This charming old house sits quietly in the Swedish countryside, in the small village of Frösvi with a population of just around 200.
Built in 1938, the home feels cozy and full of life, thanks to its owner, Emma Gustavsson. She’s 31, recently divorced, and raising two daughters—one is ten, the other just three years old.
Emma works night shifts as a nurse at a local nursing home. In her free time, she takes care of the house and garden and runs a blog about rural life.
Emma and her (now ex-)husband moved into the house in 2019. They divorced in 2023, and after the separation, her former husband returned to his home country.
On her Instagram, Emma often shares her dream of opening a small vintage shop and continuing to promote a simple, peaceful lifestyle in the countryside.
She had no choice but to keep her job, though—after the divorce, she spent nearly a year in court, trying to convince the bank to transfer the mortgage to her name. Being employed at the hospital played a key role in securing the bank’s approval.
The house is located on the edge of the village. The property also includes a woodshed, a garage, a children’s play area, and a greenhouse.
Despite all the challenges, Emma doesn’t complain. She manages to balance work, hobbies, and motherhood. She restores old pieces, maintains the house and garden, rides horses at a local club, and raises her daughters with care.
Her steady, positive attitude—despite raising two kids on her own with modest child support and a sizable mortgage—can be seen throughout the home’s interior.
The house measures 165 square meters (about 1,776 square feet). Keeping up with everything, especially with two young children, is no easy task, but Emma handles it. She typically works 10–12 shifts a month, devoting the rest of her time to housework, gardening, and parenting.
In the living room, all the furniture has removable slipcovers—something of a necessity with a dog and a long-haired cat roaming freely indoors and outdoors. She washes the covers at least once a week.
The home is decorated in a way that’s both simple and beautiful. Looking at the photos, it’s hard to believe such a life is possible on a nurse’s salary—but as Emma explains, there isn’t a single expensive item in the house.
The elegant candle holder in the living room is a flea market find. The wooden coffee table once belonged to her grandparents. The sofas are the most affordable ones from IKEA. Emma sewed the curtains herself.
There are almost always seasonal flowers on the tables—daffodils or tulips in spring, spruce branches in winter.
Emma once shared in an interview with Expressen that before buying the house, she and her husband rented a regular apartment in a nearby village. But she quickly realized she didn’t enjoy it there. She wanted more freedom—to be able to step into the garden anytime, repaint or repair things without asking anyone’s permission.
The old house they found through a listing became a dream come true for her.
The kitchen cabinets are from IKEA—an older model installed by the previous owners.
The dining table, chairs, and vintage light fixture were all picked up at flea markets. Some items cost next to nothing or were even free. Emma is especially proud of her retro dishware collection.
Searching through flea markets for interesting finds is one of her favorite hobbies. That’s why opening a vintage shop remains one of her long-term goals.
Some of her dishes are stored in a pantry cupboard.
Despite being built in 1938, the house was in great condition when they bought it in 2019. The windows, flooring, and roof had been renovated, and the bathroom had also been recently updated. All plumbing was replaced.
“The previous owners took good care of this house. You can see the effort they put into every detail,” Emma says.
The kitchen remains in great shape. Emma has repainted the cabinets a few times, but wouldn’t call it a real renovation.
There’s another room adjacent to the kitchen, which now serves as the dining room.
This used to be a space where the whole family gathered. Relatives from her ex-husband’s side often came to visit. These days, Emma mostly hosts her colleagues and friends here.
Linen tablecloths, candles, and placemats are staples of every gathering. Emma has about ten different table-setting sets for various occasions—most of the tablecloths she made herself.
The rocking chair by the stove is Emma’s favorite spot in the house. She likes to sit there and knit.
The main bedroom looked entirely different not long ago. After the divorce, Emma completely transformed the space. Previously, it had dark blue walls, a dark floor, and an old bed with a headboard made from a worn-out door.
“I wanted to redo everything. Start from scratch,” she explained in a social media post, where she shared the entire makeover process.
The room now feels soft and calming—feminine and peaceful.
Next to the master bedroom is her younger daughter’s room. It’s decorated in a similar vintage style, with floral wallpaper, an old crib, and a retro rocking horse from Emma’s own childhood.
The room is tiny. It used to be a home library, which Emma gave up to create space for her daughter.
Here’s Emma with her two lovely daughters.
And here are their pets—Oscar the cat and Basse the dog. They can be a handful, but they bring plenty of joy too.
“I really love this house. It’s my source of strength. My safe place. The space where I recharge. I fought hard to keep it. For a long time, I didn’t know if the bank would agree to transfer the mortgage to a single mother. I gathered tons of documents, sent dozens of letters, visited the bank manager multiple times. And now we live here. Life was kind to us,” Emma shares on Instagram.
Photos: Emma Gustavsson
