It has been eleven years since Benita and Martin Larsson have decided to move from the city to a little 1930's house in the outskirts of Stockholm. Since then, Benita, a visual merchandiser for a big chain of stores, didn't stop renovating, decorating and AMAZINGLY organizing their beautiful home.
Calling herself "a neat freak, an organizing maniac and someone who truly enjoys getting her hands dirty" Benita has been inspiring thousands of readers around the world through her blog Chez Larsson ("At the Larsson's").
At Chez Larsson you can find many how-tos and DIY posts, along with great photos of the Larrson's unique collections and of course the house itself. Whether you are looking for some great organizing tips, home cure ideas or just like to get inspired by some cool Scandinvian design, visiting Chez Larsson is fun.
I'm very excited to introduce you to Benita and
Chez Larsson.
Please tell us about your “first meeting” with your house to be
Our son Wille was four (he’s now fifteen) and we had been at some friends’ house for the day. When we got back home to our city rental apartment and when Wille woke up the next morning he cried and said he wanted “grass of his own”. We hadn’t really contemplated buying a house at all before, we were really happy in the city centre, but decided to check out some property on the internet. Two weeks later and the first house we ever viewed was ours.
The first step of your remodelling process
Our house has really good bones but was quite outdated when we got it. We haven’t made any huge structural changes but we have rewired the house, re-laid the roof and painted every nook and cranny since we moved in. The first thing I did was to paint all the utility areas in the basement white. Everything was really dingy and dirty down there and I just wanted a clean feeling so I could do my laundry without feeling I didn’t want to touch the walls.
The biggest renovation challenge you faced
Lots of minor ones but the biggest one is yet to come. Our bathroom was renovated a year before we moved in (not to our taste at all unfortunately) so we decided to keep it as it was to save money but this being eleven years ago we’d love to redo it. Soon! It’s not a huge space and doesn’t have natural light unless we redo other parts of the basement where it is situated so that will be one big challenge!
Your favorite style and colors
I love white. I use it as the base color all over the house and then add accent colors to brighten up the spaces even more. My all time favorite is apple green but at the moment I’m also really fond of yellow and orange. Style wise I love simplicity, comfort and clean lines.
A spot in your house that makes you very happy/proud
I love my whole house (except the bathroom, see above...) and what I love the most about it is that the rooms flow into each other color and style wise so the house feels much bigger than it is ( 882ft2 + basement).
Your precious accessory/furniture/art
Nothing in our home is really all that precious. There are some little mementos that I wouldn’t want to loose but all the rest is after all just stuff and although I love it because it makes a home, each individual piece is not of sentimental value to me. My husband Martin wouldn’t agree, he’s the sentimental romantic. I’m the unsentimental realist.
Your next house project
We need to repaint the outside again and I’d love to add some gravel in the back garden, in front of the garage. I’ve also been meaning to put down new tiles with under floor heating in the little upstairs bathroom and hope to get that done in the fall.
5 things that houzz readers need to know about your blog
* I love to share what I do around the house with my readers.
* I’m a DYI-er and there are lots of how-tos for you to check out and try.
* If you need inspiration to get organized you’ve come to the right place. I love organizing and am told it looks good too!
* My blog is based in Sweden so if you are into clean cut, simple Scandinavian style, you might just like it.
* I post daily Monday – Friday and I’d love for you to visit!
Best tips for the remodelling beginner
Take your time. Get the feel of your place before starting to tear everything out. Maybe you don’t need to rip out the whole kitchen, a couple of coats of paint and new hardware might just do the trick. Try to keep your floors the same throughout your place instead of choosing a different floor for each room. It helps make the space feel bigger and less chopped up.
Last but not least: as a houzz friend, you get to choose a giveaway
gift to one of the lucky readers that will share their thoughts about your
house and interview.
One of my favorite artists is Blanca Gómez and I’m so excited to be able to give away a print of hers! The print I’ve chosen is called Family and I love the quirky foursome + doggy on it and it’s a print I’d love to own as well.
For your chance to win the family print and buttons, selected by Benita, comment on this interview by Sunday, July 12 at 5pm EST. Check here for more details about the interview series and giveaway gifts.
