Category: Swedish Feed

Nordic Style Kids Bedroom Decor Ideas

The Best Of Ikea Swedish Style DORTHY Fabric – IKEA

The design of your kids rooms should be an extension of your overall home, and your style.  You don’t have to have a room filled with cartoon characters plastered all over the walls to be a fun mom.

Here are a couple quick tips for decorating your kids room with youthfulness, while maintaining a beautiful design.

  • Limit The Number Of Pieces In A Room- Free up space.  Choose a couple of really nice pieces for your kids rooms, and allow there to be some moveable room for your kids to play.  Many modern homes simply don’t have big second bedrooms, so think storage when choosing pieces for their room.  Functional dressers, and beds with storage options.
  • Add Storage Space For Toys – Teach your kids to put away their toys in a specific space.  We made over all the closets in our home using a simple brackets bought from Home Depot.  Line baskets in the closet where your kids can put away their own toys.  Have one row for their clothes, and use the remaining shelves for their toys.  When their rooms are cleaner, you don’t loose your mind over the mess.
  • Pretty Up Their Space By Adding Wall Shelves- Their real toys can be housed in the closet, while the more decorative antique toys can be on the wall.  If you love design, make their room functional, but use the wall space to your advantage.  Use wood that can be painted and then distressed.  Rarely do you see people using the full extent of the walls.  Create book shelves that go to the ceiling, and use the higher shelves for the decorative toys.  So many of the thrift stores today have porcelain dolls for next to nothing.  I have picked up beautiful porcelain dolls for our daughter for as little as $5 dollars a doll that she can eventually play with.

The Best Of Ikea Swedish Style

DORTHY Cushion cover – IKEA

The Best Of Ikea Swedish Style

The Best Of Ikea Swedish StyleSISSELA Fabric Ikea

  • Invest In The Right Fabric- Printed fabric can make a huge statement in a room.  If you don’t have time to sew, look for bed comforters that gives you the look you are after.  Order curtains in the same fabric for throw pillows, or upholster an accent chair using that fabric to match things up.
  • Go For A Really Nice Antique- An antique toy on a shelf, or a nice bed can really make a statement in a room.  You don’t need a heck of a lot of furniture, or toys…just one really nice piece and few accent pieces to make a room.  The Nordic style is based around simple interiors, so work that look by carefully choosing a few really functional, but nice pieces.
  • Mix in New With Old- You can get the Swedish look by using new modern pieces.  Decorate with pattern, but incorporate new furniture.  Go for the classic check pattern with a new bed.  Work with ribbon, and bring in color.
  • Blow Up A Vintage Print– I bought several picture frames at local yard sales, but the prints were old and outdated.  I took a print that my grandmother gave me from a calendar book, and blew it up at Staples.  This is a very inexpensive way to fill up large frames with beautiful art work.

See these posts:

My Botanical Print Gallery Wall – Her Site

My Winter Projects- My Nursery And Framing Projects- Part 1

48 Books Of Antique Graphics For Mod Podge Fabric And Wood Transfers

Melissa and Doug Plush Dogs

Melissa and Doug Plush Dogs – Amazon

A History of Book Illustration

A History of Book Illustration -Amazon  This collection of scholarly articles traces the history of book illustration from its first notion in cave art to the early 20th century. It is arranged chronologically with the first section covering the beginning of illustration; the second moves from the illuminated manuscript to the advent of printing; the third and fourth takes the reader from the earliest woodcut illustrations to the beginning of the 20th century; and the final part is concerned with children’s books

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Decorating Around Red- Historical Interior Design Ideas

Antique Vintage European Textiles On Ebay

Home-Beautiful-Red-Colors

House Beautiful Magazine featured the top favorite red colors from the most famous interior designers. Here are my favorite 9 red shades of paint from their selection of 24

TOP ROW:

1.”This is a really deep coral, kind of like a cheerful Chinese red. Pinks and reds to me are synonymous with frozen drinks and relaxing.” –Richard Mishaan Pictured, Benjamin Moore‘s Chili Pepper 2004-20

2.”When I look for red, I want a pure, true red, like the color in the American flag. Ralph Lauren does absolutely the best. It’s the essence of red. It makes me think of boating or polo.” –Suzanne Kasler Pictured, Ralph Lauren Paint‘s Dressage Red TH41

3. “Red never goes out of style. It’s full of life — always fresh, always fun to wake up to. We go for reds with less blue in them and more orange because they’re happier to live with.” –William Diamond and Anthony Baratta Pictured, Ralph Lauren Paint‘s Lattice Red IB57

MIDDLE ROW:

4. “It’s a true, deep red. I like the temperature of it: it’s a bit cooler. But a little red goes a long way. It’s good in areas where you don’t spend much time or in boring areas that need a strong burst of color.” –Roderick Shade Pictured, Benjamin Moore‘s Million Dollar Red 2003-10

5. Benjamin Moore‘s Redstone was used in Eldon Wong’s cupboard.

6. “All my life I’ve pursued the perfect red. I can never get painters to mix it for me. It’s exactly as if I’d said “I want Rococo with a spot of Gothic in it and a bit of Buddhist temple” — they have no idea what I’m talking about.” –Diana Vreeland Pictured, Benjamin Moore‘s Red 2000-10

BOTTOM ROW:

7. “Red is the color of excitement, and I tend to go for corally orange reds. With red, you know you’ve arrived and you glance in the mirror and realize how great you look and breeze right in.” –Keith Irvine Pictured, Benjamin Moore‘s Salsa 2009-20

8.”I prefer the warm, vibrant reds to the historic reds, which are beautiful but sedate. This is a daring red, a real fire engine red. It has a playfulness that reminds me of a little red schoolhouse.” –Ruthie Sommers Pictured, Fine Paints of Europe‘s Dutchlac Brilliant Tulip Red W1001B-M

9.”Lately I’m on this anti-completely-neutral kick. You have to have some seasoning in your rooms. Sangria is good, universal-donor red — not too blue, not too orange, not too dark.” –Elissa Cullman Pictured, Benjamin Moore‘s Sangria 2006-20

Frijsenborg Castle

Frijsenborg Castle

Celerie Kembles Advice House-Beautiful-House Beautiful Color Celerie Kemble’s Advice

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A Look Behind Skogaholm Manor

Skogaholm Manor

Skogaholm Manor, Jane Nearing

Skogaholm Manor is a large mansion built in the Caroline style in 1680,  located at Skansen in Stockholm.

Skogaholm Manor, forms part of the open air museum at Skansen where it stands as an example of an 18th century Swedish manor house.  The manor’s main building was donated in 1929 to the Nordic Museum and moved from Svennevads parish in southeast Närke.

The manor house was built around 1690 for Catherine Rosenberg and her husband Anders Wennerberg Manor, who inherited Skogaholm after her parents Simon Rosenberg and Margaret Larsdotter, and had visible colored red timber with white trim.

Skansen Air Museum is located on the island Djurgården in Stockholm, Sweden. It was founded in 1891 by Artur Hazelius (1833–1901) as a way to show life in the different parts of Sweden before the industrial era. Hazelius bought around 150 houses from all over the country, and had them shipped piece by piece to the museum, where they were rebuilt to provide a unique picture of traditional Sweden. Only three of the buildings in the museum are not original, and were painstakingly copied from examples he had found.

All of the buildings are open to visitors and show the full range of Swedish life from the Skogaholm Manor house built in 1680, to the 16th century Älvros farmhouses. Skansen attracts more than 1.3 million visitors each year and many of the exhibits cover over the 75 acre (300,000 m²) with a full replica of an average 19th-century town, in which craftsmen in traditional dress such as tanners, shoemakers, silversmiths, bakers and glass-blowers demonstrate their skills in period surroundings.

  • Skansen Air Museum,Djurgarden 49-51, Stockholm 115 93, Sweden

Other Interesting Links:

Skogaholm Manor – The Interior Archive

Skogaholm Manor, Madame Berg Blog

The Skogaholm Manor – Skansen- Bittelitens Blog

The Skogaholm manor – Skansen – Cision

Skansen, Skogaholm Manor Panorama Pictures – 360Cities

Skansen- Johan Schuisky Pinterest

Skansen – Traditional Sweden in Miniature – PBase.com

 

Interesting Reviews:

“I have visited Skansen some times some years ago, and I enjoyed this revisit. The guides are excellent providers of information, and the interiors are cleverly reconstructed along with matching dresses of the guides. Statarlångan, Helsingslandsstugan, the ironware shop, Konsum shop … every house and shop have its past and worth while a visit. Petissan is a small, picturesque cafe where we enjoyed a cup of coffee and a variety of cakes. The carpenter’s workshop and the knowledgeable guide made me especially happy.” kanute07

“We made the mistake of not preparing for our visit. We had no idea of the size of the property, 75 acres, or of the number of historic buildings, 150! Thus, we did not leave enough time to properly watch the artisans at work, or talk to the interpreters in their traditional dress. Our hour and a half just skimmed the surface of what there was to see. We also made the mistake of not arriving at the main gate, and had to take a funicular railway. Thus, we missed the 15 shops in The Town Centre. The best time to visit is obviously not in mid-week in September, when activity is winding down, and the buildings begin closing at 5 pm. The free map is also essential!” Billitchyfeet

“This open-air museum is a collection of Swedish stuff. Swedish animals, Swedish housing across time and places, Swedish traditional clothing, everything. They even have real-size replica of a traditional old Swedish village from the 17th century. The Swedish animals are awesome! Make sure to go around 3:00 PM, it’s the animals’ feeding time.” John J

Summerhouse of Swedenborg Source- Wikipedia

Summerhouse of Swedenborg Source- Wikipedia

Graeme & Ann's 2010 Trip Stockholm

Graeme & Ann’s 2010 Trip: Skogaholm Manor

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50+ Decorating Books Worth Looking At

Decorating With White

1. Shades of Country: Designing a Life of Comfort – From $3.99 Amazon

“Shades of Country,” written by “Chippy Irvine,” masterfully presents some of America’s most beautiful, charming and fascinating country houses. It is profusely illustrated with a wealth of examples of actual American homes, some of them are derived from European country styles, but most are what we think of as typically American – east coast farmhouses, Shaker simplicity, Montana ranch and rustic Adirondack cabin.   This book covers a lot of decorating territory. A few pictures of each, as well as others styles like Ranch, or French. If you are having trouble deciding on a style, this book might help you.

2. Country Living Decorating with White- From $14 Amazon

Country Living Decorating with White showcases a beautiful new vision of how to use this classic hue. Explaining the art of choosing the right shade of white and blending it with other colors and objects. Close to 150 color photographs fill this volume with captions describing successful design features and giving decorating tips. The classic motifs of white with blue or black are given primary focus, although every room of the house is shown with various color accents.

“I have wanted to change back to all white but needed ideas to avoid a completely “washed out” look. Varied surfaces, tones of paint color, accents, etc. are among suggestions that work well with white and offer many great ideas.”

3. Living Life Beautifully $14 On Amazon

Christina Strutt Living Life Beautifully tells the story of how Christina founded legendary fabric company Cabbages & Roses and grew it into a lifestyle brand. Christina talks about her inspirations and influences, and how she works these into her products. Christina gives the reader a look behind her home where she designs her fabrics, experiments with her new wallpapers, and gathers all her favorite antiques. 

4.  La Vie Est Belle: The Elegant Art of Living in the French Style – $18 On Amazon

The book is arranged by region and offers a privileged glimpse inside dozens of French homes, from chateaux to farmhouses, as well as the regions in which they are set.  Interior colors are more simple and muted that what we use here in our American country homes

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Swedish Decorating Inspirations In Yellow, Ivory And Beige- 50+ Pictures

D.Larsson Swedish Antiques

D.Larsson Swedish Antiques

The Swedish style is a bright decorating style, in which presents a peaceful, liveable, serene place to live in.  The lighter interior looks have always been popular in the Nordic countries for centuries.  Pale wall colors, lighter painted furniture, throws and bedding in white, or pastels tended to give the illusion of light, which was particularly welcoming through Sweden’s long winter evenings.

1.  Lighter Painted Walls Allow You To Do More With Your Interior

To achieve the Swedish style, consider starting with the foundational walls of your room in a lighter paint tone.  Gray, or tones of light green, blue or natural creamy white will complement accessories in touches of warm yellow and gold.  Using a neutral base color such as ivory, beige, or light gray will complement additional colors added into the room.  Consider soft pink, bold red, for stenciling ribbons, scrolls and gatherings of wheat upon walls.

Like your walls and draperies, keep your floors light and bright.  Consider blonde or pale woods, or a lighter hued paint for your floors. If you want to jazz things up, stencil or paint pale designs on the floor’s surface.

  • Thinking About Painting Your Floor? Consider These 10 Tips First…. Hersite Blog
  • Polish Your Concrete To Make It Look Like Marble- Hersite Blog

Floor coverings can make all the difference in a room.  Natural fiber rugs, such as berber, jute, sisal rugs are natural and a neutral covering that works with any style and decor choice.

An alternative to painted walls is wallpaper patterns. If you consider wallpaper, work with a  neo-classic style with soft colors on a white background. Floral prints, swags, ribbons and bows are a common theme that runs through Gustavian style. A touch of gold gilding is important as an accent, and adds the prestige into your rooms.

  • 6 Stencils I have My Eye On- Which One Is Your Favorite? – Hersite Blog
  • Buy Floral, Chintz, And Gustavian Wallpaper and Fabrics From My Friend Paula At Lily Oake

2. Pair a Settee At One Side Of Your Dining Table

While many of us may not have the room, a settee at the dining table really looks fabulous if you can pull it off.  My friend Stephanie Tuliglowski went for a French Provence look in her house, and paired a large farmhouse table with a French settee.  In this photo, you can see she left the settee in it’s natural wood, instead of painting it. It gives the room so much more of a natural, cozy feel.

  • Picture 1– Pillows at the table
  • Picture 2– Louis XV chairs on one side, and settee on the other

The “Köksoffa” has been known as the kitchen sofa, and originates from the 1700’s. The idea behind this sofa was it could be used during the day, and then pulled out at night to be used as a bed.  Rooms were smaller, and often pieces were created for multi purposes.  The sofas were often painted and antique versions often can be seen having a dark patina from the paint aging over time.

3. Rotate Your Collections Through Out The Year

The Nordic style of decorating has always been one to border on minimalism.   Invest in pieces that function as storage solutions which can hide away your belongings, while at the same time look decorative.

  • Leave Armoire Doors Open- If you have a armoire, paint the inside a different color than the outside, and leave the doors open to display what you have.
  • Paint The Inside Of Your Cabinets, Or Bookcases In A Different Color– Spice up your collections by painting the inside of your drawers, or cabinets in a color that will pop.  If you are decorating around the creams, consider a darker buff, vanilla, apricot, or saffron for the inside.
  • Rotate Your Decorative Accessories through out the year, and mount more of your collections on the wall. If you do collect, consider keeping only the best of what you already own, and discard the rest.  Use lighting to draw attention to those items that you want to be seen.
  • Group Decorative Items In Pairs, or Collections. Gather your pictures in one spot, and create a collection by using the same frames.  Simplify your pictures by working in black and white, or sepia tones.  Work with cabinets, bookcases, or wall shelving to give your collections a really upscale look.
  • Store Collections In Boxes Which Can Be Painted– In this photo, you can see a picture of Eric Pike’s home office, where magazine boxes, and storage boxes look sophisticated on shelves.

26 Ways To Organize With Shoe Boxes- Kids Room Decor

4. Push Chairs And Side Tables Against The Walls

This is a classic Swedish look that is found in most historical Nordic homes.  Chairs and tables were pushed against the wall, creating more space in a room.  Furniture was positioned in the center of the room, allowing more room between furniture pieces.  Position one chair by itself, or gather your chairs in sets of threes.

5. Redesign Your Closet Space

As soon as my husband and I moved into our new home, I wanted to make the best use of our closet space. You can see some of my closet makeovers at my new website Hersite.

  •  My Summer Projects, My Garage Makeover-Hersite

Shelving brackets were bought from Home Depot, and wood shelves, which were painted were added to our closets.  Paint makes everything so much more inviting.

Why NOT make use of the wall space all the way up to the ceiling? Instead of having one rod in your closet, break the wall up so you can have two rods. Show off those expensive heels you only wear once a year, and coordinate your wardrobe into color schemes.  Your closets can look like they were professionally designed.

In this picture of Eric Pike’s home, he transforms an ordinary closet into a beautiful display for his tableware.  The interior of the closet is painted in a darker gray, and collections are grouped together.

French Wall Sconces

French Wall Sconces On Ebay

6. Work With Neoclassical Lamps And Mount Wall Sconces For The Classic Swedish Look

Wall sconces can look very romantic in the Swedish setting.  We should light candles more often, and working with candles on the wall, than on the table is the safer route to prevent fires from happening.

Decide if you want something simple or ornate in style for wall sconces. Today you can purchase an ornate set of French wall sconces for around $90 dollars on Ebay. Place a set of two sconces on either side of a mirror or painting.

Plain table lamps can be dressed up by recovering plain shades.  Purchase simple barrel shades from your local big box store, and re-cover them with the same upholstery material as your accent chairs and slipcovers.  Chandeliers and lamps add light to an already bright interior.

Use mirrors to create the illusion of even more open space and to reflect light, and use light colored accents like blue and white china, silver and glass to add shine and style.

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Decorating Around The Color Green – Swedish Style

House Beautiful- 26 Designers Share Their Favorite Grays4House Beautiful- 26 Designers Share Their Favorite Grays

House Beautiful Designer Grays 3: Top Row, 1-Pratt Lamberts Argent 1322, 2-Farrow Balls Light Blue 22, 3- Farrow Balls Green Blue 84 Middle Row, 1- Benjamin Moores Cedar Grove 444, 2-Ralph Lauren Paints Blue-Green GH81, 3-Benjamin Moores Colony Green Bottom Row, 1-Benjamin Moores Heavenly Blue, 2-Benjamin Moores Palladian Blue HC-144, 3-Benjamin Moores Sage Tint

House Beautiful- 26 Designers Share Their Favorite GraysHouse Beautiful- 26 Designers Share Their Favorite Grays

Benjamin Moore’s Colony Green, Ralph Lauren’s Blue-Green GH81, Benjamin Moore’s Cedar Grove 444

Mora Clock Seen At Bagatelle Antiques, Green Painted Mora Seen On Attic Mag.com, Blue Green Mora From Eloquence

Mora Clock Seen At Bagatelle Antiques, Green Painted Mora Seen On Attic Mag.com, Blue/ Green Mora From Eloquence

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3 Houses Decorated Around The Rustic Swedish Style

Ginger Barber's Rugged Texas Home House Beautiful Magazine July 2009

Ginger Barber’s Rugged Texas Home

1.  Cotswold’s Barn Conversion comes from Light Locations.  Inside, the home is saturated with shades of whites.  Take notice of it’s whitewashed rustic oak beams, the neutral decor scheme and open plan interior.  Decorated around minimal decor, this home has rustic furniture, industrial pendant lights, linen bedding and furniture and huge picture windows.

See more of this home at Light Locations

2. A Chattahoochee River Home, decorated by designer Amy Morris, was seen in Atlanta Home Magazine.  This home is decorated around the neutral palette, with soft creamy whites and touches of gray, green and blue.  In the entry hall, we see the start of a theme that continues throughout the house….  “Rustic and elegant“.  A herringbone-patterned brick flooring, combined with country distressed furniture is very welcoming.  What makes this house appear warm and cozy are the fabric choices and old world color choices.  One of the designer’s favorite style secrets involves using outdoor fabric in busy rooms…… “I typically use a polyester, which looks like natural velvet,” she says. It looks great and no one knows.”

View more of this interview in Atlanta Home Magazine

View Designer Amy Morris Interiors

3.  Ginger Barber’s Rugged Texas Home.  This home was featured in House Beautiful‘s July 2009 issue. As you enter her 180-acre property you see a beautiful white farmhouse, which is Ginger’s main house, and across the pasture, is her 1850s guesthouse.

When they decided to renovate the guest house, they worked with an open design scheme.  It has a combined family and dining room, along with a master bedroom and bathroom.

She choose to work with a soft creamy gray for the color scheme.   Going with a lighter color palette helps the rooms feel bigger.  In addition to keeping it brighter, they boarded every wall with reclaimed wood and whitewashed the boards for warmth.

Ginger Barber On Lived-In Rooms

On Patina “A nice wide table with the paint peeling off. It’s got great lack-of-paint, doesn’t it? I love chipped painted things; they feel more natural, softer, more inviting. And that washedout Swedish cupboard in the main house’s living room is so wonderfully dull—I love that, too. I’ll even take a new piece and work on the finish to get the look I want. If you look at that pine table in the main house, you’ll see it’s stripped raw, rosy raw. I used white chairs around it because I love the back and forth of crisp white against old and worn”

On Slipcovers- “Again, you’ve got to live. You’ve got to be ready to throw the slipcovers in the wash andbe done with it. My work is 90 percent slipcovers. I mean, this family’s got two Jack Russell terriers, and they’re always on the furniture.”

Simple Linens- “I think a person gets sick of a floral sofa in six months, tops. And in a small space it probably takes even less time to get tired of too much color. The accessories are what give a shot of color to my work, and their shapes and textures add personality. A simple purple-striped coverlet does amazing things for a white bedroom like this guest room, doesn’t it?”

View more of this article in House Beautiful Magazine

View Designer Ginger Barber

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Buy The Swedish Style For Less

Gustavian Gilt Cartel Clocks On Ebay

19th Louis XVI Gilt Wood Cartel Clock- $189+$88 Shipping From Arek631 On Ebay

Skalin Bell Chime Swedish Gustavian Gallery Wall Clock Louis XV- Starting bid $24 On Ebay

Hau Junghans Rare 19th Cartel Clock $199 From Arek631 On Ebay

Hau Junghans Rare 19th Cartel Clock $199 From Arek631 On Ebay

Porcher sells a terrific stone top black granite bathroom vanity that has a very attractive Swedish design. These doors feature beautiful reeded wood that bring texture and dimension.The cabinet is made from select veneers and premium hardwood construction. This cabinet is designed to resist moisture and warpage over time making it ideal for the bathroom.

Paint and distress this cabinet with an off white paint. Consider a black to match the black granite top, or consider a red for a country appearance. Distress the cabinet to show off the wood details and add classic Swedish key holes for an upscale antique appearance. Amazon has one for sale from $127.50

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3 Swedish Style Homes Featured In Magazines

Johan and Ingrid Lagerfelt's Home In Veranda Johan and Ingrid Lagerfelt’s Home In Veranda

I have been holding on to Veranda’s November / December 2011 issue which featured an 18th century manor situated in Sabylund, 2 hours west of Stockholm. Built in 1780’s in the Gustavian aesthetic, the house has stayed virtually intact as it was back in the 18th century.

In the red room, chalky white finished chairs with gilt wood embellishments are covered in Chinese red damask. A Swedish day bed functions as a sofa and a bed, and is accompanied by a table surrounded by Gustavian white painted chairs. A Swedish Kakelugn stove has gold painted garlands on the tile. A number of small rectangular portraits hang on the wall.

In the main room, light blue painted walls are framed with wall moldings, and hand painted garlands add a romantic feel to the walls. Sheer drapery allows the light to come into this room.  A settee and Louis XVI chairs with a blue and white stripe slipcovers form a seating area with a Empire table and crisp white tablecloth.  A pale light blue and white scheme pull together a soft, yet delicate look for this room.  A pink rug, and lighter pink upholstery seen on the backs of the chairs offer up a subdued, yet tender room to lounge in.  Large gilt oval portraits add a historical feel to the room.

A grand library filled with the owners original books offered a taste of the high life.  Books were so much more valuable in the 17th and 18 century, and having a library filled with them, suggests the owners were well off.  A 1799 white stucco medallion mounted on a simple wood frame depicts the houses first owner.  A Dutch or German table centers the room, with English cane chairs backed to the books.  Swedish pewter candlesticks sit on the table, along with a brass telescope for viewing nature.  The shelves are painted in a blue/ gray, houses natural leather books adding such rich contrast.  Furniture is left in it’s natural wood, which adds a rustic effect.

“The most interesting thing about this house is that it has actually been lived in all these years” says Johan who owns the house. His wife Ingrid Lagerfelt and their two children live in this home currently. Their ancestor inherited the house from the original brother and sister who built the home. Johan is a doctor, and his wife Ingrid farms the estates 2,500 acres of land.

More from Veranda:

Johan and Ingrid Lagerfelt's Home In Veranda 6

Johan and Ingrid Lagerfelt’s Home In Veranda

Johan and Ingrid Lagerfelt's Home In Veranda 5

Johan and Ingrid Lagerfelt’s Home In Veranda

Johan and Ingrid Lagerfelt's Home In Veranda 4

An Up-close and Detailed Look At The Wall Painting

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The History Behind Jean Bernadotte Otherwise Known As Karl Johan

Pair of Karl Johan MirrorsPair of carved and gilded wood mirrors from the Karl Johan, or empire, period, Sweden circa 1830. Original brass candle holders on each. Original gilding, mirror glass, and backs. $8,500

He was born by the name Jean Bernadotte in France,  and later in life became the ruler of Sweden.   Here is how the history unfolded…..

Napoleon I  – On The French Front

In May of 1804, the French people voted to change the consulate to an empire and to make Napoléon the Emperor of France.

In 1805, Austria, England, Russia and Sweden became united in a new Third Coalition to move against France.  It was in September of 1805, when Austria attacked the French controlled Bavaria.   Napoléon moved his army into Germany in September, and by October, Napoleon  captured the Austrians at Ulm and occupied Vienna.  It didn’t stop there, in December, Napoléon won his most brilliant victory which decimated the Austro-Russo armies at Austerlitz.

In June of the following year, Napoléon named his brother Louis as King of Holland, and within each following each victory, Napoléon enlarged the French Empire.

On the other front, Prussia and Russia joined together to mount a new campaign against France.  In  October, of 1806, Napoléon’s army decimated the Prussian army at Jena and at nearby Auerstadt.  Napoléon was interested in preventing his enemies, especially the British, from trading with continental Europe.  In November, he declared a new administrative law, which banned English ships from all ports under French control.

Napoléon was on a roll, in June of 1807, Napoléon eliminated the Russian armies at Friedland, which resulted in the signing of the Treaty of Tilsit, by Napoléon and Tsar Alexander.  Under the treaty, King Frederick William III, of Prussia, became a vassal to France and lost half of his territories.  Russia was forced to recognize the yet-to-be-created Grand Duchy of Warsaw which was to be carved out of Prussian Poland.  Russia was also forced to make other territorial changes.   Napoléon then turned to defeating Sweden, which he did with the help of Russia, in 1808.

The Start Of Things Falling Apart For Napoleon

The Peninsular War began in 1808 when Spanish and Portuguese forces rebelled against French rule. Tens of thousands of French soldiers died in the war, and the loss of Spain and Portugal greatly damaged Napoléon’s prestige.

Napoléon divorces Josephine, aged 46 years old in 1809, because she had not produced an heir.  Worried about the continuity of the empire, he had the senate pronounce his divorce from Josephine in December of 1809.  It was because of this that Pope Pius VII excommunicated Napoléon.  Retaliating, Napoléon had the Pope arrested on July 6.  On February 17, 1810, the Papal States were annexed to France.  The pope was then forced to sign an additional concordat and to annul Napoléon’s marriage to Josephine. It wasn’t too long after that that Napoléon married Marie Louise, in April, 1810, the 18 year old daughter of Emperor Francis I of Austria.

On July 9, 1810, Napoléon again increased the size of the Empire by annexing Holland and much of Germany to the Empire.

Jean Bernadotte – On The Swedish Front….

Bernadotte joined the French army and after the French Revolution, he advanced quickly and was in 1804 appointed as a Marshal of France by Napoleon I, even though the pair had a tumultuous relationship. When his service to France ended in 1810, he was voted the heir to the Swedish throne.

In August of 1810 Swedish Parliament had their eye on him for the Swedish throne.  In October the same year, Bernadotte arrived in Sweden, and quickly took over as the real head of state, as the reigning King Karl XIII was in poor health. The Swedish royal family was dying out with King Charles XIII, so Baron Carl Otto Mörner (a Swedish courtier), advocated for his position for leadership.

Karl Johan had good relations with France however, Swedish foreign policy led Sweden into alliance with Russia and Britain against France. Sweden was then promised to Norway, which meant going against Napoleon.  In 1813 led Karl Johan Swedish troops in the sixth coalition war , which was successful against France.  After the victory against French, he forced Denmark to cede Norway by the Treaty of Kiel . Norway declared its independence after having hosted a national assembly at Eidsvoll, but after a short war in late summer 1814 the Norwegians surrendered, and  entered into a union with Sweden.

A few facts about Karl Johan:

  • He was originally named Jean Bernadotte, but was also named Jean Baptiste after John the Baptist
  • He converted the royal court from Roman Catholicism to the Lutheranism, and never learned to speak Swedish or Norwegian.  French was widely spoken by the Swedish aristocracy.
  • He married in 1798 with Désirée Clary , who had previously been engaged to Napoleon Bonaparte .

Rosersberg Carl's Country Retreat - Featured in Neoclassicism In The North On Amazon Rosersberg Carl's Country Retreat - Featured in Neoclassicism In The North On Amazon Rosersberg Carl's Country Retreat - Featured in Neoclassicism In The North On Amazon

Rosersberg Carl’s Country Retreat – Featured in Neoclassicism In The North On Amazon

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5 Faux Wall Painting Techniques That Are Easier Than You Think

Lars Sjoeberg The Swedish Room Photo credit Ingalill Snitt Source

Lars Sjoeberg  The Swedish Room  Photo Credit Ingalill Snitt 

If you are wanting depth to your walls, here are some of the very simple faux finishes you can do yourself.

Start by selecting a color theme for your room.  In this post you will see a variety of color examples from pale blue, to lighter warm yellows and lighter greens.

Working with glaze, crackle finishes, and distressing techniques can make your furniture appear older than it is.  Likewise, layering paint on your walls will also create depth and give you that old world look we all have fallen in love with.  Here is how to do it…..

1. Ragged Finishes

Color washes are finishes that are produced with rags and paint.

Color washing is usually is achieved by a using rags which attach to a roller.

The trick to achieving this finish is to work with translucent glaze. Don’t attempt this finish with solid paint.  Using a glaze mixture of (half glaze, half paint), paint is applied over a previously painted wall.  The effect it produces a subtle textured finish.

Ralph Lauren Ragging

A Primitive Effect Using Green, seen on www.ralphlaurenhome.com

Notice the whole wall isn’t ragged, just a small portion of it. Also painted furniture in the same tones are paired in this room to join together the various looks.

Keep All Tones In The Same Color Family

  • One tip that I have learned through ragging finishes is to have the glaze mixture matched to be a few shades darker or lighter than the wall color.  If you decide to do three colors, keep the tones quite close in color.  The overall effect will be soft, and subtle.

Glaze + Paint For A Final Top Coat

  • Another trick I have learned is to go over your entire project with a layer or two of glaze mixed in with a small amount of paint.  The entire effect of the tinted glaze dulls the look slightly, and hides the roller effects. The idea behind this is to make your work appear subtle. You want to keep people guessing as to what you used to complete the finish.

2. Dry Brushing

Brushed finishes, is an effect which is achieved by dipping your brush into paint, and then removing most of the paint, on a rag.  The small amount of paint allows you to add a very soft effect over a previous layer of paint.

The effect depends much on the brush you use.  If you use a badger softening brush which tends to be very large and soft, it will produces a soft effect with paint.

I have used this effect with an old broom handle.  The bristles are thicker, and harder, and produces lines than a soft shading.

Again, mixing together paint + glaze will allow you to get the look of an additional layer with a faux effect, and you may not have to wipe off the excess paint.

  • In this picture, this effect can be achieved by using a dark brown artists oil paint. Most of the paint must be removed from your brush to achieve this look. This look can be achieved using brown artists oil paint over a muted orange base coat, slightly brushing the which highlights some of the raised details.
  • Achieve depth to your furniture by applying a lighter coat over top of a painted finish. As you can see with this look, a lighter shade of green-gray is applied over a darker shade of green. This look could be achieved by dry brushing.

3.  Sponge Finishes

Sponged faux finishes are those which a paint mixture is applied with a sea sponge.

Sponge painting is still the best and most frequently used mediums when it comes to classic faux finish painting.

Using a sponge, you can use multiple glazes layered over solid paint which gives the illusion of great depth.

Ideally, like most finishes, you want to start with a base coat, and build on it using a glaze mixture. The overall effect should be soft and serene.

Sponging can also be used on furniture to give an old world Swedish look.

In the past, I would use a base coat of brown, and then after it was dry, I would apply a base of oil paint in butter yellow and use a rag, or a textured paper towel to remove the paint.  Within just a few minutes of applying the paint, I would remove it, and the oil paint which was wiped off on the  rag I would then slightly dab here and there, on the furniture to create a very soft effect, making it seem as there was more layers to the paint finish.  After it was dry, dry brushing with the same oil paint was used to blend in the textured effects.

4. Faux Leather

Terrific faux effects can be produced using a very heavy garage bag. Again working with a wall that has been painted, apply a layer of a glaze mixture on the wall. More than half glaze to paint.

Tape the wall in rectangular sections and apply the glaze in the taped area.

Next apply a heavy weight garbage bag to the wall allowing the folds to be pressed into the wall using your arms and hands.

Take the garbage bag off, and the folds of the bag produces a beautiful faux finish.

This is a very easy way to create a classy effect on the walls.

– Great Article- How To Faux Paint

5. Stenciling

Stenciling can be very powerful if it is done right.

Create your own stencils using a stencil cutter which is a fine heated tip that cuts through the plastic blank stencils with precision. Lay a piece of glass in between the stencil and the pattern, and cut away.

17th and 18th Century stenciling has always been the very best model of inspiration.

Here are a few very well done Swedish stenciled homes:

– Book Review: Jocasta Innes Scandinavian Painted Furniture

–Ted and Lillian Williams chateau in Normandy, France

-Neoclassical White Stenciled Walls-Petit Trianon

-Antique Original Red Hand Painted Trunk with Rosemaling Floral Motif

-This photo shows a great example of wall framing simply made by stencils and paint

-Here we see a stunning Rococo design stenciled, or hand painted on the walls for a distinct Swedish look.

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5+ Nordic Homes Decorated Around White

Swedish Nordic Homes Seen On Skona Hem 3

The Swedish interior decoration magazine Skona Hem had a wonderful write up on an English family who transformed their home into that of a Gustavian period style.

The home is largely based around a white palette, anchored by distressed wood floors which create a down to earth family feel. While many of us wouldn’t have access to an authentic Swedish tiled stove, we can incorporate the lines of the furniture that were seen through this time frame.

What To Look For….

– Straight Or Curvy Lines– Look for Rococo, Louis XVI furniture that has straight lines.  Look for straight chests which you can add round ornate pulls, and round keyholes to. Victorian furniture also can be painted and re-upholstered to achieve that Swedish appeal.

– Mix And Match Styles– Don’t be afraid of mixing in a variety of country and formal styled furniture. You can see in this home, mixing and matching is very appealing.

– Go Authentic With Patterns- Work with country throws, and rugs to bring in the authentic patterns of Sweden.

– Wallpaper Is A Great Investment– Wallpaper can really transform a room, as seen in this home.  Go for white based wallpaper with a geometrical or floral based patterns.

-Lighter Everything–  Work with lighter colored fabrics, with an airy feel.  Go for thinner fabrics for the summer, and collect natural based thicker wools for the winter time.

– Faux Painting and Stenciling- Create faux molding with paint.  Here we frames on the walls, used in combination with stencils to give a whimsical, feminine look to the walls.  As you can see, they pick a very light blue for the frames, and all the stenciling is done in a couple shades lighter and darker than the base wall colors.  This look is very easy on the eyes.

– Crystal Chandeliers Everywhere– Chandeliers can really make a difference.  In this home, almost every room has a crystal chandelier.  Get the Swedish look by changing out your light fixtures to something more classic.  It will instantly change the space.

Related Articles:

-40 Tips – How To Choose The Perfect White Paint Hersite

-Darryl Carter’s Paint Line For Benjamin Moore –Her Site

– 198 Pictures Of White Interiors –Her Site

-Stephen Shubel’s 1906 Fishermans Cottage Home in Sausalito Hersite

– 20 Seasoned Designers Reveal Their Best White Paint Shades Hersite

– Shabby Chic Decorating: Borrow Rachel Ashwell’s 3 Signature Looks –Hersite

– The White Dresser- A Website Based around All White Furniture – The White Dresser

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3 Rustic Scandinavian Country Homes – Borrow Ideas From Norway and Denmark

Swedish Country Home

Inspiring Interiors Blog posted some terrific pictures of a barn styled home with a Scandinavian styled interior. If you are looking for a country styled look, consider how this home is set up.

Start With A Gray Palette

Starting out with gray through out your house can be a really simple way to decorate the rest of your home.  To make it interesting, choose several shades of gray which you can work through your home.

For my own home, I decided that lighter colors worked well in larger rooms, while the more saturated shades could punch things up in the closets, the bathrooms, and smaller rooms.

Using gray through out your home allows your home to flow nicer than having one bright bold color in each room of the house.  Later if you want to add color, simply attach a chair rail, and paint the upper half of the wall.  You can add depth with accessories and wall art.

Work With Muted Shades For Country Styles

The wood walls in this home look very primitive with a gray wash. Some walls are left natural while others are painted.  In one of the rooms, dried floral wreaths add a rustic touch to the walls.  Here is an example of a captivating look that is inexpensive.

Helichrysum Strawflowers are one of my favorite florals.  Pick flowers for drying when they are open, but not fully mature.  Hang the stems upside down in a cool-well ventilated spot to dry.  Avoid over-watering during the growing season, and these florals will look spectacular dried in a vase or a floral wreath.

Incorporate Red And Rust…….

Red is a classic country color that is commonly seen in the countryside of Sweden. Barns and countryside homes are painted rich reds, making it a very classic color to work with.  Painting a chest of drawers or an accent chair in Falu red can really bring out the country side of Scandinavian decorating.  Pair together rusty metal urns, and accessories like natural straw, hay, wicker, baskets for that country feel.

French Swedish Inspired Country HOme

Swedish HomeFrench Swedish Inspired Country HOmeThe house below was originally an eighteenth century barn which was converted into a guest house.   This lovely barn is located in the village of Saint-Hilaire-sur-Helpe, in France, and pairs together both the Swedish and French rustic styles.

Photography by Corinne Schanté-Angel, All images from here.

Early 19th Century Female PortraitEarly 19th Century Female Portrait –Maison Maison

A Tyner Antiques - Swedish Rococo ChestSwedish Rococo Chest-A. Tyner Antiques

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Spring Summer Checks and Florals For The Swedish Home

Best Ikea ProductsPÄRLVIVA Cushion Cover From Ikea

One of the easiest ways to decorate in the flavor of the Swedish style is through the use of fabrics.

My husband and I took a trip up to Canada a few weeks ago, and I had the chance to visit one of my favorite stores, Ikea.  We got to Ikea around 7pm, so we didn’t have a lot of time to shop before the store closed up.  I missed a few items on my list, but thankfully, most of their new and old collections are available on ebay.

In my early 20’s I had the chance to work at Ikea as a short term job though the summer, and I loved it.  When I go to Ikea, I tend to look for the classic accessories that would fit into a home designed around the antique styles.  Their linens, wood mirrors, bowls, glass accessories, and throw rugs are the best products at Ikea.

Their drapery, bedsheets, comforters, and pillows are always great buys.  They have wonderful selection of pillow covers from year to year, which allow you to exchange out patterns in your home without having to sew, cut and assemble it yourself.

Adding florals in your home is one way to bring the garden inside.  Ikea often keeps their florals and stripe fabric from year to year, giving you a really classic pattern to work with for your Swedish inspired interior.  They also have a friendly mix of new updated modern looks that fit into the Swedish styled looks as well.

Quick Updates For The Summer

Change Up Your Bedroom

If you are looking to update your bedroom for the summer, buy a duvet set.  If you can handle a sewing machine, buy a second set of the same pattern and add make slipcovers for your chairs or lamp shades.  You could have a summer and winter look for your bedroom without spending a ton of money.

emmie land cushionsIn the book “In Bringing It Home – Sweden”  Author Cheryl MacLachlan gives us some really easy tips for pulling together the Swedish look in your bedroom.

– She says that the classic Swedish fabrics belong to three families: Stripes, Checks and Motifs inspired by nature.  You cannot go wrong with any of these three choices.

– In the finest homes, the bedrooms were fitted with hand carved poster beds or gracious carved bed-crowns.  Consider buying a canopy bed, or replicate the look by hanging drapery from the ceiling using rod holders made for the ceiling.

– If you prefer the 17th and 18th century romantic bed looks, consider making your own bed crown out of wood, upholstering it, and attaching it to the wall.  Match your bed linens to the fabric draperies hung from the crown to create a dramatic look for your bedroom.

– Swedish beds were distinguished by the treatment of the wood frame.  The bed frames were usually carved and painted in a pale gray, or an “English red” the name for a reddish brown color.

– Select bed linens in pale shades of soft sky blues, pale yellows and grays.

-If you have an antique wood bed, consider sanding it down to it’s raw pine state.  Raw pine wood is beautiful without paint.

Update Your Living Room

-A very easy way to update your living room for the spring and summer season is to purchase throw pillows.  Ikea has throw pillow covers for as little as 7 dollars.

– Exchange out the heavier blankets used in the winter for lighter throws.  Go for color, and pattern on your sofa.

– Don’t be afraid of colors such as pink and light blue.  Pink can be pretty on a chair, or consider a print on the wall in the color tones of pink and green.  Botanical prints featuring flowers can be a nice way of updating your walls in the summer.  Go for a pretty pink slipcover, or bed linens.

– A nice floral centerpiece can be really captivating for the summer.  I am always surprised at the quality of the florals at Michael’s crafts.  Go for a large floral mix, in the colors you dream about, and build your room around it.

– Pick up a set of summer dinner plates.  Adding some color to your table can really lift the spirit.

– Go flea market shopping and pick up something really bright for your interior. Consider painting a side table, or a wood accessory.  A pop of color can go a long way.  Go for something that really is fun, and exciting!

"In Bringing It Home - Sweden" Author Cheryl MacLachlan

“ Bringing It Home – Sweden” Author Cheryl MacLachlan

In Bringing It Home - Sweden, Cheryl MacLachlan

In Bringing It Home – Sweden, Cheryl MacLachlan

In Bringing It Home - Sweden, Cheryl MacLachlan

Another look at this room from Cheryl’s book…..

NYPONROS - Queen Size Duvet Set $39 at Ikea

NYPONROS – Queen Size Duvet Set $39 at Ikea

Swedish Checks For The Summer

Swedish Checks For The Summer Found on housetohome.co.uk

BERTA RUTA Fabric - IKEABERTA RUTA Fabric – IKEA

 Large Scale Checked Fabric- BERTA RUTA From Ikea

Finding heavy weight blue and white fabric for upholstery can be difficult.  After shopping at some of the largest fabric stores, I have found Ikea to have some of the best heavy weight fabrics at reasonable price points.

After ordering several check prints on ebay and amazon, I found the number one problem, is the size of the box print to be very small, or 2, the fabric is so paper thin, that it would be difficult to upholster with.  Ikea’s fabric section is limited, I find their fabrics are heavier, and cost less than most fabric stores.  I have used the Berta Ruta pattern in my home for my upholstered pieces.  Use some of their lighter fabrics for making slipcovers.

Find Berta Ruta in Red, Navy, Black and Beige – At Ikea

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Decorating With Blue: Swedish Style Decorating Ideas

Swedish DecoratingThere are so many shades of blue, which one do you pick?  Swedish decorating is known for their partiality towards the color blue.  Blue is one of the staple colors in 18th Swedish century decorating, so if you plan on decorating with this style, we can give you a few ways to incorporate the color blue into your design scheme.

First decide if you want a formal or country appearance in your home.  Knowing which look you are attracted to can help determine accessories, furniture, drapery and wall treatments.

1. Formal Blue Interiors – Blue-gray, painted finishes became popular after King Gustav ruled in 1772, and since then they still remain fashionable.

Formal Swedish Tips- Line Furniture Up Against The Wall- This is a classic Swedish touch that can give the look of finer living.  If you have a room where you can line a set of three chairs against the wall, or a pair of chairs and a accent table, this will always give your room that refined, superior Swedish appearance.  Push your furniture in the middle of the room, and if you have a tv, consider hanging it on the wall.  I find that this arrangement always gives the look of more space.  You can never have too many chairs. Collect furniture that have fluted legs, such as side tables, benches, or chairs.

Formal Swedish Tips- Buy A Long Oval Table – Here is a Henredon oval table selling on ebay for just over $1000. Strip off the finish and paint it gray.  A long, dining table echoes the simple curves of early Gustavian style.  Dress up your furniture in light, greenish blue-gray paint finishes to get the high end looks found in the Swedish castles.  Consider investing in a crystal chandelier, which coordinates with white or really pale blue or pastel walls and work with white upholstery. Squared picture moldings, and sconces really can add to this formal Swedish appearance.  Consider stenciling your walls with green-blue leaf patterns along the inner edges of the walls, and collect old styled portrait oil paintings with dark grounds which give rooms a dark accent.

Formal Swedish Tips- Go For Gold Accents–  Dress up your furniture with furniture appliques and ormolu mounts.  You can make any picture frame seem so much more expensive by adding gold leaf.  Gold leaf is really simple to apply.  Follow this link, and I show you where I buy my gold leaf on ebay.  Buy a sconce and gold leaf it. Get ideas from this post, where I wrote about the sconces that are the most sought after from collectors world wide.  A thin rectangular mirror on ebay can be a great look, which you can then add on a brass candle holder.  This DIY project will give you the Swedish look for less.

– Decorative Mirror Molding, French White Bow- $21 Buy it on ebay

– Decorative Scrolls For Mirrors, and Dressers – $40 Buy it on ebay

– Ribbon Bows Mold, Decorate Mirrors and Furniture- $13 Buy it on ebay

-Ormolu French Gilded Furniture Ribbon Large- $35 Buy it on ebay

Swedish Looks For Less

 

Louis XV Antique GILT WOOD handcrafted CARTEL WALL CLOCK estimated $1200- buy it for $350, buy it on ebay

Antique Gilt Wood Cartel Clock $450 on ebay– buy it on ebay

– Formal Swedish Tips- Go Brighter With Bright Blue and White- Go for a home that has white accessories and upholstery.  Don’t be afraid to go with bolder blues for drapery, upholstery and bed linens.  Brighter blues look great in formal settings.

-20 Yard Bolt – 44/45″ White Polycotton Liberty BROADCLOTH- $61 Buy it on ebay

– Solid Poly Cotton Fabric In Bright Blue – Buy it on ebay

-Fabric By The Bolt – 40 YARD BOLT $190 on ebay- Buy it on ebay

-Sunbrella Canvas Air Blue Outdoor Fabric $21 dollars a yard- Buy it on ebay

Cane Back Cushioned Seat Side Wood Chair Fluted Distressed Hammered Nailheads

(Paint it gray, white, blue or what ever colors you are working with.  Great frame, great price)

Swedish Looks For Less

Another great Empire looking Swedish styled chair.  Again, the frame would look terrific in a light gray or blue with a white upholstery.  This chair sells for $665 on ebay

Swedish Looks For Less

Here is another great accent chair, get two of these and pair it with a sofa.  It is already painted white, and the white upholstery makes this chair look upscale.  This chair sells at $719, which includes the shipping  on ebay

Swedish Country Rustic Styles

2. Country Keys- Rustic Architecture – Country Swedish style is beautiful and worn. The countryside contains a mixture of rustic elements. Go shopping in architectural salvage yards and collect things that are worn. Wood is the key to getting the look. An old wooden door can be replaced by those builder typical doors you see in new homes. A old ladder can lean against the wall. Paint it in a darker blue and distress the heck out of it. Ceiling beams in their natural wood give an architectural feel to a home. Add some faux hallow wood beams across your ceiling. Get the look without having to hire 5 strong men to anchor it in place. Work with light wood flooring, and natural materials.

–Country Keys- Country Textiles- Skirted sofas, slipcovers in natural blends and textured walls are classic marks of styles found off the beaten path in Sweden. Ebay sells a number of Restoration Hardware’s stone washed Belgian Linen products new in their packages. You can buy new pleated drapes on ebay, along with bedding, pillow cases and more for half the cost in the stores. Raw and natural textures are the key to this look. I ordered this heavy oatmeal linen for several of my drum lamp shades which I am re-covering. The material is heavy, and would be terrific for upholstery.

– Heavily distressed Mora clocks such as these on ebay, give your room that traditional Swedish look.

– Warm Old Barn Finish Table (paint it, and change the color) – $229 Buy it on ebay

– Reclaimed Salvaged Fir End Side Table- $564 on ebay here

– Country Keys – Go For Color On The Rustic Side– Muddy shades of blue work with the country styles.  If you like the lighter shades of baby blue, distress your furniture more than you normally would.  This certainly helps when the furniture’s wood is raw and stripped.  The paint will blend nicely with the raw woods surface giving you a more authentic appearance.  For complementary shades, pair blue with orange-red accents, along with shades of green-blues.  Gingham upholstery also looks terrific in a country home, along with florals.  Work with carvings, such as art that can be hung on the wall, and accessories that are carved such as standing wood birds which are painted and made from wood.  Dala folk horse carvings are a Swedish country favorite. Pillows with embroidered blue-and-white folk patterns nicely work in a country home.  Think about hand crafts, such as hand embroidered artwork, quilts, delft fireplace tiles, over-sized ginger jars, and colored glass. 

Restoration Hardware Diamond Matelasse Shower Curtain

Restoration Hardware Shower Curtains

Swedish Looks For Less

Carved Mango Wood Accent Table Mindi Veneer Hand Finish Robin’s Egg Blue, this table sells for $229 on ebay Buy it on ebay

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7 Scandinavian Country Decorating Books

Of all the European country home styles, none is more universally popular than Scandinavian Country. These fresh, light-filled northern interiors have an effortless grace that never fails to delight the eye.

JoAnn Barwick and the editors of House Beautiful lead us on a tour of more than twenty exceptional residences in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland that show this immensely appealing look at its very best.

These interiors are both steeped in tradition and utterly contemporary. Scandinavians have a passion for color and an abiding reverence for nature: stippled, spattered and even faux-marble painted finishes enliven even the most humble country furniture; and an abundance of rich woods, crisp tiles and robust textiles embody the pleasures of natural materials.

With nearly 300 full-color photographs and an extensive directory of sources for Scandinavian furnishings and accessories, this engrossing and seductive book encapsulates this most inviting of country styles.

JoAnn Barwick was editor-in-chief of House Beautiful magazine for more than a decade, and is acknowledged as a pioneer in the development of American and international country style. She was the founding editor of Country Living magazine and has been an editor at Good Housekeeping and Modern Bride.

Norma Skurka is the former Home editor of the Sunday New York Times Magazine. She has taught at Parsons School of Design, lectured at the Cooper-Hewitt Museum, and is the author of several books, including The New York Times Book of Interior Design and Decoration.

Scandinavian Country by , JoAnn Barwick On AMAZON

Scandinavian Country by , JoAnn Barwick On Ebay

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75 Swedish Nordic Pinterest Pages! Oh Yes…More Eye Candy!

75 Pinterest LinksCannot get enough of gray furniture, Nordic style decorating and the lush interiors of Gustav III?  Pinterest can be your best friend when it comes to ideas for re-decorating, painting, and inspiration to get your creative juices flowing in the morning.  There are hundreds of pages that have to do with themes of the Nordic Heritage.  From decorating, to cultural costumes, to travel ideas; pinterest is rich with ideas.

Here are 75 Pinerest pages that have to do with all things Nordic.  Follow these pinterest pages I have listed, and if YOU have a page that fits with the Nordic theme that we haven’t listed, PLEASE leave a comment below in the facebook comments section, or regular comments section with a link to your page.  Share the love people!  You might discover a new friend.

So here we go:

1. Furniture: Gustavian – Meranda Devan here

2. Interior Design: Nordic – Meranda Devan – here

3. Interior Design: Swedish Meranda Devan –here

4. Poutres Blanches- Anne Magnier – Here

5. Jeanne d’Arc Living Magazine Photos- Here

6. Swede Blog- Swedish Antiques- Here

7.  Nordic Style From White Lace Cottage- Here

8. Gustavian Style and Inspiration Kristin Fägerskjöld- Here

9. How Swede I am- Judy English- Here

10 Sweden – WP- Daily Themes Group Board- Here

11.  Beautiful Pins From antiqbr.blogspot.com here

12 Marie Antoinette Vanna H- Here

13 Day Bed Love Jane Love Here

14 French & Belgian- Anna Tausend- Here

15. Swedens Red Houses Kristin Fägerskjöld- Here

16 Scandinavian Themes -Susanna Nykänen Here

17. Interiors Gustavian Cornélie Polderman –Here

18. Norwegian heritage, foods, crafts Bette Calderone Here

19. Mäster Henriks Blog Kristin Fägerskjöld- Here

20. La Maison de Mes Rêves- Hanna H Here

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20 Scandinavian Gift Ideas

Swedish Gift IdeasKAWAI grand piano $168 Amazon

Are you interested in buying something different than the typical gifts found in the big box stores? Scandinavian style gifts come with a taste of heritage and family traditions passed down through  generations. Below we list a selection of gifts that are inspired from Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland.

1.  Consider buying a Dale Of Norway Sweater – Dale of Norway is a world leading designer and manufacturer of premium knitwear, and is available on Amazon  All of its garments are knitted at Dale, a small village by the west coast of Norway, located between beautiful steep mountains, waterfalls and fjords.  The company was established in 1879, and has since then developed many innovative yarns and knitting techniques, creating beautiful designs made of 100% pure, high-quality wool.

2. Make Your Own Norwegian Mittens and Gloves: Over 25 Classic Designs for Warm Fingers and Stylish Hands by Annemor Sundbo This gorgeous collection showcases traditional Norwegian mitten and glove patterns, providing an accessible format for new and old lovers of knitting. Presenting a beautiful selection of 29 classic figurative concepts, this array is a fashionable representation of Norway’s history of the craft. Used From $12

3. Create Your Own Nordic Gifts: 35 Projects Inspired by Scandinavian Style by Mia Underwood – Add a touch of Scandinavia to your home and your wardrobe. Scandinavian style has never been more desirable, with its emphasis on natural materials, light and fresh colors, and classic motifs. Mia Underwood inherited her love of making things from her Danish grandmother, and she understands both the techniques and the heritage of crafts from Scandinavia. In Nordic Crafts she presents 35 new projects which reflect the traditions of the Scandinavian countries, with a modern twist. Projects for the home include a novel bread basket, and a gorgeous bird mobile. For a child’s room, there is a beautiful baby blanket, and a woodland scene to hang in the window. For playtime, felt animal masks will fire your child’s imagination, while nisse – mischievous elves – are easy to make from scraps of wool. The Danish love of coziness and comfort – ‘hygge’ – is reflected in patterns for felted slippers, embroidered mittens, and snoods for both adults and children. Buy New from $16

4.  Can You Knit?  Make Traditional Scandinavian Knitting Gifts (Dover Knitting, Crochet, Tatting, Lace) by Sheila McGregor lassic guide to the styles of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, and the Faeroe Islands. Vibrant patterns for an array of garments include jerseys, gloves and mittens, stockings, and caps. Illustrated with 191 black-and-white and 20 color pictures, this volume is well known and prized among longtime practitioners of the craft.- Buy Used From $5

5. Our Nordic Heritage Ingalill Snitt-Our Nordic Heritage presents the 18 sites in the Nordic countries which have been inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List – the cultural and natural heritage of mankind. Areas with this status represent outstanding and irreplaceable cultural and natural treasures. They are important to us as sources of experience and understanding of our manifold historical, cultural and natural background. Buy It Used From Amazon $18

6- Gifts For Little Girls- Scandinavian Girl and Boy Paper Dolls (Dover Paper Dolls) by Kathy Allert and Paper Dolls (Aug 17, 1993) Two dolls, 32 traditional, accurately detailed folk costumes. Full-color renderings of a Norwegian bridal ensemble, Finnish Lapp outfits with colorful “four winds” hats, Swedish Lapp summer garments, Danish bridal apparel with a floral crown, an Icelandic folk-dancing costume, and more. Includes map showing countries and regions represented  – Buy Used From $1

7.  Have a Baker In The Family?  Or Consider Baking Scandinavian Style.  Scandinavian Classic Baking by Pat Sinclair and Joel Butkowski- Shows you how to do Scandinavian coffee breads and cakes to cookies and tarts.  This gorgeous cookbook offers forty-three recipes, along with photographs, history, musings, and stories. Buy it new from $13 on Amazon

8.  Make Something Out Of Paper For A Gift– Norigami: The Art of Norwegian Paper Folding by John Roth Buy Used From $2

9. Classic HOW To Nordic Needlework-Scandinavian Needlecraft: 35 Step-by-step Projects to Create the Scandinavian Home by Clare Youngs and Sarah Hoggett – Incorporating the finest elements of Scandinavian crafting traditions, inspiration is taken from a range of backgrounds including classic folk art and local needlework, as well as more contemporary sources. These delightful designs, each with clear step-by-step instructions and beautiful photography, will have you itching to get stitching. Buy used from $5

10.  Swedish Cooking Guides – In Kitchen of Light readers are transported to Viestad’s Norway—fishing for cod, halibut, and salmon; gathering chanterelles, porcini, and wild berries. More than 100 recipes emphasize fresh, simple ingredients in delicious and elegant dishes such as Pepper-Grilled Oysters and Scallops and Roast Dill-Scented Chicken with Leeks and Potatoes. This inspired cookbook, a companion to the public television series New Scandinavian Cooking, is perfect for home cooks, armchair travelers, cultural food enthusiasts, and anyone who yearns for the simple life. New From $17 on Amazon

11.  The Knitter’s Directory  150 Scandinavian Motifs is an inspirational collection of favorite motifs found in the traditional knitting of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, and the Faeroe Islands. New From $16 on Amazon

12. Embroidery Books- Scandinavian Stitch Craft: Unique Projects and Patterns for Inspired Embroidery – Highlighting traditional Swedish embroidery techniques and featuring easy instruction, Scandinavian Stitch Craft will be an inspiration to modern crafters. Through thirty inspiring projects, Holmberg highlights many of Sweden’s traditional embroidery stitches and uses them in new and exciting combinations. The projects can be used to make new buys more personal, to embroider clothes that you already have in your wardrobe, or to brighten up a flea-market bargain. Also included is information about materials used, tips and tricks, descriptions of the various stitches, and removable pattern templates which can be used to create your own works. Buy it new from $15, Used from $11 on Amazon

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5 Ways To Add Life Into Worn-Out Furniture

White Painted Furniture, Gustavian Furniture, Swedish Furniture, Updating Furniture, Swedish Decorating Ideas

Colefax and Fowler

Furniture ages just like everything else…and like with most other things, you don’t notice the small changes that happen to your furniture until one day, a few years (or maybe even a decade or more) down the line, you stop and say, “When did my furniture develop this natural patina?”

Obviously you love your furniture — you wouldn’t have kept it for so long if you didn’t — but loving your furniture doesn’t mean you can’t update it or dress it up a little. What’s more, you can make your updates and do your dressing up for very little cost (which should be a relief since it’s doubtful you’ve got a Steve Wynn-sized bank account to fund these projects).

Here are a few cost-effective ways to do just that.

1. Put on New Hardware

Consider adding a little bit of bling to that old chest that you want to fall back in love with.  Putting on new hardware is a great way to dress up old cabinetry and furniture. For example, maybe instead of having handles on the dresser drawers, you can put pulls on instead. New hardware can completely change (and update) the look of a piece and costs way less than buying a whole new item.

2. Refinish It

That chest sitting in the back of the garage may look nice in it’s all natural elements.  Consider sanding off the old layers of varnish and finish.  Maybe this time you can choose a different paint color, or maybe you’ll leave it all-natural.

Refinishing vintage furniture helps get rid of layers of gunk and grime. It can also remove dings and scratches that might have dampened the appearance of the piece. While it won’t often make the piece look brand new, it can help it look re-energized.

3. Paint

As someone who is undoubtedly into the purity of his or her furniture, the idea of painting over the current finish, stain, or varnish probably turns your stomach. Before you hurl, though, know that light paint colors are very “in” right now (and has been for a while). You don’t have to paint the furniture a garish color if you don’t want to. In fact, one of the best things you can do is paint it white. A coat of white paint helps it keep its integrity while also updating its look.

4. Reupholster It

The simple fact of the matter is that over time, fabric (in spite of your good intentions and good care) starts to rot. Cushions (even with minimal pressure) lose their strength. Reupholstering the seat, sofa, or stool helps maintain its beauty and structural integrity. You can even find antique-looking fabrics fairly cheaply online. Even better — upholstery is something you can easily do yourself, which saves you even more money!

Whatever you choose to do, know this: Updating is not the same as replacing. You can keep the same furniture for decades if you treat it well and give it a facelift now and then!

Erin Steiner is a full-time freelance writer and web content creator.

Country Swedish Furniture, White Painted Furniture, Gustavian Furniture, Swedish Furniture, Updating Furniture, Swedish Decorating Ideas

White Table set ,White Painted Furniture, Gustavian Furniture, Swedish Furniture, Updating Furniture, Swedish Decorating Ideas

Table With 4 Chairs- Live Auctioneers

White Table Set, White Painted Furniture, Gustavian Furniture, Swedish Furniture, Updating Furniture, Swedish Decorating Ideas

Table With 8 Chairs- Live Auctioneers

Texas designer Joe Minton, White Painted Furniture, Gustavian Furniture, Swedish Furniture, Updating Furniture, Swedish Decorating Ideas

Riverhills Game Room- Texas designer Joe Minton sought to create a space that would be well-used. Accordingly, he selected a durable outdoor fabric for the banquette. Its yellow-and-blue, slightly nautical stripe adds playfulness to a room rich in antiques.

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