My Houzz: A Designer Transforms an Abandoned Swedish Farmhouse
Carefully selected materials, lashings of light and a warm welcome make for a cosy home in the Swedish countryside
Sara Norrman
3 October 2019
Swedish interior designer Lisette Bramsell, of LINK Arkitektur AB, converted this abandoned farmhouse into a lovely home for her family. With clever solutions and carefully selected materials and finishes, this home is sure to be enjoyed for generations to come.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Lisette Bramsell, an interior designer at LINK Arkitektur AB, with her husband and their daughter
Location: Skåne, Sweden
Size: About 250 square metres
The farmhouse consists of four long enclosed sections, which is unusual in this part of Sweden where U-shaped layouts prevail. The main house is in the long building with the white roof. The building with the black gable is a guesthouse.
The oldest parts of the home date back to the 1850s. “I grew up in a neighbouring village, so I’ve known about the farm since I was a kid,” says Bramsell. “My husband, young daughter and I lived in a newly built house in Båstad [a nearby town], but when the farm went on the market, we didn’t hesitate.
Who lives here: Lisette Bramsell, an interior designer at LINK Arkitektur AB, with her husband and their daughter
Location: Skåne, Sweden
Size: About 250 square metres
The farmhouse consists of four long enclosed sections, which is unusual in this part of Sweden where U-shaped layouts prevail. The main house is in the long building with the white roof. The building with the black gable is a guesthouse.
The oldest parts of the home date back to the 1850s. “I grew up in a neighbouring village, so I’ve known about the farm since I was a kid,” says Bramsell. “My husband, young daughter and I lived in a newly built house in Båstad [a nearby town], but when the farm went on the market, we didn’t hesitate.
“The farm was untouched and completely dilapidated. One family had owned it for generations, and the last owners left in 1949. All their things were still there: clothes, school books, everything,” says Bramsell (pictured here with her daughter). She does not know why the owners left without their belongings.
“When we started the renovation, I was commuting to Stockholm for work, so it took quite a long time – about eight years – to complete the main house,” she says.
Find a local architect on Houzz to design your dream home and project manage your renovation
“When we started the renovation, I was commuting to Stockholm for work, so it took quite a long time – about eight years – to complete the main house,” she says.
Find a local architect on Houzz to design your dream home and project manage your renovation
“We poured new [concrete] walls, replaced the windows and extended some of the windows down to the floor,” says Bramsell. “The house was originally finished in handmade brick, but we couldn’t do that, so we limed the outside instead.”
The wooden beams on the ceiling are one of the few features they kept from the original main house. “I had intended to paint them, but when I got there, it was so clear that everything was boringly new. So I kept them as they were. They are made of a mix of wood types and represent the history of the house,” says Bramsell.
The wooden beams on the ceiling are one of the few features they kept from the original main house. “I had intended to paint them, but when I got there, it was so clear that everything was boringly new. So I kept them as they were. They are made of a mix of wood types and represent the history of the house,” says Bramsell.
“I wasn’t really prepared for the large spaces – our house in Båstad was 80 square metres – but it’s important to find balance, not to have too much or too little furniture. We used rugs to unite groups of furniture and their respective areas.”
Flooring: Douglas fir; wall finish: coloured lime
Flooring: Douglas fir; wall finish: coloured lime
“It was important to work with natural materials as much as possible: organic paints, linseed oil and egg-oil tempera. In addition, the textiles are natural linen or wool,” says Bramsell.
The stunning fireplace stands where the kitchen used to be. “I’d rather have the fireplace in the living room, but the chimney can’t be moved.”
The fireplace was designed by Bramsell and built by stone masons. “They had some doubts, including whether the fireplace should really be 90 centimetres off the floor. But it gives a beautiful line of sight, and that’s the first thing you see when you come in because it faces the entrance.”
The fireplace was designed by Bramsell and built by stone masons. “They had some doubts, including whether the fireplace should really be 90 centimetres off the floor. But it gives a beautiful line of sight, and that’s the first thing you see when you come in because it faces the entrance.”
Although Bramsell’s home looks perfectly put together, she likes to mix unusual objects. “I used to work as a prop master, so I love to bring some of that stuff home,” she says. “It’s a constant process of trying things out and seeing what feels good – but I have to be strict with myself.”
Bramsell designed the marble-topped dining table.
“The kitchen is made up of Ikea frames with fronts we designed ourselves, and then we hired people to do the carpentry. It was partly a budget issue because we’re talking about a lot of space. I didn’t want MDF, so I chose birch instead. As the paint wears, they will only get more refined, and the more you touch them, the more beautiful a patina they will develop.
“The kitchen is made up of Ikea frames with fronts we designed ourselves, and then we hired people to do the carpentry. It was partly a budget issue because we’re talking about a lot of space. I didn’t want MDF, so I chose birch instead. As the paint wears, they will only get more refined, and the more you touch them, the more beautiful a patina they will develop.
“I think it’s the same with the white Carrara marble benchtop,” says Bramsell. “It should be obvious that you have used the kitchen and cooked and socialised there. I’m completely fine with stains!”
Because there are so many windows, the surrounding natural scenery is a large part of the decor, while the colours throughout the house are calm and neutral. “When you work as an interior designer, it feels good to come home and relax among colours like beige and white.”
In the bathroom, the deep tub was originally turquoise. Bramsell revamped it in a calmer grey tone. The floor and skirting boards are marble, and two of the walls are tiled, while the other two are plastered.
In the bedroom, the copper coffee table is from Swedese. It, too, is easily stained and shows fingerprints, something that seems to be a theme throughout the house. “I like when my furniture gets a unique feel and shows how we live,” says Bramsell.
Your turn
Which is your favourite room or space in this home? Tell us in the Comments below, like this story, save the images for inspiration, and join the conversation.
More
Keen for more great international design? You’ll love this Scandinavian-inspired USA Houzz Tour: An Architect Designs a Passive Home for Family
Your turn
Which is your favourite room or space in this home? Tell us in the Comments below, like this story, save the images for inspiration, and join the conversation.
More
Keen for more great international design? You’ll love this Scandinavian-inspired USA Houzz Tour: An Architect Designs a Passive Home for Family
Related Stories
Houzz Tours
France Houzz: A New Island Home With an Old Soul
Check out this young family's welcoming and characterful French island home on Île d’Yeu, which embraces local style
Full Story
Houzz Tours
Germany Houzz: A Small Cabin Transformed Into a Forest Retreat
In this secluded area in the Taunus mountains of Germany, a family enjoys their weekends in 29 square metres of space
Full Story
Houzz TV
London Houzz: Tour a Contemporary Loft in an Old Victorian School
Watch and read how a design firm updated this light and airy apartment in an old block with sleek style and warm touches
Full Story
Garden Design
Spain Garden Tour: A Mediterranean Makeover With Colour & Texture
Once neglected, this naturalistic garden is now a series of outdoor rooms with idyllic spots to swim, dine and relax
Full Story
Houzz Tours
Berlin Houzz: A Touch of Japanese Forest Bathing in a German Home
Beloved memories of Japan come to life with the renovation of this 120-square-metre apartment in Berlin, Germany
Full Story
Houzz Tours
London Houzz: Daring Colour & Texture Transform a Victorian Home
By Kate Burt
The busy owners of this terrace sought help to design outside their decor comfort zone – the result is a cool classic
Full Story
Houzz Tours
Germany Houzz: Creating Summer & Winter Homes in a Converted Barn
One barn, two homes – see how architects designed separate zones for summer and winter living in an old country barn
Full Story
Houzz Tours
Before & After: Finding the Perfect Pink in a Barcelona Kitchen
Barely-there pink acts as a warm neutral in a new open-plan Spanish kitchen, replacing dark cabinets and drab finishes
Full Story
Houzz Tours
Before & After: Colour Blocking & Pattern Nod to Nature in Rome
Move and upsize or stay and renovate? This young family chose the latter in their small Italian apartment – here's why
Full Story
Houzz Tours
Barcelona Houzz: Style, Sustainability and Pattern in a Tiny Flat
Part-renovation, part-restoration, the owners of this Spanish apartment balanced historical style with forward thinking
Full Story
Wow love everything, kitchen lounge and bedroom beautiful. I agree with things not being perfect so nice to hear finger prints don’t matter. Wish you knew more about who the previous owners were, intriguing story.
The product of preseverence; eight years is a long time to remain interested in a renovation. I'd like to have seen more wide shots, the 'tight' close-up pics in this article give little idea of what must be large interior spaces; surely the main point of creating a home within a barn-sized building. Looks good though. I was intrigued with this young designers' comment about it being 'good to come home and relax among what she called 'the colours' of whites and beiges'. I wholeheartedly agree, but was this statement testiment to designers perhaps choosing colorful decor for their clients but actually preferring neutrals for their own living environment?
Love the clean wide open spaces with large windows allowing the flow between inside and out. Removing clutter from the home allows one to love life and not things....could so easily live there if it were not cold....but I love our island