Nature study
The contemporary twist on Scandinavian simplicity involves a shift towards a warmer, textural approach. This Swedish home perfects the look
Scandinavian simplicity takes a warmer, more textural turn in this Swedish abode
It’s easy to imagine the ways in which an ultra-modern, new-build home might be at odds with nature, but Sofia and Johan Wäborg’s villa in southern Sweden has no such shortcomings. So skilful is the use of natural materials and colours in this abode that it almost seems as though the house has grown organically out of the landscape.
The couple has lived here since 2012 with their twins Emmy and Isak, now eight. Their previous home was an apartment in Malmö, but, after the children arrived, they realised a move was necessary. ‘ We wanted a house with a garden,’ explains Sofia. ‘ We are both very much into architecture and love big projects, so we decided to buy our own plot of land and create a new house just to suit us.’ Sofia’s job as a project manager for a property developer gave her a head start (Johan is in the pharmaceutical industry). She contacted an architect she had worked with in the past, Hanne Birk, to help design their new home. ‘I knew Hanne could give us what we wanted. She gathered a lot of images that inspired us – but really, the process was as much about creating a feeling of harmony and mindfulness as it was about architecture and interiors.’
When it came to picking the location, the couple didn’t have to travel far. ‘ We visited a few villages around Malmö and felt at home in Höllviken,’ says Sofia. ‘ It’s very green, but still close to Malmö, and Copenhagen is just across the Øresund bridge. It used to be popular for summer houses, as it has a big pine forest and sandy beaches, but now it’s inhabited all year round.’
Both Sofia and Johan grew up close to the coast and wanted their villa to be an escape from the stresses of working life. ‘Our idea was to create a home in which nature becomes part of the architecture,’ says Sofia. ‘ We wanted it to feel as though it had always been there.’ The three-bedroom stone building took a year to plan and another year to build. A wooden terrace and pathway wrap around the structure, while an outdoor shower area maximises the potential for enjoying time outside. The garden has a wild feel to it: pine trees and rhododendrons mix with crops of blueberries, strawberries and raspberries. ‘ We had no desire for a “perfect” garden,’ says Sofia.
Inside, the layout revolves around the kitchen, with a huge openplan room that can accommodate lots of friends and family. The mantra for the decoration was ‘simple and real’: natural materials such as stone, wood and leather, and pale, sandy colours that reflect the coastal landscape. Sofia and Johan chose white stone for the interior walls as a ‘natural base’ and hand-picked pieces of Douglas fir timber from Danish company Dinesen, which were used for flooring and doors, as well as to clad built-in storage. The only non-natural element is the polished concrete used on the floor of the main living space, but even this blends seamlessly with the serene palette. Sensual fabrics, such as sheepskin and raw linens, bring a sense of comfort, while a striking contemporary fireplace has as much warmth as any traditional design, and is a natural gathering point. ‘ For me, the most important element of any home is family,’ says Sofia. ‘ This is where we all come to feel calm.’