my scandinavian home

A Charming Open-Plan Swedish Summer Cottage

Why, hello there friends! It's a bit of an exciting week as I'm on my way to the West Coast for a few days with Carpe Diem Beds. First stop: the pretty fishing village of Fiskebäckkil which I included in my travel guide last summer. How I've missed real live events, have you? These pretty summer places are quite deserted now that every has returned to the city, but there's a real beauty about them in Autumn and winter when the nature and wildlife takes over. On the other side of Sweden, this pretty cottage in Hölö belonging to architect Ninni Ryott, is sure to be locked up for the winter. But since I refuse to let summer go until the strength in the sun's rays finally fades, I'd love to take you on a tour!

Built from wood and painted in Falu red, the cottage was built in 2013 and designed to match the other traditional buildings on the estate.

It might measure a mere 45 m2 (484 f2), but Ninni has worked hard to ensure there's plenty of space for the entire family with one large room for dining and socialising. The main living area feels extra spacious thanks to the tremendously high ceiling wonderful white wood panel walls.

The space has been furnished with a relaxed blend of old and new - with blue and white a central theme.

A ladder leads up to a loft with four beds - a bunk for each member of the family! How my children would love this, they're always asking if they can sleep in my bed and they're 10 and 13 (but that could just be because we have a Carpe Diem one and they are amazingly luxurious!).

What a wonderful cottage, so simple just as a Swedish summer cottage should be, yet light and airy and very cosy.

I wouldn't mind knocking about here all summer, how about you?

See more of Ninni's work over at Ryott Arkitektur (I love the cabin by the sea she designed too!).

If like me, you're looking to prolong summer this week (hey, it's not quite October, right?) - you might also like to check out these cottages:

A photographer's charming summer cottage in the woods

A traditional Swedish summer cottage enjoyed as a year round home

An oasis on a Swedish island

Have a great start to the week friends!

Niki

Photography courtesy of Ryott Arkitektur

12 Ideas To Steal From A Small Swedish Home With a Castle-like Turret!

"Rapunzal, Rapunzel, let down your hair". Actually, scrap that! You wouldn't need rescuing if you lived in a turret like this - the space is a dream! Small it may be (33 m2 / 355 f2), but awkward angles don't need to spell cramped. This stylish Swedish space has made full use of every nook and cranny to create a beautiful oasis high up over the rooftops of Gothenburg. And there are so many ideas to steal too! Here are 11 to feel inspired by.

1. Ribbed wood walls are having moment - and they're a great way to add interest and warmth to a space, as well as dampen sound.

2. A long mirror bounces natural light from the balcony to lighten up the space.

3. Skylights are ideal for rooftop living - and now they come with built in blinds to shield from sunlight on warm days.

4. Darker stone surfaces have taken over in the kitchen and add a wonderful, natural, textured feel.

5. Wood and stone / ceramic accessories are everything right now - the more artisanal / imperfect the better. Expect to see a growing number of wood accessories such as bowls, jugs and pots this autumn / winter too!

6. The shades might be earthy, but the combination of wood, exposed brick and stone - as well as the black contact ensures plenty of interest.

7. A kitchen on one side, a hallway on the other - you can't get quicker to the fridge than that. Plus, it capitalises on space!

8. In a small space like this with lots of angles, white is a great shade for keeping the look bright and airy.

9. Trailing plants add so much greenery, plus they are often so much easier to keep alive than standard plants (as least in MHO). Take a look here to feel inspired!

10. Check out the mix of textures: 'teddy' / boucle, linen, shaggy wool, stone etc. If you like a minimalist look but still want things to happen - this is the way forward!

9. Arched mirrors - remember those from my Autumn trend post? Here, round / curved edges help to break up the angular shape of the room.

10. A slither of exposed brick helps to connect the bedroom with eh kitchen, giving the home a cohesive look and feel.

11. Remember that discussion the other day? I hadn't realised that the unmade / crumpled bed look was a Scandinavian (potentially European?) style trend! OK, the styling here is a little excessive, but in general I'm all for the creased / messy linen look, I mean no ironing? Winner! Thoughts?

12. For limited spaces, a small wall mounted desk is ideal! Plus it's perfectly positioned under the window to maximise natural light. The Arum lamp* is from Ferm living, I have the wall version in my bedroom and L.O.V.E it (Canadian friends - I noticed your comments the other day, the good news is it appears Ferm Living is available for you through The Modern Shop) and the Afteroom chair* is from Menu.

I totally get that it's unlikely you live in a turret shaped home - but many of us do live in small spaces / have teeny rooms to decorate, so I hope this has given you a few ideas for your home!

For more small space ideas check out this archive.

Right friends, that's it from me this week! There's a storm brewing in Malmö with gale warnings so I need to get on my bike and peddle home as fast as possible before it arrives. I hope you have better weather!

Have a wonderful weekend and see you Monday!

Niki

Photography: this home is for sale courtesy of Alvhem

FILED UNDER: small spaces swedish apartment swedish home

A Cosy Vintage-inspired Holiday Cottage On The Sapphire Coast

Have you got any holiday plans coming up? In the Brantmark household we're feeling crazily excited about a trip to Mallorca to visit my sister and the girls' cousins in the first week of November. It will be officially the first week of the winter season there, but we're confident it will be an improvement on the Swedish weather, what do you reckon?

Even so, a trip to Australia and New Zealand remains high up on my list for the future. One day friends, one day! In the meantime, I shall keep adding charming holiday rentals to my archive. And this one is a beauty! Located half way between Sydney and Melbourne in Pambula, New South Wales, Lotte's Hjem is a beloved 150 year old weatherboard cottage beautifully restored by partners Harrison Balodis and Miranda O'Rourke, which they then generously opened up as a holiday rental.

Anyone who visits can expect to sit back and celebrate the simple pleasures in life such as collecting fresh flowers and seasonal herbs from the garden, reading by firelight and enjoying a morning coffee on the veranda - surrounded by beautiful vintage pieces and family heirlooms. While travel to Australia might be off the cards right now, there's nothing to stop us in the future - and for now, it's just to sit back and dream!

Who's in?

It looks like such a perfect place to unwind, doesn't it? Plus, it makes me want to spend the weekend strolling around Swedish 'loppis' (flea markets) - I think I'll do just that!

Read more about the philosophy behind a stay at Lotte's Hjem here.

Fancy dreaming about other Australian and Tasmanian haunts this today? Here are a few others I've earmarked:

Dream stay: a Swedish weatherboard cottage in South Australia

An idyllic holiday home and garden by Lynda Gardner

Captains Cottage, a Bolthole in Tasmania

A cosy hideaway by the sea (wait till you see the bathroom!)

How wonderful, I do love a little holiday home dreaming, how about you?

Niki

Photography courtesy of Lotte's Hjem with thanks.

FILED UNDER: airbnb Holiday homes holiday rental VIntage inspired homes

An Apartment With Inspiring Touches in Copenhagen, Denmark

I was watching New Amsterdam on Netflix last night (I know, probably not very design cool, but it's an easy watch after a long day!) while intermittently browsing through instagram (Per hates it when I do that!), and I stumbled across the Danish account of Stina Bothilde. From what I can gather, Stina and her family divide their time between a beautiful old apartment in Fredriksberg, Copenhagen and a weekend retreat in Hønsinge, West of Zealand. They both caught my eye for different reasons, and I'm pretty sure I'll feature her cabin at some point. But today, I couldn't resist giving you a small tour of their city space. I say small tour since Stina hasn't shot that many angles thus far. Even so, these lovely rooms / angles are filled with lovely 'effortless Danish' inspiration.

In the dining area, a pair of Opaline Hubsch lamps hang over the table, the cables draped from the original electrical source. A long brown cushion (made with curtain fabric) helps transform cabinets (from Handcrafted Interior) into seating while adding a touch of on-trend colour while classic wishbone chairs are arranged opposite.

A galaxy globe mobile by Kaja Skytte hangs in the corner, while a basket of blankets lies in wait by the balcony door.

In the sitting room, original art from Isola Studio* (check to the pieces here*!) and a print Arthus hangs on a wall painted in Space by Jotun Lady. The rug is from Søstrene Grene.

It's just a teeny room - as with many city apartments space is of a premium and you simply need to make do with the square metres you have. All the same, it looks super cosy! A wall mounted pocket organiser* from Norman Cph (as seen on the wall) are perfect for storing books in lieu of a bedside table.

I love the wood on the casing of the bathroom cabinet - combined with the brass holder - it really makes the space!

Well folks, I might not have been able to show you the entire home, but I have a feeling this is a start of something beautiful!

Check out Stina's instagram feed for the latest updates.

And if you're into all things danish after seeing this - go ahead and pull up a wishbone chair and scroll through this danish home tour archive. It's a favourite of mine!

By the way, I've been really enjoying the comments lately, especially when a discussion arises, they are so fun to read and remind me of what a great community My Scandinavian Home is! Thank you.

Ha det fint!

Niki

Photography courtesy of Stina Bothilde - shared with kind permission.

FILED UNDER: danish apartment danish home

A French Photographer's Earthy Home on The Vendée Coast

Kicking off the week with snapshots from the beautiful home of French photographer and director Aurelie Lecuyer, husband Jean-Christophe and their three children in a forest on the Vendée coast. The 1970s house exudes calm thanks to the wonderful warm wood, layers of texture and earthy tones. Think surfaces dotted with lamps and foraged pieces, contemporary lighting, sculpted built-in furniture and shelves laden with artefacts, books and magazines. All the while, the look is clean, calm and relatively contemporary. Be still my beating heart!