Elisabeth and Dennis Dunker classify their apartment in Gothenburg, Sweden, as something of a compromise: it’s a rental so “a lot of it isn’t what we would have chosen,” says Elisabeth, who, nonetheless, turned it into a lovely place to hang your hat: see Making a Rental Your Own.
A designer, artist, and photographer, Elisabeth happens to be the originator of Fine Little Day, a Swedish creative studio that produces “objects with actual personality,” such as posters and patterned fabrics: not long ago we spotlighted Fine Little Day’s Combination Showroom and Shop. So when Elisabeth invited us to see the seaside escape she and Dennis recently built for themselves, we eagerly accepted. What would the two want if the choices were all theirs?
Surprisingly, the property they bought came with a derelict house and plans for its replacement—”the builder [Kustbyggarna] who also sold the land had hired Marieke DeGraeve, an architect friend, so he could offer a package solution. We loved the site and Marieke’s drawings right away,” explains Elisabeth. Of course, much personalizing and fine-tuning of the plans followed. Come see.
Photography by Elisabeth Dunker, courtesy of Fine Little Day (@finelittleday).
Lower Level
“The essence of the design lies in bringing these elements together,” DeGraeve continues. “The terrain made it possible to create an engaging split-level configuration resulting in a sequence of spaces that frame the forest and open toward the horizon.” Shown here is the back of the staggered structure, which opens to the kitchen. The house’s entrance upstairs leads to the living area and bedrooms.
Above: “We enjoy simple luxuries, passionate craftsmanship, and effortless aesthetics.” This is Elisabeth’s Fine Little Day philosophy, which she and Dennis applied to their new home. Operating on a tight budget—”we had to build it in stages and switch banks to get financing”—they finished the interior with “honest materials”: pine plywood and radiant-heated, polished concrete floors, resulting in what Elisabeth terms, “a house that does not ask too much.”
Dennis, who is a physician, happens to also be passionate about design: he sketched the kitchen table and benches and their carpenter built them—and all of the cabinetry—on site. The fringed bench cover is a vintage handwoven röllakan runner from a second-hand shop. The red Rey stool is by Hay (and currently on sale at DWR).
Above L: The counter and backsplash were fabricated by a kitchen supplier specializing in stainless steel. The plywood throughout is finished with hardwax oil. Above R: Most of the knives are from Satake, a Japanese heritage brand that Elisabeth discovered on Instagram.
Entry Level
Mezzanine and Attic
Note the free weights: in recent years, Elisabeth, who classifies herself as previously unathletic, has become a fitness powerhouse and inspirational leader: see her doing pull-ups on Instagram @elisabethdunkerr and stay tuned for her book on becoming fit in middle age. “Hormones broke me,” she writes. “Strength put me back together.”
Out Back
More Scandi seaside retreats:
A Coastal Norway Home Built (Almost) Entirely from Dinesen Flooring Scraps
A Design Couple’s Modern Danish Summerhouse for Rent in Liseleje
A 1970s Cabin Makeover on the Danish Riviera
A House of Douglas Fir in a Forest in Denmark
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