Sunday 10 August 2014

Scandi-style boat living

Cockpit living
"Not another cushion!" he grumbled as I clambered onto the boat carrying yet another shopping bag. Inspired by our visit to Millesgarden and Svenskt Tenn, I was a woman on a mission and the boat was getting a Scandinavian makeover. Out with the drab and the utilitarian and in with the bright, bold and stylish. If I have to live on a small sailing boat for several weeks every summer, it is going to be a place I enjoy spending time! Cushions, duvets and curtains have gradually crept onto the boat over the past few summers, every change hard-fought, but now was the time to seize the zeitgeist and introduce colour. Glamping on the water has arrived!


My berth

We had arrived in Vastervik, a provincial seaside town five hours to the south of Stockholm, and the temporary mooring place of our boat. Cold, wet and windy, we were marooned there for a couple of days waiting for the weather to change, giving me plenty of time to hit the summer sales. New pillows and duvets arrived on the boat, together with bright duvet covers, cushion covers and a small blue and white cotton rug that neatly fits both in the saloon and the cockpit and which I cannot now image being without. Citronella tea-lights glow in colourful glass holders in the evenings, deterring mosquitoes and adding to the ambiance - mosquitoes are ubiquitous when living on the water and being confined with one for the night in a very small space is to be avoided at all costs!

Anxious to avoid yet more shopping, he insisted we set out as soon as the weather improved, heading north towards the Stockholm archipelago and completely different way to see Sweden!

13 comments:

  1. Love your decorating flair! As a child we had a Catalina 27 that we would sail from its harbor home in San Diego out to Catalina Island and to Mexico. This brings back great memories for me.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It makes the whole sailing thing a lot more enjoyable for me. Glad you enjoyed your childhood sailing!

      Delete
  2. Love your furnishing bargains. Looks very cosy and comfortable.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We had issues about comfort and the quantity of soft furnishings that have appeared but it makes it a lot more pleasant for me Molly.

      Delete
  3. love the bed and the pillows! and seems like you had a great time at Vastervick dispite the weather!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. When the weather gets tough, the tough go shopping, right?

      Delete
  4. Good for you, go for it! Must be fascinating to visit all these places in this way though. Suzy x
    P.S. This message may come through twice, I've been having probs leaving comments at times :(

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It certainly is Suzy, although I would never have imagined that I would do this in my previous life!

      Delete
  5. So cheery! What a lovely way to travel!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is, apart from the odd Force 7 we get caught out in!

      Delete
  6. I don't know how I missed this post!
    I am not a sailor - was once a sailor, but The Great Dane and I differ so greatly in our idea of a good day's sailing that it was just easier to sell the boat. I can see from this post that you are my kind of sailor. Comfort is necessary and a cosy atmosphere can be developed anywhere - especially in the close quarters below decks!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Believe me, Pondside, we have our differences too! He likes a good blow, sails flying and the boat heeling over at impossible angles. I prefer the apres sailing and a bit of home comfort.

      Delete
  7. The reality is sometimes a boat overflowing with wet clothing and towels, and rain and sea water gushing down the mast soaking my berth, whilst there is a steady and intractable drip-drip from the porthole above my berth, solved by a plastic bag with a towel on top to try and keep me dry...

    ReplyDelete

Positive comments are fun and I love to know you have visited and what you think so please say hello.