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Small Stockholm Apartment Lets Its Past Take The Stage

This apartment in Stockholm, Sweden had been nothing more than a space for storage for 30 years. During that time, the owner had started a renovation in the 1980s but that was halted when he became sick. So the apartment continued to sit until 2012 when it went on the market. The unit was in shambles with wallpaper half removed and rats being the only thing that had taken up residence in the bathroom. Karin Matz stepped in to bring the HB6B apartment up to date while keeping the history and layers that had been developed over the years.

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The apartment is laid out over a mere 36 square meters (387.5 square feet) so they were challenged to fit everything the occupant needed into such a small space. Despite its diminutive size, the apartment still feels open and light.

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The interior still feels modern even with the textured, peeling walls and ceiling, which brings character to the space.

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The apartment is divided into two parts. First there’s a built-in structure, which they based on an IKEA kitchen unit. All of this was completely renovated down to the electrical work and the painted white walls. The unit makes up the bed, storage, kitchen, and wardrobe all in one, compact space.

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The other part is made up of the surfaces that have been left untouched for the last 20 years. The bathroom connects the two parts.

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Underneath the elevated bed, there’s space for an almost walk-in closet.

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You can peep into the shower through the glass window and see the bright green tile.

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Photos by Karin Matz.

Caroline Williamson is Editor-in-Chief of Design Milk. She has a BFA in photography from SCAD and can usually be found searching for vintage wares, doing New York Times crossword puzzles in pen, or reworking playlists on Spotify.