SWEDE INSPIRATION

Scandi design influenced the interior of this family-friendly villa in Surrey

When Catarina and Mats Gustafsson first saw plans for an impressive villa on a private estate in Surrey, they knew they had found their future home. ‘It was everything we’d been looking for,’ says Catarina. ‘Our children, Carl, now 19, and Cecilia, 17, were six and eight at the time, and we wanted a family home with a pool and large garden.’

The house ticked all the couple’s boxes. Mats, a lawyer, needed an easy commute into London. Catarina wanted to be near good schools, and was keeping her eye out for a new-build property by an established developer. ‘ We weren’t keen on spending one or two years refurbishing somewhere old,’ she says. ‘Period houses are charming, but they’re not for us. We were looking for the fresh, modern feel of a new build, with underfloor heating and cavity walls – the quality that comes from buying from a reputable builder. The location of this house was excellent, it was on a private estate, and near a good school.’

The fact that the house was at an early stage of the build process was an added bonus. ‘It was a brick shell when we bought it, so we were able to influence the floorplan,’ says Catarina. ‘ We could move some of the internal walls – or take them out completely – and decide on paints, flooring and fittings. It was so exciting and I couldn’t resist popping in to see how things were coming on and to check on the progress of any changes I’d asked for – I was probably very annoying.’

Originally, the plans were for an entirely open-plan ground floor, but Catarina asked the developers, Octagon,

to add a wall and sliding doors to separate the living spaces. ‘ We are Swedish and Swedes tend to enjoy open-plan living areas, but this was too open even for us,’ she says. She also asked the builders to lay wooden floors throughout. ‘They are more aesthetically pleasing, and you can clean them very easily,’ she says.

Catarina’s Scandinavian heritage has inspired the cosy, contemporary feel of the interior. Downstairs, a light-filled, open-plan sitting room/ kitchen-diner with underfloor heating beneath the wooden boards is the hub of family life, while a formal sitting room provides a separate child-free space for adults to gather. The aesthetic is light, clean and contemporary, while throws and rugs add colour and comfort. Since moving in, Catarina and Mats have updated the kitchen, replacing pale cabinet fronts with darker brown units. ‘My taste has changed over the past decade,’ Catarina says, ‘and updating the kitchen has made a real difference to the feel of our house.’

While oranges, deep reds and warm greys feature throughout, blue is the unifying and consistent theme. ‘I enjoy using different shades of that hue,’ says Catarina. ‘There are variations of it everywhere. Our house is large, and the thread of blue provides a vital link from room to room.’ She describes her own style as ‘contemporary classic’, and claims Scandinavian interiors magazines are one of her main sources of inspiration. ‘I don’t subscribe to the Scandi minimalistic look – I prefer something warmer and cosier,’ she says. ‘This is a family home, and we want everyone to feel welcome here.’

sitting AREA Wall-to-wall windows fill this space with natural light. ‘this is my favourite place in the house,’ says Catarina. Large Charles sofa, £5,500, B&B Italia. Edge coffee table, £1,400, Poliform. Tripod wenge floor lamp, £740, Heathfield & Co

SITTING AREA ‘I can easily swap these orange cushions for a new look – that’s the advantage of furniture in neutral colours,’ says Catarina. Velvet cushion in orange is a match, £10, John Lewis & Partners

KITCHEN ‘Having an island allows family and friends to gather while I cook,’ says Catarina. Manhattan pendants, £300 each, Bsweden. Stools, £ 400 each, The Sofa & Chair Company

HALL A vast artwork by Ignacio Valdes and a trio of blue vases make a dramatic statement. Alcor console, £3,500, B&B Italia. Walls painted in Chalky Downs 4 paint mixing matt, £27.56 for 2.5L, Dulux

Main bedroom Furniture was kept minimal in this room, for an uncluttered, light feel. Bed, £11,000, Duxiana. Delia bedspread, £ 499, Himla. Bedside cabinet, £300, Boconcept. Walls painted in Chalky Downs 3 paint mixing matt, £27.56 for 2.5L, Dulux

carl’s bedroom Oranges, blues and greys create a contemporary space for the couple’s son Tolsey rug, £ 410, Neptune. Orange Balmoral throw, £78, Barnbury

cecilia’s bedroom a wire attached to the wall provides a fun place to display photographs. Velvet cushion, £85, Heal’s. Try the Kragsta nest of tables, £55, Ikea