Sweden Houzz Tour: A Studio's Custom Design & Boatbuilding Tricks
The brief? To pack a kitchen, bathroom, dining area, mezzanine and even a sauna into a 20-square-metre room
“When we first saw this small room at the beginning of the project, it was just a shell, a completely unfurnished house that the customer wanted to turn into a mix of office [space], product showroom and retreat,” says Daniel Wolgast, project manager at interior design firm Studio A3 and sister company A3 Byggprojekt, which provides project management and building services. “The idea was to create a place of creativity and inspiration for the customers, who work in design.”
With only about 20 square metres to play with, the building was not large. However, the owners wanted to squeeze in a full kitchen, bathroom, dining area for big parties, a mezzanine, smart storage solutions and, to top it off, a sauna.
With only about 20 square metres to play with, the building was not large. However, the owners wanted to squeeze in a full kitchen, bathroom, dining area for big parties, a mezzanine, smart storage solutions and, to top it off, a sauna.
Since the studio has a ceiling height of nearly 4.5-metres, the height and light within the space were used to the fullest. The glazed doors and the window in the gable are original.
The speakers in the corners were an important part of the plan. “The music equipment was there from the beginning,” says Daniel. “There’s even an integrated subwoofer in one of the drawers under the couch.”
The speakers in the corners were an important part of the plan. “The music equipment was there from the beginning,” says Daniel. “There’s even an integrated subwoofer in one of the drawers under the couch.”
To make room for all the planned features, nearly every piece of the interior and the furniture was custom-made. “We designed the staircase, the railings, the handrail, the table, the storage bench, the bed frame – with storage boxes in the headboard – and the bathroom mirror,” says Daniel. “The kitchen is based on components from Ballingslöv [a Swedish kitchen manufacturer], and then our cabinetmaker took over and got the kitchen and stairs to blend together beautifully.”
Need to fit a lot of features into a small space? Use Houzz to find an interior designer near you for space-saving solutions
Need to fit a lot of features into a small space? Use Houzz to find an interior designer near you for space-saving solutions
The walls were already partially covered in timber panelling. Studio A3 continued this material into the rest of the room and painted it white to visually unify the space.
The furniture is made of whitewashed oak and matt-lacquered MDF, while the floor is finished in an industrial self-levelling cement floor screed.
The furniture is made of whitewashed oak and matt-lacquered MDF, while the floor is finished in an industrial self-levelling cement floor screed.
The project’s carpenter, who comes from a family of boat builders, came up with the idea to make use of the empty space under the table. “It was important to maximise the storage in all the furniture, so there was a lot of boat-cabin thinking,” says Lina Wolgast, an interior designer at Studio A3.
“The sofa is a pull-out, there are drawers throughout the bench, and the table is on wheels so it can be moved,” she says.
The built-in kitchen features a fridge, stove, dishwasher and a wine fridge. The open shelves hang close to the ceiling to create the illusion of space.
The stairs, however, proved a bit challenging. “The steps are actually attached to a steel structure behind the panelling,” says Daniel. “The oak pieces are attached to steel beams that extend from [the steel structure], so they sit firmly.”
The little window is original, and faces another property. The stools were specifically designed for the studio.
The little window is original, and faces another property. The stools were specifically designed for the studio.
The lighting in the studio was also carefully planned out, and although Lina is usually not fond of recessed downlights, they work well here. “They make for a unified look throughout the house. However, we had to do a lot of rewiring, take down the panelling, and place the stairs a certain way to get the spotlights in,” she says.
Fitting a bathroom, complete with a shower and sauna, into approximately 2.6 square metres was also no walk in the park.
“We had to compromise a little on the standard dimensions of the sauna. It is 1.5 square metres,” says Daniel. Recommended dimensions are usually 0.8 square metres per person, with 60 centimetres sitting space per person, plus technical space. “But the customer is fine with it.”
“We had to compromise a little on the standard dimensions of the sauna. It is 1.5 square metres,” says Daniel. Recommended dimensions are usually 0.8 square metres per person, with 60 centimetres sitting space per person, plus technical space. “But the customer is fine with it.”
The shower is bordered by a folding-glass wall that maximises floor space, and they had an especially wide mirror custom-made to reflect the room and visually enlarge its dimensions.
Your turn
Which features in this small space do you love? Tell us in the Comments, save the images for inspiration, like this story, and join the conversation.
More
Craving more great design? Don’t miss our last Houzz Tour: Year-Round Comfort With Passive Solar Design
Your turn
Which features in this small space do you love? Tell us in the Comments, save the images for inspiration, like this story, and join the conversation.
More
Craving more great design? Don’t miss our last Houzz Tour: Year-Round Comfort With Passive Solar Design
Size: Just over 20 square metres
Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
Designer: Studio A3
Builder: A3 Byggprojekt
Year: 2019
Budget: About AUD$5,500 for the planning and approximately AUD$151,900 for the renovation work, including the built-in furniture
The owners asked for simple and tasteful decor inspired by Japanese and Scandinavian design.
“We used as few materials as possible, namely concrete, white oak and light tones. We also removed any unnecessary details or hid them inside storage units,” says Daniel.