Branching Out

Four words, “Jag ska till landet” inspired entrepreneurs Umberto Garabello and Ted Wachtmeister to create their clutch of beautifully-designed cabins, Landet Stay, in the rarely-visited 400-hectare Grönsö nature reserve. The expression, which translates as “I am going to the countryside” conveys a deeper meaning; a deliberate choice to leave the city for a place to relax, connect with nature, and enjoy a simpler lifestyle.

Scattered with granite outcrops, lingonberry-carpeted tree forest and wildflower-dotted meadows stretching towards a tranquil bay and the blue-green waters of the Baltic Sea, the cabins’ Grönsö reserve backdrop firmly ticks the relaxing in nature boxes; it’s akin to a complete exhale in landscape form.

Half an hour’s train ride plus a short drive from Stockholm, or 15 minutes from charming seaside town Trosa, Landet Stay’s four cabins have been built with “a leave no trace principle, and a desire to blend the best of the sleek, minimal Scandinavian aesthetic with an unexpected, eclectic, British touch,” explains co-founder Garabello. To realise this vision he enlisted renowned Scandinavian architect Andreas Martin-Löf, and London-based interior designer, and co-founder of gallery-meets-design studio 8 Holland Street, Tobias Vernon to mastermind interiors.

Clad in linear dark oak panels, the cabins (sleeping two to four), blend sensitively into the woodland, each appearing to ‘float’ above ground, thanks to minimal impact plinth foundations, which could – if needed – see metal poles unscrewed, and cabins relocated leaving little trace. Showstopping 2.4m floor-to-ceiling glass windows flanking the open-plan lounge-kitchen connect the space to the landscape, opening to a deck on each side, where deep Crate Lounge chairs by Hay in a ruddy tree trunk hue invite forest-patio-bathing, soundtracked by thrumming woodpeckers.

Complementing Andreas Martin-Löf’s architectural aesthetic and material palette – fumed and natural timbers, brushed aluminium and stainless steel, plus burgundy glazed bathroom tiles – the cabins’ interior design ethos “revolved around a balance of natural simplicity, variation of materials and design storytelling,” explains Vernon. “The aim was to create a tranquil and comfortable – almost cocooning – retreat that harmonises with the untainted beauty of the Swedish countryside,” he says.

Cabin walls and ceilings, clad with warm-toned chestnut-brown stained timber deepen the enveloped-in-the-forest moody ambience, and “feel inherently Scandinavian, providing the perfect tonal framework for the placement of furniture pieces and other design elements.”

In the central living meets kitted-out kitchen area, a black lacquered beech wood FDB Møbler table and chairs, beneath a sleek &Tradition aluminium pendant light and flickering Rais Q-Tee 2- fireplace add dark, stark, allure. The natural tones and textures of cream Nordic Sheep shearling throws, Nordiska Galleriet foliage-hued cushions and bespoke rugs by Swedish atelier Nordic Knots (pattern based on a piece by Breon O’Casey, central to St Ives’ vibrant mid-20th century art scene) add softness, whilst underlining the cabins’ connection to its wild, natural location. Soothing bedrooms pair lengthy glass windows at the foot of the bed, hung with warm white Nordic Knots The Blackout’curtains, with earthy toned Klippan x Arket bed throws, and a gentle glow from discreet lighting tucked in wooden headboard cabinetry.

“Colour was considered an accent,” explains Vernon, who, in collaboration with &Tradition updated a Vieggo Boeson Little Petra armchair, recolouring the legs in a dark red timber stain and adding Dedar wool-boucle Karakorum upholstery to create a one-off, which stands in one of the cabin’s lounges. In bedrooms, bespoke recycled paper yarn tapestries by Catarina Riccabona incorporate subtle primary colour accents, and  – in homage to Sweden’s textile heritage – feature patterns referencing the works of feted fabric designer Märta Måås-Fjetterström. Vernon also worked closely with Stockholm-based gallery Larsen Warner, who curated cabins’ available-for-purchase artwork which includes canvases by Turner Prize-winning Laure Prouvost, to ensure every piece enhanced the overall design. 

In line with Landet Stay’s wider sustainability ethos, much of the furniture, says Vernon, comes from B Corp-certified &Tradition, and Hay, who use FSC-certified woods and water-based lacquers. Plus the silvery upholstery seen in comfy sofa nooks was crafted by Tibor, who weave-to-order to avoid wastage.

Additional touches from Garabello – vintage marbled vases from Parma Antiques Fair, Dr. Vranjes Firenze woody-note toiletries – nod to the co-founder’s Italian heritage, while Printworks pick-up-sticks and Marina Abramovic Method card decks invite creative play, complementing outdoor pursuits including wilderness walks, kayaking, sauna-ing and wild swimming. 

Set to offer even more in-the-forest R&R, four further cabins, designed in similar immersed-in-nature style, and including one larger artist’s studio cabin with open-plan design, full-size kitchen, plunge pool and outdoor shower, will open by mid-summer.