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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Maja's Cosy Swedish Home All Decked out for Christmas!

Tjoohooo! I hope you had a cosy weekend! It's been snowy here - and so cold, even the sea has iced over. but I do love a winter wonderland, here in the South we have to make the most of it as we never know when it all might be washed away! Today, I'm stopping by to share a final home tour for 2022 - and it's such a pretty one! 

You'll recognise Maja Olausson's house from a previous post. A former mission house with a charming interior, it's hard to forget! I especially love her home at Christmas when it's all decked out with stars, orange garlands, candles in moss and Christmas trees from a sustainably controlled forest. Oh, and keep a look out for her home made wrapping paper and gift tags as well as her festive table scape - some really lovely ideas here!  So kompis, wrap yourself in a blanket, pour yourself an extra strength coffee (Swedish style!) and enjoy the tour! 

Really lovely! 

Are there any details / ideas that stood out to you in particular? 

I'm impressed by all the details. I have to confess, since we're going to see my family in London at some point during the holidays I haven't done a huge amount at home - but we do have a lovely tree and a few decorations dotted about - as well of course, stars and candles in the window! You can read more about the Brantmark Christmas traditions from Per's perspective here! 

Have you put up a lot of decorations this year (if you celebrate)? 

For more inspiration today, you might like to check out the Christmas and Christmas decoration archives as well as some of these cosy home tours: 

Hannah's cosy Finnish home in the snow

Inspiring Christmas touches in a beautiful Swedish home

A bright Copenhagen home full of festive cheer

6 simple decorating ideas from Anna's swedish home

Kram!

Niki

Photography Maja Olausson, shared with kind permission 

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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: 

Enjoy a stay at a former schoolhouse by a lake

A rustic cottage on the island of Gotland

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: 

20 things to do in Malmö in wintertime

4 day tour to Helsingborg, Helsingør and Kullaberg

10 islands to visit on Sweden's west coast

A guide to Swedish island hopping in the Baltic

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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Elsa's Inspiring Summer Cottage on the Swedish Island of Gotland

Following the Danish cabin I featured the other day, I took your feedback on continuing with the Scandinavian summer cottages this autumn as a green light! 

There are some people whose style just resonates with you immediately - and for me, one of those people is Elsa Billgren. The Swedish TV presenter, fashion and interior stylist and author of the book The Key to the Home: decor, friends, and the food we share, co-produced with Sofia Wood, Elsa and her family 

divides her time between Stockholm (take a tour of her lovely apartment) and the incredible Baltic island of Gotland. 

And I'm excited to share a peek inside the living room, bedroom and bathroom of the latter today. Rustic, calm and pared down, the family cottage in Ljugarn is a wash with subtle off-white tones, surfaces rich in patina and one-off pieces, making it a perfect place to unwind and recharge surrounded by the rugged nature of Gotland. Step this way! 

Pendant 'Liv' light by Klong, sofa from meli meli, rug: Cappelin Dimyr

Elsa found the wall mounted sculpture at a Salvation Army store. The fruit sculpture is from Ala Gård, Gotland. 

Source a similar kinetic mobile here*, mantis wall lamp, white linen curtains*

The island of Gotland and Fårö is absolutely amazing! It's one of my favourite Swedish islands, and we've sailed to quite a few. See my Baltic island hopping guide here! 

And just how lovely are these rooms in Elsa's cottage? See more from snapshots from her city and island life here. 

I've shared many more homes from the island in the past - mostly with a rustic touch, all beautiful. Here's a small selection to get you started: 

A converted schoolhouse on the Swedish island of Gotland

A 19th century house, ready for summer

A rustic summer cottage on the island of Gotland'

Have you been to Gotland? If not, it's definitely one to add to your travel bucket list! 

See you Friday friends! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Elsa Billgren, shared with kind permission. 

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