The generous log house seems to have stood in the exclusive Norwegian ski resort of Geilo for a hundred years – but it is actually newly built. Geilo is a Norwegian ski resort between Oslo and Bergen. The theme has been Norwegian tradition, and Mari Vattekar Markman designed site-built furniture, carpentry and fireplaces with inspiration from other older houses in the area. The materials are mostly from Norway: slow-growing pine for the walls, slate for fireplaces and floors, and grass for the roof – a requirement from the municipality for the house to blend into the surroundings in the old way. Hand-picked antiques and folk colors together with exquisite textiles and solid materials create a modern mountain cabin in luxury attire. Photography : Anne Nyblaeus See also :https://house-diaries.com/a-luxury-mountain-chalet-in-st-moritz/

Accessible only by an un-made track, this little building provides guest accommodation for an historic water mill in the Languedoc region of the South of France. The entire building was designed by Blee Halligan Architects to be transported to site in a single trip from London, in a luton transit van. The building sought to retain the beauty of the crumbling stone ruin by placing a separate insulated timber structure within it. It was built entirely from Douglas Fir, with an Iroko structure, which was easily adaptable once on site to suit the idiosyncrasies of the ruin’s stone walls. Internally, a bedroom is heated with a woodburning stove, located in an old doorway, which also heats the water to an en-suite bathroom. The building is insulated with sheep wool and benefits from an array of photovoltaic panels. It is an entirely off-grid structure, that sits quietly in the wilderness (…

At the home of stylist Adriana van den Berg and her husband Daan, in Windesheim, the Netherlands, everything is ready for the arrival of Christmas. Wood and black brushstrokes, together with the diversity of textures, energize the decoration of the living room. The retro aesthetic fireplace reflects the style of the 1930s building, as desired by the owners. The windows complete the Christmas scene in the living room with maxi deco details and minimal trees. The width of the hall allows you to place a larger Christmas tree and decorate it with ornaments but without excess. The black woodwork and checkerboard flooring in the kitchen add a stately and vintage air to this family home. With details in white, black and gold, Adriana and her family’s house is already living in Christmas mode. Photography : Muk van lil See also :https://house-diaries.com/festive-natural-christmas-in-a-white-house-in-texasusa/

In a beautiful property in an attractive location on the border between Vasastan and Birkastan, there is this lovely attic of 57 sqm. The attic is in top condition throughout with an incomparable combination of tasteful choices and character and all the attic attributes you could wish for, such as wooden beams, masonry, herringbone parquet, high ceilings, sloping ceilings and deep window arches. This is an attic for the discerning, and you just have to move in and enjoy! See also: https://house-diaries.com/a-spectacular-apartment-in-black-and-white-in-goteborg/

Light loops on the fence, an old sledge ready for Santa’s chores and oat shards for the birds are all gossiping about the holiday that awaits. The snow is white against the faluröda house in the countryside in Vägersta outside Örnsköldsvik, Sweden. Inside the punch porch, we are greeted by warm and dark tones of red, green and gray. Candles are lit everywhere, old nativity scenes, large oriental rugs in warm tones and rich colors on both furniture and textiles. But despite the fact that the home mostly consists of antiques and heirlooms in mixed styles, it feels very harmonious. Photography : Elin Nerpin See also :https://house-diaries.com/traditional-christmas-in-blue-in-an-old-english-house/

Set in the leafy suburb of Elwood and one of two townhouses on an expansive site, the strong architectural design forms of the Elwood Residence by Adele Bates, create an impactful connection to the large, light-filled internal spaces.The articulation of forms and planes, dominated by the archetypal gable profile of the upper floor creates a strong architectural presence softened by a curated palette and considered landscaping. A bold architectural palette of grounded dark tones, textural brickwork and render, offset by generous glazing hints at the internal character of the home. The interior design of the Elwood Residence is intended to create a secluded sanctuary, imbued with calm and timeless elegance. Tactile marble, softly textured tiles, dark timber and gun-metal fittings complement the elegantly simple joinery forms to create a calm and peaceful escape away from the hustle and bustle of daily life. (Published with Bowerbird). Photography : Dave Kulesza, Styling…

Beautifully patterned wallpaper and color in warm shades have given this old wooden house a completely new and cozy atmosphere. The Isaksson family’s Småland dream home has everything you could wish for in charm – including a tower that points briskly towards the sky. Tornhuset, or Charlottenlund as it is actually called, was built by builder Johan Andersson and was completed in 1901. The name was probably named after its first owner Anna Charlotte Hagelberg. It sits high on a hill with a nice view of the village and the 250 square meters houses seven rooms and a kitchen – which Lina and David have renovated with beautiful wallpaper and color in warm tones. The interior is a personal mix of old and new. They have been careful with all the materials they have chosen, so that they harmonize with the style of the house. Both Lina and David are fond of older…

Former fashion director, writer and shopkeeper Amanda Brooks has had not one but two very successful careers, spanning the worlds of fashion and interior design. A sabbatical year spent in the English countryside in 2012 at Fairgreen Farm, her husband, artist Christopher Brooks’  family home, became a permanent relocation. Away from the hustle and bustle of New York City, the appeal of a different, simpler lifestyle was hard to resist. Rather than altering the layers of time and personality of a house that’s been in her husband’s family for generations, she’s preserved all that and made it personal. She kept most of the interiors intact and brought in her own unique brand of American comfort, intuitive sense of pattern and appreciation of color.  She documented life on Fairgreen Farm throughout the seasons in a third book, Farm From Home, which is sadly out of print and available only digitally here. The publication of her…