Matilda Djerf welcomes me into her tranquil 1920s apartment in Stockholm with infectious warmth and enthusiasm. “The moment Rasmus and I walked into this house, we knew it had to be ours,” she says, her eyes lighting up. “I saw the three working fireplaces, each adorned with delicate botanicals, and I just knew… It’s so rare to find features like these intact in Sweden. I suppose this place skipped the whole beige minimalism trend.”
Djerf only moved into the apartment with her partner in life and work, Rasmus Johansson, back in February, but she’s already made it her own. The couple’s approach to the interiors is as unpretentious as it is elegant, with its warm minimalism complemented by Matilda’s creations for her company, Djerf Avenue. “This space had to feel safe and calming for me,” Djerf explains. “After a long day at the office, I need my home to be tidy and peaceful.”
Every corner of the apartment reflects Matilda’s affinity for Swedish design and passion for travel. “While I wanted an airy interior, I didn’t want it to feel sterile,” she continues. “I mixed in antiques to celebrate the building’s historic bones.” Among her treasures: a golden chandelier created by Svenskt Tenn’s Josef Frank and a 19th-century Bankers Lamp, purchased from the Swedish boutique Sekelskifte.
She’s incorporated nods to her personal history at every turn, too. Take the guest bathroom, for instance. “This is where I got to be playful,” she says, with the décor inspired by her grandparents’ summer house. “I remember their retro green wallpaper with sunflowers, and now I have my version here,” she tells me happily before pointing out cherub-shaped soaps and sunshine-yellow Terra Studios tiles.
The pièce de résistance? The walk-in closet, naturally. “This room was non-negotiable,” she reveals. “It used to be the primary bedroom, but now it’s my cabinet of fashion curiosities.” The bijou room, reminiscent of a Parisian atelier, prioritizes style over square footage, with racks of clothing and shoes displayed gallery-style. “I’m a bit embarrassed by how many shoes I have,” Matilda admits with a laugh, admiring a pair of Yves Saint Laurent heels. “These are too high to wear often, but they’re just too beautiful not to display.”
Step inside Djerf’s home, below.
