Learn about a beautiful cliffside getaway in the woods on Hornby Island, BC!

On a cool, overcast day in June, we delivered our organic latex mattresses, pillows, pillow protectors, wool comforter, and mattress protector to (a then still under-construction) Norra Hem, a beautiful guesthouse on Hornby Island. Two months later, the guesthouse is complete and ready to provide guests with a rejuvenating, restorative rest and stay on a cliffside with natural products and beautiful views.

We enjoyed learning more about the owners’ – Lisen & Kyrin Karlstrom – inspiration behind building Norra Hem, what they love about it, and why they chose Resthouse. 

How did the guesthouse begin? 

The dream of creating a getaway in the woods has always been in the back of our minds. In magazines and social media, you see people all over the world creating beautiful getaways. For us, it was a dream we hoped to create one day, but never knew if it would ever be possible. 

In 2022, we were told Kyrin’s family needed to sell the property where he grew up on Hornby Island. 

At the time, there was a basic, run-down cabin that had 180-degree views of the ocean and was built from fir trees downed in a storm on the property - a detail we love to this day! We thought it could potentially be renovated to be an exquisite place to create our dream of owning a unique holiday home business. 

At this point, we knew we had to make some tough decisions and take some big risks if we wanted the dream of creating a unique getaway in the woods to come true. So, we bought his family property, moved our 6-month-old twins to Hornby Island, left our current jobs and began our journey of creating a place where people could visit and experience the true beauty of Hornby Island!

Also, keeping this property in our family and being able to welcome people from all over the world to experience this amazing home is such a fulfilling feeling. Growing up here, Kyrin has always had a connection to this unique island and this way the connection will always remain.

What was your inspiration behind Norra Hem?

Because of the nature surrounding the home and our own Scandinavian roots, we knew we wanted to create a space designed in harmony with nature. A place immersed with the surroundings - where wellness and style are cohesively entwined. A space that utilized natural colours and textures, wood and wool, linen and ceramics. A place that was environmentally conscious, supported local businesses and embraced the vision of natural living. 

To help create our vision, we hired Hanne Devreese from Hanne by Design to assist us with the interior design and creative direction of our business. She guided our choices and helped create a space in line with our vision and beliefs. 

And so, Norra Hem: Cliffside Guesthouse was born. We chose the name Norra Hem because it means Northern Home in Swedish. With the guesthouse situated on the Northern Gulf Islands, the name felt right for us.

What do you love most about your guesthouse?

It’s so hard to think of one thing we love most about Norra Hem. 

The fact that my husband and I built and created this space with our twins will always be near and dear to my heart! I will always love the story behind the home. That it was built from trees on the property, that our deck was milled from cedar in the Cowichan Valley, that our white oak stools were made by a local woodworker, and that our mattresses, duvets and pillows are from Resthouse! 

So many local businesses make this place a truly remarkable experience and I am so grateful for every one of our partnerships.

Why did you choose Resthouse products? 

When selecting products for the guesthouse, we knew right away that Resthouse was the best fit for us. 

To provide our guests with an organic, luxurious sleep experience, and support a local business felt completely in line with our vision of an all-natural, ecologically friendly retreat. 

Resthouse kindly offered to deliver all the products to Hornby Island, which made our purchase even more satisfying, as delivery to the gulf islands can be a challenge. We are so thrilled with the quality of Resthouse products and glad we chose to prioritize the sleep health of our guests.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Just how grateful we are for all our guests who have started to visit Norra Hem! We love sharing this remarkable getaway with families from all over the world, I look forward to meeting so many more of you. 

Thank you, from our family!