Take a look around this beautiful Gold Coast home that blends laidback Australian style with inimitable Scandinavian cool
Adding that signature Scandinavian flair to a home isn’t always as easy as it looks, especially when you're based in a completely different climate. Yet despite there being a very different vibe on Australia's Gold Coast to what she was used to back home, Swedish content creator and photographer Fredrika Akander, 32, was adamant that she wanted to infuse her interiors with a little bit of homegrown style.
“The Scandinavian touch in the house is created by smaller objects, such as everyday pieces like Klippan throws, Iittala candle holders, and a few heirloom pieces of Swedish Chrystal,” Akander explains. “There is actually one big and central piece in the house that I had shipped all the way from Denmark because I was simply obsessed, and it is our Norm Architects' Plinth coffee table we bought from Normann Copenhagen. We have literally designed our living room around it.”
Photo: Courtesy of Fredrika Akander and Nick Lees
Although Akander made an exception for this stunning centrepiece, for the most part it wasn't practical to ship much in the way of large-scale items all the way to Australia. “While there are so many Scandinavian interior pieces that I wanted to get for the house, it didn’t feel right to ship a lot of big furniture all the way here. Therefore, we decided most furniture and bigger things in the house should be Australian-made in order to be kinder towards the environment,” she says.
Originally from Gothenburg, Akander left the city at the age of 19 and spent years trotting around the globe before finding her home on the other side of the world. After finishing her studies in London and meeting her husband Nick, Akander settled in his hometown of Melbourne. But when the couple decided they wanted to expand beyond the two of them and start a family, they saw an opportunity to try somewhere new.
Photo: Courtesy of Fredrika Akander and Nick Lees
Photo: Courtesy of Fredrika Akander and Nick Lees
Their love for an easy and relaxed lifestyle and a desire to be close to nature made the Gold Coast a frontrunner in their search for a new base. “The house is in the centre of the Gold Coast, yet surrounded by nature with about five minutes to the beach in one direction, and a lake on the other side,” explains Akander.
While the house they found was in need of a total renovation, the importance of respecting their natural surrounds was an essential part of the whole process for Akander and her husband.
“We completely gutted the house, which was built in 1979 in a very Australian Queensland double brick style. Our main focus was to keep it in harmony with its location and not use excessive toxins. So, we stayed away as much as possible from paints and used natural renders, hardwood Australian floors and used Australian-made natural materials as much as we could and our budget allowed,” says Akander, adding that the exterior of the house is made of stone, which they hope will be a longer-lasting and more eco-friendly choice of material.
Photo: Courtesy of Fredrika Akander and Nick Lees
Akander has had lots of experience with fashion and content creation over the years, but if putting together an outfit can be difficult at times, it’s nothing compared to styling a whole house. “It is easy to get side-tracked when you see beautiful things in showrooms, stores, and magazines, but I try not to be influenced by that. Interior design can sometimes be a bit like fast fashion, with trends that come and go. Therefore, we have tried not to buy things that haven’t felt 100 per cent right, but to instead wait until we find what we really want,” she says.
This philosophy has helped guide their home's Scandi-Aussie balance too. When renovating the house, the couple determined to ask themselves what was it that they really liked about Scandinavian homes. Akander suggests querying things such as: "What kind of materials and colour combinations do you like, and why? What kind of feeling do you want in the house?”
Photo: Courtesy of Fredrika Akander and Nick Lees
Photo: Courtesy of Fredrika Akander and Nick Lees
The pair opted for a mix of Scandi designs from Iittala, Georg Jensen, IKEA and Arket along with some more individual souvenirs. Channeling a touch of nostalgia and personality is key, along with peppering in unique second hand pieces.
“I love to include pieces that remind me of home. For example, my mum has always loved wool and we had it everywhere in our house when I grew up. Therefore I have added wool blankets and a lot of sheepskin in the house here since they make it feel like home," explains Akander. "We recently bought a silk print (originally a scarf) from Fotografiska in Stockholm that we framed as a memory of our first trip back home after the pandemic and bringing our baby home to visit.”
Photo: Courtesy of Fredrika Akander and Nick Lees
While the family is about to go on a big trip to Europe for a few months, Akander says that her new home is undoubtedly Down Under these days.