In episode 8 of season 1 of Husdrömmar, we are taken on a journey filled with love, construction chaos and unexpected challenges. In Limhamn, a charming neighborhood outside Malmö, we find Åsa and Magnus who decide to turn a small street house into their shared paradise. But what started as a simple extension quickly turned out to be a test for both their relationship and their wallets.
Table of contents
Background information
Åsa Lundberg, 42, already lives in the small street house with her daughter Wilma when she meets Magnus Engel, 39, from Malmö. Together with their children, Wilma and Max, they decide to turn the house into a home for the whole family. “It was love at first sight,” Åsa says of the house, which she calls her paradise.
However, building on such a small and old house from the 19th century turned out to be more complicated than they could have ever imagined.
Facts about the house
Location: Limhamn, outside Malmö
Size: From 58 sqm to 103 sqm after extension
Year of construction: Originally late 1800s, extension started in 2013
Choice of materials: Traditional materials with a preserved fisherman’s cottage feel
Budget: SEK 1.5 million (cost increase of 0.5 million)
Challenges on the Road
The project hit several major obstacles. The first came when the construction company went bankrupt, leaving the family without both accommodation and ongoing construction. “It was like the ground disappeared from under our feet,” says Åsa.
Other challenges included:
Risk of collapse when excavation work threatened both their house and their neighbors’.
Delays due to an unusually long winter.
Double accommodation costs for a longer period than planned.
Despite everything, they found support in each other and their persistence to make the dream come true.
Design and Inspiration
The goal was to preserve the soul of the house while making it a functional home for four people. The new part of the house included:
A spacious kitchen, the heart of the new home.
A bedroom for Åsa and Magnus.
A study.
The children’s rooms were personalized with themes such as jungle for Wilma and Barcelona football for Max.
Final result
Despite delays, a bankruptcy, and a cracked budget, Åsa and Magnus were finally able to move into their finished house. With a bright, spacious kitchen and a cleverly planned upstairs, they have created a home where their love for the house and each other shines through.
As Åsa says: “The dream of paradise is still alive. Everything has an end, and this end is the beginning of our new life together.”
