In the heart of the house stands a twenty-year-old oak tree.

With a glass atrium in the middle of the house, nature is drawn in and becomes an important part of everyday life for Gustav and Danijela on Tjøme.

PEACEFUL: The forest on this side is a nature area that will not be developed. Architect Sverre chose to turn the focus of the new extension in this direction.

Photo: Espen Grønli, Styling: Maria Hove Vestre, Text: Marianne Lie Berg

‘The first time we met Gustav and Danijela, we saw that they had planted a rowan tree in a pot inside the house. We realised immediately that these were clients who were just as interested in nature as we are,’ says architect Sverre Sondresen who runs the architect company Ark-Tellus in Tønsberg.

Gustav and Danijela Siqueland's plot is idyllically located in a secluded little forest on a detour off Tjømelandet. The white house that stood on the plot dates from the 19th century and has a classic style with a richly ornamented façade.

‘Gustav and Danijela's first idea was to extend the old house at the back, further into the forest. If we were to do that, we would have had to blast away part of the ground, and the old house would have been unrecognisable,’ explains Sverre.

TYPOGRAPHY The project focused on enhancing the qualities inherent in the landscape and vegetation. This ridge, which now stretches along the side of the house, was previously hidden behind some old sheds.

On the other part of the plot, there were two old sheds that no one used. Behind these sheds, they discovered a fantastic whale's back of a rocky outcrop. The whale's back did not belong to the plot, but was part of the natural plot next door, which is not going to be developed.

‘That's when we thought we could make use of this part of the plot and build an extension that would contrast with the old house,’ says Sverre.

CONTACT The extension is connected to the old house by a glass corridor, which almost disappears when nature is reflected in the windows. This part of the plot used to contain some old sheds that were no longer in use.

PRECISION WORK

The natural look is continued inside, with wooden ceilings and panelled surfaces. The ceiling is made of sawn pine, which has not been sanded. It requires enormous precision to get it right. The interior exterior walls are clad with knot-free pine, while all lightweight walls and partitions are made of poplar veneer.

‘There is no plastic in the house. We have used wood fibre insulation throughout, which means that the house breathes naturally,’ explains Sverre.

The large living room feels extremely airy, with a ceiling height of over three metres and a large window wall at one end. The wide staircase from the atrium down to the living room also serves as a seating area.

‘The living room itself is no more than seven square metres, but because it is part of the main room, it feels larger,’ says Sverre.

MAINTENANCE-FREE The façade is clad in burnt wood, which is virtually maintenance-free and keeps ants and moths away. Gustav loves working in the garden and is busy laying small paths around the house.

CENTREPOINT When you enter the front door, the interior atrium reveals itself. All the rooms in the extension face the oak tree and the life that moves around inside. Danijela emphasises that they have adopted a 20-year-old oak tree, which will continue to grow and live long after they are gone.

The window above the sofa protrudes slightly from the wall, bringing you even closer to nature in this corner. The wall leading to the kitchen is a giant sliding door that rolls on heavy steel profiles.

‘We looked at various kitchens, but everything we saw was so massive and technical. We wanted something simple, we didn't need doors that pop out. We ended up designing a solution ourselves, which the carpenters installed,’ says Danijela.

When you sit at the dining table, you are at just the right height to look out of the window into what will be the children's room next door.

‘We placed the window low to steer the view away from the less exciting houses on the neighbouring plot and over to the beautiful stone wall over there,’ explains Sverre.

ATMOSPHERE There is a Zen-like atmosphere in the three-part living room. The legs of the voluminous dining table are made from offcuts from the construction process, while the tabletop was found on Finn.no. Tea is brewed in a Wabi Sabi teapot, which stands alongside a ceramic vase designed by Emmeli Hultqvist. Both items are from Houz.

DIY Danijela and Gustav designed the kitchen themselves and had carpenters build it. Notice how nature and light flood in from all the windows, even when the sliding door is closed.

INTIMATE The living room is tucked away in one corner of the lounge area and measures no more than seven square metres. The architects designed the sofa to fill the entire window recess. The futon cushions were made to order.

JAPANESE STYLE

The bathroom has a Zen-like atmosphere. To maintain the ceiling height up to the glass corridor, the room is three metres forty high and one metre ninety wide. All the windows give it an exotic feel.

‘I've always dreamed of having a view from the bathtub. Now I can look out at the forest, and through the high windows, I can see the starry sky at night,’ says Danijela enthusiastically.

The bedroom follows the Japanese aesthetic, with a simple futon mattress on the floor. Here, the couple wakes up to a wall of green forest.

‘We don't have a television. We don't need one. Every day, something new happens outside. The primroses bloom, and all the birds and animals pass by,’ says Danijela contentedly.

AESTHETIC In the bedroom, it is as if the floor extends directly into nature. Poppy Lawman's Struktur lamp emphasises the Japanese style.

MINIMALISM Danijela and Gustav have few, but carefully selected items in their home. They say that they are not directly inspired by Japanese architecture, but have adopted an attitude.

CLEAN From the bedroom, you can see past the atrium and all the way through the front door. The bedding from Hoie, together with a Teixidors blanket from Houz, creates a somewhat monastic purity.

DIMENSIONS The bathroom is three metres forty high and one metre ninety wide. The forest outside ensures privacy. The high window reveals the starry sky at night.

OVERVIEW All rooms in the house face the glass atrium. From the sink in the bathroom, you can open the door and see all the way through the glass wall at the end of the living room.