A Cosy Little Swedish Cottage by the Sea

I have to confess, I dread the day my children leave home. On the one hand of course, I'll be happy that they have found their path in life and will be setting off on a new adventure, on the other, I sure will miss those crazy girls. Thankfully, there are quite a few years left. But I have a plan! 

I dream of living in a little cottage by the sea with Per one day, where I can snuggle up beside a woodturning stove with a book and a cup of tea come winter. 

With its cosy small rooms, thick stone walls to buffet the cold winds in winter, exposed wood beams, walls covered in books and art and a sun dappled garden - this 107 m2 (1150 f2) 19th century cottage is just the ticket. What's more, it's just down the road from us in Limhamn, South Sweden - and a short hop from the harbour! 

The eclectic blend of furniture, shelves that bow under the weight of books and pops of blue, red, green and yellow help to add to the relaxed feel of the space. 

I spy a stacked stereo system, just like the one I had at uni! Did you have one of these too? 

A tiny hallway space in the corner of the sitting room beside the entrance is reserved for coats and shoes while a nook in the stairwell is used to store firewood. 

The area up and over doorways is ideal for book shelves - especially in a small living apace. Lights have been added to illuminate the tomes after sunset. 

Curious to see the layout? Erik Olsson shared this along with the listing: 

Translation: Entre - hallway, Vardagsrum - living room, Matrum - dining room, Kök - kitchen, Trädäck - decking. Övre plan - top floor, Sovrum - bedroom. Kamin - woodburning stove. 

How charming and cosy is this cottage? It's certainly designed for 'njutning'! Looking back through the pictures I noticed a cat tree too - of course! I'd love to have another cat one day but I fear I've put Per off for life after the very crazy, viscous feline we had years ago! 

Are you a cat person? 

And more importantly, could you imagine cosying up in a cottage like this? Or do you prefer a more minimalist living space? 

See other cosy cottages here: 

A charming swedish cottage in the heart of the city

A relaxed Danish cottage by the sea

Sanne's cosy country home with vintage and antique finds

Have a mysig (cosy) start to the week! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Erik Olsson (this property is currently for sale). 

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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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A Warm and Relaxed Swedish Cottage by the Sea

Hello friends! It's so great to be back here on the blog after my summer break! I am easing myself in slowly with this wonderful summer cottage in the picturesque fishing village of Simrishamn, south Sweden. It's a popular summer destination and this cottage, with its charming touches from the 1860s and sea views is a perfect place from this to enjoy all the town has to offer! 

I was planning on sharing a carefully whittled down selection of pictures from the listing, but the task became impossible - there is simply too much inspiration to be gleaned from each and every room. What I love most about this cottage is how the owners have veered away from a more obvious blue and white coastal theme. Instead, an ode to the summer and sea can be seen in a variety of clever ways - from the warm yellow tones, straw hats, art, scalloped edges and sea-themed lamp shades! Välkommen! 

You'll be hard pressed to spot new items in this lovely home. Chairs, tables, cabinets and mirrors have a distinct vintage and antique vibe  while other touches have a traditional touch to match the soul of the 150-year-old property. 

Rattan, bamboo and woven rugs bring in a relaxed costal touch while rag rugs (seen furthest away in the above picture) bring time-honoured tradition to the cottage, while also helping to keep drafts at bay. 

A mix of pieces help to create a relaxed atmosphere in the sitting room. 

I don't think I've ever seen so many hooks! They are highly practical in a summer cottage when storage is limited, although you'd need to pack your prettiest garments - and underwear would need to go elsewhere (I'm not sure I would want to wake up to a row of Per's boxers!). 

The yellow bedspread brings instant sunshine to the space - well needed given the rainy summer we have just had in Sweden! Any tips on where this might be from? if so, please do share in the comments section below! 

Wildlife art in the stairwell draws the surrounding nature indoors, while curtains help to create privacy for extra bunks in the landing. 

Open storage is great for short term stays. I like the way they have made the most of space under the sloped ceiling. 

How lovely! I could definitely see myself wiling away the summers here, about you? 

See more pictures and the full floor plan here. 

You might also like to take a peek inside a few other these coastal cottages:

A charming coastal cottage in Denmark

A beautiful danish ceramicists house by the sea

A striking holiday home by the sea in Iceland

Also: 

15 coastal living ideas to steal from a Danish cottage

Thank you for stopping by, I'm excited to be blogging regularly again (Mondays. Wednesdays and Fridays) from now on. If you'd like to be alerted to new posts, you might like to sign up to my mail subscription here. 

Kram! 

Niki 

Photography courtesy of Ekström & Co

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