HOME SWEET HYGGE

A nature-loving family are the embodiment of Scandi style, embracing comfort inside while still connected to the outside

how to hygge

+ Hygge is a feeling of safety, positivity and mindfulness.

+ It is more a state of mind than creating a cosy environment.

+ That said, a Scandi interior helps.

+ Layer gentle neutral colours with natural woods.

+ Foster warmth with cosy blankets, candles and an open fire, if possible.

INTO THE FOREST Owning their own house has been at the top of Elisabeth and Markku’s wish list since childhood. OPPOSITE Elisabeth sits in her favourite peacock chair in front of the towering stone wall.

“Spaciousness, lots of daylight and harmony were what we were looking for. ”

MARKKU HIRVONEN

LIVING One of the walls is completely made of glass. For the floors, Elisabeth chose an off-white vinyl plank flooring that has worked well with the underfloor heating. The sofa is by Swedish brand Fogia and is complemented by a rustic wooden coffee table and animal hide floor rug. Elisabeth found the wood and rattan replica Pierre armchairs at a local home store and the side table is by Danish design company &Tradition.

Meet & greet Elisabeth Ritola (works in the health care sector), Markku Hirvonen (aviation sector professional) and Lucas, eight.

Elisabeth Ritola and Markku Hirnoven’s house, Villa Lume, was built on a plot of land by a forest. The spacious home is divided into two levels and decorated in soft shades to create an inviting and serene atmosphere, which is enhanced by a beautiful green view that looks like a wall-sized painting in the main living space.

“We dreamed of a house of our own but didn’t know anything about building, ” admits Elisabeth.

“We knew from the start that we would outsource practically everything. We wanted a plot of land by the forest and found this one, which is also very near to my parents’ home.

The neighbourhood was familiar and, because they have a child, it was practical to have help and company nearby. After finding the plot, the couple hired an architect for the project and the house’s frame was built using concrete blocks. The name of the house,

Villa Lume, comes from the first names of the family members: the first letters of Lucas, Markku and

Elisabeth put together. “Stone block houses are familiar to us as Elisabeth used to live in one, ” says Markku. “We wanted to have high ceilings, big windows and an open living room, dining room and kitchen space. Spaciousness, lots of daylight and harmony were what we were looking for. ”

The floor design required some careful planning.

The couple wanted to have the bedrooms upstairs to have more quietness and privacy. The entry hall, kitchen, dining space, living room and media room are situated downstairs, as well as the sauna and the utility room. It was important for the family to have a separate media room so the television wouldn’t have a central role in the main living space. Above all, the family wanted to have a big rooftop terrace.

The colour scheme of the home was created to complement nature. The couple wanted to make the window views of the surrounding nature the focal point and chose soft and natural paint colours for the interior, Elisabeth explains.

“We wanted to have high ceilings, big windows and an open living room, dining room and kitchen space. ”

MARKKU HIRVONEN

KITCHEN AND DINING The countertops are by Cosentino and all the appliances are hidden behind cabinets. The decorative wall in the dining area is six metres high in stones that repeat the colours used in the house.

SHADES OF GREY Organic minimalism and wabi-sabi was a design inspiration and soft shades of grey, beige and greige are repeated in the surface materials as well as the furniture.

Tip Soften industrial looking grey walls and floors with accessories in wood, cane and rattan.

The couple chose different shades of grey, beige and greige that are repeated in the surface materials as well as the furniture. The colours in nature vary with the seasons and change the atmosphere of the home. The objective was to create a peaceful and simple home that would be like a calm haven. Organic minimalism and wabi-sabi were a source of inspiration.

“Patterns don’t attract us; we prefer plain monochrome materials instead, ” says Elisabeth. “Nature functions as an artwork in our home and the interior consists of simple and clear solutions. ”

Elisabeth and Markku built a stone house with lots of glass surfaces. Black metal is repeated in a few pieces of furniture, but the couple especially love natural materials such as wood and rattan in their furniture. One of the first purchases for the future home was in fact a wooden coffee table and is characteristic of the style that inspires them.

“We have very similar tastes, so choosing the materials was easy enough. We had skilful professionals working for us and didn’t need to make any big compromises, ” Markku says.

The couple wanted to have an open kitchen solution that would continue to the dining space and also the living room next to it. They often cook together and love to invite friends to dinner. All the kitchen appliances are built-in models to keep the overall look calm. Unlike the other spaces, slightly stronger contrasts were chosen for the kitchen and therefore the white cabinets are combined with dark brown wall paint.

“Our home has big, continuous open spaces and the same floor material continues from one space to another, ” Markku observes. “The vinyl plank flooring is almost white. It was a great choice, it’s easy to keep clean and works well with the underfloor heating. ”

The stone wall in the main living space plays an important role in the interior. The couple wanted to finish the six-metre-tall feature with something other than paint and discovered mixing two types of stone a perfect fit.

“Our dream was to feel close to nature and we have achieved that. The big windows and the forest views are the highlight of our home. In the summer, nature is like a green jungle behind the window, then we have brilliant autumn colours and finally a winter wonderland, ” says Elisabeth.

The building project was a huge undertaking and the couple now feel blessed to spend time in a peaceful haven that counterbalances their busy lives. Everything the family wanted is right here. That’s not to say their dream house is completely finished, but there’s no hurry to do more as they feel that it’s perfect for them right now.

SAUNA AND BATHROOMS

(opposite) Aspen panelling and beige tiles were used in the sauna and the grey and white colour scheme continues in the bathrooms. The tapware is by Tapwell and showerhead by Oras.

A WHOLE NEW

LEVEL There are several terraces for different uses around the house. A fireplace brings warmth to the ground floor terrace and the first-floor terrace is perfect for sunbathing. Light floods into the entry hall from several directions. Elisabeth and Markku chose a glass railing for the stairs to keep light passing from one space to another.

MAIN BEDROOM The textiles are from H&M Home. LUCAS’ ROOM The play tent and the rug are from the Nordic Nest store, and the chair is from BoConcept.

SHOP THEIR STYLE

Scandi styling relies on a white background, natural wood and lots of texture. The addition of earth tones and black elevates the look

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1 Paper Collective Balance 01 print, $125, from Home Love & Mette K. 2 Knot cushion, $49.95, from Mocka. 3 Faux fur reindeer hide, $499, from Freedom. 4 Aquatica Prestigo shower centre, $627, from Mitre 10. 5 Madam Stoltz wooden serving dish, $75, from Home Love & Mette K. 6 Living & Co faux Mongolian fur cushion, $25, from The Warehouse. 7 Brita Flander Kolo sauna bucket and ladle, $130.50, from Finnish Design Shop. 8 Noir vase, $54.95, from Freedom. 9 Replica Hans Wegner wishbone chair, $325, from Cintesi. 10 Dyer lantern, $54.95, from Freedom. 11 Arno dining table, $1399, from Danske Mobler.

SLIDE AND HIDE In all, there are 10 Vantage sliding windows or doors in Duratec Matt Black powdercoat finish to maximise the view and create flow. The huge, recessed stacking door, which opens the kitchen, dining and living area to the deck, is a main feature of the house.

SEA CHANGE

A family exchanges cramped apartment life in Southeast Asia for a large, cedar-clad coastal home in Raglan

Going from living in a small apartment in Singapore to a 400sqm home on a lifestyle block in Raglan is extreme. But, for one couple and their daughters that’s exactly what they did.

“They were after a lifestyle change and they enjoy water sports. I think that was part of the appeal of living in Raglan, which obviously has some pretty nice surf, ” explains Brian White of

Edwards White Architects.

Designing a large house in such a strong, powerful landscape, the intention was to have it recede comfortably into the landscape rather than having a big statement on the hill. “When you ’re down in Raglan township and looking back up at the house, it’s actually quite hard to find. I’m often a little disappointed, thinking where is it?” he jokes.

Once the four-bedroom home, complete with a swimming pool surrounded by a moat, an indoor sauna and outdoor hot tub is in view, the cedar-clad house is deliberately quite stark and

punchy – a response to the family ’s appreciation of modern, clean forms.

Inside, the house welcomes and opens out into private and public spaces in a pinwheel plan in which you enter from the centre. “The other spaces radiate out from that, so you ’re not walking miles up and down the house, ” says Edwards White architect Harry Croucher.

The house was always intended to be a hospitable space in which the family of four could live in easily, whether they ’re just hanging out by the pool or having a barbecue in the recessed covered space with views overlooking the Rangitahi Peninsula.

But because they enjoy hosting people, the space can be transformed for large gatherings of 50 or so people without it feeling cramped by opening the 11-metre floor-to-ceiling stacking APL Architectural Series sliding door, which slides away into a cavity creating a completely open wall.

“They allow us to dissolve the threshold on the main living space, ” says Brian. The result is seamless, leaving absolutely nothing separating the house from its grand west coast environment.

When Brian and Harry returned to the house as guests, the owners were just “ so stoked with the place” . “They were just raving about it, ” says Brian of the large house, which caters for an active lifestyle but also manages to maintain an intimate family feel.

ATTENTION TO DETAILS

Rather than using a lot of applied finishes, timbers are coated in oil and the concrete floor has dark oxide in it, reminiscent of the dark sands you find on west coast beaches.

S E E M O R E O F T H I S H O M E AT VA N TA G E . C O . N Z / S E A- C H A N G E

TILE FILES The versatility of tiles on floors and walls, in kitchens, bathrooms and more cannot be underestimated. For the lowdown turn to page 82.

R E N O V A T I O N

66

Leap of faith Winning after a missed opportunity.

78

Breakout building Adding a handydandy granny flat.