A Fairytale Swedish Cottage in a Forest

If anyone asked me what I perceived as quintessentially Swedish, I'd show them this cottage! It's like something straight out of an Astrid Lindgren tale! 

Tucked away in a clearing in a forest 1 hour North of Stockholm, the two-hundred-year-old red, white and yellow cottage is in a romantic world of its own. Life is simple - yet all basics needs are met with a fully functioning kitchen, cosy sitting room and a bedroom tucked under the roof.  There's also a simple dry loo in the outhouse - along with a bedroom for guests. 

For those of you who like a few home comforts - fear not, there is also warm shower (I haven't shown it here, but I promise there is one!). This was probably a relatively new addition. My mother-in-law tells me that at our little Swedish cottage there never used to be a shower and her family used the sea to bathe - and I see there's a lake nearby to this property! 

Either way, this looks like the perfect place to njuta! 

Would you like to take a look around? Follow me! 

The same green-beige tone has been used throughout the cottage, giving it a coherent feel. 

The furniture is strictly vintage / antique, adding to the relaxed feeling and charm of the space. 

Pretty Swedish porcelain containers for sugar, flour and other ingredients are displayed on a shelf.  There are lots of beautiful one-off antique Swedish spice sets available on Etsy like this. 

An old chest doubles up as a coffee table and simple lace curtains add a decorative touch to the cottage windows. 

Dahlia have become hugely popular in Sweden. I understand they are a bit of a faff to produce, but anyone who took the effort to nurture their own are reaping the rewards this September. Such beautiful flowers! Do you grow dahlia? 

The bedroom is accessed via a ladder. 

The outhouse contains a second bedroom, shower and compost loo. 

Loving the shoes! 

Did I mention this cottage is for sale? Someone's Swedish dream is about to begin. Could it be you? 

Here is the floor plan so that you can get a better understanding of the layout: 

Main cottage: 

Kök: kitchen, Allrum: all purpose room, Rum - 'room' (here referrring to the sitting room). Altan: terrace.

Outhouse: 

Sovrum: bedroom. Dusch: shower. Förråd / Verkstad: storage / toolshed. Dass: toilet. 

I love this little property. I actually checked how far this is from our home to see if it might be feasible, but alas it's 7 hours' drive away. 

I hope one of you snaps it up so that I can invite myself round for a cup of tea in the autumn sunshine - it's the perfect place to 'njuta av livet' (see yesterday's post!). Keep me posted! 

Find out more about it over at Historiska Hem. 

Would you like to see other homes like this? I love: 

A cosy Swedish cottage in the snow

A photographer's charming Swedish cottage in the woods

A romantic Swedish cottage in summertime

Did you see my exciting announcement yesterday? Hop over to this post to find out more. Thank you so much for all your lovely comments and words of encouragement, I feel so humbled. It's always nerve-racking to release a new book so your kind words of support really mean a lot. 

Glad Lillördag (little saturday!),

Niki

Photography: Lund

Styling: Copparstad Interior

For: Historiska Hem

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My New Book: Njuta (Enjoy. Delight In.)

Hi friends! I am so unbelievably excited to announce that my new book Njuta (Enjoy. Delight In.) - The Swedish Art of Savouring the Moment is available to pre-order in the US! 

Allow me to re-wind. 

Last January I headed out to the forest on cross-country skis for some much needed me-time. Just as I arrived, a text message with one single word from my Swedish father-in-law pinged on my phone: "Njut" it read. I smiled. The one-word message served as a reminder to take in the beauty of the moment - the landscape. the silence, the solitude, the dappled sunlight over the tracks - and breathe it in. 

"Fear less, hope more; eat less, chew more; whine less, breathe more; talk less, say more; love more; and all good things are yours."- Swedish proverb. 

During my nineteen years living in Sweden, I've noticed Swedes delight in the simple things in life. They see greatness in the small things - and understand that it doesn't take grand gestures or vasts amount of money to make life not only okay but truly wonderful. Through my Swedish friends and family, I've learned simple pleasures are all around us and can be found in every minute and every hour of the day. You just have to stop and take time to consciously appreciate what's already there. That is the essence of njuta.

In my new book, I explain njuta (pronounced 'nyu-tah) and offer tips and tricks I've learned from my Swedish friends about how to slow down and elevate small moments in daily life. The book hits the shelves in the US on 26th December 2023 through Harvest Books and is currently available to pre-order here. 

I hope my book helps to enrich your life in the simplest of ways, and the pages become well worn and loved. 

Niki x 

PS for those of you outside of the US, I do hope it will be available in your country soon. Are there any translations that are of particular interest? 

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Sarah's Earthy and Calm Danish Apartment

When I featured Sarah's small Copenhagen apartment in 2021, it was one of the most popular tours of the year - for good reason (revisit it here!). I was excited to see that Sarah and her partner have since moved and are now busy renovating a 19th century apartment in the heart of the danish capital with "sustainability, recycling and minimalism" at the core. What's more, they are doing much of it by hand to save money. 

The apartment is still a work in progress but I couldn't resist sharing a sneak peak of where the pair are up to. I love the earthy tones, Scandinavian vintage furniture and beautiful textures. A great sign of things to come as it slowly but surely becomes a home! 

So calming!

Sarah's style looks so effortless but having completed a DIY budget make-over on our downstairs loo I know just how much work they would have put in to get here. If you'd like to see exactly what they've been working for and how much of a gut job it has been, I can recommend taking a peek at Sarah's highlights over on instagram! 

One thing I haven't pointed out yet, is just how incredible the bones are in this apartment. They are very typical of the beautiful neighbourhood of Frederiksberg where this place is located. I was once lucky enough to shoot a home nearby for my book The Scandinavian Home and it remains one of my favourite homes to this day! 

Would you like to take a look inside a few other Danish apartments today? How about: 

A Danish family home with a warm golden touch

Sidsel's elegant Copenhagen home with a snoozing dog

A stationary designer's lovely Copenhagen home

Have a fabulous start to the week! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of @milevidt, shared with kind permission. 

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Our DIY Budget Powder Room Makeover

Not your standard opening picture. But I thought I'd show an honest 'before' picture of our downstairs bathroom - swimsuits and all. 

We've been putting off renovating this room ever since we moved in fifteen years ago and it's still sporting the same red ceiling and blank walls. There was nothing wrong with it per se, it was just very plain and a little dated. Nothing that warrants ripping the entire room out and starting from scratch at least. Even so, it had become unloved and a dumping ground - there were even some skis in the shower! 

Renovating a bathroom, no matter how small, can be hugely expensive. But having painted the tiles in our laundry room, I felt optimistic that something could be done to our downstairs loo on a budget too!

Here is what we did. 

The first step was to paint the ceiling (I can't tell you how satisfying it was!). We used a white from the Jotun Lady Aqua range. The floor also got a makeover with 3V3 tile paint in Tarmac. 

And then came the rest:

Ta daaaa! 

There's quite a lot at play here. We removed the glass shower door and hung up an L-shaped shower rod (we bought a simple white one and then painted it in the same paint as the floor). The shower curtain (light stone from Humdakin) and rattan matt add a softness to the room and help to dampen the sound - always good in a guest bathroom!  

We kept the wall tiles (one of the biggest costs when renovating bathrooms is the work that goes into replacing tiles) - but since the walls were so vast and blank, we decided to put up a glass cabinet (Hastrup from Jysk). It was no easy feat; we had to use a special sensor to detect what was behind the wall. The last thing we wanted to do was drill through a pipe or electric cable. This is a major danger when drilling into bathroom walls, I'd highly recommend calling in an expert to avoid any accidents! 

When it comes to budget makeovers, I am a firm believer that the devil is in the details. Picking out smart pieces really help to elevate a room. The brushed brass toilet brush and toilet roll holder are both from Danish brand D-line. 

I've had the little rustic stool for years (pick up a similar antique stool here*). And the art is by Swedish painter Carola Kastman. 

The next step was to give this corner an overhaul:  

Here is the result, drum roll please....

We tried to keep the existing bathroom cabinet and sink but it simply wasn't practical for numerous reasons, so in the end we swapped it out for this very reasonably priced cabinet, sink and tap from Hornbach. 

I updated the colour on the cabinet using Mohair from Jotun Lady (thinking about it now, I probably should have used a specific bathroom paint, so let's see how it fairs!) and added knobs and a towel rail from D-line. 

I have never liked the plastic silver lights that were here when we moved in. The problem was we didn't want the faff and expense of changing the mirror so we had to find a light that exactly fitted the holes! I was very relieved to finally stumble across this bathroom light in Bauhaus! 

The final corner to get a simple makeover was this one: 

We swapped out the existing aluminium towel hooks for pretty handcrafted ones from D-Line (which match the other details). 

I'm a big fan of baskets (these are from Granit and IKEA) - they make each hook go a lot further and now we have a lot more space for bits and bobs like swimwear, slippers (from Humdakin), hair stuff etc. 

This is how this corner looks now: 

Right folks. That covers everything I think!

I hope you have enjoyed reading about our budget DIY bathroom makeover! If you have any questions just give me a shout below and I'll do my best to help. 

By the way, have you noticed how tidy it looks? I'd love for it to stay this way. But will I still find empty loo roll cartridges on the side when I go in? Definitely (does this drive anyone else nuts?). Will it be filled with drying swimwear and ten thousand towels within 24 hours? No doubt! 

But for today at least, I will be enjoying it in all its neat and tidy glory!

I hope you have a wonderful, relaxing weekend! 

Niki

A big thank you to Per for helping with so much of the DIY - I'm so lucky to have a handyman and physicist in the house! So much appreciation for the brainstorming and advice from Helen Sturesson too! 

Also, thank you for the press gifts D-line, Humdakin and IKEA.  

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Inspiration from a Swedish Attic Apartment with Low Angled Ceilings

Good morning friends, how are you today? I'm stopping by to share this Swedish apartment which has some perfect inspiration for tight, angled spaces and how to fill darker homes with light! 

Nestled under the roof on the top floor of beautiful house dating back to 1913, the owners of this apartment have worked around the angled ceilings to ensure a truly lovely living space. Let's take a closer look at some of the elements at play. 

The kitchen units have a staggered height, and where no units would fit, a shelf has been used instead to ensure every inch of space can be used. 

Two skylights have been installed to ensure natural light. Try Velux for similar. 

Dormer windows are a perfect solution to draw in lots of light and carving out standing space. 

There are solutions available for every shape and sized space these days. A made-to-measure glass door and windows help to ensure a flow of light between the rooms to capitalise on any natural sunlight that enters the home, while a curtain can be pulled across for privacy and a cosy feel in the bedroom. 

The doors open right out for a light and airy feel. 

Low art in the bedroom adds a decorative touch while the bed is tucked under the ceiling and a dormer window. 

A closet can be seen tucked in behind the glass door above. 

In Sweden, it's common to find washing machines in the bathroom (another popular alternative for apartments is a communal washing room in the basement). In England, it's popular to have washing machines in the kitchen. Where do you tend to have your machines? 

I have always loved the idea of art in the bathroom, it adds such a cosy, personal touch. 

A window seat in the stairwell capitalised on natural light from the window. 

Such a pretty house - I love the garden with a communal outdoor dining area! 

It's very common for Swedish apartments to have an inner garden where you'll find a shared dining area, barbecue and children's play area. Some even have herb gardens! 

Working with awkward angles takes some extra thought and problem solving, but I think this home is a great example of how you can find a solution for every shape and size today! 

I particularly liked the glass wall and door designed to fit the sloped ceiling - this could be a perfect solution for our top floor! 

I hope you found some nice ideas for your own home here today!

Speaking of dark spaces, I'll be working on our windowless downstairs loo today. Per and I have been doing a budget make-over using a splash of tile paint as well as a few other touches. I am hoping to share the makeover with you on Friday, but we'll see how we get on, DIY updates always takes longer (and creates way more mess) than you think, right? 

Wishing you all a great Wednesday! 

Niki

Styling: Copparstad. Photography: Boukari. For sale via Historiska Hem. Found via Nordroom with thanks. 

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