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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A Fairytale Swedish Cottage in a Forest

If anyone asked me what I perceived as quintessentially Swedish, I'd show them this cottage! It's like something straight out of an Astrid Lindgren tale! 

Tucked away in a clearing in a forest 1 hour North of Stockholm, the two-hundred-year-old red, white and yellow cottage is in a romantic world of its own. Life is simple - yet all basics needs are met with a fully functioning kitchen, cosy sitting room and a bedroom tucked under the roof.  There's also a simple dry loo in the outhouse - along with a bedroom for guests. 

For those of you who like a few home comforts - fear not, there is also warm shower (I haven't shown it here, but I promise there is one!). This was probably a relatively new addition. My mother-in-law tells me that at our little Swedish cottage there never used to be a shower and her family used the sea to bathe - and I see there's a lake nearby to this property! 

Either way, this looks like the perfect place to njuta! 

Would you like to take a look around? Follow me! 

The same green-beige tone has been used throughout the cottage, giving it a coherent feel. 

The furniture is strictly vintage / antique, adding to the relaxed feeling and charm of the space. 

Pretty Swedish porcelain containers for sugar, flour and other ingredients are displayed on a shelf.  There are lots of beautiful one-off antique Swedish spice sets available on Etsy like this. 

An old chest doubles up as a coffee table and simple lace curtains add a decorative touch to the cottage windows. 

Dahlia have become hugely popular in Sweden. I understand they are a bit of a faff to produce, but anyone who took the effort to nurture their own are reaping the rewards this September. Such beautiful flowers! Do you grow dahlia? 

The bedroom is accessed via a ladder. 

The outhouse contains a second bedroom, shower and compost loo. 

Loving the shoes! 

Did I mention this cottage is for sale? Someone's Swedish dream is about to begin. Could it be you? 

Here is the floor plan so that you can get a better understanding of the layout: 

Main cottage: 

Kök: kitchen, Allrum: all purpose room, Rum - 'room' (here referrring to the sitting room). Altan: terrace.

Outhouse: 

Sovrum: bedroom. Dusch: shower. Förråd / Verkstad: storage / toolshed. Dass: toilet. 

I love this little property. I actually checked how far this is from our home to see if it might be feasible, but alas it's 7 hours' drive away. 

I hope one of you snaps it up so that I can invite myself round for a cup of tea in the autumn sunshine - it's the perfect place to 'njuta av livet' (see yesterday's post!). Keep me posted! 

Find out more about it over at Historiska Hem. 

Would you like to see other homes like this? I love: 

A cosy Swedish cottage in the snow

A photographer's charming Swedish cottage in the woods

A romantic Swedish cottage in summertime

Did you see my exciting announcement yesterday? Hop over to this post to find out more. Thank you so much for all your lovely comments and words of encouragement, I feel so humbled. It's always nerve-racking to release a new book so your kind words of support really mean a lot. 

Glad Lillördag (little saturday!),

Niki

Photography: Lund

Styling: Copparstad Interior

For: Historiska Hem

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10 Scandinavian Summer Cottages with a Little Extra Alfresco

The Scandinavian summer is all about making the most of the great outdoors, especially after the long, dark winter! Summer cottages are therefore designed to capitalise on the outdoor space. Alfresco living room areas, kitchens and bathrooms are a popular choice, while others might have anything from an outdoor pool to a more simple bathtub! For chillier days there's a sauna, and for everyday there's the lake, fjord or sea for morning, afternoon and evening dips! I hope you'll feel inspired by these ten wonderful Scandinavian summer homes. 

1. A dreamy Danish cottage with a simple outdoor bathroom

2. An idyllic Swedish cottage with an outdoor kitchen and bathroom

3. A Swedish pool villa with aw wonderful outdoor seating area

4. Before and after: A rundown house becomes a dream Danish summer home with an outdoor bath

5. This danish cabin has a lovely outdoor kitchen and living room

6. This idyllic swedish island hideaway has a wonderful outdoor shower! 

7. A charming Norwegian cabin with a relaxed outdoor living room and fjord side views 

8. A Danish hideaway which is close to nature inside and out. 

9. A pared down Finnish cabin with a cosy sauna

10. A Swedish country home with a floating sauna / tiny cottage! 

So many wonderful ideas here. Could you imagine incorporating some of these into your home / outdoor space? 

To be honest, the weather has been decidedly bad this summer so I think I'd opt for a sauna right now! Anna's floating one is really fabulous, don't you think?

With the holidays in full swing, I'm taking a couple of weeks off to be with my family. I hope you have a relaxing fortnight and the sun shines for you! 

See you on Wednesday 9th August! 

Niki

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A Dreamy Rustic Cottage in a Hidden Corner of Tasmania

I always try to stick to scandinavian homes here on the blog, but every now and again I go off-piste in a spectacular way! Like today. Those of you who know me well, will confirm my lifelong dream of visiting Tasmania, and I'm sure I'm not alone. Despite being on the opposite of the world and no doubt a very different climate, there are a few similarities with the Nordics (at least from what I have seen!). Firstly, Tasmania appears to be characterised by incredible, wild untouched nature. And secondly, this nature often inspires the decor in a beautiful way. 

I feel so drawn to the relaxed vibe of the cabins and cottages I so often discover on Airbnb! And this charming little rustic cottage is no different! Beautifully captured by Lean Timms who tells me 'it's such a special space, you'd love it' (I have no doubt!), the 160 year old cottage is hidden away in a secret, secluded corner of Tasmania, inviting guests to 'slow down, unplug and reconnect.' 

Owner Christine Hansen - founder of The Patina Factory,  recently returned from an eight year Hiatus in Sweden and has loving restored the one-bedroom cottage using only locally-sourced natural materials which compliment the antique timber frame. The result is a charming and relaxed cottage in which to kick back, unbind and enjoy the peaceful surroundings. 

Ready to take a look? 

"Living in Sweden, I really came to understand some fundamental things about what makes a building beautiful" - Christine Hansen. 

I'm already on that daybed looking out over the Mersey river, how about you? 

The style reminds me a of a farmhouse high up on a hill in Vermont that I captured for my first book Relaxed Rustic (formerly known as Modern Pastoral). Which also took my breath away! 

See more pictures of this luxury rustic cottage in Tasmania on Airbnb here and follow Christine for more over at @twissstreet. 

Have you been to Tasmania? Or perhaps you're lucky enough to call it home? If so, please do share your experiences in the comment section below! Did anything stand out to you? 

Here are a few other dreamy Tasmanian properties I've featured in the past: 

Captain's Cottage - a bolthole in Hobart

A wabi-sabi getaway in the Bay of Fires

A relaxed artist's cabin by the sea

Whale song shack 

Have a great start to the week friends! 

Niki

Photography by the talented Lean Timms, shared with kind permission. 

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