A Little Piece of Sweden

‘A little piece of Sweden’—it not only sounds promising, but is also the name of an architect-designed house on the southern Swedish coast of Blekinge in the Skåne region. The home was built in 2013 by an English-Swedish family who have been living in nearby Copenhagen for several years. Since then, it hasn’t only been their “happy place” on weekends and during vacations—fortunately, they also share their little piece of Sweden with other fans of the Scandinavian lifestyle. Flower meadows, trees, and the sea surround the modern wooden house, which is a contemporary version of the classic Danish summer house: Clear and minimalist in form and closely connected to nature. Large windows bring light and the changing moods of the day into the interior, while the terrace opens up the view to the greenery and down to the water. The interior design is typically Scandinavian: Natural materials, muted colors, and deliberately pared back. Black, white, and gray tones dominate, complemented by wood and stylish textile accents. The days here follow no particular plan: Maybe coffee on the terrace in the morning, later on a dip in the sea, picking berries along the way, plucking flowers, coming back and looking out at the water. And repeat. When the vacation days come to an end, you’ll want to capture every ray of sunshine and every sparkle of the sea to take home with you as little reserves of light for gloomy winter days.

WHAT WE LIKE MOST:

• The simple wooden construction and the clear, minimalist forms
• The floor-to-ceiling windows in the living area and the terrace offer a view of the greenery and down to the sea, which is only 150 meters away.
• The understated Scandinavian interior in shades of black, white, and gray
• The sliding glass door that opens onto the spacious wooden decking, turning the entire area into an open-air living room 
• The kitchen with its cooking island, which is perfect for chopping, chatting, and cooking together
• The long dining table, which can accommodate breakfast, game nights, or cozy dinners for up to twelve people
• When the weather turns cold, what could be cozier than the smell of wood, soft blankets, and a crackling fire? The sofa corner in front of the fireplace is the perfect place to enjoy all of this. 
• All bedrooms have direct access to the garden—walk barefoot on the grass in the morning and listen to the sound of the sea with the windows open in the evening.
• The wooden terrace, which also faces south
• The finest powder sand can be found at Sandviken beach. About a five-minute walk away, it’s wonderfully quiet and relaxed even in high season. The shallow water is ideal for small children.
• The slower pace, the peace and quiet, and the deep relaxation that comes naturally after a few days
• As beautiful as summer is here, spring, fall, and winter also have their own unique charm on the Baltic Sea.

GOOD TO KNOW:

• The house has three bedrooms—two double rooms and one room with two bunk beds, ideal for up to eight people.
• The bathroom is equipped with a shower and freestanding bathtub.
• There is a barbecue for happy family dinners 
• A car is necessary, as the house cannot be reached by public transport.
• The pretty town of Sölvesborg for shopping and strolling around can be reached in about ten minutes by car
• The capital of the southern Swedish region of Skåne, Kristiansstad, is 30 minutes away by car. Åhus and Ystad (known from the Wallander crime novels) are other worthwhile destinations.
• If you like to be active, you can go windsurfing, kitesurfing, cycling, or walking here; there’s also a golf course nearby.
• If you feel like taking a trip to the Danish capital, Copenhagen is only one-and-a-half hours away and can be easily reached by train from Sölvesborg.