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Holiday Rental: An Architects' Villa in Österlen, Sweden

I'm often being asked to recommend holiday homes in South Sweden. There are plenty out there, but some have that extra magical design touch! Although I haven't experienced this Architect's villa in Grevlunda, Österlen in person, from the listing it looks like somewhere I'd love to stay! Nestled among a one hundred year old apple orchard, the wooden villa is near the picturesque village of Kivik  on the Baltic coast. Inside, it's pared back and full of fab vintage pieces - as well as small reminders of the surrounding nature. Outside it has a small guesthouse, a clay boule pitch and plenty of sociable areas. But I rather like the idea of pulling up a chair under an apple tree and reading a book! Here are some snapshots! 


Could you imagine hanging out here this summer? If so, you can find the full listing here for more info! 

Oh, and if you are in the area, don't forget to sample the apple juice - the area is famous for its juicy, sweet red apples! 

Looking for other places to stay in Sweden? Here's a list of holiday homes, Airbnbs and design hotels I compiled a while back (maybe it's time for an update soon, what do you think?). I've always wanted to stay at Stedsans in the Woods too! 

Have a great start to the week! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Stugknutan

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Tiny Homes: A Dream Holiday Cabin in Latvia becomes a Reality


Originally from Latvia, Ilze Upatniece and Gunars Upatnieks have lived in Berlin for ten years. They have long harboured a dream to own a house in Latvia as a place to return to for vacations with their children.  Three years ago, their dream became a reality when they found a plot of land near Saulkrasti on the east coast of the Gulf of Riga. Read on to find out more about the build and see pictures of the fabulous holiday cabin they've created! 

What was the plot of land like before you started?
It was a forest plot which meant we had to do everything from scratch. The electricity was already connected but we had to arrange water and sewage as well as countless other things! 

What was your vision? 
Originally, we wanted to build a larger house, but soon understood that with two full-time jobs on the side of Europe and two young children, a prefab tiny home was perhaps a better idea. For inspiration, I spent half my life on Pinterest, reading different interior blogs and following numerous cabin and tiny homeowners on instagram.

Who did you work with for the prefab cabin?
We chose a small, young, local company in Latvia to help us develop the idea of having three tiny houses connected to one another via terrace. 

(The cabin as built through My Cabin in Latvia - also available in the USA).

What is the idea for having three different houses connected? 
My husband is an orchestral musician, so it was important for us to have enough space for practising his double bass. So, we decided on a 'living house', a 'sleeping house' and a 'sauna house'. Despite working with a prefab, we made a lot of personal changes including adding a triangular window, installing a second toilet and upgrading to higher quality materials.

How long did it take to build? 
Altogether it took over a year. I think evert building project has critical moments. Ours was no different. But looking back, we can say that we learned a lot, met great people along the way and are really happy with the result! 

The result is beautiful, it would look equally in place in Scandinavia, would you say there are similarities between Scandinavian and Latvian design?
In my point of view, Latvian design has developed in a very exciting direction. It has many similarities with Scandinavian design, for example, minimalist and clean shapes, and also the choice of material such as wood, glass, linen etc. At the same time, Latvian history also brings in other tones - the close existence with various eastern nations during the Soviet period, or Latvian folklore and the tradition of pagan mythology, which is relatively actively lived here. 

How big is the cabin, and can you tell us about the layout? 
Our 'living house' is about 25 m2. It has a well-equipped kitchen with all modern convinces. In the bathroom we have walk-in shower, washing machine, washing machine and a water filtration system. Furthermore, we have a living room area with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the garden and forest. There's also a sleep loft one rate kitchen. 

Our 'sleeping house' is 15 m2 and has a bed, wardrobe and guest WC with washbasin as well as a second sleep loft. 

Our Finnish sauna with a woodburning stove is about 12 m2. 

Can you tell us about the interior design and the inspiration behind it? 
We wanted to keep the design simple and functional. Most of the furniture is custom made from solid wood and was made by regional carpenters. Since we sometimes spend as much as 6 weeks at a time at the cabin and like to cook together with family and friends, a well-equipped kitchen was important. 

We used a lot of natural materials, natural colours but since we rent the cabin on Airbnb we were also keen for the furnishings to be resilient and not too expensive, so we have also bought furniture from IKEA, Jysk and H&M Home

Can you tell us more about the garden?
Since our plot is 2300 m2 and we like to do outdoor sports together, my husband said 'let's build a beach volleyball court'! So we did! We also added a basketball court and hot tub. Then the small terrace grew to 170m2 and our garden was made! We planted hedges and foliage as well as many grasses that like to grow in forested coastal areas. We also plan to grow fruit and vegetables. 

What are you most happy with? 
Although building the cabin became a bit too challenging at times, w are super happy with how everything turned out, it's our little paradise! We love the secluded beach and watching deer roaming the garden. We also love our summer evenings on the terrace, playing games together and cooking. For us, it's the opportunity to slow down from our fast-paced life in the city and enjoy moments together as a family in a conscious way. We hope that through our vacations at Cabin Jūrada, our children will also call Latvia home.

What a lovely project - and such a beautiful result too! Id' happily wile away my summer here, how about you? 

In case you're tempted, you can rent Jūrada on Airbnb here - and see more pictures at @cabin_jurada.

I was fascinated to hear about the garden as I'm starting to plan our tiny cabin surroundings soon, no easy feat! I'm now thinking we need to add a few fun things - even if it's just an outdoor table tennis! 

Looking for more inspriation? See more cabins and tiny homes in the archive. 

Happy mid week friends - half way there! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Cabin Jūrada


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Getaway From it all at a Lakeside Cottage in Sweden


A few weeks ago I featured Anna Starrén's wonderfully unique, floating cottage, built on a lake in the Swedish countryside by her husband Martin. Since then, Anna and I realised we have a good mutual friend in common (Sweden is so small sometimes!). But, more interestingly to you, I also discovered Anna runs an airbnb!

Yep, you can actually stay at her lakeside paradise in the village of Sjötofta, Västra Götaland county. The red, white and yellow guesthouse is setback from the main cottage and has it's own terrace overlooking the woods. The charming, simple interior has everything you might need for a weekend away and in the morning you can look forward to freshly laid eggs  - and a dip in the lake. Oh, and there's also a hot tub and sauna to enjoy. 

Time to clear the calendar? Here's what's in store: 


Just my kind of getaway! Could you imagine chilling here too? 

More info / booking details on Airbnb. And you can see more of Anna's lovely life over at @annastarren and find out more about her workshops, events and floristry here

Keen to discover other cottages available to rent in Sweden? Here are a couple I've featured in the past: 


Or why not book yourself into Stedsans? Another list you might find handy if you're planning a visit is my feature on 20 instagrammable places to stay in Sweden

While I'm at it, I could as well share my Swedish travel guides: 


Right, that's it from me this week. 

Trevlig helg! See you Monday! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Anna Starrén, sheered with kind permission. 

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A Light and Airy Danish Cabin by The Sea

A few weeks back I told myself it was time to wrap up the Scandinavian summer cottage posts and return to the city or year-round country homes. But you know me, I'm never one to stick to the rules - especially my own! I couldn't resist sharing this charming, simple Danish cabin with you today. The wooden structure is situated in a cosy, untouched area on the southern tip of Falster, an island in south-east Denmark. 

Zine bought the cabin in 2020 and has been busy transforming it into a simple, relaxing, light and airy place to spend weekends and holidays. As with most Scandi getaways, mix and match 'loppis' (flea market) finds, open storage and a cosy spot in the sun are the order of the day. Enjoy the tour! 

Despite being potentially a little higher maintenance with the dusting, open shelving gives kitchens a relaxed grab and go feel and also means that your porcelain and vases can be a part of the decor! 

Coffee beans and percolators - the most important items in any Scandinavian home! Remember to make it extra strength! 

Stripes and art with nautical motives are a subtle nod to the coastal location. 


Le Klint Sax - A popular Danish lamp, for good reason! 

When designing our own cabin, I was very much inspired by Danish cabins with high, wood panelled walls and ceilings and a stark black wood burning stove (ours is from Contura and looks similar to this). I love the contrast, the statement chimney but also the promise of warmth! 

I also love the parquet floor; it makes me feel really nostalgic as we had a similar one in my childhood home. Some of the pieces had become loose and I used to pick it a part and then build things with it. I don't think that gamer was particularly popular with my parents. 

Baskets are really handy at a cottage like this - and make pretty wall decor when not in use! There are so many beautiful vintage baskets available on Etsy*

I am guessing you can enjoy this cabin year-round thanks to the wood burning stove and insulation (thinking blustery walks along the beach followed by a coffee by the fire!). 

And the good news is, it's 1 hr 45 mins drive from Copenhagen and available for short term holiday lets! Danish island life, anyone? 

See more snapshots from Zine's cabin here

Would you like to explore other Danish cabins and country homes this weekend? Take a look at: 


Right guys, that's it from me. I hope you've enjoyed the tours this week of three very different properties (did you see the artist's home in Kent and Copenhagen apartment).

Have a wonderful weekend, see you Monday! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Landfolk

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