Before & After: A Dated Danish house Becomes a Vibrant Summer Cottage

The rain is coming down in Sweden and I'm guessing there are plenty of card games going on behind closed doors of everyone's summer cottages. Meanwhile, judging by these pictures, the sun is shining over the Öresund strait in the Danish town of Rørvig, North of Zealand. 

This pretty 80 sqm / 861 ft2 cottage in the woods is owned by sisters Ane and Sigrid. Since buying the property, the pair have completely renovated the property both inside and out to create a dreamy place for their families to spend summer and in fact, to get away from it all in other seasons too. 

It's somewhere they come to relax - clearly seen by the day beds, window seats and casual style. The fresh whites help to create a bright and airy feel, while pops of pink and other bright colours add to the vibrancy of the living space. Ready to see a few before and after pictures? 

Exterior before

Exterior after

An entirely new shade (earthy pink), new windows, sunroom extension and new deck have completely transformed the exterior into an inviting cottage! 

A cosy dining nook has been carved out under the sloping roof using built-in seating and rattan chairs. 

Kitchen side view before

Kitchen side view after

Walls were knocked through to create a light and airy open-plan living space and a new kitchen has been installed with pretty blue cabinet fronts to reflect the coastal location. 

An antique bed serves as a place for afternoon naps and overnight kips! 

Sunroom before

Sunroom after

New windows, a fresh lick of white and a new herringbone floor was what was needed to completely transform the sun room into a beautiful bright space to relax, surrounded by greenery! You often see pretty floral cushions like these in danish summer houses. 

Bedroom before

Bedroom after

I am guessing the beautiful wood floor was lurking under the laminate flooring - what a find! New windows, a fresh lick of paint and old beams have added a wonderful summer cottage vibe to the bedroom. 

Toilet before 

Toilet after

A new, larger and lower window has made a huge different to the feel of the bathroom. I also love the tiles! 

What a perfect transformation from a slightly pokey, dated house to an idyllic summer cottage. I would perfectly happy relaxing here all summer - sunshine or rain, how about you? 

You can see more pictures of Ane and Sigrid's cottage over at @det_lille_hus_i_skoven. And also, great news. If you're looking for a holiday home to rent in Denmark this summer, this one is available through Landfolk here. 

Take a peek inside a few other Danish summer cottages today: 

A dreamy danish summer cottage with an outdoor bathroom

An idyllic summer oasis on North Zealand

A light and airy summer cottage by the sea

I hope today's post has transported you to summers in Denmark and filled you with inspiration! 

Niki

PS if it's sunny where you are, please can you send a little our way?

Photography courtesy of @det_lille_hus_i_skoven with thanks. 

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Five Danish Country Homes to Love

Hej! Come here looking for the danish cottage? You can view all the pictures and see the listing here on the estate agent page. I am having to adapt my post and am just waiting for new pictures so hopefully I can republish very soon! 

In the meantime, I'm excited to share five danish country homes tours with you today - all different, all beautiful! 

Ready to dive in? 

1. Step inside the country home of a Danish artist (pictured above and below).

2. A striking Danish country home

3. A century old danish cottage is given a revamp (before and after)

4. A danish cabin by the sea became a lockdown haven

5. A danish house becomes a vibrant summer cottage (before and after)

All so lovely in their own way.

I loved the relaxed style of the Danes, how about you? 

Have a great start to the week! 

Niki

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10 Idyllic Scandinavian Summer Cottages

There is nowhere I'd rather be in summertime than Scandinavia, it's a magical time which everyone embraces it with every fibre of their being. Being up at the cabin, I love to cycle around the village and take in the atmosphere. There's a certain joy in the air when everyone is leading a simple, yet joyful life with the same rhythm of sleep, swim, eat repeat (with a cool glass of rosé thrown in the evenings!). In honour of this, here is a round-up of some of my favourite Scandinavian summer cottages, I hope they will also have you dreaming of summers in Scandinavian and that you'll visit some day! 

1. A dreamy Danish cottage with an outdoor bathroom

2. Before and after: a rundown cabin becomes a vibrant Danish summer cottage

3. A charming little Swedish Sumer cottage by the sea

4. A beautifully simple light-filled Danish summer cottage

5. A light and airy Danish summer cabin 

6. A magical rural escape by a Norwegian fjord

7. A charming summer house in Finland 

8. A charming open-plan Swedish summer house

9. A fairytale Swedish summer cottage 

10. Glimpses of my very own little cabin - which I'm hoping to share more of soon! 

I hope you enjoyed this tours - and  this post might have inspired you to spend a summer in Scandinavia - it's a beautiful place to be. Just make sure you're prepared for every weather! 

Was there a particular cottage that really resonated with you? I'd love to hear which one and why! 

By the way - the top image is 

Nik

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Charming Details In a Danish Allotment Cottage

'God morgen' as they say in Danish! How was your weekend? I read that today is referred to as 'blue Monday' - considered by some the saddest day of the year. Apparently, it's down to a number of factors including bad weather (check), long nights (check) and of course this year, a certain word beginning with C! Well, not on my watch friends, because we're going to be wrapped in a warm bubble of 'glæde' as we tour a charming kolonihavehus (allotment cottage) in the Danish countryside! It may be pared-back - but it's also full of warmth thanks to the carefully selected vintage furniture - as well as the small, joyful details which give this little space, a big heart! Welcome to Danish knitwear designer and interior stylist Gaia Brandt's world!

Are you familiar with the 'kolinihave' concept? These little Scandinavian cottages are built on allotments - and were originally designed to provide shelter in between toiling the soil. These days, they have become a picturesque summer holiday retreat for many city dwellers. I've shared more details about this type of Scandinavian housing here. 

Usually, there are tight restrictions on how many days a year you can stay - and the water is turned off between Autumn and springtime. But come summertime, these little cottage communities come alive and provide a perfect summer oasis! 

As with most Scandinavian summer cottages, the look here is simple, with a focus on bringing the outdoors in. 

Look closely though, and you'll spot lots of wonderful details - a unique pot here, a wall-mounted dolls house there, and lots of mobiles, which draw the eye upwards. 

A simple Danish rag rug helps to protect the wood floor in the kitchen. 

Playing with over-sized items helps to bring the living room area alive! 

Could that be a TV behind the sheet? 

An otherwise disused corner of the room has been transformed into a display area for a vintage collection of hearts, dried flowers and other ornaments. 

On warm summers day, the doors are thrown open so Gaia and her children can flit between the outdoors and inside. 

I bet many a strong coffee has been enjoyed right here!  

So lovely, don't you think? 

I can practically feel the warmth on my skin from the pictures (taken by Gaia's sister Kira Brandt - a talented photographer - for Danish magazine Boligliv. 

I'm also finding this tour so inspiring for the tiny cabin Per and I are planning to build this year (more to follow very soon!). 

Did you get any ideas for your own home? 

I forgot to mention that Gaia is a real dab hand at DIY / crafts. Check out her styling work for magazines here and see pictures of her latest home over on her instagram feed. 

And - for more inspiration to brighten up the start of your week, you might like to check out: 

A charming little allotment cottage in Malmö

A danish artist's relaxed allotment cottage

An idyllic Swedish 'kolonistuga' 

Blue Monday? What blue Monday! 

Niki

Photography: Kira Brandt / styling Gaia Brandt for Boligliv - shared withy kind permission. 

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Two Idyllic Cottages To Rent In Denmark This Summer

It's going to reach a high of 12 degrees Celsius (53 degrees Fahrenheit) here in southern Sweden tomorrow and we're seriously excited (we've been waiting 6 months for this, I kid you not!). If you walk through Malmö tomorrow, you'll see people outside cafes in droves, with faces tilted towards the sun. With warmer weather finally on its way, my thoughts are drifting to the summer holidays and carefree days by the sea. If you haven't been to this part of the world in summertime, it's an absolute must. In case you're wondering where to stay, I stumbled across these two idyllic coastal cabins on Airbnb last week while planning my day by the Danish coast. Both are located in beautiful holiday destinations on the Danish coast and are a relatively short hop from Copenhagen!

1. Liseleje
Danes flock to Liseleje on the Danish riviera in the summer time to enjoy the authentic fishing village, al fresco dining on the quay and the long, golden stretch of sand. This charming white washed cottage sleeps 6 and is a mere 600 metres from the beach - and the interior is as pretty as can be!

2. Rørvig

About a one hour and a quarter drive from the Danish capital, this rustic log cabin is surrounded by woodland and situated near Rørvig harbour which is lined with quayside restaurants, cafes and shops. The area is also great for hikes. I'm loving the rustic vibe! Oh and it sleeps 6.  

Could you imagine spending your summer holidays at one of these lovely cottages?

I certainly could!

For more Danish summer cottage inspiration, I'm also loving these homes (although they're sadly not available to rent!):

A charming cottage on the island of Fejø
An idyllic Danish summer cottage
A Danish retreat

Wishing you a wonderful weekend friends.

Roll on the Danish summer!

Niki

Photography courtesy of Airbnb with thanks

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