In the mountains of Åre, beauty and design expert Emma Unckel has created a place that contrasts her modernist home in Stockholm. The timber cabin is a cosy retreat where colour, craft, and slow living is key for the atmosphere. Here, she shares a glimpse into her Nordic escape, and her favourite Singular pieces for life in the north.

Tell us about your home in Åre.

- It’s very different from our home in Stockholm, which is a 1960s house. In Åre, we have a timber cabin – and this really is my happy place. I’m originally from northern Sweden and had dreamed of finding something around the High Coast, where I spent a lot of time as a child. But we had been in Åre for several seasons with the kids, and everyone loved it, so it became the natural choice.

How often do you go there?

- We love being there all year round. We usually spend two weeks in the summer, a week or two in the autumn, and all the holidays in winter. The house is located in Björnängelägret, a bit of a hidden gem in Björnen. It’s not in the middle of everything, but still only fifty meters from the lift. It’s calm yet lively, and there’s always light in one house or another, which makes it feel alive all year.

In your 1960s villa in Stockholm, you mix classic and modern. How did you approach the interior here?

- I’ve really adapted everything to the rustic charm of the log cabin. The house was built around 2010, but the parts that felt more modern I’ve added more colour and personality to. We’ve painted in a Jämtland blue tone and done some built-in work – the staircase to the upper floor was quite dull, so we enclosed it and painted it a deep cabin red. It’s such a nice feeling that this house looks completely different from our home in Stockholm. We’ve worked a lot with local carpenters and have been open to their ideas. I think that’s part of why I love it so much. Up here, everything can be a bit simpler. It doesn’t need to be perfect – and that makes it more relaxed.

How would you describe the interior style?

- It’s a lot of wood, of course, with touches of leather. I’ve also tried to include more handicrafts and local artisan pieces, but still mix in some modern elements. It should feel genuine and local, yet still refined. The Scandinavian simplicity remains – but it shouldn’t become too “lodge” or chalet-like, that’s important when you live in a small cabin in Åre.
I love our dining table, it’s a small, worn pine table that really sets the tone for the whole room. And we also have a Bruno Mathsson Jetson armchair, which used to belong to my father-in-law. It’s moved around quite a bit over the years, but now it’s in Åre and it feels like it finally found its place.

What’s your favourite room in the house?

- The bedroom upstairs! The beds are built in under the slanted ceiling, so you bump your head if you sit up too fast, but that’s part of the charm. It’s so cosy to go to bed there.
The living room is another favourite. It’s open to the dining area, and that’s where we spend most of our time. And of course, the sauna! We added a door that opens straight out into the snow – magical in the winter.

Do you have a favourite object in the house?

- Yes, a black cast-iron chandelier that I bought at Åre Hemslöjd. I love it. We decorate it according to the season: spruce branches at Christmas, spring flowers in April, and I mix it with different candles and colours. It really sets the atmosphere and is one of my favourite details in the house.

Fävikens Lanthandel
There’s an amazing bakery there called Krus, as well as incredible local delicacies – meat, charcuterie, cheese, and handicrafts. It’s absolutely worth the extra drive.

Åre Atlantfisk
Here you’ll find fantastic fresh fish and seafood, but check the opening hours and go early.

Åre Chokladfabrik
Close to where we live – they have both the factory and a shop. Always worth a visit.

Åre Hemslöjd
A lovely little shop filled with local handicrafts and gifts. I love browsing there and always find something to buy.

Imilla
Imilla means “in between” in Jämtland dialect – a fantastic restaurant offering fine dining in a relaxed atmosphere right in the centre of Åre.

Christmas Tree Ornament
The ornaments are so beautiful, with their bold, stainless steel-design. I’ve used them both in the tree and as decorations in the chandelier, or tied around linen napkins.

Bed linen
If you haven’t discovered the bed linen collection yet, it’s about time. We use it both in Åre and in Stockholm.

Hand Cast Pillar Candle
It’s so hard to find pillar candles with this quality, but these are beautiful and come in several tones. I light several at once, both indoors and outdoors.

Carafe Stainless Steel
It lifts the entire table setting. It’s the kind of carafe you’d love to receive as a Christmas gift.

Exfoliating Hand & Body Scrub
I love that it contains apricot seed powder – it’s the best ingredient in a scrub. Getting one this good for 90 SEK is incredible.