The serene summer house has a beautiful palette inspired by shades of the sky and the sea.
In the Swedish archipelago, designer Marshall Watson let the landscape guide his palette. The result is a serene summer house that's the essence of Scandinavian style.
The exterior of the house is painted in traditional Falun red.
A 17th-century table anchors the entry of the main house, and its color is echoed in the custom Shyam Ahuja rug. Curtains in Robert Allen's Fresh Flowers are embroidered with wild strawberries, "my homage to Ingmar Bergman," says designer Marshall Watson. The walls are painted in a matte finish, but the ceiling is high gloss, to bounce more light into the room.
In the spacious living room, antique Gustavian chairs mix with new pieces like the custom sofa, in Pindler's Trent, and a pair of custom easy chairs in Schumacher's Seneca. Curtains in Clarke & Clarke's Cowslip with Kravet's Piano Band trim. Shades in Pindler's Calverton.
Traditional Falun red paint also adds warmth and vibrancy to one living room wall. The ottoman and Gustavian chair are upholstered in Schumacher's Claremont.
In the dining room, a custom-made table is surrounded by Swedish Rococo chairs from Napoleon Inredningar covered in an S. Harris fabric. A banquette, upholstered in Pierre Frey fabric, runs the length of the large window and offers a cozy spot to read. Curtains in Quassia by Fabricut. Humphrey, an English bulldog, relaxes on the rug, designed by Watson to mimic the pattern of a traditional Swedish sweater and custom made by Shyam Ahuja.
A vintage tureen in red and cream picks up the colors that run through the house. It's displayed in the dining room on an antique Swedish country cabinet, found at Antiqvm.
In the master bedroom, the steeply pitched roof became even more dramatic with the addition of panels upholstered in Pindler's Alessia. The vintage bench is covered in a Duralee fabric.
A simple Swedish desk was placed by a window with a view of the Baltic Sea. The Gustavian side chair is upholstered in a Schumacher check. Curtains in a Duralee fabric. Custom rug from Shyam Ahuja. Watson had cupboards built into the wall to hold clothing.
The palette shifts to blues and grays in the guesthouse.
A gaslit Swedish Art Nouveau chandelier hangs above a German Rococo table in the stair hall. The antique Mora clock from Napoleon Inredningar is painted in a beautiful Swedish blue — a deeper iteration of the blue on the walls. Bedroom curtains in Chelsea Edition's Large Check.
The staircase was totally rebuilt in a style adapted from other cottages in the area, with cutout railings — the typical country interpretation of more elaborate carved and turned balusters.
This antique settee is the Swedish farmhouse version of a convertible sofa — the bottom section pulls out to turn it into a bed. The seat cushions are upholstered in a Rogers & Goffigon fabric. Sconce by Vaughan. Rug by Beauvais Carpets.
The sitting room is furnished with a fine, mid-18th-century Swedish Rococo sofa, upholstered in a Rogers & Goffigon fabric, and a Danish tea table and chest. Table skirt in Jasper's Ondine. Curtains in a Schumacher fabric. Rug by Beauvais Carpets.
In the breakfast area of the kitchen, everyday dishes are stored on a traditional plate rack. Vintage table and chairs from Antiqvm.
New York designer Marshall Watson studied the local architecture carefully before reimagining the guesthouse. Read more about the inspiration for this home here. For more details, see resources.
This story originally appeared in the March 2016 issue of House Beautiful
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