Charming Seabird Cottage, on Lamb Island, Australia

For anyone who needs to hear this today: Anna Swain is selling beautiful 'Seabird' on Lamb Island just off Brisbane, Queensland Australia. 

Not familiar with Anna Swain? A glance at her instagram and you'll quickly establish that everything she touches turns to gold, in a beautiful, rustic and relaxed kind of way. And Seabird is no different. 

With panoramic views of Moreton Bay, Anna and her husband Andrew moved the property to the island by barge, before turning their hand to the decor. 

The house is filled with an eclectic mix of treasures including 120 year-old Egyptian bathroom tiles, solid timber fans and claw-foot tubs as well one-off vintage and antique pieces - all of which come with the house! Everything has been carefully handpicked to ensure life is all about kicking back and soaking up the golden light while watching boats drift by. 

While it may sound like an ideal holiday home, good transport links (it's 25 minutes by ferry to Brisbain and an inter-island ferry can whisk you to neighbouring Russell island with its shops and primary school) mean you could also turn it into your year-round dwelling! What a dream for anyone looking for a change of pace!

 Ready to take the tour? 

Be still, beating heart! So beautiful! 

Could you imagine kicking back here? If so, any potential buyers can reach out directly to Anna via her instagram (where you can also see plenty more pictures!) - just saying! 

Would you like to view more dreamy island homes today? After all, what are Monday's for, if they're not for dreaming? Take a look at: 

Riika's idyllic cabin in the Eastern Gulf of Finland

Stonecutter's farm on the Swedish island of Öland (available as a holiday let!)

Elsa's charming cottage on the island of Gotland

Here's to a relaxing start to the week! 

Kram! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of @annaswain, with thanks 

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A fabulous grey Australian holiday home

Smoke grey. It's broody, it's romantic, it's dramatic. And I love it. Swedish interior style queen Lotta Agaton has made no secret that grey is the colour of 2014. At first I wasn't sure but having already seen this home, and now this fantastic Australian home found on beautiful blog the Style Files, I'm totally sold, how about you? Ellis House is owned by Tracie Ellis founder of textile company Aura Home. Located in Kyneton, Australia, the renovation of the 1860's home was inspired by  'luxurious simplicity'. And the great news? It's available to rent (remember this Australian home too?) - when I finally make my dream trip to Australia I'm not going to be short of beautiful holiday homes to choose from! 

Tracie Ellis, Ellis House via Style Files

Could you spend your holiday padding around Ellis House?

I also love this Malmö apartment with dark grey floor, the home of a Swedish blogger, and a beautiful grey home in the Sussex countryside. 

For a quick fix - I absolutely love this dove grey bed linen which gets softer and softer the more you wash it, so luxurious! 

Are you a fan of the dark grey movement?

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A super relaxed, boho cottage in Australia

I'm feeling all relaxed and inspired working from Djäkne, a café and communal workspace in town. It's amazing what a change of scene can do, don't you think? I stumbled across this lovely boho coastal cottage over at Apartment Therapy and it immediately matched today's mood! Situated in Victoria, Australia, the 100 year old home is rented by Kirsty Davey (founder of Otis and Otto), Simon Taylor and their daughter, Mali. The family lived in Melbourne and loved to come out here at the weekends before realising this is where they wanted to live permanently. The lovely, relaxed home is filled with vintage, reclaimed and restored pieces, works by local and overseas artists and a rich blend of textures to form a lovely base from which to enjoy surfing, cooking, gardening and other outdoor adventures. Let's take a peek....

Photography: Sophie Timothy for Apartment Therapy. With thanks.

Aaaaah, what a charming home, don't you think? 

Could you imagine moving to your 'weekend' retreat permanently? I shared this account by Sara Tasker recently who moved to the country and shared her lessons learned here. And this Swedish artist took up permanent residence in this former school house (honestly, I can totally see why!).

Where do you dream of moving to?

Get the look: Kitchen / dining: vintage Thonet / bentwood chairs (love these!), SMEG fridge,
Chemex brewer, Apollo coffee maker, source a beautiful range of copper pans here. Bedroom: white waffle bed spread. Porch: Hunter wellies, black plant stand.

You might also want to check out Kirsty's shop for lovely handmade pieces by local artisans (some of which can be seen in her home).  

You can also see more pics and a full write-up of this Australian home over at Apartment Therapy.

Other similarly relaxed Australian spaces you may have missed: a dreamy cottage,  a retro beach house and Kara Rosenlund's weatherboard cottage.  You might also want to get lost in my archive of  summer cottages for the longest mid-week coffee break ever.





Have a lovely day!

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Great Stays: A Rustic Hideaway Surrounded by Rolling Hills

Feel like getting away from it all? This wonderful rustic hideaway is available through Airbnb! Set high up on rolling hills, The Wensley is architecturally designed with an Oregon and Ironbark timber exterior and offers everything you might need to switch off - including cosy sofas with panoramic views, a fully equipped kitchen, and a wonderful indoor and outdoor bathroom (my eyes are on that zinc tub!) - all with a timber and stone touch to emulate the surroundings. Such beautiful work by Lisa Buxton Interiors! OK, there might be a slight catch (at least for the time being) - it's in Wensleydale, around one and half hours from Melbourne, Australia! Yikes! But that shouldn't stop us from dreaming about a future stay, right? 

In my mind, I'm already soaking in that tub - the odd kangaroo hopping passed. Heaven! 

Could you imagine staying here?

If you'd like to do a little more mid-week 'escape' dreaming, here are some other places I'd love to stay at one day:

A Swedish weatherboard cottage in South Australia

A bohemian hideaway in the desert, in USA

A rustic summer cottage on the Swedish island of Gotland

A dreamy Scandinavian-inspired ski chalet in whitefish, USA

An earthy pool villa in Bali

A Swedish run B&B in the South of France

Do any of these capture your imagination? 

Wishing you a fabulous mid-week!

Niki

Photography courtesy of The Wensley

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Dreamy Holiday Let: A Cosy Waterside Eco Cabin In Australia

I try to stay positive, really I do - but the weather in Malmö right now is so dreadful. It's been somewhere between rain and snow for the best part of a fortnight! BAH! So today, I'm dreaming of warmer climes and charming waterside getaways like The Little Black Shack. Located in Great Mackerel Beach, an hour from Sydney, owners Jamie and Ingrid Kwong first discovered the fisherman's shack over 20 years ago during their many boating trips on Pittwater. In 2013 they noticed it had been put up for sale. Despite the poor condition, they were hooked (and who can blame them?!). With the help of an environmentally conscious builder, the pair spent 18 months recycling, repurposing, reusing and rebuilding the shack- transporting materials by boat and carrying them up to the site by hand. Today the shack has been fully restored into a cosy and charming waterside cabin. And the best news? It's available for short term stays / holiday lets! I've got my eye on that spot by the window - how about you?

Race you there?!

Find out more about staying at The Little Black Shack here.

Other dreamy off-the-beaten-track waterside stays in Australia I've got my eye on include Captain's Rest and this cabin on Satellite Island (both in Tasmania). When I finally make my way down under, I feel like I'm in for a treat!

Can you imagine staying in these places too?!

Niki

Photography: Luisa Brimble / @luisabrimble

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