Having grown up on in New England, I kind of take our unique style for granted. I love it, but am always a little surprised to see it replicated in other countries much like we would replicate French provincial, or Tuscan (lordy, not Tuscan!), or English countryside. I recently did a post on a British property that was being marketed as being in the New England style, even though they were smack dab in the middle of the country with nary a sand dune to be found anywhere.
I just came across this amazing property in Båstad, Sweden which is marketing itself as "The Dream of New England".
Båstad, Sweden is in an inlet which connects the North Sea (see A above) and the Baltic Sea that is shared with Denmark and Norway and is very much a beach town. Marketed as one of the most beautiful homes in the area, the write up says "It’s a New England house of a quality rarely encountered. This creation, with its special building style with horizontal wood panelling, window shutters, slate roof, traditional tumbled limestone floor, and more, is the only one of its kind in the neighbourhood. The house measures 180 m2 and offers plenty of space for entertaining and socializing. The garden is completely private, and you can enjoy a dip in the beautiful mosaic-decorated pool. In a matter of seconds, you’ll feel transported from the Swedish West Coast to the other side of the Atlantic. It’s a fantastic feeling that few are privileged to experience. In addition, you have a sandy beach and great bathing right around the corner. It’s just like being in the Hamptons."
Yup, just a hop, skip and a jump across the pond! Well, let's see how they did:
This kitchen is gorgeous and it's American sized appliances are a nice feature. The general lack of upper cabinets feels much more Scandinavian than the typical American kitchen, but for a beach house, it's perfectly casual and open.
I spy with my little eye a Coca-Cola bottle opener on the side of the kitchen cabinets. Though not particularly New England, it's a cute touch of Americana.
Overall, the feel is a little on the cold side with the stone floors and no rugs, stone fireplace and nearly all white walls and cabinetry. The wood beams warm things up a bit. I think if they were really going for a New England look, the Union Jack pillow seems a little out of place, but the colors are snappy.
This long hall above could really use some nice stripped flat weave rugs, no? Feel a little too chilly, which is funny since it's got to be colder in Sweden than it is here in New England right now.
Architecturally, the columns are too thin and the window shutters are not at all New England style. Our shingle/clapboard houses often forgo shutters entirely for a clean look.
For example, this house below, located in Montauk in the Hamptons, features the same gabled roof line and white clapboards as the Swedish house, but has more traditional New England features such as mullioned windows, shutterless windows and more substantial columns. See the entire listing
here.
But, back in Sweden:
Love the weathered Adirondak chairs and natural wood diving board.
All in all, though, this house is surely a winner and I'd move in in a heart beat! You can read more about it on the
Skeppscholmen/Sotheby's website listing here.
If you would like my New England eye on your design project, I would love to chat with you! Please
email me. Thanks!
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