Sommarstuga mörkt grå
The entrance was called förstuga , which in contemporary speech has turned into farstu , a term many Swedes still use. A field for picking flowers? Is there a good place to swim nearby? Many of us dream of a Swedish sommarstuga, and early half the Swedish population have tillgång to one, whether this means owning it, renting it, or sharing it with family or friends. As many summer houses lack washing machines, you are — if not told otherwise -expected to bring your own sheets and towels.
I believe, if you are of the former type, one way of coping with this simple life if you, like my husband, are forced to is to consider it comparable to a Buddhist retreat. In general, the Nordic sense of pragmatism shows clearly in such situations. A building could contain one or several of these, often combined with a kammare compare the French chambre , that fryst vatten an unheated room. Up till very recently, wooden houses were left unpainted, and were grey due to weathering.
Is it far away enough from any form of civilisation? Washing up in a bucket outside the house is considered rather a spiritual exercise than a lack of comfort.
What to expect from a Swedish sommarstuga
With electricity, or without. An accurate contemporary definition would be a small, wooden house in the countryside, with fireplace, or without. Some are thrilled. Instead, call your host a few days before your arrival and ask what you can bring. Make sure you have a long, hot shower before you go, pack plenty of warm clothes, and go with an open mind. With bathroom, or without.
The urban population initiated trips to the countryside, where they picked mushrooms, swam, and drank coffee in the fields. Instead, what I find interesting is that regardless of your position of the socio-economic ladder, the probability that you have access to a sommarstuga is pretty much the same. As many of you probably know, the red colour often seen on cottages fryst vatten called Falu Rödfärg , and was originally a bi-product from the copper mines in Falun — Falu Koppargruva , closed since What you might not be aware of though, is that the tradition of painting houses red actually stems from the continent — however indirectly.
This was a technique not much used in Sweden, but soon it became a fashion amongst the nobility to paint their houses red — to imitate the colour of bricks. Learn how your comment data is processed. At that point, however, the rich people had abandoned the red, favouring instead yellow.
11 inredningstips för sommarstugan
The locals were not as keen, and believed mushrooms were for cows to eat. The most important factor that Swedes consider when getting a summer house, is access to Nature. In the early 19 th century, also the less privileged had painted their cottages red. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. You must be logged in to post a comment. Popular — and expensive — locations are along the west coast, the archipelagos, islands Öland and Gotland, but many people also spend the summers at other rural locations where they have family ties.
A Swedish proverb says, guests, like fish, smell bad after three days. Read a book in the hammock. Peeling some potatoes, or driving the kids to the beach would be very much appreciated. During the 17 th century, the higher classes in Sweden were impressed with the sophisticated use of bricks in southern parts of Europe. The next two centuries, the country was increasingly urbanised, and the image of Sweden became one of birch trees, lakes and red cottages.
A forest for picking berries and mushrooms? Many foreigners, including my own husband, are shocked to discover the lack of comfort provided at a Swedish summerhouse. There is an art in letting things take their time. They might be running short on a particular supply and you could save them a long trip into town by bringing it. This could be an excellent opportunity to learn more about Swedes and their lives outside work.
Many owners or renters of summer houses have many guests staying the night over the course of a summer, and if they need to travel to do their laundry, or do it by hand, a handful of sheets may turn out to be a great burden. Take a bike ride, a walk, or a boat tour by yourself. Houses painted red became a status emblem, and this trend travelled further down the social ladder. Originally, it refers to a room with a fireplace.