While some people may own their own forests so as to enjoy its appearance or tranquility, a couple in Norway decided to physically put theirs to work. After calling on the architectural prowess of the Norway-based firm Tyin Architects, the couple harvested a healthy helping of spruce timber to construct a beautifully designed Norwegian cottage. What’s perhaps even more impressive about the build is how the couple insisted on undertaking almost all the construction work themselves — something the architects acknowledged as extremely “rare.”
Situated next to a nearby marshland, the stunning home boasts incredible views of an adjacent sea as well as its surrounding rocky terrain. While designing the home, Tyin Architects made it a point to preserve the area’s natural surroundings and leaned on a sustainable model which would allow the owners to remain modest in energy consumption and the type of materials used. Furthermore, the owners decided to leave their spruce siding unfinished, instead preferring it to fade to a much lighter shade — a color that fits perfectly with its surroundings.
“The cottage holds a special place in contemporary Norwegian culture,” said the architects. “A few generations back the majority of the Norwegian people made a living from farming, fishing, or lumbering, trades which afforded closeness with nature. In the contemporary and urbanized way of life, the cottage is a means maintaining this closeness.”
Built upon a concrete base, the main area of the cottage — which sits on three levels — consists almost entirely of beamed ceilings and studwork. Whereas the exterior siding remains faded, the interior shines with brightly colored spruce, making the home seem lit up even if it’s not particularly bright outside. Furthermore, the home checks in at just 645 square feet though depending on where an onlooker views the home, it appears larger (from the west) or smaller (from the east) based on its exterior architecture.
Designed and built at a cost of roughly $202,000, this Skardsoya-based cottage is a dream come true for the owners. From sourcing the building material out of their own forest to constructing the residence almost entirely on their own, it’s a foregone conclusion the couple won’t mind one bit reaping what they’ve sowed.
