A Little Red Icelandic Cabin Gets a Swedish Cottage-Inspired Expansion

Stacey McLachlan
·1 min read

The family vacation home had been built to accommodate previous construction restrictions on the island, so this time, Gylfi Óskarsson decided to go bigger.

Set against a crisp blue Icelandic sky, rolling green hills, and yellow plains, Gylfi Óskarsson’s little red cabin looks like it’s part of a cheery children’s painting—perfectly at home in a symphony of primary colors. But the inspiration for this cozy cottage isn’t a box of crayons, but the cabin culture of Sweden.

One of the biggest challenges of the project was just finding solid ground to build upon.
One of the biggest challenges of the project was just finding solid ground to build upon.

Gylfi, a pediatrician, spent a decade living there, and long admired the bright red cabins that were a signature of the region. So when it came time to expand his own family vacation home with the help of Hlynur Sævarsson, principal of Glama-Kim Architects, it was only natural that Scandinavian design (and, yes, that iconic scarlet hue) would become part of the game plan.

The little red cabin is a nod to the classic summer cottage of Sweden.
The little red cabin is a nod to the classic summer cottage of Sweden.
"One of the main problems with the house before was that you were a little isolated, it was hard to get out to the environment," says Gylfir. Doors and windows galore solve that problem in the renovated home.
"One of the main problems with the house before was that you were a little isolated, it was hard to get out to the environment," says Gylfir. Doors and windows galore solve that problem in the renovated home.

See the full story on Dwell.com: A Little Red Icelandic Cabin Gets a Swedish Cottage-Inspired Expansion
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