The kitchen island is the heart of the home

Designed by Anders Holmberg Arkitekter, the modern wooden house, which spectacularly combines classic materials with geometric shapes, is home to the couple and their respective six children.

When Maria and Ulf met six years ago, all the children were still living at home. Ulf lived in the heart of Lund with his three children – Allis, Arvid and Hugo – while Maria was living with her three sons – Hugo, Filip and Erik.

Having spent many years of living in classic, older villas with large gardens, the couple dreamed of a modern wooden house, and when, after a few years, they stumbled upon one of the rare, undeveloped plots in the old part of the town close to the Sound, they leaped at the opportunity.

By that time, Ulf’s two oldest children had left home, so Ulf sold his house in Lund and he and his youngest son moved in with Maria. After a year of building work, they were able to move into their new home in April 2024.

The modern wooden house is reminiscent of the functionalist idiom. It was designed by the firm of architects Anders Holmberg Arkitekter, which Maria found on Instagram. The conceptual design presented by the architects provided exactly the sense of understated luxury that the couple were after.

The architect’s initial challenge was the site, as it was difficult to place a large house that could accommodate the entire family of eight on the plot. The architects therefore presented Maria and Ulf with two different proposals, and they both immediately fell for the house with the gentle curves.

The geometric shapes of the house can be clearly seen when standing in the large living area, which includes a kitchen, a dining area and a lounge. The organically shaped fireplace in the middle of the room acts as both a room divider and a focal point.

The sculptural staircase is a key architectural element that connects the ground floor to the first floor. The architects embraced Maria’s idea of further developing the geometric shapes of the staircase so that it incorporates built-in seating and storage. The oak panelling and the green Swedish marble on the bottom step highlight the consistent use of certain materials and colours throughout the entire house.

Maria knew from the very outset that she wanted a dark uno form bespoke kitchen with a spacious kitchen island. Based on the couple’s wishes in terms of the feel and colours, the interior designer created a mood board which formed the basis for the entire interior design. Different shades of oak – ranging from light to dark – have been used for the floors, window frames, staircase and kitchen and combined with details in oat yellow and dark green to create an exclusive and calm atmosphere.

“Early in the process, I dreamed of having a dark uno form kitchen. The Classic collection has always been my favourite, and I longed for a kitchen that stands out and defines the room rather than a neutral white kitchen. It was Ulf’s idea to have a separate scullery and a large cold storage room because he loves cooking!”

The Classic collection was designed in 1968 by Arne Munch and has since become a true design classic. The Classic units are made of smoked oak and have been combined with Avantgarde tall units, also in smoked oak. The wall-mounted sideboard is also created from Avantgarde units in smoked oak and is, like the kitchen, designed by Ewa Söndergaard, uno form Malmö. 

The couple chose a 20 mm Noble Pietra Grey quartz composite for the worktop, backsplash and the shelves on the wall between the tall units to provide extra display space for glasses and wine carafes.

The various materials and shapes, inspired by the functionalist idiom, interact with each other to create a sculptural whole with straight, clean lines balanced by geometric shapes. 

The beautiful smoked oak kitchen island with rounded corners on the worktop creates an exclusive and timeless Scandinavian look and goes beautifully with the soft shape of the stairs. 

The kitchen island is a multi-purpose piece of furniture that functions as a work station, storage space and gathering point.

With demanding jobs and four teenagers living at home, it’s nice being able to discuss what has happened during the day around the kitchen island while dinner is being prepared, and it is for evening meals that everyone tends to come together.

Next to the kitchen is a separate scullery area.

This is where food preparation and dirty dishes can be kept out of the way when the couple are entertaining.

Both the kitchen and dining room offer direct access to a pool patio, which serves as additional living space and provides a wonderful summer oasis for the family.

The untreated pine slats have a stunning silver-grey patina that harmonises beautifully with the tiles that continue into the pool. Opting for a few, harmonious materials creates the perfect balance and a calm backdrop to the busy family’s daily lives.