- Interior
The work of interior designer Louise Liljencrantz is known for its elegance and luxury where form and expression balance each other out perfectly. Today we are highlighting one of her residential projects in Stockholm. We were immediately impressed by the designer's ability to make the warmth of wood sing with lighter colours.
Located in Stockholm's lively Östermalm neighbourhood, the residence is 250 square metres. For the family of three that bought the apartment in a dilapidated state, a large-scale renovation was no superfluous luxury. The building dates back to 1905, so it had already experienced several turmoils. Although the original layout included five bedrooms, at the client's request Liljencrantz designed three bedrooms, each with its own bathroom and dressing room. Furthermore, the bedrooms are all situated in a corner of the house, so that the residents have sufficient privacy when they want to withdraw from the communal areas. When entering the hall, you can easily walk through to a lounge that is connected to the dining room and kitchen. The living room on the top floor opens onto a terrace with an open-air kitchen. Liljencrantz's detailed approach means that in the early stages of a project, she presents her clients with a complete concept that clearly defines the aesthetic direction and style. In this way, she ensures a comfortable dynamic between designer and client where the shared vision is clearly established. 
At the forefront of this project was the importance of creating an open and free space in the communal living area. This was achieved by installing the kitchen in the largest room and then creating more of a dining room feel there. The space between the hall and the dining room was transformed into a living area with a library and a breakfast corner. This lounge area is an important link in the floor plan, because a staircase made of black steel leads from here to the upper floor. Next to it is a library table that rests on a custom-made rug by Knut Mattor. The warmth of the mahogany wood is what immediately catches the eye on the ground floor. This material served as the basis for the rest of the interior; from here, a mix of similar warm elements and cooler tones such as greyish blue was developed. The designer also alternated between straight and curved lines and shapes. Certain pieces of furniture also have a close connection with Liljencrantz; for example the sideboard in the dining room is from her own brand, Veer Makers. Finally, the ground floor also contains a guest room, which is cosy and inviting through the incorporation of copper tones. 
Starting from mahogany, a mix of similar warm elements and cooler tones, such as greyish blue, was developed.
As rich and warm as the ground floor feels, that is how light and airy is the atmosphere on the upper floor is. This includes an extensive attic space that has been converted into a living area. Although Liljencrantz does not normally mix different types of wood, in this case she decided to preserve the character of the attic and to use a lighter colour palette with warm white and beige tones. The furniture here – in contrast to downstairs – is made of oak. Together, this creates an airy space where natural daylight and colours are given free rein. This feeling of light also prevails in the master bedroom, which is also Liljencrantz's favourite room. Here, too, she showed off her own work, this time in the form of a table lamp and small side table. The artworks here also catch our eye, for example, you fall asleep under an oil painting by Birgit Broms and look out on ceramics by Kirsi Kivivirta.
This apartment invariably confirms that Liljencrantz has mastered her craft to perfection. She gave this apartment the rich warmth of mahogany downstairs and let it gently evaporate into light-coloured oak upstairs. Here in Stockholm, wood is central, along with the importance of balancing privacy and togetherness. And when your designer finally adds her own furniture and decorations to your interior, we're all jealous.
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Photography by Kristofer Johnsson