Misc: A home away from home

I have been quiet around here the last few months, and the reason is, fortunately, only positive. The thing is, this summer our new holiday home was finally ready for us to move into, and I have since poured most of my energy into adding all the elements to it that make a house a home.

Our new holiday home is situated exactly where our old cottage used to be.

We bought this place a few years ago, and the area is close to where I grew up. It is actually in a national park with severe restrictions for new constructions. However, those of us with old cottages are allowed to replace them as long as the new one is not increasing the environmental footprint (size).

Since the beginning of July we have spent many weeks here. Covid-19 restrictions mean that I now have the opportunity to spend more time in this place than before because I can work there, too.

The project started more than two years ago. It took several months together with the architect to develop the main concept and overall plan. Then we had to wait for building permissions and find a contractor. The actual construction started back in January, and from there everything developed pretty quickly.

The architect is a close friend of ours and we know his work well, so there was never any doubt about hiring him for this project. His main idea was to utilize simple shapes and let the materials and light play the main role. The angled roof opens the interior towards the exterior.

There are two distinct zones, a social zone with an open plan kitchen/living area and a calm zone with areas for sleeping and relaxation. They are connected through a corridor. Sliding glass doors opens towards the front on each side.

The interior is kept in light wood with black accents, and the color green is used throughout in textiles, tiles and a lamp. This holiday house is situated between the sea and the woods, so I chose a teal green for the sofa covers.

From the back you can see through the living room and into the sea.

Our old cottage was traditional with small windows, and I couldn’t see the sky or sea from inside. Now, I can even see the sea from the back thanks to the large vertical window.

There are tho very unusual window coverings, one in the bathroom and one in the main bedroom. The covering wooden panel is perforated , but not cut out. This way the window becomes an ornament while still fully functioning. It is not possible to see much trough them, but they look beautiful and lets the air flow freely.

You have to make a lot of compromises while building a house, but one priority I was able to keep is the outdoor shower. We had one in the old cottage, too, and I love the sensation of showering outdoors on warm days. It is very freeing, and I’m very grateful for it.

I hope you have enjoyed seeing my major project in 2021. I might bring my sewing machine with me eventually, but so far I haven’t been inclined to do any sewing while I’m there. For now, I’m just happy to spend my time there with family and friends, indoors and outdoors. There will be time for sewing again in due time.

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