Rue Issue 6

Purchased several months ago and still a work in progress, the 1960s structure caught the couple’s attention despite its need for extensive renovation. “We fell for the location,” Bergthora explains. “Joel grew up in this part of town. His grandfather was an engineer and was part of the team designing this neighborhood. Our boys go to the same school where their father and grandfather were students.” Another location perk: the Farmers Market studio is located just five minutes away, in Reykjavik’s fishpacking district.

The house is filled with art that speaks to the couple’s family history. A series of painted sticks—a project by Joel’s mother, artist Anna Joelsdottir—is a particular favorite, and a photograph taken by a former employee holds special significance: “It’s an old swimming pool in the south of Iceland, just under the volcano Eyjafjallajokull, which erupted a year ago. My father grew up very close to this place—this was the swimming pool where he learned how to swim.”

A balance of neutral colors and rustic materials reflects the couple’s passion for the pure and unprocessed. In the living room, a sofa the color of sand, made from linen, cotton, and silk, plays host to sheepskin pillows and a fur throw. Sturdy wooden furnishings, a glass tabletop, and potted greenery complete the picture. Nearby, in the dining area, a set of antlers is mounted to the wall; below it, seashells rest on top of a white credenza.