple wreath - I might have to make one of those for my door this weekend. I wonder how long it will last? 

If you'd like to see the before and after pictures of this house - and read about some of the DIY projects, check out Frida's instagram @fridasomskar, it's so inspiring! 

I am really late writing this today as I have just been at a wonderful lunch at Malin Persson's house in collaboration with Florea, a delightful Swedish company selling seeds and bulbs. Malin's sister Linda made us all an Autumn-themed 'courgette risotto' served in a pumpkin. If you're curious to see more, take a look at my instagram stories today. 

It wouldn't be MSH if I didn't leave you with a few more lovely country homes to look at today! Why not take a peek inside: 

A traditional Skånelänge farmhouse

An idyllic cottage in the Swedish countryside

A pretty Swedish cottage in a forest

Have a fantastic start to the week friends! 

Niki

Photography: Frida Sömskar, shared with kind permission

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A Charming Swedish Farmhouse in the Southern Sweden Countryside

I try to show a variation of properties from Scandinavia, so you get a true representation of the region. And today, I was keen to share a traditional 'skånegård'. The farms are found in the southern Swedish county of Scania, where I live and are instantly recognised by their quadrangle shape. 

While there are some exceptions (like beautiful Kullaberg), Scania is incredibly flat and its fertile lands are ideal for farming. But flat land also means there is nothing to prevent the wind from whistling across the fields - and while a light breeze on a summer's day might feel welcomed, bone chillingly cold wind in winter is not. A central courtyard, which is protected on all sides is therefore a perfect solution! 

While in the olden days many of the wings were used as barns - these days, some owners have chosen to convert them to extra dwellings - even with completely standalone facilities so each family has a private living space. I captured a beautiful one for my book Relaxed Rustic (previously named Modern Pastoral) and today I stumbled across this one in Ystad. 

I can tell by the clean surfaces of the interior. that it's been pared-back to sell, but you can still get an ideal of the simple country style. Would you like to take a peek?

Oh, how I'd love to have a property like this to make my own and fill with treasures, how about you? I've never lived in the countryside so I'm not sure if I'd like to live so remote. But it doesn't stop me dreaming.

If you're quick, you can see more pictures of this property here - you'll see that the other wings consist of a dwelling with a completely different style as well as a workshop. Some I've seen also have a party barn!

Would you like to see a couple of other Skånegårds today? Here are some beautiful ones: 

A traditional skånegård in the southern Swedish countryside 

A charming rustic farmhouse in Scania

Right, I think that's it for the week! We have suddenly got a new wave of great weather here in Malmö, and my Mother, sister and nieces are over from London so we're looking forward to making the most of the sunshine. Can't wait! I hope you have a great couple of days lined up too?

Thank you so much for stopping by this little corner of the web, see you Monday! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Bjurfors with thanks.

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Alva's Warm and Inviting Swedish Country Home and Farm Shop

Alva Herdevall is a Swedish author (Heirloom Skills: a complete guide to modern homesteading - which has been hugely popular in Swedish, is now available to pre-order in English) as well as a self-confessed plant lover, homesteader & permaculture designer". Once a city girl (Alva also lived in Malmö for many years), the writer moved to Krusenbergs farm in Uppsala where she and her partner Anders Rydell have created a country life with their small children and four legged friend. 

Days are spent 'odling' (toiling the soil and growing flowers, fruit and vegetables) - the results of which include a beautiful array of sunflowers, sweet peas, peonies, dahlia and other blooms as well as great gluts homegrown tomatoes, courgettes, beans and squash. Whatever the family have left over is preserved for the winter or sold through their honesty store and 'pick your own' farm. Fresh eggs and honey are also available to buy. 

Inside, evidence of the recent harvest can be seen overflowing in the kitchen and as a centre piece on the dining table and brightening up windowsills throughout the home. Here's a peek into Alva's beautiful world in the Swedish countryside. 

In September the forests and fields are ripe with edible delicacies. Swedes love to pickle and preserve whatever they have leftover and savour pickled cucumber, beetroot and other preserves on sandwiches or as a side dish throughout winter. Alva has a larder full of homemade jars - many of which she lists in her book. 

Do you preserve fruit and vegetables too? If so, I'd love to hear about some of your favourites!

Alva's home is a wonderful, warm, eclectic mix of vintage and antique finds, books, plants, pattern and prints. 

Yellow kitchen cabinets and a kilim rug in reds and blues bring warmth and cosiness to the kitchen. 

Anders built the outdoor kitchen and table, now laden with homegrown produce. Flowers and other produce are also sold through their farm shop (below). 

What a lovely life!

See more pictures from Alva's home and garden over at @krusenbergsodlarna and find out more about their store, wedding floristry and workshops here. 

Does it make anyone else want to move to the countryside? There's nothing quite like a little dreaming on a Monday!

Take a tour of other Scandinavian country homes in the country home archive. 

Stor kram! 

Niki

Credits: 

1, 6, 7, 8, 11, 14, 15 @krusenbergsodlarna

4, 5 by Roland Persson for book Modern Självhushållning published by Natur & Kultur Fakta.

2, 3, 9, 10, 12, 13 Idha Lindhag 

Shared with kind permission. 

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