Interiors

Home tour | A pared-back apartment in Stockholm

January 23, 2017March 9, 2020

This beautiful Swedish apartment is a perfect example of the minimal approach to living which I’ve been talking about a lot in recent weeks. Located in the buzzing Södermalm district of Stockholm, it’s calming and clutter-free, with lots of natural light and a wonderfully fresh feel.

I love its pared-back simplicity – white walls and floorboards, muted colours, unadorned windows – but it’s far from clinical. Snuggly rugs and blankets add a lovely layer of cosiness, and there are plenty of personal touches such as artworks and books dotted here and there. Even the sleekest room – the white and grey-marble kitchen (a stunning combination) is softened by hanging plants and statement pieces of china.

As with so many Scandinavian homes, the whole place is brimming with beautiful yet functional design classics which have stood the test of time. Verner Panton’s ‘FlowerPot’ table lamp, designed in 1969, sits on a windowsill in the living room, and Gubi’s ‘Semi’ enameled-metal pendant light, also from the heady days of the 60s, dangles low over the dining table.

My favourite corner is the living room, which has a pale blue sofa (not a colour I’m normally drawn too, but it looks fantastic here) and a ‘String Pocket’ shelving system (another iconic design, created all the way back in 1949 and available via my shop). I’ve always shied away from displaying books with the spines turned inwards as it makes finding what you want a little tricky, but the uniformity looks incredibly striking here, and now I’m tempted to do the same.

At the other end of the living space is a monochrome dining area, with black ‘Visu’ chairs by Muuto (also available from my shop) clustered around a black table. I particularly like the striking gallery wall and the marble plinths, here used as stands for houseplants (as you might have seen last week, Norm Architects has just designed something similar for Menu).

Finally, I have to mention the child’s bedroom, which combines the simplicity of the rest of the apartment with playful touches such as woodland-print wallpaper, a bunny-shaped bedside lamp and garlands of paper birds. I’d have loved a room like that as a kid!