A retreat in the Catskill mountains

With the summer holidays fast approaching it's important to plan the perfect downtime. For me it's to retreat to nature, at least at the start. I would love to say I'm a camping kind of girl but sadly all I could muster under canvas is about one night (two at a push!). I'd much rather stay in a lovely cabin by the sea / or lake. If you like your wood cabins too I think you'll love this country house in the Catskill mountains owned by Amanda Bupp (and captured by Maxwell Tielman). Decorated in monochrome and neutrals you could almost believe you were in Norrland, Sweden and not the Southern part of New York state. I could wile away my summer here, how about you?!

Photography: Maxwell Tielman. Via Design Sponge

For more information about this lovely cabin and where items are from check out the full article over at Design Sponge.

In case you missed them I'm also dreaming about this Stockholm archipelego cabin, a lighthouse-keepers cottage on Gotland and all the other home-tours under rural retreats! *Sigh* I feel relaxed just looking at them!

How do you like to spend your holidays?

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A stunning Malmö home

Well hello Malmö! It's incredible the homes that pop up on estate agents in Sweden's third largest and southern most city (and home to yours truly!). OK I might be biased, but I heard that this stunning home is spreading across the blogosphere like wildfire and a) I'm never one to miss out and b) it's here in my home town. So here it is a 1920's apartment currently for sale. Could it be time to upsticks and move to Rörsjöstan (malmö's boho quarter)? Or perhaps simply draw inspiration from the emerald green, yellow and monochrome colour combination?!

Fastighetsbyrån found via Emma's Design blog with thanks.

I want that bathroom... I LOVE the tiles, dark grey ceiling and emerald green lion claw bath. I know someone who will love those tiles in her new home too (see my friend Sofia's previous home here).

How about you? Anything stand out to you in particular?

Have a lovely day!

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A unique and fabulous German home

I feel inspired. Not just because it's a beautiful morning here in southern sweden (although that certainly helps) but because of the unique design of this home in Germany.  The images dropped into my inbox last week from design company STUDIO OINK who not only designed the interior but also chose the art and design products for the home. The soft fabrics (sheer curtains, sheepskin rugs) and wooden furniture work really well in warming up the more austere combination of concrete and marble (who would have thought these two materials could work so well together?). And then there's that touch of mid-century and brass. What a fabulous home don't you think?!

STUDIO OINK

I think this is one very cool home, how aboout you?

To me, the artwork really stands out. I'm a big fan of  'ocean' photography / art and even have a board dedicated to it on Pinterest! I'm waiting to hear where the piece in the dining space is from but in the meantime other ocean art pieces I love include Tulum, by Max Wanger as seen in this home and the limited edition seascape print  by Kara Rosenlund (her incredible home can be seen here). Take me to the ocean!!

STUDIO OINK also designed the fabulous Asbau apartment. If I lived in Germany I know who I'd get to help design my home...!

Have a lovely day! 

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A lovely Gothenburg apartment to kick off the week

I hope you all had a great midsummer weekend?! We had such a wonderful time at my brother-in-laws cottage (a little pic of my midsummer belles and man already to dance here)  and then we celebrated midsummer day with great friends in Malmö. I'm still recovering today! Phew! I definitely need something to brighten up my Monday morning. And the good news is I found this pearl of an apartment currently for sale in Linnéstad in Gothenburg. Light and airy, white floors /(in parts) and beautiful pared-back style. What a perfect Swedish home tour way to start the week with don't you think?

Stadshem

Such a lovely space. I could pad around here today how about you?!

Other lovely Swedish apartments to brighten up a Monday include this classic apartment, a cognac and blue themed space and a white and grey serene home.

I hope you have a wonderful start to the week!

PS Thank you so much to Anya who sent me the information so I could credit Friday's 'glad midsommar' post.

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'Glad Midsommar'

Studio Impressions / photographer Marcus Bell and team, Brisbane, Australia. Bali Wedding - Angie and Ben

“I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,

Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows,

Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine,

With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine.” 

― William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream

Happy Midsummer! And a great weekend (for those of you in the Southern hemisphere!). See you Monday! x

PS - for midsummer floral hair garland inspiration see today's post by 79 ideas and this page on Pinterest. Beautiful alfresco table settings here and here.  And a Swedish garden you'd want to spend midsummer in. 

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An apartment with a penchant for all things Tom Dixon

One of the hottest light brands right now has to be Tom Dixon. And looking at this Swedish apartment it's not hard to see why. The space is pared back and simply decorated save for the fabulous Beat Light Tall, Fat and Wide over the dining table and the Copper Shade pendants in the sitting room. I also spy a Tom Dixon Etch Candle holder on the table too (I have one of these in on my coffee table and they let off such a warm glow). Another lovely touch to this space is all the fresh summer flowers which have been organised into a mix of different vases and placed on a light grey marble slat. Great table inspiration for anyone celebrating midsummer tomorrow, don't you think?!

Fastighetsbyrån via Planete Deco with thanks

I do love the Beat Lights I have to say! I wonder if there is anywhere in my home I could put them....hmmm. I've also got my eye on the London Candle to remind me of home!

I also spy  a mid-century credenza. There's a great post about credenza's over at one of my favourite blogs SF Girl By Bay. You can often find one up for auction here.

Tomorrow it's Midsummer's Eve and in Sweden that calls for a big celebration. My family and I will be heading to my brother-in-laws summer cottage (by the way, how idyllic was the summer cottage in yesterday's post?!) where we'll pick wild flowers for my little girls to wear in their hair and then they'll dance all afternoon around a maypole. Afterwards we'll tuck into a late traditional lunch of pickled herrings, locally produced new potatoes, boiled eggs and Västerbotten pie washed down with schnapps and beer. Followed by lots and lots of strawberries.....and cream. Yum!

Will you be celebrating Midsummer's Eve?

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The idyllic Danish summer cottage

The evenings are so lovely and long now in Southern Sweden, it never really gets dark. This Friday we'll celebrate midsummer and then it's time for many people to retreat to a summer cottage by a lake or sea for the summer. The existence is so relaxing: sitting with a morning coffee and breakfast out in the sunshine while the children play, maybe taking a morning dip in the sea or a lake followed by a long lunch (note I keep coming back to food....ha! I think I'm actually just painting my perfect day...). Anyway, to me this Danish cabin is the archetypal Scandinavian summer cottage. Owners Lone Backs and Nels Rasmussen have spent 10 years lovingly renovating it to the perfect pared back cabin.  Located in Ellinge Lyng, it's actually not that far from where I live - oh how I would love to spend a summer there, how about you?
'

Bolig Magasinet. Stylist: Mette Helena Rasmussen. Photography: Tia Borgsmidt

The cabin is just so idyllic don't you think? It's actually only 39 metres square but they've made great use of the space, have a beautiful 'outdoor' room in the form of a garden and look at that guest house?!Such an inspiring home?! 

Since I'm now dreaming of scandinavian summer cottages....there's a whole host of them here too if you've missed them over the past few years: summer cottages.

I do love the simple life don't you?

PS Thank you so much to talented photographer Tia Borgsmidt for allowing me to share these lovely images, you always find the most incredible homes (more fab Danish home tours from Tia's portfolio here, here and here).

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