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Houzz Tour: Eclectic Global Style in a Swedish Village
Indonesian, French, British ... with furniture, fabrics and design touches from around the world, a home in Sweden finds its eclectic groove
Patterned walls, exotic furniture and vintage touches gave this midcentury Swedish home a new life for a family of six. Cat and James Brewis moved from London to Sweden more than 10 years ago and immediately started searching for a house outside of Uppsala, Sweden. The couple, who had previously lived in France and Indonesia, wanted a blank slate to fill with their eclectic furniture and infuse with their playful style. "We found this scruffy little house with beautiful surroundings," says Cat. "It had no competition on bidding! I hated the ugly house, but James saw great potential. Today we love it."
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Cat Brewis and 4 sons; husband James currently lives and works in Indonesia
Location: Marielund, Sweden
Size: 2,260 square feet
That's interesting: A dining room cabinet is made of wood from a sunken battleship.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Cat Brewis and 4 sons; husband James currently lives and works in Indonesia
Location: Marielund, Sweden
Size: 2,260 square feet
That's interesting: A dining room cabinet is made of wood from a sunken battleship.
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| The Brewis' home is set in the small, idyllic village of Marielund. This lakeside locale has only about 70 other houses and was originally a summer vacation spot for shop owners in Uppsala. Most of the homes were built in the beginning of the 20th century, and Cat wanted to make sure that her home's architecture reflected that style. "The goal was to make it fit in with the existing houses in the beginning of the 20th century, but in an original way," she says. Wallpaper, curtains: Designers Guild |
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| James left much of the decorating up to Cat, so she chose the majority of the fabrics and wall coverings for their home. They already had most of their furniture from previous homes, and Cat incorporated a mix of French, Indonesian, Swedish and British pieces. Couch: Mio; rug: Ikea; coffee table, bench: teak from Bali |
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| The unique fireplace is an old-fashioned tile stove — kakelugn in Swedish — that Cat and James nabbed from a neighbor's house and had refinished. Brick stones inside the stove are heated by the fire and retain heat long enough to keep the house warm for the day. The house originally had one (they found the ruins in their garden), but it had been removed years before and replaced with more modern heaters. Wallpaper: Designers Guild |
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Cat and James' first real home together was in Jakarta, Indonesia, so much of their furniture is Indonesian. This beautiful sideboard was made by one of the couple's friends in Bali.
Sideboard: Papipoto
Sideboard: Papipoto
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| The bright and open dining room has a mix of textures and treatments for a warm effect. The cabinet in the corner is made out of old oak pieces from an 18th-century Swedish battleship. The ship sank just outside of Cat's hometown, and many of these oak pieces — blackened by salt water — were bought by a local carpenter. |
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The dining chairs are all old Dutch antiques that the couple found in Jakarta. Cat had them painted and distressed.
Rug: The Conran Store; chairs, table: Indonesia
Rug: The Conran Store; chairs, table: Indonesia
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| The kitchen is Cat's favorite space in the house — the room's access to the dining room, living room and garden means she can cook and keep an eye on the children while they play or do homework. Bench: Indonesia; wallpaper: Designers Guild |
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Cat outfitted her kitchen all with pieces from Ikea. She was able to customize the oak countertops and simple white cabinetry in the exact style and layout that she wanted.
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| With four young boys, durability and storage were the most important priorities, but Cat also wanted a clean and simple design that would work with the home's architecture. Countertops, cabinetry, shelving, bar stools: Ikea; range and hood: Miele |
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| When the family moved in, the home was still outfitted with its original, terribly outdated kitchen. After a year of living with broken-down appliances, Cat completely renovated the bottom floor of the house. Five years and two more children later, the family ran out of room and did another renovation to extend the living space. |
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With the interior of the house almost complete, Cat can't wait to start renovations on the expansive property outside. Future possible projects include a workshop, a play cottage, a garage and an apple orchard. She's also hoping to build a terrace outside the kitchen's double doors and convert an old henhouse into a guest room. And her boys would love a pool. "We're at the stage where our plans are still forming and dreams are being discussed," she says.
Photography: Lisbet Spörndly
Photography: Lisbet Spörndly
Ideabook published on May 9, 2012.
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Thanks! Your home is beautiful!
Great Article!
Thank You!