Holiday cottage on the island

This gorgeous wooden vacation home is located on a small island in Karlholm Bay in the Baltic Sea, a few hours' drive north of Stockholm, Sweden. There are no more than 20 of them on the whole island, which has no electricity, gas or running water.

Scandinavian-style Scandinavian essentials

The central part of the small house was built in 1930, in that part is now the living room. In 1975 the house was extended to a total interior area of 55 square meters. Two areas were added, a kitchen area and another area where 2 bedrooms were set up. The two areas are on either side of the central part. Because the roof was very low, the roof extension for the 2 added areas was made at a very low pitch, finally ending up resembling the wings of a bird in flight. Also because of the low height, the added parts were built one step lower, so the living area stands out by being taller.

As there are no utilities provided on the island, a small solar panel has been mounted on the roof to provide power for lighting and to run the refrigerator. The cooking hob is gas, powered by a gas cylinder, and water is brought from the mainland. Despite these shortcomings, the kitchen is well equipped with everything you need.

The two bedrooms are furnished in a minimalist, classic Scandinavian style. The master bedroom has wooden walls and floors, painted white like the furniture. Everything is simple without unnecessary additions. The other bedroom, set up as a children's room, has two wooden bunk beds, also white like the wooden walls. The parquet flooring is oak, washed white-gray, and the splash of color is provided by a chestnut-colored dresser and a green-gray antique dresser. The house is heated by a wood-burning stove.

Outside, on 3 sides arranged on a wooden podium, are the terraces. The glazed wall of the living room can be opened, the area extending onto the front terrace. The other two terraces have generous areas for dining or lounging by the water.

The bathroom is not inside the house. A wooden construction next to the house fulfills this function. It was also built in 1975, with two separate rooms, one designed as a guest room and the other containing the toilet and shower. The toilet also has a special composting system.

The property is delimited with a kind of fence made of stones placed on top of each other. There is a jetty that makes access to the property possible. Everything is small but sufficient in a healthy Scandinavian tradition.

wooden holiday house