Sweden Houzz Tour: See the Flower Shop That Became a Family Home
Scandinavian design and a fresh white palette transformed this large 1930s brick house into a cosy home
Cajsa Carlson
24 December 2018
Redaktör, Houzz Sverige / Staff Editor, Houzz Sweden
This beautiful brick house in central Svedala, in the south of Sweden, dates back to 1936. Its owners, Ingmarie and Anders Olin, used to buy flowers here when it was previously used as a florist, and they always liked the building. When it was up for sale in 2003, they just happened to be looking for a larger home that would be a better fit for their family of five. Naturally, they jumped at the opportunity.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Ingmarie and Anders Olin and their daughter, Ellen. Their sons, Jon and Axel, have now moved out of home
Location: Svedala, Sweden
Size: The house is approximately 175 square metres, including a basement and attic that total about 90 square metres. The property also has a 20-square-metre greenhouse and a 600-square-metre garden
Here, Houzz caught up with Ingmarie Olin, to learn about her family home’s transformation.
Who lives here: Ingmarie and Anders Olin and their daughter, Ellen. Their sons, Jon and Axel, have now moved out of home
Location: Svedala, Sweden
Size: The house is approximately 175 square metres, including a basement and attic that total about 90 square metres. The property also has a 20-square-metre greenhouse and a 600-square-metre garden
Here, Houzz caught up with Ingmarie Olin, to learn about her family home’s transformation.
The Olins did not do any major renovations when they moved in, except for sanding back the wooden floor on ground level, which was in poor condition throughout the home. The beautiful original tiles in the entrance were kept as is.
The house features large windows that let a lot of natural light into the rooms. The kitchen, dining room, bathroom and a large living room are located on the ground floor.
There was no driving plan behind the decor. Instead, it’s a blend of mementos, market finds and new pieces. “We like to travel, and when we travel – to India and Marrakesh, among other destinations – I often look for fun things to put in our home,” says Olin. “They don’t necessarily have to be from exotic places. For example, I have some bird Christmas tree ornaments that I bought in Malmö [in Sweden].”
A stove grabs attention in the living room. “This room is big and has a lot of space for socialising,” says Olin. A soothing grey palette runs through the first floor, which is a good match for the colour of the timber and natural materials.
The Olins renovated the ground-floor bathroom in 2015. A friend of the family installed the new tiles that complement those in the entrance.
The Olins renovated the kitchen for the first time in 2003, replacing the existing kitchen that was dark brown and had a ’70s feel. They then renovated and re-tiled it again in 2015. It is now a fresh white, decorated with flowers, paintings and other little details.
One big change saw the fridge and freezer moved to a little hallway that connects the kitchen and dining room. “This way we got more space in the kitchen and more work areas,” says Olin. “I like displaying the cups and glasses like this where the fridge and freezer used to be. It’s a nice touch of colour.”
The two units are pictured here on the left. “They are more tucked away now, which is nice since they’re not really aesthetically appealing,” says Olin.
In the brightly lit dining room, chairs from second-hand markets are mixed in with iconic Öglan chairs. A String shelving system houses an ecclectic mix of items. “I’ve put LP covers, flea-market finds from Lisbon and hand-printed papers from India here,” says Olin. “I like to create small ‘still lifes’ and decorate a lot with various little things I put together.”
The dining room leads straight into a conservatory that was already here when the family bought the property. “Since the people living here were very serious gardeners, it was covered with silver insulation and used for winter flowers and plants,” says Olin.
Olin and her husband replaced the greenhouse’s gravel flooring with timber, and the space is now used as a semi-outdoor space from April to October.
The area lets the family feel as though they’re outside, even in spring and winter, when it’s usually too cold to relax outdoors in Sweden. “We often have dinner or a glass of wine here. We’ve made many nice memories here,” says Olin.
Both bright and light blue hues complement the natural timber flooring, red bricks and plants.
Both bright and light blue hues complement the natural timber flooring, red bricks and plants.
Ellen, the Olins’ daughter, who is studying painting in nearby Malmö in Sweden, has a bedroom upstairs.
This is the space where she can give vent to her creativity. LPs, music posters and her own works of art decorate the space.
The walls are a lavender-grey that fits the palette throughout the rest of the home.
The walls are a lavender-grey that fits the palette throughout the rest of the home.
The family decided to paint the upstairs floorboards instead of sanding them back, which they did downstairs. The juxtaposition of the white floor against the grey walls makes the spaces – like the master bedroom pictured here – feel brighter and gives them a fresh ambience.
“We thought that with three children, the floors up here would get so worn anyway, that it would not be worth sanding them. So, we painted them instead,” says Olin.
The upstairs bathroom features classic black and white tiles and a matching black vanity that contrasts the white walls.
The house has both a basement and an attic. In the basement sits a workbench that came with the house.
“There was a lot of room in the garden when we moved in, but we managed to make even more space for the children,” says Olin. “For example, we used to have a trampoline in the garden: we would sit in the conservatory and give the kids ‘scores’ when they jumped.”
After fifteen years here, however, it’s time for the family to move on. “Everything has its time – we are going to move to Malmö to get closer to the movies and concerts,” says Olin. “If we don’t do it now, we never will.”
The family have already found their new home. “We were at the Roskilde Festival this summer and saw Nick Cave, and our new place is on Roskilde Road and inside the house there was a record player with a Nick Cave record on it!”
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More
Missed last week’s Finnish Houzz Tour? Read about how two architecture and design students built a house in Finland’s wilderness by hand
What’s your favourite feature of this house? Tell us in the Comments, like this story and save the images. Join the conversation.
More
Missed last week’s Finnish Houzz Tour? Read about how two architecture and design students built a house in Finland’s wilderness by hand
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I am always surprised when people object to white interiors in Sweden. This is a very traditional Scandinavian aesthetic and works well with short winter days and bounces light from the snow into the interior. During the summer it helps keep the interior light into the long evening. Combined with the traditional blues and reds it is very pleasant and cheerful. They used a lot of grey in this house which I don't generally like but it looks fine here. I love the painted floors and the hallway tile. The conservatory-oh just wonderful. Where I live in a warmer climate I have a patio with a canvas awning roof. It has an 84 year old brick floor and the walls of the house are brick with some limestone insets. It is not large-fitting only a table for 8. But I'm out there 3 seasons a year-reading, hosting, having coffee, sitting while my grandson plays, reading the paper. I survey the garden and mentally list the chores that may or may not get done. I hope they have an outdoor space in Malmo.
Love the conservatory!