From Mother to Son

‘Is it fourth or fifth? I think you usually say it’s five... Yes, I’m fifth. You are the fifth generation… And it’s your mum’s original family cottage.’ After a bit of back and forth between graphic designer Gustaf From and his partner, artist Evelina Kroon, it’s established that Gustaf is the fifth generation to inhabit the secluded little red cottage, hidden away north-west of Stockholm. 

The cottage was originally located deeper in the forest, but one winter it was dismantled log by log, moved and rebuilt in the current location. ‘We know this because every log was numbered. When you’re in the attic, you can see old numbers. Then it came together like a big Lego house,’ says Gustaf. The reason for the move is unknown, but a qualified guess is that the new setting came with better work opportunities and more abundant land.

Traditionally, these timbered houses were built with pine from the vicinity. The underside of each log was cut out so that they fit together in an interlocking structure, avoiding drafts. Some time during the 16th century, the nearby Falun copper mine began to sell its residual product as a pigment, and it became a relatively cheap way for cottage owners to imitate the look of sought-after brick houses.

There are traces of all decades in the cottage’s furniture – at one point, they were all painted white, but soon they will be returned, piece by piece, to their original blue colour. The wood stove and oven has recently been fully restored – ‘Mum even baked in it,’ remembers Gustaf, ‘so it’s functional in every way’

The cottage has housed a lot of people over the years – and even more memories. During World War II, the army forcibly took it over to lodge soldiers, which resulted in extensive wear and tear, ruining floorboards and fireplaces. Over time, these breakages were mended by subsequent inhabitants.

Above all, the cottage has always been a place for the multi-generational family to come together. Gustaf remembers summers here as a child with grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins, sometimes up to 15 people staying in the cottage at the same time. While the larger family only spent a few weeks together, Gustaf stayed for the entire summer with his mother, who was a teacher and had a long summer break. ‘As an only child, I was looking for peers to play with. I made lots of friends along the way. One of my oldest friends I still have contact with today,’ he says. Here they would enjoy the freedom of no close neighbours, running and cycling everywhere they could. ‘It was a different kind of freedom,’ Gustaf recalls with a smile.

The kitchen has always been the core of the house, and it remains so to this day. In fact, it’s one of two dear spots – the other being the front steps, where one can catch Gustaf enjoying his morning coffee, cleaning foraged chanterelle mushrooms or washing up dishes, all done in peace and quiet. ‘No neighbours, no one can see. It’s quite luxurious,’ he says.

The birch alley leading up to the house was landscaped, and has since been meticulously looked after by Gustaf’s father. ‘The birch trees are as old as me: I helped plant them,’ he says

Textiles collected over generations. The red tablecloth on top is a Christmas collaboration with Svenskt Tenn, ‘which I think works great all year round’, reckons Evelina

Converting the attic will be a priority in the renovations to come. For now, though, Gustaf’s mum has snuck an assemblage of various bits and bobs in one corner

The little wooden knob the work of Gustaf’s father, who made a lot of things over the years. Now he’s made his son his protégé, teaching him how to make things around the house

The textiles are a rich mix of past and present – many have been here for generations. The doll on the bed, though, was a more recent gift from Madame Tricot, an artist who crochets dolls of fashion icons

The house is currently in the process of changing hands: being gently passed down to Gustaf and Evelina from the former’s parents. While there will be some modernisation of the interiors to make the living more practical for a young family of four, the main idea is to preserve and restore original features using traditional methods and materials. ‘We’re trying to take into account what has come before us, and respectfully add things that are functional,’ explains Gustaf.

The renovations, equally, will be a slow project, with the couple conserving and restoring the cottage over time, honouring its generational heritage. Luckily, there are plenty of photographs to help them in their task, and where the photographs aren’t of much use (most, of course, are in black and white) they’ll have to patiently strip down the layers of paint in the cottage and discover the colours that lie hidden underneath.

The blanket laid out in one bedroom is a new design made in a collaboration with Layered, due to be launched later this year

The Falu red paint originates from the copper mine, has become a common sight among the wooden cottages of Sweden

Gustaf’s mother is a keen gardener and her work is still very much in evidence – not least in these Gladioli in bloom

Another visible sign of this layered heritage is the wealth of textiles left in the cottage, as gifts by women for future generations. Everywhere there is a call from the past in the form of some patchwork quilt, cushion cover or tablecloth. For Evelina this has been a way to get closer to Gustaf’s family – especially the women. ‘I just want to say what an asset and treasure [the textiles are] for me. Throughout my artistic practice, I get a lot of inspiration from traditional women’s crafts… what is passed over, what women do. I have tried to implement it, that’s what I do, but I work almost exclusively in hard materials. It’s just a very inspiring place for me creatively.’

For Evelina, the plan is now to master the art of weaving and carry on the tradition, mixing in strands from her own heritage and family background. ‘It would be respectful of me to try to understand how to do it for real. I cheat a lot,’ she admits. ‘I don’t make a rag rug that will last for hundreds of years on a floor. I’ll check it out… I think I’ll start by weaving towels…’

For Gustaf – the self-proclaimed ‘practical one’ in the relationship – a dream would be to make the upstairs more habitable. ‘To be able to have guests, have more space to move around,’ he explains. ‘There’s a huge amount of space up there.’