2019-08-01_25_Beautiful_Homes

W

hendesignerandartist

GunnelSahlinandher

partnerHåkanviewed

a formerschoolhouse

inSörmland,justanhour’sdriveawayfrom

Stockholm,sheinstantlyfeltdrawntothe

historyandprovenanceofthebuildingand,

inparticular,thelight-filledschoolhall.

‘Whatcouldbemoresuitableforan

artistthana housewhereyoucanfeel

thecreativityinthebuildingandbenefit

fromthemostincrediblelightfromsuch

enormouswindows,’explainsGunnel,who

specialisesinglassdesign.‘Theoldschool

hall,withitsninemagnificentwindows,is

everythingyoucouldpossiblywishforina

studio,andthetwohandmadetablesinthe

middleoftheroomprovideamplespacefor

myvariousprojects.It’ssuch a nourishing

environmenttoworkin.’

Gunneloriginallyintendedtobuythe

property as a summer house, but it ended up

beinghermainhomewhereshehaslived

andworkedfortwodecades.‘Thebuilding

neededverylittlestructuralimprovement

becauseit hadbeenwell-maintainedover

theyears,withtheoriginalfloors,doorsand

windowsstillinplace,’saysGunnel.‘I’ve

triedtobesensitivetothehistoryofit with

myrenovationsandcolourpalette.’

Colouris somethingthatinspires

Gunnelnotonlyinherworkbutalsoinher

home,andshehasbeenparticularlycreative

withheruseofit inthekitchen.‘I foundan

oldbenchintheschoolhallwhenI first

movedhereandit hadsuchanunusualblue

patinathatI wantedtorepeatit inthe

house,’sherecalls.‘I mixedtwoshadesof

bluetogetherandtheycreateda beautiful

huethatI nevertireof.I paintedtheIkea

unitsmyself,andaftermanyyearsI stilllove

thecolourandwouldn’twanttochangeit.’

Whilerenovatingtheschoolhouse,

Gunnel was determined to retain as many

favourite feature‘Theninebigwindowsinmystudioarebeautifulin

their own right and I have amazing light to work in regardless of the weather’

THEPROPERTY
An1890sformerschoolhouse
L O C AT I O N
Sörmland,Sweden
ROOMSHallway,sittingroom,
diningroom,kitchen,studio,two
bedrooms,twobathrooms
PURCHASED 1998
PREVIOUSPROPERTY
‘Beforemovinghere,welived
inanapartmentin Stockholm,’
says Gunnel.

home truths

StUDiO

Undressedwindowsallowthis

nature-inspiredschemetoblend

wellwiththegardenbeyond.

JosefFrankforSvensktTenncushion

cover,from£48,MadeByUDesignat

Etsy.Takea lookattheType 75 floorlamp,

£225,Heal’s.SeethegalvanisedTolix

stool, £175.75, Tolix Shop