A Couple’s Rustic-meets-Modern Apartment in Oslo with a Wood Stove
“We wanted to create a home for ourselves that could be adapted to fit different living situations”, Anna Grøgaard, a historian, shared about the 60-square-meter (646-square-feet) apartment she shares with her partner Elias Olderbakk, a designer. The home they have created meets this requirement and move, reflecting both the rich history of the space as well as their modern needs as a couple. “Since the apartment houses all of our favourite things, it is a somewhat eclectic combination of styles and periods”, as Olderbakk put it.
Situated on the first floor of a building built in the 1890s during Oslo's industrialization, the apartment was once home to the growing working class of the late 19th century. The building’s location near the river Akerselva, where factories lined the banks, provided affordable housing close to work. Today, the apartment is nestled in a quiet residential neighborhood near Oslo’s Botanical Garden, offering a peaceful escape in the heart of the city.
When Olderbakk and Grøgaard purchased the apartment a year and a half ago, it looked quite different. The rooms were painted in dark colours and several areas were cramped by poorly designed layouts. Despite these challenges, the couple saw potential. They kept the apartment’s original floor plan but removed the existing interior to design and build new modules that made better use of the space. The couple’s goal was to create a space that was inspiring and practical – ideal for both work and study. “We wanted each zone and room to have its own mood,” they explained.
Pine Plywood and some DIY Craftsmanship
Upon entering the apartment, visitors are greeted by a small hallway that serves as a functional introduction to the home, immediately highlighting a standout feature that recurs throughout: pine plywood. This material not only gives the space a warm, organic feel but also reflects Olderbakk and Grøgaard’s philosophy of self-building and craftsmanship. The couple wanted an interior that could be constructed by hand, allowing them to tailor every detail to their needs and preferences. “I got some workshop experience, working with different tools and materials, during my design education”, Olderbakk told us. “So, we wanted to try to build all of the furniture ourselves on-site”.
As you walk beyond a wardrobe unit and a small bench, you enter an open living, dining, and kitchen area where the original, restored flooring is underfoot. The kitchen is compact, efficient, and stylish. A plywood cabinet houses the fridge and storage, while a bespoke IKEA system with aluminum exteriors and pine interiors serves as the cabinetry. The stainless steel countertop is another thoughtful touch, as Elias’s father helped by bending the steel to create a custom edge.
Integrated with the kitchen space is a dining and living room, with the dining table serving as a transitional element between cooking and relaxation. A wall-to-wall bench seat features a seat cover Grøgaard crafted using red wool on one side and light gray furniture canvas on the other. This allows the couple to switch the mood of the room depending on the season – cool and resilient in the summer, warm and cozy in the winter. The room’s focal point is the wood stove in the corner, providing the perfect place to cosy up when the Oslo winters arrive and the weather begins to creep below zero.
Practical Comforts
A sliding door leads you into the office space, which faces the building’s backyard where a lush green view provides a serene backdrop for work. A glass bird feeder on the window allows the couple to enjoy watching birds while they work. The desk, running along the window wall, across from a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf, is designed for dual use – making it easy for both of them to work from home at the same time. The room is also designed with flexibility in mind, as it can be converted into a bedroom if needed in the future. The primary bedroom, accessed through an old, squeaky door, is a serene, cocoon-like retreat. To enhance the feeling of tranquility, the couple used off-white linen curtains to conceal the closet, and they incorporated clever storage solutions, such as a pulley system for hanging clothes, making the most of the limited space.
Philosophy on Small-space Design and Living
Olderbakk and Grøgaard’s apartment reflects their philosophy of small-space design: one that values functionality, adaptability, and a connection to both the past and the present. As Grøgaard notes, “This apartment used to be two units, each probably housing 4 to 5 people at the most. So it is worth remembering that what we might consider a small space today would be spacious for the people who lived here 150 years ago.” This perspective, they believe, underscores how small living spaces can encourage a more dynamic relationship with the outside world, fostering vibrant, interconnected neighborhoods.
