Article: Go back to school at this former Swedish schoolhouse
Go back to school at this former Swedish schoolhouse
An old Swedish schoolhouse is now home to photographer and stylist Mari and her husband Finn, with its lofty classrooms filled with carefully curated props that Mari uses in her work.
The decor of Mari Magnusson's home is Scandi rustic with a neutral backdrop that allows the many vintage pieces to shine. Life here is creative and relaxed, lines between indoors and outdoors are blurred and days often finish with a wild swim in the lake nearby.
Built in 1897, the property served as the village school until the mid 20th century, when it became an assembly hall for the nearby church. "I love that so many people have happy memories of our home – weddings and baptisms have all been celebrated here," says Mari. "Although we still have the original naughty corner in one of the old classrooms, so perhaps not everyone remembers being here so fondly."
The Magnussons have three children of their own: Milo. 20, Misha, 18, and Noah, 11. They previously lived in England and Australia and continue to spend time in Finn's native France. The white walls are typical Scandi minimalism, in keepimg with Mari's roots, but French brocante finds, English vintage pieces and Australian treasures are all to be found in her artfully styled displays. "Our whole house has been furnished from thrift and vintage stores all over the world," says Mari. "I bought a lot of pieces with me from our former homes in London and Melbourne, and I mix them with new accessories from my favourite Swedish shops, such as Granit and H&M Home." Large vintage cupboards have been painted and used to house Mari's vast collection of ceramics and textiles, which she has built up over the years. Foraged seasonal finds are woven into the displays and a hanging branch in the main bedroom serves as an aesthetically pleasing hanging space for Mari's choice pieces of clothing.
The four-bedroom house is spacious and inviting, but in the summer the family spends as much time as possible out in the garden. With a footprint of 6,000 sqm, it has been divided into adaptable living spaces by fences, hedges, arbours and pergolas. At its heart is a beautiful white-painted wooden glasshouse with a brick floor, which houses a long refectory-style table and benches where the family dines in the warmer months. Mari has created a rustic chandelier with candles that can be lit at night to accompany the festoon lights with their cosy glow. Additional outdoor rooms filled with old pieces of furniture have been styled to offer a quiet place to read or work under the sky.
In the cutting garden, Mari grows favourite flowers such as roses, peonies, gypsophila, dahlias, hydrangeas and pretty grasses to use in her styling work. The vegetable garden is also thriving, allowing the family to be self-sufficient during the summer months with the help of seasonal workers from abroad. "We host students from around the world who come and work here in return for food and lodgings – in the evenings we play board games together and learn about each other's cultures," Mari explains.
A lot of work has gone into thoughtfully restoring this historic home, including several big projects such as replacing the heating syystem, repairing the old roof and restoring the wooden facade of the house to its former glory. The original floorboards have been sanded and the walls coated in chalk paint from Jotun or Kalklitir for a textured and breathable artisanal finish. With lots of interesting architectural features including traditional wooden cladding and ceilings that are up to 3.5m high, the colour palette is kept light and neutral to maintain a feeling of calm and space.
Mari also enjoys decorating the house according to the season. In winter she makes pine wreaths and brings in small trees and branches from the nearby woodland to add colour and texture, but she enjoys the warmer months most of all. "Summer is my favourite time, when I can bring plants from my glasshouse into our home and line the windowsills and tables with potted geraniums or cut flowers," she says. "The days are long and the house and garden merge into one airy living space."
