Home tour: an easy-living, modern, Scandinavian
A traditional farmhouse transformed into a home for modern family life. Open-plan rooms and simple, fuss-free style have made a house that was passed down from Annika’s parents into a place where her whole family can relax together.
CENTRE YOUR HOME Let the cooking and dining areas be the hub of your home. Annika moved the kitchen from a much smaller room because she wanted a large, sociable space that the whole family could share easily. ‘We’re always in the kitchen, so I wanted it to be our “hang-around” room.’ Annika chose a long kitchen island, big enough for everyone to sit around for breakfast or a coffee break.
DECORATE YOUR DINING SPACE Use flowers, vases and candles to add character to your dining area – not just at dinner time, but all the time. Annika’s home is mostly decorated in whites and creams, so she uses dark glass and ceramics to create striking table displays. ‘I like combining old with new to make our modern style work in this old house – so our farmhouse table is mixed with modern glassware and IKEA chairs.’
MIX AND MATCH SEATING Living rooms aren’t just for sofas – create a room for all sorts of living, with different styles of seating. Annika has a sofa, dining chairs, a side table and coffee table in one room, so each person can choose how they want to relax, and lots of different activities can all be going on at once.
AN EVERYDAY ROOM FOR EVERYONE Plan your space to suit your life at home. Annika’s family have an extra living room upstairs where they can feel cosy. ‘We often have set places in this room, with some lying down, some sitting, some on the floor,’ she says. ‘It’s great for hanging out as a family, watching TV, playing video games and sleeping. In Sweden, we call it our everyday room.’
CREATE A CONTRAST WITH COLOUR Annika’s teenage boys like dark colours, so their rooms are decorated in a cool monochrome colour scheme that contrasts with the rest of their all-white home.
KEEP SLEEP SIMPLE Minimise distractions in your bedroom and let getting a good night’s sleep be the focus. Annika and her husband Robert’s bedroom is a tranquil space, with no TV or desk – just a bed, an armchair and a wardrobe. She’s mixed whites with other neutral shades to create a space that feels bright but cosy.
This place is like an anchor for our family, but we wanted to use the space in a different way to my parents. We started by asking ourselves: “How do we live? How do we usually do things?”
Annika, building-company owner and potter, Sweden
CHOOSE YOUR OWN LAYOUT Annika’s family thought carefully about how they could best use the old farmhouse before starting renovations. A big kitchen was a priority, and they squeezed in extra space for relaxation by transforming the upstairs hallway into their ‘everyday room’.
We love to see our customers get creative with our products. Go for it! But please note that altering or modifying IKEA products so they can no longer be re-sold or used for their original purpose, means the IKEA commercial guarantees and your right to return the products will be lost.
Made by
Interior stylist: Johanna Flykct Gashi
Photographer: Michael Sinclair
