Johanna and Fredrik’s Villa Bergö on the Åland Islands was carefully designed to stand the test of time. A home by the sea combines practicality, beautiful wood and terrazzo surfaces with Nordic designer furniture. Explore this fabulous home with Design Stories!
Residents:
Johanna Fazer Lundberg, housewife, Fredrik Lundberg, engineer, with their children Leon and Elvin, and Silla, a cocker spaniel. The house is in Järsö in Lemland, Åland. There is 270 m2 of floor space, plus a guesthouse and a sauna by the shore. The plot is 2 hectares in area, with 85 meters of shoreline.
BEHIND THE HOUSE is the forest, in front is the sea. The residents, Johanna Fazer and Fredrik Lundberg and their children Leon and Elvin, enjoy life in Villa Bergö, which was designed over a long period according to the couple’s own vision. They found the southern Åland plot four years ago, but the house plan has been refined over the past six years.
And it shows – nothing has been left to chance. The division of roles was clear from the start. Fredrik’s strengths are technology and 3D perception, whereas Johanna shines when it comes to color, form and creating a feeling. When these strengths combine, the result is simply stunning.
The inspiration for the exterior and interior of the house came from Johanna’s family’s summer cottage in the Turku archipelago, built in the 1980s. It has inspired a certain elegance and asceticism.
The couple got help in realizing their dream house from interior architect Heidi Eklund.
“The goal was to build the perfect house,” says Fredrik. “We hope that in twenty years’ time we will still be happy with our choices.”
In the minimalist bathroom, one finds tranquility upon seeing the forest landscape through the window.
Villa Bergö is divided into two parts, a social and a private part. In the social part, there is an open-plan kitchen with dining tables and a living room with direct access to the terrace. It overlooks the sea.
In the private part of the house are the bedrooms, bathrooms, and a laundry room. The corridors are so wide that they’re like rooms in themselves. Indeed, the end of the corridor has been christened the “yoga room”. The corridor also accommodates a children’s craft area.
THE HOUSE AND its surrounds are designed to stand the test of time. For example, aluminum frames were chosen for the windows, as they do not require maintenance. The same is true for the terrazzo material used in the entrances, kitchen and bathrooms. As there are no seams, the material is durable and easy to keep clean.
Tactility – how the materials feel against the skin – was an important consideration when building the house. And you can really tell when you walk barefoot inside and outside the house.
Special attention has been given to how the materials feel in the house.
The choices of materials were made with painstaking care, and the color scheme is soft. The only exception to this coloring is the bathroom floor in Johanna and Fredrik’s bedroom. The bathroom was created using a boldly colored terrazzo floor, chosen by Johanna as a starting point. “We call it the caramel floor,” she says, looking very pleased.
The wide floorboards of the house are made of Douglas fir. “A good floor is the foundation of the whole house,” Fredrik notes.
No time or effort were spared. The walls were painted several times with egg oil tempera to achieve just the right shade. The fireplace is open, so when lit it can be enjoyed in both the kitchen and the living room.
The kitchen was designed around Fredrik’s dream stove: the meter-wide Ilve stove is a treat to cook on. They also wanted to have a “clean” kitchen island, without a tap or stove. “We share a passion for food and wine,” says Johanna.
The family can enjoy the open fireplace both in the kitchen and the living room.
Both enjoy spending time with friends around a large dining table. Fredrik also spent his fortieth birthday in the kitchen cooking. “Cooking is a good way to relax. I do all the cooking for the family,” he says.
Johanna’s favorite places in the house are the soft blue bedroom and the living room. The walls are painted with egg oil tempera. The bedroom color is Johanna’s own mix.
A RELAXED LIFESTYLE is an important part of family life, and Villa Bergö is a great place for that cozy hygge feel. Johanna is originally from Helsinki. She moved to Mariehamn in 2003 to study, and met Fredrik through mutual friends.
The family also has an apartment in Helsinki. However, city life has lost its charm. “We go to Helsinki to see family and friends maybe once every two months, and that’s enough.”
A gentler pace of life is one of the great advantages of the Åland Islands. In Villa Bergö, the family lives on the children’s terms, without compromising on style.
“I also have an introverted side, so time and peace are important to me,” says Johanna.
“This house gives you just that much-needed peace,” says Fredrik. “All you need to do is stand on the terrace and look at the horizon, and all the stress of the world drains out of your system. The nearest neighbor lives 750 meters away, but it takes just ten minutes to drive to Mariehamn.”
The family has a sauna right on the shore, which they heat at least once a week. And there is a boat at the pier that can take the family in less than three hours to Johanna’s family’s summer cottage in the archipelago between Kasnäs and Rosala. “So we’re there faster than my brother, who lives in Helsinki,” Johanna laughs.
Shop the style
Strand pendant
K chair
Alma ceiling lamp
Atelier chair
Tense pendant
Albert bench
Cestita table lamp
Distinct coffee table
Text: Sanna Tahvanainen Images: Tiina Tahvanainen
Featured products may not be available worldwide. The story was previously published in Avotakka magazine 4/2023.