Acke and Eja. Does that ring a bell? Here we are at Villa Akleja. This villa whispers tales of art culture and love. It is located among Vaxholm’s grandest summer residences.
Villa Akleja’s story begins in the 1870s. It started as a wooden villa with a staircase tower. There was also a large dining room on the east side. In 1901, the artist Johan Axel Gustaf Acke bought it. He collaborated with architect Ernst Stenhammar. Together, they transformed the villa.
Acke’s wife was Eva Topelius. She was the daughter of the Finnish writer Zacharias Topelius. The couple sought a place for work and peace. They desired a place near the Baltic Sea coast. They found it here in Vaxholm.
The name “Akleja” is a play on words. It combines “Acke” with “Eja”. Eva was often called Eja. The villa became their sanctuary.
Ernst Stenhammar and Acke redesigned Villa Akleja. They created open spaces inside. It was possibly the first villa in Sweden with this design. The villa became a meeting place. Artists and writers gathered here.
The original villa had a gray-pink color. The staircase was olive green. Today, it is yellow with white and light blue details. Acke’s studio has a large north-facing window. A plaster relief of a dancing faun decorates the facade. Christian Eriksson created it. He gifted it to Acke. It is a piece from the Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm.
The garden was planned with care. A garden master from Bergianska garden helped. Birches and flowers came from Eva’s father’s home in Finland. A grapevine from Italy still produces grapes. It grows on the south side of Villa Akleja.
Initially, the villa lacked electricity. It was installed in 1920. Before that, kerosene lamps lit the rooms. They cooked tea on a kerosene stove. A wood stove heated the house. Despite this, Eva described the house as cold and damp in a letter from 1913.
The open floor plan was unique. It made Villa Akleja architecturally significant. The heart of the villa is a corner fireplace. It is located in the living room and dining room. Cast iron plates from Skåne line the fireplace. Twisted iron supports the mantelpiece.
From the living room, sliding doors open into Acke’s two-story studio. A high door leads outside. This allowed large canvases to be moved easily. A staircase ascends to a balcony. It runs along the studio. It continues into a corridor with bedrooms.
A skylight provides indirect light in the studio. Eva’s reading room has rounded corners. This was intended “so that thoughts would get going and not stop”. East of the studio stands a small stone house. Acke designed it for the kitchen help.
Acke included playful details throughout Villa Akleja. The stairs resemble waves. The railing was inspired by a fence. The fireplace has a carving: “Acke Eja 1901” framed by a heart. Above the veranda door, Acke painted: “Acke’s and Eja’s house borders society to the south and the fairy tale to the north.”
Villa Akleja became a hub for cultural figures. The Artists’ Association held meetings here. Anders Zorn and Carl Larsson were among the guests. Prince Eugen also visited. However, everything changed in September 1924. Acke collapsed and died in his studio.
Eva Acke lived in the villa until her death in 1929. Their adopted son Fausto Acke inherited it. In March 1981, Villa Akleja became a listed building. This protected its unique design.
Ice hockey player Börje Salming bought Akleja in the early 1980s. He renovated and modernized it. Claes Moser bought Villa Akleja in 2014. He displayed his Acke collection there.
Villa Akleja stands as a testament to art love and innovation. It is a place where culture thrived. Today, its walls echo with stories. They tell of Acke, Eja and their remarkable home.