A Small Swedish House by a Lake Is a Minimalist’s Dream

Name: Evi Ritter, husband, and two kids
Location: Västervik, Sweden
Size: 861 square feet
Years lived in: 4 years, owned

My husband (an architect) and I (a photographer) have renovated this house for the last couple of years. It was in pretty bad shape and needed lots of love. We kept everything minimalist, organic (used lots of white and wood), and simple (because we have two small children), but also wanted it to be cozy. The house is located by a lake, surrounded by nature.

Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: Scandinavian minimalistic living.

What is your favorite room and why? Definitely our kitchen—dining and living room area, which is all an open space with lake and forest views. But the best part of the house is our old Swedish stove (kakelugn), which we dearly love.

If you could magically change something about your home, what would it be? Make it a bit bigger. I would love to have my own office.

What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? We usually like to buy antiques (old stools, chairs) and stuff we see in the local antique markets and mix it with “new” things.

Thanks, Evi!

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