Tag: Gustavian Furniture

Buying - ( swedish furniture ) - Etsy, Amazon, Ebay & More

Gustavian Furniture – How to get the look – Ulla Kloster

Set of 6 Gustavian Chairs – 9k 1st Dibs

 

The Gustavian Chair

Gustavian furniture is pure style and elegance. Chairs are the defining pieces in the Gustavian family of furniture with their delicately carved, columned legs. There’s a distinctive, refined feminine elegance to the chairs – a lightness and an almost gravity defying quality to it. Sometimes the legs and the rest of the woodwork are gently gilded for added glamour. Fabrics are usually plain colours – shades of grey, white and cream or striped. Rarely floral or other patterns.

In fact, the Gustavian style is almost the opposite of Scandi and Danish ‘hygge‘ which has taken the world by storm over the last few years. While hygge is about cosiness, relaxing, chilling, and focusing on the inner life, Gustavian style is about style, refinement and elegance. Read more about ‘hygge’ and how to live like “the happiest people in the world” here.

The Gustavian style is a mix of styles and interpretations – of the ostentatious French court of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, Regency and the very different, pared down Scandi aesthetic. It’s formal meets country style: It’s remarkable how three so different styles merged successfully into the distinctive Gustavian look that’s now more popular than ever.

Gustavian dining chairs are the defining pieces of the popular Swedish interior style, but the Gustavian bench is a close second.

Read More at duyourhome.com

Swedish Feed

The Light And Airy Furniture Of Sweden

Dawn Hill Antiques

Swedish furniture is in a class of its own. From the exuberant decoration of the Rococo style with an abundance of curves and natural motifs that gave way in the late 1700s to the restrained Gustavian style, Swedish furniture appeals to many. Owing to its clean lines and simplicity, it mixes well with other styles, both traditional and modern.

“You cannot talk about Swedish design without first considering the natural environment of Sweden. It is a country of islands, with the sea on one side and the interior populated by dense forests,” said antique dealer Paulette Peden of Dawn Hill Antiques in New Preston, Conn. “In the winter months there is a very short period of daylight, so the Swedish people craved the light, and created rooms painted with pale colors, and light furniture to make the most of the precious daylight.” The Gustavian style was named for Sweden’s King Gustav III (1746-92), during whose reign the talented craftsmen of the Stockholm Guild made well-designed furniture like chairs, tables, secretaries, cupboards and settees.

Read more – liveauctioneers.com

Buying - ( swedish furniture ) - Etsy, Amazon, Ebay & More

$2,695 – Reclaimed Douglas Fir – Gustavian Inspired Bed

About 250 years ago, Sweden’s King Gustav visited France and returned with a passion for ornate French neoclassical design. Swedish woodworkers tossed out the frou-frou but wisely kept the striking and unusual arched, scalloped furniture silhouettes. Our reclaimed Douglas fir Gustavian Bed adds a contemporary green twist to the original.

Part of the Global Collection this Bed has a neoclassical design with a contemporary twist that will complement any style. This beautiful collection features beautiful flowing lines combined with rustic features of reclaimed Douglas Fir. Up to a century old, the aged wood shows off its rich hue, deep patina, and tight grain. The wood is hand-planed to smooth its surface while preserving the distinctive character of the vintage fir’s imperfections. The quality of our Vintage Fir West Linn collection is superior and is designed and built to last for generations. The distinct beauty of its reclaimed wood, finished with rich water based non-toxic stains are preserved in our furniture that is handmade in California. All of our Vintage Fir Furniture uses actual vintage reclaimed wood and has many advantages. The grain of the timber with its tight growth rings shows the superior density of the wood from ancient trees, and the natural, aged patina and color of the old-growth timber is preserved in the manufacturing process. The results provide a look and feel that cannot be replicated in new wood.

This reclaimed Douglas fir Global collection beautifully exhibits the rich character of the centuries-old reclaimed wood used in its construction, while also bringing contemporary style to your space. The wood, salvaged from razed buildings, has a warm, rich hue and tight grain.

This bed is available in all sizes.  The King size sells for $2,695.00 at vivaterra.com

Buying - ( swedish furniture ) - Etsy, Amazon, Ebay & More

$299 – Pottery Barn’s Mabry Dining Chair

Monique Lhuillier’s has a Gustavian inspired chair available at Pottery Barn which comes in three finishes. A Natural Pine, A Belgian Gray and Mink Brown.  This chair has a fiddleback splat, fluting on the turned legs and carved molding on the frame all inspired by Swedish Gustavian furniture.  This chair sells for $239 – $269.

HOW IT’S CONSTRUCTED

  • Made of kiln-dried solid rubberwood.
  • Solidly constructed using mortise-and-tenon joinery and corner blocks for exceptional stability.
  • Finished by hand using an exclusive layering technique that results in beautiful depth of color, then sealed with a protective lacquer.
  • Finish features light distressing around the edges.

KEY PRODUCT POINTS

  • Side Chair: 23″ wide x 20″ deep x 41.5″ high
  • Imported.

Buying - ( swedish furniture ) - Etsy, Amazon, Ebay & More

$499 – Wisteria’s Gustavian Dining Chair

This unique chair exudes Gustavian design elements. In 1771, the future king of Sweden, Gustav III, was inspired by the Neoclassical style of Louis XVI’s furniture at Versailles. Gustav created a more restrained, less gaudy variant of the French style, now known as Gustavian furniture. This furniture was first meant only for palaces but quickly gained popularity outside of royalty. The high, rectangular back and taught edges paired with subtle curvatures in our Gustavian Dining Chair harken back to days of Swedish royalty.

  • This is a carefully crafted chair with a wooden frame.
  • This gorgeous piece is handmade with care.
  • This chair features 100% linen upholstery.
  • $499.00

See this chair at wisteria.com/

Set of Four 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Square Back Chairs in Original Paint
$6,200- 1st Dibs
A stunning set of four 18th century Swedish dining chairs from the Gustavian period, hand-scraped to original paint. This is a beautiful set of period chairs with open-work, splat backs and straight, tapered legs with cross stretchers. Blue-green and ivory painted patina. The Gustavian Style, named after King Gustav III of Sweden, is a restrained interpretation of the French Louis XV and Louis XVI style. King Gustav III was enamored with the neoclassical style and therefore created his own interpretation for Sweden.
Set of 12 Gustavian Dining Chairs
$29,000- 1st Dibs
Swedish, late 1700s-early 1800s. Signed Erik Holm, Stockholm master chair-maker 1774-1814. A set of 12 grey-painted Gustavian dining chairs. Open-work backs with simple geometrical shapes. Straight tapered legs with cross stretchers
Guides - Nordic Decorating

Gustavian Style By Kristie Barnett

I don’t know what kind of leader King Gustav III of Sweden was, but he really had some design sense!  After spending much of his early life in the French courts of Versailles, Gustav developed a style that was heavily influenced by French Neo-Classical design, as well as Italian Classicism.  Gustavian style is one of my all-time favorites, and I have a heavy dose of it in my own home. 

Gustavian style is marked by grayed pastels, lots of whites and creams, painted furniture, clean simple lines, and fabulous lighting.

This style is rather austere and not overly ornamented.  Lots of leggy furniture, bleached wood, and reflective surfaces/mirrors.

Swedish Country style is Gustavian, but at it’s most informal.  Lots of whites and lots of rustic.

The more formal version of Gustavian features a bit more color, lots of reflective surfaces, and crystal chandeliers.  And gilt, like I blogged about here.

Read more of this article at thedecorologist.com

Guides - Nordic Decorating

Study Shows The Gustavian Period Has Defined All Tastes Through Time In Sweden

A New Dissertation From Uppsala University Shows How Gustavian Style Has Defined Swedish Tastes In Art

Why has the neoclassical Gustavian style become so prominent in the Swedish self-image? A new dissertation from Uppsala University shows how researchers in art history, along with museums, commercial enterprises and the monarchy, have contributed to preserving and conveying the Gustavian style.

“An important reason for the extreme strength of the Gustavian style ideal,” says Hedvig Mårdh, doctoral student at the Department of Art History at Uppsala University, “is that it managed to unite a series of seemingly contradictory movements during the 1900s, such as tradition and modernity, and nationalism and internationalism, and that it has become part of various utopian visions.”

The Gustavian style, connected to the 18th century and Gustav III and Gustav IV Adolf, has been intimately associated with what has been designated as specific Swedish cultural heritage, linked to Swedish tastes and interior design. The style has generally been highly esteemed by both museums and art historians, who have produced national and international exhibitions and publications and have also contributed to successful furniture production from the late 19th century through today, including both IKEA’s line of 18th-century furniture as well as more small-scale production.

It’s about recurring re-use, in the form of copies, reconstructions and staging of the period. In her dissertation A Century of Swedish Gustavian Style: Art History, Cultural Heritage and Neoclassical Revivals from the 1890s to the 1990s, Hedvig Mårdh studied three periods that all illustrate the re-use of the Gustavian period in different ways: the 1890s, which saw the emergence of art history as a discipline, and of museums and cultural heritagethe period 1930-1940, when the production of period furniture existed concurrently with functionalismthe 1990s, a decade characterised by a cultural heritage boom, economic crisis and the search for a national identity in a European context.

Read more at eurekalert.org

Gustavian style, 20th century Wall Clock, Bukowskis

A gustavian wall sconce from around 1800, Bukowskis

A Swedish gustavian style 5 pcs dining furniture, Bukowskis

Ten Swedish Gustavian chairs, early 19th century, Bukowskis

All these images are found are bukowskis.com

 

All these images are found are bukowskis.com

DIY - Do It Yourself Swedish Home

Swedish Furniture Design – What Makes The 1800’s So Obsessive

Pair of Late Gustavian Neoclassical Chairs

Pair of Late Gustavian / Neoclassical Chairs

Jason Phillips

The Scandinavians are known around the world for creating simple, stylish and functional furniture; its style reflects its origins, furniture and décor which maximized the available light and space. The look is minimal, yet honest with an earthy flavor. It is the perfect style to use when you are looking to revitalize an old, gloomy house and create a contemporary yet practical flare. To really get the 1800s Swedish feel in your home you will need to follow these tips:

Wooden Flooring

The flooring should be light and preferably wood, although a laminate will have the same effect. This allows the sunlight entering the house to bounce around the room and help to create a feeling of space, warmth and light. The bathroom is the only exception to this rule as a darker, warmer color will make the room feel more inviting.

Color Palettes Of Brown And Grey

The original Scandinavian design would be for white walls and a pale grey or light blue; either as a feature wall or as part of the design; the color of the furniture or the accessories. However, there have been several other influences in the Scandinavian scene and it is possible to introduce some bright colors through the accessories or even the flowers in the room. These will draw the eye and make the room feel friendly and inviting. It is also possible to opt for wood on one of the walls; it is a natural material and adds a layer of warmth to the property. If the wood is too yellow for your taste than it can be white washed or you can use grey oil to dilute the color.

Furniture Lines

The handmade designer furniture you use in your Scandinavian room must have clean lines. The majority of Swedish furniture elements will already have the lines you require. This simplistic approach will provide a calm, tranquil room in which to relax.

Functional Furniture

The Swedish pride themselves on providing stylish yet functional furniture. Every piece has a specific purpose and it is well designed for that purpose. This ethic should apply across the entire house; it avoids unnecessary clutter and encourages the simple, minimalistic style. Furniture may have been designed recently or may be genuine antique pieces. Either will work as the elements of design have stayed true throughout time; every Swedish piece has a classic beauty in its simplicity and will sit perfectly in a room today. The way this furniture has been designed allows it to blend with any room, creating a stylish, yet practical living area.

Corner Fire

Swedish winters are generally much colder than those in many other parts of the world. A fire is an essential part of surviving these winters. However, they are not the feature point of the room; they are seen as another piece of furniture. Swedish fires are often tiled and sit in the corner of the room. They are usually very simple in design and may hardly even be noticed with their doors closed. The corner approach also allows the heat to radiate out across the room effectively.

The Environment

The Swedish are well known for adding environmentally friendly features to their houses. This can be as simply as embracing the energy efficient light bulbs, to adding solar panels or a ground source heat pump. Insulation and triple glazing are also standard on new builds and help to create the warm, inviting interior of a Swedish house.

Less is more

Scandinavian design does not incorporate an abundance of ornaments and accessories. The approach is minimalistic in order to keep the clean lines and bright spaces that they desire. Among the few accessories will usually be a plant or bunch of flowers to add a touch of the outside to the décor. Blend your minimalistic approach with natural materials and you will have a beautiful house that you can
actually live in!

Embrace the Swedish home design and transform your home into a welcoming, truly inviting living nest. Choose a dominant color that best lives up to your expectations, and don’t be afraid to improvise. Oversized throw pillows, flower pots with seasonal flowers and custom-made furniture items are everything you need for a Swedish-inspired home.

A Swedish Early Gustavian Period Console Table circa 1770 1st dibs

A Swedish Early Gustavian Period Console Table circa 1770 1st dibs

19th Century Swedish Gustavian Pedestal Table

19th Century Swedish Gustavian Pedestal Table

Set of Four 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Chairs

Set of Four 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Chairs

19th Century Swedish Gustavian Style Bench

19th Century Swedish Gustavian Style Bench

Continue Reading…

Guides - Magazine Editorals With Nordic Decorating

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

Continue Reading…

Featured - Swedish Resources

Swedish Antiques From Debenham Antiques

Swedish Antiques From Debenham Antiques19th Century Swedish Birch Neo Classical Sofa US $5,540.37 On Ebay

Swedish Antiques From Debenham Antiques

Early 19th Century Painted Gustavian Sofa -US $4,477.83 Beautifully carved, re-upholstered with fitted cushions- On Ebay

Swedish Antiques From Debenham AntiquesPair of 19th Century Carved wood French Armchairs US $3,718.88 On Ebay

Swedish Antiques From Debenham Antiques

19th Century Massive Extending Swedish Painted Dining Table US $12,702.51 On Ebay

This table has been adapted to form many scenarios of use and size. Can be used as a round dining table, and comes complete with varying bearers to allow housing of 5 leaves. Fully extended at 167″ in length which is just short of 14FT.  Could also be used as a pair of demi lune side tables when not in use for dining.  

Swedish Antiques From Debenham Antiques19th Century Painted Pine Bookcase Cabinet US $6,151.53 On Ebay

Swedish Antiques From Debenham Antiques

Circa 1880. Fine piece of Swedish rustic furniture which could lend itself to many uses such as a desk, kitchen table or dining table

Rustic 19th Century Pine Table From Debenham Antiques US $1,510.32 On Ebay

Swedish Antiques From Debenham Antiques

Early 20th Century Birch Root Swedish Bombe Chest Of Drawers- US $2,796.15 On Ebay

Swedish Antiques From Debenham Antiques

19th Century Swedish Elm Secretaire Chest Of Drawers- US $2,504.55 On Ebay
Swedish Antiques From Debenham Antiques

Massive 19th Century Biedermeier Birch Sofa Settee, US $5,236.79 -Length: 108 3/4″, On Ebay

Swedish Antiques From Debenham Antiques

19th Century Inlaid Swedish Kingwood Commode US $2,959.92 On Ebay

Profusely inlaid and decorated with various woods such as satinwood and walnut. Detachable marble top with ormolu handles and decoration. 3 drawers which open on the key- circa 1870

Swedish Antiques From Debenham Antiques19th Century Mahogany and Satinwood Inlaid Desk $4,477.83 On Ebay

Early 20th Century Mahogany Inlaid Commode- US $3,718.88 On Ebay

Swedish Antiques From Debenham AntiquesPair of 18th Century Louis XV French Gilt Fauteuil Armchairs By Michard US $7,513.65 On Ebay

Swedish Antiques From Debenham Antiques

19th Century Antique Swedish Carved Wood Gilt Pier Mirror -US $3,718.88 On Ebay

19th Century Painted Swedish Day Bed Sofa

19th Century Painted Swedish Day Bed Sofa, US $3,263.51- On Ebay

Swedish Antiques From Debenham Antiques

19th Century Antique Biedermeier Birch Commode Chest of Drawers -US $2,504.55, On Ebay

Swedish Antiques From Debenham AntiquesPair of 19th Century French Empire Mahogany Armchairs US $3,718.88 On Ebay

Swedish Antiques From Debenham Antiques

Early 19th Century Antique Carved Scandinavian Mahogany Sofa US $3,415.30 On Ebay

Swedish Antiques From Debenham Antiques

Massive Mahogany Cherrywood Gateleg Table Seats 16- Can be made up to 18 feet, 9FT 6INCH X 8 FT On Ebay

Swedish Antiques From Debenham Antiques

Pair of 19th Century Painted Pine Swedish Armchairs- US $1,510.32, On Ebay

Swedish arts and crafts influenced.  Made from pine, painted with floral decoration to the back, gold lining to the seat, continued with painted elements to the freize and turned legs

Swedish Antiques From Debenham AntiquesSwedish Antiques From Debenham AntiquesEarly 19th Century Swedish Occasional Side Table US $1,176.38 On Ebay

Early 19th Century Biedermeirer Birch Drum Table US $4,326.04, On Ebay

19th Century Swedish Birch Square Tilt Top Table – US $1,897.39 On Ebay

19th Century Painted Gothic Swedish Cabinet US $6,311.31 On Ebay

Swedish Antiques From Debenham Antiques19TH Century Swedish Painted Pine Bookcase- US $3,507.17 On Ebay

Swedish Antiques From Debenham AntiquesRare set of 12 -19TH Century Queen Anne Influenced Painted Swedish Dining Chairs US $12,702.51 On Ebay

Guides - Swedish Designers

An Interview With Daniel Larsson- The Go-To Guy For Swedish Antiques

Keywords: Daniel Larsson, D.Larsson Interiör & Antikhandel, Gustavian Furniture, Swedish Antiques, Swedish Reproductions, 18th Century Antiques

D.Larsson Interiör & Antikhandel

I recently was able to interview Daniel Larsson, owner of  D.Larsson Interiör & Antikhandel, one of Sweden’s top sources for authentic antique furniture and decor. Daniel opened his store in July 2012 and has quickly become recognized in the industry as the go-to guy for Swedish Antiques – He not only locates the goods you’re looking for but also educates you when buying your first slice of Swedish history or adding to your ever growing collection of rare Scandinavian finds.

Unlike other dealers who wouldn’t dream of sharing their sources, Daniel is a guide with The Antiques Diva® & Co European Tours which means he takes clients hand in hand to wholesale warehouses and secret sources.

Daniel has traveled around the world, and has lived in the USA, England, India, Norway, Spain and Holland, but has returned back to his roots in Helsingborg, Sweden where his main antique store is located.

He and his better half, life partner and wife- Cristina, work together to run D.Larsson Interiör & Antikhandel, a busy antique store, which offers Swedish furniture ranging from 18th to late 19th century. They specialize in presenting Gustavian painted furniture and Swedish country styled pieces.  They supply directly to private or trade customers worldwide, and network with easy and reliable shipping companies.  Daniel is one of six dealers in Decorative Collectives; a new Antiques Center in Petworth, Uk, where he currently features the majority of his stock.

Here are my questions for Daniel:

Q- What had you interested in antiques? Where did that passion come from?

A: I have always been interested in Interior Design and it came rather naturally to me. In my early 20s I got hooked on the modern retro Scandinavian style when I decorated my first apartment. After taking several years to tour the world I settled down with my wife in Helsingborg, Sweden and together we began to make my house a home.  A friend recognizing my talent in design approached me and asked if I wanted to start a business selling antiques together. After a couple of years together we eventually decided to each go our own way – but I was hooked! I had been bitten by the antiques bug and I was committed to staying in the trade. I began to concentrate on higher quality Swedish pieces and expand my repertoire in to Baroque, Empire, Rococo and Gustavian pieces.

Q: Was there one antique that you let go, and wish you hadn’t?

A: Sigh… the one that got away.  I’m dreaming of a stunning Rococo mirror (see attached pic) that I wished I would have kept for myself. I try not to get too attached to the pieces in my store – but must confess sometimes I sell items to quickly and find I don’t have enough time to enjoy them properly.

Q:Tell us a few keys to look for when determining if a piece of furniture is an authentic antique?

A: The authenticity of antiques is a complex matter, there are great books about the subject but for an untrained eye it can be very hard to spot a fake. A good way to start is by looking at the wood to check if it’s old and has a nice patina. The best thing you can do is to buy from a trustworthy dealer which will be able to give you all the information about the piece so you are sure of what you have bought. And you can always ask for a certificate of authenticity. Another tip is to always check the price, if it is to good to be true… it probably is!

Q:What are the most sought after styles right now? What are people asking you for?

A: The Gustavian style with it’s pale colors is always popular and people are also asking for good Swedish country pieces because they fit perfectly in a modern setting as well. People are looking to mix things up nowadays, it gives more caracter to a home.

Q:Like many of us who are fond of one thing over another when shopping for furniture and decor, is there a particular style or antique that your wife Cristina buys over and over? Tell us her secret antique fetish?

A: Cabinets, She always need to have at least one big cabinet in the showroom. She likes big and impressive things 🙂

Q: For New Buyers, ….what would you suggest to invest in first?

A: Always buy something that you love, follow your heart. If you want something really Swedish go for a tall case painted clock or a Gustavian sofa.  Both are very decorative. Another great choice is a Rococo or Gustavian mirror as they are easy to place making a fabulous statement peace.

Q: Many Swedish dealers shun the thought of re-painting antiques. I find many dealers re-painting furniture in the most popular colors such as gray, or white, and others cringe at the thought of disturbing a finish. What are your thoughts on this?

A: The majority of Swedish painted furniture has been painted several times thru the centuries and to find one in original color is extremely difficult nowadays and when you do find them they sell for extraordinary sums. What happens sometimes is that the latest layers of paint are dry scraped to reveal traces of the original color but the majority of times this is not possible because the paint has suffered to much damage thru the years and needs to be repainted. This way the tradition continues. Don’t be mistaken; repainted pieces, if done properly are still highly valued.

Q:From a Small Business point of view, here are some pooled questions that have been asked from small furniture collectors who represent smaller markets:

How would you suggest going about determining the price for an item? Do you recommend reproduction pieces and if so what determines a good piece?  How do you go about restoring pieces that are not in tip-top condition?

A: When I determine the price I look at the originality, rarity and quality of a piece.  It’s also important to know the market value.

I certainly do recommend reproduction pieces especially when clients are looking for more than one-of-a-kind pieces. What often happens in the hospitality market is that they need many arm chairs of the same model and that is an impossible to find in the antique market.

I always use a specialized furniture carpenter to restore my pieces if they are not in tip – top condition. It’s important that the restoration work is done the traditional way sympathetic to the past.

Q: Finally, what should clients who wish to participate on the hardcore antiquing tours be prepared for?

A: At The Antiques Diva® & Co we’re known for giving clients access to the best little black book of antiquing address on the continent – in Sweden as well as all over Europe.  On my tours I really try to educate my clients.  All our tours are private and customized – and thus, when a client books a tour we inquire what they’re looking for and then we plan a route that gets them to down the back roads to the places they need to know about.  On tour we translate, negotiate and then we liaise with a shipper to help get the goods home sweet home across the pond.   While you can book at 1 day tour – real dealers want to delve deep into the countryside – and our trade tours can run 3 or 4 days of hard core antiquing.

Visit Daniel and Cristina’s website dlarssoninterior.com

Follow Daniel on Twitter- here

D.Larsson Interiör & Antikhandel

Wrangelsgatan 13 254 39 Helsingborg, Sweden

+46 73 438 18 43 info@dlarssoninterior.com

Keywords: Daniel Larsson, D.Larsson Interiör & Antikhandel, Gustavian Furniture, Swedish Antiques, Swedish Reproductions, 18th Century Antiques

Picture of Daniel’s Rococo mirror that is sold.

Keywords: Daniel Larsson, D.Larsson Interiör & Antikhandel, Gustavian Furniture, Swedish Antiques, Swedish Reproductions, 18th Century Antiques

Picture of a 18th Century Baroque Commode that has been repainted.

Keywords: Daniel Larsson, D.Larsson Interiör & Antikhandel, Gustavian Furniture, Swedish Antiques, Swedish Reproductions, 18th Century Antiques
Provincial Gustavian Buffet.
 
This 19th century provincial Gustavian buffet would usually have been repainted but as i found small traces of it’s original color and that it has a great patina to it i chose not to have it repainted. Elegant simplicity at it’s best.

Gustavian Buffet Keywords: Daniel Larsson, D.Larsson Interiör & Antikhandel, Gustavian Furniture, Swedish Antiques, Swedish Reproductions, 18th Century Antiques

 This picture is taken just last week (2014) of Daniel’s showroom in Helsingborg, Sweden.

D.Larsson Interiör & Antikhandel , Swedish Antique Buying Tours, Swedish Antiques, Gustavian Furniture, Swedish COuntry Antique Furniture, Swedish Dealers D.Larsson Interiör & Antikhandel , Swedish Antique Buying Tours, Swedish Antiques, Gustavian Furniture, Swedish COuntry Antique Furniture, Swedish Dealers D.Larsson Interiör & Antikhandel , Swedish Antique Buying Tours, Swedish Antiques, Gustavian Furniture, Swedish COuntry Antique Furniture, Swedish Dealers

D.Larsson Interiör & Antikhandel , Swedish Antique Buying Tours, Swedish Antiques, Gustavian Furniture, Swedish COuntry Antique Furniture, Swedish Dealers

 

 

 

DIY - Do It Yourself Swedish Home

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.

Continue Reading…

Guides - Swedish Designers

Swedish Furniture From Bukowski Market

Rococo Desk 1700's -Swedish Furniture From Bukowski Market- Gustavian, Gustavian Furniture, Rococo Swedish, Swedish Antiques, Swedish Auction Markets, Swedish Online Furniture AuctionsRococo Desk 1700’s

Bukowski is the leading auction house founded in 1870 by the Polish nobleman Henryk Bukowski. Bukowski Market also happens to be Sweden and Finland’s largest on-line internet site for quality auctions. Bukowski Market offers modern capabilities to the auction experience; one that combines online shopping with spectacular antiques and reliable expertise.

Bukowski pairs together buyers and sellers from around the world and allows antiques to be brought to the public for sale.  All items sold at Bukowski have been reviewed by experts in showrooms in Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö, Helsinki, and Norrköping.   Bukowski offers a large assortment of antiques, design, art and decorative items for all tastes.  Before bidding from Bukowski, be sure to look at their terms of sale, and have your shipping and pick up arrangements set before bidding.

bukowskis.com

Continue Reading…

Guides - Nordic Decorating

200 Gustavian Pictures Ideas For Your Swedish Home

Gustavian Pictures

Elements of the 18th century Gustavian style still find their way into our decorating magazines some 200 years later, and have been said to be the most beautiful interior design period throughout time.  Interiors were designed around light, colors were muted, pastels were at their height in art, and the furniture was drop dead gorgeous.  White painted furniture is still the most popular trend in home decor.  So where did this all start?

Gustavian style was named after King Gustav III, whose design style was inspired by the neoclassical designs he saw in France.  Gustav traveled to France as a young man before he became king, and spent many years at the French court where he observed a lifestyle of richness beyond comprehension.  At the time, Versailles was one of the largest palaces in the world.  France was determined to make a statement of it’s wealth without saying a word.  The best furniture, drapery, upholstery and architecture was bought and displayed, and Gustav found himself captivated by the  grandeur associated with the court.

Gustav III came into power after the death of his father and ruled in Sweden from 1772 to 1792. While 20 years doesn’t seem like a significant period of time, this king left an artistic mark in Sweden that hasn’t ever been forgotten.  While Sweden couldn’t compete with the vast wealth of France, they adopted many of the styles seen in France in their own way.  Wood was plentiful in Sweden, and woodworkers were able to reproduce much of the fashionable furniture seen in France.   Other decor elements such as marble were costly, so faux painting produced these same looks for less.  Natural fabrics such as linen were used for upholstery instead of silk.  Lighter woods were used instead of mahogany and painted.

Early Gustavian styles were clearly inspired by the French Rococo movement.   The floral fabrics, and the bombe chests, and Louis XV rounded back chairs were marks of the Rococo styles found in Louis XV’s reign.  The neoclassical design which moved in after were seen through Louis XVI’s reign.  He adopted some of the same ornamental designs seen in furniture, yet changed the overall frame to ones that were square or rectangular.  Later with the excavations at Pompeii, classical design further left it’s mark on this style. In Italy they had unearthed the ancient cities of Herculaneum and Pompeii, and a interest in art and design spread like wildfire through Europe.  Gustaf III himself visited the ruins in 1783-84, near Naples.   The late Gustavian style was heavily influenced by the English models clearly seen inspired from the chippendale chests and hepplewhite tables.  A combination of all three of these design styles can be classified as Gustavian, and are seen all mixed together much like our modern homes today.

Gustavian interior designs in Sweden were practical, yet pretty even in the tightest of spaces.  Swedes needed to bring in as much light as possible, as the winters seemed long and dark.  Lighter paint colors were seen inside, with bleached out wood floors. Pullout sofas functioned as a place to sit in the day and as a sofa and a bed at night.   Round demi lune tables were pushed against the wall through the day, and assembled together when needed.  Beds were built in the wall, much like an over-sized closet with a curtain which could be pulled across for privacy.

Get the Swedish Look For Yourself- Here Is How:

– Furnish your home with straight legged furniture.  Consider bleached wood, or white, or light gray painted furniture.

-Exchange out your silk fabrics for something more lived-in and natural.  Linen, raw silk, simple checked cotton, or natural duck canvas are great choices for drapery and upholstery.   The use of floral patterns were also quite popular in the Gustavian / Swedish style.

-Gustavian style is marked by gray painted furniture, pastel colors and lots of whites and creamed painted interiors.  Consider painted furniture with clean simple lines and fabulous lighting.

– Remove the clutter, less is always more with the Gustavian styles.  Showcase collections in a simplistic manner.

 

Featured - Swedish Resources

Designers Pick Their Favorite Gray Paints

Picture Credit –Scandinavian Antiques Co On Ebay

House Beautiful Designer Grays

Featured above are the colors, Top Row: Pratt & Lambert’s Argent 1322, Farrow & Ball’s Claydon Blue 87, Farrow & Ball’s Green Blue 84, Middle Row, Farrow & Ball’s Light Blue 22, Benjamin Moore’s Sea Star 2123-30, Benjamin Moore’s Wolf Gray 2127-40 Bottom Row,  Benjamin Moore’s Graytint 1611, Sherwin-Williams’s Magnetic Gray SW-7058,  Benjamin Moore’s Stone Harbor 2111-50

Home Beautiful featured an article on 26 Designers who shared their favorite Grays.  Gray painted interiors can be the perfect color palette for Swedish Gustavian or Rococo antique furniture.  Gray can showcase antiques like no other color, because it is neutral, and doesn’t compete with the furniture and decor. The last thing you want after spending thousands on a piece of furniture, is to have someone notice anything but what you spent your hard earned money on!   Pair your painted gray antiques with a backdrop of white gray interior walls and trim, and add a punch of color with your upholstery, accessories, and flowers.

Many of the designers featured in the article, were those of Richard Gluckman, Stephanie Stokes, David Kleinberg, Tori Golub, Stephen Sills, Phoebe Howard, Steven Gambrel, Gerrie Bremermann, and Sharone Einhorn and Honey Walters.  

Here are just a few of the designer quotes:

“Mesquite is a flattering light moss green without much yellow. I love it because it doesn’t shout ‘I’m green!’ It says, ‘I’m a very beautiful color.'” –Jennifer Garrigues, Benjamin Moore’s Mesquite 501

“Lago Argentino is a glacier lake in Patagonia, and it’s the most amazing color, an aqua, milky because as the ice melts it pulls minerals off the mountain. I stayed in an inn with a stunning view of the Perito Moreno glacier.” –Suzanne Rheinstein , Ralph Lauren Paint’s Blue-Green GH81

“For me, the most appealing colors in summer are not hot but cool. You don’t need to be reminded of the sun and heat — you’re in it. What you want is a cool breeze through the pine trees, like this chalky gray green.” –Frank Roop, Benjamin Moores Soft Fern 2144-40

“In my cutting garden I have morning glories climbing over a lattice obelisk painted this wonderful silvery sage green. It reminds me of lavender leaves.” –Michael Whaley, Benjamin Moores Cedar Grove 444

“I have a big, hugely functional Georgian Revival lawyer’s desk in tired dry mahogany, bought from a tired dry lawyer. I painted it this pale gray-green in an oil-base stain finish, cleanable, very calm, but not so pale that it dies. The gimmick is the old-fashioned desk in an unexpected color. It catches light and makes for a more interesting surface.” –Carey Maloney, Donald Kaufman Color Collections DKC-10

“It’s kind of robin’s egg blue, and with mahogany furniture and neutral upholstery, it looks great. I see dining rooms as mostly evening rooms, and this has life to it. It’s very soothing.” –Mariette Himes Gomez, Benjamin Moore’s Sage Tint 458

“Green is the great neutral, all the way from pond scum to soft sage or pale celery. I recently moved into a new house surrounded by greenery, and when I was thinking of what color I might use for a drapery lining, it came to me to reflect the green that is present year-round right outside that window.” –Barbara Barry – Donald Kaufman Color Collection’s DKC-8

“This is the color of the sky in Old Master paintings, when the varnish has yellowed; it’s luminous. Paint just the floor and you’d feel as if you were floating.” –Thomas Jayne, Benjamin Moore’s Heavenly Blue

“In my cutting garden I have morning glories climbing over a lattice obelisk painted this wonderful silvery sage green. It reminds me of lavender leaves.” –Michael Whaley, Benjamin Moore’s Cedar Grove 444

Gray Painted Swedish FurnitureGray Painted Swedish Furniture – Laserow Antiques

18th Century Swedish Tray Table – Jacqueline Adams Antiques

This mirror would have been part of a room paneling. It features a beautifully hand carved and gilded top panel of a basket with flowers and grape bunches before crossed mallets and grape branches and is surrounded with a square, gilt molded frame. Beneath is a square mirror framed with a beaded, molded edge

Continue Reading…

Guides - Swedish Designers

Designer Martha Angus Loves Gustavian Style

Swedish Antiques Swedish Portrait -the figure of noble women, in courtdress, within giltwood frame

The Style Saloniste posted an interview with designer Martha Angus, founder of the San Francisco-based firm, Martha Angus Inc. about her favorite style and paint colors.  It turns out she loves the Gustavian Swedish styles, and gives out the paint colors she uses most often in her designs.

Q- Favorite design period?

Martha Angus: Gustavian. It’s late eighteenth-century, and feels like Louis XVI but not as grandiose. In addition, I love the painted finishes typical of the period, often in gray. Swedish design can offer a type of low-key opulence. During the Gustavian period, a light wash of paint in earth colors of light blue, gray, green and yellow was used instead of gilding. The prices of antiques vary, depending on the object. They’re now very collectible, so prices are rising fast. I’ve seen some fantastic examples at the Marche Paul-Bert at the Paris flea market, Clignancourt.

My favorite local source for Gustavian furniture is Therien & Company in Los Angeles (as well as the Therien & Co 20th-century collection at their gallery in San Francisco.)

Q: Your most versatile paint color?

Martha Angus: It’s Benjamin Moore  and my special mix of half Decorator White mixed with half Linen. Works every time.

The finest paints are those designed by Donald Kaufman  in New York. They are all elegant and multi-dimension and complex, so you could pick one with your eyes closed.

I’m a big fan of Farrow & Ball, colors: Parma Gray, Folly Green and Mouse’s Back are very individual and give rooms character.

 

Q: Which fabric could you use over and over?

MA: Heavy Belgian linen by Henry Calvin Fabrics, # 8793 “Mail Bag Linen” texture in natural. To the trade, Henry Calvin Fabrics, 151 Vermont Street, San Francisco, 415-565-1981. I often use antique textiles, tapestries, and pillows from Kathleen Taylor, The Lotus Collection, 445 Jackson Street, San Francisco, 415-398-8115.

Paula Caravelli Martha Angus

Paula Caravelli & Martha Angus- sceneinny.com

Home Dit also features an interview with Martha Angus, where she reveals more of her love for French and Gustavian antiques.

Q: Tell us about the moment when you decided to follow a career in the field of interior design.

Martha Angus: I always felt like an artist growing up. I moved around constantly for my father’s career, so the whole idea of ‘home’, a place where you feel comfortable and can settle into, is the most important thing in the world to me. When I was a child, I absolutely fell in love with color, especially coloring books. I became so passionate about art and color, I thought “Oh, wow!” this is all I ever want to do, which led me to
eventually study painting at Carnegie Mellon and the Ecole des Beaux Arts de Paris.

When I came out of college the options for a female artist were quite limited yet art has always been a driving force in my career. As a young artist fresh out of school, I got my start as a fashion illustrator and textile designer in New York City. That eventually led to store design and high-end residential design. My work and interests are always evolving but I never abandoned my first love –painting and contemporary art. To this day, art is the most important feature in my designs. It’s usually the first thing I discuss when starting a new project.

Q:Where do you look for an obscure source of inspiration?

Martha Angus: I find inspiration in my usual trips to the Paris flea markets. I believe my ideal shop would include that sense of history, unstated elegance and fun that the French do so well. As in my projects, my ideal shop would include timeless and elegant items such a Gustavian settee or a weathered neoclassical zinc planter paired with a super chic custom designed plexi-glass bench upholstered in zebra silk-screen hide and bold Ellworth Kelly prints.

Q:What would be your recommendation for “what to do first” in a decorating project?

Martha Angus: Start with a good floor plan and remember that upholstery is the key. High quality upholstery can go a long way. Not only is it a good investment but it also brings a sense of tailoring and richness that other items can’t. Once the art and essential furniture items have been selected, accessorizing can do wonders. Scented candles and cashmere throws add a sense of luxury to a room without a significant investment. I always include small trays and boxes that bring the project down to a warm and livable level.

I always say that art is the most important aspect of a space, aside from the people collecting it. I live for bold, statement art. High art should not be treated as a mere decorative item that accessorizes a room, but almost a living element of the space – something with a very distinct personality.

Q: What’s your current paint color obsession?

Martha Angus: I believe in airy, fresh spaces that usually call for very subtle neutrals so that I can come in later and play with fun splashes of color in art, fabrics or accessories. When it comes to paint I find myself constantly going back to some Farrow and Ball colors precisely because they have that timeless elegance that relates so well with my philosophy. Some of my favorites are Middleton Pink and Arsenic.Throughout my career I have always recommended Benjamin Moore’s decorator’s white for its freshness and vibrancy. I have a life-long love affair with textiles of every kind. In fact my career started in New York City as a textile designer and fashion illustrator. I believe David Hicks style fabrics are classic and always so chic.

Q : What advice do you have for someone with a new house to decorate and perhaps a limited budget?

Martha Angus: Small changes can go a long way. I also advise my team to use color as envelopes for a room. Soft neutrals like French Gray or even Decorator’s White are great colors for walls, ceilings and trim because they can give an atmospheric look to a room and make it timeless, standing the test of time and whimsy trends. The one item I would recommend investing in is good upholstery pieces. The big items should also be covered in a neutral material that can stand the test of time. It will not only look good but will wear well for many years to come.

 

 

Swedish Antiques- Gustavian Chairs

Pair of Swedish Late Gustavian Side Chairs- the rectangular upholstered crest rail within carved and moulded frame on foliate carved spindle supports, over upholstered seat with carved and moulded apron flanked by rosette filled blocks, raised on foliate carved round section tapering legs ending in toupee feet

San Francisco Office

San Francisco Office -Martha Angus

Martha Angus

Martha Angus

Swedish Neoclassical Side Chair The Neoclassical period replaced the Rococo influences during the second half of the eighteenth century. Cabinet makers responded to the excavation of Herculaneum and Pompeii with great fervor, eliminating the robust naturalistic forms of the Rococo in favor of delicate colors and a less exaggerated line. The Klismos, the original antique form of this chair, was brought to light late in the Neoclassical period in Sweden as well as other countries. The Gustavian, another name for this chair, was developed during the reign of Gustavian III who seized power in 1771. This chair is believed to have been made for the marvelous pavilion at Haga, the summer home of Swedish royalty

Roman Neoclassical Chairs

Pair of Roman Neoclassic Painted And Parcel Gilt Armchairs with horseshoe shaped foliate carved back with downswept arms, joined to Greek key carved seat and raised on tapering fluted legs

 Swedish Antiques

Pair Of Swedish Baroque Giltwood Candlesticks each of compound foliate and gadrooned tripartite form rising to flaring foliate sheathed bobeche, raised on conforming scrolling volute base, centering ribboned and foliate swagged cabochon medallion and ending in lion paw feet; now electrified and fitted with beeswax candle and calf skin shade

Swedish Antiques

Swedish Neoclassic Painted Armchair- the upholstered back within conforming moulded and carved flaring frame, over urn shaped carved spindles joined by down swept supports to upholstered seat, raised on stylized foliate carved swelling round section legs ending in brass sabots and headed by rosette filled carved corner blocks; the whole retaining original paint

Swedish Antiques

Swedish Karl Johan Mahogany Satinwood and Olivewood and Parcel Gilt Sofa Table- the rectangular top with satinwood stringing centering satinwood and olivewood inlaid central patera medallion and corresponding corners, with two drop leaves over breakfront apron incorporating single drawer, flanked by relief carved foliate volutes, on cluster columnar support in the early English taste, with molded socle and concave platform ending in foliate carved downward scrolling feet centering floral medallions

Swedish Antiques

Swedish Karl Johan Mahogany and Parcel Gilt Center Table- the oval top with reeded edge over straight conforming apron , raised on square section tapering serpentine legs headed by blocked rosettes and ending in bronze lion paw feet supported on concave sided rectangular plinth on gold ball feet

Martha Angus – Alta Plaza Residence

Martha Angus – Alta Plaza Residence

Antique Gustavian window seat with pale grey blue lightly lacquered linen Rogers Goffigon fabric.

Antique Gustavian window seat with pale grey blue lightly lacquered linen Rogers Goffigon fabric.

Martha Angus on One Kings Lane

Martha Angus – Alta Plaza Residence 2

Martha Angus – Alta Plaza Residence

Hampton Showhouse

Hampton Showhouse- Martha Angus

Hampton Showhouse

Hampton Showhouse- Martha Angus

Martha Angus – Manhattan Residence

Martha Angus – Manhattan Residence

Martha Angus – Manhattan Residence

Martha Angus – Manhattan Residence

Martha Angus – Manhattan Residence 2

Martha Angus – Manhattan Residence

DIY - Do It Yourself Swedish Home

Les Indiennes Fabrics

Elle Decor April 11

Mary Mulcahy’s designs, first developed for her block-printed textiles, now grace the wall with the Les Indiennes collection by IVM Prints. The 12 hand-screened wallpapers include Rayure, left, and Veronique, both in indigo; additional colors are offered, Seen in Elle Decor April 2011

The company Les Indiennes is known for their beautiful hand-blocked textiles. Founder, Mary Mulcahy had a desire to find naturally dyed cotton, with large scale single colored motifs, but was unable to locate fabrics close to what she had in mind, so she created her own.   Her concept started to take form after running into a craftsman in southern India,  who knew exactly what she was after.  In fact, the craftsman was one of the very few artists who still practiced the ancient art of kalamkari, which was an extremely complex and rare method of printing on fabric.

The Kalamkari Process:

1.  Fabric Preparation- Cotton fabric is initially softened and bleached.  This process needs to be done before any printing takes place.  The process involves bales of organic cotton which are repeatedly rinsed and beaten against large rocks, then laid out on the grass to bleach in the sun.   These steps ensure that the fabric will feel soft and luxurious, and so that the color application remains bright and vibrant.

2. Block Printing- After the fabric has been softened and lightened, printing begins.  Craftsmen dip hand-carved wood blocks in dyes and presses them into the cotton.  The dyes are derived from plants, roots, earth, and rock.  One can only imagine the great care, and measurements taken to ensure the patterns are straight and line up with one another.  Today we take for granted large printing machinery, when at one time, much of this work was done by hand.  At Les Indiennes, the fabric is printed by hand, and hours go into each fabric panel.  After the patterns are applied, the printed fabric is air dried for at least two days.

Continue Reading…

Guides - Nordic Decorating

The 1700 Collection Swedish Furniture

Osterbybruk

The 1700 Collection Swedish Furniture produces furniture that combines the elegant shapes of the furniture found in 18th century Sweden.  With the cooperation between the Swedish National Museum of Fine Arts and furniture manufacturer MOVE Möbler & Bohag, they created several authentic replicas of selected pieces of furniture originating from Swedish castles, manors and salons of fashionable health resorts.

The craftsmanship behind each handmade piece remains true to the original.  Skilled woodworkers sign each piece next to the seal of the National Museum of Fine Arts.   The furniture is made from the woods found in Sweden such as birch, alder and pine.

If you are hoping to purchase a reproduction that is as close to the original antiques, the 1700 collection is deeply rooted in the 18th Century.  The collection is a preservation of the Swedish cultural heritage, also giving you an elegant piece of furniture from this era.

Möbler AB
Smyge
Strandv. 71. SE- 231 79 SMYGEHAMN.
Sweden

The 1700 Collection Chairs

Fresta – Stol 1700

Bergslagen

Hallunda – Stol

Medevibrunn – Fåtölj 1700 Collection

Odenslunda – Stol

Sandbro

Medevi

Hellestad

Ekolsund, Selebo

Hallunda

Krogsta

Österbybruk

 The 1700-collection’s Dining Room

The 1700-collection’s Living Room

Svensksund Sofa

The 1700-collection’s Bedroom- Skattmansö

Svensksund Sofa

Guides - Swedish Designers

30 Spectacular Picks From Frantz Hemeleers Antiques

Louis XV Limed Oak Chest

In 1975, Frantz Hemeleers opened a small shop in Etterbeek (Brussels), and over time, it has been known as the place to get quality antiques.  Gradually over time, the business acquired more substantial antiques of higher quality, such as polished wood, and marquetry. Today the company features antiques which have been brought in from France, England, Spain, and Sweden.  They are known to carry stock consisting of furniture and objects from French, English, Swedish and Belgian from the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th century.

To ensure the best quality antiques for your home, their furniture passes through the hands of the carpenter before being offered to customers.  Besides a wide selection of furniture such as desks, bookcases, tables, chairs, sofas, cabinets, and consoles, Frantz Hemeleers offers a range of paintings, lamps, chandeliers, bronzes, mirrors, and silverware.

 

Visit this shop in person at the address below, or find them online at Frantz Hemeleers

Frantz Hemeleers Antiques
Avenue des Casernes 61
1040 Bruxelles

Tél. 02.640.29.16
Fax. 02.640.83.21
Email. info@frantzhemeleers.com

Bonheur du jour Inlaid Table

Buffet Half Demi Lune Mahogany With Marble

Empire Mahogany Chest

Small Cabinet With Marble Post Gustavian

Marble Console Louis XV

Beveled mirror in gilded wood

Pier mirror – Mirror Louis XVI polychrome wood

Large Extension Table In Cherry – Charles X

Post Gustavian Blond Mahogany Dresser

Pair Of Bedside Tables

Pair of Empire style furniture corner tables

Petite Gustavian Style Table

Double post Gustavian body

Post Gustavian Giltwood Mirror

Pier Gustavian Giltwood Mirror

Giltwood Mirror Louis XVI Style

Gilded Console Louis XV Style

Buffet With Vitrine Gustavian

2-Door Buffet Post Gustavian

Buffet Two Post-Gustavian

Console Table Stunning Patina

Grande Bibliothèque

Game Table In Mahogany

Georgian Mirror

Gustavian Inlaid Chest In Cherry

Table polychrome style Louis XV

Small Elm Limed Table

Swedish state secretary painted Halsing

Table Set In Pine

All Furniture Pictures Found At Frantz Hemeleers Antiques

Guides - Nordic Decorating

Go Bold With Red- Part 1 Grand Sophisticated Interiors

French Commode Lacquered Red From Live Auctioneers

The color red is grand, and is a color everyone considers for their home at one time or another. The color red is a symbol of privilege and wealth. Official seals often use the red, as a gesture of confidence and authority. Red can make a statement in your home in a very powerful way, although it can be hard to execute. We show you 5 ways to pull off this color with success.

5 Ways Of Using Red In Your Home

1. Use Red In The Kitchen Or Entry Way

Red is the color of passion and has been known to stimulate blood pressure and heart rate. Red also sparks passion, love, and enthusiasm, so it is color often used in romantic restaurants. What better place to encourage conversation and hunger, than at the dinner table.

Consider painting your dining room table red. Instead of painting the whole table red, leave the top untouched, in it’s natural wood state. To add a Swedish touch, consider painting the details in gold. In this post, you can see how lovely a red can look in a country provincial style.

2. Use Red In A Pattern on Decoupaged Furniture

There are many ways of decorating with red other than painting your walls. One way of doing this is decoupaging furniture. Decoupaging is rather easy, and you can execute the process a number of ways.

One way is to use cut outs. Simply find an image you like from a magazine or on the Internet, and photocopy it several times over, which you can then cut out, and apply it to a piece of furniture. This Swedish tiled stove would be an excellent example of how lovely a red floral pattern would look on a chest.

You can even take fabric and glue it to a chest, with modge podge glue. Add pattern into your home, or finish off a room based around patterns by decoupaging your furniture.

Inspirational Posts On Decoupaged Furniture

How To Decoupage Furniture– The Swedish Furniture

Louis XV Style Red Lacquer Side Table From Hastening Antiques – Provincial Furniture

4 Easy Steps To Decoupage Beautiful Furniture– The White Dresser

Decoupage Is Simple! Update Your Kids Furniture– Kids Room Decor

Swedish Interiors: How To Decorate With The Color Red– The Swedish Furniture

3. Use Red In Acessories

-Add a bit of a modern glam using abstract art with bold touches of red. Consider using a heavy ornate frame with a modern poster. Modern Styled Paintings or Posters would add a modern touch in a home with plenty of antiques.

–Juju wall hats are a perfect way of adding a bold touch of red in a room. You can purchase these hats in a number of vibrant colors, which can be placed above a dresser, a console table to add in a bold touch of color into your room.

-Below you see the Stockholm apartment in Sweden with the red room. Below it shows a picture of the living room based in white with natural wood furniture. If you want a room based in lighter colors, consider a large area rug in red, like they did. An over-sized floor rug can make a bold impression.

– Another way of adding saturated color into your rooms is to accessorize with red wool blankets. Point blankets can add a rustic touch to your home, and can be thrown over the sofa, or used on the bed, or stacked on a shelf.

– Chairs are a great way of implementing red into a room. Chair frames can be painted red, or upholstered in red fabric.

-If red walls are a bit too risky for you to consider then why not consider red and white bedding? Paint your bed-frame red, with touches of gold, and consider getting a comforter, sheets,a pillowcases all in red. Or paint the frame gold and red, and go with an all white sheeting as you see below.

Continue Reading…

Guides - Nordic Decorating

Go Bold With Red- Nordic Country Interiors

To start thinking about how you would like to include red in your home, here are a couple questions you must ask yourself:

  • Into which room do you want to add red? kitchen, living, bath or entryway?
  • How prominent do you want the color to be? All over color or an accent pieces in red?
  • How much daylight is in the room? morning, afternoon, or both?

House Beauiful compiled 24 of the best reds from the top leading 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, 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 , 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, 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, 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, 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, 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, Benjamin Moore’s Sangria 2006-20

Get samples of your chosen color, and paint a large section of your wall to determine what color looks best through out the day.   Some colors will appear more grayed, while others may appear more saturated.

4.  Paint Your Furniture Red Than The Walls

If you want an all-white based room, consider painting larger furniture pieces in red.  In this post we show you a red provincial chest in a country style.

For a rustic country look, start by striping your furniture of it’s prior paint and urethane.  I find using a heat gun the best way to strip furniture without using chemicals.  Ideally you want the wood to soak in the paint, which will allow you to distress it better, when it is dry.  I find even if I paint a piece of furniture that has urethane on top, the sanding doesn’t look as great compared to wood that is raw.  Use a flat or satin red paint on the piece.  Distressing is the key to this look.  Later, adding brown glaze to the top of the paint, which you can either paint on, or wipe off will blend the wood and paint color together to give you that aged look.  These three steps have allowed me the best results to achieving an old world antique painted furniture looks.  Don’t be afraid of going crazy with the distressing.  You cannot go wrong with over distressing, expecially when you start with raw wood.  You can always go back, touch up the areas that have too little paint, and distress again to blend the areas together.

5.  Combine Red With Natural Wood or Black Painted Furniture

The picture below shows a Scandinavian entry way in a traditional red,  featured in Lars Bolander’s Book- Scandinavian Design, this entryway is furnished like a real room instead of a transit area.  A black painted rococo side chair with gold details contrasts nicely against the red painted plank walls.

If you choose to paint your walls red, such as the room below, consider placing furniture that is painted and heavily detailed.  White, black or natural wood furniture looks the best against saturated colored walls such as the picture below.  Find furniture with some detailing.  Perhaps a solid wood unfinished chest with gold detailing.  Another way to go in the picture below is a wood chest with black detailing.

Photo by Staffan Johansson From Palm Beach Daily News

Original Photo From Lars Bolander’s Book- Scandinavian Design

Lars Bolander’s New Book- Interior Design & Inspiration- The Swedish Furniture

 

Same home from From Lars Bolander’s Book- Scandinavian Design

Close up of the chair….

Swedish Baroque Captain’s Arm Chair c. 1750

Beautiful 18th Century Swedish Chair. Painted black with intricate gold-leaf detail.

This lovely grandfather clock boasts the traditional curves of the Swedish Mora design. The original black paint is accented with gold flourish detail, while the bottom has a lovely pastoral scene with lake and swan in forefront.

Gods & Gårdar Magazine

2012 Swedish Winter Photo from Fantastic Frank

Period Gustavian two over two chest of drawers in red paint. Egg and dart molding at the top, with fluting and carved rosettes on the chamfered sides. Cupboards & Roses

 Swedish Cupboard Bed From Moon To Moon Blog

Classic Swedish rocking chair with unusual paint. These chairs were usually painted black. The wood grain and floral finish is rare. This six legged style was made between 1830 and 1850, after that the 4 legged version took over.

 Næslund Antikviteter – Swedish Furniture

Næslund Antikviteter – Swedish Furniture

Næslund Antikviteter – Swedish Furniture

Næslund Antikviteter – Swedish Furniture

Næslund Antikviteter – Swedish Furniture  

18th C. Swedish Rococo black painted chest with rare brass hardware decorated with crown and cross, circa 1760.

Swedish at Tone on Tone Antiques


Swedish Gustavian Bench, 18th century, with traditional “Falu” red paint

D.LARSSON Interiör & Antikhandel

Louise Bourgeois exhibition at the Nordic Watercolour museum-Camillaengman.blog

Distressed Red Chest From Gruvgatan13 Blog

Gustavian style white dining room in a classic Gustvian style, with painted wooden furniture and red accents. The red is given a pink partner seen in the slipcovers for a soft look. House To Home

Swedish-style Dining Room – House to Home Magazine

Antique Vintage French Fabric  ~ Project Bundle From Loody Lady on EBAY

Varke magazine at scandinaviankitchens.com

Combine Red and Gray Together-Næslund Antikviteter

With its simplified lines and absence of ornament, our classic Gustavian Chest captures the rustic charm that is an essential element of Provincial home decor. The warmth and beauty of bleached reclaimed elm sets off its casual design and fine craftsmanship, as well as providing a lived-in authenticity. Harrowset Hall Furniture
 

HGTV Dream Home 2006 Bunk Room HGTV.com

Bright red bunk beds (painted in Sherwin-Williams’ “Cherry Tomato”) line
two walls on either side of the big window facing the front of the
house and a northern view of the mountains. Above the window, almost 10
feet off the ground, is a fifth bright red bunk, nestled beneath the
peaked roof. A red rolling ladder, of the kind found in libraries or
bookstores, provides access to this top bunk. Small built-in shelves at
the head of each bed (and individual reading lamps) create the sense
that each bunk is its own little room.

Consider using gray with red, such as this gray painted mora clock from Lone Ranger Antiques

Paint the interior of your cabinets intead of the walls- Under The Spanish Moss Blog

Another all gray interior with a red chair as an accent. 

French Elle Decor December 2008

A Close up of the chair

The French Elle Decor December 2008 issue

A Bleached/Painted Gustavian Commode with Reeded Front- $5,500

Baroque Commode Germany circa 1760

Guides - Touring The Nordic Countries

Dream Buying Tours In Sweden- Shop With A Swedish Antique Dealer For A Day

How would you like to shop for antiques with one of the top Swedish antique dealers?  The Antiques Diva® & Co is now offering Scandinavian Tours which allow exclusive opportunities to buy Swedish antiques at wholesale prices alongside a professional furniture antique dealer.  Get the opportunity to shop where the dealers shop, and see some of the off road shops and warehouses that most tourists wouldn’t know about.

Daniel Larsson -owner of D. LARSSON Interiör & Antikhandel (A Swedish antique store based in Helsingborg) is the guide for the Swedish tours.  He shares with you insider tips and tricks of the trade. Feel confident purchasing antiques with a dealer at your side.  He will share the history behind certain pieces, and explain the regional differences in Swedish antiques.  You will have an expert who can authenticate purchases and give advice on what to watch out for in spotting reproductions and fakes.

Rest assured that if you buy 1 or 2 pieces or a whole container load of furniture on the tour that Daniel can help you fill out customs paperwork and find affordable shipping solutions for bringing those rare finds to your home. You don’t pay tourist prices when you shop like a local or a dealer for a day.

The Antiques Diva® & Co is Europe’s largest antique buying tour company offering tours in 8 countries – France, England, Italy, Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Germany and Sweden. They offer Scandinavian Antique Buying Tours for both the trade as well as private individuals, offering everything from a customized 1 day buying tour to a full on 4 day tour.  Each tour is customized according to your travel dates and shopping list.

 

They can book book Scandinavian Antiquing Tours in:

– Copenhagen
– Helsingborg
– Southern Sweden
– Swedish Countryside
– Wholesale/Warehouse Tours

Contact info@antiquesdiva.com for more details or see www.antiquesdiva.com to book your European tour.

D.LARSSON Interiör & Antikhandel
Wrangelsgatan 13
254 39
Helsingborg
Sweden

Tel: 0734 381843
E-mail: info@dlarssoninterior.com
www.dlarssoninterior.com

Antiques Diva Toma Haines enjoying the Swedish antique buying tour

 Daniel Larsson -owner of D. LARSSON Interiör & Antikhandel

Guides - Nordic Decorating

4 Resources For Swedish Decorating

Paint And Paper In Decoration – David Oliver

Swedish furniture has been sensationally popular the last 10 years as a style that is fresh for decorating the upscale home. Gustavian style has appeared in some of the more prominent decorating magazines in the US such as Veranda, Architectural Digest, World of Interiors and even more frequent in European magazines such as Campagne Decoration.

The casual appearance of lighter colored painted furniture has been popular for centuries.  France was credited with the influence of the Swedish furniture in the 17th and 18th century.  Many of the formal pieces found in the palace of Versailles were made over in the same shape and form, but painted instead of stained wood. The decadence of the French furniture couldn’t be copied because it was too costly for Sweden at the time, as well as Sweden has their own taste in mind.

In France, side tables were constructed from the most costliest woods, with decoration that took hours if not weeks to complete.  French cabinet makers through the 17th century used techniques such as inlay, (pictures cut from ivory or wood, and set into wood), or marquetry, ( veneer composed of numerous woods, and stained which produced a pictorial mosaic), lacquering and japanning, (the application of numerous layers of varnish) were all costly, and time consuming.

While France had the best of the best, some say Sweden did a better job of re-interpreting the design elements seen in France such as the furniture by scaling down the formality.  Linen was used instead of silk, paint was used instead of the stained wood, and faux painting replaced marble walls.

Borrow Interior Design Elements From Sweden For Your Own Home

Marks Of The Swedish Style

1. The Use of Paneled Walls (But In A Different Way)

The French were known for their paneled walls. Paneled walls are well known to be the most expensive and rich form of all wall treatments.  Originally they were hand carved out of wood, as labor was inexpensive in the 1700′s.  Today much of the decorative baroque looking ornaments are made from plaster.  Wood panels once served to insulate a room from the cold stone frame of a building.  It is also quite apparent that paneling was installed for decorative purposes as well.

Boiserie is the term used to define ornate and intricately carved wood panelling seen in some of the well-to-do French estates. The earliest known examples of boiseries were unpainted, but later the raised mouldings were often painted or gilded. For a great example of painted paneled walls, look at Charles Spada’s Country Home, which gives some great examples of 18th century color combinations.  Martha Stewart shows a wonderful example in a green palette.  A very formal dining room is done up in blue, and arches painted in  oranges and pastel blush tones.

 

The Gallery, designed by Geoffrey Bradfield

Boiseries were popular in seventeenth and eighteenth century French interior design and the Palace of Versailles. The panels not only appeared on the walls, but were also used to decorate doors, frames, cupboards and armoires as well. Often pictures would be set into the boiseries, the carving framing the picture rather like a conventional frame.

Decorating With Paint -Get This Look For Less….

Many of the wealthier Swedish people borrowed this look for their estate homes.  Costly wood paneled walls were a far stretch for many of the Swedish people in that day, as it is for many people today.  Paneled walls can cost thousands, and be tremendously time consuming.

Why not fake it with paint?

The Belvedere in the park of the Petit Trianon shows a fine example of what a person could do with paint to simulate the heavy ornamented look of the French style.

In Lars Sjoberg’s house featured in Country Style by Judith and Martin Miller featured walls with blue frames around them.  Using two painted frames simulates the look of framed walls.  Further in the post, you can see many more frames painted on the wall which do a beautiful job of showcasing furniture placed in front of it.

Picture Featured in Campagne Décoration

In the USA we have a chain of stores called Habitat For Humanity – Re-stores which carry all sorts of architectural elements from wood screens, to paint, sinks, and so forth, which are heavily discounted. 

Here we see the paneled wall idea made from doors which are positioned side buy side.  Consider purchasing similar styled doors in sets of 3, 5, or 7 which can be linked together using door hinges. As you can see here, it works! 

Picture Credits– A Special Thanks to Aged And Gilded Blog, TweedlandThe Gentlemans Club, And
Lars Sjoberg’s Book- Classic Swedish Interiors

Here are some companies to keep in mind: 

1.  Decorators Supply– They have over 13,000 designs in their carving library.  For over 100 years they have specialized in creating finely detailed composite replicas of the hand carved wood ornaments found in the most extravagant homes.

2. Bailey Interiors.com – Decorative Plaster Ornaments and Claws

3. Beaux-Artes offer decorative wall panels which can be used on walls and ceilings. Their products are cast from historic ornamentation and are available in over 20 different Finishes.

4.  Victoria Larsen offers a number of ornamental frame molds which allow you to make dozens of your own molds in the privacy of your home.  She also offers raised plaster stencils for the wall in a variety of patterns.

Consider a yearly subscription to Veranda, Architectural Digest, World of Interiors and  Campagne Decoration.

We will be discussing accent furniture in Part 2,  and Swedish painting techniques in Part 3

 

Remember this home? 

Look at the detail in the background…..

Check out Classic Swedish Interiors  for more photos to get a better view of the far room

Guides - Nordic Decorating

How Important Are Accent Pieces In A Swedish Home?

Picture Credit DEG Furniture Designs On Ebay

Picture Credit DEG Furniture Designs On Ebay

As we discussed in Part 1, Paneled walls can bring the Swedish flavor into your home and give you the Gustavian appeal you are after.

Another element that we see in Swedish historical homes are sitting areas using what we call today as “accent furniture”.  It was common to find a number of sitting areas around the home using accent chairs, and tea tables.

2.  Accent Furniture

Today accent furniture has become more popular again.  We have been used to over-sized sofas, and forgotten what side chairs and tables can do for a room.

Swedish design is based around symmetrical looks.  In the living room above, we see two white painted chairs in a Gustavian buffalo check paired with a black painted Swedish bench.  In other photos of this room the black bench is paired with a Rococo table and the furniture seen in the rest of the home is moved around.  Here we see a round white painted tripod tea table.  Using accent furniture allows you to move the furniture around the house like they have done with Barbro’s home.

Smaller accent furniture became popular in France in the 17th & 18th centuries, and caught on in Sweden.  The Accordion Side Table is one example of smaller scale furniture that existed in France.  The accordion table itself wasn’t something seen in Sweden, but the idea of smaller tables became popular, or functional at the time.

Tables didn’t just look pretty, they served a purpose in the home.  Side tables were practical for playing cards, having tea, and doing fine needlework.   Writing tables were one of the most common uses for tables in this time.  Tables with folding leaves were extremely popular in Sweden.  Tables were pushed against the wall, and were then brought out for dinners, crafts, and schooling.

Sofa tables were designed to appear before sofas.  These tables were long and narrow, and often had folding leaves which enabled the person to sit at the sofa and use the surface of the table without having to move the table closer to them.  Consider adding a table paired with a sofa instead of a modern day lower “coffee table” that is seen in most homes.   Or add a set of upholstered benches in front of your sofa to tie in matching upholstery.

Picture Credits– A Special Thanks to Campagne Decoration Magazine, Photos featured on  Aged And Gilded Blog & Master Henry Blog

Keywords:Gustavian, Gustavian Furniture, Distressed Furniture, Country French Furniture, Shabby Chic Furniture, Scandinavian Design, Nordic Style, Swedish Furniture, Swedish Decorating, Mora Clocks

 

Featured - Swedish Resources

Painting Swedish Looking Furniture – 3 Tips / Part 3

Picture Credit Habitania Work Rooms

As we discussed in Part 2, Accent furniture, such as Gustavian chairs, smaller tables, drop leaf tables, stools, and benches can be brought into the home, and used instead of the larger scaled furniture that we are used to today to achieve that Swedish Gustavian look.

Another element that draws people to the historical Swedish look is the painted furniture.  There is an art to getting the rich patina that is seen on true antique furniture found in Sweden.  Almost anyone can find vintage French furniture in their area which can be distressed using a number of techniques to give it a historical appeal.

In this early post I wrote, I describe some of the paint techniques I have used to achieve great white painted furniture.

Here are some of my best tips to getting realistic Swedish painted finishes……

1.  Work with colors that are muted.  If you have ever mixed paint before, think about the colors that are produced when black or white paint has been added to a color.  In the 17th and 18th century, there was a limited color palette available, so black and white paint was added to an existing color to produce a shade that was darker or lighter.  On one of my pinterest boards, I compile some colors that will give you ideas of ranges of hues that are very appropriate.  Annie Sloan has a wonderful range of colors which all are muted, yet vibrant paint shades which I suspect were based off the French style that she is so attracted to.  She has put together a fabulous palette of colors which would work in any French or Swedish styled home.

Don’t ever work with colors with really bright pigments.  I cannot blame anyone for being confused as there are thousands of shades of paint to pick from.  The furniture should look aged, and color appropriate for the century you are after.  I guarantee you, getting a really nice finish on a piece of furniture doesn’t have to be complicated.

2.  Strip Or Sand To Get Down To Bare Wood. 

A raw wood piece of furniture is always the best to work with.  Although finding a piece of furniture that is untouched with paint rarely happens.  Starting off with a piece of furniture that is not painted is ideal, but if it does have paint, consider comparing the the color you have picked out to the color the furniture is painted in currently.

Would you mind having the original color showing through?

If not, consider spending the time stripping off the paint.  A perfect strip job isn’t necessarily if you plan on re-painting it, but enough of the paint removed will give you a new wood surface to work off of.

I have seen black painted furniture with distressing showing white beneath, and it doesn’t look great.  A base color of red looks terrific with black painted furniture, or just plain wood.  If you don’t want to strip the furniture, (as it is a lot of work) consider giving a good deep sanding to the furniture, especially to the areas you plan on distressing.

Often times if stripping the furniture is something I don’t wish to do, I sand the furniture quite well as a first step, paint it in the color I  plan on working with, and then sanding it again as a third step.  This allows me to touch up the original paint color that shows through, while leaving some of the distressed areas that show off the wood.  It is a lazy way of getting the finish, but the results are quite nice.

If you plan on doing multiple shades such as the chest below, consider colors that work really nicely together.  White works nicely as a top color.

 Swedish Distressed Chest From Atelier September

Distressing gives your piece of furniture a depth, which is often seen in Swedish antiques.  I am not afraid of roughing up my furniture, and I am not afraid of altering an antique.  Many antique dealers caution people from painting furniture, because it does loose the natural patina, and because of that, it often looses the value.  This is a wise piece of advice to those people who are looking to “invest” in heirlooms for the value.

If you always wanted a white distressed cabinet, paint it, and don’t be afraid to do so.  My motto is that you have to first love the piece, because after all, it is in YOUR home.  Your children may have a totally different style in mind for their own home, so do what makes you happy, rather than looking at furniture as items to pass down to family.

I used to sell used furniture for a hobby, and always ran into the problems with paint sticking properly.  Either you tore off your arm by sanding the heck out of every piece, or you ran the risk of the paint peeling later on, which lead me to use oil paint.  Not every oil paint brand is the same.  Some brands are so hard to work with, that they will make you pull your hair out.  It is almost impossible to find oil paint in a finish that is either flat or eggshell.  You won’t find glossy Swedish antique furniture, so don’t use it on your furniture.  The look should either be eggshell, or satin.

Cover Stain By Zinsser is a fantastic oil primer which I discovered by accident, and almost was beside myself when I discovered how well it performs.  You can buy this at Home Depot and almost every Hardware Store, and the best part of this paint is that it is TINTABLE in almost all the lighter shades of paint samples such as Behr, Martha Stewart, and so forth.

High Hide Odorless Oil Primer without Sanding – Odorless Primer

I bought the paint, because I couldn’t send out a piece of furniture which would later peel.  I wanted a paint that could stick to anything and not scratch.  Oil based paints are not environmentally friendly.  The trade off with this paint is that it has a heavy smell which disappears after it has dried.  You will need to use a paint respirator, and I emphasize that recommendation.

The most surprising aspect to Zinsser’s Coverstain Primer is that it is not a thick paint.  It is rather thin, and goes on like spreadable butter.  You rarely need an additional layer of paint, because it is oil after all, and isn’t like water based paints.  Oil paints tend to self level as they dry, leaving almost no brush marks.  Oil paints do cover well, and hold up wonderful.  Unlike other oil paints, which can take up to a week to cure, this Coverstain dries to the touch in 3 hours, and cures over night.

The other reason why I recommend this product, is that it is sand-able.  Almost every other oil paint brand I have tried doesn’t sand very well, and often leaves the finish needing an extra coat.  Because Zinsser’s Coverstain dries flat (matte) sanding blends in rather nicely.  In the past, I often added  two coats of the tinted primer, and then sealed it with a Polycrylic water-based sealer.

Polycrylic is one of the best finishes to use on white based furniture, because it doesn’t yellow over time, like polyurethane does.  With the polycrylic, I would apply it with a brush, and then with a damp white cotton wash rag, I would just wash it off.  This would give me a seal to the paint color, while at the same time, maintain the flat, or eggshell finish that I enjoyed.

Another tip I would recommend is to buy a good quality angle paint brush for water based paints.  I have used these with my oil paints, and my brush sits in paint thinner for weeks, and it is still not damaged.  Regular chip brushes are ok, and inexpensive enough to throw out, but a good quality brush won’t leave paint strokes.  Someone suggested to me to invest in an expensive brush, and I pass on those words of wisdom.

Swedish Accent Chair With A Fabulous Paint Finish $506

18th Century Buffet, circa 1760 Jane Moore Interiors in Houston

Picture Originally Featured on Indulge Decor Blog

Stunning Swedish Styled White Painted Accent Chair

Neoclassical Swedish Styled Accent Chairs Sold In Pairs $983

3.  Glaze Your Furniture With Brown Glaze…..

Glazing is so easy, it takes minutes.  If you can wipe your table after dinner, you have the skills to glaze!  It is that easy.  A glaze is a translucent binder which  paint pigment is added to the mixture to produce a translucent color. You can buy glaze mixed together at your local hardware much like ordering paint, or you can buy glaze alone and mix in paint yourself.

Buying brown glaze already mixed will go a far way if you paint furniture for a living.  I used it on all my painted pieces, including my white furniture.

Blend & Glaze Decorative Painting Liquid

Ralph Lauren Faux Technique Glaze

I have discovered that glaze can be applied in two ways.  You can apply it with a paint brush, let it stand for 3 minutes, and take it off with a slightly damp rag.  With white furniture, even though you may feel you removed a lot of the glaze, the little bit that is left gives your furniture that slight change in color.

With flat finished white furniture, I give some wise words of wisdom.  Add a coat of polycrlic before you glaze.  You could even dilute the polycrylic with a slight bit of water, OR, just brush on a very small amount on to your furniture, such as dry brushing techniques.  The reason for this, is that your furniture can turn a shade of brown, which is not what you are after.  White furniture will have a hue of brown, but you don’t want the glaze to STAIN the paint.

Another trick is to work with a creamy white, not a bright modern white.  Your whites should always have undertones of brown or green in them.  When glazing white furniture, if the finish is flat or eggshell, you will need to work fast in pulling off that glaze.  If the finish is satin, you will have a bit more time.

For painted furniture such as blue, or darker paint colors, glaze can be added, and it makes a world of difference.  Often times I just paint on the glaze, such as you would just dry brushing the furniture.  I use the term “dry brushing” as your paint brush isn’t loaded with paint.  A small amount is necessary to make a dramatic difference.  A brighter colored blue, will be muted when brown glaze is added, so experiment with brighter paint shades with brown glaze, you might be surprised what beautiful finishes can be achieved.

These Swedish chairs were likely scraped down to the original paint

Look how nice white upholstery looks with gray paint.

Originally featured on Romantiskahem.blog

 This beautiful console table featured on The Paper Mulberry Blog, originally from  Appley Hoare Antiques

Tara Shaw Swedish Chest- Coach Barn Now Sells Tara Shaw’s Collection

Reproduction Swedish Tub Chairs From Amazon $775

Swedish Distressed Chest From Atelier September

A Stunning Trumeau Mirror From Tone on Tone Antiques,

Featured on Henhurst Interior Blog

Swedish Aged Paint Finishes From Antiqbr Blog

An extravagant painted sofa in terrific blue gray paint with painted ormolu 

From Tone on Tone Antiques Featured on Featured on Henhurst Interior Blog

Swedish Aged Paint Finishes From Antiqbr Blog

A Few Previous Articles Of Interest

– White Painted French Furniture– The French Provincial Furniture

–25 Ideas Of How To Incorporate Orange, Pink and Coral Into Your Home- The French Provincial Furniture

– Ideas For Embellishing Painted Furniture– The French Provincial Furniture

–French Provence Red Check Textiles– The French Provincial Furniture

–Distressing Painted French Provincial Furniture

Guides - Nordic Decorating

Swedish Mora Floor Clocks

Mora Clock in Salmon Paint Sweden, Circa 1820, Tall case clock signed “Matts Jonson/Mora”, Sweden circa 1820. Wonderful salmon paint with gilded detail, all having an exceptional patina. Original clockworks have been newly cleaned and adjusted

Swedish Mora Clock Painted In A Soft Blue With Cream Painted Carved Accents From A Tyner Antiques

Sweden Circa 1790 Early Mora clock, Sweden circa 1790, in original pale salmon paint. The bonnet features beaded detail around the face and the crown, as well as oval glass panels on either side for viewing the clockworks. Both the bonnet and case retain their early, rounded glass. All original with newly cleaned and regulated clockworks Cupboards and Roses

Below:

1. Swedish Painted Pine Tall Case Clock, C. 1780, of the Rococo Style with carved and polychromed case detail. Mora movement and original paint decoration – Lillian August Designs

2. A Swedish tall clock in a rare pillar design with and original faux painting resembling marble. The face is an unusual combination of metal exterior with a gilded center echoing the gilt paint on the feet. The clock is in working order with the added feature of a calendar. Sweden, circa 1800. Dawn Hill Antiques

3. Swedish tall case clock, c.1780-1800, of the Gustavian period, the rococo case carved with neoclassic gilded motifs and  retaining traces or its original paint. Mora movement. Lillian August Designs

Below:

1. Mora clock, Sweden circa 1820, with dial signed “P. Svensson / Rageröd.” Scandinavian pine case with reeded panels and dentil molding under the bonnet. The original clockworks have been newly cleaned and regulated. Sold By Cupboards & Roses

2.Sweden Circa 1848 “Mora” clock, Sweden dated 1848, with a beautifully carved case retaining its original painted decoration including the two sets of initials commemorating a marriage. Inside the case is a record of the clock’s provenance which reads,”Carl Nilsson, 1786-1850. Worked as a clockmaker in Northern Slätthult, Jönköping County. Buried in the cemetery of Villstad. This clock was purchased June 13, 1964 by Emil  Johansson.” Sold By Cupboards & Roses

3.Antique Black Swedish Mora Grandfather Clock, circa 1850,  Antique Swedish Black Painted Grandfather Clock. The lovely curves of this clock are typical of the Mora grandfather clocks, famous from Sweden. Sold by Scandinavian Antiques

Swedish Mora Clock From swedishinteriordesign.co.uk

Swedish Mora Clocks From swedish-clocks.com, rlgoins.com, Swedish Interior Design

Shannon Bowers Home, Swedish Design- Painted Blue Mora Clock

Swedish Painted Pine Tall Case Clock, C. 1780 Lillian August Designs, Swedish Interior Design

 

Guides - Nordic Decorating

9 Examples Of Exceptional Swedish Slant Top Desks

Period Swedish rococo writing desk, circa 1760, period Swedish rococo writing desk, circa 1760, with original hardware and secondary blue paint. Three drawers in the bowed front with a smaller drawer just under the drop leaf. The interior features two banks of three drawers on either side, as well as other drawers and compartments.

Slant top desks are basically secretary desks without the bookcase which sits on top.  The door that also doubles as a work top is also meant to hide documents and various items inside the desk.  Most desks contain drawers and wood organizers for letters, and accessories.  The items must be removed from the work surface of the slant-top desk before closing up.  These desks are perfect for bedrooms as they have drawers for clothing which make it a great accent piece for your bedroom.  In the 18th century a desk was a practical piece of furniture for writing and reading and journals.  Today a desk is as practical as it was back in the 17th and 18th centuries.  Ideally a desk that is used for hours on end should have ample foot space.  Slat desks such as these are great for accent pieces in the dining room, bedroom, entry where you may want to sit down and write, store bills, and use the phone.  They are extremely popular for small apartments, and bedrooms where furniture needs to be useful for multiple purposes.

To Beautiful Not To Mention:

– Swedish slant-front secretary, circa 1800, with clock. The upper section has shelves behind raised panel doors on either side of the clock
casing and architectural detail on the pediment. The lower section has four banks of three drawers on the writing surface and, below that, four
half-width drawers on either side of a shallow cabinet.

– Two-part secretary with library, Sweden circa 1800. The upper section has three shelves and two box drawers behind raised panel doors. The lower section has a slant front over four half-width and two full-width drawers. The fitted interior features small drawers and cubbies with a central locking cabinet and two “secret” compartments.

-A Swedish slant top Desk, Gustavian Period,ca. 1790. Traces of original paint, ribbed detail on the top and drawers. Interior with old red paint.

–Tall late 18th century Swedish bureau bookcase with gray painted finish has top section with glass front doors, curvy crest and internal
shelves. Drop down desk front has pull out supports below and four drawers with brass hardware

–George III English Secretary Painted in Chinese Style. The English were fascinated with Chinese style and culture, so it was fashionable to paint furniture (and decorate interiors) in a Chinese motif. This secretary is a perfect example of that fashion.

-A Late Baroque Period slant top desk in grey refreshed paint. Glass doors on upper cabinet. Sweden, ca 1760.

-Fine Danish painted and parcel gilt Baroque Secretary. The upper section with an arched top and a central door surrounded by small drawers. The base with a slant front and graduated drawers all supported with Ball feet.

–George III Black-Painted Secretary Chest of Drawers -The rectangular top with slanted fall front opening to reveal a red-painted interior of fitted drawers and folio holes flanking a central convex cupboard over a rectangular case fitted with a long drawer, two short drawers and two graduated long drawers ending on bracket feet.

Swedish rococo writing desk, circa 1780, with bow front and three drawers below the slanted writing surface. The interior has four banks of drawers and a central compartment. Early brass hardware and secondary blue and white paint.

 

A very nice Swedish Antique Gustavian Slant Desk,with lot`s of original layers in original color.The inside of the upper part is refreshed in grayish black color and some of the drawers are restored inside.

19th Century Pine Gustavian Secretaire with drop front

A simple lovely Swedish secretary in two parts. With a handsome crown molding pediment and the base with a fall front desk with multiple
drawers.

Scandinavian Swedish Painted Secretaire Circa 1800  An early painted secretaire in two parts with a beautiful top and raised doors. The lower chest section with four drawers.

A light painted Swedish secretary made in oak.

Rococo Secretary In A Pale Green Patina

Danish elm secretaire, c. 1785, of the Gustavian period in the neoclassic style with appropriate caved motfs, three carved and fluted
drawers over a fall front desk fitted with interior drawers.

A Fantastic Swedish Painted Rococo Secretaire with Many Drawers Including a Concealed Compartment with Original Ornate Locks and Handles circa 1760

Guides - Nordic Decorating

Gustavian Style: Warm Or Cool Tones?

Swedish Gustavian Pine Benches

Gustavian style is all about painted surfaces, intricate wood carvings, distressed wood flooring, and beautiful family heirloom furniture.   Gray painted furniture are commonly associated with Swedish interiors.  Gray can be both a cold and warm color depending on the hue of the paint.  When gray is mixed with yellow, it can take on a color that is more warm, where as mixed with purple, or blue, it can appear on the colder tones.  Gray is a staple color in old world Swedish homes, and will work with any color palette.  Here are a couple examples of cool and warm color tones:

Cool Tone Examples: 

The cool color tones can be very attractive and fresh.   Light blue can open up the home, and allow it to appear more spacious.

1. As you can see this home has light blue painted walls, and furniture which is painted in the exact same color tones.  Furniture is accented in gold, and other pieces are painted in white.

2. This ad for Tara Shaw is based on the cool color tones.  A very light blue floor, and a gray wall with undertones of blue are the perfect back drop for this antique piece of furniture painted in blue-gray.  As you can see white washed pine furniture adds a touch of wood, and works with the color palette.  See more of the furniture here

Some Tips For Cool Interiors :

– Use several glazes when washing your furniture.  Look at the color depth with these chairs- Pair of 18th C. Rococo Gustavian side chairs in the original paint From Marston Luce Antiques.  The color is very rich and dark, and would work perfectly with a room based in the lighter blue tones.

– Paint your walls a very light blue and accent with punchy shades of blue such as seen in the table cloth.  Add in lots of white painted accent pieces.

– A blue painted wall can go a long way to create a cool interior. Here we see a combination of blue gray and white.

– Brighter whites are used in cooler tones, while beige color washes and upholstery are used for warmer palettes.

Warm Tone Examples:

Warmer tones tend to feature traces of yellow, and brown in the swatches.  A warmer palette will make your home appear to be warmer in the winter than a room that is painted in a light shade of blue.  Rich yellows work so beautifully with gold, and brass.

This ad for Horchow features an interior bathed in the warmer tones of brown.  Wood is washed with brown or beige paint allowing the natural wood to show through.

–Olivier & Chantal’s French Home is a great example of a warm color palette.  The walls are painted a dark gray, and red painted furniture give an opportunity for color to be apart of this room.  Red is also a warm color, making it the perfect choice against the dark gray walls that appear in this room.  Untreated wood breaks up the painted surfaces, and allow the eye some rest.  Solid upholstery allows this home to remain uncluttered.  Simplicity, and clean looks govern the Swedish style.  See more of this home here

-This Campagne cover features a Gustavian room with lots of warm tones.  Lots of beige is used with a combination of white.  Looking closely at the furniture, painted finishes on the clock and the settee reveal exposed warm wood, with beautiful distressed white finishes. See more of this home here.

Some Tips For Warm Interiors:

1. Paint your walls yellow and combine beige and gray into the interior.  Work with darker tones instead of light paint colors.

2. Incorporate stone and concrete into a warm interior.  Display stone busts or urns on pedestals.  Consider leaving the wood raw and untouched without any polishing or lacquer.  Add in brass instead of silver.

3.  Incorporate black painted furniture into a warm decorating scheme.  Black painted furniture often looks terrific against tones of yellow.

4.  Consider also working with the darker green color palette.  Combine green upholstery with untouched pine frames, or gilt wood frames.  Work with a country theme with lots of distressed furniture, or work with brighter Kelly greens such as the colors featured on Lars Scandinavian Design Book.  As you can see the secondary color is always beige not white.

 

Guides - Swedish Designers

Lars Sjoberg’s Swedish Gustavian Decorated House

The Paper Mulberry featured some fabulous Swedish photos of Lars Sjoberg’s house which were featured in Country Style by Judith and Martin Miller.   Judith Miller is the co-founder of the hugely successful annual publication  Miller’s Antiques Price Guide.   All of her books are really well done, especially her antique guides.  She is an author of dozens of books, many of which I really look forward to.

Judith’s Country Style details the warmth and strength of the rural tradition in interior design. The book details more than 400 stunning photographs of homes throughout Europe and North America.   All the elements essential to creating a country style are covered: furniture, table and kitchenware, floor and wall surfaces, and architectural details.  Although I have not had a chance to review this book myself, it looks incredibly interesting if you are looking to decorate in the country styles of Scandinavian or American influences.  Judith’s Country Style can also be purchased on Amazon.

I invested in Millers Antiques Encyclopedia, and am looking forward to buying Furniture: World Styles from Classical to Contemporary.  Millers Antiques Encyclopedia is only book I keep beside my desk.  Miller is the co-author and author of several other , including , More Period Details : The House Renovator’s Bible ,  Period Finishes and Effects, and Influential Styles.

Additional Books:

Period Kitchens: A Practical Guide to Period-Style Decorating (Period Companions) by Judith Miller (Jun 1995)

Period Fireplaces: A Practical Guide to Period-Style Decorating (Period Companions) by Judith Miller (Jun 1995)

Classic Country Colour: Naturliche Farben fur jeden Raum by Judith Miller

I have not bought or had a chance to look at her Period Finishes, which looks incredibly intriguing.  This book is designed for the designer or decorator looking for
a comprehensive catalog of “out of the ordinary” finishes.  Suzan Nettleship describes this book as NOT your typical handbook for the weekend “do-it-yourself”
decorator/painter finishes, which is exactly the type of paint books I like to buy.  It looks like you can buy this book for $20 dollars with free shipping.  In my post with my friend Melanie I detail some painting books that we both agree are the best in the market.

Lars Sjoberg’s house featured in Country Style by Judith and Martin Miller

 What can I say about Lars Sjoberg? He is amazing!! I love his work, and he is one of the best designers when it comes to Swedish antique decorating.

Lets look at this room in particular……………..

He features two Swedish Rococo Style chairs, one with a natural aged patina, and another painted a classic yellow ochre.  The most typical colors from the Gustavian period were gray, Swedish blue, and yellow ochre.  It has been known that in ancient times Sienna- A clay that contains iron and manganese, has in it’s raw state the appearance of dark and rich yellow ochre.

If you are looking to paint a piece of furniture, consider painting your piece in an eggshell as close to the antique color of orchre as possible.

Daniel Smith has a wonderful Acrylic Paint in Yellow Ochre in an oil based paint, that is meant for paintings.  These sort of paints dry to the touch over a weeks period.  As you can see the color is very rich.

Genuine or Reproduction Swedish Chairs are very hard to find. My suggestion is to either buy a genuine one from a dealer, or find something that may work with the style.

Blue and white check patterns are hard to find.  I often have trouble finding a heavy linen, or woven material adequate enough to use as upholstery.  Often times the gingham fabrics are wonderful to look at, but most times incredibly thin to upholster with.

A company on amazon called Linen Tablecloths sell a number of beautiful classic check table cloths for about the same money that a yard of fabric costs.  One comment on amazon said that her table cloth shrunk quite a bit in the wash, so consider getting the largest size and prewash it, and iron it before applying it to your furniture.

This wonderful tablecloth by Mahogany might be the best one yet!  The pattern is smaller in scale.  It is an excellent table cloth, and one to consider for upholstery.  It comes in black and white, a bright Swedish blue and white, and red and white.

60 x 102 Inch Checkered Tablecloth Blue and White

Check out this wonderful Blue Hill Classic Tavern Check. You couldn’t get any more Swedish than this fabric.

Blue Hill, 52″x90″; Classic Blue Tavern Check, Flannel Backed, Vinyl Tablecloth; “Made in the U.S.A”

Blue Hill, 52″x90″; Classic Red Tavern Check, Flannel Backed, Vinyl Tablecloth; “Made in the U.S.A”

Durable Hand Woven 100% Cotton Red Picnic Check Tablecloth 54″ X 90″

Durable Hand Woven 100% Cotton Blue Picnic Check Tablecloth 60″ X 60″

100% Cotton Jacquard Check Dishtowel Yellow Honey Bee 18″ X 28″ Set / 6

Mahogany Large Check 100-Percent Cotton 60-Inch By 90-Inch Euro Tablecloth, Red and White

Lars Sjoberg’s house featured in Country Style by Judith and Martin Miller

This picture was blown up to show you how lovely the portrait painting is in this room.

Investing in some quality antique LOOKING oil paintings can really turn your room into more of a historical look.

Check out my page on my favorite 100 oil reproduction paintings, and keep your eye on ebay for some portrait paintings for your rooms.

Beautiful Man in Blue

I have been thinking about this lovely handpainted portrait painting for my home, as the colors are hues of blue.  Keep an eye on ebay and you will find affordable oil paintings that work with the colors of your room.

Classic Art of Old Masters- Officer in Uniform

Completely Handpainted Reproduction Painting Beautiful Young Girl in a Grey and Red Dress

Completely Handpainted Reproduction Painting Little Girl in A Blue Dress

Another beautiful detail in this room is the simple wall stripe on the top of the walls.  Sjoberg shows us how easy it is to add some interest to the walls without going into complex patterns.   You can see he has formed boxes with paint to look like moldings.  In the following pictures, he creates an extra special place for a wing chair.  Painting frames on the wall can give extra attention to your furniture.  Symmetry, or balance to a room is important to the Swedish look .

Some additional furniture that has the Swedish Looks:

3 Pc Cherry Finish Wood Empire Style Nesting Table Set

Weathered Three Drawer Cabinet in Red

Hand-painted Louis Xv Bombe Chest

Tyndale Accent Table – Bailey Street -6003250

Bailey Street 6043208 Dylan Table

Boutique 3P2/LN YO95 Avocado/Linen Decorator Fabric

Cooper Classics Isabelle Pine Console Table

Fluted Half Column Set (plane Capital) F4

Grandfather Clock in Rich Brown – Coaster

Infinity Instruments The Dais – Distressed Round Table Clock

Swedish Furniture Gustavian Decorating From Lars Sjoberg’s house Featured in Country Style by Judith and Martin Miller

Design Hole Online has some interesting pictures of alternatives to bed canopies, such as ones which anchor to the ceiling.  Beautiful wood bed canopies are very hard to find.  One thought that came to mind is to bend plastic molding onto a backing of some sort.  Home Renovators on amazon has some stunning ornate crown molding that might or might not bend.  Although as you see in this design, it is rectangular, instead of the classic round, so bending wouldn’t be an issue if you wanted to interpret or copy this look.  This Rococo could be a wonderful look to a bedroom based around a Swedish Gustavian style. These bed canopies are also called bed coronets.

Gustavian Furniture & Decorating – Swedish Furniture found in Lars Sjoberg’s house featured in Country Style by Judith and Martin Miller

Guides - Magazine Editorals With Nordic Decorating

Martha Stewart’s Creative Director- Erik Pike’s Gustavian Townhouse In New York Part 1

MARTHA MOMENTS: Eric Pike Leaving MSL

Eric Pike is Creative Director of Martha Stewart Living. Stefan Steil is an interior designer and founder of Stelish. Some of his design work can be found at Stefan Steil. Portraits taken at their townhouse in Manhattan.

There are very few Gustavian styled homes photographed that are truly ALL Swedish inspired.  After looking at thousands of photographs, I KNOW it is rare to come across a home that is decorated or renovated all around the Swedish styles. Even if a home isn’t decorated to look centuries old, I find it rare to come across a person passionate for a particular period design that is pigeon-holed into a particular category.  It is thrilling to say the least to see a home that is based entirely around a theme, such as Georgian, Egyptian, Early American, or my favorite  Gustavian.  When a designer sticks to a particular style of antiques, and thinks through the architectural elements and paint colors carefully, a story emerges that allows you to walk back in time.

Not everyone has thousands of dollars to spend on antiques, or money to change the architecture, flooring, cabinetry or fixtures, so many of us have to start somewhere with one bench here, and a chair there.  Building up a home that is entirely from one period and time frame can be incredibly exhilarating, and also quite expensive, but it doesn’t have to be.   You don’t need to have ALL genuine antiques to get the Gustavian appearance in your home.  In this blog, I have put together dozens of posts with decor and furniture that look Swedish and aren’t.  Some are costly, and others aren’t.  My own home is filled with a ton of vintage furniture that is made over to look Gustavian. Incorporating a few genuine pieces sure help! Your home should be what makes you happy, and not what a blog or a magazine tells you it should be.

It is truly rare to come across a home that is based entirely around the Gustavian look, and not exist in Sweden, and that is the case with Martha Stewart’s creative director Eric Pike.  His townhouse in downtown NYC is one of these rare homes where the entire house is designed around a Gustavian palette.

Eric Pike And Stefan Steil’s New York Gustavian Styled Townhouse- Photo Credit An Afternoon With Blog

Eric Pike And Stefan Steil’s New York Gustavian Styled Townhouse

Eric Pike And Stefan Steil’s New York Gustavian Styled Townhouse

The Blog,…..  An Afternoon With posted some incredible pictures of the home giving you extra ordinary angles that allowed you a better glimpse into the rooms.

In one of the pictures a stunning oil painting hangs in the bedroom of Daniel Webster, a Massachusetts senator in the mid-1800s and an ancestor of Eric’s.

While the whole townhouse looks like it is within one color, several tones are used.  In the bedroom, and the office, the ceiling is a light blue.  A light beige is used in the office with storage in a coordinating color.  Vibrant colors are used in the closets, keeping the overall palette neutral.

Martha Stewart’s Creative Director- Erik Pike’s Gustavian Townhouse In New York Part 1

Pike tells Martha Stewart Magazine that he faced a challenge that we all face: the need to maximize storage. He sacrificed a few feet in every room to allow for deep doorways that contain hidden, paneled closets, each devoted to specific belongings. “I’ve been collecting for years, and I’ve made everything work in this space,” he says.

Many Gustavian styled homes aren’t cluttered, and here you will see an excellent example of a paired down look. Collectibles are grouped together much like the closet featuring Pikes tableware and silver urns, or grouped on side tables. The look is very much clean and organized.

Look at the impressive storage in the above three photos.  Boxes are used in closets for odds and ends keeping everything in place.  In any home, there needs to be a lot of attention paid to storage if you want an uncluttered appearance.  This is especially true for smaller sized apartments.  For my own home, I have used the over-sized boxes that come with Crate and Barrel for my blankets which sit in the closet.  When I go into my closets, they look clean and organized even if they are in boxes.

In this post I show where you can buy large boxes with lids for as little as $3  Paint the boxes with flat paint, and customize your closets by painting the interior and the boxes so both match.  If you have a home that is based around gray, white or beige, consider doing something extra special for the closets.  In my storage room in my garage, I am going with a Alpine green with boxes to match.  Why not!  Consider a bold blue or even a baby blue for your closets.  Pantry and linen closets can be one of the most creative areas to experiment with color.

Guides - Swedish Designers

Jane Moore, The Successful Woman Behind Jane Moore, Ltd. Which Specializes In Swedish Antiques

18th century French Louis XVI Console with White Marble Top,  19th century Swedish Grey Four-Legged Table, circa 1850,  French Antique Louis  XVI Carved Wood Trumeau Mirror with garden and musical attributes, circa 1760, 18th Century French Coal Burner

Jane Moore, is the successful woman behind the shop Jane Moore, Ltd. which specializes in Swedish and French antiques.   You may recall the extravagant Swedish home that was featured in March of 2008 in Veranda Magazine.

The Dallas home was remodeled and filled with beautiful Swedish antique furniture. The same house was then featured in Swedish Country Interiors, by Rhonda Eleish, Edie Van Breems.

Nobody has put together a better article than the one by Indulge Decor Blog featuring comparisons of this home between the publications of Veranda and Swedish Country Interiors.

18th C. Swedish Rococo black painted chest with rare brass hardware decorated with crown and cross, circa 1760.

19th C. Swedish White Buffet– Original Paint $4,350

18th C. white buffet duo corps, circa 1760 Jane Moore Interiors

19th C. Swedish Gustavian dark blue cupboard with original date, circa 1842 $5,280

Jane Moore Interiors, 2922 Virginia Street, Houston, Texas 77098

Guides - Touring The Nordic Countries

A Look Behind Svindersvik, A Farm Built In 1740s

Swedish Gustavian Furniture 18th Century Swedish Decorating

Swedish Gustavian Furniture 18th Century Swedish Decorating

Svindersvik is a well-preserved summer residence from the mid-1700s. Svindersvik is located at Swine Flinders Bay south shore in Nacka , designed by architect Carl  Harleman for merchant Claes Grill.

The farm was built in the 1740s as a summer residence for the merchant Claes Grill and his family.  Carl Harleman managed to combine a mansion and a cottage in the same building. He had been inspired by French rococo,but adapted it to Swedish conditions.

Svindersvik consists of a small main building on two floors.  The building is strictly symmetrical form given, with a central axis through the entrance, dining room and balcony. To the left of this central axis is a big place, the right two smaller rooms, including one bedroom. The rooms are tiled and silk upholstered seating. The ground floor is a hallway with an oval ceiling opening through which the daylight from the top floor looking down. The upper floor dominates a large billiard room with pool table from the 1700s, which is well preserved.

Besides the main house is the kitchen wing, which is slightly younger than the main building. The kitchen wing is on an older foundation, probably from the 1500s. The kitchen was for the time very modern, with built-in cabinets, marble countertops and sink.

Most of the furniture in Svindersvik has stood there since the late 1700s. After the Grill family, the property had several different owners, until Knut Almgren , founder of KA Almgren Silk Weaving Mill, acquired the property in 1863. Svindersvik stayed in Almgren’s possession until 1949 when the Nordic Museum took over.  Information and Pictures From Wikipedia, and Nordiska Museet

Swedish Gustavian Furniture 18th Century Swedish DecoratingSwedish Gustavian Furniture 18th Century Swedish Decorating

Swedish Gustavian Furniture 18th Century Swedish Decorating

A Swedish Wall Clock can really transform an ordinary room into a period style Gustavian home.

Swedish Gustavian Furniture 18th Century Swedish Decorating
Swedish Gustavian Furniture 18th Century Swedish DecoratingSwedish Gustavian Furniture 18th Century Swedish Decorating

Check out the primitive wall shelves in the kitchen of Svindersvik . The corners are rounded, and pots and kitchen utensils hang below.  If you like this look, consider the rack built by Shaker furniture.  They have adapted our Shaker Peg Shelf for use as a hanging quilt rack. Although it is designed for quilts, it can be used to hang utensils, or pots from like the picture above.

Swedish Gustavian Furniture 18th Century Swedish Decorating

Swedish Gustavian Furniture 18th Century Swedish Decorating

Swedish Gustavian Furniture 18th Century Swedish Decorating

If you are looking for more of a genuine French Louis XVI antique like the table in Svindersvik, look at John Richard’s table in marquetry.  This table features the tapered table legs, and a marquetry finish applied by experts.  The top has brass details which make this table shine like the jewel it is.

Swedish Gustavian Furniture 18th Century Swedish Decorating

 

 

Guides - Swedish Paint Finishes

An Interview With Tara Shaw About Her Swedish Furniture Line

(These pieces are no longer on Amazon…sorry)

A few select pieces from Tara Shaw are now being sold through Horchow.

Reminiscent of favorite antiques imported from Europe, Tara Shaw Maison offers reproduction furnishings and decor for the home that will become your new classics. Simple yet elegant, this handcrafted birch Swedish side chair is hand carved of birch wood with a hand-painted finish.  19″W x 13.5″D x 38″T. This terrific chair sells for $1499 from Horchow.

Horchow had an interview with Tara Shaw that was very inspiring:

HORCHOW: What inspired your furniture collection?

TARA SHAW: “Guerrilla antiquing” for 15 years in Europe. II was so difficult, finding one-of-a-kind items and knowing only one person could buy it and enjoy it.  I couldn’t find these finishes and styles in a reproduction line – that inspired me to create the pieces I wanted.

HORCHOW: As an interior designer, what are your go-to’s?

TARA SHAW: For fabrics, Dedar; I used their acanthus  print in gray and cream for a showhouse bedroom. For paint, Benjamin Moore #925. an ivory that works with
whites or colors; tor high-gloss. “Possibly Pink” from Fine Paints of Europe. For wallpaper, I just launched my own “Grisailles”, based on the grisailles panels in
Tara Shaw Maison.

HORCHOW: Which design era is most inspiring to you?

TARA SHAW: Louis XV! in France and King Gustav II in Sweden. Louis was the father of the straight leg. and both are known for clean lines, pale painted finishes gilded to perfection.

Tara Shaw Swedish Reproduction Furniture

Three distinct chair backs, each featuring elegant curves, intertwine to form the back of this breathtaking Swedish-Rococo-style bench. Reproduced from a European original, it offers a unique seating option formal enough for grand dining rooms yet casual enough for entryways, bedrooms, or other areas.

  • Hand carved of birch; no two are exactly alike.
  • Seat upholstered in poly/cotton.
  • Hand-painted finish.
  • 64″W x 20″D x 42″T; seat height, 20″T.
  • Imported.

Tara Shaw Swedish Reproduction Furniture

Tara Shaw Swedish Reproduction Furniture

Inspired by a European original, this stately bench features ornate carvings on the apron and legs for Old World charm and antique appeal. From Tara Shaw.

  • Frame is hand-carved birch with a hand-painted finish.
  • Upholstery is polyester/cotton blend.
  • 52″W x 22.5″D x 21″T.
  • Imported.
Guides - Magazine Editorals With Nordic Decorating

Magnus Lundgren’s Swedish Gustavian Home

Magnus-Lundgrens-Swedish-Home

Skona Hem had a wonderful write up on Magnus Lundgren’s Home.  If you LOVE the antique Swedish style, do visit Magnus’s blog, because it is one of the few blogs devoted to Swedish furniture and decorating.  His blog is always a real treat for me to read.   Magnus has a true love for 1700 Swedish-century furniture.  For the past ten years he has filled his home with Baroque, Rococo and Gustavian furniture originating from the years 1750-1810.

He worked closely with a construction company and the overall transformation took just over three months.   They installed rough planks and small details such as incandescent lamps with porcelain sockets, electrical sockets and switches. They  kept the floors and beams, and instead of putting up drywall in the ceiling and putty, they installed rough plank exterior insulation.  Magnus mentions he uses egg tempera and linseed oil for his paint finishes.  Check out his beautiful home decorated in Swedish Style.

Magnus Lundgren’s Swedish Gustavian Home

Magnus Lundgren’s Swedish Gustavian Home

Magnus Lundgren’s Swedish Gustavian Home 2Magnus Lundgren’s Swedish Gustavian Home

Magnus posted this stunning oil portrait on his blog which is absolutely breathtaking.  The colors in this oil painting are the classic colors that are found in Gustavian style.

Guides - Swedish Designers

Re-Create Carolyn Roehm’s Famous Aspen Lodge For Less

Rustic Swedish Style Decorating

Carolyn Roehm has long been noted as one of the top interior designers in the industry.   What makes her book A PASSION FOR INTERIORS– a bit different than the hundreds of decorating books on the market is her ability to stage antiques well.

She uses very minimal modern furnishings, and arranges her designs around exceptional period antiques.  This book explores the best of antique designs in my opinion- Regency, Empire and Swedish.  Her focus is always neoclassical and classical architecture which is found in all three designs.

Of the three homes in PASSION FOR INTERIORS, her New York apartment is designed around a neoclassical style, showing high end empire and regency furnishings, while the second home is focused around colonial furnishings and decorations.  Designs often found in American colonial style often features bright upholstery and paint finishes typical of architect Robert Adam.  American colonial borrows much from  British furniture and has many classical elements woven through the designs.  The most interesting of the three homes is the third home -Westbury.  This home is a friend’s residence in Aspen, and is fashioned after 18th century Swedish design.

Wall Mounted Resin Gazelle Horns Dark Wood Plaque

Lazy Susan Wall Mounted Resin Gazelle Horns Ecru Wood Plaque

Cabela’s European Mount Moose Trophy

Pine French Provincial Signboard

African Wildlife Elephant Wall Trophy Statue Figurine Décor

  • Beth author of Zesty Nest Blog features some wonderful pictures of the Westbury, as this home was featured in the November / December issue of Veranda Magazine.   Westbury is flooded with light from 78 windows.  White walls, limed wood, and gray painted furniture is all characteristics of the Gustavian style. Splendid Sass Blog shows a few more pictures of the bedroom and breakfast nook.

Picture Credits:

Kevin Sharkey walks us through A Passion for Interiors by Carolyne Roehm. Roehm.  He features 46 pictures from Roehm’s book.

New York Social Diary features a large amount of pictures of her classical inspired home in New York.  This home is generously decorated with high end Empire / Regency furniture.

Crown Publishing features a generous preview of 19 fabulous pictures from Passion For Interiors.

 

Rustic Gustavian Swedish Furniture Carolyne Roehm

 Rustic Gustavian Swedish Furniture Carolyne Roehm

Rustic Gustavian Swedish Furniture Carolyne Roehm 2

Rustic Gustavian Swedish Furniture Carolyne Roehm

This Carved Wood Bench by Lazy Susan gives a very rustic appearance to any Swedish designed room.  This bench measures 33.5 x 18 x 32.5 inches.

Lazy Susan Carved Wood Candelabra

Lazy Susan Carved Wood Candleholder

Lazy Susan Carved Wood Hurricane, Small

Neoclassical Decorating – The great room at Weatherstone

Rustic Gustavian Swedish Furniture Carolyne Roehm 8

Neoclassical Decorating -One pattern unifies four different style chairs-PASSION FOR INTERIORS

Save

Guides - Swedish Designers

Restoration Hardware’s Gustavian Collection

Gustavian-French-Dining-Table-500x480

Restoration Hardware never fails to impress.  For some time now, they have been featuring french furniture, but have offered a line of Gothic, Modern, Colonial and Gustavian lines. There are just a few handfuls of companies who reproduce classic furniture and Restoration Hardware is one of them.

Give a person the choice of something freshly painted, and something aged with patina, they will always choose the piece that has a bit of history. Many people would rather choose something classic looking, that opt for a new design. Antiques are seen over and over in the magazines, but finding them is a different story.   Magazines showcase antiques because they are often rare, and more interesting than our modern furniture, and they always offer a fresh look that isn’t seen too often.

It is nice to see a company produce an antique design with some integrity.   Their Gustavian chair  priced at $179 is cross between both the Swedish and French style in the 18th century.  The chair is made of solid oak and has a curved top rail, shield back and comfortably upholstered seat on smoothly hand-turned, tapered legs. The French Louis XVI table is priced between $1295 – $1795 depending on the size.  Gustav III brought over the french designs from France when he spent some time in Paris and Versailles, which is why most of the Swedish furniture is based on the Louis XVI styles.  Hooray to Restoration Hardware, we know you have many fans! 

Gustavian Medallion Collection | RH

Gustavian Spindle Back Collection

Restoration Hardware’s Gustavian Collection- French Empire Fluted Leg table
Restoration Hardware’s Gustavian Collection- French Empire Fluted Leg table
Restoration Hardware’s Gustavian Collection- French Empire Fluted Leg table
Restoration Hardware’s Gustavian Collection- French Empire Fluted Leg table
Restoration Hardware’s Gustavian Collection- French Empire Fluted Leg table
Restoration Hardware’s Gustavian Collection- French Empire Fluted Leg table

Save