A Charming Rural Cottage By a Norwegian Fjord

Allow me to take you back in time today. Well, you'd be forgiven for thinking so but actually, this charming Norwegian cottage belongs to Liv Sandvik Jakobsen - a freelance journalist, who has carefully restored the property, while being careful to keep the original charm. Liv and her family live in near the village of Kviteseid, 3 hours' drive West of Oslo. The cottage has views of the fjords, which are equally spectacular in the winter as they are in the summer, and all seasons in between!

Inside, the wood panelling has been painted in soft earthy blues and greens to reflect the colours of the surroundings, and antique furniture provides cosy spots to gather around a table or keep warm by the fire. Ready for the tour? Welcome to Liv's cosy world in the Norwegian fjords! 

Liv has used piping over the stove to store 'knekkebrød' - traditional crisp bread. 

The interior is mainly made up of vintage and antique furniture, however you occasionally spot a modern touch, such as the wall lamp beside the dining area. 

Mittens and other linen are hung to dry over the wood burning stove, which is also used to boil the kettle. 

Liv is a keen knitter and has co-produced three popular knitting pattern books with knit designer Lene Holme Samsøe. I am actually learning to knit right now (thank you Farmor!) but making such slow progress. It's my dream to knit one of these beautiful Norwegian jumpers one day! Can you knit? 

Come summer, the light transforms and with it, the fjords turn a wonderful blue-green hue. Would you like to see how it looks outside in summertime? Here are a few pictures! 

How incredible! This has made me miss the Norwegian fjords so much. I really need to make a return trip some point soon. Norway is a magical country! Have you ever been? 

See more of Liv's charming cottage and life in the countryside at @livslyst. You might also like to explore these Norwegian country homes today: 

A cosy candlelit cabin deep in the Norwegian fjords

A magical Norwegian mountain cabin

A simple yet cosy cabin by a fjord

A Norwegian house by a fjord

A magical rural fjord side escape

You might also feel inspired by my trip to the Hardanger fruit trail a few years back. Read all about it here! 

Klem!

Niki

Photography courtesy of @livslyst, shared with kind permission. 

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Friederike's Warm and Inviting Home with Historic Charm

Ready for a feel-good home this Friday? Friederike's German apartment is the type of place you would want to pull up a chair and stay for a while! The building itself is seriously charming with it's magnificent exposed wood beams, high ceilings and large windows and Friederike has furnished it with a feel-good factor to match! Think a blend of antique and vintage finds, sofas you'd like to sink into, a wood burning stove - and one very happy dog! Keep an eye out for modern touches too, like glass partitions, which ensure a the natural flow of light. Ready to take a look? Welcome to Friederike's cosy world! 

So lovely! I wish we could have seen more of the kitchen and bedroom. But from the glimpses we do get, the rooms look just as cosy and packed with charm as the rest of the apartment. 

Anyone else wishing they could spend the weekend here?

See more of Friederike's charming home over at @fredi.freude.eierkuchen. 

Did anything catch your eye? 

Here are some more warm and inviting homes to enjoy this weekend: 

Trevlig helg! 

Niki

PS I have loved reading all your comment this week, they are always so interesting and add so much to each post. I haven't had a chance to respond to all yet but have set aside a little time this weekend. Keep them coming! 

Photography: @fredi.freude.eierkuchen, shared with kind permission

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Budget Makeover: A Boiler Room Becomes a Lovely Guest Bedroom

At the cottage we have a garage with concrete walls and lots of spiders and I sometimes look at it wistfully, wondering if it could be transformed into a guest room. Have you got a basement, unused, neglected garage or other room that's currently uninhabitable but has potential? if so, like me, you might feel incredibly inspired by Anna Truelsen's latest budget DIY make-over! 

I've featured Anna's home several times before on My Scandinavian Home, and now the Swedish interior stylist has turned her hand to the boiler room. Formerly a dumping ground (just like me attic!), Anna could see the potential in her boiler room as a guest room. Read on to see how it looked before and how they revamped it by hand on a budget. 

Before

The boiler room is in the basement of Anna's home. Despite being relatively large, the concrete shell is a dumping ground for building materials, household items and other bits and bobs. 

The first step was to clear out the room and then Anna set to work removing the crumbling plaster. They then removed a couple of pipes and re-plastered the walls and ceilings. Once dry they painted the walls, ceilings and exposed pipes with a fresh lick of white paint. 

After

What a transformation! 

They washed the original concrete floor before adding a series of fluffy rugs for a cosy touch and to dampen sound. A simple linen curtain was installed to hide the boiler system. 

A small amount of light slips in through a window on the left, simple touches like mirrors, candles and a light (all vintage) help to supplement the natural light, while cushions (which Anna made from an old rug that she bought in Marrakesh many years ago) add a homely feel. 

I also love the natural linen bed spread (source a similar natural linen one here*).  

An old Thonet chair* serves as a bedside table. 

A classic Swedish candle (source similar vintage brass candleholders*) adds a warm touch to the room.

***

Truly inspiring, and evidence that our cottage garage could become a wonderful guest bedroom after all. We just need to find somewhere for all the clobber first! 

I hope you've felt inspired by Anna's boiler room makeover too!

If so, you might also like to checkout: 

A rundown cabin becomes a vibrant Danish summer cottage (that outdoor bath!)

A dated house becomes a dream Swedish country home

A traditional Norwegian cabin gets a beautiful colour update

My home - what it looked like when we bought it, compared to how it looks now!

Stor kram! 

Niki

Photography: Anna Truelsen, shared with kind permission

*this post includes affiliate links which means that if you click on the link and buy something I will receive a small amount of money. 

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A Beautiful Swedish Country Home with Layers of Cosy Textures

Hej vänner! I hope you had a fabulous weekend! I have to confess, I'm feeling slightly worse for wear today after a conference in Ischgl, Austria! What a crazy place! So much fun. It was a lot of work, but it was great to get a little skiing in and enjoy the mountains too. 

We landed back in Sweden late last night, and today I'm thinking I'd much rather be in the beautiful, serene home of Emily Slotte than at my desk!

If you don't already follow Emily on instagram, it's a must! The Swede shares daily snapshots from her beautiful home in the countryside near Norrtälje, Northeast of Stockholm. Think warm, off-white shades, a blend of texture including stone, wood and rattan and layers of textiles - from shag-pile rugs to sheer curtains for a cosy, soft touch. In the winter, the family gathers around a roaring fire in an upstairs living room, in summer, life moves outdoors! 

Welcome to Emily's world!  

Can you see why I'd rather be rocking about here this Monday morning? So lovely!  

I particularly love the upstairs sitting room with its towering ceiling, cosy fire and TMBO lounge chair - but there are lots of other lovely, simple details too. 

Is there anything that caught your eye? 

See more of Emily's home here. 

And for more Scandinavian country homes today have a delve in this archive - it's full of inspiring spaces including Magda's beautiful home which I shared on Friday! 

I'm still really enjoying reading your comments about my attic make-over too - thank you for sharing your thoughts! 

Have a great start to the week! 

Niki

Credits: Emily Slotte, shared with kind permission. 

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