Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: Updated Elegance for a 200-Year-Old Norwegian Mansion
Original details are restored to glory with a modern color palette and set off by fresh furnishings and a more open layout
Once home to a wealthy Norwegian family, this stunning 19th-century Oslo mansion has since become two apartment units for two separate families — one occupying the top floor, and the other taking up the ground floor and basement levels. Despite its new two-part layout, the residents on the bottom portion wanted the home's original history to shine through its interiors and furnishings. Norwegian architect Anne Cecilie Ranke took this directive and ran with it, retaining as many of the home's original details as possible and highlighting them through a modern color and material palette.
Houzz at a Glance
Location: Oslo, Norway
Who lives here: A family of 4 occupying the ground floor and basement. A separate family lives on the top floor (photos not shown).
Size: 600 square meters (6,458 square feet)
Cost: About 2,000,000 Norwegian kroner (US$350,000), interior renovation only
Houzz at a Glance
Location: Oslo, Norway
Who lives here: A family of 4 occupying the ground floor and basement. A separate family lives on the top floor (photos not shown).
Size: 600 square meters (6,458 square feet)
Cost: About 2,000,000 Norwegian kroner (US$350,000), interior renovation only
The design preserves the main living room's original trim, fireplace, ceiling details and floors, while a more modern color palette updates the look. Ranke used classic materials that could represent all of the design eras the structure has survived, including Carrara marble and antique furniture.
"The project management of historical houses usually involves educating everyone involved in the project," says Ranke. "I try to keep as much of the historical elements at all times, but sometimes it is necessary to improve the original and adapt to modern living."
Sofa, armchairs: custom by designer; coffee table: Ikea; chandelier: flea market
"The project management of historical houses usually involves educating everyone involved in the project," says Ranke. "I try to keep as much of the historical elements at all times, but sometimes it is necessary to improve the original and adapt to modern living."
Sofa, armchairs: custom by designer; coffee table: Ikea; chandelier: flea market
French doors in the neutral living room open to a smaller blue sitting room just outside the kitchen.
An oil painting above the piano illustrates a scene from Norway's Foynland island.
Ranke had Ikea sofas custom upholstered in new linen for a luxe look. Flea market accents — like the coffee table and chandelier — add to the room's storied feel.
Sofas: Ekeskog, Ikea in custom fabric by Bemz; rug: Ikea; coffee table: flea market
Sofas: Ekeskog, Ikea in custom fabric by Bemz; rug: Ikea; coffee table: flea market
The ornate fireplace in the corner of the room is actually a masonry heater made entirely of porcelain. While it isn't original to the house, Ranke knew that this popular 19th-century Swedish design would feel right at home.
Fireplace: Rörstrand
Fireplace: Rörstrand
The blue wall color is inspired by the heater's tile. Ranke modernized the blue with a gray undertone to offset the wood ceiling and parquet floors.
Before the remodel, the small kitchen was dark and set at the very back of the house. Ranke combined the once-separate dining room and the kitchen, creating an open family kitchen with a spacious eating area.
Marble countertops look current but are actually a reference to old Norwegian marble-topped baking cabinets.
Cabinetry: Kvik; stovetop: Gaggenau Vario; backsplash: Metro tiles, Stenprosjekt; dining table: antique; chairs: Ikea, repainted
Marble countertops look current but are actually a reference to old Norwegian marble-topped baking cabinets.
Cabinetry: Kvik; stovetop: Gaggenau Vario; backsplash: Metro tiles, Stenprosjekt; dining table: antique; chairs: Ikea, repainted
Parts of the original pantry were removed for new storage, so Ranke reused some of the pantry's original shelving to make a display shelf in the kitchen. Bare white walls draw the eye up to the original ceiling details and the contrasting Philippe Stark light.
As in the main living spaces, the home's original features in this ground-floor bedroom got a more modern color palette. Classic furniture lines feel at home here, while the light fixture adds a jolt of contemporary style.
Trim paint: Dark Linen, Jotun; bedding, drapes: Home & Cottage; artwork above bed: HagedornHagen; chandelier: Norm 69
Trim paint: Dark Linen, Jotun; bedding, drapes: Home & Cottage; artwork above bed: HagedornHagen; chandelier: Norm 69
Ranke custom designed this bunk bed. Molded accents tie in with the original trim.
This basement kitchen and lounge space features a rock wall original to the house's foundation. It was made with local stone straight from the surrounding site.
Cabinetry, countertops: Ikea
Cabinetry, countertops: Ikea
An Ikea table and bench set creates a cozy dining space on the front porch.
Prior to the renovation, two elderly sisters — grandchildren of the first owners — lived in the house. Although they were able to keep the interior in good shape, the exterior eroded over the years. When Ranke started working on the project, trees were growing out of the foundation.