Roos – A New Life By The Lake
With Småland tradition and a limited budget as a starting point, the Dutch-British couple realized their dream home by Lake Agunnaryd in Småland.
Their motivation for moving to Sweden and Småland was a quieter life and the chance to develop a business by the water. By Lake Agunnaryd, Roos and Simon’s dream became a reality when they expanded a small house with new open spaces and rental accommodations on the property.
Dutch-born Roos Hogervorst and British-born Simon Kemsley lived in England but felt that the pace of life was fast and the workdays long. What attracted them to Sweden was more nature, a stronger focus on family, and a better balance between work and life.
”We moved here but searched for many years for a place with a larger plot by the water. We had the idea of developing a business, renting out canoes and accommodations by the lake, as we were often on the water in England. This house was tiny, and other buyers probably thought it wouldn’t be big enough. That gave us the chance to buy it,” says Roos Hogervorst.
Limited budget as a foundation
Roos now runs Agundaborg Camp & Paddle, which started as a side business but has since become her full-time job, while her husband Simon works for IKEA. When it was time to develop the property and home, she was determined to bring in an architectural firm for professional help with a holistic vision. A key priority was to work within a limited budget.
“If we had spent much more, we might have had to work ten years longer before retirement, which we didn’t want. It also feels uncertain to invest large sums in a place where most houses aren’t very expensive.
That’s why it was important for us to ask Arkitektbolaget to keep the budget low from the start. If you cut things out afterward, you lose the cohesive vision that the architect was hired to create,” says Roos.
Småland tradition – modern spaces
Their wishes included enough space for the family, a view of the lake, and plans for rental accommodations on the property that could be expanded over time. Architect Johannes Debus from Arkitektbolaget took on the project. To add beautiful new spaces while keeping the design simple, he preserved the existing house and added another structure next to it, with an open kitchen/living room area and a loft with a dormer window. This approach also supported sustainability: tearing down as little as possible conserves natural resources.
”We were able to add a spacious and beautiful room instead of expanding the old house bit by bit. On the loft, you can open two glass doors, sit down, and look out over the lake. It gives the family a new focal point for home life and enhances their quality of life. It’s rewarding to be able to help even when the budget is limited,” says Johannes Debus.
The couple wanted to preserve the house’s traditional Swedish and Småland style, with mullioned windows and a classic red exterior. After all, that’s what many tourists come to see. The new building, however, took on a more modern form with high ceilings and large windows that bring in light. A rental cabin was also designed in the same style by Alessia Domenighini from Arkitektbolaget.
Photo: Patrik Sundström, Bläck & Co
Room to grow
By the lakeside, the family’s dream lifestyle has come true. The house can evolve over time and even be split into two homes – for Roos’s business or future family visits. “We’re so happy here. It’s a dream come true – a wonderful home by the lake where we swim and share our passion for paddling,” says Roos Hogervorst.
