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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13

Two Danish Coffee Tables, One Hyggelig Sitting Room!

Sponsored by Skovby, all words and photos are my own and I only ever work with brands I love*

The blankets are unfurled, and the candles are lit. It must be November! Our sitting room really comes into its own at this time of year, and my family and I spend many a night right here sipping coffee (OK - maybe we exchange it for wine sometimes too, while relaxing and hiding from the cold!) - is it the same in your home? I was therefore super happy to have the excuse to hang out here for a whole day MID-WEEK to capture these beautiful coffee tables for Skovby (you'll likely recognise the name, I've been working with this wonderful danish brand for many years and have always loved their  passion for wood and fine craftsmanship). 

You might recall we usually have a long vintage rustic bench as our coffee table, so it was fun to see how a different arrangement might look. And actually, I realised that there's something very handy about using two tables instead of one. Read on to find out more and take a closer look at these fine specimens! 

So, what's the advantage of two tables? 

Well, firstly, opting for two instead of one (I've chosen the Coffee table #241/264 with a white HPL top and oak white oil legs and coffee table #241/265 in oak white oil) with two different heights, means you can nestle them into one another or pull them apart, which gives you greater flexibility depending on the size of the party. You can also separate them completely - using one as a side table and one as a coffee table. In a small sitting room this is worth its weight in gold! 

Incidentally, the round shape is also a small space saviour, and helps a space to feel softer and more  inviting (it's funny how that can happen). 

Our sitting room suddenly felt a whole lot more practical, user-friendly and sociable! Per will be very happy with this indeed! 

Oh, and there's another important advantage: if you chose two tables, you can get a little more creative with the design. For example, I have combined white with wood in order to create a greater visual impact. 

Incidentally, the Skovby coffee table series is made up of a load of different elements (designed by Danish designer Per Hånsbæk) and invites you to choose the shape, wood type and size of the tabletop -  as well as between classic wooden legs, an edge steel frame or an adjustable height base. So, you can be as creative as you like! 

Keep in mind that a coffee table should be around two-thirds of the length of your sofa. 

What do you think? Are you tempted to opt for two tables instead of one? Or perhaps you've gone for something completely different (ottomans, chests, suitcases - I've seen it all!). I'd love to hear more about your coffee table!

If you're curious about these, you can explore the entire Skovby coffee table series and find your nearest stockist here. 

You might also like some of the other fine specimens from Skovby. I've captured many of their items in my home in the past, including a desk and chair in Per's home office space, a serving trolley which I used to serve glögg last Christmas, bar stools in my dining room and one very fine bench among others!

In the meantime, if anyone's looking for me, I'll be right here sipping coffee and enjoying the hygge until these fine specimens are (sadly) collected on Friday. 

Have a hyggeligt day! 

Niki

*This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Skovby. All words are my own and I only ever work with brands I love and think you will too! Thank you for supporting the exceptional Scandinavian businesses that make My Scandinavian Home possible. 

Photography by me, styling by Helen Sturesson. 

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4

A Beautiful Light-Filled Sunroom in Holland

Hello there! Thank you for your patience, we're back after bottling up as much sunshine as our EasyJet baggage allowance would permit - not much then! But still, nice to get a little boost and see my sister and nieces before the darkness sets in! While on the subject of darkness, the clocks went back on Saturday which means cosy season has just begun. Have they changed where you are too? This means two things: 1. Ramping up on candles and warm lighting to amp up the hygge and 2. Working on capturing as much daylight in the home as physically possible during waking hours. And it's the latter which is the subject of today's post!

I've talked about the popularity of greenhouses (remember this beautiful Swedish one?) - but a space that REALLY comes into its own at this time of year is a sunroom. Sunrooms come in all shapes and sizes from ornate conservatories to a simple balcony with wrap-around glass - but they're all based on the same principal: enjoying the daylight while staying toasty. And this incredible 'vintergården' (Swedish for 'winter garden') in the home of Wiola (@rapsiodia_w) and her family in Leiden, The Netherlands is a dream!

Wiola's sunroom doubles up as a place to relax, a guest bedroom under the stars and a home office. And her cats love it (of course!). 

I have my eye on this sofa bed for our tiny cabin (look out for the update later this week). It's designed by Karup specifically for small spaces. 

In the corner I spy a lemon tree, with a LOAD of lemons on it. I have become ever so slightly obsessed with my lemon tree lately (just ask my family). Yesterday I ceremoniously brought it indoors for the winter as the temperatures. Mine only has two lemons on it (which Per refers to as the most expensive lemons of all time due to the level of man hours and nutrition involved!). Do you own a citrus plant of some kind? If so, you might well understand what I'm talking about! 

The art - the largest of which is by Marta Chmielecka - focuses on nature, a perfect way to connect the space with the garden. I also love the felt wall lamp from sustainable design shop Luma Lano. 

I have been a fan of this desk from IKEA for many years as it's perfect for smaller, narrow spaces. 

But more importantly, have I mentioned the floor yet? Soooo beautiful, don't you think?

The 'Meet Me at Jaures' print* adds a touch of colour to the home office area. 

Light floods through the sun room into the main living room which has been kitted out with a number of fab pieces including a TOGO armchair, a sofa from FÉST Amsterdam and the Elipse pendent*. 

What a wonderful space to enjoy at this time of year! I can definitely imagine curling up here on a Sunday afternoon with a cup of tea and a book, how about you? 

Not got the space for a sunroom? Join the club! No worries though, I find simply rearranging the furniture a little to ensure you have somewhere to sit by the window can work wonders at this time of year. 

I have to say, it's been such a long time since I featured a Dutch home. Here are a few other Dutch spaces to enjoy today:

Sanne Hop's earthy, warm home

A Swede sets up home in The Netherlands

12 inspiring living spaces designed by stylist Kim Van Rossenberg

Have a great start to the week! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of @rapsodia_w with kind permission 

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4

Höstlov / Autumn break!

Hej vänner! I'm currently enjoying some downtime with my family over the Autumn half term and will be back blogging again on Monday 8th November.

If you're looking for some beautiful Scandinavian home inspiration, why not pull up a chair and delve into the archives - you'll find ten years of home tours and other design ideas there. Here are some of my favourites: 

Swedish homes
Norwegian homes
Danish homes
Finnish homes
Vintage inspired homes
Bohemian style homes

I hope you have a relaxing week! 

Niki

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4

A Charming A-Frame Cabin on the Danish Island of Orø

Saturday marks the start of 'höstlov' (autumn half term) here in Scandinavia, and many will be packing their bags in search of a quieter week in the countryside. I wonder if Marie Monrad Graunbøl will be heading to her cabin on the beautiful Danish island of Orø? I first came across her cosy A-frame in the Skandinavisk Voices magazine, and since we're in the middle of building our own cabin, I couldn't resist taking a closer look and sharing a few pictures here! Ready to be transported to the Danish wilderness?

Orø is a small island in the Isefjord, an hour or two west of Copenhagen. It's especially popular in summertime, when Danes flock to their summer houses. But actually, one of the best times to visit is off-season, when you can experience the vastness of the wilderness in solitude. 

A picture of Marie's A-frame cabin taken by Mikkel Tjellesen, as seen in Voices magazine. 

Marie spends the majority of her time in Copenhagen, where she runs her visual communications studio Revolver, which offers journalism, editing, creative direction and interior styling services.  But there's nowhere Marie loves to be more than at her cabin on Orø:

"Each time I reach the ferry terminal, I get an immediate sense of tranquillity, I breathe more freely, and my mind seems clearer.... most often I greet the stunning scenery on a late Friday afternoon, exhausted from a week's work and longing for a welcome respite... life slows down at Orø" - Marie.

When Marie and her husband first bought the cabin, it was rundown with a rotting foundation and in need of a new roof.  The pair painstakingly replaced everything inside, ferrying items over from the mainland. It was a slow process, but now their hard work has paid off and they have a wonderful retreat.

Although fairly compact, the couple have everything they need at the cabin, and it's been decorated with a simple yet charming blend of artisanal pieces and vintage finds, creating a wonderful, relaxed feel. 

These days the couple know the cabin and island inside out, as Marie explains in her interview with Voices:

"We came to know all the little signs of the changing seasons, the loud, terrifying noises of pines swaying dangerously in the storm, and the true bliss of entering the house to the warmth of the woodturning stove."

What a perfect place to recharge the batteries, don't you think?

Thank you to Skandinavisk for the kind permission to share these images (hop on over to explore their fragrances - they're simply divine!)

Looking for more dreamy inspiration this week? I love these archives: 

Scandinavian summer cottages

Country-style living

Cabins

Rural retreats

Holiday homes

Speaking of recharging batteries, my family and I are heading to Mallorca tomorrow to visit my sister for the first time in 4 years! We CAN'T WAIT! She lives in the North of the island with her boyfriend Ben and my two nieces. It's so beautiful up there. 

I'll be taking some time out with Per and the girls and will be back here blogging again on Monday 6th November. Feel free to pull up a chair hang around and browse the archives (after ten years of blogging there's a ton of inspiration in there!). I'll most likely capture my trip on Instagram stories if you're curious to see the island. 

Have a wonderful week! 

Niki

Photography: Chris Tonnesen

Voices spread photography: Mikkel Tjelleson

Styling: Marie Monrad Graunbøl / Revolver 

Shared with kind permission from Skandinavisk. 

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