Hello Home, Maja Dixdotter
The winds sweep across the fields of Österlen as we step into Maja Dixdotter’s summer house. Inside, a completely different calm prevails. The living room windows act like small paintings, framing the dramatic landscape outside, while the atmosphere indoors is warm and carefully composed.
For many years, Maja has left her mark on the fashion world, both as a stylist and as creative director at By Malene Birger. Her work has always been guided by a sensitivity to detail, cut, and material - an ability to tell stories through textiles. In recent years, her focus has increasingly shifted toward interior design, where the same language of form finds new expressions. Together with her sister Ellen, she co-founded Cappelen Dimyr, the collective that creates handcrafted, timeless rugs and textiles with an emphasis on natural materials and traditional craftsmanship.
The summer house on Österlen has become a place where her interior philosophy can unfold at its own pace. Here, natural materials and antiques are combined with muted tones and furniture of timeless character. The home grows slowly, in contrast to the fast tempo of the fashion world.
“I appreciate the calm pace of interiors versus fashion. Everything takes longer to produce, which brings a certain tranquility to the development of products. Interior design is also seasonless, which makes it feel more long-term when you invest in, for example, a sofa, a vase, or a rug,” says Maja.
In the living room, off-white linen curtains fall heavily to the floor, framing the light rather than shutting it out. “I wanted a bit of weight in the curtains and therefore chose thick linen. They needed to be light and creamy white to reflect the light as much as possible, while also feeling luxurious in their heaviness,” Maja explains.
The room also features perhaps the home’s most iconic detail: a mural by a local artist, commissioned by the previous owner. “I love the corner of the living room with the mural - it has almost become synonymous with the house,” she says with a smile. On the floor stands a chaise longue, one of her latest finds, soon to be reupholstered in sheepskin. It is precisely this mix of patina, craftsmanship, and vision that sets the tone for the entire house.
In the kitchen, the off-white curtain panels are paired with sheer linen Roman blinds in the soft style, falling with a heavy and elegant drape. Along the window stretches a massive merchant’s counter, and above the sink a collection of cups, plates, and details has gathered - each carrying traces of travels and memories.
On either side of the kitchen counter hang French baroque-style wall sconces, an example of how Maja fearlessly blends styles. The overall impression is rustic and grounded, yet punctuated by details that reference other eras - ensuring the room never feels predictable.
The kitchen also holds the family’s large dining area, but for weekend breakfasts and smaller gatherings they choose the smaller spot by the living room. Here, Maja has recently painted the walls in a deep green shade, against which her collection of sculptures gains striking presence. The color has transformed the room and given it new intensity.
The curtains here have taken on a different character, as Maja herself explains: “In our little green ‘breakfast room,’ as we call it, I chose sheer linen curtains to give a lighter feeling. We also ordered short valances for both windows - they turned into little fringes, which I think became incredibly cute.”
The summer house on Österlen is a place where Maja Dixdotter’s aesthetic speaks in a different tone than in the fashion world. Here, a balance is created between rustic and elegant, between heritage and modernity, between the fast and the slow. A home where every detail is carefully chosen - but always guided by feeling rather than rules.
