Photographs by Spacecrafting
exterior of large house
On the exterior the hip gable roof was inspired by the homeowner’s family’s Swedish summer retreat. Although stucco is common in Sweden, here a sleek troweled finish adds a modern touch.
“This was to be a Swedish country home that represented the Swedish heritage of the family—but they didn’t want it to look like a tourist stop.”
—Linda Engler, Interior Designer
Designing and building during a pandemic was never part of the plan. But neither social distancing nor supply chain disruptions would slow down this Swedish country house in Medina and the design team behind it, which embraced the idea of remote work—like so many of the rest of us—whenever possible. “We did a large share of this by Zoom,” says interior designer Linda Engler of Engler Studio Interior Design. “And although we would’ve probably gone to Sweden on buying trips, it just wasn’t smart to do at that time.”
Despite the logistical challenges, the project’s overarching timeline never changed. “We had a finite completion date because the homeowners had a number of family members coming from Sweden for Christmas, and it meant a lot to them because some would be coming for the first and maybe the last time to the U.S.,” says Bill Costello, CEO and COO at Streeter Custom Builder.
That connection to Sweden, where one of the homeowners is from, infused nearly every aspect of the home’s design. “The clients described what they wanted as a modern interpretation of a Swedish cottage,” says Charlie Simmons, founding principal at Charlie and Co. Design. “They didn’t want to live in a museum. They wanted it to be fresh and clean.”
Engler has a similar recollection. “We had this conversation about having the traditional but also bringing in some modern elements, because they’re a young family,” the designer says. “She wanted to get this right, but I was maybe even more concerned than she was that this not look like a 70-year-old’s house.”
“Reintroducing family memories is always a recipe for success.”
—Charlie Simmons, Architectural Designer
So the design team struck a balance between styles in nearly every space, generally encouraging that the elements lean more modern. In the entry, for example, Engler and the homeowners originally considered a chandelier-style fixture. “But it just felt too safe,” Engler says. The light fixture they ultimately chose, by Apparatus, feels entirely different. “Early on, had we shown [the wife] this light fixture, she would’ve been like, ‘What?’ But later on, she was the one who said, ‘Look at this great fixture. Do you think it would work?’ And I said, ‘Oh, absolutely.’ And it’s phenomenal.”
In the same space, however, what once was a more modern black metal stair balustrade evolved into a more traditional white woodwork design by Simmons—a delicate slat-and-cutout concept that complements the abundance of natural light.
“It has this Swedish geometry to it, and our trim company did a good job getting the pattern to repeat precisely and in perfect alignment,” Costello says.
A mix of architecture, furnishings, and art like that in the entry extends throughout the home, suggesting a look that’s developed over time. It’s perhaps at its best in the hearth room, where large graphic paintings join a Belgian mantel and beadboard-backed built-ins. There, on a shelf, you’ll find what many people consider Sweden’s most symbolic decoration. “And,” Engler laughs, “it’s the only pair of actual Dala horses you’ll find in the house.”
“It’s a big site, and the challenge was for the house to feel nestled in and cozy.”
—Bill Costello, Builder
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entry
In the entry, an Apparatus light fixture descends over a white oak table by local furniture maker Don Burger Craftsman, and a Banksy print and stormy coastal landscape join other artworks hanging above a Swiss Back Bench by Nickey Kehoe.
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living room
Nearly all walls and woodwork in the home—including the brackets on the living room ceiling—are painted Cloud White by Benjamin Moore. White oak covers most floors, here topped with rugs from one of designer Linda Engler’s favorite sources in West Hollywood, California. “The furniture had to be substantial enough to hold its own in the room but still have an elegance and grace about it,” she says.
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Vaulted ceilings in living room
Tall Order: The living room’s vaulted ceilings were a must for the homeowners, who wanted the space to accommodate a 16-foot tree at Christmas. A pair of chandeliers from Julie Neill Designs are “beautiful and airy,” Engler says. “The ceiling volume is so great, and these have a nice presence without being heavy.”
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bar
Pleasant Surprise: White doors in the living room open to reveal an antique mirror-backed wet bar with cabinets and a metal shelf structure built by cabinetmaker Mark Hurley. Engler loves a pair of fish pulls on the cabinets. “We call them Swedish fish,” she says with a laugh.
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dining room
Color Counterpoint Walls painted Black Magic by Sherwin-Williams and a bell-curved ceiling bring drama to the dining room. The table is made locally by Don Burger Craftsman, the pale blush mohair chairs are from Andreu World, and the light fixture is from The Urban Electric Company.
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Gallery hallway
he adjacent gallery hallway, like the rest of the house, is painted Benjamin Moore Cloud White. An 18th-century Dutch floral painting, a 2020 abstract snowstorm painting by Norwegian artist Kristin Romberg, and an antique Swedish Mora clock furnish the space. The chamfered drywall corners add simple and elegant detail in what Simmons describes as “architectural moments” in key areas of the house.
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Swedish-style trim
Quiet Character: Floral tile from Fantasia (far right) at IMS in Minneapolis brings a “very Swedish element and a humble, casual touch to the Carrara” of the hearth room fireplace, Engler says. A Swedish-style trim (left) designed by architectural designer Charlie Simmons tops the same fireplace.
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Hearth room
Opposites Attract: The hearth room features a juxtaposition of modern elements, such as graphic paintings by Minnesota-based artist Ellen Richman, and more traditional elements, including an 19th-century Carrara marble mantel from a fireplace dealer in Belgium, sourced through 1stDibs.
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kitchen
To wrap the kitchen’s French Lacanche range, Simmons and architect Anthon Ellis explored both traditional and modern forms and materials before settling on something in between: a stucco cooking hearth that hearkens back to historic Swedish farmhouses but features clean lines that complement the adjacent white oak display cabinet.
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dining room
Modern Family: Scandinavian-inspired dining chairs, upholstered in a family-friendly performance textile, bring practicality to the kitchen’s breakfast space. But the wood table and adjacent island countertop will eventually show what Engler calls “the patina of family life—and that’s to be embraced, not apologized for or repaired.”
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built in desk
A Different Shade: A built-in desk and adjacent butler’s pantry bring function to a hallway just beyond the refrigerator. Walls and woodwork here are painted a darker shade of gray, Hirshfield’s Rand Moon. The painting of a Swedish farmers’ market scene is from IndiaStreet, local design writer and editor Melinda Nelson’s Etsy site.
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bedroom
A narrow bookcase niche cozies up the bedroom for one of the homeowners’ two young daughters. Along with the rest of the bedroom’s practical timelessness, it will be able to easily evolve as she gets older. A Schumacher wallpaper covers the bedroom walls.
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bathroom tub
Squaring Off: The Walls and ceiling of the daughters’ bath are covered with authentic 4-inch-square Moroccan zellige tiles. “We didn’t grout the tile, so it’s a dry stack and it’s uneven,” Engler says. “When the light bounces off it, it’s shimmery.” On the floor, the material switches to 36-inch-square terrazzo tiles.
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bedroom
Flower Power: Swedish-inspired floral patterns bring a bright, classic look to many of the wall coverings, window treatments, and textiles in the main, daughters’, and guest bedrooms. A Svenskt Tenn wallpaper originally designed by Josef Frank covers the older daughter’s bedroom walls.
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patio
Equal Attention: The back of the home—where the land was scooped out for a lower level and pool—received just as much architectural detailing as the front and is filled with Marvin windows and doors. “Capturing those views across the horse pasture and to the south and west—to allow as much natural light into the house as possible—was pretty important for the daily living spaces,” Ellis says.
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pool bath showers
The lower level’s pool bath includes side-by-side showers, a common feature in Sweden.
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back exterior
interior Design: Linda Engler, Engler Studio Interior Design, 7562 Market Place Dr., Eden Prairie, 952-564-6488, englerstudio.com // Architecture: Charlie Simmons and Anthon Ellis, Charlie and Co. Design, 1601 Utica Ave. S., St. Louis Park, 612-333-2246, charlieandcodesign.com // Builder: Streeter Custom Builder, 18312 Minnetonka Blvd., Wayzata, 952-449-9448, streeterhomes.com // Landscape Design: Scott Ritter, Topo, 530 N. 3rd St., Mpls., 612-929-2049, topollc.com
