A space in New Zealand with a warm, boho summer vibe

Now I'd love to say that I find these dark, grey, cold January days here in Southern Sweden cosy. But sometimes they really can get the better of me and I'm starting to wonder if the sun actually still exists?!! On days like today I find escaping (virtually) to warmer, far off place helps to lift the spirits - how about you? Somewhere like this wonderful space in New Zealand, home to concept store Indie Home Collective. Think woven rattan, rustic wood, and layers of warm, natural materials against a dramatic backdrop of white, black and concrete. Roll on boho summer vibes!

Credits: photos from Indie Home Collective. Found via The Design Chaser with thanks. 

Ah so lovely. I can practically feel the warm breeze through the window, how about you?

Many of the items you see are available at Indie Home Collective (what a beautiful store?!).

I also love the boho-Scandi style seen in this Norwegian home of Vintage Piken. And if you're now in the mood, you can find 28 more beautiful boho home tours from all over the world in this archive. Oh yes! Is this your kind of style?

Have a wonderful day! Oh and fellow Northern 'hemispherers' (is there an official name for people who live in the Northern hemisphere?!) - stay warm!

PS This is not a sponsored post, I just found the pictures truly inspiring and hope you did too!

A beautiful, rustic mill on the shores of lake Rinnen, Sweden

I absolutely love this time of year (don't get me wrong - I do get a bit of a winter slump round about January / february time, I promise!) - but as the days get shorter and the leaves turn from yellow to deep red things start to get super cosy. Dark mornings and evenings are transformed under the glow of candlelight. Autumnul pictures of people gathering around a table for a hearty stew or caramelized white chocolate tart start to pop up on my Pinterest feed. And I start to feel hugely inspired by rustic spaces (and hungry!). That's why this beautiful converted mill caught my eye.  After an extensive renovation, the Erlandsson family are embracing their new life in the former flour mill on the shore of lake Rinnen deep in the forest of Värmland, Sweden which includes a beautiful space for year round gatherings. Let's take a peek inside...

Credits: Photography - Carina Olander (shared with kind permission). Styling Anna Truelsen. See the full feature in Hus & Hem 12/201. 

Aaaaaa, just so cosy, don't you think? 

What a perfect room to gather for birthdays, thanksgiving (for you americans and canadians!) and Christmas (in fact I'm pretty sure I could come up with something to celebrate every week of the year, if this were my home, how about you?!). 

We can still create a lovely rustic style at home though - here are a few items I love from the mill : Linen table cloth (or stonewashed linen by the metre), long haired sheepskin throw, chunky knit blanket. I love classic Swedish Skultuna brass candleholders - and have a couple myself - beautiful! Although not featured, this one is lovely too. 

I can imagine the upstairs bedroom looks something like this - can you?! 

Have a cosy day! 

PS  We photographed a few beautiful, rustic homes for my book Modern Pastoral last year and I've been dreaming of a owning a lovely retreat ever since.....one day?!  

A Riverside Retreat

When I feel like escaping from the daily grind of lunchboxes, laundry and school lifts, but I can't  physically run away, I resort to a mental escape instead. Here is a place that I could very happily spend some time out in. Based in the Frio Canyon area of Texas, USA, this home has beautiful views of the surrounding mountains and has the added benefit of being right on the Frio River.  

The stone homestead has a rustic, country feel, with contemporary touches that keep it up to date. It has a warm, inviting atmosphere, with loads of natural light. 

The white painted high ceilings prevent the rustic beams from becoming oppressive and create a beautiful backdrop for the eclectic light fixtures. 

There is a little area is to the right of the fireplace perfect for board games and beer.

Looking through the living room towards the kitchen....

...and the dining room on the right.

A beautiful open space, perfect for casual living and entertaining.

I love the extra large kitchen island that could easily accommodate a whole bevy of family and  friends prepping meals and chatting. 

Below is the separate scullery area.

The bedrooms are a great combination of luxury and simplicity.

There are mezzanine loft areas in 2 of the bedrooms for extra sleeping quarters. Very clever for accommodating families.

An outdoor shower adds to the bathroom options.

The open plan living area flows seamlessly onto the large enclosed patio which has a built in barbeque at one end and fireplace at the other.

And finally the beautiful river setting - perfect for gazing into the distance, enjoying the peace and quiet, the only sound to disturb the stillness would be the gentle sipping on a G&T!

Ok, after that bit of time out, I'm ready to return to life and laundry.

Till next time

Sharon x

Architects: Shiflet Group Architects
Interior Design: Blair Burton 

The rustic Norwegian cabin hide-away

It's the weekend! Yay! Any great plans? We'll be at home this weekend but what I'd really like to be doing is escaping to this rustic cabin high up on the cliffs of Western Norway.  Imagine taking a walk in the blustery north wind followed by a hot drink next to the roaring fire? That's a part of every day life for Norwegian couple Elin and Rune. As lovers of the great outdoors, the duo are firm believers in the saying 'there's no bad weather, only bad clothing' and wanted to live somewhere they could enjoy Storfjorden and the surrounding mountain range. The cabin developed stage by stage, and although basic, it has everything they need  to observe the changing weather and delight in the uninterrupted views of the nature that surrounds them.

 Photo: Carina Olander with kind permission 

Photo: Carina Olander with kind permission

Photo: Carina Olander with kind permission

Photo: Carina Olander with kind permission

Photo: Carina Olander with kind permission

Could you spend your weekend here?!

There's something so romantic about this retreat, don't you think?

I've spoken before about my dreams of walking one of the 'hytte to hytte' trails in Western Norway. I even asked my Mum for hiking boots for Christmas. Yes, really! But seriously, couldn't you walk 20 km just to spend a night in a 'hytte' like this?!

For more rustic log cabin inspiration (it's got to be done right?!) I love this Norwegian cabin by the sea, a Norwegian hide-away, and a pared-back Finnish retreat. Why do I do this to myself?!!

Have a truly fab weekend!

PS images found via House of C with thanks. 

The rustic Norwegian log cabin hide-away

How much would you love to head off to this rustic Norwegian log cabin for the holidays? If I could spend just five days at this retreat, belonging to founders and owners of Bolina,  I'd camp out by the  roaring log fire with a cup of tea, my book by Swedish novelist Jonas Jonasson- the one hundred year old man who climbed out of a window and disappeared (which I've been meaning to read all year), play board games with my family, take long walks in the snow, and generally feel relaxed and very merry. How about you?!

Birgitta Wolfgang Drejer, Sisters Agency with kind permission.

Birgitta Wolfgang Drejer, Sisters Agency with kind permission.

Birgitta Wolfgang Drejer, Sisters Agency with kind permission.

Birgitta Wolfgang Drejer, Sisters Agency with kind permission.

Birgitta Wolfgang Drejer, Sisters Agency with kind permission. 

I have to say the owners have been ingenious in their decorating. At first glance it looks like a classic log cabin, but look closely and you'll notice a modern blend of textures  (concrete, wood, sheepskin, velvet, rattan) and styles (industrial, rustic, contemporary). Combine this with unique fittings such as the kitchen units crafted using reclaimed wood from a derelict barn and the result is an incredibly warm, cosy, personal retreat.

Oh how I dream to own a place like this. What about you?

More dreamy log cabin's I could pad around in this holiday include a Norwegian one by the sea (the sauna!), a black and white Finnish retreat, or a cottage in the snow that looks like this (toasty)!

If a rural retreat feels a million miles away right now and you have a christmas shopping list as long as your arm (it is the weekend before Christmas after all) you might want to take inspiration from these two fab gift guides: for children, for just about everyone. And my fail safe last minute man gift. Good luck!

Wishing you a wonderful, relaxing weekend!

The Aesthete's Alphabet - R is for Rustic

We had a fantastic holiday...thanks for all your good wishes. We saw not one, not two, but three of those elusive leopard which was a real treat, except for my husband who offered the boys a R200 reward for leopard sightings, so he's now a bit out of pocket. But now back to reality, school lifts, work, homework, school lunches and computer problems (I know hate is a strong word, but I think I hate Windows 8!).

 

On to today's post....I enjoy comfort and luxury as much as the next person, but I can't get away from the fact that I have a real predilection for all things rustic. I am not a fan of top to bottom rusticity, but something rustic alongside something refined is usually a winning combination for me.



 

I wish you all a wonderful week ahead while I ponder what to post for S is for......

 

Till next time

 

 

Sharon x

Images via:  Tumblr, Pinterest, 79 Ideas, House and Leisure Magazine and Remodelista.