Building your own house is a dream for many, and for Pontus Andersson and his partner Johanna, it became a reality. Their journey from a simple idea to a fully-fledged architectural masterpiece, Villa Glanbäcken, is filled with passion, creativity, and hard work. Here, you'll gain insight into how Villa Glanbäcken came to be, the challenges they faced, and why this unique home inspires others to follow in their footsteps.

From Dream to Reality

It all began with a walk in the woods outside Skärblacka, when Pontus and Johanna passed an empty plot with a view of Lake Glan. "You could build a house here," they said to each other, and the idea soon became reality.

The initial plan was to wait a few years before building our permanent home. In the meantime, we decided to construct a smaller guest house ourselves where we could live while studying and planning for the future," says Pontus. The idea was to later build a larger house next to it.

"Five years later, we were still in the guest house, but it neither met our expectations nor did justice to the plot. Instead of building an entirely new house, we decided to hire an architect and combine the existing guest house with a new extension."

They hired architect Marko Koistinen to design the new house. The old building received a facelift with new cladding, windows, and a new roof, so it would blend with the new part. The aim was to make it look as if this had been the plan all along.

Design & Architecture

The building's simple, monolithic form houses a dynamic and well-planned interior, with an airy living room, a generous kitchen, and a master suite upstairs with beautiful lake views.

The façade is clad in raw spruce panels, while the roof consists of raw pine panels, and the details are highlighted with zinc and large wooden windows. The interior features subdued grey tones and natural colours, combined with light wooden details in oak, spruce, and pine. These material choices connect the house to its forested surroundings and create a sense of timeless elegance and harmony.

"Our interior style is quite minimalist, with a base of light, earthy colours and natural materials. Wood elements run as a common thread throughout the house. The colour palette comes instead from plants and the surrounding nature. Thanks to the large windows, where the forest extends outside, the colours change naturally with the seasons. In summer, the rooms are filled with green shades, while autumn brings hints of red and yellow. We simply let nature provide the decor," says Pontus.

Choice of Interior Doors

In the villa, they opted for smooth painted doors along with the concealed frame, K03, to achieve a sleek and minimalist look. The doors, made of solid wood, not only contribute to the interior's aesthetics but also offer excellent sound insulation.

Pontus explains their choice: "We were looking for solid doors for sound insulation but also something that was frame- & architrave-free as we wanted a minimalist look. Our architect suggested Njord to us, and it was exactly what we wanted. They are heavy and solid doors, and you can tell it's quality. It's also a plus that we could have handles and toilet locks with mini rosettes, incredibly stylish.”

The Build – A Team Effort

Pontus and Johanna took on the ambitious task of building most of the house themselves. With help from friends and family, they spent countless evenings and weekends on the build. Despite neither of them being professional carpenters, they managed to erect the house with the help of Johanna’s father-in-law and a friend who is a carpenter.

The original plan was to step in towards the end to fit panels, install doors, kitchens, and the like. However, rising material costs and delivery delays hit the budget hard, forcing Pontus and Johanna to start earlier than planned and do most of it themselves. Johanna’s dad continued to help but more during evenings and weekends.

“The build has gone smoothly, I must say, we had very few construction errors/problems. I believe this is because I have been deeply involved in this project - at every stage."

They emphasise that without the support of family and friends, they would never have completed the house.

“We did it without a building company, but we certainly didn't do it alone!"

If I were to advise others building a house, it would be to be involved yourself, even if you have a builder and aren't constructing it yourself. Spend a lot of time learning and reading up. Everything from the drawing to the finished house. Don't blindly trust contractors and be on-site during the build!” concludes Pontus.

Products: Plain | Door Frame k03
Home: Villa Glanbäcken | @villaglan
Architect: Marko Koistinen Arkitekter | @k_arkitektur