Your New Year cabin hide-away?

As the Christmas holidays draw near I'm dreaming about getting away from it all for a few days at a little remote hide-away. Nothing fancy, just my family and I and a little wood burning stove - doesn't that sound wonderful?! This tiny Swedish cottage in Marie Emilsson's garden at Håkesgård, just outside Varberg on Sweden's west coast fits the bill perfectly. The traditional falun red cottage, which includes a kitchenette, bedroom and basic facilities has been newly renovated in classic green tones to match the surroundings. Oh and it has a hot tub too. Guh! How I'd love to spend my holidays here, how about you?!

Credits: Photography - Kristin Lagerqvist (blog here) - shared with kind permission. 

So pretty! And the surroundings? Beautiful!

Could you imagine spending a few days here?

Get the look from Marie's little cottage: Morris Willow Bough wallpaper, Farrow & Ball sells a selection of green paint like this, straw fedora (source vintage ones here), buy beautiful grey linen fabric by the yard here, L:A bruket soap, these traditional linen cushions /pillows are pretty.

You can see more pics of Marie's lovely cabin here. 

The second to last image of the wood burning stove is taken from the main house - and features a beautiful garland made with fir and other foliage gathered from the garden - more pictures and a great tutorial of how to make this garland here.

Although not currently for hire, word on the (blog) street is that Marie might start to make it available - watch this space! In the meantime, if you're in Varberg, Trip2garden is definitely worth a visit with it's garden, café, shop and gallery.

More beautiful homes captured by Kristin Lagerqvist include a vintage inspired Swedish home full of soul, the lovely home of Johanna Bradford and an idyllic allotment house. I have to say, this Scandi-boho style is one of my favourites.

And if I've got you dreaming about getting away from it all, you might also want to check out three of my favourite archives: swedish cottages, rural reteats and log cabins (just scroll passed if Marie's cottage comes up first). And relax!

Have a lovely day!

PS Thank you to everyone who entered the give-away to win two vases from Nordal - the winner has now been announced here.....drum roll....

Step inside a beautifully simple Swedish island retreat

I hope you had a wonderful weekend? We went to visit friends at their summer cottage on the east coast of Skåne, which was lovely and soooo relaxing! I always find these cottages provide such a perfect way to switch off - partly because the Swedes have got it so right by keeping the decor simple and pared-back, offering the essentials but without distraction. This lovely holiday home on Gotland, an island off Sweden's east coast beautifully captured by Erik Lefvander and stylist Anna Mårselius is a perfect example of this. Home to Johan, Joanna, Melina & Ziggy, the muted colour scheme is complimented by strictly natural materials throughout for a calm living space centered around enjoying the simple pleasures in life: nature and each other.

Photographer Erik Lefvander / Stylist Anna Mårselius shared with kind permission. Featured in Residence Magazine.

So beautiful! Could you imagine spending your holidays here?

It really is such an inspiring space. I love the oil lamp over the kitchen table, bespoke wall to wall sofa lined with cushions and bedroom with space for the entire family. What a well thought out home!

Is there anything that stands out to you?

I'm such a big fan of Gotland and have featured many, many beautiful homes from the island on here before, some of my favourites include a charming 19th century house, a simple island retreat, and a beautiful home in soothing grey.

Hey, I've got an idea. Shall we just skip the working week and head there instead?! 

An idyllic white and wood Scandinavian style cabin

Wouldn't it be a dream to do up a summer cabin? I'm forever creating moodboards in my mind  - white floors, sheepskins, a sofa next to a roaring fire, an outdoor bathroom....(what does yours look like?). Perhaps we can all take some inspiration from John and Juli Baker's idyllic summer cottage overlooking Lake Huron in Canada? As owners of Mjölk, which sells 'pure, honest, and essential' items for the home with a gallery exhibiting 'work by artists and artisans from Scandinavia and Japan', it makes sense that the recently updated (see previous pictures here) country retreat has a Scandinavian look and feel to it.  Think white washed walls and floors and plenty of natural wood. Let's take a tour...

Source: John & Juli Baker / Mjölk - shared with kind permission. 

Pared back and simple yet super cosy. Everything that a rural retreat should be. 

Could you imagine spending your weekends and holidays here? 

Almost all the items you see in John and Juli's cabin are available at Mjölk - perfect!

For more inspiration in a similar style you might also want to check out their Toronto apartment.  And there's an entire archive dedicated to beautiful Scandinavian style cabins here (if this home comes up first just scroll past it). Feel free to dream away. You never know when that second home might crop up! Or perhaps you already have a summer cottage - in which case we'd love to see pictures?!

And that folks, is it from me - oh, except for an incredibly exciting give-away this weekend - so stay tuned and don't forget to stop by!

Right, better get packing for my trip to London and Norway now - eeeee, so excited!

Have a wonderful weekend and see you Monday!

A pared-back forest cabin in Holland

I do love a pared-back rural retreat. Every Friday I dream about packing my weekend bag and zooming off to the countryside. There's something wonderful about the back-to-basics, fuss-free life-style, don't you think? This lovely cabin is located in a forest in The Netherlands. The owners (with the help of stylist Kim Timmerman) have brought in hints of the great outdoors - including a bird garland, animal motif cushions and bedding, and a branch used as a clothes rail and kept everything else very simple. Oh, how I could unwind here, how about you?!

Stylist: Kim Timmerman   Photography: Rene Gonkel

Lovely! 

And there's good news too. It's available for rent here (oh yes! I've packed my bags I'm ready to go....).

I'm bsolutely loving all these Scandinavian inspired country cottages / cosy cabins too

My sister has just arrived from London *so great to see her*! We're heading off in a minute for lunch and a day of shopping in Copenhagen - I've been looking forward to this day for so long! 

Have a fabulous weekend! 

PS  If you're planning on doing any shopping, don't forget the 10% discount on all items from Blackthumb with the code MyScandi10 until 31st March. 

PPS Great weekend give-away coming up so stop by tomorrow if you have the time!

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. 

A pared-back Australian beach house with a retro vibe

Spring is in the air...at least in the home tours this week (and outside here in southern sweden, yay!). This pared-back Australian beach house certainly adds to the vibe.  Located in the coastal town of Merrick, Victoria, it's decorated with pretty pops of colour, retro floral prints (my grandparents had curtains just like these in their sitting room, they had fab style), and freshly cut branches from a cherry tree. The owners have completed their holiday home with a mix of vintage, industrial and modern furniture as well as homespun textiles for a relaxed, bohemian feel. An Australian take on the Danish home we saw yesterday? Just lovely! I could wile away a summer here, how about you?!

Photography: Brooke Holm (kind permission). Styling: Marsha Golemac for interior designer Shareen Joel. via Share Design.

Photography: Brooke Holm (kind permission). Styling: Marsha Golemac for interior designer Shareen Joel. via Share Design.

Photography: Brooke Holm (kind permission). Styling: Marsha Golemac for interior designer Shareen Joel. via Share Design.

Photography: Brooke Holm (kind permission). Styling: Marsha Golemac for interior designer Shareen Joel. via Share Design.

Photography: Brooke Holm (kind permission). Styling: Marsha Golemac for interior designer Shareen Joel. via Share Design.

Photography: Brooke Holm (kind permission). Styling: Marsha Golemac for interior designer Shareen Joel. via Share Design.

Photography: Brooke Holm (kind permission). Styling: Marsha Golemac for interior designer Shareen Joel. via Share Design.

Photography: Brooke Holm (kind permission). Styling: Marsha Golemac for interior designer Shareen Joel. via Share Design.

Photography: Brooke Holm (kind permission). Styling: Marsha Golemac for interior designer Shareen Joel. via Share Design.

Photography: Brooke Holm (kind permission). Styling: Marsha Golemac for interior designer Shareen Joel. via Share Design.

Photography: Brooke Holm (kind permission). Styling: Marsha Golemac for interior designer Shareen Joel. via Share Design.

Anything in particular you love about this holiday home (or everything perhaps?!)?

 Items I know and love: Try Etsy for retro floral print curtains, Tivoli radio, Moka coffee maker. Wood wool stool sells crocheted items.

I dream of having an outdoor shower, there's something very cool about them and instantly conjure up days of long summer days at the beach. Here are some of my favourites.

The other thing I noticed are the shelves across the window - what a great idea?!

See more pictures and a full write up of the house here.

Other holiday homes in which I could wile away a boho summer include: this tranquil space in Corsica, a white and wood villa on Mykonos, a Norwegian cabin by the sea, and a Scandinavian style cottage in Oregon.

Roll on summer!

Have a lovely day!