Houzz Tour: A Nordic Dream House in Malmö
These homeowners melded two Scandinavian styles in this turn-of-the-century apartment in Sweden
Swede Ann Bülow and Dane Jens Erlandsen were living apart together when they decided to get an apartment together in Malmö, in the south of Sweden, in 2007. Erlandsen had previously had a place in Copenhagen, Denmark, and Bülow a townhouse in Lund, not far from Malmö itself. They wanted to get a big apartment, where their children and grandchildren could visit them and where they could host big parties for their friends.
“We searched for a roomy apartment with soul,” Bülow says. “A balcony was a must, a fireplace was a wish and we also wanted high ceilings. We immediately fell in love with this gem at the top of a fantastic turn-of-the-century building. It’s nice to be at the top! There is good light here, and we were told that the people living at the top would even have the opportunity to buy the attic and turn it into a rooftop terrace.” They fell in love with the design of the three bedrooms, which face the yard, and two lounges, which can be used to host parties with up to seventy guests – a number that the couple’s shindigs have indeed reached in the past.
“We searched for a roomy apartment with soul,” Bülow says. “A balcony was a must, a fireplace was a wish and we also wanted high ceilings. We immediately fell in love with this gem at the top of a fantastic turn-of-the-century building. It’s nice to be at the top! There is good light here, and we were told that the people living at the top would even have the opportunity to buy the attic and turn it into a rooftop terrace.” They fell in love with the design of the three bedrooms, which face the yard, and two lounges, which can be used to host parties with up to seventy guests – a number that the couple’s shindigs have indeed reached in the past.
The apartment overlooks the beautiful St. Paul’s Church, and during the summer months the linden tree lined avenue looks like a gorgeous garden that seems to belong to the apartment.
The city engineer Georg Gustafsson designed the Rörsjöstaden neighbourhood in the 1870s, taking as inspiration the work of the Parisian town planner Georges-Eugène Haussmann. This particular house was built in 1902 and designed by Swedish art-nouveau architect Harald Boklund. He also designed other buildings around Malmö, such as the Lejonet pharmacy, the Trelleborg Station (both in collaboration with August Lindvall) and the water tower in Pildammsparken (Willowpond Park).
The city engineer Georg Gustafsson designed the Rörsjöstaden neighbourhood in the 1870s, taking as inspiration the work of the Parisian town planner Georges-Eugène Haussmann. This particular house was built in 1902 and designed by Swedish art-nouveau architect Harald Boklund. He also designed other buildings around Malmö, such as the Lejonet pharmacy, the Trelleborg Station (both in collaboration with August Lindvall) and the water tower in Pildammsparken (Willowpond Park).
Erlandsen and Bülow combined their styles in this Danish-Swedish home. “The materials are inspired by Denmark, clearly,” Erlandsen says. “They’re solid materials, not painted but soaped or oiled. Even though we both have Scandinavian taste, we discovered that there are a lot of differences between Danish and Swedish design.” Bülow adds, “It can be anything from material to surface treatments, and sometimes we have interesting discussions.” Urban Danes tend to embrace a fully white, minimal and clean-lined design, while Swedes often mix in more rustic, country-style influences, like in the popular Gustavian style.
The dining room, which has a balcony facing the park, contains plenty of examples of Danish taste, such as a dining table from Andersen and the classic CH24 Wishbone chairs in oiled oak, by renowned Danish designer Hans J. Wegner, from Carl Hansen & Søn.
Since the couple are interested in design and have taken courses in furniture making and upholstery together, they have also collected items they have made or modified themselves. “We have Carl Malmsten furniture that we plan to upholster. We learned the traditional and more durable upholstery technique which uses vegetable fibre, horsehair and linen weaves,” Bülow says.
The dining room, which has a balcony facing the park, contains plenty of examples of Danish taste, such as a dining table from Andersen and the classic CH24 Wishbone chairs in oiled oak, by renowned Danish designer Hans J. Wegner, from Carl Hansen & Søn.
Since the couple are interested in design and have taken courses in furniture making and upholstery together, they have also collected items they have made or modified themselves. “We have Carl Malmsten furniture that we plan to upholster. We learned the traditional and more durable upholstery technique which uses vegetable fibre, horsehair and linen weaves,” Bülow says.
All the walls and ceilings of the apartment have been painted with diffusion-open paints ("breathable” paints that let water vapour pass through, preventing moisture damage). “We uncovered the stucco in the ceiling. It is an old house that breathes through the walls, so we tried to keep far away from newer, plastic-based paints,” Bülow says. The couple found the paints at Ottosson Färgmakeri in Genarp, outside of Lund, where the company mixes their own paints on site, and at Auro.
The dining room features a reading area with two Norrgavel chairs and a coffee table by Carl Malmsten from Tre Sekel. The secretary desk and the curved cabinet are heirlooms from Denmark.
The dining room features a reading area with two Norrgavel chairs and a coffee table by Carl Malmsten from Tre Sekel. The secretary desk and the curved cabinet are heirlooms from Denmark.
“Transparent, cheeky, and comfortable” are the words Erlandsen uses to describe his favourite piece of furniture, the Circle Chair in bleached ash, designed by Hans J. Wegner. The chair was purchased from PP Møbler.
The 19th-century sideboard behind the chair is a Swedish heirloom. The dish on the table is the work of Hannah Paradis of Paradisverkstaden on Öland, Sweden, from the Abstraktion series.
The 19th-century sideboard behind the chair is a Swedish heirloom. The dish on the table is the work of Hannah Paradis of Paradisverkstaden on Öland, Sweden, from the Abstraktion series.
“The couch from the Swedish Norrgavel was probably the first piece of furniture we both fell in love with. It is durable and completely natural,” Erlandsen says. The armchair on the left is a Madsen & Schubel from the 1950s. Erlandsen edged and sanded it, and Bülow restored it with a vintage, genuine look, covering it with new fabric. Most of the household items, pots and textiles are of Swedish design. The carpets were a compromise: Erlandsen did not want carpets at all, while Bülow can still imagine having many more.
Ceiling lamp: Victo, from Secto; floor lamp: AJ, by Louis Poulsen.
Ceiling lamp: Victo, from Secto; floor lamp: AJ, by Louis Poulsen.
The fireplace in the lounge provides nice light and warmth.
The grandfather clock next to the window has tagged along to the shared apartment because the couple likes the wooden color and the decorative feeling it gives off. It is an heirloom that belonged to Bülow’s grandfather, who lived in a great turn-of-the century apartment in Karlshamn, Sweden. The 1950s coffee table was also inherited.
Black armchair: Chieftain, by Finn Juhl; leather chaise lounge: Superspider, by Dux; other chaise lounge: The Deck Chair, PP524 by Hans J. Wegner, from PP Møbler; the floor lamp on the right and the table lamp on the left window: Le Klint
Black armchair: Chieftain, by Finn Juhl; leather chaise lounge: Superspider, by Dux; other chaise lounge: The Deck Chair, PP524 by Hans J. Wegner, from PP Møbler; the floor lamp on the right and the table lamp on the left window: Le Klint
BEFORE: The parquet in the lounge and the dining room is original, and still in good condition. The floors in the two corridors (the second, internal hallway is pictured here – see floor plan, below), on the other hand, were completely ruined. Bülow says, “When we tore them out we discovered that we had to replace the floor beams, which were ruined and had made the floorboards so uneven. So, we had to tear out the stone and sand that lay between the beams, and then we had help settling them in place again.”
AFTER: The floorboards in solid ash were purchased from PA Savværk in Denmark. They are 1¼ inches (32 millimetres) thick and about 10 inches (250 millimetres) wide. The floor that continues into the kitchen is treated with white oil that makes for an extra durable surface.
In the entrance hallway, a Gustavian mirror is combined with a clothes rack and chairs from the Swedish design firm Norrgavel.
An old sewing table has been reduced in size and given new life.
In the entrance hallway, a Gustavian mirror is combined with a clothes rack and chairs from the Swedish design firm Norrgavel.
An old sewing table has been reduced in size and given new life.
Several doors have been replaced by glass versions, which let light pass between the rooms and the hallways. However, Erlandsen and Bülow held on to the original doors, storing them in the attic.
Shelf: Montana; red glass-doored cabinet: Norrgavel; painting (facing camera): signed by Beinta av Reyni, a Danish/Faroese artist
Shelf: Montana; red glass-doored cabinet: Norrgavel; painting (facing camera): signed by Beinta av Reyni, a Danish/Faroese artist
The second corridor is a serving hall leading to the kitchen. Seven wall-mounted bookshelves adorn it. “I took the floorboards from the kitchen, planed them and glued them together. We joined the corners with dovetail joints and fastened them to a wall rail so that you can push each bookcase across the wall,” Erlandsen says.
Flower pot: Trio, Klong
Flower pot: Trio, Klong
Here is a closer look at the shelf system. The books are sorted by colour.
“When we have big parties, we often let the guests walk through the serving hall to get food, which is usually set on the wide kitchen island. Everybody is overjoyed when they arrive at a fantastic buffet and then walk back to the dining room with a filled plate,” Bülow says.
Chair: Camilla, John Kandell for Källemo, from Svenssons i Lammhult
“When we have big parties, we often let the guests walk through the serving hall to get food, which is usually set on the wide kitchen island. Everybody is overjoyed when they arrive at a fantastic buffet and then walk back to the dining room with a filled plate,” Bülow says.
Chair: Camilla, John Kandell for Källemo, from Svenssons i Lammhult
BEFORE: “The old kitchen was really not a fun place at all. We used to dislike spending any more time than necessary in that room, but now it’s the heart of the home,” Bülow says.
AFTER: The whole kitchen is kind of a personal triumph for the couple. It’s perfect for cooking together and has a real sense of Danish hygge. The couple sketched designs for the kitchen and bathrooms wherever they were when inspiration came, including on napkins at restaurants and in the old kitchen at home. Since they had so many ideas, it took almost eight years from the moment they started until they finally completed the renovation in 2015.
Most of the cabinetry in the kitchen is from Ikea. “We wanted a white and shiny kitchen, and an Ikea kitchen serves that purpose well. We simply bought their most expensive assortment, and we think it is just right,” Bülow says. Wires and plumbing are hidden behind wooden panels, which also hold light sources that shine onto the walls and floors. Nuanced lighting is also located in niches, shelves, drawers and even in the floor.
Lamp: Unfold, by Form Us With Love for Muuto
Most of the cabinetry in the kitchen is from Ikea. “We wanted a white and shiny kitchen, and an Ikea kitchen serves that purpose well. We simply bought their most expensive assortment, and we think it is just right,” Bülow says. Wires and plumbing are hidden behind wooden panels, which also hold light sources that shine onto the walls and floors. Nuanced lighting is also located in niches, shelves, drawers and even in the floor.
Lamp: Unfold, by Form Us With Love for Muuto
The A-lights in the window are a design by Thomas Sandell.
In the kitchen, a gas cooker has been replaced by an induction stove. Installing the stove also gave them the opportunity to install lighting in the drawers. In the kitchen the couple focused on creating large work surfaces, as they like to cook together. The countertops are in thermo-treated ash, from the Københavns Listefabrik. The hood they chose is a modern model from Cylinda, which is flat and does not take up too much space.
BEFORE: The couple knocked the outer layer off a couple of walls in the kitchen to get to the original brick. However, it required some more work. “It looked pretty scary at first, with big holes in the brick and bumpy broken bricks,” Bülow says. “So, Jens whitewashed the bricks and then brushed them with an abrasive brush so that the pattern would emerge again. To make the walls dirt repellent, we then washed them with såpa [a Swedish cleaning agent made from pine tree oil] about a dozen times.”
AFTER: A combination of natural and artificial light – reflected beautifully by the finished brick wall – create bright spaces. Both the wall and the floor are illuminated – wires are hidden in the wooden beam overhead. Over the dining table hangs the classic PH5 ceiling lamp, by Poul Henningsen for Louis Poulsen.
Table: Nyt i bo; chairs: Lilla Åland’s anniversary edition, in oiled oak
Table: Nyt i bo; chairs: Lilla Åland’s anniversary edition, in oiled oak
The lighting draws inspiration from Denmark. “There, you seek indirect, warmer light with more emphasis on many low spotlights instead of a sharp ceiling light. Swedes are practical and want to see; Danes look for more of a cosy feeling. This is probably also true for furniture design [in general],” Bülow says.
Here in the kitchen, the Finn Juhl Poet couch is lit by the Grässhoppa floor lamp, by Greta Grossman for Gubi.
Here in the kitchen, the Finn Juhl Poet couch is lit by the Grässhoppa floor lamp, by Greta Grossman for Gubi.
The second floor balcony off the combined study and guest room faces the courtyard and is protected from the strongest winds by the surrounding buildings.
Desk with limestone top: G.A.D; armchair: Pelican, by Finn Juhl;
desk chair: Oxford, by Arne Jacobsen – the couple plans to reupholster it in future
Desk with limestone top: G.A.D; armchair: Pelican, by Finn Juhl;
desk chair: Oxford, by Arne Jacobsen – the couple plans to reupholster it in future
“We sanded and bleached the floors in the three bedrooms, and covered them in white såpa. It is easy to keep them beautiful, and they are nice for walking barefoot. Also, they smell so good after we use the såpa,” Bülow says, as såpa is made of pine oil.
Bench with sheepskin: Norrgavel
Bench with sheepskin: Norrgavel
The couple designed the apartment’s two renovated bathrooms themselves. The old bathrooms were last renovated in the 1980s, when the plasterboard on the walls was covered with tiles. This made the spaces a bit more narrow. “We instead tiled directly on the brick and won at least 20 centimetres [8 inches] back, while also revealing interesting niches in the walls. This also counteracts moisture damage,” Erlandsen says.
Bathroom cabinetry: Spekva, for Skagerak; wall mirror: Norrgavel
Bathroom cabinetry: Spekva, for Skagerak; wall mirror: Norrgavel
Before the renovation, there was a small guest restroom with a plastic floor covering. It was rebuilt into a square bathroom with a Jacuzzi bath. Lighting was also seen as important in the bathrooms, and there are several alternative light sources: spotlights in the ceiling, lighting behind the bathtub, and lights on a dimmer in the niches.
In a pentagon-shaped bedroom, there is a restored and upholstered chair from Hans J. Wegner, and in the attic more furniture is waiting to be moved into the new home – Erlandsen and Bülow are ready to embark on new adventures in furniture design and craft.
Floor plan. From the entrance to the second hallway: entrance hall, bedroom (to the right), living room (left), dining room (left), bathroom (right), entrance to second hallway. On the right of the second hallway: bedroom, bathroom, study/guest room. At end of second hallway: kitchen and open-plan breakfast room.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Jens Erlandsen and Ann Bülow. Bülow is an economist, while Erlandsen has studied furniture making and today works in furniture design, in addition to being self-employed
Location: Rörsjöstaden, in central Malmö, Sweden
Size: About 2,070 square feet (192.5 square metres)
Rooms: A kitchen with built-in breakfast area, three bedrooms, a lounge, a dining room, two bathrooms and a separate spacious laundry room upstairs