TypeO Loves

”A map of the garden, that is provided upon entry, identifies the many sculptures and art pieces on display underneath the trees, embedded in shrubs and placed around the small man-made pond.”

Among the pieces is imaginative work by Helena Åkesson-Liedberg, Josefin Mollberg, Amalia Bille, Annkristin Andersson and Freja Hillfon Liungman, to name a few. 

The house, which was built in the 1870s, houses a small garden café and a beautiful greenhouse is decorated with antiques and vintage items, which are also for sale.

Tucked away a few kilometres north of the Stockholm city centre is Ulriksdals Värdshus, an inn housed in an 1868 edifice built by Karl XV, King of Sweden and Norway. The wooden villa, which was originally built for the servants of the royal court, is part of the Ulriksdal Palace grounds.

This summer, restaurant Emmer revamped the distinguished inn, opting for a more casual approach to dining. Interior designer Lotta Agaton was commissioned to oversee the design, tasking KFK Snickerier to custom-build the interiors.

The kitchen takes full advantage of its location, surrounded by forests, sea and 1.5 hectares of cultivated land. The chefs and gardeners work closely together to create a modern Scandinavian menu based on what the season offers.

It takes dedication to get your hands on the baked goods from Loshult Handelsbod. If you don’t live in the vicinity (a tiny village in the middle of the deep forests of rural Skåne), you’ll likely have to make a day trip out of it. And to complicate getting your gluten cravings satiated even more, the tiny bakery is open for no more than six hours a week – between 12.00 and 18.00 on Fridays (during the summer Loshult is open throughout the weekend).

With that said, none of the above did the least to deter from paying the spot a visit. Nor should it you. Loshult Handelsbod, which is housed in a gorgeous ancient wooden villa, in the process of being restored by owners Salli and Raphael Bartke (who also is head of PR and marketing at nearby Ikea Museum), serves up the most beautiful variety of loaves of bread. It is also a great spot for a ‘fika’ break – the coffee is by Malmö-based Solde and the cinnamon and cardamom buns are among the best we’ve ever had.

Explore other tips to the region in TypeO’s Guide to Skåne.

We love Skåne, the southern Swedish region which we’ve called home for the last decade, and are always thrilled when talented entrepreneurs and creatives return ”home” after having spread their wings elsewhere. 

After having spent seven years in Oslo running Michelin-starred restaurant Bokbacka, Swedish chef Simon Weinberg did just that – and brought his lovely Norwegian wife Henriette Bertheussen with him back. This summer, the couple opened Weinbergs, a boutique hotel and farm bistro located in a traditional farmstead just outside of the city of Trelleborg. 

A beautiful courtyard with a massive tree in the centre greets us upon arrival, as we head for our table in the ornamented conservatory. Here, we’re treated to a feast consisting of dishes that celebrate the season and the region’s bountiful produce, most of it grown in the kitchen garden. It is terrific to have yet another world-class on our doorstep. And at a fraction of the price a meal like this would have cost in Copenhagen, Stockholm or Oslo. Go now!

Weinbergs, as well as all of our other favourite Skåne hotspots, are listed in TypeO’s Guide to Skåne. 

In Swedish university city Lund, no more than 50 kilometres from TypeO House, there is a noteworthy museum named the Museum of Artistic Process and Public Art. Despite its rather drab name, it highlights all the aspects of a creative process we love so much – the research, the sketches and the creating of models that go into the finalising of an art piece. In 2019, the museum was even named Swedish Museum of the Year. 

Housed in the intriguing edifice, that consists of connected buildings from six different periods – the most recent a striking new extension and facade by Elding Oscarson – is museum restaurant På Skissernas. Focusing on honest Swedish flavours and local produce, the spot is a great place to spend a rainy afternoon, enjoying a long late lunch with friends. Every detail, from the lighting and art on the walls down to the ceramic milk pitcher, reflects the quality and craftsmanship that goes into preparing the restaurant’s delightful dishes.

When the weather is dreary and the winter feels endless, we make sure to squeeze in short one or two-day getaways to fill up on energy and inspiration. 

One of our favourite boltholes in Copenhagen, which isn’t more than an hours drive. During our last visit, we had the pleasure of checking in to Sanders, the city’s very first luxury boutique hotel. Conceived by Alexander Kølpin, formerly one of Denmark’s most celebrated principal ballet dancers, Sanders is located just opposite the Royal Danish Theatre, Kølpin’s prior professional home since 1981. 

We particularly love the cosy rooms, outfitted in a modern take on Danish colonial style by London studio Lind + Almond, and the shower – like stepping right into an intense session of light therapy – are to die for.

Founded in Antwerp in 2012, and located on the top floor of favourite design destination St Vincent, gallery Modern Shapes sets out to create a platform for both established and rising talent in ceramic art. It is founder Michaël Francken’s sharp eye that discerns what is showcased at the five annual exhibitions. 

During our visit, we were glad to get aquatinted with French ceramist Karine Benvenuti’s work, accompanied by Charlotte Vindeboghel’s paintings. Her focal point is the sculpture’s exteriors, which she likens to the skin – sometimes smooth, other times cracked or scratched – leaving the heart of her pieces out of reach to the viewer.

So, the TypeO purchasing team was out scouting in Cape Town in South Africa for interesting objects for the shop. Unaccustomed to driving on the right, we mixed up some turns and ended up in a secluded and quaint fishing village with the clerical name of Paternoster. Quiet streets, whitewashed houses and a wind-beaten beach on which we were offered to buy fresh lobsters, clams and other delicacies right of the boats.

Not too keen on preparing our own meal, we found the sign Wolfgat – which roughly translates to fox lair – posted on yet another white facade. A simple wooden door with flaking and fading paint hid a 20-seat culinary surprise. Based on seasonally and sustainably sourced local ingredients, predominantly seafood-based menus are created into pieces of edible art by chef Kobus van der Merwe. This remote, small-scale al fresco dining experience was a true treat, and we will definitely return for more. The view is also hard to beat!

The no-holds-barred approach to quirkiness in design is to us a refreshing change of scenery, coming from a somewhat austere Scandinavian scene. It is also a reason for us to return time and time again to Piet Hein Eek studios and factories in Eindhoven in the south of the Netherlands.

In 2010, Piet Hein Eek moved into a former Philips factory in the Dutch city of Eindhoven. Since then he has created his own eponymous immersive design universe, where visitors can enjoy a clear view of where objects are conceived on paper, observe where it is actually made and then buy it in the design shop, spanning several floors of the old factory compound where everything is housed. Whether done before or after she shopping spree, the on-site restaurant serves up simple but tasty dishes, a cocktail or just a coffee.