Along the entire south-facing side of the home, sun streams in through full-height windows and glass doors and bounces off white walls. The doors open onto an expansive patio, and above the primary bed-room, which cantilevers over the cliff, is a smaller terrace. Together, the decks more than double the home's living space. They also offer spectacular views of the sea.

 

"A lot of things I used here come from a deep knowledge and understanding of design, while with others I thought, let's try it" says Rickard. One example of the latter was using rough and premium materials together. Fine black marble was sourced for the kitchen backsplash, while oriented strand board (OSB) with only a transparent lacquer finish was used for the ceiling.

 

"Usually the OSB is covered, but we thought it was so beautiful," says Rickard. "Good architecture is a mixture of getting the right things in balance. It's an art. It's not mathematical."

 

To get the balance right, Rickard lived in a wooden cottage on the property for a year during the design to study the topography and conditions. Preserving the site's natural elements was paramount. In the end, the trees decided the shape of the house, and none of the rock was removed despite the steep slope. The pine used to build the house was sourced from the island.

 

"It's like a hideaway," says Rickard. He and his wife spend up to two months here in summer, when his son's family often joins them, but he prefers the occasional weekend visits in autumn and spring. "You can follow how everything is waking up or falling asleep," he says.

 

And is it the retirement home he dreamed of?

"Well, retirement isn't really going to happen, says Rickard, go, with a smile. "I cannot quit because it's not work. I think I will keep doing it for the rest of my life.”

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Written by Tiffany Orvet for Dwell magazine