A Modern Swedish Cottage That Embodies the Scandi Dream

Swedish real estate site Hemnet recently unveiled an experiment in which they essentially designed Sweden's (statistical) dream home by analyzing two million clicks on property listings and identifying the most popular features. The result, a boxy, modern interpretation of the traditional red Swedish cottage, made for a cool rendering to look at. Coincidentally around the same time, Swedish home building company JB Villan launched Villa Poppy, a lovely new gabled home conceived by noted Swedish architect Thomas Sandell…and it's practically the real life version of that "Big Data home" (minus the cube-like form and all.) Sandell, who designed his country's pavilion for the 2012 World Expo and has also collaborated with Ikea on furniture, masterfully combines inspiration from traditional Swedish farmhouses and barns with all the trappings of a comfortable modern home.

Created exclusively for JB Villan, Sandell's design can be customized for customers who wish to build one of their own. This first model features overhangs that protect the facades and outdoor furniture, and comes with a separate garage and storage room. The main residence is airy and perfectly unpretentious, with crisp white or pale-colored walls and floors, grey furniture and countertops, a streamlined fireplace, and high ceilings—all in all a natural beauty.

· A Concrete and Glass Home Frames Epic Views of San Diego [official site via Elle Decor Sweden]
· Big Data-Designed Home Shows Swedes are Pretty Stylish [Curbed]