Micha van Dinther and Magnus Wittbjer are the founders of design, communication and content studio TypeO. The latest project from the studio is the TypeO Loft, a slow living one-room bed and breakfast in the region of Skåne in the south of Sweden. The loft first opened its doors in the summer of 2020, mid-pandemic, and offers a great vacation for Scandinavians that wants to travel by car.
The bed and breakfast loft is also supplemented with a retail space, therefore introducing the guests to Micha and Magnus’ design universe, with everything from beauty, design, fashion and more.
The best thing — in the summer or in general — that makes us proud of Skåne:
Skåne’s main draw for us when relocating here was its natural beauty and determination. It allows for a slightly more secluded, slow-paced life away from stress, but leaves plenty of room for creativity, idea realisation and entrepreneurship. It really is a dynamic region in so many ways and in so many fields. It has allowed us to revamp our lifestyle and our business completely.
Our favourite weekend routine:
Our weekend starts off with Magnus putting a homemade sourdough loaf, prepared the evening before, in the oven. A long breakfast ensues, followed by chores around the house and the garden. We’re currently planting a new garden designed for us by Anders Mårtensson, and like to drop by Ystad Plantskola and Åbergs Trädgård to pick up perennials regularly. Setting time aside for some R&R has been an important life lesson in recent years and those moments are frequently spent in our trusty old Land Rover Duke (short for the Duke of Edinburgh), on the saddle of a bike or around the dinner table with friends.
Our favourite thing at home:
The light. With meter-thick stone walls and deep window sills, the transition of light throughout the day manifests itself in a dramatic play of light and shadow. It makes the entire house come alive.
Our favourite place for dining out:
One that we look out for ourselves can’t wait to try is JH Matbar, set to open in the city of Ystad in August. We were lucky enough to taste some of head chef Christoffer Herbst’s food at home when he was cooking for guests of TypeO Loft. In Malmö, Ruths is always a good idea.
Our favourite breakfast place:
A spot that really satisfies our cravings for sourdough bread and cinnamon rolls is Loshult Handelsbod, well worth the detour. Closer to home, there’s Söderberg & Sara in Ystad, voted one of the best cafés in Sweden, that serve up delicious kouign-amanns, great coffee and yoghurt topped with homemade granola. Mygel on the outskirts of Malmö is also an up and coming brunch spot to watch.
Our favourite place for a bath:
Cowards when it comes to cold water, we wait a long time for the ocean to reach the right temperature. Once it does, Sandhammaren is our prefered beach. And while waiting, we enjoy the controlled temperatures of the Andrum spa, designed by Johan Sundberg Arkitektur.
Our favourite place for ice cream or other refreshments:
This place might not look much for the world, but Glassmakeriet in Ystad makes a browned butter and sugar-coated walnut ice cream that is to die for.
Our favourite excursion/city escape:
Copenhagen, without a doubt. A full day of gastronomy, art, design and architecture in the Danish capital, only one hour away, is enough to get our creative juices flowing for another couple of months.
Our favourite cultural spot:
There are so many to choose from but we’re always happy to drop by Kivik Art Center for some world-class architecture and art submerged in Scanian nature. A secret gem not many know of is the Mariavall convent, designed by Dutch Benedictine monk and architect Hans Van Der Laan between 1986 and 1991.
Our favourite local entrepreneur or creative we want to promote:
We’d like to lift forward the work of Jenny Nordberg who, aside from her own designs (her ‘3 to 5 Seconds’ silver mirrors have been on the top of our wishlist for years) is a one-woman powerhouse in terms of pushing the region’s design scene to new heights. Among many initiatives, Nordberg is the founder of SPOK, a local production sourcing platform, and instigated Den Nya Kartan, a project that connects local designers with local manufacturers to collaborate on various designs. Skåne as an innovative design region has Norberg to thank for a lot.
Our favourite hotel for a staycation:
When we want to take a break from rural life, we head to a city to enjoy the traffic, pollution and sight of other people. Hotel Duxiana is a sophisticated Malmö bolthole with a great spot for lunch (book ahead!), comfortable and contemporary rooms and beds you won’t want to get up from.
Our favourite route for a run or walk:
Our local area provides plenty of opportunities for both. A favourite run is definitely the Snogeholm recreational area. It is less busy and provides avid runners with challenging trails and plenty of change in altitude along a 17 km loop through mostly dense forest.
Our favourite place for fashion:
Malmö-based independent menswear retailer Per Ljung does casual Italian staples better than anyone else out there – it feels like you’ve got your own personal stylist at hand.
Our favourite space for great design:
In Malmö, Form/Design Center is a hub that connects many of the region’s creatives in the fields of design and architecture. A large brick granary in the heart of town houses a space for exhibitions, talks and other activities that are free of charge and open to the public year-round.
Our favourite example of tech innovation in Skåne:
Orbital Systems springs to mind. Called “the space shower” Orbital Systems produce energy-saving showers that massively cut down on water usage, water waste and energy consumption, using the same technology as dialysis. Another cool startup is Radinn, a line of electric surfboards sold all over the world.
Our favorite local media:
As foodies, we love to keep track of what the region has to offer via Malmö Food Stories and Skitgott on Instagram. We also keep tabs on the Scanian design scene through Formgivarpodden, a podcast hosted by designers Karin Olu Lindgård and Kajsa Willner.