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Project Name: New Nordic Apartment

Location: Norway

Date Completed: June 2019

Interior Designer: Studio Gathe

Set on the first floor of a late 19th century Apartment building in Oslo, this project is a collaboration
between Interior Designer Hanne Gathe and homeowner and property developer Per Ove Bakke.
The design is a beautiful expression of both the owner’s personality and new Nordic design.

The owner wanted to create a unique space, unlike your typical Scandinavian style. Studio Gathe has
beautifully contrasted the bright whites, typically used in Nordic countries, with strikingly darker
shades. The goal was to create multiple interesting zones, where the space would flow and become
multi-functional. The key aspect of the brief was to create a strong personality, curating a
meaningful space which expressed who the residents are as individuals.

The kitchen was to be moved from the back of the apartment to create a second bedroom. This
meant that the second bedroom was more functional than just an unused guest bedroom due to its
proximity to the kitchen and balcony. The main bedroom was designed to feel like the lightest and
calmest room of the whole apartment.

As a frequent entertainer, the owner needed the apartment to feel open and each space to flow,
with a classically modern aesthetic. There is a definite sense of masculinity, combined with bold
colours and statement pieces. Everything inside the apartment has been sourced from a different
place, incorporating both old and new pieces. The large stove is an early 18 th century wood burning
stove imported from Stockholm, it took Per months to find and weeks to install but it is key to the
overall design. The Coffee table is a 70s vintage etched brass table found in Belgium and the
artwork, which belongs to the owner, is a mix of both antique and brand-new finds.

The apartment symbolises a new Nordic design, the Nordic noir that you see in films. It is the
combination of two minds, a homeowner who has a rooted life in Oslo’s property world and an
interior designer with decades of international experience.