Settle: A Rustic Hideaway In A Former Railway Carriage & Boutique Cabin

I have a total weakness for rustic spaces, do you? I spotted this cosy gem of a retreat over at Desire to Inspire yesterday and fell in love! 'Settle' is a retreat in Norfolk, England created by John - who owns and runs a reclamation yard, and his partner Jo - a well-known floral designer.  The incredible resort offers guests a choice to unwind in rustic railway carriages, bell tents or a boutique cabin overlooking woodland and lakes. I'm particularly in enamoured by the railway carriages and cabin which combine earthy textures and heritage materials with contemporary comfort - so, it's just to turn up, light a fire, maybe run a bath (wait till you see the outdoor one!)... and relax. 

The carriages: 

My eye is on one of the three beautifully restored retired railway carriages. Each offer two berths, a lounge area with a wood burning stove as well as a bathroom and small kitchen - although you might prefer to cook supper over the lakeside fire pit! 

The Cabin

If you'd prefer something a little more spacious, there's also the boutique cabin which looks like something out of a magazine (actually scrap that - it has been in a magazine!). Hand built by Jo and John, the fully equipped cabin has everything you might need for a relaxing retreat - a real home from home! 

The questions is, would you go for the freestanding indoor bath, or the lakeside wood-burning tub? 

Meet you there? 

In case you're keen - hop over to Settle to find out more (or simply dream!). 

Shall we indulge our shared love of rustic further today? How about these cosy gems? 

Before and after: a dated cabin becomes a Scandic-inspired Colorado retreat

A cosy candlelit cabin in the Norwegian fjords

Leanne Ford's dreamy cabin

A charming A-frame cabin on the Danish island of Orø

Have a hyggelig day friends! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Settle, via Desire to inspire - with thanks. 

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A Warm Rural Swedish Home That Combines Old And New

It's a new dawn, a new day, a new week even. But not a new house tour, especially if you've been reading My Scandinavian home for over four years! Oozing charm and character, the country home of Swedish interior stylist Anna Truelsen has gradually migrated from a more fresh white aesthetic to deeper earthy tones. Which is why I thought it was time to pay another virtual visit! Today, Anna's home is a perfect blend of muted earthy tones, antique furniture, shelves crammed with porcelain collected over the years and several handmade pieces. It's the type of home that looks equally beautiful in all seasons - but there's something about the candlelight, roaring wood burning stove and deep hues in the bedroom that makes it feel especially cosy in the Autumn. Välkommen in! 

Thonet and other vintage chairs* have been arranged around a table that was built by Anna's Grandfather. The plate racks on the wall were also made by 'Morfar'. The wall have been painted Metropolitan AF-690 from Benjamin Moore. 

Anna has been collecting cake stands, terrines, glasses and bowls since she was 17. The collection has been carefully culled over the years, and today, she possesses only the pieces that hold real meaning.

To me, Anna's home is instantly recognisable in magazines and online thanks to the wonderful, original wood burning stove in the kitchen. Isn't it beautiful?

A simple linen tablecloth* adds a soft touch to the grey and white kitchen - while sunflowers provide a burst of sunshine. Sadly, they're fading in Sweden now, are they still in bloom where you are? 

Anna bought a second-hand 4-seat Klippan sofa from Swedish site Blocket and then coveted with a loose fit white linen cover from Bemz*. 

The 'Mediterranean Teal 2123-10' paint colour in the bedroom reminds Anna of the forest! I reckon come December, you'd want to hang out there all day and snuggle up with a good book, don't you think?

This home tour has put me in such a good mood - a perfect way to kick off the week, don't you think?

Did you get any ideas for your own home? 

In case you missed it in the intro, you can take a peek at how Anna's home looked four years ago. Quite an interesting transformation. It's easy to see how this has been a gradual process. Oh, and you might also like to follow Anna on instagram where she shares snapshots of her home as well as her styling work for magazines. It's such an inspiring feed! 

Other country homes to love today: 

A Finnish family home in a former schoolhouse

Old meets new in a charming Swedish country home

An idyllic rural home that's full of charm

Wishing you a wonderful start to the week friends!

Niki

Photography: Anna Truelsen, shared with kind permission

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A Soothing Swedish family Home With the World's Cutest Kitten!

How are you all doing? Ups and downs? I hear you. But hopefully I have something that can really lift all our spirits! Pull up a chair, put your feet up and stay for a while, this Swedish home will have you dreaming about calm spaces and fairy-tale children's bedrooms. Oh, and it even includes a cute dog and fluffy kitten for good measure! Welcome to the home of Anna-Maria Blomqvist. Anna-Maria lives in the pretty town of Sigtuna, just North of Stockholm. It's a lively little place known for its traditional wooden houses and having the oldest main street in Sweden. Anna-Maria, her partner and their children live in an old croft house which they've lovingly restored into a family home. The house is a sea of earthy greys, deep blues and forest greens, reflecting the lake and forests of the surroundings. Look out for the pretty wallpaper too! 

Since moving to Sweden, a blanket on the sofa has become an essential item (we actual have several these days otherwise there are actual fights!). This chunky knit* one sold online is similar. 

The family hound has found a perfect spot to snooze beside a Josef Davidssons wood burning stove. Oh, to be him today! 

Love this dining setting. But, gaaah, I've seen this star pendant light so many times and can't for the life of me remember the name - can anyone help? It would be great to provide the details.  Also, can I get a slice of that cake, please?

This seems to be the week for vintage glass cabinets (did you see the one in yesterday's Finnish home tour?) - beautiful! I love this one in the children's bedroom too, how about you?

The wall has been finished with Kalkitir chalk paint from Iceland. We painted one of our kitchen walls with this recently. It arrives in powder form and you mix it with water. It's surprisingly easy to apply, organic and gives a beautiful texture. Home DIY project perhaps? If there's enough interest, I might be able to organise a discount. Give me a shout if you're interested!

The wonderful Graylag goose mobile is designed in Sweden by Wonderforest Co. 

What a cosy bed, made even prettier by the Boråstapeter Nocturne wallpaper and bed canopy. And the best news of all for parents - with a bed like this, the children will have no need to turn the sofa into a den! Hallelujah!  

 And finally.....

Because who doesn't feel joy from a picture of the world's fluffiest kitten? Isn't she a Darling? Wonder what she thinks of the flying goose mobile?! 

I spotted this last picture in Anna-Maria's Instagram feed. Not only does it show a glimpse of Sigtuna's pretty Main Street, it also gave me a chance to tell you about a Swedish easter tradition you might not know about! 

On Skärtorsdagan (Maundy Thursday) children across Sweden dress up as påskkäringor (Easter hags) wearing brightly coloured head scarves and faces painted with rosy cheeks and freckles - as seen above! They then wander from door to door asking for sweets. I was so taken aback when I opened the door my first Easter in sweden. They look as cute as a button, but still, being British I was a bit baffled and not terribly well stocked up on godis (sweets)! It's one of the main signs that Swedish Påsk (easter) predates Christianity. It was said that on Maundy Thursday, witches flew to consort with the devil at Mount Blåkulla (a tiny island off Sweden's east coast), some swedes (particularly in the western part of the country) light bonfires to ward off the evil spirits - although these days more so on April 30th (Walpurgis Night). 

Do you have unusual Easter / spring holiday traditions in your country? If so, I'd love to hear about them! 

Back to the home tour. Is there anything in particular that stood out to you? I love the wood burning stove! It's a really beautiful one and adds so much warmth to the home. 

Check out more snapshots from Anna-Maria's home over on her instagram @annamaria.blomqvist.  

Other homes I love with a similar vibe include Anna Kubel's beautiful abode, the soothing Swedish home of Frida Andersson and a charming home on Sweden's West coast.  

I hope this lovely tour (and sharing the unusual Swedish Easter traditions!) has given you a little respite today! Do share your thoughts in the comment section below, I'd love to hear from you!

Niki

Photography: Anna-Maria Blomqvist

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Home tour: A Charming, Rustic House in the Genoa Hills

Why, hello there! Sorry for posting a little late today. I've been busy launching a 30 Day Home Love challenge on Instagram with Holly Becker this morning. We hope it will bring a little light to everyone's day and help to make our homes a brighter place! Please do come and join in if you fancy it! SO, on with today's tour. And I thought we could take a peek inside the beautiful rustic home of Sarah Tognetti in the hills of Genoa, Italy today. Sarah, who founded the magazine Slow Home Slow Living Living, husband Gigi and their two daughters Beatrice (15) and Mathilde (12) enjoy a slow pace of life nestled between the beautiful Ligurian mountains and the sea. Their country home is filled with natural touches, raw materials and earthy tones. Fresh in-season flowers and plants also help to bring nature indoors. Welcome to Sarah's cosy world! 

The family's pink residence is nestled amongst a cluster of pretty houses on the Genoa hillside. She and her family are the first to live in the house in over a century. In the past it has been a carpentry workshop, a tavern and a meeting place where people got together to dance during the war. 

"We love nature and our dream is to buy a house with lots of land and be able to cultivate it," Sarah tells me. 

The kitchen has a really Scandinavian feel to it, don't you think? I love the open wood shelving lined with jars of pasta, pulses and rice - they add a really cosy touch. 

A vintage dresser in the kitchen has been painted in a soft grey from Farrow & Ball and filled with bowls, baskets, tins, glasses, kitchen towels and other necessities! 

Look closely at this beautiful space and you'll spot exposed wood beams over the window (I missed these the first-time round), which add a lovely rustic touch to the room.

Pick up similar factory lighting here*.

Sarah shared this picture in the #30dayhomelove challenge on Instagram today as her favourite room. I can totally see why, it's somewhere cosy where everyone in the home can gather. There's also a great wood burning stove which can be fired into action on chillier days. So toasty! 

There's so much to love about the master bedroom - the whitewashed wood cladding, the linen curtains, the plants..... But also, if you have a sloped ceiling, putting in a dummy wall like this is a great way to optimise space. 

Look what we have here! My book The Scandinavian Home! What an honour that my interior book has been a source of inspiration for Sarah. And I see it's in great company too! 

Such a beautiful home, don't you think? 

Is there anything in particular that stood out to you? 

Sarah's instagram feed is really beautiful too - if you don't already follow her, it's a must! 

If you're in the mood for more mountain / hill home inspiration today, make yourself cosy and take a peek at these charming spaces: 

A magical Norwegian mountain cabin

A family home with a breath-taking view of the Austrian Alps

A Norwegian house by a fjord

Sending lots of love and hugs to Italian readers and all today. 

Niki

Photography: Sarah Tognetti / @shabbychicinteriors 

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