Hello Home, Josefina Gabrielsson
An hour north of Stockholm, a winding gravel road leads us out into the Swedish countryside. We park behind a dense lilac hedge - just as the instructions said - and carefully make our way around its fragrant branches. Suddenly, the landscape opens up: in front of us stands a grand turn-of-the-century villa. In the center of the garden, a circular flower bed bursts with lily tulips swaying in the breeze. In the doorway, a little boy with tousled blond hair and curious eyes appears - as if he had just stepped out of an Astrid Lindgren story.
Here lives Josefina Gabrielsson together with her fiancé and their children, Freja and Astor. Moving to the countryside was far from a spontaneous decision. “We had already set our sights on an old turn-of-the-century house within commuting distance from the city,” Josefina explains. When the house showed up as an upcoming listing in the middle of the COVID pandemic, she acted quickly. “I called the real estate agent and made a pre-offer. A week later, the contract was signed, and our new life could begin.”
The first thing to greet a curious visitor is the living room - a bright and welcoming space with two large, parallel windows facing the greenery outside. Here, Josefina has created a soft, romantic atmosphere using the Soft model of Roman blinds in a sheer off-white linen, combined with full-length curtains in the Sweet Pea Fabric, shade Olive. “In most rooms, I’ve chosen the Soft Roman blind, which feels so romantic with its gentle curve at the bottom. For the salon, I also added panels in the new floral pattern in olive green - like an extra piece of jewelry,” she says.
In the middle of the room stands a daybed, found at a flea market, with a wooden frame that just so happens to perfectly match the olive green flowers in the curtain fabric - as if they were always meant to belong together.
It’s easy to see what Josefina fell for as we move through the house and witness how she’s brought her vision to life. Every room reflects her sensitivity to materials, light, and harmony. Then, suddenly, we step through a door and into what feels like a time capsule - a room where time has stood still. Josefina laughs. “This is what the whole house looked like when we got the keys.”
If we weren’t already impressed, we certainly are now. The renovation has taken time, with the family feeling their way through it, room by room. “My vision for the house is very much guided by intuition. I often turn inward before making changes, imagining different scenarios -dinners, playtime, quiet mornings - to feel if it’s right. Things are allowed to take time and evolve as we do.”
We leave the time capsule behind and head upstairs, where we’re welcomed into Josefina’s studio - a bright space framed by sheer off-white linen curtains that let the light pour in from all directions. The curtains hang from a black rod that contrasts beautifully with the soft hues of the room, creating a balance between the traditional and the contemporary.
This is where Josefina escapes to paint. All around the room are easels with ongoing works, brushes, and tubes of paint. Her grandfather was an artist, and quite literally, it’s his paintbrush she continues to use. “I inherited some of his tools. It feels special to carry on where he left off.”
In the middle of the room stands a large rustic table, overflowing with art books, sculptures, and objects - a creative chaos that feels both alive and inspiring. When asked where she finds inspiration, she says: “Lately, I’ve found a lot of inspiration in film, series, and books. These worlds portray characters that are meant to feel believable, which makes the set design and every described detail so important. These environments are incredibly inspiring - often because the lives themselves are so inspiring. You get the whole package, so to speak.”
The veranda, with its many windows, has become something of Josefina’s signature, and i too has been dressed with new curtains. She explains that she’s stayed within the same olive green tone as in the living room - a conscious choice to create a calm flow throughout the home.
“I want a red thread and rooms with colors that transition softly, and I think we’ve really succeeded. It makes me so happy how cozy and inviting every room feels now. It truly adds so much personality and is the finishing touch,” she says.
The children’s room has been outfitted with blackout Roman blinds - something the whole family had been longing for, not least for the sake of better sleep. Here, Astor and Freja share a cozy and playful space overlooking the garden in two directions, filled with soft textiles, favorite toys, and personal little touches. “When I come across a potential decor piece, I want to feel that it will somehow enrich my life. I choose everything with care and entirely based on what I truly love,” says Josefina.
The current bedroom - which, as the renovation progresses, will eventually become a dining area - has also been dressed in the soft Roman blind in sheer linen. With sightlines from both the kitchen and living room, the curtains become a natural focal point, and as the sun moves around the house, the fabric plays with the light in a gentle display of shifting shadows. This is a room where light is given space to take center stage, and the curtains help frame it in a way that enhances the home’s character and brings a sense of calm and presence - whether it’s for morning coffee or future dinners.
In the kitchen, dressed in Roman blinds and matching café curtains in sheer linen, a perfect day begins - at least if you ask Josefina. Here, in the soft morning light that filters through the fabric, many days start slowly and peacefully, just the way she likes it.
“My perfect day begins on a sunny summer morning with a cup of coffee and no fixed plans for the day. I like to take a stroll through the garden with the cup in hand to see how everything is doing - what’s blooming, or if any weeds need pulling. Then, the whole family heads out on a spontaneous little trip - visiting a castle or driving toward the coast. We have lunch outdoors and let the rest of the day unfold at a relaxed pace. We play with the kids or read a book. We finish with a simple dinner, preferably something grilled, and a glass of wine for me in the evening sun. Then I sleep soundly by ten,” she says with a smile.
For Josefina, home is more than just walls and a roof - it’s a space that evolves with the family, allowed to take time, to feel, and to change. A home where every curtain choice, every brushstroke, and every small detail reflects a life in motion - with room for dreams, daylight, and deep breaths.