“Away is good but home is best.” So say the Swedes. And when home is elsewhere – as in a cherished family retreat far from city streets – “away” isn’t bad either. When he isn’t at work helping folks fashion stylishly expressive homes, Lars Walles, whose interior design firm Walles & Walles has been a Stockholm standard for almost 30 years, decompresses with family at a compound 44 miles north of the capital, in Norrtälje.
At the time, Lars and his wife, Ulla, purchased the property in 1987, it sported a single old cottage. Since then, the place has grown to comprise a constellation of ten buildings, including greenhouses, a small pool house and a kind of dormitory. There’s a building the family calls “the kitchen” – designed specifically for parties and dinners – and a new studio space is underway.
“These houses have served as an experimental workshop for our projects,” explains Joakim Walles, who, with his brother Niklas, works in the family business. “One is constantly inspired. Sometimes things work out, sometimes they don’t. But it’s fantastic to have a place to experiment. The common thread here is the same one we always try to implement in our projects – a mix of old and new with a focus on enduring and authentic materials, like linen, solid wood and metals such as bronze – materials that age with dignity. It should also be timeless, which the houses here are a testament to. Even if a house was furnished 15 years ago, it should still feel relevant today.”
The buildings represent various periods and architectural styles. The original cottage dates from the 18th century; the studio is very contemporary. “Dad cofounded the brand Lexington back in the day,” notes Joakim, “so the pool house nods to the American East Coast.” While set in the countryside, the interiors display a sophisticated cast, anchored by a black-and-white palette and graced with a worldly panoply of pieces, from a Chinese cabinet topped with a collection of blue-and-white porcelain to vintage textiles from Zanzibar, artfully framed.
“The interiors are toned down in color so as not to overshadow the beauty of nature,” describes Niklas. “We all have our permanent homes in Stockholm apartments that have a different character than here in the countryside. We want to feel that we are changing environments and slowing down; hence the relaxed décor with only things we love.”
When the family gathers – Ulla and Lars, Joakim and his wife Geraldine with their son Vincent and Niklas and Maria and their daughter Betty – good meals are central to the program, whipped up in a space Niklas describes as “classic, with a touch of rustic Rococo.” The floor is made from irregular slabs of slate, and the workmanlike island is constructed of dark- stained oak and Carrara marble. Balinese sculptures – said to ward off evil – stand atop the unit that houses a refrigerator and oven.
“If there is room for a large kitchen island in a home, I think it’s fantastic,” states Joakim. “It doesn’t necessarily need seating, as it becomes such a natural gathering spot – for a gin and tonic with friends, for Christmas baking and for rolling noodles. Additionally, it provides an incredible amount of storage. Something that is useful here in the countryside is the slate floor. You go in and out with shoes and spill a lot, so a soft wooden floor wouldn’t work here.”
“Even though we all like to cook, it’s probably Niklas and I who enjoy it the most,” shares Joakim. “He makes an incredible paella, and Dad makes a herring casserole with caviar that is absolutely superb. Geraldine is in charge of desserts, and the only one who boils our potatoes to perfection is Mom.” It all sounds scrumptious. And no doubt every dish tastes better in the country. Smaklig måltid!
Photography by Johan Sellén.
Styling by Gill Renlund.
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