Perhaps the walls of Villa Kallstenius could whisper stories of artistry. This is a place where creativity thrived. We are standing before Villa Kallstenius. It is a cultural treasure in Storängen, Nacka.
In 1906, the artist couple Gottfrid Kallstenius and Gerda Roosval-Kallstenius commissioned architect Gustaf Petterson to design this villa. The villa became a home and studio. Storängen was founded in 1904. It attracted professionals and artists. The Stockholm-Saltsjön railway made it an attractive location.
Villa Kallstenius is a mighty stone building in the Jugend style. It has two stories under a hipped roof. The villa has a U-shaped layout. Its wings face a southwest slope. The facades are plastered and painted light yellow. Red details accent balconies and railings. The windows have small panes typical of Storängen villas.
In 1909, Idun magazine featured Gottfrid Kallstenius’s art. The magazine also showed photos of his “cozy artist home” in Storängen. Kallstenius’s neighbor was publisher Wilhelm Widstrand. He moved into Villa Widstrand in 1906. Kallstenius lived here until his death in 1943. His wife Gerda passed away four years earlier. Their son Evald Kallstenius was also an artist.
Originally, the villa was isolated. It was near Långsjön. The construction of Saltsjöbadsleden in the late 1960s changed this. The highway cut off the eastern connection.
Gottfrid Kallstenius was born in Västervik in 1861. He studied at the Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts. He married Gerda Roosval in 1891. They traveled to Paris and Brittany for their art. They later settled in Grez-sur-Loing. Kallstenius taught decorative art. He also created murals and mosaics. He wrote books on oil painting. Gustaf E. Petterson designed their villa in 1906. Their son Evald also became a painter. Villa Kallstenius stands as a testament to their artistic life.