InteriorsClareNolan
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When designer Elisabeth Dunker bought her dream cottage in the Swedish countryside, she decided to make the most of its retro-kitsch interior Wo r d s
Claire Bingham
Photographs
OPPOSITE, FAR LEFT Painted in a creamy sage green, the main building is set over two floors with four rooms and a kitchen. For a similar colour, try Drizzle emulsion, £39.50 for 2.5 litres, Little Greene, littlegreene.com
Chris Tubbs
OPPOSITE, LEFT Elisabeth and Dennis with son Otto outside the combined garage, barn and woodshed
THE FAMILY Elisabeth Dunker of design company Fine Little Day shares this 1930s wooden cottage and outbuildings in Småland, southern Sweden, with her husband Dennis and their daughter Tovalisa, 14, and son Otto, 11. During the week the family is based in Gothenburg – this is their weekend home and summer retreat.
THE LIVING ROOM, LEFT One of the main features of the cottage is the tiled ceramic wood burner. The Ceramic Stove Company imports Swedish stoves to the UK – expect to pay upwards of £8,500, ceramicstove.com. Elisabeth inherited the patterned 1950s wallpapers from the previous owners. Little Greene sells a selection of similar vintage-inspired floral and bird wallpapers, from £49 a roll, littlegreene.com
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‘It was time to make my dream a reality. It feels welcoming here’
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THE GUEST HOUSE
‘ I h ave d re a m t o f h av i n g a h o us e i n th e co u n t r y a l l my l i fe ,’ explains Elisabeth, ‘but we have
LEFT The red-painted timber cabin, originally a
always lived and worked in the city. I turned 40 three years ago, and thought it was time to make that dream a reality. It feels friendly and welcoming here, and I love the way it reminds me of the Swedish author Astrid Lindgren’s Pippi Longstocking books. It is totally untouched. ‘When we first viewed the house we overheard another couple talking of their plans to strip it back and start again, so we decided we had to save it! The 1950s wallpaper was in good condition, so it didn’t need to be replaced. Although the house reflects my personal style, I’m not usually into florals, nor quite as romantic. But I like things with a bit of character and places that have a sense of history – that’s why I love this house. It feels like we’ve been here for ever. We were lucky that the former owners had great style – we’ve just preserved what was here and then accessorised where we’ve needed to. ‘In the summer we spend long periods at the house. During the winter we usually drive down on a Friday after work, so it’s late when we arrive. We stop for a takeaway ➤
hen house, was converted into a guest bedroom with a lounge. The Cotswold Company sells rustic pine bed frames, cotswoldco.com. For a similar soft sage green paint, use Fired Earth’s Opal Green, £49.50 for 2.5 litres, firedearth.com OPPOSITE, TOP LEFT Rocking a mid-20th century country vibe, the guest living room acts as a gallery for Elisabeth’s collection of flower paintings OPPOSITE, BOTTOM LEFT Elisabeth made the lace curtains from old tablecloths: ‘They are not only beautiful to look at but the light looks lovely through them too,’ she says. The Velvet and Silk Cafe has a variety of lace panel styles to choose from, from £85, notonthehighstreet.com OPPOSITE, BOTTOM RIGHT William Garvey sells contemporary wooden bath tubs, williamgarvey.co.uk
‘We were lucky that the previous owners had great style – we have just preserved what
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was here and then accessorised’
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pizza on the way and eat in front of the stove. Time spent here is about socialising and being relaxed – going for walks, cooking, playing board games. Yes, the barn does need painting and work needs to be done on the roof – but on the whole, we’re here to have fun and basically not do a lot.’ To read Elisabeth’s blog, visit finelittleday.com ➤
THE BARN, RIGHT AND BELOW Simply decorated with a string of bulbs, farmhouse table and bistro folding chairs, the attic in the rafters of Elisabeth’s combined barn, garage and wood store is used for parties. For similar French refectory furniture, try Smith’s Vintage, sellingantiques.co.uk. Cox & Cox sells festoon lights, coxandcox.co.uk
‘Time spent at the cottage is about socialising and relaxing. We’re here to have fun’
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