Name: Cecilia Sörensen & Roope Alho
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Size: 95 square meters (about 1,000 square feet) — 3 bedroom house
Years lived in: 2 — owned
This creative couple started building their dream home in early 2008 alongside Finnish architect Tuomo Jauhiainen, and by mid June of that year they were unpacking boxes and settling in. By trade a fashion designer (Cecilia) and print designer and illustrator (Roope), they were able to contribute their visions of Scandinavian simplicity to the planning phases, landing on a final design that would be their envy-worthy Barcelona home. This is one home that really stands out:
In a sea of Spanish design traditions, Cecilia and Roope's home sits hilltop in a neighborhood where other houses just don't look like theirs: For starters, you won't find many houses made of wood. Bringing Scandinavian design values to a Spanish landscape creates a wonderful, comfortable balance.
Enjoy the wood, the amazing light, and all of the views both inside and out:
Apartment Therapy Survey:
Our Style: Scandinavian minimalist
Inspiration: We wanted a as much open space as possible and big windows to be able to enjoy the views and sunsets.
Favorite Element: the big windows in the living room and the terrace
Biggest Challenge: not getting too frustrated during the building process
Biggest Embarrassment: not having finished so many small details after two years…small details, like not having had the time to finish painting the ceiling in a storage room. Nothing a visitor would notice, but things that make you feel like, "This should have been done by now!" In general, we don't feel embarrassed of our house.
Proudest DIY: managing to get some vegetables to grow in the garden
Biggest Indulgence: having all the new equipment in the kitchen and bathroom after having lived for almost ten years in an apartment renovated in the 70’s
Best advice: try not to believe every promise you get from construction companies!
Resources: We live with a mix of self-built stuff, thrift store items, things inherited (our favorite inherited item is a Turkish carpet that used to belong to Cecilia's grandparents), and…IKEA.
Thanks, Cecilia and Roope!
Images: Marc Goodwin
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Not my taste, but nice.
Well well. That's the first time I've seen the "not my taste but nice" kind of comment on a minimalist apt. Usually I see that on the tours of houses people consider cluttered....and I consider wonderful!!
I love this house, even tho I would surely clutter it in no time. Those windows are to die for.
It think this is a lovely home. Very nice light and the windows are to die for.
I'm chuckling at how much the landscape looks like Southern California.
And I think the owner's Best Advice really is the best advice. So true!
What a fun and creative house. They have smile-inducing pieces everywhere without looking kitschy or gaudy. I love it! :D I might try something similar to their paper maze art! I'm going to look through the slideshow again! :)
Love the simplicity of this! Cozy yet minimal.
I love this house its real, simple and unpretentious. The breeziness is attractive.
From what my friend has told me in the design industry that lives in Spain the contractors are very hard to work with.
Just came back from Catalunya a couple of days ago and forgive me for spoiling the party but I just simply cannot imagine how they keep this house cool. They build houses out of heavy stone their for a reason you know? And they make their windows smaller for the same reason. It is being HEAT from the sunlight. So Scandinavian is good up north but in Barcelona? And the windows are not even shaded by the trees. Sure you can enjoy a sunset but where do they live the rest of the day?
I have been searching online for anywhere can find the Kobenhavn typographic print on the wall. I am convinced I will die if I don't get it. I wonder if it is the work of the homeowner? Wonderful home.
Great home! I am also interested in the Kobenhavn print...please share if you can source it!
Another looking for a source of the Kobenhaven print. Source please!!
I really like the design of this house... and pretty sure those are big, black shutters for the windows in the bottom pic, so actually looks like great design, with the top windows allowing light, but the shutters blocking the sun whilst allowing breezes.
@zarazame I don't think people would build a house like this without considering the climate first.
Stone isn't just a climatic material, it's also (or was traditionally) used in countries where it's in plentiful supply. SE asian countries, for example, have hot climates, but build houses out of bamboo etc not heavy stone.
From the pictures alone (ie assuming there are no heating/cooling units etc, as zarazame has done), this would be a cold house if built in scandinavia.
Not sure if you're aware, but the "heavy stone walls, small window" design style isn't particular to warm climates only.
I like the clean look because it is still worn and lived in. I think a lot of people that try to give this antique, clean and modern look to their homes, go overboard and it looks too cold and neat. This home is warmer than most I've seen. It's very beautiful and I adore this style but I'd go for a little more color, even just a few more accents of color or quirky pops here and there. But hey - that fire was a little close to the house, no??;-) That wouldn't happen in the states... love that about Europe.
Nice home.
Love the copy of "Where the Wild Things Are" propped up on the table near the sofa.
very much my taste... and very nice.
it's admirable that you custom built a 3BR home at only 1000sqf. in the US, it'd be 2X that size easily...
the exterior space is lovely. is that water in the near-distance in the second-to-last image?
I like it, I do! *tail wagging* Though I am not a 2 storey fan, I think they are very sensible about the amount of stuff they have. The ever-so-slightly cluttery art on the wall lends a nice balance to the sparseness on the floor. Smart!
I LOVE your home. The views and the clean simple interior with select personal touches (not shabby chic or retro per se) are impeccable.
I really like this! And I don't think you need to add more stuff and more color. Would have been nice to see more shots, especially full room ones.
Great house. Perhaps my favorite I've seen on AT!
Love the home, but would've loved it more with photographs worth a hoot.
What a cool home! Thank you for sharing!
Where did you get that copy of Maira Kalman's Proust letter???
Not exactly minimalist, there is stuff everywhere
well done
Please post a source for the Kobenhavn print! Please? I just can't stop thinking about it. I lived in Denmark for a year after high school and I think this would be a perfect way to memorialize that coming-of-age experience in a design-friendly way that would work in our Scandinavian-inspired home.
I wonder if I'll ever have my dream house. Or own a house for that matter.
From Roope:
The poster was made for an exhibition with Danish artists at our shop, Still Light. It's made by Swedish graphic designer Klas Ernflo, www.klasherbert.com.
I still wonder why people feel the need to offer that it is not their taste. It is not that I think that people should say all positives. Instead, try to appreciate an item in its style and enjoy it for what it is. Then, make comments that support the execution of that particular style.
That said, I really liked it, especially the windows.
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