A Norwegian cabin by the sea

For a long time now my dream has been to renovate a beautiful wooden cabin by a lake or sea here in Sweden so that my family and I can spend weekends and holidays there (this Finnish family are my inspiration). This Norwegian cabin owned by Kari K.Holm and her German born architect husband Jurgen Kieh is just what I'm looking for. The house is designed for outdoor living, for every indoor space there is an outdoor area to match. From the many verandas Kari and Jurgen can wave at friends as they sail by the island. An idyllic retreat! Imagine this space with candles, Christmas decorations and a roaring fire?

Photography Pia Ulin (with kind permission). Dwell.

Do you think my dream will ever come true? I promise you'll be the first to know if it does!

What do you dream about on gloomy Monday mornings?

For more cabins and retreats check out this Finnish log cabin, this romantic log cabin with a twist and this Danish retreat. So beautiful!

I hope you had a lovely weekend!

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A Contemporary Swedish Hillside Cabin (With An Incredible Infinity Pool!)

I absolutely love the idea of weekend / holiday retreats, how about you? A complete change of scene, somewhere you can unwind. It doesn't need to be anything decadent - a small log cabin surrounded by woodland or a little house by the sea.  Then again, when I see this, perhaps an infinity pool wouldn't go amiss either, what do you reckon?! This incredible cabin in Aspvik, East of Stockholm was designed by Andreas Martin-Löf architecture and successfully combines the pared-back nature of a Scandinavian retreat with a touch of LA luxury! Talk about taking 'forest bathing' to a whole new level! Come on, let's take a peek inside!

Made from steel, timber and glass, the structure allows you to sit back and enjoy panoramic views of the woodland from anywhere in the house. Or, you could just relax in the infinity pool and breathe in the fresh scent of pine!

The majority of the interior is made up of wood giving the space a wonderful organic feel. Other natural elements include cork (the cork table, bench and chairs are by Ilse Crawford for IKEA).

Open shelving (also seen in this make-over) ensures plenty of storage without interrupting the flow of light in the open-plan kitchen and living room area.

A grey marble worktop and splash-back brings the look up to date and contrasts beautifully with the timber. I love the patina on the brass tap too - and just how fab is that sink?!

The stairway leads down to the master bedroom, where you can look out over the forest from bed - not a bad way to start your day!

Just in case you can't quite shake off that weekday feeling - there's also a poolside sauna. I don't think I've seen a black one before - I'm feeling relaxed just looking at it, how about you?! And it's Monday.

Wow!

Could you imagine spending your weekends here?!

You can read more about the project here. And dream away by visiting the log cabin and rural retreat archives!

Thank you for the tip Nordic Design!

Have a great start to the week vänner!

Niki

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Our Weekend At A Swedish Cabin In The Calm of The Forest

My Scandinavian Home Partnership:
In Sweden, there's a season for everything. To me, the summer is about lazy days by the water when the sun sparkles like diamonds on the gentle waves. And when the leaves start to turn, we head to the forests to forage, take in the changing light and enjoy the sweet scent of spruce and pine. Every now and again we come across clearings where a shaft of light dances on the mossy knolls and allows the delicate Harebell to bloom. Little wonder these magical boreal forests are the inspiration behind the wonderful Skog collection from Skandinavisk. Their products come infused with delightful hints of spruce and pine needles, woodland lily of the valley, musk and aged leather - making it one of my favourite collections! As part of my ongoing partnership with Skandinavisk, my family and I headed to a friend's log cabin just North of Malmö to relax, play games and take in the calm of the forest first hand. As we pulled up, life's stresses and strains immediately fell away and we were completely alone save for passing roe deer, foxes, squirrels and the silent badgers - never seen, but forever present! 



Furnished almost entirely with second hand pieces and dotted with sheepskins, my friend's cabin is understated yet super cosy! A wood-burning stove kept away the autumn chill and filled the cabin with a wonderful scent of pine. 



The crazies enjoyed hot chocolate sprinkled with cinnamon and nutmeg, by the light of a Skog scented candle. The only tense moment came when it was discovered the cinnamon buns were different sizes. A lengthy division process began, right down to the last crumb.

Skog scented candle


Per discovered a guitar - which helped to diffuse the bun situation and restore calm to our weekend! The aptly named 'Norwegian Wood' is one of my favourite tunes he plays (I also love 'Streets of London' - can you see him rolling his eyes?!). 

Pots, jugs and containers made from wood, stone and glass line the surface of the bookshelves adding a warm, personal touch. Beneath the shelving there was a great stash of board games which we played well into the night, being a tad competitive none of us were going to bed until we'd won at last one round!

Skog Scent Diffuser

Skog hand and body lotion, hand wash and bar soap.

We discovered that a basket doubles up as a very useful tray  – it’s a perfect way to transport sausages, buns and marshmallows down to the fire pit! 





A walk in the forest led us through a forever changing scene where dense ferns hid in the shadows, fungi clung to bark, and patches of vibrant green moss were lit by sudden beams of light. The only sound came from the distant sound of a babbling brook and the shriek of delight from one of the girls as they stumbled across a chanterelle. 






That's Per with the Skog hand cream - yes Per! We both love it because it's richly moisturising (him!) yet lightly scented (me!) (it contains aloe vera, shea butter, almond, apricot and beeswax with extract of birch bark). Did you know birch bark is a natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory that calms irritated skin, stimulates circulation and helps skin stay energised? Perfect for the Scandinavian winter. 



A little book (Svampar: Lilla fälthandboken av Rikard Svartvik) helped us to identify mushrooms. However, I would never dare to eat any unless verified by someone in the know - and bearing in mind we were only accompanied by the odd roe deer, we only foraged for fun! We returned to the cabin relaxed, revived and with the sweet aroma of pine, and fir in our hair - and in need of another cinnamon bun!



All in all, it was a truly magical weekend!

I can't wait to return to this wonderful little cabin again soon.

In the meantime, the Skog collection will help to fill our home in Malmö with the calm scent of the Scandinavian Boreal forest, and serve as a wonderful reminder of our weekend - if only I'd won that game of Cluedo!

Do you love the forest too? If so, I'd love to hear more about your favourite time of the year to visit and what you like to do in the forest.

Oh, and one final thing: exciting news, you can win the SKOG hand cream, hand wash, hand lotion, bar soap, body wash, scent diffuser and scented candle 190g on my instagram this weekend. Hop on over tomorrow (Saturday) if you'd like to enter!

Have a fabulous weekend friends!

Niki

This weekend was part of an ongoing partnership with Skandinavisk. All words and pictures are my own and I only ever work with brands that I love and think you will too. Thank you for supporting the businesses that make My Scandinavian Home possible. 

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Could This Hygge Danish Log Cabin Be Your Holiday Home?!

Dreaming of a summer in Denmark? This authentic log cabin has just popped up on Airbnb! Situated in the countryside near Asserbo and the coastal resort of Liseleje on North Zealand around 60 km from Copenhagen, the cottage sleeps 10 and comprises a main house and guests house. But the best part? It's owned by Pernille Grønkjær Taatø (who's inspiring coastal home I featured here and charming parent's cottage I captured here) - which means that it's also been decorated in the most impeccable Danish style! As per Scandinavian holiday cottage tradition, the interior is understated and designed for a simple way of life - but also immensely cosy! The fresh white and gentle blue-grey tones are true to Pernille's signature style, while the rich dark wood and stove give the space a lovely, warm, hygge vibe!

The cabin has everything you might need for a long Danish summer - a comfy sofa and chair (Söderhamn), simple dining table, wood burning stove, candles and string lights* for a little hygge on chillier evenings! 

When it comes to holiday homes, Danes often prefer to pick whatever they find in the nearby meadows or along the country lanes. 

A mattress and cushions helps to transform a little nook under the stairs into a chill out zone.

A coffee and reading spot for one - with a candle (of course!). 

 A simple rustic stool* and traditional rag rug* add a cosy touch in the sitting room.

A rattan chair and hooks provide the perfect place to build up a 'chairobe' and never feel the need to put any clothes away (it's summer after all!). 

The guest house is made for bunking down (I'm thinking all the kids!) and relaxing (those fresh white floors, walls and hammocks!). 

Isn't it charming?

I'd be so happy to wile away a summer here, how about you?

More about Pernille's summer home on Airbnb here.

Unavailable the weeks you're looking at? There's also the option of these two lovely cabins on the same coast- or why not hop over the bridge to Sweden and stay at one of these instagrammable places.

Anyone would think I'm trying to entice you to Scandinavia this summer - who me?!

If I haven't managed to persuade you - you could always bring a Scandinavian summer cottage feel to your own home - there's a load of rural retreats to feel inspired by in this archive (I think it's one of my favourites!). Can I stop by for a fika?!

Niki

Photography: Pernille Grønkjær Taatø
*Affiliate links

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Could you spend your summer in this log cabin?

As the snow falls outside I can't help but dream of cosy cabins. And then I found this one, deep in the heart of the Drents-Friese Wold National Park in Appelscha, The Netherlands (thank you Style Files!). Accessed by a long track, this lovely family owned log cabin is one of those magical places where you could be happy in any season, rain or shine, indoors or out. Imagine reading a book or playing games with family and friends by the wood burning stove? Or exploring the forests on cross-country skis (winter) or by bicycle (summer). There's even a lake for swimming within 500 metres. And the best news? It's available to rent. I know!!

Credits: Boshuisnijhildenberg. Post inspired by the Style Files. 

Could you holiday here?

I love the family's Pinterest boards which are built up of snapshots of everyday life at the cottage (which sleeps 8)...so lovely!

See you at the hand-over?!

I'm thinking why not go all out Dutch today with more inspiration from this lovely cabin and a lorry load of beautiful homes from The Netherlands here, I particularly love this fabulous rental home near Amsterdam.

Have a lovely day!

PS This post is not sponsored by The Netherlands tourist board - although I'd forgive you for thinking it! I'm simply feeling a whole load of love for this wonderful nearby country today! 

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