How this Swedish model turned an abandoned Tokyo flat into a Scandi-inspired sanctuary

Growing up in suburban Stockholm, 30-year-old model Anton Wormann recalls being surrounded by DIY and renovation from a young age. “My parents bought this run-down house in Älvsjö and did most of the renovation themselves,” he says. “Me and my sisters would build forts and treehouses with the leftover wood.”

Some years later, Wormann embarked on a whirlwind jet-setting lifestyle that didn’t lend itself naturally to wood-working and DIY ventures. Until, that is, he settled in Tokyo around five years ago and discovered the city’s ‘akiya’, meaning ‘empty house’. The vacant homes, which real estate agent have often given up on trying to sell, presented a DIY dream for Wormann. “I was shocked that it was so cheap, I couldn’t even buy a parking lot in Stockholm for that kind of money” he says of the price tag of the first ‘akiya’ that he invested in and renovated. “Naturally, I fell into the lane of buying up these abandoned houses in Tokyo,” he explains – which led him to the property now known as ‘Sangenjaya House’, situated just two stops away from Tokyo’s iconic Shibuya Crossing intersection.

While the other renovations had been somewhat straightforward, Wormann had a specific vision for ‘Sangenjaya House’: “to salvage and use as much of the original, old beautiful Japanese details as I could, while merging it with a more modern Scandinavian touch.” What exactly does that fusion look like? “A lot of natural wood, sunlight, bright and minimal colours,” Wormann explains. “White tiles in the kitchen, high ceilings, oak flooring and a wooden countertop – while keeping two of the Japanese tatami rooms upstairs.”

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Around a year ago, Wormann began to document his ambitious renovations on social media under the name ‘Anton in Japan’, and unsurprisingly, the videos quickly gained hundreds of millions of views. “This completely changed my life,” the model says. “My first video went viral and I got addicted and started making more Japan, modelling and renovation videos. It’s pretty crazy when I think about it,” he reflects.

Wormann attempted to respond to every comment and message that came his way, but as the attention reached an overwhelming level, the next step was to channel his experiences and insights into his book, Free Houses in Japan, which was released in late 2023.

Given the unique challenges and hurdles presented by the project, it’s no surprise Wormann sparked so much interest. He managed to take on all aspects of the renovation himself, though some aspects proved too difficult. “I started doing everything DIY, but when I found live termites in several places, I called in professional to deal with structural pillars, beams and earthquake safety. One of the local carpenters became my best friend and ‘senpai’ and even after the job was done, he came by several times a week to help out, give advice and finish the renovation.”

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Another significant effort amid the renovation process was lowering the floor of the property by about 30 centimetres. “In order to do this, I had to dig out 5,000kgs of dirt from underneath the house,” he says. The model also took out several walls from the first floor to create a big spacious living room. “Great sunlight and natural materials like wood gives a very warm and cosy feeling. That, in combination with me not caramming the space with things. Simplicity really is cool.”

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Now, with the project done and dusted, Wormann calls out the flat’s central staircase as the feature he is proud of most. “The Douglas fir Wood is slight red, and the railing is made out of Oak, the same material as the hardwood floor.” The kitchen with its open ceiling is another favourite space of Wormann’s. “I have had many great dinners here and there will be many more to come. It is fun to impress my Japanese friends by bringing them to a Swedish style Japanese home in a hip Tokyo area. I also like the contrast of being able to walk up the stairs to the timeless Japanese tatami rooms.”

The especially harmonious atmosphere surely comes down to the meticulous way in which Japanese and Scandinavian elements are merged. The two design philosophies “share many common traits,’ according to Wormann, “but what truly has influenced me the most are their shared principles of using natural materials – particularly an abundance of wood, embracing simplicity and maximising natural light,” he says.

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Wormann and his millions of social media followers aside, there’s another notable fan of ‘Sangenjaya House’, his dog Caffe, who the model and his girlfriend adopted three years ago. “She enjoys the sofa the most,’ he says. “I don’t trust her walking on my tatami mats just yet though.”