How Important Are Accent Pieces In A Swedish Home?
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
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
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
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
Affordable Holiday Dining Décor That Looks Like It Was Done by the Pros- Grace Kelly
Decorating for the winter holidays does not have to be arduous or expensive. A professional look is easy by following even a few of the following hints. There are some simple rules of which to be aware before diving into the list of ideas.
First, one should work with the look that he already has in the dining room. For example, a rustic looking room could be decorated with an abundance of natural outdoor elements. On the other hand, a formal dining room may call for a more ornate look.
Second, one should always decorate in a way that feels comfortable to him. Most decorating can be done simply using items that the individual already has while obtaining a couple other pieces affordably. The key is to use the imagination to take indoor decorations, pieces from the outdoors and a few affordable add-ons to decorate just like the professionals.
Theme and Colors
The first step in decorating a dining room for the holidays is choosing a theme. A few options include rustic, elegant, country, modern or eclectic. In addition, the individual may choose to decorate around one or two simple items, such as snowflakes, pinecones, flowers or fruits. A good point to remember is that a theme does not have to be overdone to be meaningful. Professional decorators often prefer to use one or two main décor pieces that will catch the eye.
The second step is choosing a color scheme. Many prefer using a traditional palette of reds and greens. However, modern options would include shades of blue, shades of green, or an all white setting. A dining room will look quite elegant when outfitted in metallic colors.
Plants
Plants are the perfect way to enliven a room. They provide natural bursts of color and fresh scents. There are several ways to use fresh plants in a dining room.
§ Poinsettias are a staple for the holiday season. Because poinsettias come in varieties of reds and whites, they will match a variety of color schemes.
§ An environmentally friendly option is to place evergreen tree saplings on the table or the floor; in the spring, they can be planted outdoors.
The Table
The dining room table is the perfect place for creativity. The ideas for decorating here are as limitless as one’s imagination. First choose the color and design of the dishes, tablecloth and napkin.
§ Napkin rings are essential for a polished look. These can be store-bought or homemade using florist’s wire and greenery from a craft store.
§ Nametags make seating easy. The tags can be decorated with stamps, printed or hand-written on specialty paper, wired to sprigs of greenery or set in spray-painted pinecones.
§ Candles provide ambiance. Floating candles, set in short glass bowl filled with cranberries and water, will not block one’s view across the table. Pillar candles in varying widths and heights will look elegant when placed on glass pedestals.
§ A rustic look can be achieved with branches from evergreens or hardwoods placed in tall, straight glass vases. They will fit into a holiday theme when coated with metallic spray paint or fake snow, which can be found at craft stores.
§ Fruit always looks welcoming and can often be found on sale during this time of year. Citrus fruits provide bursts of color when placed in tall glass hurricane vases.
§ Those who have bulb ornaments left over after decorating can place these in glass bowls or vases for a festive centerpiece.
The Rest of the Room
After the table is decorated, one should not forget about the rest of the room. For a cohesive holiday look, doorways, windows and more can be decorated. For example, wreaths provide a cheery welcome when hung on windows. Fake or real evergreen branches can be placed around doorframes. Holly can be hung from a chandelier.
Holidays are the perfect time to get together with family and friends. Decorating the dining room for celebrations can be done affordably using many items one may already have around the home or yard. A professional look is simple to achieve with a simplistic, themed design.
Author Bio
Grace Kelly writes for Zintro, a marketplace of experts in various fields that helps connect investors, lawyers, analysts, designers, entrepreneurs, and more. Find an expert by discipline on Zintro.com consultant directory.
The main house dates from 1819. Stolper and gable boards are beautifully carved by Per Haugen from Lom, one of the masters in this demanding and traditional art© FOTO: Nils Petter Dale
EPOK Norge – Swedish Furniture
Swedish Gustavian Interiors From The Affari Catalogue
Country Swedish Style From The Affari Catalogue
An American’s Guide For Getting The Swedish Country Look
With the stresses this world has to offer, it is no wonder why there is such a gravitation towards a home that is cozy and relaxing. Our homes are places where we want to connect with our family and friends amidst the fast paced life we are living.
Country decorating has always been a very popular decorating approach in the US, and around the world for that matter. American painted furniture with colonial elements is often what you would find in many homes in America that are designed to reflect the early America period design, but rarely do you see a home decorated with a Swedish reflection.
Swedish country decorating has a slightly different slant than you find in America. The style and approach to furniture is quite a bit different. In Sweden we find the same countryside looks that are found away from the city with a homestead influence. We give you 5 tips to getting the Swedish look with the common elements that you can find in America online and in your local antique stores.
Here Are A Couple Tips To Getting A Country Swedish Look In Your Home
This Swedish decorated house in Dalarna, Sweden has all the rustic elements
you would expect to see in a house set in the Scandinavian country. Borrow a couple ideas from this home for your personal decorating.
1. Collect The Right Style Period Furniture.
This family house in the Swedish countryside has some very authentic Swedish looking furniture. Gustavian style Rococo chairs through out the home show off a Gustavian look that is famously created in Sweden. The chairs alone tell you this home is from Sweden. Finding these very rare pieces of furniture in America is next to impossible, and buying true antiques can be very costly making a whole home decorated around the Gustavian style a far reach for most people.
There are some furniture pieces in America that double the looks found in Sweden.
– Consider decorating with furniture that is has clean straight lines, and made out of wood. In the picture above the drop leaf table looks much like the early shaker style seen in America. Look at some of the furniture from Chelsea Textiles to get some good ideas. Many of these tables such as this one, and this one, can be found for less. Collect furniture such as drop tables which can be used in the middle of a living room paired with a sofa, they can also be pushed against the wall.
Other items that are universal to some degree are wall shelves. Find wall shelves that are made of wood, and slightly cut with a curve. The top of this cupboard is a great example of a look that is found in the country. Plate racks for the walls are easily found on ebay and can be painted any color to create a uniform look within your home. Collecting plates that can be positioned on the wall or on plate racks is another common element in Swedish styled homes.
– Have a couple pieces in your home which are just plain wood. Consider stripping a side chair down to its bare wood, and waxing it. Beauty can be found in wood, and gives a much needed balance towards an interior with many painted finishes.
–Wood Slat walls are another very common architectural element with Swedish styled homes. Often times these walls are painted a white or a gray with gilt mirrors hung on the wall.
– Another option is to collect Queen Anne furniture which then can be manipulated with paint to get the look of the backroads in Sweden.
-Wooden chairs and old benches can be a stylish approach in decorating your home. You can include a corner cupboard, plate racks and even sideboards and serve as storage areas around your dining room.
–Shop on ebay for the just right pieces to finish off every room in your home
2. Get The Color Right
This pinterest page gives a person some excellent examples of Colonial decorating in America. Much like Swedish decorating, painted wood is a very common element. When comparing the two styles, one thing is very evident, the colors are slightly different. Dark blues are very common with Swedish and Nordic style antiques, as well as lighter hues of elementary colors. In this photograph you can see a wide range of salmon oranges, deep blues and red. Consider bringing the historical c0lors that are found in Sweden inside your home.
Decorating with red and pink can be very country. While pink is shunned these days, it can be a dramatic color which can really speak volumes in your home. Getting the right color, and adding additional painting techniques such as distressing and glazing can give a terrific historical look. Black is also a great color for primitive interiors. Other country colors to consider are yellow, and red, and creamy white. Consider putting more of an emphasis on the bolder richer colors such as a deep red than the light blues and whites found in the castles of Sweden. Borrow from the colors found in Sweden for your wood accessories, furniture and walls.
Wood can be painted and heavily distressed to give you the dramatic looks that
are found in Sweden. Light colored drapes around the windows let in the light, and give this home a soft touch. Antique Swedish mirrors also make this home, and a pair of sofas in blue and white stripe are the colors found in Sweden. Wooden floor with Nordic Style runners sewn together making a large rug. In this home antique kitchen table is paired with Swedish Leksand chairs.
Country style decorating can capture the spirit of the simplicity of country living amidst the modern times. Country decorating is one way of reminiscing the pasts. It reminds us of how we are living our lives. Decorations inspired by country living makes us closer to nature. A cozy home reminds us to live simple lives.
Picture Credits- isogninelcassettodiadriana.blog, Weranda Country
