This Cottage Is Almost Russian, But It's Swedish. What's the Difference?

The owners of this house — Lisa and Vincent, along with their young son William — moved here nearly four years ago. In that time, they transformed the old house into stylish and cozy living quarters. To find their dream home, the couple needed six years.

Despite the difficulties, the family succeeded. Vincent is a professional carpenter. The couple started renovation with the house's facade, then updated the heating system and only later worked on interior finishes. The layout of the house was almost preserved, with one change: they expanded the bathroom space. Currently, the kitchen, living room and two bedrooms are enough for the family. In the future, they plan to add a separate dining room, hallway and glassed-in porch.

The interior of the house is in a cottage style. There are many floral prints, wood in finishes, cozy textiles (tablecloths, rugs, throws), and, of course, a fireplace that is 150 years old.

The kitchen interior received special attention, as the family spends most of their time there. Olive-colored cabinets blend perfectly with a wooden dining table and chairs. Initially, the couple wanted to buy a ready-made cabinet system, but due to the small space, they had to assemble custom storage units to save room. Now, when Lisa bakes cookies, the whole family can comfortably fit at the kitchen table.

In the living room, to make the space even cozier, one wall was wallpapered with a floral pattern, while the others were spackled and painted white. Interestingly, the living room collects all the antiques in the house: a 150-year-old fireplace, an old brown cabinet, and candlesticks that have been in the house since the beginning. The wooden coffee table was built by Vincent himself.

Lisa and Vincent's bedroom is full of creativity. First, the bed headboard was made from an old kitchen sofa, and instead of bedside tables, they placed kitchen cabinet units. These were most likely taken from the same place as the headboard.

The children's bedroom also features a whimsical bed, which the couple bought at auction long before their son was born.

Photo source: https://skonahem.com/
Photographer: Carina Olander