Swedish Furniture

Swedish Gustavian Decorating: 25 Of The Best Copper Kitchenware

An 18th Century Copenhagen Apartment

An 18th Century Copenhagen Apartment shows off great looking Swedish style. Decorating with copper can be just the touch you need in your home. Martha Stewart is famous for collecting dozens of copper molds which hang on her kitchen wall. Here are 20 of the most interesting copper kitchenware that would look fabulous in your home.

Swedish Gustavian Decorating: The Nicest Copper Products For Decorating

Copper Plated Oval Tub $58, 17.75 x 11 Round Tub $79 22.5 x 13.25 x11.25 Oval Tub 11 Gal. $114

1. Cuisinart 33-Inch Bar-Style Wall-Mount Pot Rack, Polished Copper $40

2. Cuisinart Half-Circle Wall-Mount Pot Rack, Polished Copper $60

3.Extra Polished Copper Pot Rack Hooks Set of 6 $33

4.Old Dutch Round Dome Pot Rack, Copper $112

5. 48 x 18 Oval Satin Copper Pot Rack w/16 Hooks $171

6. Old Dutch 2 Quart Solid Copper Zabaglione Pan $34

7. Mauviel M'Passion Copper 15-Quart Jam Pan with Bronze Handles $290

8. Mauviel M'Heritage 3-1/2-Inch Butter Warme with Bronze Handle $77

9. Mauviel M'Passion Copper 3-1/2-Quart Zabaglione Pan $155

10.22 1/2 x 11 1/4 x 11 1/2 Satin Copper Pot Rack w/Grid & 12 Hooks $60

11. Old Dutch International 4¼ Inch Solid Copper Stovetop Salt & Pepper Set $18

12.Old Dutch Copper Clad Stainless Steel Hammered Canister, Set of 4 $61

13. Olde Thompson Columbia Copper Peppermill & Salt Shaker Set $25

14. Wright's Copper Cream Polish, 8-oz $7

15. Cover that Microwave, or Dishwasher front. Metal FX Brushed Copper Contact Paper, 18" x 6' $12.

16. Pepper Mill Imports Atlas Pepper Mill, Copper, 9" $56

17.Old Dutch 9-Inch Pedestal Colander, Copper $28

18. Old Dutch Solid Copper 4-Quart Beating Bowl $40

19. Old Dutch Solid Copper and Brass Antique Reproduction 13 1/2" tray $20

20. Waring MBB520 Bar Blender, Bright Copper $91

21. Rumford Gardener Copper Thermometer Outdoor Clock $76

22. Good Directions Large Oil Lamp $72

23.Hanging 2 Tier J-Arms Antique Copper 12 Candelabra Sockets $626

24. 8" Solid Copper Wall Tile with Rose Design , Dogwood Flower- Polished Copper $25

25. Copperplated Revere Bowl, 10 $53

Amazingly Affordable Swedish LOOKING Furniture

Desk Vanity Or Sideboard- Swedish Looking Furniture

(The Bobkona Jaden Collection Vanity Set comes with the vanity table, one bench and a mirror Click on the picture to take you to the image from Amazon. I altered the picture to show how this desk could look terrific with Louis XVI pulls and possibly some ormolu for the legs.

Consider painting the entire desk a matte gray and the area under the table top a shade lighter than the paint color shade you decide upon. Add two Louis XVI pulls to the drawer, and a Swedish styled keyholes.

Dress up the stool with some ormolu to make this set appear more luxurious Paint it gray and distress it for a classic Swedish look. Not bad for $178!)

Amazon sells a terrific table set that is labeled as the "Jaden" vanity set. The set has such a wonderful design that doesn't make it only functional as a vanity. The desk itself has beautiful features that can double as furniture anywhere in the home. Consider it as an entry way table, or an accent piece in the living room. Get two sets for around $350 and use them under a pair of windows in the room, and use the pair of benches at the end of your bed.

The mirror comes off which allows you to pair it with a gilt wall mirror, for the use of a vanity, or a painting or a relief that could be hung on the wall with the table. The bench is quite attractive and could be paired with a living room chair, or a bedroom chair that needs a stool for your feet. This set is quite lovely, and is priced at $178. with free shipping.

Other Additional Sets :

-Purchase the Bobkona set in Cherry , and paint it gray, blue or red and heavily distress the paint finish showing the wood underneath. $135

-The same set in Black $160- Heavily distress the finish showing more of an aged look

-Great looking Padded Vanity Footstool $17

-Bobkona St. Croix Collection Vanity Set with Stool, White $221

-Bobkona St. Croix Collection Vanity Set with Stool, Walnut $304

Get The Swedish Appearance With This Stool

Again, look how great double stools would look at the end of the bed or in the living room across from a sofa or paired with a tall table in front of a settee- Note that the vanity set comes with one stool, not two

Swedish Looking Vanity Set OR USE it as a Desk With With A BONUS Round Gustavian Stool

The "St. Croix" set includes five-drawers for storage and a matching stool covered in a lavish plush fabric. The set also includes a mirror that is not featured in the photo. This vanity table could be also used as a desk. Although it is unclear if a regular chair could be paired with this table. Consider adding wheels to the bottom of the legs to heighten the table. Use this set as a classic vanity or break the set up for office use, or an entry table with the stool paired with a living room set. This set sells for $217 and even has the classic round Louis XVI pulls.

The White Founder Wooden Vanity Set is a steal of a deal! The whole set which includes a table, a mirror and a bench are $58 dollars! COMMON!

I think I found a great set for my wrap around patio, and at this price I can get a table for each one of my windows, and use the benches to pair with my existing tapered chairs for my outdoor patio set.

The tables themselves would look amazing under windows, even paired with the stools. Ditch the mirror stand, and use the mirrors themselves for your walls. Attach candle holders to the mirror, and add a bow to the top of the frame and you have yourself a Gustavian mirror for your walls.

28" Wide x 16" Deep x 50.5" Tall (to top of mirror) Bench - 18" x 14" x 17" Tall

Outstanding Painted Swedish Gustavian Stools And Benches

Mary McDonald Interiors The Allure of Style

In this photo Designer Mary McDonald in her Interiors The Allure of Style book shows a lovely bedroom based around pink color tones and exceptional furniture. An Italian chair is painted in dark salmon and finished off with red detailing around the frame. Red and pink work wonderfully together, and this combination shows how wonderful a coral or salmon looks with red painted details. The sideboard has a paneled table cloth with square nail-head brass tacks that nicely finish off the top. Beautiful carved gilt wood fluted stools upholstered in a rose velvet steal the attention in this photo. Consider buying a Gustavian styled stool, either antique or a reproduction to finish off your living room set, or for the bedroom. Upholster them in a coordinating fabric to finish off the look.

Mary McDonald Interiors The Allure of Style Close Up Of The Gustavian Stools

Swedish Gustavian Stool

Gustavian 1775-1810- A unusually shaped Gustavian stool in gilt wood. Carved
friezes standing on tapered and fluted legs.

Gustavian Antique Stools & Benches

Magnus Lundgren's Home With His Gray Cat

Magnus Lundgren's Home With His Gray Cat sitting on a fluted leg Gustavian stool

Swedish Gustavian Bench- Kristian Double Bench With Storage

Swedish Gustavian Bench- Kristian Double Bench With Storage

Swedish Gustavian Stools

Rachel Ashwell's Swedish Gustavian Furniture Line

Rachel Ashwell Demilune Table

Everyone knows Rachel Ashwell for her french country "shabby chic" approach to decorating. Rachels new book The Shabby Chic Home by Rachel Ashwell will be released on Jun 5, 2012. I had no idea she was releasing a new book, and along the way of looking into what has been up with Rachel, I learned that she produced a Swedish inspired line for the mega department store Target. Why did I never see this before? Perhaps this is REALLY old news, but I cannot help to show you the handful of pieces that she produced. The collection isn't sold in stores, but rather online at Target. The collection was inspired after Gustavian Swedish furniture, which makes it really exciting to see styles that are offered at exceptionally low prices.

Her line has a number of bedding, and textiles and a handful of furniture pieces. The most interesting in the collection are these 5 pieces:

(If the item is not in stock, after phoning Target, they do re-stock the furniture, it just may take a month)

Simply Shabby Chic® Swedish Style Classic 3-Drawer Chest - Sour Cream $329

Shabby Chic Nightstand- Swedish Gustavian Style $179 Target

Simply Shabby Chic® Fluted Leg Demilune Table Target $144

Gustavian Fluted Leg Stool Target $45

Fluted Leg Computer Desk Target $289

The pieces don't compare in quality to the Chelsea Textiles Gustavian line of furniture. Their Swedish Bureau is made of solid wood, and the tapered legs line up with slanted frame of the chest. Chelsea asks $1,500 for their chest which is very reasonable because it is made of genuine wood and the paint finish is much like a genuine Gustavian antique.

Rachel Ashwell Nightstand

Simply Shabby Chic Classic 3-Drawer Chest Rachel Ashwell For Target

Rachel Ashwells Gustavian Chest........

After seeing Rachel's line, she sells both a nightstand ($144) and a chest ($389)for fractions of the price of a real antique. Of course, a real antique is created from hand, and has the details and paint of the period in which it is made from. If you fall in love with a period antique, I would highly suggest buying the real thing.

Although the beauty of Rachel's line is the looks of Gustavian furniture are affordable enough to get you started collecting Gustavian styled furniture without the hefty price points of genuine antiques.

It is easy for people who live in Sweden to come across Swedish antiques and pay a decent price for them, but those around the world don't have access to these styles, the styles can range in the thousands for just one dresser or console table.

The shape of Rachel's chest is wonderful. The framed drawer fronts show the extra detail that many Swedish pieces have. Paint the frame gray and highlight the details of the drawer frames in a whiter gray tone. Many of the pieces even have some extra decorative detail around the chest that appear Scandinavian in style. Consider gold leafing these details.

Rachel's furniture collection for Target are made from composite woods much like all the other furniture target carries. Target carries inexpensive furniture at low price points, so their collections of furniture rarely are made from solid wood unless it is a dining table. Composite woods are inexpensive for companies to work with. The draw back is they can be damaged easily compared to solid wood.

You couldn't strip the finish off this furniture, but you could re-paint the pieces in a classic gray, red, or blue. Consider giving these pieces several layers of paint which you can then lightly distress.

I have worked with Coverstain in the past, and have been extremely happy with the results. Coverstain can be tinted almost any color except black. In the past I have mixed in other darker based oil paints into Coverstain to make the colors darker. Dark gray would be an excellent color for a bottom coat on this dresser. Then re-paint it in a light beige gray and slightly wipe off the paint around the details before the paint dries.

An alternative idea is to paint an undercoat of lighter muted orange, which you could use a gray over top. Let the orange paint dry over night, and with your second coat being gray, blue or red, before the paint is dry, wipe off with a low grit sponge sander some of the paint. You would never know the orange on this chair is not wood, but rather paint. Coverstain is formulated for sanding, which makes it much different than any other oil based paint. Oil based paint is more durable than any other paint, and exactly the reason why I tend to prefer it.

To go a step further you could buy tapered legs to replace the fluted ones, and angle them like original Gustavian chests.

Is this chest really worth it at close to $400 dollars, compared to Chelseas Swedish Bureau is made of solid wood,..............?? The decision is yours.

Some Customer Reviews:

After Two Years Held Up Well- I purchased two of these dressers. One for my room: I painted my room a pale pink and added bead board to the bottom half, with a chair rail to finish the look. Hardwood floors and a neutral rug w/floral trim balances the white. The second went into the guest bedroom, which is painted a lavender shade. Just waiting for my Modern Home Purple Flocked Comforter to ship! The dressers were easy to put together, I reinforced w/glue. The drawers glide easily, and they've held up well. For the money th … see moreis set is a fabulous buy.

Shabby Chic Fan- I absolutely fell in love with this furniture. It is a great set. They are very heavy because of the great wood quality and have a charming design. It comes with two sets of knob designs and I mixed it up and used both, the metal and glass, knobs. It really looked cute. The only reason why I gave this product 4 stars is because it scratches easily. You have to be careful about what you place on top of the dresser and nightstand. I know most people have bought this furniture for their nursery or … see morekid's room. However, I'm 26 years old and bought the set for my room and I couldn't be happier. I was able to put it together myself within an hour or two and it wasn't too terribly hard. You have to watch out when putting the drawers together because I kept making the mistake of placing pieces upside down haha. Also, attaching the back of the dresser was a bit tricky. But I promise that you won't be sorry. They are really pretty and worth
the money.

T. Sawyer- We bought this chest 5 years ago for my daughter. It seemed heavy duty and good quality. When our second daughter needed a dresser we again purchased this chest since my children share a room. What a mistake! Quality between the two chests is night and day. The older one is really nice. The drawers on this new one are flimsy and do not work well. It definitely and says made in China all over it.
The colors between the older version and this new style do not match and are slightly different in height size. I am really disappointed.

Michelle-My sister bought this dresser 5 years ago. I thought I was buying the same piece when I purchased it a few weeks ago, but the quality has taken a dive since the time she purchased hers. The drawers are no longer inset and have cheap short runners instead of nice ball-bearing glides like they used to have. This causes a lot of lateral movement as it slides in and out. The drawers are also 8 inches shorter than the actual depth of the piece, so there is a lot of wasted space behind them. The … see moredetail work around the top is not as precise as it used to be and the knobs have less facets. The shade of white is quite a bit warmer as well. I still think the dresser is adorable and worth the price when it goes on sale. Shipping is reasonable and fast

Jamie- Just received this dresser. It took me about two hours to get it together by myself. I expected the wood to be low quality. It had some knicks, splinter parts in the wood and a few other flaws. The dresser is heavy! Overall, the wood quality is better than I expected. The draws stick when sliding and feel like the might fall out. For this reason, it's probably not great for kids. Also, the dresser doesn't hold as much as I thought it would, so really evaluate how much you need to store before b … see moreuying. It's adorable. It really livens up my new NYC apartment and the dresser knobs are so chic. I'd recommend this to someone, but I do think the value isn't so great. [$] is a lot for a Target dresser. Overall I think you're paying for a stylish piece that isn't necessarily the most practical choice.

MrsWalibug- I purchased this dresser in 2006, 5 years ago, while I was a college student. I have moved several times since then, and this dresser has held up EXCEPTIONALLY well:) The only issue I have had is that the drawers on my dresser are very difficult to slide in and out. They tend to stick and have to be worked and jiggled back into the dresser. With that said, I still love it, and feel it has a ton of character and decorative detail. I am now married and am planning on using the dresser for storage and a changing table in my child's nursery. Don't hesitate, this dresser is built for the long haul!

Here are the additional fluted desk sold by Rachel Ashwell, and the fluted stool. Both having amazing style! Paint these pieces up and get the Gustavian look for less!

Rachel Ashwell Fluted Table

Rachel Ashwell Fluted Gustavian Stool

20 Tips For DIY Fabric Dye, Fabric Paint And Upholstery Spray Paint

My Home Projects- Updated Yellow Lamp, Working Neoclassical Lamps, Modge Podge Dresser With Lamps To Match

Decorating with colors can be really enjoyable, especially when you are working with the color shades that most appeal to your sense of style. My husband and I recently purchased our new home, and we seem to have placed all the furniture in the different rooms where they will fit, now it is just working with deciding on the color of the walls, and matching up the upholstery for the different chairs and accessories. I cannot tell you how much fun I am having, as I decorate the rooms in the Gustavian style.

The upstairs of our home is going to be based around blue. I always have decorated with gray and beige, but I am starting to venture into color, and I am really enjoying combining different colors with the various schemes. Faux painting the walls, either with stenciling, or plastered finishes can really transform a room like no other. As beautiful as some magazine photos look, achieving the old world faux finishes is time consuming but worth it!!

The living room has blue and white checked fabrics, gray and blue painted furniture, and the bedroom is in linen and a green. The down stairs is based around the lemon and light yellows. I figure why leave the garage plain and boring? Our garage is going to be painted mint, and all the storage boxes on the shelves are going to be painted in Kelly Green with brass hardware.

Our new home sits out in the countryside, so there isn't a craft store that I can run to in a half an hours drive, which makes Amazon and ebay the commonly visited stores from home. Free shipping sure helps out a lot! You would be amazed how many more products are available on Amazon and ebay, and the prices seem to stay more competitive than the local stores. As a bonus, you support small businesses than large chain department stores.

Some time before we moved, I purchased some lamp shades from the local IKEA where we lived. The shades actually have a box pleat in the design which matches perfectly with the fluted lamp base we have in a pair. Because of the nice design of the fabric, I am not wanting to recover them, just alter the color from white to a light blue tone. Then I hope to paint the base to match the shade. In our living room, the walls are going to be painted in a shade of gray that borders on light blue. It would be ideal to match the walls up with the lampshades and the demi-lune tables that they sit on.

Neoclassical lamps are ideal to decorate with, because the structure allows you to paint them gold, white or any shade of your interior nicely. Paint the base, and allow the rest of the lamp to be painted in gray. Accent it in gold and dress up the shade and you have a piece of art.

In the past I have spray painted lamp shades with normal spray paint, and they turned out horrible. The spray paint looked ok on the frames until you turned on the light, and saw specks of the spray paint illuminated all over the fabric. Ideally spraying lamp shades that have no fabric can turn out nice. The only draw back is that the shade no longer illuminates, because a layer of paint now forces the light from the top and the bottom. After learning this lesson I thought I would experiment with dying the fabric which leaves the fabric transparent when light is behind it.

Dylon has a number of stunning shades of fabric dye to pick from compared to Rit dye. The color I was most attracted to was China Blue.

Other Dylon Shades:

Dylon Permanent Fabric Dye Amazon Green

Dylon Permanent Fabric Dye Goldfish Orange

Dylon Permanent Fabric Dye Tropical Green

Dylon Permanent Fabric Dye Navy

Dylon Permanent Fabric Dye Olive

Dylon Permanent Fabric Dye Poppy Red

Dylon Permanent Fabric Dye Ocean Blue

Dylon Permanent Fabric Dye Sunflower Yellow

Dylon Permanent Fabric Dye Turqouise

I took a 5 gallon plastic bucket and filled it up with 2 packages of China Blue and the color turned out fabulous. Where I stumbled into problems is where I needed more dye. As I reached the last lampshade it was significantly lighter in color than the first two shades. So instead of ordering in more dye, or making the long drive to the craft store, I used some Rid dye that I had, and painted the dye on to the shades. The previously nice shade was destroyed, and worse off, the shades now have speckles from painting on the dye than submerging it into the pail of water. More about this project later.................

A Couple Things I have Learned From Dying Clothing.......

- Dying large pieces of fabric can work out nicely in the washing machine. A girlfriend of mine alters large scale drop cloths with a tint of green /gray dye in the washing machine and uses them for her upholstery. In fact, I have used drop cloths as drapes, as they are heavy and thick. Add a nice pinched pleat at the top and you have a nice heavy drape. Now that we have a front loader, this option no longer works. When hand dying fabric , you want your fabric to have the freedom to move around in the water, and the washing machine on, moving the fabric around gives an even finish.

-After using the washing machine for dying fabric, be sure to run a load with bleach. The last thing you want is your husband to come down with a load of whites afterwards.

- Dying fabric by hand can be tricky. You need a large container which your fabrics can be turned in. Less fabrics in the tub the better. Folds happen when your fabric doesn't have enough room to move around in the water. A lampshade that has the fabric adjusted to the sides can sit in a pail for hours, but clothing or loose fabric cannot. I have learned over the years with dying fabric, that you need to be there turning and stirring the fabric until the color sets, otherwise, the overall dye will be blotchy.

- Warm water works the best. I really don't know why it is, but it sets the dye nicer than cold water. When I first stumbled upon this fact, I figured if I used the stove and made the water boiling, it would set up faster. In fact, it only scorched the fabric with lots of the dye in areas that were submerged first, than evenly all over. You have no idea how many pieces of fabric I have thrown away!

- Forget about dying Jeans. I love how dark jeans can look, and in the past I have taken my old jeans hoping to darken them up. Some pairs of jeans turned a horrible blue, while others didn't make one bit of difference. In our old condo, I laid saturated dyed jeans in our sun room for days hoping to get the color darker, with no luck. Spend the 40 or what ever dollars on the right pair, than fixing up old jeans. Cotton on the other hand dyes nicely. I have learned though, that dying fabric can be fun, but so very tricky to work with also.

- Melting salt with boiling water first in a glass container can really set the dye in your fabrics. Be sure all the salt is melted before pouring into the container full of dye. This is the same with dye. The crystals in Rit dye, or any dye for that matter need to be melted in boiling water first. Stir the dye around in a glass before pouring it into your container. In the past, many items would come out with specks because I simply didn't know.

- As careful as you are opening up a package of Rit Dye, the air fragments are going to get everywhere. This has stained my tub in the past, and counter tops. Open it up outside into a measuring cup of boiling water. Be sure to walk carefully with it. The crystals will fall on the ground than everywhere in your house. Be sure to wear gloves. Elbow high gloves that you clean your oven with work fantastic.

-Don't even think about dying fabric in your bathroom tub! This worked the first time in a rental, but it may permanently stain your tub if the enamel has been worn away. Purchase a large container that can be used over and over again. I cringe to think of the many times I have taken AJAX to the tub frantically scrubbing. I was sooo young then!! It simply isn't worth it. Spend the money on a tub. Paint the outside a shade of blue and hang it on the wall in the garage for a primitive look.

- With each fabric that you submerge, the overall color in the tub will set less saturated. You may start out with a cobalt blue, and end up with a sky blue after several fabrics have been in the water. Keep this in mind.

- In the past if I was dying multiple items, I would have a washing machine filled up with cold water which my rinsed fabrics could sit in until the whole load of fabrics were complete. The last thing you want to do is finish dying a fabric, and then lay it crumpled in a ball. Any left over dye that isn't rinsed will create fold lines. I found using a washing machine filled and standing is the best way to store fabrics until the entire lot is completed.

- If a piece of fabric was dyed badly, don't fret, running it through a cycle of bleach will even out the dye on the fabric. It will be a lighter shade, but it allows you a workable canvas to re-dye or leave as a lighter tone.

Currently I am removing the color from my lampshades. Bleach works wonders, and almost all the color has been removed, and the shades are ready for a new shade of dye or paint. I can either order in another couple packages of the china blue or turquoise shade or look to fabric paint.

It seems like a heck of a lot of work to go through just for a color shade, doesn't it?

In the past, I have wrote about Upholstery Fabric Paint, which brand to buy, and which brands to stay away from. Ideally with fabric SPRAY paint, the color of the paint you intend to dye should be close to the upholstery color. Fabric paint is meant for upholstery. Originally these paints were created for cars. Car upholstery can get very pricy, and for someone who wants a quick update, fabric paint can go a long way than the cost of having custom covers made. Going from white to red, may take a lot of paint, and ideally the fabric should be soft to the touch.

In the past instead of going to the labour of recovering a wing chair, I decided to spray on regular watered down paint. The chair still sits in my garage waiting to be upholstered, because the whole project turned out to be a disaster. The chairs were a navy and I was hoping to paint them sand.

Three things went wrong with this project:

1. The problem with this project was the fabric I wanted to paint was thick upholstery fabric. Thinner fabric is easier for the paint to penetrate.

2. Again, colors close in hues are easier to paint. Lighter blue fabric, and navy dye, light cream fabric and sand paint, gray upholstery and black paint ect.

3. I didn't use upholstery paint. Upholstery paint contains a nice mixture of dye, and paint. Regular paint is formulated for wood, and other specific surfaces, not fabric.

A chair is something that you will sit upon, and touch. You want the fabric to soft and cleanable.

Upholstery is time consuming. If you have a regular job, kids and commitments, upholstery paint can give you a quick transformation over night, until you get around to upholstery.

With moving, I wanted to feature a set of Louis XVI chairs in my living room right away. I was sick of seeing too many unfinished projects in the garage. They were originally covered with ivory fabric, and I wanted a sand tone. I worked with Dupli Upholstery Paint in Sand, and it turned out terrific. In fact, you would never know they were painted. The paint soaked into the fabric, and left it soft to the touch.

Read more about the tips for Upholstery Fabric Paint

Cameo Fabric Paints - DIY Projects

Paintable Fabric Paint

The other alternative is Paint-able Fabric Paint. Rather than spraying on, it is applied with a brush. I have never tried paintable fabric paint so I thought I would give it a try on my lamp shades. Crafting with Yvonne on ebay has all 113 colors each priced at only $3.19. Shipping totals $2.50 with .15 cents for additional items. She offers a better deal than Amazon. I ordered the 180-Blue Ice for my shades, and 189-Pale Aqua for a set of chairs that might go into the garage.

Consider stenciling a plain rug, or painting a large canvas as drapes or a room divider. Stencil plain outdoor fabric or cushions, throw pillows or plain lamp shades.

Check out these projects:

-Can you believe the fabulous wall art that the Real Housewives of Bucks County created from TAR PAPER

-Michelle and Ike at Decor and the Dog did a great powder bath renovation using Royal Design Stencils stencils.

Here are a couple of my favorites:

Floral Wall Damask Stencil -Royal Design Stencils

Sandra Flower Leaf - Blue Door

Check out this stunning Chinoiserie door Melanie Royals created for Peacock Pavilions in Marrakesh.

My Favorite!- Phoebe's Tulip Allover Floral -Royal Design Stencils

Allover Indian Floral -Royal Design Stencils

Feathered Damask Allover Stencil-Royal Design Stencils- Look at one transformation using this stencil

Suzani Large Allover Stencil -Royal Design Stencils

Swedish Floral Allover Stencil -Royal Design Stencils

Ginger's Cameo Fabric Paint has over 113 paint colors to pick from. Several of my favorite Gustavian colors are:

Yellow Tones:

Ginger's Cameo Fabric Paint 102-Lemon

Ginger's Cameo Fabric Paint 158-Yellow Ochure

Ginger's Cameo Fabric Paint 198-Ivory

Red Tones:

Ginger's Cameo Fabric Paint 175-Brick Red

Ginger's Cameo Fabric Paint 169 Burnt Orange

Ginger's Cameo Fabric Paint 174-Light Orange

Ginger's Cameo Fabric Paint 106 Coral

Ginger's Cameo Fabric Paint 113 Rust

Ginger's ameo Fabric Paint 196-Terracotta

Ginger's Cameo Fabric Paint 155-Country Pink

Green Tones:

Ginger's Cameo Fabric Paint 121-Green

Ginger's Cameo Fabric Paint 119-Sage

Ginger's Cameo Fabric Paint 145-Misty Green

Ginger's Cameo Fabric Paint 189-Pale Aqua

Ginger's Cameo Fabric Paint 181-Camelot Green

Ginger's Cameo Fabric Paint 193-Light Sage

Blue Tones:

Ginger's Cameo Fabric Paint 153-Country Blue

Ginger's Cameo Fabric Paint 159-Blue Spruce

Ginger's Cameo Fabric Paint 180-Blue Ice

Ginger's Cameo Fabric Paint 124-Light Blue

Ginger's Cameo Fabric Paint 152-Light Country Blue

Gray Tones:

Ginger's Cameo Fabric Paint 302-Raw Umber

3 Things You Should Know About Gustavian Style

Swedish Architectural Buildings

Loveday Antiques

3 Things You Should Know About Gustavian Style

The most famous form of vintage Swedish furniture is that of the Gustavian style. It was named after Gustav III, who was the King of Sweden from 1771 until he was assassinated in 1792. The style of Gustavian furniture began a decade before his reign but reached its peak whilst Gustav was King. He has been given credit for expanding the Gustavian style and spreading it throughout his country, eager to share his knowledge of foreign styles.

1. Influences

During the 17th and 18th centuries, styles were taken from various European countries including France, England and Italy, by the Swedish aristocracy. It is claimed that when Gustav returned from France to become King, that he brought with him certain French influences that affected his thinking. The King’s trips to France and Italy opened his eyes to different styles and on his return; he was keen to spread his ideas throughout the country.

He was particularly fond of the furniture shapes in the style of Louis XV and Louis XVI, whilst studying in France. He was also influenced by his trips to the excavated site of Pompeii and Herculaneum. As a young man experiencing the world, he absorbed several styles and on his return to Sweden, he was eager to show what he had learnt by furnishing the royal properties.

2. Style

The style of Gustavian antique furniture has often been described as simple yet elegant. In comparison to the French Louis XVI style of furniture, it is less exuberant but can be claimed to be largely influenced by the French style. Swedish furniture designers in the past have added their own mixture of ideas along with what was imported from abroad.

The elegant lines are a strong feature with Gustavian vintage furniture and experts say that they became more geometric under the guidance of Gustavian designers. The colours used were generally soft greys and creams with an overall emphasis placed on symmetry and balance. There was also a focus of a minimalist nature; the items produced had little exquisite accessories and tall windows had minimal coverings.

3. Modern Day Appreciation

Nowadays, Gustavian furniture is very highly sought after with people paying hundreds or thousands of dollars for an elegant chair or bench. Chests of drawers designed by Gottlieb Iwerson and Georg Haupt demand significant prices at auctions when available. It seems as though 18th century Gustavian antique furniture is very much in demand with enthusiasts willing to pay incredible prices for a piece of history.

As the world becomes more and more modernised, antique furniture will simply become more popular. It is a natural reaction to the mass production of similar styles with people yearning for something more unique. Many turn to the past for inspiration with Gustavian furniture emerging as a popular choice for those looking for a contemporary and elegant style. There are many lessons to be learnt from the past and style is only one of them.

William Robinson is an antique enthusiast and spends much of his time researching historical periods that interest him. He currently works for Loveday Antiques.

Links:

Antique Furniture At Loveday Antiques

Loveday Antiques London
Alexander has two shops in London, The Furniture Caves in Kings Road, Chelsea and The Furniture Vault in Camden Passage, Islington. Loveday Antiques provides a complete end to end service consisting of an advisory service through to arranging shipping and transport throughout the world. Loveday Antiques makes the pleasure of buying antiques an easy and enjoyable process taking the hard work away from knowing what to buy.

Loveday Antiques
1st Floor Furniture Caves
533 Kings Road
Chelsea
London
SW10 OTZ
Tel: 0207 352 1100

Loveday Antiques
Furniture Vault
50 Camden Passage
Islington
London
N1 8EA
Tel: 0207 352 1100

Exquisite Painted Swedish Antiques

Swedish Painted Grandfather Clock Talisman London

Swedish Painted Grandfather Clock Talisman London

Pair of Swedish Baroque Commodes created in the 1850s- Source Unknown

Pair of Swedish Baroque Commodes created in the 1850s.

Painted Dough Box Chest Sold By Linda Rosen Antiques

Linda Rosen Antiques is selling this rare dough box chest in it's original salmon paint. The chest has a lift top to a storage well and two doors below. Makes a great server or sideboard. This lovely chest is selling for $7,900