The Designer who built his dream house... While running design for a massive IT project... With a newborn baby
I'm not a trained architect or construction expert. But I did design and build my dream house while running design for a massive IT project with a newborn baby. Here's why you should follow my Nearspace journey anyway.
The impossible year
Two years ago, I thought I was crazy. While running design for a massive IT project, my partner and I had just welcomed our second child (my third) and decided to move from Stockholm to a small town. Oh, and I was designing and building our dream house.
Most people told me it was impossible. They were almost right.
The sketches I hid
I drew countless architectural sketches during those months - in conference calls, between diaper changes, late at night when the kids finally slept. I was so embarrassed by these drawings that I never showed them to the official architect.
Turns out, my 'embarrassing' sketches were better than his professional plans.
The house we built became everything I dreamed it would be. Light-filled spaces, thoughtful details, a perfect blend of Scandinavian functionality and beauty. But there was one problem - I had no dedicated space to work and create.
The next chapter
Now I'm building my Nearspace - a creative studio where I can work, think, and create without the distractions of home life. This time, I'm documenting everything. Every decision, every mistake, every breakthrough.
Because if I can design and build my dream house during the craziest year of my life, maybe I can help you create your own impossible space too.
Why listen to me?
I'm not a trained architect, and I'm definitely not a construction expert. But here's what I do bring to the table:
✓ 15+ years as a professional photographer - I understand light, composition, and how to create beautiful spaces
✓ UI/UX design background - I know how people actually use spaces and what makes them functional
✓ Successfully built my dream house - While juggling impossible circumstances and a tight budget
✓ Scandinavian design sensibility - Functionality and beauty aren't mutually exclusive
✓ Learning as I go - I'm not the expert lecturing from above; I'm your fellow traveler figuring it out
✓ Real constraints - I deal with budgets, time pressures, and learning curves just like you
What you'll find here
Real-Time Build Documentation - The good, the bad, and the "what was I thinking?" moments
Design Decisions Explained - Why I chose this window placement, that lighting solution, these materials
Honest Tool Reviews - From someone who actually uses them on real projects, not just weekend hobby builds
Transparent Cost Breakdowns - Because nobody talks about what things actually cost
Scandinavian Design Principles - Applied to small spaces and real budgets
Plans and Resources - For when you're ready to build your own Nearspace
The reality check
I'm a Swedish-speaking designer working in English, so you might hear some "eehs" and restarts in my videos. I struggle with budgets like everyone else. My construction helpers are teaching me as we go - sometimes I'm learning techniques for the first time right alongside you.
This isn't polished perfection from someone who's built dozens of studios. It's real progress from someone who believes that good design shouldn't be limited to people with unlimited budgets or decades of experience.
My current build team
Me - Design, project management, documentation, and slowly learning actual construction skills
My partner - Reality checks, budget oversight, and making sure I don't get too carried away with "just one more design tweak"
Construction helpers - My father in law and his colleague from their construction company, who show up when work is slow to teach me proper techniques
You - The community following along, asking questions, and keeping me accountable
Need help with your own project?
Working on your own creative space? Stuck on a design decision? Sometimes it helps to talk through ideas with someone who's been there.
The bigger picture
This Nearspace isn't just about me getting a better workspace. It's about proving that you don't need to be a professional architect or have unlimited resources to create something beautiful and functional.
If a UI designer can sketch out plans between conference calls and turn them into a real space that works, then maybe the barriers between "amateur" and "professional" aren't as high as we think.
Maybe your own impossible space is more possible than you imagine.
Ready to find out?