Swedish Houzz: Eclectic Home Draws Inspiration From Around the World
This creative couple used furniture, fabric and design influences from living abroad to help them fall in love with their home
Patterned walls, exotic furniture and vintage accessories gave this mid-century Swedish home a new life for a family of six. The couple moved from London to Sweden more than 10 years ago and immediately started searching for a house outside of Uppsala, Sweden. The duo, who had previously lived in France and Indonesia, wanted a blank slate to fill with their eclectic furniture and infuse with their playful style. “We found this scruffy little house with beautiful surroundings,” says the owner. “It had no competition on bidding! I hated the ugly house, but my husband saw great potential. Today we love it.”
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with four sons
Location: Marielund, Sweden
That’s interesting: A dining room cabinet is made of wood from a sunken battleship
Photography: Lisbet Spörndly
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with four sons
Location: Marielund, Sweden
That’s interesting: A dining room cabinet is made of wood from a sunken battleship
Photography: Lisbet Spörndly
The husband left much of the decorating up to his wife, so she chose the majority of the fabrics and wall coverings for their home. They already had most of their furniture from previous homes, and they incorporated a mix of French, Indonesian and Swedish pieces.
Couch: Mio; rug: Ikea; coffee table and bench: teak from Bali
Couch: Mio; rug: Ikea; coffee table and bench: teak from Bali
The unique fireplace is an old-fashioned tile stove – kakelugn in Swedish – that the couple was given by a neighbour and had refinished. Brick stones inside the stove are heated by the fire and retain heat long enough to keep the house warm for the day. The house originally had one (they found the ruins in their garden), but it had been removed years before and replaced with more modern heaters.
Wallpaper: Designers Guild
Wallpaper: Designers Guild
The couple’s first real home together was in Jakarta, Indonesia, so much of their furniture is Indonesian. This beautiful sideboard was made by one of the couple’s friends in Bali.
Sideboard: Papipoto
Sideboard: Papipoto
The bright and open dining room has a mix of textures and treatments for a warm effect. The cabinet in the corner is made out of old oak pieces from an 18th-century Swedish battleship. The ship sank just outside of the wife’s hometown, and many of these oak pieces – blackened by salt water – were bought by a local carpenter.
The dining chairs are all old Dutch antiques that the couple found in Jakarta. The wife had them painted and distressed.
Rug: The Conran Store; chairs and table: Indonesia
Rug: The Conran Store; chairs and table: Indonesia
The kitchen is the wife’s favourite space in the house – the room’s access to the dining room, living room and garden means she can cook and keep an eye on the children while they play or do homework.
Bench: Indonesia; wallpaper: Designers Guild
Bench: Indonesia; wallpaper: Designers Guild
She outfitted her kitchen all with pieces from Ikea and was able to customise the oak benchtops and simple white cabinets in the exact style and layout that she wanted.
With four young boys, durability and storage were the most important priorities, but they also wanted a clean and simple design that would work with the home’s architecture.
Countertops, cabinetry, shelving and bar stools: Ikea; range and hood: Miele
Countertops, cabinetry, shelving and bar stools: Ikea; range and hood: Miele
When the family moved in, the home was still fitted out with its original, outdated kitchen. After a year of living with broken-down appliances, the wife completely renovated the bottom floor of the house. Five years and two more children later, the family ran out of room and undertook another redesign to extend the living space.
With the interior of the house almost complete, the couple can’t wait to start renovations on the expansive property outside. Future possible projects include a workshop, a play cottage, a garage and an apple orchard. She’s also hoping to build a terrace outside the kitchen’s double doors and convert an old hen house into a guest room. And her boys would love a pool. “We’re at the stage where our plans are still forming and dreams are being discussed,” she says.
With the interior of the house almost complete, the couple can’t wait to start renovations on the expansive property outside. Future possible projects include a workshop, a play cottage, a garage and an apple orchard. She’s also hoping to build a terrace outside the kitchen’s double doors and convert an old hen house into a guest room. And her boys would love a pool. “We’re at the stage where our plans are still forming and dreams are being discussed,” she says.
Wallpaper and curtains: Designers Guild