A stylist’s enchanting summer retreat in the Swedish forest

‘I’ve always loved old romantic English greenhouses,’ admits Linda. ‘But we do not use a lot of brick here in Sweden. I wanted to extend the carpentry of the old barn, [to which the summerhouse is attached], but still set the cottage apart.’ At just 25 sqm, Linda’s ‘cottage’ didn’t need planning permission, so she simply sketched out her ideas. Working with a local carpenter, Linda built it using reclaimed materials she gathered during years of travelling. ‘I collect material whenever I’m on a trip, even if I have to take it on a plane as special cargo,’ she laughs.

The windows were an irresistible find at a local antique and reclamation shop. ‘I just saw them, and I thought they would be perfect with the roof. It’s a northern Swedish style.’ Although pretty, the windows are single-glazed. This makes them a compromise for eco-conscious Linda, who compensated by ensuring the walls, floor and roof are well-insulated against the deep freeze that is the Swedish winter. Indeed, Linda’s biggest challenge during construction was preventing snow from working under the roof tiles or damaging the summerhouse where it attaches to the barn. The only ‘new’ parts of the structure are the foundations, the shower and the toilet. Unusually, these rooms are only accessed from the outside, but there are practical reasons for this. ‘When I have garden parties, guests do not have to enter the cottage. It avoids dirty floors and keeps cleaning to a minimum.’

The sitting area enjoys views across the meadow through those tall windows, while in winter, the space becomes a cosy retreat next to the wood burner. Many of the cushions and throws came from the interior boutiques in Sweden and London previously owned by Linda. Similar designs can be found at royaldesign.com.

Andrew G Hobbs / Linda Dannin Productions

In such a tiny home, every square inch must be used with care. A vaulted ceiling creates a sense of space and Linda made the most of the building’s height by creating an open mezzanine sleeping platform above the kitchen. ‘I wanted to create an airy feel,’ she explains. Decoration that echoes the natural world outside the cottage is used to great effect, including wallpaper on the kitchen wall, which is from the Kate Walton Collection. Linda was thrilled to find ‘Woodland Retreat’ by chance, since it features plants found in her meadow. The furnishings are almost all vintage and all, like the building itself, were collected “along the way.” Yet somehow, this eclectic assortment works perfectly; the 1950s sofa and chairs form a cosy sitting area with the 1920s French iron daybed, found in a flea market. And, of course, there are plants.

‘I wanted to bring in as much as I could from the outside. There are indoor and outdoor plants on rehab in here,’ laughs Linda. ‘In winter, I bring in olive trees, figs and lemon trees in pots to hibernate.’

“Whenever the floor space is not enough, go up!” says Linda. This dreamy mezzanine loft adds a valuable sleeping area, papered in ‘Villa Rosa’ from Wallquest. The gorgeous original windows came from Vadstenaantik and the bed linen is H&M.

Andrew G Hobbs / Linda Dannin Productions

Whether curled up by her new wood burner or working with the doors flung open to the scents and sounds of summer, it is a space she loves to spend time. ‘It’s so calm. When I lie in bed reading or sit by the windows, I feel connected to nature, even on rainy days.’

Stylist Linda Dannin’s work can be found on Instagram @creativemissl and @thetidalshore