my scandinavian home

Dreaming About a Beautiful Boutique Farm Stay on Gotland

I'm back! Thank you for your patience! What was rare about my break this last week was that I was surrounded by a mixed group of fabulous women at various times, drifting in and out of the picture in Andalucía, and I had forgotten just how much I love that: cooking together, chatting for hours, sipping wine long after the sun had gone down. There’s something so restorative about female company. Warm, funny, wise. Do you ever come away from time like that feeling completely reset? Like you’ve remembered a part of yourself you hadn’t realised you’d been missing?

And of course, it was very lovely to come home to Per and the girls too - as always!

With one holiday over, there’s only one thing to do: start daydreaming about the next one, right? Although I won’t be able to make it there this year, one place I’ve been quietly drooling over lately is Sibbjäns on the Swedish island of Gotland. Have you heard of it?

Set on an old horse farm in southern Gotland, Sibbjäns is Sweden’s very first boutique farm stay. The story behind it is lovely too. Two families swapped the pace of city life for something slower and more meaningful, transforming a rundown farm into a place centred around sustainability, good food, craftsmanship and the rhythms of the land. What began as a simple dream of opening a small B&B gradually evolved into something much bigger: part hotel, part working farm, part gathering place.

They also happen to have impeccable taste and everything about it sounds right up my street: a beautiful interior with every guest room entirely unique, wildflowers blowing in the breeze, long farm lunches made from whatever is growing in the garden that week, limestone buildings washed in soft earthy tones, sheep grazing nearby, sea air drifting in from the Baltic, a soothing nature pool. It all feels wonderfully unfussy and restorative and there is something so appealing about places that feel more like a home from home.

Ready to dream?

What a beautiful place to stay, don’t you think? Needless to say, Sibbjäns has been widely featured in the press since it opened, including a piece in New York Times Magazine!

I especially love the look, and idea, of the nature pool. Having said that, there was one at a place we stayed at once and I remember climbing down the ladder only to hear a little “ribbit”… only to discover a big, fat, beautiful frog sitting happily on one of the rungs! It gave me such a fright at first, but he did turn out to be a lovely bathing companion. Have you ever experienced a nature pool before?

And while we’re on the topic of pools, you might also enjoy this feature I once wrote sharing inspiration for lovely small pools for every budget.

You may also like to tour more beautiful island homes too. Some are available to rent, some are private, all are dreamy:

A quiet cabin escape on a Danish island
Airbnb tip: The Stonecutter's farm
Elsa's inspiring cottage on the island of Gotland
A fairytale escape on 'happiness island'

Thank you so much for your patience while I've been away, I'm so happy to be back! See you later this week.

Niki

Photography: Mike Karlsson Lundgren, courtesy of Sibbjäns

A Home in Converted Barn in Southern Sweden

There’s something deeply appealing about a building that’s already lived a life before becoming a home, don't you think? You can feel it here straight away. This was once a working barn in southern Sweden, built for purpose rather than beauty, and yet that original honesty is exactly what makes it so beautiful! Therese and Marcus saw beyond what it was and recognised what it could become, not by erasing its past, but by working with it.

Inside, the old structure still takes centre stage. The soaring ceiling, weathered beams and generous open space give the rooms a sense of calm and character. True to Swedish country style, nothing feels over designed or overly polished. Instead, natural materials such as stone, wood and linen, soft light, simple furnishings and relaxed open shelving let the building’s history remain at the heart of everything.

Let's take a peek!

Beautiful!

Serene, natural and relaxed. I can't even begin to imagine how much work Therese and Marcus have put into renovating this space and transforming it into a beautiful home.

Did you also enjoy the tour?

I've covered a few lovely barn conversions on the blog before, you might remember these fine specimens:

A beautiful limetone barn on the island of Gotland
A rustic barn in Upstate New York with beautiful rugs
A lovely rustic barn conversion

If you'd like to follow their latest projects, head on over to @livetiladan.

Today I am heading off to celebrate a friends very big birthday in Spain - I can’t remember the last time I was on a warm beach so am very excited! This also means I will be taking a few days off from the blog - and back again on 11th May. I hope you have a fabulous week!

Niki

Photography: @livetiladan, with kind permission.

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Timeless Charm in the Heart of Gamla Enskede, Sweden

Do you ever hear a word for the first time, look it up out of curiosity, and then suddenly hear it everywhere that same week? The same thing happens in interiors.

For example, it feels like a strange coincidence that pale blue has appeared in all of the last three homes I’ve shared, including the cottage on the Danish coast, the Oslo apartment and now here, in a house in Gamle Enskelde, Sweden. Not only that, but it’s in the finer details too. This time, a very pretty “sweet pea” pattern, which I first noticed in the curtains in Friday’s home, has now appeared on the curtains here.

But there are plenty of lovely, unique details in this house too, which is why I couldn’t resist taking you on a tour today. Nestled in the quiet village, the turn-of-the-century house has been decorated with a wonderful mix of old and new. Keep a look out for the blue window frames in the kitchen, which highlight the hand-painted ceramic tiles, the pretty curtains and blinds in the sitting room, the striped pendant in the hallway, which looks rather Danish to me (could there be a Dane behind it all?), and the pretty Clover leaf wallpaper by Josef Frank in the children’s bedroom.

Such lovely details all the way through. It’s a shame we don’t live nearer, or I’d have moved right in (it's for sale!).

Such a pretty home!

I might just have to send the link to Per – just for fun. I'd love to go for a viewing but sadly it's a little too far away.

Could the next owner be you?

I loved the oiled wood — it’s such a classic Scandinavian look and feels instantly calming. It’s as though they’ve found the perfect balance between cottage core patterns and stripes, and a pared-back aesthetic.

Is there anything that caught your eye?

Niki

Photography courtesy of Skandia Mäklarna, with thanks.

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Welcome inside Juni's Oslo Apartment

From a home on the coast of West Denmark on Tuesday to the Norwegian capital today, it’s been a very Scandinavian week here on the blog. While the coastal property was set among the dunes and awash with soothing pale blues, this beautiful light-filled flat in Old Oslo is flooded with golden sunshine that highlights touches of red, burgundy, yellow — and even light blue (which appears to be a favourite right now!).

The flat belongs to Juni Halseth Strenberg, who recently moved from this vibrant home. Granted, the renovation of her new home is still a work in progress, but I love seeing how her furniture has settled right in.

There are many things I love about Juni’s unique style, but what really caught my eye were the bedrooms. They are narrow, yes, but they make a true statement, with the ceilings becoming a design feature in themselves, while also helping to visually bring down the height of the rooms. I also love the patterned window dressings! And of course, there's that spotty sofa too!

Ready to take a look? Velkommen inn!