A beautiful home in the Swedish countryside

Ideas

Deciding to build your home from scratch isn’t the most common decision for fresh out of college graduates, especially two former city dwellers with no previous interest in interiors. Yet Caroline and Mikael have managed to create a stunning bespoke home designed entirely by themselves, to fit their personal needs and desires.

Designing your own home

1. Embrace new challenges. Caroline admits: ‘Neither of us is an architect – we didn’t know the first thing about building a house – but looking up at the sky can make you think there is no limit to what you can do! We did this on our own – we studied the house plans in homes books and magazines and picked the bits we liked.’

2. Combine modern aesthetics with homely warmth. 'Smart but beautiful storage ideas mean that clutter stays in the background but the items the family need are easy to find,' advises Caroline.

3. Be creative with space. Caroline and Mikael installed a kitchen island with high stools, but admit they are more likely to work there rather than eat. Instead, they have a dining table which extends when they have visitors.

The story

University graduates Caroline and Mikael were living in a converted annex flat in the bustling city of Linkoping when they first talked about their dream of moving to the countryside. They married and had their son Elton before they decided to Gotland and build their very own home.

Big plans

The creative twosome knew exactly how they wanted the design of their house to look. 'We had a vision for the interior before we started,' says Caroline. 'I’d collected inspiration in a scrapbook full of cuttings from blogs and magazines – it was a good way to create a unified style and became our design blueprint.'

The inventive couple put a lot of thought into their planning and knew they had to decide exactly what they wanted early on. When son Elton was only six months old, Mikael was diagnosed with a brain tumor, and now has to endure six-monthly check-ups to ensure he's okay. Caroline feels this has heightened their sense of living in the present, and the couple have decorated the house exactly as they want it. As Mikael says, 'when you live with things you don’t like, you get frustration, not inspiration!'

Evolving project

Having started with a light and bright blueprint with a white base, the couple are always looking to develop the style of their house. The imaginative pair have started to add their own touches and are always thinking creatively. ‘Sometimes I get inspired and start redecorating late at night when Elton is asleep’, admits Caroline.

Floorplan