A magical Norwegian mountain cabin

Just how much do you love the sound of staying at a cosy mountain cabin at this time of year?! Last summer, James Gardiner and I went to photograph the most magical Norwegian hide-away for my book: The Scandinavian Home. Located near Lillehammer (scene of the 1994 winter Olympics), the delightful timber cabin belongs to Marianne and Jon and their two children who love to ski in the winter and hike or simply hang out and enjoy the nature in the summer.  It's hard to imagine that when the pair first acquired the property it was completely run down and off the grid. "For the first five years, we had to bring our own water and ski down from the nearest road," Marianne confided. The pair kept the original building and created a magnificent extension, inspired by a traditional Norwegian seter. Today it's a beautifully cosy, magical mountain hide-away and the perfect spot to sit and recover from a day on the cross-country ski tracks or simply get away from it all.

Many of the items in the home - including the side table by the window, knitted chair cover, artwork, lamps, coat and towel hooks and cushion covers  - have been handmade by Marianne who runs Slow Design Studio. The mid-century armchairs were a flea market find (source similar here).

Wall-to-wall seating is made cosy with the use of ex Norwegian army blankets, an abundance of locally sourced sheepskins (pick up similar here), and a ton of cushions.  Clever in-built storage storage beneath the seating is used for candles, spare blankets and everything in between.

An Ay Illuminate pendant light hangs over the table which is surrounded by Tolix Marais chairs softened with sheepskins. One of Marianne's beautiful knitted lamps which she sells through her online shop can be glimpsed on the wall behind. The floor is made from concrete with underfloor heating. They can turn on the heat and lights remotely so that it's already toasty when they arrive. So nice and welcoming!

The kitchen was designed by Marianne and made by a local carpenter using old barn wood. If you look closely you'll see the leather pulls - which have been made from old reindeer reigns.  The backsplash is made from copper which has been treated with acid to give it an aged look. 

A huge sliding barn door can be opened up to allow the warmth of the sun to penetrate the dining area - or closed to buffet the wind and snow storms and generally keep the cold at bay. Simple pine table and benches provide an ideal spot when the sun comes out.

You can see more of this cabin in my book - The Scandinavian Home by Niki Brantmark, published by CICO Books. Photography by James Gardiner. ©CICO Books.

I was so mesmerised by the area that six months after the photo shoot, I returned with my family. Marianne and her family were kind enough to invite us to stay in the cabin.  The vista was equally stunning in winter time, when temperatures can plummet to minus 25 degrees celsius (minus 13 Fahrenheit) brrrrrrr! The light was crystal clear and we spent our days on the nearby ski slopes, intermittently diving into mountain cabins to warm-up over a hot chocolate (the girls), and glögg (the man and I!). A sauna back at the cabin worked wonders to warm the cockles and we'd spend the evenings on the long seat looking out over the panoramic views of the undulating snow-covered landscape. As the sun went down the valley was dotted with the glimmer of head torches as cross country skiers made their way home. It's a site I'll never forget! Here are a couple of snowy snaps I took during our stay....

The family enlisted the help of Marianne's sister, architect Benedicte Sund-Mathisen of Suma Arkitektur to extend the cabin and create frameless windows.

The original timber cottage dates back more than fifty years. Poles at the side of the road help snowploughs locate the road after a particularly heavy dump of snow! I have to admit we got stuck more than once (even though our car has specially adapted winter tires!) - and I learned a few new Swedish swear words in the process!!

Although the days were short, when the sun shone the light was crystal clear and the girls loved sledging on the slope in front of the cabin.

Aaaaaah, how I'd love to visit this region again one day. 

In case you'd like to find your own magical Norwegian mountain hide-away this winter, try Airbnb! Perhaps we'll see you there?!


Have a wonderful weekend, and stay warm!

PS You must check out this rustic log cabin too! Guh!

PPS If you're Christmas shopping this weekend our scandi-inspired adult and children gift guides might come in handy!

A little Danish cabin in the woods

A couple of months back I paid Uri Golman and Helle Olsen a visit in their little cabin in the woods in North Zealand, Denmark. For those of you not familiar with the Danish duo - they are bad*ss award-winning wildlife photographers on a journey to "document the beauty of the natural world and inspire people to take care of the planet." Their current project 'Wild' documents the last untouched areas of the seven continents of the world with an aim to help people reconnect their hearts and minds to the ancient love of nature under the proviso "what you love - you will protect". As I pulled up outside their home, I felt a million miles from civilisation even though Copenhagen was a mere 35 minutes away. Built from Larch wood, their 65 square metre (700 square foot) cabin is surrounded by dense woodland enjoyed by a multitude of birds, hare, deer, hedgehogs and other curious creatures.  Inside, what the little wooden cabin lacks in size, it certainly makes up for in charm! Every room is furnished with fascinating artifacts picked up on travels, including remnants from the past, tools used on expeditions, tribal gifts as well as ethically sourced feathers and furs. The palette is earth - with notes of red and brown. Welcome inside the world of Uri Golman and Helle Olsen!

Iranian cushions line the back wall atop a Muskox fur from Greenland.

A mask from Gabon, Central Africa

The paddle was used to navigate the White Nile in Uganda on a mission to find a Shoebill.  An Indian water urn has been placed beside an Iranian saddle bag which is used for storage.

A woodburning stove adds much needed heat in winter time. 

The pair brought back the huge machete (right) from Borneo where they were photographing orangutans - "local people use it for chopping branches, picking fruit or digging in the ground. We use it for ice-cream!"

A leather chair from Helle's Grandparents has been draped with a sheepskin. The futon is lined with Iranian cushion. 

Churchill snow shoes from Arctic Canada are stored on the wall of the cabin.  

In the winter the cabin stays toasty thanks to central heating and a woodburning stove (look how pretty it looks in the snow! I think I might just have to pay Uri and Helle another visit later this year!)

While the pair relayed fascinating stories from their travels, Uri clicked away and Helle balanced precariously on beams 2 metres above the room to get the best angle. "She has no fear," Uri confided. "She once jumped into crocodile infested waters to rescue a chimpanzee!"

Their little cabin in the woods might be thousands of miles from the jungles of Borneo and great plains of Africa - but the wilderness they've found in the North Zealand is mesmerising in it's own way - and as they say, there's no place like home!

You can find out more about Uri and Helle's work here and watch a short film about their 'Wild project' here (quite incredible!). It's also worth keeping an eye on their Facebook page for updates (and to catch a glimpse of some stunning wildlife photography, including this handsome fella!).

I hope their home and worthwhile projects inspire you as much as they do me!

Have a lovely day!