Norwegian Mid-Century Modern

Everything about Ava and Brian’s dream house says “hygge” – a Norwegian word that describes a cozy, contented mood evoked by warmth, comfort, and peace. Hygge is about taking time away from the daily rush to be together with people you care about – or even yourself – to relax and enjoy life’s quieter pleasures. 

Their dream home is just above the Wenatchee snow line near Mission Ridge ski resort. Ava shares: I prefer winter months. I love to bundle up in cozy sweaters, sit inside with a roaring fire and candles, and watch the snow falling outside. I was born in Aspen, Colorado, and also have Nordic blood. I love winter sports such as skiing and skating, so I’m pretty sure that plays a big part in my love of winter. Brian, too, likes the winter months, but he loves all seasons equally except for July and August when it gets blazing hot.

Their Scandinavian-inspired home, with its minimalist, clean lines, combines functionality with beauty. Carefully chosen natural materials improve daily life through purposeful design concentrating on durability and reliability. Ava explains: We had experience building our first house and learned from our mistakes, but we also took the things we liked and utilized those concepts. We have always incorporated the principles of Frank Lloyd Wright into our architectural planning, creating warm, inviting spaces that are separate yet open and flow into one another.  

With Wenatchee’s long, cold winters, they designed and built a home that feels homey and warm.

Welcome to their home …

Entry Hall

From the moment you walk in the front door, you know you’re entering a unique place. The custom front door pivots into the entry hall, showing a custom-made black metal divider separating the entry from the sunken living room. The divider slats swivel to dim harsh summer rays or allow more sunlight during long winter days. The entry is the gateway to all the rooms in the house – to the left, you find the study and master suite, and to the right, you reach the den/guest room and the kitchen.

Living Room

The sunken living room creates a unique mid-century vibe while providing a cozy and inviting space for relaxation and entertainment. The two steps down define the sitting area within the open floor plan. Furnishings were selected to inspire warmth and comfort, making the living room space feel cozy and creating the ideal gathering spot. One very savvy feature is a television that lowers into a half wall and, when raised, swivels for viewing in the kitchen or living room. Hidden in a nook behind the fireplace is a queen-size custom daybed with comfy pillows, a reading sconce, and a window view of Mission Ridge. Sliding doors lead to an outdoor living space with a built-in grill and a conversation pit.

Kitchen

As you enter their home and more so in the kitchen, you notice the use of black — doors, cabinets, trim, door handles, lighting, and accent pieces. Black cabinets add elegance and character to the kitchen, creating a bold contrast with other elements, such as the warm custom linen walls and the solid white oak flooring. The various colors in the Dekton Trillium countertops and backsplash are repeated throughout the house. Dekton is pricey, but the material is exceptionally durable and can withstand high heat. The custom hood created by the company that fabricated the front door and entry divider features a metallic bronze band that adds a touch of warmth along with the Gebara oil-rubbed bronze drawer pulls. Beat pendants provide lighting above the island and nook. The inside of the pendants were powder coated to match other kitchen details. The black and bronze elements create a cohesive look throughout the house.

Ava and Brian created a gourmet showcase kitchen that is beautiful yet functional for a woman who loves cooking and entertaining. The large island is perfect for prepping food while conversing with family or guests, and the four Arhaus stools provide seating for a quick meal or extra space for guests. This kitchen is the heart of their home.

The kitchen features ambient, task, accent, and decorative lighting, which creates a helpful yet soothing atmosphere. Behind the kitchen is a pantry for larger kitchen appliances, food storage, and an ice machine. This area also leads to a mudroom and a 3-car garage.

Den/Guest Room

Ava and Brian’s den is all about comfort and family time. Built-ins house the media center and hold family photos while hiding games below. The nubby boucle’ couch is comfy and trendy. Their den also doubles as a guest room. Designs by Frank Lloyd Wright inspired the two queen-size day beds. Ava: His creative house plans are how I got hooked on having built-in daybeds, a dining nook, and a game table. Built-ins add a cozy, intimate feel to a house and utilize space well. Guests have access to a private bathroom and a large closet. But before turning in for the night, people can gather around the table with padded benches to play games or finish a puzzle. Brian wanted “manly” lighting, so we chose the Albertine collection. The chandelier is much heavier than the lighting in the other rooms but is perfect for the family room. The Albertine sconces provide light next to the two queen beds with free floating shelves perfect for charging a phone or a pile of must-read books. 

Bedroom Suite

Ava and Brian’s elegant bedroom suite is a harmonious blend of functionality, luxury, and personalization. It is cozy and indulgent! Ava purchased the first piece of furniture for their new home: the live-edge bed from BenchMade Custom Furniture. It is teamed with nightstands from West Elm and lamps found at Boswells Furniture in Wenatchee. The lamps spoke to Ava: Buy me! Buy me! I’m perfect for your bedroom. Hours were spent finding the ideal wallpaper, but Buffy knew it the minute she saw it. Pinecones and boughs with four hues of metallic details create the focal wall. Black wool carpet warms the room physically as much as visually.

Our excellent seamstress, Terri, created custom room-darkening panels of mid-weight flax linen and sheers of natural sheer linen in oatmeal. Ava cleverly hid the bedroom and living room curtain rods behind custom cornices.

Brian’s Study

The study is spacious and has a large bookshelf with drawers for organization and storage. The shelves are a showplace for photos, books, and keepsakes from family vacations. The desk provides space for a computer with multiple screens and room to spread out to get work done or to relax and daydream while enjoying the hills through the spacious windows. The Architectural Digest rug and pinecone wallpaper bring the home’s colors into this room.

Powder and Laundry Rooms

The powder room walls are covered in the same pinecone wallpaper as the office and bedroom. The oval mirror’s natural wood perfectly matches the white oak flooring. Dimmed lights glow and catch the wallpaper’s metallics while emphasizing the black fixtures.

We wanted the laundry room wallpaper to include all the house colors but slightly different from the pinecone paper. The Zen Organics wallpaper brings the foliage from the nearby hills into the room. It feels like we gathered a collection of wild plants and flowers, made a giant bouquet, and then tossed it onto the wall.  The laundry room allows for sorting and folding, plus entry to a large utility closet.

Lighting

Maximizing natural light was a vital component of the house plan. Windows allow for as much natural light as possible using sheer curtains or blinds that easily adjust throughout the day. A combination of overhead lighting, floor lamps, table lamps, and candles control the ambiance. Incorporating dimmer switches allows the lights to be adjusted to suit different moods and times of day. Ava shares: My Norwegian heritage played a big part in my vision for the design of our house. When I visited Norway, the houses were always dimly lit by lamps and candles. There was never overhead lighting! The lighting creates a warm, soft glow throughout their home.

Art/Decor

Ava and Brian’s home is full of loved art and photographs. Ava shares: My mother was a product of the 1960s and spent many winters in Mexico taking painting classes. She painted for self-expression more than anything and loved giving her paintings to friends and family. I love having her paintings on my walls. It makes me feel close to her. Framed photos of her family are artistically placed around the house, bringing back fond memories of fun times.  

Texture

One of the easiest ways to add texture to a home is to mix textiles: rugs, window treatments, throw pillows, blankets, bedding, furniture upholstery, and flooring. Buffy and Ava mixed fabrics such as leather, silk, bouclé, wool, cotton, linen, and textured designer fabrics to create a feeling of warmth. Ava pulled wood and metal accent pieces into every room of her home. Flowers and houseplants add an organic touch.

Outside Details

The front porch light (Mediterrania) was so perfect for the front porch that we also used it on the back deck and at the guest house. Everything about the 25 sculpted Pandora box lights perfectly carries out the iconic minimalism of Mid-Century and Scandinavian design.

Buffy and I appreciate Ava and Brian’s trust in us as they created their dream home. It was a fun process, and we loved seeing their home move from dreams to reality. I do wish I was a better photographer and writer. Still, I hope you can glimpse how stunning and unique their Norwegian Mid-Century Modern home is.

I look forward to sharing another post about the guest house and landscaping.