Jessica's Idyllic Swedish Country Croft From 1900

In the month of July, Swedish cities can feel very deserted. Many have fled to the countryside to 'nytta av' (benefit from) the lush greenery and 24-hour sunshine for several weeks, sometimes up to six! Hey, we've waited a long time for this good weather, when it arrives we need to make the most of it! Every July, Jessica, a high school teacher and the creator behind @bynilsgarden, locks up her house in Trollhättan to enjoy the peace and quiet of her pretty country retreat 70 kilometres away. Located in Mellerud, Dalsland, just West of lake Vänern, it's a place Jessica goes year-round to watch the seasons unfold. The traditional 1900 Falun red and white structure conceals a pretty, pared back interior with a country feel. Outside, a pretty veranda provides a spot to enjoy the evening sunset. I caught up with Jessica to find out more. 

"The house was built in 1900 as a small 'Soldarttorp' (soldier's croft). The previous owners took great care of it, renovating it slowly with a passion for old houses. It's located in Dalsland, next to the mountains and a beautiful lake".

Note: a 'soldarttorp' is a croft (or cottage) on the property of a farm reserved for Swedish volunteer soldiers. The dwelling was part of the soldier's pay and included a small field, a few farm animals and other small outbuildings. 

"I use it every month of the year. It's beautiful in summer but it's also special to light a fire when it's snowing outside". 

"I renovated this house myself and live here alone. I was looking to create a warm, cosy and relaxing feel with an old country style". 

"I love the silence and the good energy. It's a place I come to rest".

What a beautiful cottage! I can certainly understand why Jessica loves to come here year-round, how about you? It looks so peaceful.  

See more of this pretty cottage and Jessica's Trollhättan house on instagram at @bynilsgarden.

If you're feeling inspired, you might like to check out the country style living archive and Swedish cottage archives - they're packed with romantic homes and will have you dreaming of a move to the Scandinavian countryside! 

Wishing you a wonderful mid-week - see you Friday!*

Niki

*I am posting three days a week during the summer holidays in order to spend a little more time with the crazies. Check in on Monday, Wednesday and Friday - or enjoy the archives round the clock! 

Photography: Jessica / @bynilsgarden

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Back Again! (Plus Our Summer Cottage kitchen Renovation)

Why hello there! I hope you've had a wonderful couple of weeks. Per, the girls and I have just arrived back home to Malmö with a bump after a couple of weeks up at the cottage. How I miss that place, we had such a magical time. I might just have to go back up with the specific aim to write a guide - I have so many tips to share with you in case you're ever on the beautiful 'Bjärehalvön' in Northwest Skåne! It's an area not to be missed if you're visiting Sweden! It would also give me the perfect excuse to return! I also spent a little time thinking about the tiny cabin we're building this autumn in the cottage garden and so looking forward to sharing more of our plans with you later this week (thank you for so much for sharing your thoughts on the windows and windows and doors, I can't tell you how helpful it was!).

In the meantime, here's a throwback to the time Per and I renovated and installed the cottage kitchen by hand. It was a true labour of love - and I appreciate it all the more as a result! Thank you so much to Christina AKA 'Farmor' for entrusting us with your kitchen! 

We stripped out the 1970s kitchen - which included a plastic Lino floor, before sanding, plastering and painting the space. Best find: a perfect size mouse hole under the kitchen counters. We'd been wondering how they were getting in! 

Per was in charge (he's a bit of a dab hand when it comes to DIY), and I was his 'sous chef'. It was really hard work, but surprisingly therapeutic! And for once, I was actually quite good at taking instructions from him! 

One of my jobs was to put together all the IKEA kitchen cabinets. If there's one thing I've learnt, it's to follow the instructions by the letter and never miss a step! By the end, I never wanted to see a flat pack ever again! 

Installing the cabinets was the trickiest part of all - and required help from YouTube and multiple calls to the IKEA help line (it was surprisingly easy to get hold of someone!). The main issue was that they have to be exactly in line - no easy feat when you're working with crooked walls from 1936! But we got there in the end! 

You can read about all the details in my final reveal post here. 

Other than the tiny cabin, I'd really love to renovate the girl's bedroom up there. Although now that I know how much work even the smallest room can entail, I'm dragging my feet a little. 

Have you carried out any renovations recently? Or perhaps you're about to embark on one? I'd love to hear more about it below! 

Now that I'm back, I'm so looking forward to posting regularly again. As always, I'll be posting every other day until the girls go back to school - and then daily from 1st September.  Thank you for stopping by! 

Niki

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