An Eco Retreat Stay in the Forests of Sweden

Dreaming of an escape today? Allow me to whisk you away to depths of the Swedish forests, and this fairytale getaway! Nestled by a lake in the southern Sweden wilderness, Urnatur, meaning 'primeval nature' is the brainchild of forester Håkan Strotz and forest biologist and edible plants expert Ulrika Krynitz. The pair are passionate about ethnobiology and the interaction between man and nature and wanted others to experience an eco-retreat where you can get away from it all and go back-to-basics. 

Made up of an off-the-grid treehouse and a series of cabins built by Håkan and decorated by Ulrika, Urnatur invites guests to stay on Sjögetorp and Renemo farms and make the most of everything the surrounding nature has to offer. Sleep in the trees or snuggle up in a cosy log cabin before taking to the lake in a kayak, foraging for berries and other delicacies or cooking supper over an open fire. You might also want to explore the farm shop for lovely local wares too! 

It does look wonderful, I have to say - and a far cry from my studio in Malmö where I am tapping away at my laptop today. 

Could you imagine spending a week or two here come summertime? If so, visit the Urnatur website for more information. 

Thinking of visiting Sweden and looking for more places to stay? Check out the holiday homes, rentals, airbnb and design hotel archives to find somewhere wonderful! You might also like to delve into my Scandinavian travel and city guide archives to plan your trip in full! Välkommen!  

Speaking of escapes, Per and I finished the summer cottage master bedroom renovation this weekend and I took my camera with me to take a few shots! We are so thrilled with the outcome - even more so since we carried out all the work ourselves. I can't wait to share the results with you on Wednesday. I hope you'll like it as much as we do. See you then! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Urnatur, with thanks.

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A Light-filled Swedish Home in Former Slätthults School

I absolutely love the idea of living in a former a school - or just about any conversion for that matter, how about you? There's something about the buildings past life which makes the building feel extra special, and it often lends itself to beautiful architecture too. 

Having said that, converting a building is not without its difficulties - and the interior design can also be a complex jigsaw puzzle! Especially when there are very large rooms and awkward angles involved, which you so often find with schools.

This beautiful light-filled house in Lerum, West of Gothenburg in Sweden used to be Slätthults school. The house has undergone a meticulous restoration, blending modern comforts with respect for its original architecture and the era in which it was built. The result is a thoughtfully preserved house which marries the present with its historical roots. Wonderful! 

I can just imagine the patter of children's feet as they ran up and down those stairs. And the silence in the classroom as they went about their school day! 

Such a beautiful house! Could you imagine living here? 

I have shown quite a few converted schoolhouses here on my scandinavian home over the years - here are few that are well worth returning to this weekend: 

My friend Louisa's home in a converted school (don't miss the cat at the end!)

A Swedish florist turns a schoolhouse into a home

A rundown swedish schoolhouse becomes a beautiful family home

A converted schoolhouse on the island of Gotland

Before and after: a derelict classroom becomes a charming kitchen

A beautiful Finnish family home in a former schoolhouse

A Swedish artists house in a former school

I have also featured many other conversions including a former fire station, garage, bar and shop! You might like to pour a coffee and pull up a seat this weekend and explore the entire conversion archive! 

Have a fabulous few days, and see you Monday!

Trevlig helg! 

Niki

Photography: Peter Pousard, styling: Isabelle Seger for sale via Lundin. 

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See you at Inspiring Formland Spring 2024!

Paid partnership with Formland

NEWSFLASH! Those of you who have followed my Scandinavian home for a while will know how much I love to make the bi-annual trip to Formland - the interior and design trade fair in Herning in Denmark. And on February 4th it's time for the Spring 2024 edition!  

Taking place between 4th and 6th February, the fair is a huge source of inspiration. It's where I go to discover the latest Nordic trends (I always tell everyone that if you want to glimpse into the future and foresee the latest trends, you only need to look at the Danes; what they are wearing and how they decorate their homes!). It's also an amazing place to get a sneak peek of the new collections for the coming season. 

This year I'm looking forward to discovering the unique trend zones, participating in inspiring workshops, listening to talks live from the Speak Up stage and meeting all the exhibitors as well as others from the world of interior design! 

Walking around the various stands is a feast for the eyes. But I especially love that you can meet everyone from big name international brands to independent artists - all of whom are equally passionate about what they do and will eagerly take their time to chat to you about the story behind their wares, and show you the latest collections. Some exhibitors also hold cosy and fun events! 

Do you work within the interior and design industry? If so, perhaps I'll meet you there (tickets and more information available here). If it's too far for you to travel, but you'd still love to pay a virtual visit, follow along on my instagram stories where I'll be reporting directly from Formland on Sunday 4th February. 

I'll be back tomorrow with the usual home tours - and I promise this one is especially beautiful to celebrate the end of the week. Vi ses! 

Niki

All the images in this post are from brands who will be exhibiting at the fair; from top: Tell Me More, Ib Laursen, Chic Antique and Oaklings. Although these are all earthy tones - there will also be a riot of colour at the fair too! 

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A Mid-century Swedish Apartment with Warm Tones

Tucked away in a quiet corner of Stockholm, this Swedish apartment bears many of the hallmarks of its 1944-45 origin. The kitchen for example, still has the original cabinetry and pantry - and it warms my heart to see these remnants still intact!  

As an 'end' apartment, it's also blessed with light from three different directions. In our first apartment  many moons ago, Per and I lived in a flat just like this and I absolutely loved how the light changed throughout the day. 

The owners of this space have included quite a few mid-century pieces to stay true to the architecture - while not being afraid to add some cool, contemporary touches. Look closely, and you'll also witness sculptural pieces, unique treasures, a rich blend of textures and warm earthy tones. 

Finally, keep an eye out for the shelving in the sitting room - a perfect solution when wall space is limited. 

I hope you feel inspired by the tour! 

Feeling confused about the layout? Here's the floor plan for the 46 m2 (495 ft.sq) apartment: 

Glossary: matrum - dining room, kök - kitchen, vardagsrum - sitting room, sovrum - bedroom

I love how warm this apartment looks; I can imagine feeling instantly at ease here, how about you? 

The earthy kilim rug and cushions reminded me of the tour I once featured of the Swedish home of interior designer Saša Antic. I have been working with Saša this week and he is such a talented guy! 

Also, note the cushion to the right of the sofa. The tone is similar to the Pantone 2024 colour of the year - Peach fuzz, which goes beautifully with dark green. Can you imagine adding this accent to your home this year? 

I'd love to hear your thoughts, as always! 

Happy Lillördag! 

Niki

Photography @jockeono, styling Clindholm design, for Historiska Hem. 

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A Scandi-inspired Lakeside Cabin in Norfolk, UK

I quite often read about 'Scandinavian inspired' homes overseas, but never have I seen one as Scandinavian as this! The contemporary wood clad cabin designed by Koto wouldn't look out of place in any Nordic country, couple this with the woodland and lakeside location and you are immediately transported to the beautiful nature I so love about the region. 

A British start-up, Koto prides itself on designing prefabricated cabins 'that exude a sense of calm where users can relax and be inspired, whilst feeling connected to the great outdoors'. Described as a 'Scandinavian sanctuary', this cabin is set in Norfolk woodland on Fritton Lake and invites the new owner to getaway from it all and at the weekends or holidays, take wintery walks, 'njuta' from log fires and relax in the lakeside sauna before taking a dip in the lake. The only thing that's missing are the moose! 

Now all that's left to do is fill it with your most loved get-away essentials. For me - that would be board games, books, blankets, sheepskins, candles, slippers, some delicious cheeses and a bottle of red wine. Oh, and my favourite people! 

What would you add to this cabin to make it your very own sanctuary? 

Would you like dream about other escapes this Monday morning? Of course you do! Check out the cabin archive or dive-in to these rural retreats: 

On 1st February I'll be starting a #30daysofNjuta challenge on my instagram. The challenge is centred around the Swedish word 'Njuta' which means to 'savour' - the subject of my new book (*ad for my own work). In my mind, February is one of the toughest months of the year so why not join in and find small pockets of happiness in the everyday, Swedish style? Absolutely no purchase of my book necessary (it's available in most libraries now, if it's not in yours yet, please do put in a request if you fancy a read although not required for the challenge!). I hope you'll join in, the more the merrier! 

Have a happy Monday!

Niki

Photography courtesy of The Modern House, with thanks. 

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