One of my favourite interior projects of recent years is Archipelago House - a serene summer house located on an unspoilt Swedish coastline.
Designed by visionaries Norm Architects (we have a range of Norm Architect products here at Sunday) the home has a focus on natural materials, soft, muted colours and clean lines.
This interior is a perfect example of Soft Minimalism - pared back and highly curated, yet warm and welcoming. Minimalist living definitely doesn't have to be austere.
My favourite piece would have to be this coffee table (which I'd use as a low display bench/shelf, positioned behind our sofa - a place to have a candle burning, a stack of design books... yes, I've been day-dreaming about it).
The design of the table is inspired by the shapes and structures you'd find in temples and shrines in Japan. The soft oak base is intentionally spaced and levelled with high precision so the coffee table feels visually light and airy, despite its solid marble top.
(This coffee table is available in NZ through Good Form - if you buy one, let me know, so we can be best friends.)
I also covet these curvy, body-hugging armchairs, the N-CC01 Lounge Chair. These come in pure oak, or smoked oak - yum!
(These are available in NZ at Good Form too, here)
The design of the home is inspired by the marriage of two visual languages - Scandinavian and Japanese design. A hallmark of both Japanese and Scandinavian design is the focus on creating spaces that are timeless - both in aesthetic and craftsmanship.
The palette of the interior has been kept to colours and materials that reflect the coastal setting outside.
Another beautiful example of aesthetic balance here - concrete floors (weighty and cool), bathed in sunlight and layered with warmth and softness - oak furniture, soft linen curtains...
See more of Archipelago House here, or go here to see some of the other incredible spaces designed in the Karimoku Case Studies series.
To see more of Norm Architects' world-leading work, head here.
“We believe that we, as architects and designers, are responsible for composing the settings and framework for a good life.” - Norm Architects
