Meow Meow

Beyond Minimalism: How a Stockholm Art Director Infuses Color and Comfort into 570 Sq Ft
Step inside the vibrant 53-square-meter (570 sq ft) apartment of Christina, the insightful Art Director for Swedish furniture brand Hem, and her partner, Anon, nestled in Stockholm’s lively Södermalm island. Far from a stark, uninspiring space, their home is a testament to the power of thoughtful design, blending vibrant personality with ingenious practicality – a true masterclass in small-space living that offers invaluable lessons for anyone looking to maximize their urban dwelling.

Christina’s unique approach to design is deeply rooted in her upbringing. With both parents being designers, her childhood home was a treasure trove of classic pieces and a vast library of art books, fostering a lifelong appreciation for art and design that continues to influence her own space today. This “red thread of honoring art pieces and old design pieces” is evident throughout her apartment, creating a coherent yet colorful narrative.

Design Principles for Dynamic Living
This 1880s building, the first of its kind in its central and creative neighborhood, provided Christina and Anon with a surprisingly perfect canvas. The apartment’s original two-room and kitchen layout, spread across 53 square meters, was an immediate selling point, requiring no significant structural changes – a rare find in urban centers. The living room and kitchen are cleverly connected, creating a great flow and allowing a sweeping view of the full row of windows.

One of the apartment’s standout features is its smart utilization of light and color. With all windows facing west, the living room bathes in ample daylight. Christina’s obsession with a bright blue couch led to a custom upholstery job by Hem, creating a striking focal point that anchors the space. This sofa is also fully modular, providing flexibility for entertaining guests, who can comfortably sleep on the longer chaise section.

Key Takeaways for Enhancing Your Space:

Embrace Multiple Light Sources: A core Scandinavian design theory suggests five light sources in each room. This is crucial in Sweden, where the dramatic seasonal light changes — from endless summer days to dark winters — necessitate varied illumination to keep spirits bright and spaces functional.
Add Metallic “Jewelry”: Christina emphasizes that metal elements are “very essential” to a space, acting as the “jewelry of the home”. These small touches elevate the overall aesthetic.
Ingenious Solutions for Small Spaces
Christina’s home is a treasure trove of practical, ultra-specific ideas for small apartment dwellers:

Flexible Storage for Clutter Control:In the entrance, a small green storage unit from Hem is designed to hold everyday items like sunglasses, keys, and gloves. Its unique ability to turn around easily allows you to instantly hide clutter when desired.
Similar turnable units serve as bedside tables in the bedroom, offering discreet storage for personal items.
Multi-Functional Zones:A vintage magazine rack, originally designed for an office desk, is ingeniously hung by the door to store apartment magazines, showcasing a creative reinterpretation of an object’s purpose.
The apartment features a dedicated corner for musical instruments, chosen because there’s “something soothing about the presence of instruments in a home”.
The small office desk in the bedroom serves dual purposes: Christina uses it for makeup in the mornings, and it functions as the apartment’s only private “nook” for taking work calls without disturbing the other person.
Concealed Utility: A small room off the bedroom is currently used as a walk-in closet, cleverly hiding clothes and household necessities like the vacuum cleaner and ironing board. Christina notes that being able to close the door and keep everything out of sight is a “real blessing” that supports her desire to live tidily.
Kitchen as an Art Gallery: Contrary to common practice, Christina champions displaying art in the kitchen, reasoning that “you spend so much time in there”. Her kitchen features Enzar Lamela’s “big red apple” art, perfectly sized for the space above the counter.The kitchen itself boasts a gorgeous custom green color and ultra-durable, practical, and hygienic stainless steel countertops that age beautifully. Even the replacement of original knobs with small shiny ones adds an “extra glitz” to the room, sourced from her favorite local hardware store, Big Faison.
While a large storage unit for the fridge, utensils, and pantry items was custom-built by the previous owner and is highly practical, Christina is already envisioning a more modern replacement for the future, showing a continuous evolution in her design vision.
The Scandinavian Soul
Christina’s apartment is a vibrant example of how modern Scandinavian living transcends traditional minimalism. She believes that classic Scandinavian minimalism originated from the available materials and, perhaps more importantly, the extreme seasons. The long winter months in Sweden underscore the immense importance of coziness and surrounding oneself with beautiful things. This philosophy is beautifully embodied in her home, from the large rice paper lamp in the bedroom that provides a “nice even glow”, to the vintage Ikea bed designed by K Hogberry in 1982, found affordably on eBay.

Even the small bathroom, a feature Christina notes is “quite rare in smaller Stockholm apartments,” includes a washing machine, top storage, and a vintage mirror above the sink, proving that even the tiniest spaces can be fully functional and stylish.

Christina’s ultimate advice for small spaces is straightforward yet profound: “keep only what you really need”. She encourages evaluating items for their “most just spot” and making space for “non-functional items that just give you the good feeling and add personality to your home”. Her apartment is a living testament to this philosophy, creating a home that is as beautiful and personal as it is practical and organized.