A Rundown House Becomes a Fairytale Swedish Country Home

In 2010, Johanna Berglund and her family were living in a tiny cottage in the village of Broddarp, North East of Gothenburg - and dreaming of owning a house. One day they heard a rumour that the nearest property was for sale. They immediately knocked on the door. And the rest, as they say is history. Well, not quite. The 280-metre square house needed a lot of work - but they knew it had great bones as it had been built by Johanna's husband's great uncle - a talented builder. The pair set about transforming the house room by room, learning as they went - and ten years later it's nearly finished. Before we take the tour, I can't resist sharing a picture of the house before the renovation - the transformation is simply incredible! 

Before

After

I actually had to do a double take to check it was the same house! I'm so impressed with their vision and how they've gone the extra mile. The level of detail is a rare sight these days and really warms the heart - don't you think? Her online moniker 'snickarglädjen' (joiner joy) starts to make sense now! 

Behind the beautiful carpentry, there's a deck complete with an outdoor kitchen and dining area - an idyllic place to enjoy long summer evenings! 

Johanna and her partner have taken equal care with the interior, creating a charming home full of traditional details, beautiful wallpaper (mainly by Boråstapeter) and a cosy corners. Enjoy the tour! 

 

What a magical home! The level of care that has gone into the renovation oozes out from every room.

So much so, that it's worth going through the pictures several times - you're bound to spot something new every time!

Is there anything that stands out to you? 

You can see more pictures of Johanna's home over at @snickargladjen and on her website. If you're in the area you might also like to stop by Prästgården - where Johanna runs a boutique and a place to enjoy a swedish fika - as well as pick your own flowers. I'm all in!

If like me, you're now dreaming of rural life, here are a few other homes you might enjoy today: 

A relaxed, vintage inspired home in the French countryside

A magical Norwegian cottage with a wabi sabi vibe

A wonderful estate in the Stockholm archipelago

Speaking of rural life... we're up at the summer cottage for a few days and word on the street is that my parents-in-law are about to arrive in the harbour by boat. The girls are rushing around me in excitement. I'd better get busy so we can go and welcome them!

Wishing you a happy hump day (nope, still not quite used to that term!!). 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Johanna Berglund with kind permission. 

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17

Before and After: A Dreamy Beach House On Australia's Gold Coast

The vision some people have is simply incredible. When Sarah and Aaron Waters came across this (rather blurry!) 1960s red brick house on the Gold Coast in Queensland Australia, they immediately saw its potential. The family have been renovating it since 2008, transforming the property from a dated living space into a breath-taking, white clad, light and airy beach house for the entire family. It's easy to see why Bilinga Beach Abode has appeared in glossy mags such as Adore magazine and often hired as a backdrop for photoshoots. Ready to feel inspired?! 

Facade before (see above too!)

Facade after

The facade has been completely updated with fresh white wood cladding for a true beach vibe. Bi-folding doors also ensure a seamlessness between inside and out.  

Gaaaah! Will you look at this oasis?! 

I love the clear glass fence around the pool. Surprisingly I still come across pools in private homes today without a safety fence. Here's proof that you can have a pool that's safe for children and yet still looks lovely! 

Sitting room before

Sitting room after

Not kidding. Is it even the same house? The amount of work that has gone into the transformation is quite incredible. It's not for everyone. But this snapshot shows that if you do have the budget, time and patience it's quite incredible what you can achieve! 

Couldn't resists including this lovely pic of one of the children on the skateboard ramp - such a cute idea! 

Cleo rattan chair from Hello Trader, Pineapple Traders print, Boheme cotton cushion.

Before Bathroom

I guess this picture was taken when the old bathroom had been ripped out - but it's still fun to see the bare bones before Sarah and Aaron transformed the space into this....

After bathroom

Loving the pink tiles! 

Their other bathroom has had a multi-page spread in Adore magazine, and when you see the pictures, it's easy to see why - it's beautiful! 

Tiles from Tile Trends Tweed, cabinets from Hello Trader

Sadly, I don't have any before pics of the bedroom, but here are the results. Think golden tones and layers of cosy textiles....

Desert Sun Landscape print, Dune Bed Head  

I'm seriously blown away by this transformation. It will definitely make me see houses that come on the market here in Malmö from a new perspective! 

Would you consider a renovation project? Or perhaps you've already done one (or are knee deep - or neck high in one right now!) - if so, I'd love to hear about it! 

One question, living by the sea in Malmö, do you think I could go all out Australia Gold Coast with my decor? I'm tempted but then again, I'm not sure we have quite the same winters! Bah! Perhaps subtle 'coastal' nods would work better here! 

You can see more of Sarah and Aaron's beautiful home over at @bilinga_beach_abode,  

Other Scandi-inspired Australian homes to love: a cosy home for seven in Byron Bay, a relaxed beach house in natural, earthy tones and a Dream stay: The Bower. 

Oh and, whatever you do today - take a quick browse through the 'before and after' archive - it's one of my favourites! 

Have a lovely day! 

Niki

Photos courtesy of Bilinga Beach Abode. 

Credits: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 19, 11, 12, 17, 18  Bilinga Beach Abode 5, 15, 16 Villa Styling / Adore magazine 8. Elouise van Riet-Gray for Lana Caves

Thanks so much to my fab friend Sarah Brooks-Wilson for the tip! 

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7

Before and After: A Run Down Property becomes a Beautiful Swedish Farmhouse

Ever driven passed a dilapidated house in your neighbourhood and dreamt about bringing it back to its former glory? I'd actually parked that thought - until I spotted interior designer Sandra Östlind's beautiful farmhouse. When Sandra bought the property, it was in need of a complete overhaul, which would be enough to put off even the most prolific DIYer. But Sandra and her partner saw it as an opportunity. After a painstaking renovation, which involved a new roof, stripping and painting the facade as well as an interior gut job, Sörbergets Farm in Västerbotten County, Sweden, has become a beautiful light and airy family home. Let's take a peek at the transformation.

Exterior Before

After

For the facade, Sandra developed her own paint colour known as 'Sandras sörvit' - and available through Stuv Butiken. The difference is quite incredible! 

Before

After
Sandra swapped out the old, rotten front door for a new 'Bleckhall Långeskär door from Doorly, painted in her own blend: Sandras Skogsgrön (available at Stuv Butiken as before). The wall light is a classic style for this type of Swedish house - and bought from Ljus Experten.

Before

After

The existing kitchen was stopped out and replaced with traditional Swedish Marbodal units in 'Fagerö Beige'. 

Cabinet Before

After
Slight diversion from the room 'before and afters' here - but I wanted to include this cabinet update as an inspiring reminder of how you can easily transform a flea market find with a lick of paint!

Children's room before

After

Perhaps the craziest renovation of all in this home is the Ebbe's room. It's gone from a derelict upstairs loft space into a beautiful children's room that oozes character and old school charm. I particularly love the wallpaper (from Stuvbutiken) with matching blinds from Ikea and the exposed beams. 

Hallway / entrance before 

After

Sandra sanded down the wood panels on the ceiling before applying 'Helvit' from Herdins Färgverk and pretty 'Dahlia Garden' wallpaper by Boråstapeter. 

Before Entrance

After 

Sometimes you scratch the surface of these old houses and realise the issue is a whole lot bigger than you bargained for. This is what happened with the entrance. Sandra was planning on changing the door (as before), but it turned out the wall was so rotten that she had to replace the entire wall and window. Every cloud has a silver lining though - now their entrance is a lot brighter as a result!

What a wonderful transformation! I live the calming green tones throughout, and the fresh feel of the space. 

It has me dreaming of a house renovation project all over again (don't tell Per!), how about you?

You can see more of Sandra's lovely country home over on her instagram feed @sandrashem. 

If you feel like marvelling over more before and after reveals, why not delve into this archive - some of the transformations are absolutely incredible! 

I hope you're feeling as inspired as I am! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Sandra Östlind, shared with kind permission. 

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