Life at a Danish allotment cabin in summer

Hello Friday! How lovely to see you! I'm so looking forward to the weekend, how about you? What's fascinating about this lovely Danish weekend 'allotment' cabin is that photographer Stuart McIntyre and stylist Katrine Martensen-Larsen have not only captured the lovely, relaxed home with all it's mix & match furniture and accessories, but also the idyllic life at the home itself. In this Danish family weekends are all about relaxing, playing games, bathing alfresco, and making plum jam from scratch in the outdoor kitchen.  What a great way to wile away a weekend wouldn't you say?

Photographer: Stuart McIntyre. Stylist: Katrine Martensen-Larsen / KML Design - with kind permission

What a lovely, relaxed home!

You can see a little more of it here if you'd like.

I've featured several other Swedish allotment homes on here before (including this one and this one - beautiful!) but never a Danish one so I'm very excited about today's post - sending big love to Katrine for so graciously letting me share the pictures.

If you're inspired to make your own plum jam this weekend, I'm loving this uber simple two ingredient plum jam recipe. Ooooo how I'd love some on my toast today!

Or if it's the cabin you're after I'm loving this dutch cabin in the woods, and a boat house on the baltic - both available to rent!

Have a fabulous weekend - see you Monday!

A beautiful back-to-basic Finnish cabin

It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of Minna of Time of The Aquarius. Her style is stunningly simple, and everything she touches turns to gold. Minna and her family have been renovating their beautiful Finnish summer cottage (seen here, here and here) for some time and today I can reveal a glimpse of parts of the new monochrome living space. It's everything a Scandinavian retreat should be and more. Oh how I'd love to visit one day! How about you?

Time of The Aquarius - shared with kind permission.

I do love a back-to-basic minimalist feel. So airy and light. How about you?

Although around 80% of the items in the home are vintage finds, there are a few pieces we can readily find - the kitchen is from IKEA. The worktop is from Bauhaus and painted black using Osmo Color. The dining chairs are Bertoia. There are several lovely items by the lovely Finnish brand Verso Design too. But what I really want to know - (and I'm pretty sure you do too?) is where that light in the kitchen is from. I'm working on it I promise - and will be back shortly! Do let me know if there is anything else you're wondering about.

You can see more pics of this lovely cottage and keep up to date with their renovation project on Instagram. Or take a peek at Minna's year round home here.

More stunning Finnish homes here (scroll passed the first as it will most likely be this one) and if you're in the mood - you might want to check out the log cabin and rural retreats archives too - soooo idyllic!

Have a lovely day!

A truly idyllic Swedish 'kolonistuga' (allotment cottage)

With July just around the corner Swedes across the country are gearing up for the summer vacation. Some will go abroad, some to summer cottages. And some wile away the long days at a 'kolonistuga'; a small cottage on an allotment. This pretty, pared-back kolonistuga just outside Gothenburg, belongs to Elin Lannsjö and her boyfriend Viktor who enjoy relaxing summers bare-foot, tending to their garden and entertaining friends.  When it comes to decorating, Elin relies on her gut feeling, selecting items made from natural materials such as wood, stone, cermics (including her own creations) and natural colours. What a truly idyllic space! Could you spend your summer here?

Lovely Life: Styling Johanna Bradford. Photography Kristin Lagerqvist

Oh so lovely, don't you think?

Sadly we can't all have a Swedish 'kolonistuga' but the great thing is we can create a wall of chopping boards, straw hats or anything else that takes our fancy (do you have a collection gallery wall?). I also love the Thonet chairs painted in matt black leaving only the tip of the legs in natural wood - this trick could be used to spruce up flee market finds or items at home you've grown tired of (remember these beds and side table legs painted in neon?!). There's always Pretty Pegs too. I see a potential DIY project for the weekend, do you? And it's only Monday! 

See more images and read about this lovely home here (in swedish).

Other home tours beautifully captured by Kristin and Johanna include the boho home and atelier of a Swedish artist and a relaxed space with floaty linens. Or if you're after more 'kolonistuga' inspiration - how about this one?!

Have a great start to the week!

An idyllic Swedish summer cottage in Orust

With preperations under way in Sweden for one of the biggest events of the calendar year - midsummer's eve, I thought it would be apt to show a pretty former sea captain's cottage over looking the beautiful Gothenburg archipelego, on Sweden's west coast. What a perfect spot this would be to enjoy the longest day of the year: sing, eat and dance around a maypole with family and friends, don't you think?

55 Kvadrat. Photography: Anders Bergstedt

Just so idyllic!

And guess what...it's for sale! How incredibly tempting! Could you spend your summer's here?

More pictures and the complete details here.

The Gothenburg archipelago is one of my favourite places in the world, it's absolutely stunning. My family and I have spent many incredible summers sailing around the islands. Do let me know if you ever visit and I can give you some tips.

More Scandinavian summer cottage tours here if I've got you in the mood (this one might come up first so just scroll passed). 

Don't miss my mini midsummer's eve guide tomorrow...wild flowers at the ready!

Have a lovely day!

An idyllic Swedish cottage with outdoor kitchen and shower

Hello! How are you this Monday? The schools break up in Sweden later this week and I'm starting to get that summer feeling; think bare feet, dips in the sea, fishing, cooking and eating alfresco and showers under the open sky. At least that's what would happen if I were to spend the summer in this idyllic Swedish summer cottage. Like many Scandinavian holiday homes, it's been designed to make the most of the outdoors. And for rainy days, the interior has been decorated with traditional rag rugs, summer quilts in a basket, antique and vintage Swedish furniture and wicker chairs for enjoying the summer read. Oh yes! Could you spend your summer here?

 

 

Photography: Clive Tompsett (shared with kind permission). Sköna Hem

I'm such a big fan of holiday homes with a black exterior (see also this and this cottage!).

And I've always been a fan of bathing and showering outdoors (do you remember this post?!). Not only is there something special about washing under the open sky but they're also perfect for rinsing little feet after a day at the beach. Do you have an outdoor shower?

And move over barbecues - this summer I've got my eye on an entire outdoor kitchen (more inspiration can be taken from this Finnish cabin - so wonderful?!). 
More fabulous Swedish summer cottage inspiration here.

Thank you to everyone who entered the Houseology give-away this weekend. The winner has now been announced here..(oh how I wish I'd won!). 

Have a great start to the week!