Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: Soft, Eclectic Style in a Swedish Home
With furniture, fabrics and design influences from around the world, this pretty home in Sweden feels cosy and welcoming
Patterned walls, exotic furniture and vintage touches gave this midcentury Swedish home a new life for a family of six. The homeowners moved from London to Sweden more than 10 years ago and immediately started searching for a house outside of Uppsala, Sweden. The couple, who had previously lived in France and Indonesia, wanted a blank slate to fill with their eclectic furniture and infuse with their playful style.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here A couple and their four sons
Location Marielund, Sweden
That’s interesting A dining room cabinet is made of wood from a sunken battleship.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here A couple and their four sons
Location Marielund, Sweden
That’s interesting A dining room cabinet is made of wood from a sunken battleship.
The couple 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, bench: teak from Bali
Couch: Mio; rug: Ikea; coffee table, bench: teak from Bali
The unique fireplace is an old-fashioned tile stove - kakelugn in Swedish - that the couple were 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 one of the homeowner’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. They had them painted and distressed.
Rug: The Conran Store; chairs, table: Indonesia
See how to choose the perfect dining chairs
Rug: The Conran Store; chairs, table: Indonesia
See how to choose the perfect dining chairs
The kitchen is the couple’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
The homeowners outfitted their kitchen with pieces from Ikea. They were able to customise the oak worktops and simple white cabinets in the exact style and layout that they wanted.
With four young boys, durability and storage were the most important priorities, but the homeowners also wanted a clean and simple design that would work with the home’s architecture.
Countertops, cabinetry, shelving, bar stools: Ikea; range and hood: Miele
Countertops, cabinetry, shelving, 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, they 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.
Photography: Lisbet Spörndly
Photography: Lisbet Spörndly
Wallpaper, curtains: Designers Guild