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A Belle Époque apartment in the elegant heart of Stockholm gets an airy, serene new look
It is hard to imagine that the elegant Stockholm neighbourhood of Östermalm was once known as Ladugårdslandet, literally translated as ‘the field of barns.' It was not until the 1880s when it became the affluent residential district that it remains to this day, with refined and elegant stretches of 19th-century brick architecture arranged along tree-lined streets that stretch down to the city's harbour. It was here that Studio Ramson's clients – a couple with two teenage children – chose to retreat upon returning to their native Sweden after ten years of roaming the world for work. Lighting upon this expansive penthouse at the top of one of the area's characteristic Belle Époque buildings, they called in the interior design studio to create their first “forever home.”
Studio Ramson was founded just three years ago by Ika Ramel and Sanna Nathanson, who have seen rapid growth in their business since then and now run a team of nine. Not that this level of success is easy to achieve in Sweden. “There's this typical Swedish mindset – a kind of ‘I’ll do it myself' attitude,” explains Sanna. “We're an Ikea society after all,” adds Ika. “People just didn't know they could pay for this kind of service.” They thank the pandemic for some of their success, which led many people to reinvent their homes, and note how instrumental social media has been in spreading the word. “When we started to introduce clients to the idea of this ‘middle ground’, of beautiful upholstery and custom furniture,” says Sanna, "they were delighted. It spread by word of mouth then.”
When their clients bought this airy apartment, arranged over two floors, it had much to recommend it, not least its location. “The building is fantastic because, unusually, it's totally detached," says Sanna, "so they have uninterrupted views over the Djurgården National Park, the most beautiful church in Stockholm and the greenish copper roofs of the city.” Unfortunately it had recently been subject to a bland renovation, some of which had to be gently unpicked by Sanna and Ika. “We kept as much as we could,” they say. “We really try not to throw things out, it's not a sustainable approach.”
After ten years of unsettled living, the family didn't have much furniture, but a rich collection of art, for which the designers wanted to create a refined backdrop. The apartment was first treated to a wash of paint to prevent it from feeling what Sanna describes as “too Scandi." “Powdery blues, soft vanilla whites and muted greens all harmonise the space,” explains Ika. “All of the shades were inspired by the views from the penthouse – the blue skies, green trees and copper roofs.”
On the first floor is an enfilade of living spaces, tied together by a cool colour palette and typical Swedish oak parquet flooring. Although there is a graceful flow between them, each room can be closed off with double doors to create distinct, private zones. The cornerstone of each room is the art. In the first of the three rooms, a library and sitting room painted in Farrow & Ball's cool Skylight, an atmospheric picture featuring curtains and dancing light takes centre stage, holding a conversation with the real curtains that frame the room. In the second sitting room, a lighter space spotted with dark wood antique furniture, the palette takes its lead from an ornate wall tapestry – a dark-toned French textile inherited from the owner's grandmother and given a new lease of life by Sanna and Ika. “It was important that the tapestry didn't make the room feel too dusty or old-fashioned,” explains Sanna, “but we always maintain the attitude that almost anything can look beautiful if it's in the right environment.” The leopard print bench, cubic leather armchair and abstract painting all provide contemporary counterpoints to the historic furniture.
The dining room and kitchen have a similar balance between light and dark, and the Pierre Frey blind behind the dining table (brought in for its Pollock-esque style to appeal to the owner's art interest) feels like the final clash of light and dark; a splashy version of a monochrome that ties the light walls and dark accent colours together.
Upstairs, the main bedroom features a serene, minimalist palette with luxurious floor-to-ceiling upholstered cupboards and curtains by Soane Britain, a kind of lovechild between Rose Uniacke and John Pawson's aesthetics. One son's bedroom is entered through a “wooden box” corridor, while the other features a mix of rusty orange, denim blue, and green. Both were fitted with adjoining bathrooms, creating spaces that could just as easily work for an adult child or a sophisticated houseguest.
Studio Ramson's clientele would be impressively versatile even for a long-established design company, ranging from the full redesign of two private schools, to a redecorating Stockholm’s Grand Hotel and a roster of private homes. “Clients work with us once, then we do their summer houses, ski lodges, city flats and country houses,” says Ika. And what better mark of confidence than loyalty?
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Erik Lefvander2/10The blinds in the kitchen are made up from a Pierre Frey fabric.
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6/10The curtains in the bedroom are by Soane Britain.
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