A Charming Rural Cottage By a Norwegian Fjord

Allow me to take you back in time today. Well, you'd be forgiven for thinking so but actually, this charming Norwegian cottage belongs to Liv Sandvik Jakobsen - a freelance journalist, who has carefully restored the property, while being careful to keep the original charm. Liv and her family live in near the village of Kviteseid, 3 hours' drive West of Oslo. The cottage has views of the fjords, which are equally spectacular in the winter as they are in the summer, and all seasons in between!

Inside, the wood panelling has been painted in soft earthy blues and greens to reflect the colours of the surroundings, and antique furniture provides cosy spots to gather around a table or keep warm by the fire. Ready for the tour? Welcome to Liv's cosy world in the Norwegian fjords! 

Liv has used piping over the stove to store 'knekkebrød' - traditional crisp bread. 

The interior is mainly made up of vintage and antique furniture, however you occasionally spot a modern touch, such as the wall lamp beside the dining area. 

Mittens and other linen are hung to dry over the wood burning stove, which is also used to boil the kettle. 

Liv is a keen knitter and has co-produced three popular knitting pattern books with knit designer Lene Holme Samsøe. I am actually learning to knit right now (thank you Farmor!) but making such slow progress. It's my dream to knit one of these beautiful Norwegian jumpers one day! Can you knit? 

Come summer, the light transforms and with it, the fjords turn a wonderful blue-green hue. Would you like to see how it looks outside in summertime? Here are a few pictures! 

How incredible! This has made me miss the Norwegian fjords so much. I really need to make a return trip some point soon. Norway is a magical country! Have you ever been? 

See more of Liv's charming cottage and life in the countryside at @livslyst. You might also like to explore these Norwegian country homes today: 

A cosy candlelit cabin deep in the Norwegian fjords

A magical Norwegian mountain cabin

A simple yet cosy cabin by a fjord

A Norwegian house by a fjord

A magical rural fjord side escape

You might also feel inspired by my trip to the Hardanger fruit trail a few years back. Read all about it here! 

Klem!

Niki

Photography courtesy of @livslyst, shared with kind permission. 

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Rune's 'Koselig' Norwegian Home at Christmas

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Hej hej! I hope you had a cosy weekend! My sister was over to visit for the weekend and we went up to the cabin for some foraging for Christmassy touches (we were even followed along the coast by a couple of curious seals). Now that I'm home in Malmö again I've been looking for inspiration on new ways to display all of nature's treasures - and Rune Aas Strandvik's instagram is full of lovely ideas fresh from Norway! 

Founder of concept store Mathilde, Rune's cosy home features lovely deep hues which make for a truly atmospheric backdrop for beautifully arranged moss, pinecones, candles and of course a wonderful Christmas tree! 

A collection of vintage chopping boards* make a lovely display in the dining area. 

Four block candles arranged in a metal bowl with moss and other treasures from the forest floor make a great advent candle display. 

Could you imagine Christmas Day right here? So hyggelig! I especially love the overhead wreath. 

This striped linen tablecloth* and napkins* are similar. 

I could pull up a chair by the fire and stay here the entire holiday, how about you? Such a pretty Christmas tree too. 

A simple basket is ideal for storing candles (source a harvest basket exactly like this here*)

A pine sapling arranged in a vase makes a simple yet festive display on the coffee table (and can be replanted after Christmas!). I also love the idea of infusing drinks with fresh pine sprigs! 

Aaaaah, so koselig (cosy) as they say in Norwegian!  

Are there any ideas that stand out to you in particular? 

Take a peek at Rune's lovely instagram for more inspiration.

And if you take a look around one other home today, make it Hilde Mork's cosy Norwegian cottage decorated for Christmas for all the feels! 

Have a great start to the week friends! 

Niki

Photography: Rune Aas Strandvik

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A Striking Monochrome Home in Bergen, Norway

I hope you had a lovely weekend? Here in Sweden, we celebrated 'Valborg' (Walpurgis), a traditional spring celebration. Across the country, bonfires were lit at dusk and choirs sang out while children toasted marshmallows. For the young, it's also a big party night, so many were nursing sore heads yesterday! Do you celebrate Walpurgis night in your country too? 

Sadly, I have no pictures of Valborg to share with you today, but I do have a striking home tour from Bergen, Norway! Looking through the pictures took me straight back to the day when everyone was going for the monochrome look, and I was happy to find the interior of this house has survived the test of time. The property belongs to Nina Kristin Kristiansen, founder of Kamelone Design Studio and a restorative yoga instructor. Decorated almost entirely in black and white with a deep green accent, Nina's punchy graphical home is full of contrast. Look closely and you'll also spot iconic design pieces such as vintage Jielde lamps*, Eames chairs and a classic Stendig calendar. Welcome to the ground floor!   

How cool! And so different from other home tours I've shown of late. 

I especially like the timeless chequered floor in the hallway and all the plants (little envious of how healthy her lemon tree is looking; I might have to write to Nina for some tips!). 

Is there anything that stood out to you? Are you a fan of the monochrome aesthetic? 

See more black and white and monochrome homes. 

Have a great start to the week! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Nina Kristin Kristiansen, shared with kind permission. 

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A Magical Rural Escape by a Norwegian Fjord

I am constantly astounded by just how magical some Scandinavian summer residences are. Not because they are luxurious - far from it. You see, Scandinavian summer houses tend to be pretty pared back affairs. The focus is on kicking back and allowing the nature to help you unwind. Slipping away for the weekend or for an entire summer, there are no flights to catch and no schedule to keep. It's a simple life which dances lazily to the tune of eat, sleep, swim repeat. This enchanting summer house on the banks of a fjord in Northwest Norway belonging to Monica (AKA @tante__monica) is a fine example of how the Scandinavians have got it exactly right! 

"The summerhouse has no electricity or water and no road. Usually we arrive by boat," Monica tells me about her family summer house. "But at this time of year we have to walk through the forest since the boat is on land due to winter storms."

So where do they get their water? 

"We retrieve water for washing from a well, and we either get our drinking water from a nearby waterfall or we bring it with us on the boat." 

And the electricity? 

""For cooking we use propane, for light we use old oil lamps and candles and for heating we use the wood burning stoves," Monica explains. "We listen to music on our phones. We love to be there and not have to think about what's on TV. Instead we sit on the veranda and watch the sun go down as the birds fly or swim by and the fish jump from the fjord."

"It's quite romantic, but of course a lot of work," Monica says. "We have no animals, so we have to cut the grass ourselves. We do this once a year in order to allow for the wild flowers and plants to grow and attract a variety of insects. Every year we look forward to seeing if any new species appear." 

"Norwegian flower meadows are now in huge decline and our goal is to make our meadows rich in species again." 

The house is beautiful with a fascinating, if not tragic history. 

"My father grew up in the house. It was built during the war in 1942-43. Sadly the older house which stood there before burnt down. It was a huge tragedy for the family. My father was only nine and had to jump out of the kitchen window and my great grandmother was helped out through the window of her bedroom."

Today, the property, which was built after the fire, has been decorated in a serene, understated way. Vintage and antique pieces pop against a white and grey backdrop, and touches of blue and green mirror the surroundings. 

"I like to use items that have always been here. If we are in need of something new, we tend to buy old furniture and accessories. They are more charming and go a lot better with the house," Monica explains. 

Plates and other items were stored in a wall mounted cabinet with a subtle blue / brown theme and a simple rag rug can be seen on the floor. 

This lovely picture - captured for a feature in Lev Landligs - a Norwegian country life magazine - shows a pair of vintage beds, which had already been painted green when Monica found them. 

What a truly magical place to spend your summers. 

I can almost feel the warmth on my skin and I'd never ever tire of the view, how about you? 

See more of Monica's beautiful summer residence over at @Tante_Monica. Monica is also a keen knitter and sells handmade Christmas stockings through her shop Tante Monica (@christmasknitting) and Norwegian jumpers together with her friend Katrine via @mokkastrikk. 

Keen to take a peek inside a few other Norwegian summer residences today? I love: 

A serene Norwegian home for the weekend

An idyllic fjord side summer retreat

The cosy and relaxed home of a Norwegian blogger

Niki

Photography: Monica Almskår Heggset & Lev Landig 

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