From school to rustic gem

Between 1904 and 1955, it was a school. Today, ”Villa Paris” is a rustic gem in the heart of Sörmland. Hunters, cyclists and tourists in search of a unique nature experience all visit this cosy Bed & Breakfast. Two years ago, Lise and Håkan Lövkvist painted over the time-worn, distemper painted main house with Red Tar.

“For someone like me who has worked in the wood industry for 30 years, it was fantastic to discover an eco-friendly, natural product which can also be used over distemper paint. No other paint can do this. By using Red Tar we are able to restore our own house with the protective properties that exist naturally in wood, and we avoid problems with mould and rot on the exterior,” says Håkan.

Love life in the country side

Lise and Håkan have lived in the countryside for almost their whole lives. The bought their beloved Paris homestead in 1981 and put all their heart into transforming the ramshackle school into a beautiful home with adjoining stables and smaller houses. The couple also leases 650 hectares of hunting ground on which Håkan organises hunting activities for individuals and companies.
“We have plenty of Norwegian and Swedish hunting guests. But our B&B attracts everyone interested in nature – here you can really get an experience out of the ordinary,” says Håkan, who tells us that hunting is his favourite pastime.

“Paint that really penetrates the wood”

By 2015, Lise and Håkan had grown tired of the worn, distemper painted exterior of their house – the main building at the homestead. Lise was paging through an interior design magazine and came across an advertisement for Red Tar. Prior to this, they had never heard of the paint.
“We were immediately drawn to the elegant red colour but, above all, because it was a natural product. It was also important for me to finally get a painted exterior that would not come off. Red Tar really penetrates the wood and we consider the long drying time as a positive thing – this way we know the paint is truly protecting the wood. We are looking forward to repainting the other side.