A new book takes you inside the inspiring homes of Nordic artists and designers
The collaborative work of Anna-Kaisa Huusko and Niclas Mäkelä is a tribute to 20th-century Nordic design, art, and architecture.
THE BOOK Nordic Atelier Homes opens the doors to some of the most remarkable artist homes across Finland and the other Nordic countries. Readers are invited to step inside the homes, summer villas, and studios of celebrated names such as Finn Juhl, Karin Widnäs, Bruno Mathsson, and Gunnar Asplund. These inspiring spaces are far more than mere places to live.
Written by journalist and non-fiction author Anna-Kaisa Huusko and photographer Niclas Mäkelä – both contributors to Design Stories – the book also features Tove Jansson’s studio in Helsinki, first introduced on Design Stories. We spoke with Anna-Kaisa to learn which homes left the deepest impression on the authors.
The book features, among others, an atelier filled with hundreds of chairs, a pioneering example of ecological building, and the birthplace of the beloved Moomin stories.
Where did the idea of capturing artist homes and studios in a book originally come from?
“The first photo shoots of artist homes were actually done for magazine stories over four years ago, during the COVID-19 pandemic, when traveling abroad from Finland wasn’t possible. At the time, I wanted to share inspiring domestic destinations with readers, places they could visit despite the travel restrictions. It felt like we all needed something uplifting and experiential amid the gloom of the pandemic, and I thought artist homes offered just that.
After we had done a few of those stories, we became more and more fascinated by the subject and started putting together a book. Our first book on artist homes, Iconic Atelier, came together gradually over a couple of years.
Once it was finished, we felt there was still so much more to explore. We thought it would be interesting to visit artist homes across the Nordic countries. A broader perspective would bring a new dimension to the topic. The Nordic countries share many similarities in terms of living, interiors, and culture, but each also has its own distinctive character.”
What makes artist homes so intriguing?
“Artist homes are often imaginative and unique in their architecture, layout, and interiors, as they combine living and working spaces in an exceptional way. The fact that a home might include a studio, workshop, or design office completely changes its nature and results in unexpected spatial solutions.
They also offer a very human glimpse into the everyday lives of creative people. For designers and artists, their homes have been places of self-expression and experimentation. They are spaces where they could test new ideas without limitations. These homes are far from ordinary.”
The summer retreat designed by architect Per Friberg in the early 1960s in Sweden made a particularly strong impression on the authors.
In Carl Eldh’s studio in Stockholm, hundreds of sculptures take center stage.
How did you choose the homes featured in the book?
“We wanted to include homes that each have a distinctive character and together form a varied and balanced whole. There are both well-known, iconic places and some that are a little more unexpected. We made all the selections together, and many of the homes are ones we had personally long wanted to visit.
I believe that the diversity of the collection will inspire readers to think about how they might design their own homes, especially if they let go of fixed ideas about what a home should be.
“The book also includes summer homes, which are an essential part of life in the Nordic countries.”
The best-known artist homes tend to be those of the so-called ‘artistic geniuses’ and ‘national heroes’ from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. They are wonderful and well worth visiting, of course, but I think that in the 2020s, we should also reflect on which artist homes and architectural examples from the modern 20th century are worth preserving for future generations, and what made living during that era so interesting and appealing. That’s why this book focuses on artist homes from the 20th century.”
Karin Widnäs’s home in Fiskars is a fine example of a modern Finnish artist’s residence.
Bruno Mathsson’s home in Sweden is a total work of art, where the furniture complements the architecture.
Which of the homes featured in the book made a particular impression on you—and why?
Anna-Kaisa Huusko: “One of my favorites was the summer house that architect Per Friberg designed for himself in the early 1960s in Ljungskogen, Sweden. We were fortunate to visit it both during the day and at sunset. Its raw simplicity and closeness to nature truly resonated with me. But the day we spent at Finn Juhl’s house near Copenhagen also stands out vividly in my memory, as does Karin Widnäs’s home in Fiskars. I first saw it back in 1998, when I was living in the village. At that time, her decade-long building project had only just begun, and parts of the house were still covered with tarps. The finished home is magnificent. I really admire Karin’s perseverance in realizing her vision piece by piece.”
Niclas Mäkelä: “Friberg’s summer retreat left a strong impression on me as well. Another particularly memorable location was Bruno Mathsson’s house near Värnamo in southern Sweden. It’s a carefully considered whole, where the ascetic spaces and the furniture designed by the resident form a beautiful, unified composition. The place has been preserved in its original, authentic state, and there was an exceptionally calm and peaceful atmosphere.”
A day spent at Finn Juhl’s house near Copenhagen remains a vivid memory for Anna-Kaisa Huusko. Today, the house is part of the Ordrupgaard Art Museum and open to visitors.
The book’s cover features Per Friberg’s summer retreat nestled on the edge of a pine forest. Published in English by Cozy Publishing.
Can we expect a continuation of the book series?
“We’ll definitely keep making books, but we’ll have to see, in time, which subject we’ll take on next — there are plenty of ideas in the works. There are still many fascinating artist homes waiting to be photographed, both in the Nordic countries and elsewhere in Europe. Who knows, maybe one day we’ll make a book about those, too.
We’ve truly enjoyed creating these two books. It’s been a privilege to visit such unique places, and we hope that the same sense of wonder and inspiration comes through on the pages.”
See also:
• Nordic Atelier Homes book >
• More book by Cozy Publishing >
Published on 16 Oct, 2025
