The Big Picture

Susanne Nyléns’ house on the banks of Stockholm’s Lake Mälaren was a blank canvas just waiting for her artistic touch

- Nicky Adams

A run-down four-storey country house that dates from the Twenties might not have been the obvious property to grab the attention of interior designer Susanne Nyléns when she began searching for her family’s next home. But consider that it is surrounded by apple orchards and is located on the shores of Stockholm’s Lake Mälaren and the decision to buy makes more sense.

‘This area is known as Höglandet, which means “high land”,’ explains Susanne, ‘so the views of the surrounding landscape are quite spectacular. From the start, I loved the huge garden and the serenity of the setting, and I could see that the inside would be a great opportunity to put some of my interior design ideas into practice.’

With its basement, attic and two floors of living accommodation, as well as a tired panelled exterior façade that is typical of the Ornäsvilla style of Swedish rustic architecture, the house was a substantial renovation project.

Susanne firstly focused her attention on getting the interior ready for her business consultant husband Fredrik, as well as daughter Ebba, 14, son Filip, 10, and Vera the family dog, to move in.