Sara’s Relaxed Country Home in Österlen, South Sweden

The summer is over in Sweden. Not weather-wise, necessarily, but the majority have returned to work and the children are back at school. On the islands along the east and west coasts, little signs have started to appear in shop, café and restaurant windows: stängt för säsongen - closed for the season. Some will shut their summer cottages up completely, while others will continue to visit at weekends, enjoying the quiet, the changing seasons and the return of deer, seals and other wildlife that dare to venture a little closer once the summer crowds have dispersed.

This is how Sara will enjoy her beautiful, relaxed summer cottage near the village of Simrishamn in southern Sweden. It lies in Österlen, a part of Skåne famous for its rolling farmland, beautiful light and long association with artists and creatives. And Sara's home feels perfectly at ease here.

Inside, there's a wonderfully relaxed, country-style feel, with whitewashed timber walls and floors, old exposed beams and simple, honest materials setting the tone. The kitchen is a lovely example, with its open shelving, mismatched ceramics, rustic wooden worktops and mix of painted and natural wood cabinetry. Elsewhere, vintage finds, botanical prints, books, plants and quirky little treasures have been gathered over time, giving the space warmth and personality.

I especially love the way flashes of colour - a yellow cabinet here, a pale blue pendant there, a sunny paper lantern overhead - lift the otherwise quiet, earthy palette. Sheepskins, worn wood, old rugs and an eclectic mix of furniture add to the sense that this is a home designed for kicking off your shoes and staying awhile rather than worrying about everything being perfect. I can just imagine an autumn weekend here: putting an LP on, lighting a few candles and settling down to a board game while something bubbles away on the stove (we have learnt that Monopoly isn't the best choice though - as things can quickly go south!). 

And beyond the windows lie views over the verdant farmland of Österlen - a reminder that although the summer season may be drawing to a close, there are still plenty of beautiful days to be enjoyed here. In fact, could this be the loveliest time of year to have a place like this?

Let's take a closer look!

Yes, to all of this. So relaxed, so down-to-earth, Sara has created the perfect place to kick back! 

If you'd like to see more of her lovely home, head on over to @husetvidsimris. 

And for more lovely houses to explore in Österlen, don't miss: 

Karen's lovely summer house in the South of Sweden.
A charming holiday home in Österlen

Holiday rental: an architect's villa in Österlen

And that folks, is it for me this week. Have a fabulous weekend, and see you early next week! 

Niki

Photography @husetvidsimris with a selection also by @vivasawsonov.

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Step Inside Ellen's Beautifully Restored 1920s Swedish Villa

Hello campers! I hope you've had a wonderful summer! We've had such a fantastic time - above all else, those long days with no plans, waking up without an alarm (worth its weight in gold!), swims in the sea and simply spending time together. Bliss! And it's so good to be back here in my favourite little corner of the internet today too!

Let's kick off with the beautiful home of Ellen Ingman. Built in 1923, Ellen has been slowly renovating the villa, restoring it little by little while adding her own modern touches to create a wonderfully warm and relaxed home for her family - cats included!

And there is so much to love. Original details such as the deep door frames, herringbone floors and generous windows have been carefully preserved, while a soft palette of buttery yellow, warm beige, muted green and powder blue brings a gentle sense of colour throughout.

I especially love how Ellen has mixed old and new: an antique workbench takes centre stage in the kitchen, vintage wooden chairs sit alongside contemporary lighting, and traditional wallpaper and joinery are balanced by relaxed linen, rattan and wonderfully tactile rugs. Nothing feels too perfect or overly styled - instead, it has that lovely, collected-over-time feel that makes a home feel truly lived in.

The kitchen might just be my favourite. Those creamy yellow cabinets, stone floor and marble worktop are beautiful in themselves, but it's the old wooden table piled with pots and pans that gives the room so much soul. And how pretty is that little dining nook with the striped pendant?

A little note: This is a shorter version of Ellen's home tour, but I've kept a few of my favourite images here. For more glimpses of her beautiful home, you can find Ellen over on Instagram.

Altogether, it's a home that feels wonderfully respectful of its 1920s roots, without ever feeling stuck in the past. Shall we take a tour?

Oh, so beautiful! I can only imagine how much work has gone into this home over the years - restoring, renovating and building, not to mention choosing the tiles, colours, wallpaper, furniture and even every last light fitting. A true labour of love, which has certainly paid off in the form of a beautiful, warm and personal family home.

Is there anything that particularly stood out to you? 

You can keep an eye on Ellen's latest renovation projects over at @galgbergsvillan.

Other Swedish villas to feel inspired by: 

Step inside a dreamy Falsterbo beach villa

A beautiful country wedding / party villa (I once had the pleasure of staying here and it was even more fabulous in real life!)

A romantic Swedish art nouveau villa

'Stor kram' from me, happy to be back! 

Niki

Photography: Ellen Ingman, shared with kind permission.

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A Light & Lovely Malmö Home to Brighten Your Day

Hej raringar!

We've relocated back to Malmö for a few days (just a little interlude before heading back to our summer cottage since Alice is off to gymnastics camp tomorrow), and with that, I felt a Malmö apartment tour was in order!

This lovely home in the relaxed Möllevången neighbourhood (if you're planning a visit, don't miss my Malmö guide, and more recently: Malmö by the sea!) immediately caught my eye for its wonderfully light, easy-going feel.

I love the soft palette of warm greys, dusty blues and gentle greens, which creates such a calm atmosphere throughout and a wonderfully cool, restful backdrop to life in the heart of the city during summertime. The bedroom is especially lovely. That muted blue wall feels cocooning without being dark (clever how they've painted the IVAR cabinets the same colour), while layers of linen and natural textures keep everything feeling relaxed and effortless.

Elsewhere, it's the little details that really make this apartment sing: a deep windowsill transformed into a cosy spot for a morning coffee and a little people-watching, original doors full of beautiful patina, simple open shelving in the kitchen and carefully chosen artwork that adds personality without making the space feel cluttered. It strikes that wonderful balance between pared-back and cosy.

There's something about these old Malmö apartments that always gets me. Perhaps it's the generous ceiling heights, the original joinery or simply the way they balance history with such an effortlessly relaxed style. 

Ready to take a look?

Very nice!

I have to say, I love the old-school look in the bathroom – it's so cool!

I'm also seriously considering painting our guest bedroom a blue like this. It's such a calm, restful shade. Maybe I'll manage it before my sister and her family come to stay in August (Per's ears are probably burning from across the room right now!). Mind you, I'll need to wait for a rainy day first!

An interior designer friend once told me that the danger with adding colour to walls is that you can grow tired of it over time. But I honestly don't think I'd ever tire of this blue. Do you have a wall colour in your home that you've loved for years? I'd love to hear what it is!

Before I head off to help my daughter pack, I thought I'd leave you with a few more Malmö home tours to enjoy:

Step inside a cosy Malmö apartment where old meets new
Tour a Malmö home filled with smart Scandinavian design ideas
An artist's home and studio in a converted Malmö warehouse

I hope you enjoyed today's Malmö tour! Thank you so much for dropping by, and for all your lovely comments and messages; they really do brighten my day. I'll be back later this week with one final post before I disappear for a couple of weeks to soak up the Swedish summer. See you then!

Niki

For sale via Bo-laget.
Photography Pernilla Wästberg

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Designer Notes: At Home with Gabriella Belin

Why hello there!

It's raining here for the first time in weeks and, to be honest, it's so welcome. The humidity is finally lifting, and it means you can actually get a few things done around the house. Even so, I hope it doesn't last too long!

In Gothenburg, I know two children who'll be happy to be staying indoors today, the three daughters of interior stylist Gabriella Belin. Their bedroom is so lovely, with its big desk, open shelving, and playful bed (all of which I would have absolutely loved as a child!).

Signs of Gabriella's talent as an interior stylist shine through in the rest of her home too, with its beautiful earthy tones, clever design solutions, effortless style, designer lighting, and a very cool ceramic shelf, as well as carefully chosen furniture sourced from antique and vintage shops. I also spotted the Gotain Sweet pea fabric in the kitchen once again, it's definitely the curtain of the moment! I'm tempted to follow suit. How about you? I hope you enjoy these lovely corners.

Happy scrolling!

Beautiful home. 

There's an ease about it that I love. Do you agree? 

In case you're wondering about any of these things: the kitchen is from Vedum, the chairs are Borge Mogensen.

And for the colours: 

Sitting room – Coconut, cabinet Olive

Kitchen – walls: Claro, beading: Lys Toscana, cabinets: Hummus

Children's room - walls: Scandinavian light, darker colour on the bed: Humble yellow, beading: turkey. 

If you don't have access to Jotun paint, you can always google search the colour codes and your nearest dealer should be able to match it. 

You can see more of Gabriella's home and work here. 

And how about a few more lovely apartment tours today? Take a peek at:

Hannes' cosy Swedsh apartment

A cosy Swedish home with earthy tones

Hanna's Swedish city home and country cottage

Thank you so much for stopping by, as always. I hope you have a wonderful weekend! 

Niki

Photography: Gabriella Belin

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A Charming Summer Cottage Outside Ystad

Has anyone else been melting this week?! This heatwave sweeping across Europe really has been something. I hope you're managing to keep cool! 

We are are actually in Mallorca for a few days, visiting my sister and celebrating our 17th wedding anniversary. Per and I were married here, in the beautiful north of the island, so it's always great to come back. But here's the funny thing... while we're enjoying the Mediterranean sunshine, it's actually going to be hotter in southern Sweden tomorrow than it is here! 

The good thing about a Swedish heatwave is that you're never far from the water. Whether it's kayaking, sailing or an evening swim, there's always a cool lake or stretch of coastline waiting.

Today's home is just outside Ystad, one of Sweden's prettiest medieval towns, on the edge of Nybrostrand and only moments from the cool blue Baltic Sea. With open fields all around, a lovely garden and a charming guest house for summer visitors, it feels like the perfect place to enjoy these long, sunny days. Shall we take a look around?

I can imagine the lack of clutter and the calm, airy feel of this home makes it wonderfully cool on a hot day. Don't you agree?

I really like the darker colour of the skirting boards, door frames and even the ceiling in places, this is something I am planning to do in our cottage too. I also love that final touch of green in the guest house, it adds a time-honoured feel. 

Was there anything that particularly caught your eye about this Ystad home?

Right friends, I'd better dash! My family are downstairs waiting to head into the square here in Pollença for a light aperitivo, and who am I to argue on a beautiful Friday evening?

Thank you so much for stopping by. I hope you have a fabulous weekend.

¡Salud! Until Monday!

Niki 

Photography courtesy of Bjurfors, with thanks.

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