Tag: Gustavian Furniture

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

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

 

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.

 

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.

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

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.

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

 

 

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.

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

 

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.

 

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

A Look Behind Svindersvik, A Farm Built In 1740s

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

 

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.

 

 

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

 

 

A CLOSE UP LOOK OF THIS Gustavian Setting- Swedish Gustavian Furniture 18th Century Swedish Decorating

Primitive Rack With Dowel Kit

 

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.

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 2

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.

 

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

 

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.

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.

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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