Nine idyllic Nordic cabins and summerhouses

In this region, summer is all about retreating to a countryside timber dwelling. Here are some of the best, from a mid-Century home to a modern cabin overlooking the ocean.

While many Brits and Dutch go to Spain and France for their summer holidays, the Nordics tend to stay much closer to home. And when some nationalities might try a different country or type of holiday every summer, the Nordics are on repeat. And why not, when the annual ritual is to get away from it all by spending the whole summer at their rural retreat?

Whether bought, inherited or rented, these summer houses are all about dipping into a simpler, more traditional lifestyle. Originally, they were back-to-nature basic, an approach that's epitomised in Finnish author Tove Jansson's beloved 1972 novel The Summer Book. And that story of three generations at their rustic timber holiday home on an unspoiled, remote island has been adapted into a film starring Glenn Close, released in the UK next week.

In recent times, these cabins and summerhouses – some 1.8 million of them across the Nordics – have been souped up with modern conveniences, as the demand has increased for comfort. Now there's a mini-backlash, as environmental concerns combine with a desire for reduced consumption and a digital detox, producing a simpler aesthetic. Whatever their spec, they allow people to embrace friluftsliv, the Norwegian concept of open-air living. 

Here are nine Nordic cabins and summerhouses, from original designs and eco-friendly new-builds to sympathetic restorations.

1. Cabin at Fjelldalsøy, Norway, by Wenche and Jens Selmer

A prolific summer cabin designer, Norwegian mid-20th-Century architect Wenche Selmer believed they were a metaphor for a simple, good life. "What can you live without?" she often asked her clients. Selmer and her cabins are getting their moment in the Sun, through an exhibition of her work in Oslo.

Selmer developed a practice where nature, frugality, wooden house traditions and modern architecture came together, like this one from 1960, which she designed with her husband Jens.

Many new cabins in Norway boast luxuries such as running water, electricity, top-of-the-range kitchens, internet access, flat screens and car access. But Selmer's 1960s and 1970s cabins are an increasingly appealing antidote to that.

Hers were bare-minimum dwellings, with no water or electricity, only functional necessities such as a sheltered, Sun-facing wall suitable for enjoying tasks like cleaning foraged berries and mushrooms.

2. Qvarsebo Summerhouse, Sweden, by Leo Qvarsebo

This retreat sits between some woods and pasture in the Swedish countryside. Architect Leo Qvarsebo designed it for himself and his children. Its triangular profile means the building leans into its holiday-home spirit, with the sloping façade doubling as a climbing wall. There's even a rope attached to the top of the roof for extra help.

As with all such dwellings, time contemplating nature is key. So there's space on the terrace for sun-loungers and a frame for two swings, and cooking happens........

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