Lotta Adolfsson, a thrifty crafter by day and photographer by trade, has made her home in a cozy cottage in the middle of Sweden. With an unmatched eye for color, Lotta mixes old and new, flea market finds with family heirlooms, to turn an ages old house into a modern-day haven.

I love all the greenery around your home--it looks as though you live in the middle of the country.

We live in the outskirts of the town Eskilstuna, located about 68 miles west of Stockholm. I can't take any credit for the garden--it is all my husband's doings. He is the one in the family who has a green thumb! The family who lived here before us has done a great job, so it is basically just to continue their work and put our own mark on the garden.

What is the history of your home--how old is it, and how long have you lived there?

The house is from 1925. It is a very little house--only 968 square feet. Back in those days, two families lived in this small house. We have lived here for almost two years now, and we love our little cozy house!

Your cozy little house is lovely. How did you decide to use red as an accent color?

I didn't really realize that I used red as an accent color until you mentioned it, but yes, you are right, there are red accents everywhere! I just decorate, and I'm often surprised how it turns out.

Any child would love such an inspired playhouse! What is the story behind it?

The outhouse includes the garage, a playhouse, and a storage room. When the house was up for sale, we thought that the small room would be perfect as a playhouse. The lovely lady that we bought the house from told us that she used it as a playhouse when she was a little girl. We renovated it, put up panels on the walls, and painted it white inside.

Your daughter's bedroom is magical. What's your favorite part? What's hers?

My favorite part is the old vintage-type case that I found at a flea market. Her favorite spot is the little table with the small chairs. She sits there playing her keyboard, drawing, or playing with her beads.




Every little girl needs a chandelier, and the angel wings make such an inventive wall decoration. How did you think of such a sweet idea?

Again, IKEA for the chandelier! It is nice to mix both new and old stuff when you decorate. It gives the home a personal touch. And it was my friend Lena who came up with the idea for the angel wings. She has this gorgeous shop Nyra and Kyra filled with stuff just for kids--toys and gifts that you don't find in mainstream shops. It is a paradise for kids and adults who still have little childishness inside!

The lining inside her wardrobe is just adorable! Is it an antique?

The wardrobe is actually a computer cabinet from IKEA. We had it in our old apartment, and when we moved to the house, we put it in the storage room. I thought it was a pity to throw it away and came up with the idea to transform it into a wardrobe for Maya. I had seen some gorgeous wallpaper from Pip Studio, but they were a bit to expensive for our taste. We decided to buy just one roll and used it both inside and outside of the wardrobe. Then we painted the rest white.

How wonderful to have a room devoted to craft projects--and one so impressively organized! What kind of projects do you do in here?

It isn't always so tidy, but I have to have it quite organized because I have difficulty staying focused on my projects if it is too messy. I must know where everything is. The projects I do in my little crafty corner are mostly sewing and illustrating. I also use the area to frame my fine art prints and package my photos that I sell online.

What a fantastic desk. Is it vintage? And it goes so perfectly with the scalloped-edge shelf!

I was thinking about buying a desk from an apartment store that had the right drawers for storing and organizing all my things, but it wasn't the desk I really wanted. I'm so happy I waited, because I found this desk on the Internet at a site where you can buy and sell your old used stuff. Like a flea market but on the Web. It was a bargain! It cost only 500 SEK, which is approximately $60. I couldn't believe how lucky I was! It is a vintage desk and it is made out of oak and really heavy. The chair is from my grandmother and the shelf is from IKEA.

Where did you find this great trunk, and do you always top it with fresh flowers?

I love to go to flea markets, and I have found my best finds at those places. The old vintage trunk wasn't really up for sale. They used it for storage, but I wanted it so badly they almost gave it up for free! It only cost me $12. You just have to love a good bargain! I try to have fresh flowers as often as I can. I think that is a inexpensive and easy way to get a cozy and gorgeous home. It doesn't have to cost a fortune to have a beautiful home. I'm living proof of that.

Thanks for showing us your home, Lotta! Check out all our house tours.