Artistry and inspiration in Stockholm – Mattias and Carolina Storm’s home is filled with vintage treasures and Scandinavian design

The Danish design brand ferm LIVING invited Design Stories to explore the charming home of Mattias and Caroline Storm in Stockholm, Sweden. The artist couple shares their insights on the transition from the apartment to the old house, balancing work with family life, and also their creative process.

JUST A 10-MINUTE metro train ride from Stockholm’s central station lies the borough of Gamla Enskede. Despite its proximity to the hustle and bustle of the city, the neighborhood feels worlds away. Traditional Swedish wood houses with little gardens line charmingly crooked streets, and walking along them, you almost feel as though you’ve been transported to the pages of an Astrid Lindgren novel.

In one of the first houses built in the area, dating back to 1909, lies the home of Mattias and Carolina Storm. Carolina is a creative consultant and influencer while Mattias splits his time between painting and working in private equity. Both entrepreneurs, Mattias and Carolina are partners in all aspects of their lives: including business and family. They met when they were 20, when Mattias was working on his first start-up, establishing an online fashion community, and he invited Carolina, already then a successful style blogger, to consult on the project. They’ve been together ever since. Today, the couple are married and share two children, four-year-old Tom and two-year-old James.

“This house has its own character. It’s old and imperfect, which we love. We wanted the interior to stay true to that. Not all homes should look like a French penthouse.”

Having cohabitated since their early twenties, Mattias and Carolina have shared multiple homes. “We have lived in so many different types of apartments in so many different styles – industrial, turn of the century – when we came into this house we thought, this house has its own character. It’s old and imperfect, which we love. We wanted the interior to stay true to that. Not all homes should look like a French penthouse,” Carolina explains.

The result is an inviting mixture of vintage finds, Scandinavian design classics, and English countryside aesthetics infused with curious, thoughtfully chosen details. Curating their home is an ever-evolving process, with Carolina’s talent for sourcing vintage pieces shining through.

Scouring online platforms, auction sites, and flea markets, Carolina loves unearthing treasures, like an antique drum for the kids or the cabinet of curiosities which houses her collection of seashells. With each addition, they curate a collection that embodies their evolving aesthetic, continuously redefining their personal space. The antique Swedish cabinet is a cherished favorite, evoking a sense of history and paying homage to the house itself.

Asked about their favorite room of the house, both Mattias and Carolina agree that it has to be the kitchen, which they describe as the heart of their home and where the family spends most of their time together. Carolina adds that her second-favorite spot has to be the little office area, where the Feve desk from ferm LIVING is surrounded by an abundance of plants. Dubbed the ”Geraniu-room,” it’s a place where Carolina can nurture her green thumb and serves as a haven for creativity and mindfulness.

For Mattias, finding an escape is through his painting. With a background in the tech industry and private equity, it might, for some, sound like an unusual move to also work as an artist – but not so for Mattias. “My mum was always very driven – if she wanted to do something, she would do it. Including when she once woke up at night and removed all of the grout from the bathroom. I inherited that trait – if I want to do something, I’ll do it. I enjoy painting, so why shouldn’t I?”

“If I want to do something, I’ll do it. I enjoy painting, so why shouldn’t I?”

Today, Mattias has a studio in the basement, from where he works on his abstract paintings. Some of the pieces are exhibited in their home before being sold, like the large white canvas on display in their living room. Mattias embraces the duality of being both an artist and working in private equity. “There’s so much pressure to pick one thing in life and stick with it,” Mattias explains, “But I love that I get to do both.”

The Storms are dedicated aesthetes, taking pride in even the smallest details of their home. During our visit, Mattias spontaneously grabs a can of paint and a brush to paint the knobs of the radiators, showcasing their commitment to creating a harmonious and visually pleasing environment – as well as their willingness to experiment and try new things with the space.

For Mattias, the home has taken on a new meaning since the arrival of their children, their space serving as a hub for shared moments – and not just for him, Carolina, and their children.

“We have this Friday dinner tradition that we share with another family. It’s four kids running around and everyone kind of does their own thing, while also spending time together. A home is a place where there’s space for everyone – a hub for our closest tribe, not just for the people who share the address.”

See also:

• All products by ferm LIVING >

Edit: Susa Pääkkönen Images: Fanny Rådvik