Do you ever feel the urge to up sticks and move to the countryside? Somewhere perhaps, that's just you and your family, and the bears, deer, and foxes outside your window? Although I live in the city, my family and I love to head to the nearby forest or our cottage on Sweden's west coast at the weekends. This desire for a pared-back lifestyle and allowing nature to help eradicate the stresses and strains of daily life inspired me to write Modern Pastoral, published by CICO Books. Photographer James Gardiner and I visited 10 beautiful homes across Scandinavia and USA (all in the name of work - honest!). Although varied in style, the homes are centred around a back-to-basic lifestyle and embrace the nature on their doorstep. The book is available in stores now! Here's a sneak peek....
These images bring back so many wonderful memories! Here's a picture by picture run down:
1. (Front cover). The beautiful stone cottage belonging to Fabio, Laura & Matteo Ferrara who divide their time between New York City and the fabulous Westwind Orchard in the Hudson River Valley, Upstate New York. When we arrived they made us the most delicious brunch using fresh produce from the farm.
2. Striking Milkweed Barn in the heart of the Catskill Mountains, Delaware County which Bill Hovard (Hudson Made) has transformed into a permanent home.
3. A study / dining room in a Scanian farmhouse (those beams), here in Southern Sweden owned by the Montan family (if you like the look of this room you should see the barn!).
4. The magnificent rustic barn on Westwind Orchard used for entertaining friends, family and guests as well as testing ingredients for produce sold in the farm shop.
5. A light and airy bedroom in the afore-mentioned Scanian farmhouse. When we took this picture it was pretty much dark outside. James took this image with a really long exposure and we couldn't even breath we had to be so still!
6. A cosy wood burning stove and reading corner in a cottage on the North coast of Zealand, Denmark.
The give-away is now closed
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| Images extracted from Modern Pastoral by Niki Brantmark, published by CICO Books, photography: James Gardiner. |
1. (Front cover). The beautiful stone cottage belonging to Fabio, Laura & Matteo Ferrara who divide their time between New York City and the fabulous Westwind Orchard in the Hudson River Valley, Upstate New York. When we arrived they made us the most delicious brunch using fresh produce from the farm.
2. Striking Milkweed Barn in the heart of the Catskill Mountains, Delaware County which Bill Hovard (Hudson Made) has transformed into a permanent home.
3. A study / dining room in a Scanian farmhouse (those beams), here in Southern Sweden owned by the Montan family (if you like the look of this room you should see the barn!).
4. The magnificent rustic barn on Westwind Orchard used for entertaining friends, family and guests as well as testing ingredients for produce sold in the farm shop.
5. A light and airy bedroom in the afore-mentioned Scanian farmhouse. When we took this picture it was pretty much dark outside. James took this image with a really long exposure and we couldn't even breath we had to be so still!
6. A cosy wood burning stove and reading corner in a cottage on the North coast of Zealand, Denmark.
The give-away is now closed
3
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publisher tomorrow. So.much.to.do. I'll try to stop by with a post tomorrow, but I apologise in advance if I run out of time! 
, source a vintage chopping boards 
(I've got this in 
