Their vision was of an ideal family summer retreat, filled with light and designed for functional, compact living. Linda, a stylist, explains the idea as "reminiscent of living on a boat, where everything has its place. Our priority was maximizing natural light to give a fresh, summery feeling." In the kitchen, for example, Linda has replaced the original upper cabinets with open shelves in order to give a more airy feel. "Having everything exposed makes it more difficult to collect unnecessary things that might otherwise get buried in the back of a cupboard. As a mother, I benefit from the practicality of seeing what I have and keeping things in order. As a stylist, it's nice for me to display beautiful things that also serve a function in our family.”
The children's room consists of four ‘sleeping cabins,' each equipped with a large built-in drawer underneath. This allows for maximum play room and occasional sleepovers, while providing lots of storage for clothes and toys. “Being organized is essential,” Linda stresses. “I think of having order in my home as a kind of freedom-it has allowed me to happily balance my family life with Uffe and the kids [Hugo, 8, and Astrid, 5] with my work as a stylist.”
But although light is extremely important in this environment, Linda's home is made cozy with bright splashes of colour. “Having white as the primary colour throughout the house leaves a lot of room for play, ” maintains Linda. “I love to mix solids with florals, stripes and checks for a country look that's still contemporary. Small injections of colour add life and character to the rooms, while not detracting from the spacious feel.”
Enjoying life and experiencing Sweden's character were on the menu as we explored the island that first afternoon, losing ourselves in a dizzying network of pathways that led us between houses, through gardens, behind boathouses, over bridges and eventually out to a lonely cliff-top. In the distance, Denmark floated proudly on the horizon and a small fishing boat made its way reluctantly toward us, as though it knew not to disturb the peaceful end to our perfect afternoon.
When I crept into my cozy sleeping cabin across from Linda's daughter that night, I felt lucky to have been welcomed into this small part of Linda's life, and hoped that some day I would be able to invite her to my own “Klädesholmen,” lying a few thousand kilometres further west, in Muskoka, Ontario, a home to some of my favourite memories. To those memories I could now add the delights of a true Swedish cottaging experience.
What makes it Swedish country style?
• Glossy fresh whites
• Relaxed living
• Built-in cabinets and shelves
• Charming prints and patterns
• Traditional structure
• Painted wood floors
• Gingham aprons
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