A wonderful white and wood holiday home

I hope you had a lovely weekend? If you've been following my blog for a while you'll know one of my long term dream is to buy and do up a summer cottage by a lake in Sweden (do you share a similar dream?). My moodboards for this dream home are endless but once thing's for sure, I'll be adding this home. Designed by Frag Woodall, the concept is basic, drawing on natural materials and light and keeping to a simple palette of black, white and wood.

Frag Woodall, photographer Terence Chin with kind permission. Via 79 ideas

This wood and white combination is perfect for a summer home don't you think? The 'basket' in the corner of the room is made from Marimekko fabric. I love the striped bedding too- any idea where it's from?

But there's a twist. Interestingly this is actually an apartment in Sydney which has been designed to look like a holiday home. There's hope for us all yet! Thank you for the info Jessica at Nordic Space.

For more weekend retreat / holiday inspiration I am loving these homes (warning: could take you a good hour to scroll through them all - this home will come up first but just go on passed it).

Have a lovely Monday and see you tomorrow!

A Norwegian cabin by the sea

For a long time now my dream has been to renovate a beautiful wooden cabin by a lake or sea here in Sweden so that my family and I can spend weekends and holidays there (this Finnish family are my inspiration). This Norwegian cabin owned by Kari K.Holm and her German born architect husband Jurgen Kieh is just what I'm looking for. The house is designed for outdoor living, for every indoor space there is an outdoor area to match. From the many verandas Kari and Jurgen can wave at friends as they sail by the island. An idyllic retreat! Imagine this space with candles, Christmas decorations and a roaring fire?

Photography Pia Ulin (with kind permission). Dwell.

Do you think my dream will ever come true? I promise you'll be the first to know if it does!

What do you dream about on gloomy Monday mornings?

For more cabins and retreats check out this Finnish log cabin, this romantic log cabin with a twist and this Danish retreat. So beautiful!

I hope you had a lovely weekend!

A beautiful basic weekend cabin

In Scandinavia I sometimes hear about people enjoying their free time in a basic cottage without running water and electricity. Now it's becoming popular in the UK too. It seems everyone's keen to escape the demands of daily life - the more disconnected the better. In fact people will pay a small fortune to go back to basics. No WIFI? No worries. No mobile reception? Bring it on! This beautiful, basic 'Ermitage' cabin designed by Paris based architects Septembre is just the tonic for a weekend retreat if you need some alone time.

Septembre via Lotta Agaton and Wabi Sabi with thanks

Could you spend your weekend here?

If you love this, you'll also love this Finnish family cabin in the snow. And this Swedish cottage is so cosy (love the bed in the wall!). There's always this oh so fabulous eco-friendly holiday home out in the Finnish forests too! Or for something further away - may absolute favourite - a beach retreat in Uruguay, heaven! Which one would you pick?

Before I leave you to get on with your weekend - I've got an exciting new sponsor to introduce. Made in Design is an incredible online modern and contemporary design shop and are offering my scandinavian home readers 10% off any orders over 90.00 GBP until 15th December 2014 using the code SCANDI-HOME (terms and conditions apply - for more information visit Made in Design). The Signal ZigZag floor lamp and Signal wall lamp are top of my Christmas wish list!

Have a wonderful weekend!

A Swedish west coast retreat, family home and studio

Hello Monday! A storm is brewing here in Southern Sweden, and although I don't want to be out in it, I'm looking forward to the prospect of batoning down the hatches, getting out the blankets and lighting a few candles. This definitely calls for a cosy home exposed to the perils of nature. This Swedish retreat by the sea in Frilesas, Halland (not far from here) was originally designed and built by owner Fred, a carpenter. He was looking for a weekend bolthole and decided to keep it small, open-plan, simple and modern. But when he met his partner Lina, a designer, they decided to extend it to create a family home and a studio from which Lina could work. Now Lina and Fred  live here with their 6 month old son Stig and it's undeniably cosy, warm and welcoming. A perfect haven from a storm raging outside!

Lantliv by  Maria Delice  Karlsson with kind permission.

Could you ride out a storm in here?! 

Read more about it here (in Swedish). Or check out other cosy Swedish retreat's here (romantic log cabin anyone?!) and here.

In the last image I spy a sheepskin rug - which leads me to my latest news - I'm very excited to welcome my new sponsor BLACK SHEEP (WHITE LIGHT) purveyor of eco-friendly icelandic sheepskins and other select natural design products. I have my eye on this one in particular! They also ship worldwide - perfect! Thank you for supporting the sponsors that make this blog possible.

PS Oh and the other piece of exciting news is that my home is featured in the November edition of IKEA Family Live! I'm a big fan of IKEA as you know, so it's an honour to be included!

I hope you had a lovely weekend!

A rustic retreat on Sweden's west coast

This converted barn and tower in Korslid, near Bottna, on Sweden's west coast is the country home of writer and journalist Kenneth Kauppi, gardener Catherine Thelander and their family. Recently featured in Lantliv, the family have lovingly renovated the farm buildings over 25 years to create a beautiful rustic open living space and studio. The family love to stay in the summer to relax, swim and kayak in the archipelago, explore the great open spaces that surround the house and generally take some downtime. I can certainly see why!

Photographer Patric Johansson with kind permission. Lantliv.

Such a lovely rustic retreat, I especially like the art work what about you? And there's that indoor swing again....

A pretty Swedish summer cottage

I when I am not dreaming about escaping to Brazil (see yesterday's post!) I dream about buying and renovating a summer cottage and then spending my weekends and holidays there with my family (just like the beautiful cottage Minna is doing up in Finland). This Swedish summer cottage is a perfect example of how I imagine it to look! It veers a little from the usual homes I show here on MSH but it's a lovely example of a traditional cottage complete with bed nook!







Stadshem

Could you imagine spending your summers here? What does your (imaginary?) weekend retreat look like?


A romantic log cabin with a twist

With St.Valentine's day in two days time, let's go romantic! For me there are two things that epitomise romantic. One is small, thoughtful gestures such as a little love note left behind at breakfast, or helping to pull off each others muddy wellies. The other is a romantic get away in a rural rustic retreat complete with wood burning stove and a pair of cross country skis. This is why I love this cottage. Owned and renovated by Tobias Dahl and artist Emma Netterberg, this Swedish log cabin is in Dalarna, a county famous for the handcrafted Dalarna horse. Inside it's a unique blend of modern, folk and oriental and outside it sits high up on the Tällberg slopes with a view over lake Siljan and the Dala forests.

With kind permission from photographer Klas Sjöberg. Lantliv. Via Design Traveller

I love how Tobias and Emma have made the interior completely their own. What an extremely, lovely and romantic place to reside.

What is your idea of romantic?

A sustainable Finnish cabin

Yesterday it was so stormy here in Southern Sweden. I nipped around the corner for a coffee and the sea was full of white horses. It was all very exciting! A winter storm calls for a home at one with nature. And this Finnish retreat certainly fits the bill. I have seen the first picture so many times on Pinterest, but never the rest of the home. So here it is, the sustainable Four Cornered House in Virrat, Finland designed by Anu Puustinen and Ville Hara, Avanto Archtiects.

Architects: Avanto Architects Ltd / Ville Hara and Anu Puustinen, Photography: Anders Portman & Martin Sommerschield.

 

Imagine looking out of the vast windows into the wilderness? Or morning saunas with a vista? And there's that wonderful wood burning stove of course. 

If you'd like to read more about this home and the sustainable ethos behind the architecture pop over to This is Paper (word of caution; you'll be stuck there for hours!).

Oh and my friend had a beautiful baby girl yesterday - such wonderful news!! I'm off to Loja Dada now for a little pressie and looking forward to a cuddle this weekend :)

Have a lovely few days and see you Monday!