A Fairy-tale Summer House on the Swedish Baltic Island of Vaxholm | Smart is Beauty

Are you ready for a little Swedish summer house dreaming today? This fairy-tale property is on the island of Vaxholm - a paradise for Stockholmers who flock here by boat in summertime. 

At first glance, I thought it was Hanna Östberg's home - as the pretty shades of green and turret have a similar feel (see also this cottage with a turret!). But alas, no, it's ANOTHER beautiful Swedish century-old property. Granted, the magnificent location with views out over the Baltic might mean the price-tag is a little (OK, a lot) out of reach for many of us mere mortals, there is still plenty of inspiration to be gleaned from the rooms. Here's what I discovered:

A fence with white tips? What a great detail! 

The Bumling light* (I can never truly get used to that name!) is a Swedish 1960s classic - and the perfect task lighting for over a table.. 

Since it's a summer house, it's fairly sparsely decorated (it could also have been cleared out for the sale), but the wall hangings more than make up for this - adding a decorative touch to the walls while also helping to reduce echo. I 'd love to know where this one is from; the tones are so warm and lovely! Any idea?

If you're looking for similar, Ferm Living sell some beautiful textiles that can double up as wall art, and my friend Helena recently bought this cactus one for her living room which looks awesome. To ensure your blanket / textile hangs properly, it's a good idea to get it professionally framed or sew on two wooden bars - on across the top and the other across the bottom before putting it up. 

Elfa shelving has been built up around the TV, creating space for an amplifier, a plant and other items. I can really imagine these shelves being laden with books - a perfect spot for my Njuta tome, just saying! 

Imagine waking up to views over the archipelago in all directions? Gaaah! I really like the classic blue tone on the wall combined with the warm hues in the bedspread. Decorative bedspreads are an ideal way to add an instant lift to a room. 

String lights on a balcony add a magical touch at dusk - and are a great way to lighten up the darkness when looking out come winter. 

Oh, how I love to dream on a Monday morning (this property is for sale!). 

I've actually never been to Vaxholm - one to add to my travel list! Have you seen my other Swedish travel guides? You might like the island hopping on Sweden's West coast, as well as the east coast islands. Inland, I'd recommend a trip to Malmö (of course) and Helsingborg up the road. There's so much to see and do in this beautiful country. 

After more home tours today? Take a look at hundreds of other Scandinavian summer cottages - from the very basic to blowout - all equally beautiful in their own way, in the archives. 

Have a great start to the week!

Niki

Photography courtesy of Sjönära Fastighetsmäklare, with thanks.

Smart is Beauty

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