Before & After: A Warm Color Palette and Built-In Bookshelves for a Swedish Home

0 Comments

We’re heading to Gothenburg to see a beautiful before-and-after of a turn-of-the-century apartment transformed by a warm color palette and beautiful joinery in the home library.

The new owners turned the three-bedroom apartment into a two-bedroom by transforming the former master bedroom into a multifunctional dining room/home office/home library.

Many elements from the early 20th century have been preserved, including a bay window, original mouth-blown windows, parquet flooring, and stucco. These elements add character and, with the new color palette, create a warm, welcoming home.

before-and-after-warm-cohesive-color-palette-renovated-turn-of-the-century-apartment-nordroom

The two largest rooms in a row now form a fantastic living area, comprising a charming living room and a beautiful dining room/home library.

before-and-after-warm-cohesive-color-palette-renovated-turn-of-the-century-apartment-nordroom

The living room is painted in a calming blue shade, making the original bay window and the original herringbone parquet stand out beautifully.

before-and-after-warm-cohesive-color-palette-renovated-turn-of-the-century-apartment-nordroom

A large ochre-yellow rug defines the sitting area, featuring a playful polka-dot sofa and a television/gallery wall on the other side.

before-and-after-warm-cohesive-color-palette-renovated-turn-of-the-century-apartment-nordroom
before-and-after-warm-cohesive-color-palette-renovated-turn-of-the-century-apartment-nordroom
before-and-after-warm-cohesive-color-palette-renovated-turn-of-the-century-apartment-nordroom

A small home office is created on the other side, featuring a beautiful desk with open shelving on one side.

before-and-after-warm-cohesive-color-palette-renovated-turn-of-the-century-apartment-nordroom
before-and-after-warm-cohesive-color-palette-renovated-turn-of-the-century-apartment-nordroom
before: the living room
before-and-after-warm-cohesive-color-palette-renovated-turn-of-the-century-apartment-nordroom
before: the living room

Not much has changed about the living room’s style. The parquet floor and bay window remain, and the walls are slightly more gray instead of blue.

before-and-after-warm-cohesive-color-palette-renovated-turn-of-the-century-apartment-nordroom

Next to the living room lies the most beautiful room in the house (in my opinion). The former master bedroom is transformed into a stunning dining room with built-in bookcases and a charming window seat.

before-and-after-warm-cohesive-color-palette-renovated-turn-of-the-century-apartment-nordroom

This room also features the beautiful original herringbone parquet floor, which, along with the stucco ceiling, adds a classic touch to the space.

before-and-after-warm-cohesive-color-palette-renovated-turn-of-the-century-apartment-nordroom

The entire room is drenched in a soft pink hue, while the built-in bookcases and window seat are painted in a rich burgundy shade.

before-and-after-warm-cohesive-color-palette-renovated-turn-of-the-century-apartment-nordroom

Beautiful natural light flows into the room through the apartment’s original windows.

before-and-after-warm-cohesive-color-palette-renovated-turn-of-the-century-apartment-nordroom
before-and-after-warm-cohesive-color-palette-renovated-turn-of-the-century-apartment-nordroom

The window seat with striped upholstery is a wonderful spot for reading or to enjoy the comings and goings on the street below.

before-and-after-warm-cohesive-color-palette-renovated-turn-of-the-century-apartment-nordroom
before-and-after-warm-cohesive-color-palette-renovated-turn-of-the-century-apartment-nordroom

A coffee corner/bar station is created on the other side with a pink-painted cabinet and a beautiful mirror.

before-and-after-warm-cohesive-color-palette-renovated-turn-of-the-century-apartment-nordroom
before-and-after-warm-cohesive-color-palette-renovated-turn-of-the-century-apartment-nordroom
before: the dining room

The previous owners used this room as the master bedroom. I love the layout the way it is now; it creates a magnificent living area together with the living room. And the colors used in the dining room are simply wonderful.

before-and-after-warm-cohesive-color-palette-renovated-turn-of-the-century-apartment-nordroom

The kitchen is a lovely space to spend time in around the table or on the balcony during the warmer months.

before-and-after-warm-cohesive-color-palette-renovated-turn-of-the-century-apartment-nordroom

The kitchen features Himlekök cabinets topped with a green marble worktop. The cabinets were repainted in 2026 in a warm beige-yellow hue and fitted with new fittings.

before-and-after-warm-cohesive-color-palette-renovated-turn-of-the-century-apartment-nordroom
before-and-after-warm-cohesive-color-palette-renovated-turn-of-the-century-apartment-nordroom
before-and-after-warm-cohesive-color-palette-renovated-turn-of-the-century-apartment-nordroom
before-and-after-warm-cohesive-color-palette-renovated-turn-of-the-century-apartment-nordroom

The kitchen opens onto a spacious balcony facing the communal courtyard.

before-and-after-warm-cohesive-color-palette-renovated-turn-of-the-century-apartment-nordroom

The floor is covered with gray granite tiles.

before-and-after-warm-cohesive-color-palette-renovated-turn-of-the-century-apartment-nordroom
before-and-after-warm-cohesive-color-palette-renovated-turn-of-the-century-apartment-nordroom

The exposed brick wall is a nice raw architectural feature.

before-and-after-warm-cohesive-color-palette-renovated-turn-of-the-century-apartment-nordroom
before: the kitchen

What a difference a lick of paint can make. Only the kitchen cabinet colors, the fittings, and the wall colors have changed, but the new look is so much warmer and more inviting.

before-and-after-warm-cohesive-color-palette-renovated-turn-of-the-century-apartment-nordroom

The master bedroom also faces the quiet courtyard. The walls are painted in a warm cream hue with a pink undertone that looks nice against the darker ceiling color. The green headboard and drawers add additional color to the space.

before-and-after-warm-cohesive-color-palette-renovated-turn-of-the-century-apartment-nordroom

The room is fitted with built-in wardrobes along one wall, including overhead cabinets that can be reached with a ladder that’s hanging on the side of the wardrobe.

before-and-after-warm-cohesive-color-palette-renovated-turn-of-the-century-apartment-nordroom

The space behind the mirror has been added to the bathroom on the other side of the wall. The mirror is a nice feature to make the room feel brighter and larger.

before-and-after-warm-cohesive-color-palette-renovated-turn-of-the-century-apartment-nordroom
before: the bedroom
before-and-after-warm-cohesive-color-palette-renovated-turn-of-the-century-apartment-nordroom
before: the bedroom

As the room next to the living room was used as the master bedroom, this spacious room was designed as a shared children’s room with a custom bunk bed.

before-and-after-warm-cohesive-color-palette-renovated-turn-of-the-century-apartment-nordroom
before-and-after-warm-cohesive-color-palette-renovated-turn-of-the-century-apartment-nordroom

The smallest bedroom is located next to the kitchen. It features floral block-print wallpaper paired with butter-yellow joinery and striped curtains.

before-and-after-warm-cohesive-color-palette-renovated-turn-of-the-century-apartment-nordroom

The room also includes a spacious built-in wardrobe.

before-and-after-warm-cohesive-color-palette-renovated-turn-of-the-century-apartment-nordroom
before: the small bedroom
before-and-after-warm-cohesive-color-palette-renovated-turn-of-the-century-apartment-nordroom

The bathroom was fully renovated in 2023, adding thoughtful materials with a smart layout. The room is characterized by beautiful dark green tiles paired with a narrow herringbone marble floor.

The niche is turned into a laundry area hidden by a linen curtain.

before-and-after-warm-cohesive-color-palette-renovated-turn-of-the-century-apartment-nordroom

A black bathroom cabinet with a stone top and a traditional toilet add a typical, classic turn-of-the-century style to the space.

before-and-after-warm-cohesive-color-palette-renovated-turn-of-the-century-apartment-nordroom
before: the bathroom
before-and-after-warm-cohesive-color-palette-renovated-turn-of-the-century-apartment-nordroom

The spacious hall runs almost the entire width of the apartment. It is decorated with a woven, striped wallpaper from Helene Blanche. It also features two large built-in wardrobes hidden behind the original black, profiled doors, as well as a spacious storage niche by the front door.

before-and-after-warm-cohesive-color-palette-renovated-turn-of-the-century-apartment-nordroom
before-and-after-warm-cohesive-color-palette-renovated-turn-of-the-century-apartment-nordroom
before-and-after-warm-cohesive-color-palette-renovated-turn-of-the-century-apartment-nordroom

A storage niche for shoes and coats is just inside the door and can be hidden from view by a gray curtain. The entry space floor features black granite tiles.

before-and-after-warm-cohesive-color-palette-renovated-turn-of-the-century-apartment-nordroom
before: the hall

The previous owners kept the niche open, while the black floor runs the entire length of the hall. The new owners added a wooden floor further in the hall for more warmth.

The apartment is listed for sale at Alvhem.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *