100% personality..

In stark contrast to my previous post, here's a home that is all but restrained..! It may not be something I'd rate as my personal dream home, but what a quirky and interesting place people!. I just love the passion and joy behind the creation of this warm and quirky family home, and can only imagine the wonderful stories behind the scenes..!

Fireplace from France, purpouse made circular art (back right) from Spanish cow hides, rug from Morocco, the arm chairs French market finds, candle sticks from Berlin.. in short, this antique timber house now hosts treasures from all corners of the world. Do you think the priest could have ever imagined when he built it way back when..!?! :)

After 10 happy years in San Francisco, Ingvild & Olaf felt their homeland calling (I can so relate..!) and had a strong desire to return to the Nordic quietness and landscape. They longed to live in the country side and found a large piece of land in the forest just West of Oslo. All they needed then was a house - an old one with lots of character..

Excuse the poor quality of my scan.. but this picture was not part of Sköna Hem's digital gallery.. This is the kind of house onto which you want to toss a couple of sheep that will keep the grass trimmed.. :)

They responded to an ad for a 'Timber built preacher's-den on the mountain, early 17th cent', though found the 'house' had in fact been de-mounted into a pile of timber (!). But they bought it anyway and started the painstaking job of first moving it (the pile..) to their forest patch, and then piecing it together. How courageous! 
The result is a genuinely unique and charming two story home with tangible soul and so much personality.

Ingvild is an interior designer and Olaf an astrologer/psychologist (wonderful collective knowledge here, don't you think!?!), and together with an architect friend they designed large windows that were set into the timber frame to allow the forest to merge with the inside. In fact these people love the forest so much that they actually sleep outside during the warmer months of the year. I remember doing just that too when I was a little girl, and it was such an adventure and I loved watching the night sky in my sleeping bag! Have you ever tried?

These people are sleeping on hay people..! Even the bed head is made of hay, and then covered in fabric.. 

They also 'up-cycled' old building materials, vintage finds, antiques, hand-me-downs, and second hand buys. They became so good at it that it evolved into a business of importing & selling European vintage and demolition materials. One can only imagine the treasures they come across!

All images, but my dreadful scan of the house, from Sköna Hem digital gallery.

Have a fabulous and quirky weekend darlings.

Hope you are up to fun things!

xx Charlotta