Home tour | A minimalist house by a Norwegian lake

It’s time for my first home-tour post of 2018, and I couldn’t resist kicking off with the Gjøvik House – another creation from one of my favourite design studios, Copenhagen-based Norm Architects.

Located an hour north of Oslo, on a wooded hillside overlooking Lake Mjøsa, this minimalist abode is formed from a cluster of six overlapping cubes of different sizes. Their varying heights prevent the building from looking too blocky within the surrounding landscape, and the façade is covered in wooden cladding which will eventually fade to a subtle silvery-grey.

Inside the house is a perfect example of a ‘broken-plan’ layout, with the cubes creating a mix of open, sociable spaces and more private nooks for reading, working and unwinding. Clever angles, sliding doors and changes in level draw the eye from one section to the next, defining the different areas without disrupting the flow of the interior or blocking natural light. Some spaces have floor-to-ceiling glass looking out over the stunning landscape; others smaller windows which reveal tantalising glimpses of the lake and forest. Throughout, floors, walls and ceilings offset smooth polished concrete and swathes of crisp white with warm, honey-hued wood, enhancing the airy yet inviting atmosphere.

Most of the furniture consists of bespoke built-in designs, which neatly hide away clutter and add to the sense of calm. The exceptions are a circular black-marble dining table, a few timeless wooden chairs, and a plump armchair and sofa in pale blush tones which look beautiful against the grey walls. Potted plants, curtains in pale-grey linen and ceramics in muted shades of beige and rust-red provide the perfect finishing touches.

One of my favourite spaces is the kitchen, whose units are cleverly set into the wall to prevent anything protruding into the room and detracting from the minimalist air. I also love the bathroom, which showcases two of the things I mentioned in last week’s round-up of interior-design trends to look out for in 2018: matte-black fittings and terrazzo surfaces.

All in the all, the blend of minimalism and cosiness on display here is the epitome of hygge, and I can think of few better places to sit back and drink in the beauty of the silent, snow-covered Nordic winter.

All photography via Norm Architects