Scharinska villan

Story

Scharinska villan is a pink building at the street Storgatan 63-65, located next to Döbelns park in Umeå, Sweden. Scharinska villan was designed by the architect Ragnar Östberg and it was erected in 1904-1905 for Egil Unander-Scharin and his family. In the 1950s the building also housed the family business AB Scharins Söner.The buildingThe exterior of the building is somewhat Victorian. There is a gable crest over the windows, with prominent arched windows on the ground floor. The small Rococo inspired balconies are wrought iron. The house is three stories high, with a volume offset to one side which is contrasting with the otherwise consistent symmetry. The refurbish facade is slightly reddish with a frieze under the third floor's row of windows. Also the interior is lavish with wood-paneled walls, except in the so-called Spanish Hall, whose renovated walls are covered in mosaics from Spain.The front door at the main entrance has a scene in relief that is designed by Ragnar Östberg. The subject is an abundant foliage with the faces of seven kids with a stork in the middle. The seven faces symbolize the seven children in the Scharin family. Scharinska villan is considered one of Östberg's best works during his youth.A hedge runs around the property towards the streets Storgatan and Döbelnsgatan. South of the gardener's house there is a paved garden (with brick colored concrete tiles), surrounded by arched metal trellis to the south and west and a metal rail towards the east. To the north of the building there is a paved parking lot. The parking lot also serves as an entrance to the municipal real estate concern Bostaden's headquarters.