by Karin as Secretary 2022
Private/ Builder D13 Bygg
Rewriting history through a full makeover
The building sits in a villa area on a hill, with a beautiful forest just behind. Built in the 2000s, it never really seemed comfortable on its generous plot — the largest one in the neighborhood. We wanted to help it become what we thought it wanted to be if it could dream — within the clients’ stylistic preferences, of course.
It turned out it wanted to belong, to seem like it had been there for a long time, even though everyone knew it hadn’t. It also wanted to face the street properly this time. It wanted a more symmetrical, vertical rhythm of windows — and it definitely wanted proper wooden ones, made in the traditional way. Like anyone, it wanted to feel cared for and a little important, so all the small details that lift its appearance suddenly mattered a lot. The way the façade meets the roof, the entrance canopy with its round column — small gestures that finally got the house to relax.
And like all of us, the house wanted to show some self-awareness and a bit of humor, so it decided to flip an arched window upside down — while also using it to strengthen the composition around the street-facing entrance. The rounded shapes keep showing up throughout the house; in plan they let light flow softly and make the spaces feel calm, with a touch of elegant flow.
The house also glances across the Atlantic, nodding to New England with its horizontal paneling and shallow façade. To keep that transatlantic spirit, the building was painted entirely white — a gesture that, for some reason, to us feels like a little flirt with the timber houses of the American East Coast.
The garden is a big part of the story too, with a new garage and a path leading up to the entrance stairs. The back garden was already finished, so we worked with a similar material palette. The lower part, facing the street, keeps its natural feel with moss, rocks, and berries — very typical Stockholm archipelago nature. It becomes greener and more landscaped closer to the building. The wild meets the structured in a way that feels easy. Lush bushes and plants play along with the newly constructed retaining walls.
The pool deck was extended to make room for more sunbeds, but also to enhance the feeling of being surrounded by green. The large deck outside the kitchen and living room was broken up into smaller areas by changing the direction and width of the boards. A pergola adds another layer and helps create a spot that’s both open and defined.
Inside, the ground floor was opened up for light and views. A new kitchen balcony adds rain protection for the spa entrance below — but the main character is the new staircase connecting all three floors. It becomes a sculptural object, visible from almost everywhere. It continues the rounded language, but amplified and condensed into one continuous creature. This is perhaps where the building feels most cared for — through the craftsmanship and complexity. Every time you meet it, it appears as a new version of itself, shaped by light and shadow throughout the day and the seasons. Hopefully, it will make you smile — and feel a little warm — every time.
Upstairs, the layout was reworked to add private bathrooms and an office. All surfaces were updated to more solid, traditional, and elegant materials — giving the house the feeling of having been there forever, just better dressed.
