The Overby House in Stockhom, Sweden, was designed by John Robert Nilsson as a summer retreat for his clients. The local of the site meant John needed to work within rigorous requirements in the overall design and execution of the home, and none of these limitations shows in the spectacular final result. Choosing to compose the volume with clean forms and simple lines while at the same time incorporating Technology-intensive features, the final result is one of luxe living that blurs the lines between the interior and exterior zones. The floor to ceiling walls of glass face the sea for spectacular archipelago views while the reverse of the home is closed and private within a façade of plaster. A stone block just outside the walls of glass supports not only an infinity pool but also this amazing conversation pit complete with a fire table. What an awesome way to warm up after a midnight swim!
the infinity pool is long and narrow allowing for as much space as possible to the stone block deck, while at the same time offering enough length to swim standard laps. The pool is set on the outer edge of the stone block, which in turn – along with the house itself – is perched atop a rocky headland in the wilds of the Stockhom archipelago.
Just inside the glazed wall is the kitchen, dining, and living spaces, all taking full advantage of the panoramic views. Wrapped in soft white walls and pale Gotland limestone floor slabs, the furnishings are a combination of white upholstery and pale silvery white ash wood, the home is void of colour with the exception of the brilliant blues and greens from the landscape beyond. Even the window mulleins are white powder coated steel.
The wrap around windows offer magnificent views and with the home void of colour, nature bathes the it in blues and greens by day and an ever changing array of reds, lavenders and pins at sunset.
As the sun goes down, what better place to enjoy the views, then from this dock side firepit
For those extra calm evenings – or days – a boat ride might be in order, and access to the boat is one more flight of stairs down from the firepit. When friends drop by, there is plenty of room to tie up on the other side of the dock, and with 4 tie offs on either side, friends can even secure their boats on the end of the dock if need be.
It’s a long way up from the so it’s a good thing the stair design consists of short flights that are each attached with a landing deck. The added bonus of this design is the ability of the decks to offer a change of direction with the next flight of steps.
As with the home itself, the design of the stairs is kept simple. Risers are bullnosed and run just past the top of each tread. The rocky landscape offers the support for each prebuilt stair section, and the 7+ decks join each of the flights together. Two planks makes each tread and one plank makes each riser. The design is one of function rather then frivolity as even here, nature is the star of the show.
While the public interior and exterior zones of the home showcase the restrained design aesthetic of the architects, it is in the ensuite that the genius of John Robert Nilsson Arkitektkontor really stands out. A symmetrical layout of simple elegance, Limestone floors are combined with a limestone tub surround and wall mounted oversized lime trough sink. A frameless mirror is mounted just above unassuming wall mounted faucets and a frameless glass walk in shower is dressed with one simple waterfall bench. 1 pot light is carefully placed over each of the 4 zones. Nothing decorative is added nothing decorative is needed.
The entry to the home is on a closed and private wall of dense plaster. The only opening within the wall is the floor to ceiling pivot door. The door has a latticed surface to allow light to enter what would otherwise be a dark void at the end of a hall. While the home is clad in white and silvery ash, the exterior is dark with a matte-black plaster finish and black powder coated steel. The featured stairs that lead down to the bay and docking pier are conceptual at this point but will be implemented in phase two of this magnificent summer home.
John Robert Nilsson Arkitektkontor
Photography by Ake Eson Lindman
