When the floorboards moved in, the home gained a soul
Madeleine Frick is a trained interior designer from RMIT University in Melbourne and is currently the lead interior designer at House of Success in Ystad. When she was tasked with redesigning Örnahusen in Österlen, it presented the opportunity to create a harmonious space where the design of the house could take an entirely new direction—a dream project filled with innovative ideas.
House of Success is a concept and interior design company that helps both businesses and private clients with everything from interior and exterior colour schemes to design. Madeleine is experienced in managing all aspects of the design process, from the initial concept to detailed design drawings and documentation for craftsmen.
“For me, it’s essential to be involved in the entire process, guiding the client from the initial idea to the final completion of the space. I focus on creating design solutions that are sustainable, beautiful, and functional.”
When the floor tiles moved in, the home gained a soul
She is a trained interior designer from RMIT University in Melbourne and is currently the lead interior designer at House of Success in Ystad. When she was given the assignment of taking on Örnahusen in Österlen, the opportunity to create a harmonious residence where the design of the house would take a completely new direction was realized. A dream project, full of innovative expressions.
House of Success is a concept and interior design company that assists both businesses and private individuals in both interior and exterior aspects of color and design. Madeleine Frick at the company is accustomed to handling all aspects of the design process, from concept to design drawings and documentation for craftsmen.
– For me, it is important to be involved in the entire process so that I can guide the customer from the idea to the completion of the environment being created. Design solutions that are sustainable, beautiful, and functional.
Inspiration from nature
At Örnahusen in Österlen, the owner purchased a summer home from the 1950s that was in dire need of a complete modernisation. Madeleine’s vision was to bring in pleasant proportions inspired by nature’s design, incorporating various geometric shapes that would come together to create a harmonious flow. One example of this is the long, wide floor tiles made from white-pigmented Douglas fir.
“The natural colour of the wood provided the warmth we were looking for, and the white-pigmented finish was crucial. It helped tie together the warm colour palette of the home, bringing everything together beautifully.”
Inspiration from nature
On the Österlen site Örnahusen, the owner acquired a summer residence from the 1950s that was in great need of thorough modernization. Madeleine’s vision was to introduce pleasant proportions inspired by nature’s own design, including using different geometric shapes that together form a harmonious melody. Like the long and wide floor tiles in white-pigmented Douglas fir.
– The natural color of the wood had the warmth we were looking for, together with the white-pigmented coloring, it was an important factor as the floor would tie together the warm color palette that the home received.
Douglas fir: a key element
Madeleine shares how the process of choosing the floor unfolded.
“At first, we explored a wide range of options, but we knew we wanted long, wide planks that would feel nice to walk on barefoot. Some key criteria were authenticity, practicality, and, of course, Douglas fir. Thanks to Kullaberg’s three-layer glued plank flooring, we were able to choose a wide floor, which addressed the risks typically associated with solid wood floors, especially when installed with underfloor heating. The three-layer glued design met both our technical and aesthetic needs.”
Like a jewel
When the floor tiles were installed, the home gained not only a beautiful foundation but also a soul that will endure for years to come. Timelessness was a key element of the design, as it was important to select materials that would bring peace and tranquility to the space.
“The floor became a jewel in itself—light and authentic, complementing other materials and colour choices. It feels as though they’ve been together for a long time, yet their journey has only just begun.”
Douglas fir is important
Madeleine talks about how the process of choosing the floor went.
– Initially, we looked broadly at which floor to choose. But we knew we wanted long, wide planks that had a nice feel to walk barefoot on. Some keywords were genuine, practical, and that it was Douglas fir. Thanks to Kullaberg’s three-layer glued plank flooring, we could choose a wide floor, a solution that eliminated the risks associated with wide, solid wood floors, especially when installed on underfloor heating. The three-layer glued floor met both the technical and visual requirements.
Like a jewel
When the floor tiles moved in, the home gained both a beautiful base and a soul that will endure far into the future. It was important to bring in timelessness in the interior as it was part of the concept to find materials that would offer the soul peace and tranquility.
– The floor became a jewel in itself, airy and genuine where it complements other materials and color choices. It feels like they have lived together for a long time, but their journey has just begun.
Expertise and experience
The collaboration with Kullaberg Flooring played a crucial role in the entire process, says Madeleine. She greatly appreciated the expertise and experience they encountered at Kullaberg Flooring.
“They helped us clarify all our questions and ideas before we made the final decision on their flooring. We also learned about the origins of the material, received tips on different finishes, and got practical maintenance advice. It really felt like a perfect fit between us and Kullaberg Flooring.”
Some helpful tips
Finally, Madeleine offers some advice when it comes to choosing flooring.
“Order floor samples and place them next to your other selected materials to see which colour works best. Make sure different suppliers communicate with each other. In this case, Kullaberg Flooring provided surface treatment products to the staircase manufacturer, Vitabytrappan, to ensure the floor and staircase matched perfectly. And remember, Kullaberg Flooring’s carpentry is of very high quality—those little details can make all the difference in any project.”
Three-layer cross-glued Douglas fir plank floor
Thickness: 20 mm
Width: varying widths 280-370 mm
Length: full lengths up to 8,7 m
Surface treatment: lye and hard wax oil white
Competence and experience
The meeting and interaction with Kullaberg Flooring have been an important part of the whole process, says Madeleine. She appreciated the competence and experience they encountered at Kullaberg Flooring.
– They helped us clarify the questions and thoughts we had before deciding on their floor. We also learned where the material came from, tips on how to think about the different finishes, and practical maintenance advice. It really clicked between us and Kullaberg Flooring.
Some good advice
Finally, Madeleine wants to share some advice when it comes to floors.
– Order floor samples and place them next to other chosen materials to see which coloring fits best. Make sure different suppliers have a dialogue. In this case, Kullaberg Flooring delivered surface treatment products to the staircase manufacturer Vitabytrappan to achieve the same color as the floor. And remember that Kullaberg Flooring has a very high-quality carpentry, details that make a difference in any project.”
Three layer cross glued plank floor douglas fir
Thickness: 20 mm
Width: varying widths 280-370 mm
Length: full lengths up to 8,7 m
Surface treatment: lye and hard wax oil white
