Our Tiny Swedish Holiday Cabin: Exterior Inspiration

Those of you who have been following My Scandinavian Home for a while (thank you!), will know that Per's family have a little summer cottage on the coast of North West Skåne. It was built by Per's grandparents in the 1930s and today, it's enjoyed by Per's Mother - who heads there for much of the summer. We also love to stay there whenever possible - at the weekends, over Easter and for several weeks in the summer. It's our very own little paradise, understated, raw, rugged and windswept. Days are spent sipping coffee, wondering through the pine forest or village in our dressing gowns to the water's edge, playing games while the rain comes down or chugging out to the island of Hallands Väderö (second picture down) by boat. Here are a few shots I've snapped with my phone over the years. I hope it'll give you an idea of the surrounding nature, and the simple life we lead at the cottage!

Tiny Cabin Location and Inspiration 

Per's Grandfather fell in love with the area just like we have many years later and built the little cottage (above) up on a hill near the church. Per's Mother, an avid reader of my blog (hej hej!), recalls playing in the meadows in front of the cottage as a child, and taking a 'morgondopp' (morning dip) in the sea. These days, the 'meadows' are occupied by summer houses, but Liv and Allie still love to run carefree down to the water for a swim, no matter the weather. 

The cottage itself is tiny, and if we're all in place - the sofa becomes a sofa bed and the children and their friends sleep on a bunkbed and a blow-up mattress. It works for now, but we'd love to spend more time there - and as the children grow-up, we'd love for their children to enjoy it as we do today! 

In Sweden, it's common to build tiny cabins in the grounds of a summer cottage to make space. Known as an 'Attefallshus', you are permitted to build a 25 square metre (269 square feet) cabin and, recently, also a 30m2 cabin (322 square feet) - known as a 'Komplimentbostadshus' (try pronouncing that!) in the grounds of your property (see restrictions here - in Swedish). It's the latter we're interested in since it will give us enough space for a family of four. This winter, we marked out a section of the lawn and the planning has finally begun! So exciting! 

We have earmarked this section of the garden beside an old oak tree running parallel along the fence to the neighbours' garden (with their kind permission) - which affords both properties some privacy.  

Cabin Exterior Inspiration

When Per and I brainstormed the look and feel of the cabin we decided against replicating the main house and instead were keen for the exterior to blend into the surroundings - and incorporate the rugged nature of the forest and coastline. Wood therefore felt like an obvious material for the exterior - and we love that it ages gracefully over time. The exact wood and tone is to be determined (watch this space) but we particularly love the look and feel of the cladding above and below. 

Since life at the cabin is about spending time outdoors and soaking up the surroundings, we're keen for the cabin to have large windows which draw the outdoors in and allow a seamlessness between the garden and the interior. Lately I've been partial to grid windows, seen below. 

This is obviously WAY bigger than 30m2, but more to demonstrate the windows I was talking about! 

Off-plan or Our Own Design? 

There are a fair few 'off-plan' cabin solutions available in Sweden, some of which create the entire cabin in their yard before dropping into place with a truck and crane. This sounds like a brilliant hassle-free option on paper, but  in practise, we have a really clear picture of what we were looking for - and none of them quite fit the bill. So began the search for an architect. More of which I'll share with you in my next 'Tiny Cabin' update along with the plans. 

In the meantime, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Do you like the wood exterior? Are you also a fan of these types of windows? Perhaps you have some experience of building a tiny cabin or house yourself and like to share some insight (as rookies, we'd be eternally grateful!). 

Here is a little more great 'tiny cabin' inspiration:

Small space inspiration from Swedish attefallshus

Before and after: a tiny cabin in the Swedish woods

A cosy candlelit cabin in the Norwegian fjords

Nolla cabin in the Helsinki archipelago

Oh, and the last cabin is actually a holiday home on the Isle of Skye - available to rent! I know! Scotland anyone?   

Wishing you all a lovely 'lillördag'! 

Niki

Photography credits: 1 - 9 Niki Brantmark / My Scandinavian home, 10. Krista Keltanen for the book Happy Homes, 11. Barn House Cabin 12. Light and Dwell 13. Wild croft on the Isle of Skye

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A Charming and Relaxed Danish Cabin By The Sea

Spring is in the air in southern Scandinavia. This means three things: the welcoming sight of crocuses and irises, flocks of birds migrating home - and it's time to dust down the summer cottage! Many Scandinavians use the Easter holidays as a perfect opportunity to open the shutters, sweep the hearths and dust down the surfaces at their summer cottage. As opposed to city dwellings, the cabins and cottages are often relaxed, pared back affairs, and designed specifically to be a place to relax, unwind and reboot. 

At the weekends, Pernille Normann and her family exchange the hustle and bustle of Copenhagen (as relaxed as it is for a big city), for a few days at their cabin by the coast in Gudmindrup Strand, North Zealand. 

The timber cabin serves as somewhere the family can be together in a relaxed way - without interruption. And the decor reflects this. Simply furnished and clutter-free, it has everything the family need to be comfortable and make the most of the indoor-outdoor lifestyle. 

The timber walls and A-framed ceiling have been given a fresh lick of white paint, while a wood accent wall and pale blue / green floor help to break up the look and add interest. 

The furniture, lamps and accessories are largely thrifted and subtle shades of blue as well as nautical stripes as well as art featuring maps, ships and sea-life connect the cabin to its coastal location. 

Danes are masters at creating an ambience with lighting. If you think about it, many of the classic lamps the country is so famous for (like the Louis Poulsen PH5) are designed to divert direct lighting away from the eyes and create a soft pool of filtered, diffused light, helping to create a warm and cosy ambience after dark. 

If you look closely, you'll see there are no lamps directly overhead - instead they've been placed lower down in various spots around the cabin. When lit, these will create pools of light - accentuating each of the cosy set-ups. 

Note the rattan / bamboo furniture which helps to give the cabin a lovely summery vibe. 

A cosy bed doubles up as a reading nook by day. Or, as you can see below - the perfect den! 

The above picture also gives you a sneak peek of how the pine wood floor looked before they painted it. It feels so much calmer in the new tone, don't you think? 

What a wonderful oasis! 

I love the subtle touches and simple, laidback way it's been furnished, how about you? 

I'll definitely be pinning some of these images as inspiration for our own little cabin. 

You can see more of Pernille and her family's cabin over at @nullsterliving - it also features their beautiful apartment in Copenhagen which has a very different style! 

Interested in looking around a few other danish cabins this weekend? Here are five of my favourites: 

Before and after: a rundown cabin becomes a vibrant summer cottage

A charming cabin on the Danish island of Orø

A little Danish cabin in the woods

A beautifully simple, white-washed Danish cabin

Take a tour of a danish family's inviting cabin

So, friends. That's it from me this week. Thank you so much for stopping by. I hope you have a great weekend. 

Vi ses på Måndag! See you Monday! 

Niki

Photography: @nullsterliving

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Before And After: A Dated Cabin Becomes a Modern Scandinavian-inspired Colorado Retreat!

It's Friday friends - and that calls for something extra special, don't you think? And I have just the place! A few days ago, this magical cabin in Twin Lakes, Colorado dropped into my mail box. Photographer, author and teacher Christine Bayles Kortsch and husband Daniel Kortsch (also a photographer) had always dreamed of owning a remote cabin to visit at the weekends, as well as offer as a property for workshops, photoshoots, elopements and more. After years of drooling over cabins online, their dream finally came true in the shape of Alpenglow Cabin which they purchased and renovated together with Daniel's brother Jon-Marc and his partner Laura. Surrounded by rugged beauty and wild nature, the location was perfect, the cabin itself however, was in need of a little TLC. I caught up with Christine to find and out more. 

Kitchen - Before

Christine, Daniel, Jon-Marc and Laura completely gutted the cabin, before painting the pine paneling white.

"We did the entire renovation ourselves (except the hardwood floors) and found primary inspiration in Scandinavian-influenced design. This included talks with our Danish brother-in-law and admiring photos of his family's summer cottage."

Kitchen - After 

Dated upper cabinets were ripped out and replaced with wooden open shelving for a light, relaxed and contemporary feel. The lower cabinets were given a lick of white paint and moved around to give the entrance more breathing space. 

"The copper collection is antique and was passed down from my sister-in-law Laura, whose heritage is Norwegian and German."

Main Living Space - Before

Nothing can take away from the staggering view of the mountains - but the hot tub was fairly dominant and there's no denying that the living space was incredibly dark and lacked cosiness! 

Living Space - After

A fresh lick of paint (I like how they still have wood on the ceiling and around the windows) and wood floors have helped turn the cabin into a fresh and airy, yet cosy and comfortable living space. The hot tub exterior has also been given a makeover - making it less dominant while still providing a dreamy spot from which to gaze out over the mountains. 

"My husband is a woodworker and he made the live-edge dining table."

"My brother-in-law Jon-Marc is a sculpture fabricator and had the wood stove hearth pad custom-made." 

Master bedroom - Before

Master Bedroom - After

A wall-to-wall carpet was ripped out and replaced with a dark wood floor for a modern feel. 

Simple, soft furnishings like this woven wall hanging by Sweet pea Artistry Co help to add a cosy alpine feel. 

Bedroom 2 - Before

Bedroom 2 - After

You can really see the Scandinavian feel coming through in this bedroom: the minimalist feel, botanical touches and the chequer detail!

"We are so proud of this cabin. It is tangible evidence of our blood, sweat, love of nature, passion for beauty and daydreaming. We felt a sense of real pride when our Danish brother-in-law Rune announced we had achieved a hygge feel!"

The beautiful surroundings - which offer endless options for hiking, back-country skiing, snowshoeing, paddling, rafting, rock-climbing and mountain biking - inspired the name 'Alpenglow' which according to Merriam-Webster is the "reddish glow seen near sunset or sunrise on the summits of mountains". Christine, Daniel, John-Marc and Laura also use the word to describe "that cosy feeling you get curled up by the fire with friends after a day of fresh air and adventure." 

Both versions sound wonderful to me, what do you think? 

Alpenglow cabin is now available on Airbnb for others to come and enjoy. You can also find more information / pictures on the Alpenglow Cabin website and instagram. 

Perhaps it's time to start searching for that dated property that's waiting for someone to come along and give it the TLC it deserves. Who knows, this time next year, we could be sitting in a hot tub overlooking Colorado's highest peaks! 

More cabin love / inspiration to be found here:

An idyllic Finnish summer cabin

A magical Norwegian mountain cabin

before and after: a dated property becomes a dreamy cabin in the woods

Thank you so much to Christine for submitting this project! If you have a project / home tour you'd like to share do send it my way. I can't promise to feature all of the submissions but will certainly keep an eye out for homes that are a perfect fit with My Scandinavian Home!

Right friends. I believe it's time for the weekend. WOOHOOO! Wishing you a relaxing, cosy weekend vänner! Thanks for a great week - I've loved reading your comments! 

Vi ses på Måndag!

Niki

Photography Christine Bayles Kortsch / Daniel Kortsch except the hallway which was shot by Molly Lo Photography.

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Leanne Ford's Dreamy Woodsy Cabin in Echo Park

I know sometimes it's inevitable, but I always feel a little sad when I hear about houses getting torn down, especially if they have a long history - do you feel the same? There's someone else that feels exactly the same way: interior designer Leanne Ford. Two years ago, Leanne stumbled across this little wooden cabin, rumoured to be the first known house in Echo Park, Los Angeles and built by silent movie star Clara Kimball Young. It was then inhabited by a blind lady for over 70 years who donated it to the Braille Institute when she passed away. When Leanne found it, the woodsy cottage was being sold as a tear down (the 8000 sq foot / 743 sq metre lot was worth more!) and there was an investor interested in the land. Leanne made it her mission to save it.

 The cabin oozed charm and character but was in need of renovation. Leanne has beautifully restored the space and created an indoor / outdoor living space which connects rustic textures such as stone floors and exposed wood. The focal point of the living room is a stone hearth and Midcentury Malm fireplace (imagine spending chilly Autumn days in this spot?!).

A Flos Taraxacum pendant light* and chunky knit blanket* are in keeping with the white theme and yet add plenty of texture. The beautiful vintage side table also adds to the charm.

Leanne blames one of the reasons for falling in love with the cabin on the big windows, which flood every single room with light - and who can blame her?!

 White wood panelling, a vintage sink, down to earth open shelving and a pulley system all add to the relaxed charm of the cabin. Leanne picked up the Viking Range oven on Craig's List and the work top is made from 'imperfect' onyx.

During the renovation, they ripped all of the bead board drop ceiling out of the cabin and then put it on the walls. In fact, absolutely everything that was torn out of the cabin, was reused somewhere else - quite incredible, don't you think?!

Leanne's husband had one request: there should be a place to store all their books. 

The narrow master bedroom gets so much light, Leanne went for a cooler white (using white on white from PPG paints) to give it an airy feel. 

Distressed reclaimed windows have been transformed into barn style doors to pull across the cupboards, while soft linen curtains* help to mask the contents!

The claw foot tub came with the house (guh! if only this had happened in my home!). The plumbing and hardware were new, but treated (or 'pickled' as Leanne puts it!) to give them an aged look. The incredible sink was Big Daddy's Antiques find - result!!!

Oh, and I've saved the best news till last. Leanne has just put this cabin on the market (check out the details here)- what an incredible opportunity!!

You know last week I said I was moving to this country house in Nacka? How do I tell my husband that we might also be moving to Echo Park?

Could you imagine living in this charming woodsy cabin too?

More cottage / cabin lovin' to be found in this archive (how cute is this pared-back cabin in Finland?!).

If your loving the style of this little cabin, you might also feel inspired by this Farmhouse and this house - both designed by Leanne.

I hope all these lovely cabins have brightened up the start of your week!

Niki

Interior design: Leanne Ford. Photography: Tessa Neustadt

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