A charming cabin on Sweden's west coast becomes an inspiring retreat for its creative owners

Although already charming, the cabin came to life when Nicklas and Teo started filling it with their belongings. Now, it’s filled to the brim with what the couple need to be creative, showcasing what a truly personal home is all about. Layers are continually added and everything is in constant movement. ‘It has become our creative retreat, a playground of sorts, which also brings together everything that we have experienced around the world,’ says Nicklas. Memories are contained in beautiful craft and art, as well as small cherished trinkets, brought back from travels around the world. Nicklas loves his pop art, sneakers, and, fittingly for his flower art, collects vases. Teo loves porcelain and glass: ‘I am especially fond of the Swedish brand Rörstrand’. None of these things are for show: everything is treasured and used and never hidden away. ‘The small things matter a great deal in our home,’ says Teo. ‘One of the many reasons why vintage shopping is great is the fine craftmanship you find and the stories of the human hands forever connected to those objects, which resonate emotionally and make all the difference.’

A vintage sofa by Swedish designer and architect Carl Malmsten is in the living area, alongside a hand-knotted Scandinavian rug. The white ceramic vase is by Noe Kuremoto, a Japanese friend of Nicklas, who lives in London.

Jonathan Hokklo

While their apartment in the city is painted in bold colours, the cabin looks very different. The log construction is a dominant design element, which made the couple choose a shaded white to set the tone. ‘Now we can put as much artwork as we like all around the cabin, because the walls and ceilings aren’t restricting,’ says Nicklas. ‘What I’ve also noticed is that the wild nature outside plays a significant role, being framed by the many small windows on every wall.’ The couple are unapologetic when it comes to living as it pleases them – ‘we choose what we like and the perfectly imperfect is us,’ says Teo. They particularly drew inspiration from one thing when making the log cabin theirs: the artist David Hockney’s studio. ‘He also kept cans of paint lying around and allowed the dog to roam free!’, says Nicklas, with a laugh. What’s so special about this cabin is the air of the unexpected, which makes it a very human experience to be in.

Nicklas has recently been gaining momentum on Instagram for his flower art, which he often creates from unconventional materials, such as weeds and withering blooms. ‘I do forage all the time and I can see beauty in what others might consider, I don’t know, broken,’ he says. He didn’t begin to work with flower art until ten years ago, but they are in his DNA. ‘My mother had a small flower shop when I was a kid, and I got to bring home the leftovers,’ he says. ‘It trained my eye’. Their own garden philosophy has a touch of live-and-let-live. Around the cabin grows large, aged oak trees, which are protected and the couple see themselves as custodians. ‘It’s all about co-existing’, says Teo.

The view when entering the house from the back door by the outdoor kitchen, featuring a lavish cake by Teo, decorated with flowers. The sake bottles on the shelf are a fond souvenir.

Jonathan Hokklo

Teo likes things that are local and made with the right intentions: ‘I have this feeling that a lot of people want everything to be comfortable, fast and easy. But, why?’ he questions. ‘Then we lose the point of doing things. Craft takes time and gives meaning. Decorating a cake might not enhance how it tastes but it adds something more.’ This weekend’s cake was sprinkled with pink sweet peas. Many of the positive comments the couple receive on Instagram are regarding how they take the time to make things beautiful. It’s a lesson to us all.

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