A Traditional Swedish Summer Cottage, Enjoyed as a Year-Round Home

It's only a few weeks until midsummer (the most important date on the Swedish calendar) and many are preparing to make their big escape to the summer cottage. But for Linnea Fors and her family (which includes her partner and their dogs Oliver and Ronja), it's simply to stay in place and make the most of what the surrounding nature has to offer.  You see, their house used to be a summer cottage up until a few years back - and they were astounded that no one thought of living here all year round. And as the summer cottages in the surrounding area start to fill up for the summer,  Linnea and her family are kicking back, enjoying everything that their traditional Falun red and white croft in Västmanland has to offer. On sunny, warm days the family spill out onto the terrace and garden, and on chillier days they enjoy the comfort of an interior that's filled with beautiful old furniture and soft, linen cushions. Plants and freshly cut flowers line every surface, ensuring nature is never far away. Ready to 'kika in'?

What a dream!

Is there anything that stood out to you? 

See more pictures from Linnea's beautiful home over at @ostersaby155.

Here are a few other traditional Swedish summer cottages to enjoy this bright and sunny Monday: 

A dreamy 17th century swedish summer cottage, with a focus on 'the more the merrier'

A charming Swedish cottage with an outdoor kitchen and shower

An idyllic cottage on the island of Gotland with a pink caravan! 

Wishing you all a great start to the week!

Niki

Photography: Linnea Fors, shared with kind permission

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Before and After: My Summer Balcony Make-Over

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On our top floor (third floor) we have a balcony which I have to confess, we've never actually used. In fact, a good friend who has visited my home millions of times even commented that she never knew it existed! It's actually a lovely, peaceful spot which gets at least one more hour than sunshine than our little backyard. And in a time when our homes and outdoor spaces have become increasingly important, I finally decided it was time to do something about it! The balcony is 2.5 metres x 1.5 metres and there's a big door that opens outwards onto it, making it a fairly tricky space to furnish. Fortunately, the wood decking was already in place when we moved in so I didn't need to start completely from scratch - just furnish it! I noticed my lovely Danish client - Nordal had just the outdoor chairs I was looking for and it all went from there. Here's the lowdown:

This is the view from our bedroom. It may look like we only have sheer curtains but look closer and you'll spot a tightly rolled up black out blind over the door. 

I absolutely love plants and surrounding myself with greenery. I planted a wisteria in the ground when we moved in over 10 years ago and it has climbed the entire way up our house, and onto our third-floor balcony! If it could, it would take over the entire interior too (like something out of 'Little Shop of Horrors'!). It's my pride and joy - especially when it blooms - the scent is divine! 

I picked out a pair of rattan-inspired Vasai lounge chairs which have a rattan and wood look but designed for outdoor use.  

Look at any outdoor Scandinavian seated area and you'll no doubt find a blanket - a year-round staple! This one is the linen Saturn towel - which I think works equally well as a blanket, although I have no doubt the girls will enjoy taking it down to the water as soon as Toney catch wind of this new piece!

In my mind you can never have enough greenery so mI'm always looking for ways to add more. This Ajonu pot has a wonderful grainy effect - and is perfect for adding more plants to the balcony (sadly, not everything can grow three storeys high!). 

Since the balcony is on the top floor and therefore quite a long way from the kitchen, we figured a rattan tray would be ideal for carrying items up and down the stairs, but shied away from a table since there simply isn't really the space. Maybe I'll add one later should I feel I miss it!

Also seen here: a summery WEVA pitcher (I might have to exchange the water to PIMMS later!), Tonga notebook in suede and brass watering can. 

I also added a summery jute rug from Granit, so that it would feel softer underfoot. It looks pretty but it will need to bene taken in in wet weather. 

I hope you like my balcony update as much as I do. 

If anyone's looking for us this weekend, you'll find Per and I right here!

See also:

10 Ways To Maximise your Tiny Balcony / Outdoor Space

Wishing you all a great weekend!

Niki

*This post is sponsored by Nordal. However, all words are my own and I only ever work with brands I love and think you will too. Thank you for supporting the wonderful businesses that make My Scandinavian Home possible.

Styling: Helen Sturesson

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The Design Plans For Our Tiny Swedish Cabin (Komplementbostadshus / Attefallshus)

A while back I wrote that Per and I are planning on building an attefallshus (a small Swedish cabin usually measuring 25 m2 (269 sq.ft) - but in this case it's a 'komplementbostadshus' which is allowed to be 30 m2 / (322 sq.ft) in the garden of Per's family's summer cottage in South Sweden. We've been pouring over lovely cabins for ages as you know from this post! We were hoping to buy something ready-made but after assessing all the options we eventually decided to design it ourselves. Out-of-the-blue, I came across Anela Tahirovic - a really talented architect based just outside of Malmö, whose home I featured yesterday. Anela has been working with us to help realise our idea - while also adding some great ideas,  tips and tricks of her own. Ready to see the plan?!

Tadaaaa! This 3D drawing (by the fab Mahir at Studio Ark) gives an idea of the overall look and feel. We wanted to draw inspiration from the surrounding forest - and decided on brown wood panelling (see the inspiration below for a photo of the wood finish we are hoping to achieve). 

Since the living space is so small, we were also keen to draw in as much natural light as possible and create an indoor-outdoor living space. This is why the cabin has so many windows and doors - which we can throw open on warm summer days.

I am toying with the idea of swapping out the black frames in favour of slim brown ones for a softer look (as seen below in this lovely 'Hållbar' 40 m2 house by Woodworks. What do you think? 

Here are some drawings by Anela showing how the cabin will look from different directions:

Inside, there will be a tiny sitting room area, basic kitchenette (fridge and sink), double bed and bathroom on the lower level, and then an upper loft area (accessed by a ladder) for two more beds. In such a small space, storage is a struggle - so, not only do we need to live fairly minimalist (not easy for the Brantmarks!), but we will also need to find some smart storage solutions! Here is a sketch of the layout: 

I am looking forward to sharing more inspiration for the interior and the outdoor area with you soon. In the meantime, this past post might just give you some idea of the general design direction!

And good news, we have planning permission - WOOHOOOO! We were hoping to have started the build this spring, but all the local builders are crazy busy due to the pandemic, so now we're looking at September. Feeling excited but ever so slightly nervous too! 

I hope you like the plans so far! 

Wishing you all a lovely day, 

Niki

A huge thanks to Anela Tahirovic for the design sketches and Mahir from Studio Ark for the building and construction drawings as well as the 3D visualisations.

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A Swedish Architect Designs Her Own Dream Family Home

A while ago I shared this post about our plans to build an attefallshus - a small 30 m2 (322 sq.ft) cabin in the garden of Per's family's summer cottage. We did extensive research into the ready-made cabins available on the market here in Sweden, but in the end, nothing quite fit the bill (you know me, I had quite a specific idea in mind!). And then out of the blue, we came in contact with architect Anela Tahirovic who works for an international firm in Malmö. Anela, her husband and three sons recently moved into their new house - a new build in Gessie, near Malmö which she designed herself. I knew that she was the right person to help us - and I'm so looking forward to sharing our cabin plans with you tomorrow. But first, I'd like to take you on a tour of Anela's fabulous home and allow her to tell you the story of how they found the land, the trials and tribulations of planning permission restrictions - and how they arrived at the final design. 

"We used to live in central Malmö in an apartment dating back to the late 20th century, but as soon as we found out we were expecting twins (we already had a little boy) we knew that we needed to look for a house. So, we looked at several houses but didn’t like what we saw and suddenly one day we found a piece of land for sale online in Gessie village. We bought it 3 hours later. It was a fast, spontaneous buy, but it just felt right". 

"We love the surroundings. The house is situated on the so-called Swedish “Söderslätt” (meaning 'South plain' - an area of Sweden known for its flat landscape). There are wildflowers all around and a lot of cows and horses, yet it's very close to the city of Malmö". 

"We started designing the house immediately. Since I am an architect, we chose to do it ourselves. The masterplan for the site was very strict, and there were many regulations on the choice of material, size, colour, width of the house, height, and type of window. I mean, they were VERY strict down to the last detail. Basically, the planning regulations force you to design a classic“skånelänga” 

Note: A skånelänga is a type of traditional housing in the Southern Swedish county of Skåne made up of a cluster of buildings set around an inner courtyard - which helps to shelter you from the wind. 

"We took inspiration from it but did our own modern version of the “skånelänga”using modern grey brick and black industrial windows with extra large proportions, we also lifted the ceiling. So, from the outside the house looks like a 1,5-floor house, but actually it's laid out over one floor. It is a modern interpretation of the skånelänga".

"The choice of material represents modern Scandinavian style: wood, concrete, white walls, minimalistic with a large space. We decided early on to design one large room with a kitchen, dining area and living area in one (70 sqm / 753 sq.ft in size) with an open roof. We also created a master bedroom, two bedrooms for the boys, a family room, two bathrooms and a laundry room. I love the open space and love that we placed the kitchen at the end of the house with large windows towards nature". 

"I also love the solution in our bedroom with the bathroom behind the bed and walk-in-closets on each side, since you can walk through the bathroom from both sides". 

 

"I also designed our garden using the same principle as the interior. The big wooden deck is divided into 9 squares where the square in the middle is formed as an atrium with a tree. Around it, we have the so-called different “outdoor rooms”: a sofa area, dining area etc. We have 3 pergolas that are connected to each other". 

It's so interesting to hear the story behind the design! Thank you for sharing this with us Anela! I have seen lots of pictures of Anela's home on instagram (@arkihem) but never knew the back story. 

I assumed that she had built the house of her dreams as it looks so great - but actually, it was within the confines of fairly strict planning permission regulations. That's the mastery of great architecture, don't you think?

Would you consider buying a plot of land and building your house from the ground up?

It's a nerve-racking process, but well worth the results. Speaking of which, I am so looking forward to sharing the plans for our tiny cabin with you tomorrow (and a little nervous too!). 

See you then!

Niki

Photography and words courtesy of Anela Tahirovic

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A Harmonious Swedish Home With a Blend of Old and New

Never judge a book by its cover. Isn't that what they say? From the outside, this attractive three-floor property looks like a neat 70's Swedish terrace house but open the door and you'll quickly discover a home full of charm. It belongs to interior designer Marianne Wikner, co-founder of creative Studio Fabrikören. Marianne has carefully curated her home in Mariefred, West of Stockholm, with beautiful items - filling it with art, vintage finds, books and beautiful stoneware. Over the past twenty years it's been a wonderful family home for their now, grown up children, and a place for entertaining friends under the warm glow of candlelight. And now, it's time for them to discover pastures new (in US I think you say 'greener pastures') and with a heavy heart but a flutter of excitement, they've put it on the market. Malin Poppy Darcy Mörner was there to snap these pictures of her dear friends' home. 

"As an interior designer and stylist, I have a great interest in creating harmonious environments. Which of course, also applies to my own home".

"I keep a uniform style in the choice of materials and colours. I love the mix of old and new, green plants and materials from nature. Beautiful art is also important to me". 

"We have a wonderful backyard with glazed doors that blur the line between outside and inside. Here it is like a green oasis; its own world. When we're out here we like light fires and lanterns and enjoy the warm summer evenings."

"We bought our house nearly twenty years ago when our sons were 10 and 12 years old. We really love the house, but we're starting to long for something new. Plus, it's way too big for two people."

How lovely! I really appreciate how unique all the items are, I'd love to take a peek inside Marianne's little black book of flea markets, how about you?

You can find out more details about this home over at Bo Sthlm - and also see daily pics on Marianne's instagram. 

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We're heading home from Stockholm today, feeling a little weary after my niece's graduation party! As the Swedes say 'borta bra, hemma bäst' (to be away is nice, but being at home is the best!) and I'm looking forward to my own bed and also creating some inspiring blog posts for the week ahead - including the latest developments on our tiny house! 

Ha det fint! 

Niki

Photography: Malin Poppy Darcy Mörner Interior design:Marianne Wikner / Bo Sthlm

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