Houzz Tour: A Former Flower Shop Becomes a Family Home
Scandinavian design and lots of white help turn this 1936 brick house in Sweden into a bright and comfy hangout
Cajsa Carlson
November 29, 2018
Redaktör, Houzz Sverige / Staff Editor, Houzz Sweden
Photos by Jonas Norén
House at a Glance
Who lives here: Ingmarie and Anders Olin and their daughter, Ellen (sons Jon and Axel moved out since they bought the house)
Location: Svedala, Sweden
Size: 1,884 square feet (175 square meters), including a basement and an attic totaling 969 square feet, but not including the conservatory.
This beautiful brick house in central Svedala, in the south of Sweden, dates to 1936. Owners Ingmarie and Anders Olin used to buy flowers here when the building was being used as a flower shop, and they always liked it. When it was put up for sale in 2003, they happened to be looking for a larger home that would be a better fit for their family of five. They jumped at the chance.
House at a Glance
Who lives here: Ingmarie and Anders Olin and their daughter, Ellen (sons Jon and Axel moved out since they bought the house)
Location: Svedala, Sweden
Size: 1,884 square feet (175 square meters), including a basement and an attic totaling 969 square feet, but not including the conservatory.
This beautiful brick house in central Svedala, in the south of Sweden, dates to 1936. Owners Ingmarie and Anders Olin used to buy flowers here when the building was being used as a flower shop, and they always liked it. When it was put up for sale in 2003, they happened to be looking for a larger home that would be a better fit for their family of five. They jumped at the chance.
The owners didn’t do any major renovation work when they moved in, except for sanding the worn wooden floor, shown in the next photo. They kept the beautiful original tile in the entryway as it was.
The house features large windows that let a lot of natural light into the rooms. The kitchen, the dining room, the living room and a bathroom are on the ground floor.
There was no driving plan behind the decor. Rather, it’s a blend of mementos, flea market finds and new pieces. “We like to travel, and when we travel — to India and Marrakech, among other destinations — I often look for fun things to put in our home. They don’t necessarily have to be from exotic places. For example, I have some bird Christmas tree ornaments that I bought in Malmö [in Sweden],” Ingmarie says.
A fireplace provides a focal point in the living room. “This room is big and has a lot of space for socializing,” she says.
A soothing gray palette runs through the first floor. It is a good match for the color of the wood and other natural materials.
A soothing gray palette runs through the first floor. It is a good match for the color of the wood and other natural materials.
The owners renovated the ground-floor bathroom in 2015. A friend put in the new tiles to match those in the hallway outside.
Shop for bathroom tile on Houzz
Shop for bathroom tile on Houzz
They renovated the kitchen for the first time in 2003 because the original was dark brown and had a ’70s feel. They then renovated and tiled it again in 2015. It is now fresh white and decorated with flowers, paintings and other little details.
Find artwork for your kitchen in the Houzz Shop
Find artwork for your kitchen in the Houzz Shop
One big change was that the fridge and the freezer were moved to a little hallway connecting the kitchen and the dining room.
“This way we got more space in the kitchen and more work areas. I like displaying the cups and glasses like this where the fridge and freezer used to be. It’s a nice touch of color,” Ingmarie says.
“This way we got more space in the kitchen and more work areas. I like displaying the cups and glasses like this where the fridge and freezer used to be. It’s a nice touch of color,” Ingmarie says.
The two units are on the left. “They are more tucked away now, which is nice since they’re not really aesthetically appealing,” she says.
Search on Houzz for an interior designer to help with space planning
Search on Houzz for an interior designer to help with space planning
In the bright dining room, flea market chairs mix with new bentwood chairs. “I’ve put LP covers, flea market finds from Lisbon and handprinted papers from India here,” says Ingmarie, referring to the shelving unit on the wall. “I like to create small still lifes and decorate a lot with various little things I put together.”
Find bentwood dining chairs in the Houzz Shop
Find bentwood dining chairs in the Houzz Shop
The dining room leads straight into a 215-square-foot conservatory, which was already here when they bought the property. “Since the people living here were very serious gardeners, it was covered with silver insulation and used for winter flowers and plants,” Ingmarie says.
The Olins replaced the conservatory’s gravel flooring with wood, and they now use the semioutdoor space from April to October. It lets them feel as though they’re outside even in spring and fall, when it’s normally too cold to sit outside in Sweden. “We often have dinner or a glass of wine here. We’ve made many nice memories here,” Ingmarie says.
The bright blue and light blue hues go well with the natural wood floor, red bricks and plants.
Daughter Ellen, who is studying painting in Malmö, unleashes her creativity in her upstairs bedroom. LPs, music posters and her own works of art decorate the space.
The lavender-gray walls fit the home’s palette nicely.
The family decided to paint the upstairs floors instead of sanding them. The juxtaposition of the white floor against the gray walls gives the master bedroom a brighter, fresher feel.
“We thought that with three children, the floors up here would get so worn anyway that it would not be worth sanding them,” Ingmarie says.
The upstairs bathroom features classic black and white tiles. The black vanity contrasts with the white walls.
The house has both a basement and an attic. The workbench in the basement came with the house.
Browse ready-made workbenches
Browse ready-made workbenches
The yard is a little less than a fifth of an acre.
“There was a lot of room in the garden when we moved in, but we managed to make even more space for the children,” Ingmarie says. “For example, we used to have a trampoline in the garden. We would sit in the conservatory and give the kids ‘scores’ when they jumped.”
After 15 years here, however, it’s time for the family to move on. “Everything has its time — we are going to move to Malmö to get closer to the movies and concerts. If we don’t do it now, we never will,” Ingmarie says.
They’ve already found their new home. “We were at the Roskilde Festival this summer and saw Nick Cave, and our new place is on Roskilde Road, and inside the house there was a record player with a Nick Cave record on it!”
More on Houzz
Read about other remodeled homes around the world
Find an architect to help with your project
More on Houzz
Read about other remodeled homes around the world
Find an architect to help with your project
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I am always surprised when people object to white interiors in Sweden. This is a very traditional Scandinavian aesthetic and works well with short winter days and bounces light from the snow into the interior. During the summer it helps keep the interior light into the long evening. Combined with the traditional blues and reds it is very pleasant and cheerful. They used a lot of grey in this house which I don't generally like but it looks fine here. I love the painted floors and the hallway tile. The conservatory-oh just wonderful. Where I live in a warmer climate I have a patio with a canvas awning roof. It has an 84 year old brick floor and the walls of the house are brick with some limestone insets. It is not large-fitting only a table for 8. But I'm out there 3 seasons a year-reading, hosting, having coffee, sitting while my grandson plays, reading the paper. I survey the garden and mentally list the chores that may or may not get done. I hope they have an outdoor space in Malmo.
Love the conservatory!