The calm Baltic Sea is visible through infinite windows, giving the effect of the water holding up the very foundations of the house. In a rationalist and simple architectural style, emphasis is placed on the symmetrical volumes and sober colour palette. The Dream Villa in Stockholm (Sweden) is the dream of architect Benjamin Calleja and interior designer Patricia Ramos, made a reality.
A home between the sky and the Baltic Sea
Stockholm has been recognised as a European Green Capital thanks to its green spaces, natural parks and environmental quality. The influence of nature runs through this property too. Wood, infinite glass windows and warm textures by PORCELANOSA Group connect the property to the sea, and the private gardens to the forest beyond. Highlights include Airslate Graphite and Bhutan Natural natural slate by L'Antic Colonial (used on the exterior façade and around the swimming pool). Butech adhesive Politech Premium has been used to ensure each piece has been perfectly installed, and the firm's Sylastic waterproofing agent makes the swimming pool safer.
The Aria White sintered mineral compact by XTONE has been used to clad the front of the building, recreating the grey veins and texture of Statuario Venato marble. The materials bolster the sense of harmony in the space, where the Mediterranean aesthetic fuses with characteristically Nordic industrial design. "We used large floor-to-ceiling windows to open the whole ground floor out to the sea, but used an extensive marble façade to create privacy out onto the street. This makes the house flow outwards entirely to the sky and sea", explains the architect Benjamin Calleja.
This is a balanced interior design in which comfort takes priority over the purely aesthetic in every room: living rooms, bedrooms, cinema room, gym and underground parking. Order and practicality reign supreme in areas like the kitchen, featuring exclusive and durable materials such as Paonazzo Biondo in a silk finish by XTONE®, used on the Emotions Nogal Seda island design by Gamadecor, framed by Bridge mixer taps in matt black from Noken.
The combination of brown and black enhances the property's sense of depth with Tortona 1L Walnut parquet from L'Antic Colonial (main floor tiles) and Airslate Graphite slate which gives shape to the roof. The sheen of the wood is enhanced by Pro-light Black profiles by Butech surrounding each piece, resulting in a stunning continuous design. "We wanted to bring the Mediterranean culture of light and openness to a country like Sweden, where traditionally everything is more closed. The idea was to blur the boundaries between sky, sea and home", says Benjamin.
A wooden staircase provides access to the upper floor, creating a play on light and shade with textile vinyl Linkfloor Contract Dark (used throughout the gym) and XTONE® Nylo Noir Polished cladding by Porcelanosa, with integrated LED profiles by Butech.
On the upper level, the spacious open bedrooms benefit from views of Stockholm, and feature neutral tones (white, grey and black), warm lighting and light cotton and linen textiles. These same elements give form to the master bathroom, integrated into the main suite with XTONE Calacatta Green Polished sintered mineral compact by Porcelanosa, Lounge Oval bath and Square in matt black by Noken, created using the Finish Studio technique, and Tortona 1L Walnut natural wood from L'Antic Colonial, used to clad the wall. The other bathroom features white and maroon tones, and features Durango Acero floor tiles by Porcelanosa and XTONE Viola Rossé, elevating the shower wall and reminiscent of a marble canvas, which in turn reinforces the Square taps in matt black used for the project. .
In the bedroom, they opted for a Gamadecor Emotions Nogal Seda dressing room by Gamadecor, the perfect solution for organising clothes and other furnishings. "We wanted to create a project which would be unique on the Scandinavian market, because there's nothing like it here", Calleja concludes.
