'Every room should sing,’ is something I once heard Beata Heuman say in a podcast, and I love that expression because I think the same way! Every room in a home has its soul; even the laundry room,’ says pattern designer Cathy Nordström.
It’s a philosophy that comes to life in Cathy’s new home in Torekov, Sweden, which she and her husband Erik bought a year ago, having previously rented a summer house here for several years. As a child, Cathy and her family spent holidays in the area too, so it’s a place filled with happy memories.
‘We live on Lidingö, and that’s where I have my studio, but we go down to Torekov whenever there’s an opportunity,’ she says. The house, built in 1978, is located on a cul-de-sac filled with similar homes, this one being slightly larger, with an extension at the front that adds a farmhouse feel.
Inside, the new wallpapers and textiles from Cathy’s eponymous brand are used extensively to add colour and pattern. ‘Unlike our home on Lidingö, which is a bit ‘calmer’, I didn’t want any restrictions in my interior design in this house,’ Cathy says. ‘We don’t live here permanently, so I’ve allowed myself to make choices that I might not make at home in Stockholm.’
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Entering through a long hallway, wallpapered in a pretty oak-leaf wallpaper from Cathy’s collection, you make your way to the heart of the home – a large, open-plan room with a fireplace in the middle that becomes a natural divider between the living room and kitchen-dining area. ‘We love the fireplace and we use it in all seasons,’ says Cathy. The entire space is bathed in afternoon light from the window gallery that extends along the short side of the house, casting a warm glow across the ground floor.
Each room here has its own special character, with patterned wallpapers in different shades of blue, green, red, and yellow. Stripes alternate with dots, flowers and leopard print; and on the floors are striped rugs in bright primary colours, also designed by Cathy: ‘Interior design and textiles are my great passions, and for me it’s important to create life and playfulness in our homes with fabrics and colour.’
Colour is dialled down somewhat in the kitchen, however, with its white cabinets painted dove-blue inside, floral blinds at the windows, and wooden worktops for a classic feel. ‘The kitchen was already very nice, so we chose to keep it as it was when we bought it, but added tongue-and-groove panelling along the wall to give it a more rustic character,’ says Cathy.
Alongside is the dining area, where she pairs classic Danish designs with her own fabrics to great effect. Indeed, every room bears the imprint of Cathy’s designs, which together create a warm and inviting family home.
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Guests and children have their own respective rooms upstairs, each bed decorated with a beautiful antique hand-sewn quilt brought back from the USA. The children even have a special ‘lounge’, complete with a cosy bed alcove where they and their friends usually cuddle up in front of the TV, which is hidden in the space. It is curtained off in a blue floral fabric, named after Cathy’s grandmother, Florence.
Another fabric, Barbro, is named for her grandmother on the other side, and inspired by the traditional Provencal fabrics and tablecloths she brought back from her travels to France. Rugs, meanwhile, are named for the Brooklyn streets that Cathy walked during her days in New York. ‘Naming products after people and places I love and admire is a great way to remind myself of the good things in life,’ she says.
Since moving in, thrift-store and auction purchases have gradually filled the house, bringing their own stories into the narrative of this home. ‘I love going to thrift stores, and my goal was to buy as many used pieces as possible for the house, much to my dad’s horror,’ she laughs.
‘I’m very moved when I find furniture or paintings with an inscription behind them that tells a story of previous owners. And the adrenaline rush when you step into a good thrift store is not to be underestimated.’ cathynordstrom.com; @studiocathynordstrom