For The Love Of Collecting Antiques – A Swedish Interior

 

“After about seven years, I could buy a really nice piece of furniture once a year,” she says. “I was reading Architectural Digest, World of Interiors and every shelter magazine and design book I could get my hands on. I was just enthralled with design. The spectrum of collecting was appealing to me.”

She began what she calls “guerrilla hunting” for antiques to furnish her own living space. In New Orleans, she found a European ambience in step with her affinity for European antiques, renovated the first of two Victorian cottages and turned her collecting pastime into a wholesale business that immediately had legs via word of mouth. She sold her first container of antiques in front of a mini storage space in 10 minutes and quickly became a valued resource to well-known interior designers.

Along the way, she opened a warehouse on Camp Street, started her own line of European antique reproductions — Tara Shaw Maison — designed homes for a list of clients that includes celebrities, and inked a lucrative licensing deal with Restoration Hardware that allowed her to cut back on her travel schedule.

Read more at nola.com

3 Swedish Must Haves – Decorating A Home Around Swedish Antiques

You love Swedish style but don’t know exactly where to start. Here are a few ideas for you to get going.

Swedish style is about simplicity, but it is anything but boring.

The look is centered around minimalism, but the furnishings can be very detailed.  Have you ever considered working with rub on transfers?  Use them on any sort of wooden item.  Think of a stackable set of boxes, or a tray for your ottoman.  Do up a showcase dresser.  Add in hand painted details to blend the transfers into the distressed painted look.

Rub on Butterflies – Do it yourself “painted looks”  – Amazon

 

Butterfly Chest – antiques-atlas.com/

 Floral Rub On Transfer – Amazon

 

1. Swedish Must Have’s – Wall Lights

Mirrors, gilt brass and crystal chandeliers have also been used for centuries in the northern countries to capture light as the winter nights were long. The reflections created light which extended the days.  Here is an exceptional light that looks like an antique, but doesn’t use candles, but real lights!

Distressed Wood 3-Light Candle Sconce – forget about candles. $192 Amazon

 

2. Swedish Must Have’s – Interesting And Detailed

Captivating Swedish interiors have their emphasis on texture. A few detailed, distressed or hand painted pieces can go a long way in creating this look.  Think about really worn wood looks.  How to do this yourself?  Beat up your wood, and paint over the wood, and wipe it away.  The painted glaze will settle into the worn and distressed areas giving you the look of a worn antique.

 

Cognac Brown Wood Office Chair – Amazon

 

19th century Rococo Painted Commode – 1st Dibs

 

3. Swedish Must Have’s – Natural Fabrics

One really easy way of adding in color is doing it through pillow throws, or blankets. If you are wanting a particular color in your house, – get bedding, add some throws on your sofa.

Velvet Cushion Covers In Sets Of 2 – Amazon

Linen Trimmed Tailored Edged Pillows Set Of 2 – Amazon

 

Jepeak Burlap Linen ThrowAmazon

Teal and Black French Bench – Amazon

Spectacular Teal Recliner – Amazon

Velvet Trimmed Pillows – Set Of 2 – Amazon

Notice the French pink upholstered bed above?  It wouldn’t look the same without the gold painted details. 

What a grand daybed – seen at digitaltmuseum.se

$12,057.62  Louis Xvi Style Bunk Beds/matching Pair Of Single Beds Made By La Maison London

1stdibs.com

Intricate wallpaper often is a classic Swedish look. 

Stunning Folk art styled antiques.  Burnt Red is a color seen amongst Swedish antiques

MÖSSBORD, Jämtland, daterat 1841. – Bukowskis

 

A Swedish cupboard dated 1807

Hand painted floral details stand out on this painted cupboard

What colors do you like the best?  If you were to invest in one piece today, what would it be?

 

5 Scandinavian Interior Design Tricks – Megan Slack

Lighter Colors are used in this interior, whose picture appeared on the cover of Classic Swedish Interiors

1. Use large windows to emphasize natural light

Thanks to the nation’s famously dark winters, Finnish designers are experts at emphasizing light in the most effective ways possible, and Villa Lumi is certainly no exception. The home uses large window panes and no window dressings to ensure the home is illuminated as efficiently as possible. While all homes may are not designed in the same way as Villa Lumi, we can still the architect’s technique with any kind of window, as Helsinki based Interior Designer Helena Karihtala shares:

‘Due to long winters, the use of natural light is considered to be important, and we usually prefer large windows. Keeping the windows bare or using light curtains helps make the space feel open and full of natural light. The walls are also almost always a shade of white, making most of natural light.’

Read more at livingetc.com

 

 

Mirrors are another classic Swedish design trick to add more light into a room.  Face the mirror opposite of a window to bounce light off of.

brownrigg-interiors.co.uk

 

 

Expect To See More Warm Grays, Blues And Creams In Gustavian Decorating

Wood Finishing Technical Writer at General Finishes

January 6 ·

2018 is here and it is BOLD. Designers and Brands predict that this year is going to be more vibrant than years before. Below are a few insights into the 2018 home design trends to help you get inspired.

Before we start, remember that CLASSICS ARE ALWAYS IN. Although it’s fun to have that end table glowing in bright red, whites and blacks are the safest colors as these would work for any customer’s home. GF’s top sellers are White, Black and Gray – check some out here in our design Center: http://bit.ly/GFDesignCenter

2018 IS RICH WITH COLOR. This year, it looks like a vivid start as Pantone named “Ultra Violet” its Color of the Year, while Sherwin Williams selected the striking Oceanside SW 6496. Other colors that appear to be trending are colors such as violet, wine, amethyst and even soft lavenders. You can find some bold colors in GF’s Color Lab here: http://bit.ly/GFColorMixingLab

HEAVY CABINETRY AND STATEMENT STORAGE. The white cabinet trend has faded and Country Living expects to see more warm grays, blues, creams as well as wood grain tones to take purchase in kitchens in 2018. As for storage, Anthropologie’s customer styling director Christina Frederick says “gone are the days of sacrificing style for function… There seems to be a desire for high-end organization in our personal space, a desire for things – and life – to feel pulled together.”

BRASS IS BACK BABY. Whether it be an accent or the drawer pulls on a buffet, this aged finish is making its way back into our homes.

NATURAL ACCENTS. Natural wood, earthy materials and even color iterations of stone are being implemented into designs. Ryan Turf, managing director of CB2 says, “These beautiful, natural materials add texture and depth to any design. Timeless yet very modern and fresh.” Include wood stains in your furniture designs to meet this trend. All GF stains can be compared here: http://bit.ly/CompareAllGFWoodStains

WABI-SABI. Wabi-sabi is the Japanese art of finding beauty in imperfection. For furniture refinishing this means handmade or hand-painted items that retain a deeply personal, organic aesthetic.

GRAY IS THE NEW BLACK. According to Linda Holt, it looks like the cool blue-grays have been replaced with warmer tones of gray, taupe and neutral colors such as brown. REMEMBER: don’t overuse too much neutral or your furniture or it may become so neutral you’ll miss it! Check out GF’s grays at http://bit.ly/GFDesignCenterGrays

To read more about 2018 predictions, please go to the following links:

Architectural Digest: Sherwin-Williams Reveals its 2018 Color of the Year – https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/sherwin-williams-2018-color-of-the-year-oceanside

Country Living: 10 Trends That Are Taking Over Homes in 2018 – http://www.countryliving.com/home-design/decorating-ideas/g5056/home-trends-for-2018/

Country Living: Pantone Color of the Year 2018 – http://www.countryliving.com/life/a46050/pantone-color-of-the-year-2018/

Linda Holt: 2018 Color Trends You Want to See Now: https://www.lindaholtcreative.com/2017/05/2018-color-trends-you-want-to-see-now/

Maria Killam: Colour Trends You Need to Know Right Now for 2018: http://www.mariakillam.com/trends-2018/

 

How To Make Your Own 18th Century Trumeau Mirror


If you are looking for an inexpensive way to dress up your walls, this might be it. I happen to adore the 18th century style, but don’t want to spend a ton of money to achieve the look in my home.

Decorative carved plaques were quite popular in France, and eventually Sweden perfected the look. Musical instruments, hunting motifs, and florals seemed to be the most popular carved designs in the 17th and 18th centuries. These wood carved decorative elements were often seen framed within wooden decorative trim and commonly found above doorways, or fireplaces.

Today you can see these beautiful plaques on pieces of wood in some of the most beautiful interiors decorated after the European styles of the past.

I have created a few of these plaques for my house and I really love how they have turned out. They give me the look of a large piece of art, without having to complicate my interior with lots of colors. Best of all, this project is fairly simple to create.

Vintage Syroco

Rococo is a design most popular in the 1730s. The design heavily influenced architecture, painting, sculpture and eventually furniture and decor.

Mirrors made after these styles became popular in the 50’s by a company called Syracuse Ornamental Company who at the time produced ornamental carvings to embellish furniture. The company was founded in the late 1890’s by Adolph Holstein who was a talented Austrian woodcarver.

The opportunity for his business to expand when Holstein developed a casting technique which produced a high quality product without the laborious intensity and time of wood carving. Holstein used Syroco to create perfect replicas of their original carvings.

Many of their molds featured a wood grain within the mold, giving their overall product a higher end feel for less money. As the modern movement hit in the 1940’s their business turned from ornamental embellishments to novelty items which didn’t profit as well, so the company returned to making the highly ornate wall mirrors, sconces, and decorations in the 1950’s which became a huge sensation.

These very same items from the 50’s can be found on ebay, and made to look high end with layers of paint in shades of gray, white and beige paint for a higher end European look.

 
The Materials Used For My Project

The materials you need are plywood, decorative trim, a decorative element that you want to frame, a miter box and a compressor with a nailing attachment certainly helps.

The pieces that I have purchased for my creations are Dogwall plaques from syroco, and two large vintage burwood musical plaques.

I tend to make my projects as simple as possible. For this project I simply cut a piece of plywood, and made my own miter box to hand cut the decorative edging that was placed around the edges of the wood.

The decorative edging I used was from Home Depot. You can find a picture with the number of the product below. The edging was simple, and easy to work with.

I made my miter box by simply screwing a piece of 2 x 4 wood together with two wood sides. I then took my miter saw, and cut the wood to give me a guide. It was as simple as that. I found that using my saw was not only dangerous with thin wood edging, but also that the wood would be torn apart with using the fast blade. My advice, buy a miter box or make your own like I did.

Next, I used a compressor with a nailing attachment to add the trim and the decorative element. I used wood filler to fill these holes, along with adding wood putty to the sides of the plywood to give it a finished appearance.

In a previous article, I described using Durhams putty to seal the edges between the wood and the decorative relief. You can find more pictures of this project in this post there. The beauty of Durhams putty is that it dries in a shade of light yellow. When you paint your object, what I do is wash off parts of the motif with a damp cloth, and the putty appears to look like wood painted. Working with this product is a perfect way of faking this whole look.

I love this look and these plaques happen to be my favorite pieces in my house. What do you think? Do you love it?

More Inspiration:

  • A plaque made by Bliss Studio- here
  • Plaster medallions of Carl Michael Bellman & Ulla Hopken – here
  • Swedish Plaster Medallions- here
  • Wood Wall Plaques- here

 

How I Created My Own DIY 18th Century Architectural Plaques- Hersite Blog

Burwood musical plaques before they were painted

How I Created My Own DIY 18th Century Architectural Plaques- Hersite Blog

The molding I used from Home Depot

Continue Reading…

Trend Report! Decorating With Unfinished Furniture

 

Home Office Chair with Casters, Unfinished$130 (Affiliate Link)

Sidetable from International Concepts (Affiliate link)- $84 here

Swedish 18th Century Style- Miniature portraits of Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, Louis XVII and Marie-Therese, Madame Royal, late 19th or early 20th CImagine this in wood- ( Miniature portraits of Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, Louis XVII and Marie-Therese, Madame Royal, late 19th or early 20th C)

The raw rustic/industrial style they are showing in all of the magazines right now is not going away for a long time. The collection takes much of it’s inspiration from 1880′s old farms, factories & schools.

One of the key design features of this design you want to get correct, is the the style is raw untreated pine wood.  So this means, instead of using a satin varnish, consider using a completely flat varnish, such as “dead flat varnish, by Modern Masters”  This product will give you the look of raw wood, without taking the chance for accidental stains ruining your furniture.

Pine is back for sure! There is one difference, the polished/yellowish appearance is not how it is presented today. Trends show it newly cut, raw or white washed.

What do you think?  Could this fit into your home?

A-LARGE-PINE-BOOKCASE--500x525A Very large Pine Bookcase – Christies ($2,438)

3 Drawer Nightstand

This room shows another side chest painted.  This picture shows the Pemberley collection from Sanderson.  If you want to find a chest that looks like the one in the picture, consider The Home Accents Collection chest for $216

Swedish Style Raw Furniture

Others to consider :

  • International Concepts Table OT-91 $114
  • Cherry Sewing Table Kit– From Shaker Workshops $212
  • Mission Kids Unfinished Wood Chair – Set of 2-$128 on ebay
  • Set of 2 Natural Solid Wood Nightstands for $165 on ebay
  • Uttermost Agustin Light Walnut Stained Wood Accent Mirror – $358 on ebay

Capture 2 Capture

2 Salvaged Raw Finished Pine Tables-on ebay

untitled

Raw Wood- Source : Campagne – Décoration

Reclaimed-Mirror

The wood in this David Iatesta mirror started life as a tobacco barn in southern Maryland. The aged, reclaimed wood has been paired with a reproduction French trumeau; the mirror is also available antiqued. Available through Egg & Dart, Ltd., Denver, CO, (303) 744-1676; or www.davidiatesta.com

Swiss restaurant in St. Moritz

Suzanne Dimma, Contributing Blogger for House & Home, posted some stunning pictures of Milan Furniture Fair. Amongst all the photos, my favorite was the picture she took of a Swiss restaurant in St. Moritz. The raw wood paneling, paired with gold framed oval portraits centered in the recessed panels were a treat to the eyes.

Framed-Exposed-Architecture

This interesting one-bedroom apartment situated in central London is available for rent with or without the furnishings. See more about this unique home at the Modern House web site.

Nordic Style Kids Bedroom Decor Ideas

The Best Of Ikea Swedish Style DORTHY Fabric – IKEA

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

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

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

The Best Of Ikea Swedish Style

DORTHY Cushion cover – IKEA

The Best Of Ikea Swedish Style

The Best Of Ikea Swedish StyleSISSELA Fabric Ikea

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

See these posts:

My Botanical Print Gallery Wall – Her Site

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

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

Melissa and Doug Plush Dogs

Melissa and Doug Plush Dogs – Amazon

A History of Book Illustration

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

Continue Reading…

Decorators Who Have Embraced The Nordic Style – 30+ Pictures

Alexander Doherty Design

Alexander Doherty Design

Here are a couple modern day interiors which incorporate many of the elements found in the  Swedish style.  While we all enjoy looking at historical manor homes, modern day homes can give us a better feel of how we can bring this style into our own homes.  Whether it is rooms based around white, or Swedish antiques used, see how the top designers around the country have used this style in every day residences.

Jocie Sinauer Of Red Chair Antiques

Jocie Sinauer’s Home Of Red Chair Antiques

 

Designer Shannon Bowers, featured in the Spring 2014 issue of MILIEU

Designer Shannon Bowers, featured in the Spring 2014 issue of Milieu-mag.com

Buffalo Check Twin Beds Seen On Harry Norman

Buffalo Check Twin Beds Seen On Harry Norman

Michael J Siller Interiors

Michael J Siller Interiors

Alexander Doherty Design 2

Alexander Doherty Design

Alexander Doherty Design 5

Alexander Doherty Design

Timothy Corrigan Library-Doheny

Timothy Corrigan

Cathy Kincaid

Shannon Bowers Designs

Shannon Bowers Designs

Jeffrey Bilhuber Seen At Quintessence Blog

Jeffrey Bilhuber- His Book The Way Home– Seen At Quintessence Blog

Designer Susan Anthony's Acorn Cottage

Designer Susan Anthony

Lucas Allen

Lucas Allen Designs

Attic Bedroom Seen On Coastal Living Magazine

Deborah Whitlaw Llewellyn

Attic Bedroom Seen on Coastal Living.com

Taarbæk Strandvej 24, 2930 Klampenborg, lutzau.dk

Taarbæk Strandvej 24, 2930 Klampenborg, lutzau.dk

Designer Jeannette Whitson

Jeannette Whitson

A New Nashville House With an Old Soul – House Beautiful

Julie Nightingale Designs

Julie Nightingale Design

Jeannette Whitson, Architect Bethany Puopolo

Jeannette Whitson, Architect Bethany Puopolo

Frank Babb Randolph

Frank Babb Randolph

Frank Babb Randolph

Frank Babb Randolph

Frank Babb Randolph

Frank Babb Randolph

Designer Ken Fulk

Designer Ken Fulk, Seen In House Beautiful

CarolEgan Interiors

CarolEgan Interiors

Seaside-style dining room - House to Home

Seaside-style dining room – House to Home

At Home with May and Axel Vervoordt

At Home with May and Axel Vervoordt- Buy The Book On Amazon

Nicky-Haslam-Design1-500x532

Ornate Wall Shelves – Featured In Nicky Haslam Design

Featured on Katherines Blog Auction Decorating

Decorating-Your-Walls-500x436

Sconces- Unknown Designer

Interior Designer Candida Taylor

Interior Designer Candida Taylor

Designer Julie Alvarez de Toledo Seen On Zoe Design Blog 2

Designer Julia Alvarez de Toledo Seen On Zoë Design

Designer Brian McCarthy

Designer Brian J. McCarthy

Designed by Leta Austin Foster 4

Designer Leta Austin Foster

Designed by Leta Austin Foster 6

Designer Leta Austin Foster

Home Of Jewelry Designer Mish Tworkowski- Elle Decor 3

Home Of Jewelry Designer Mish Tworkowski- Elle Decor

Home Of Jewelry Designer Mish Tworkowski- Elle Decor 2

Home Of Jewelry Designer Mish Tworkowski- Elle Decor

Brunschwig & Fils New York Showroom The tented café at the revamped Brunschwig & Fils showroom in Manhattan.

Michael S. Smith

Brunschwig & Fils New York Showroom The tented café at the revamped Brunschwig & Fils showroom in Manhattan. 2

Brunschwig & Fils New York Showroom The tented café at the revamped Brunschwig & Fils showroom in Manhattan, Seen In Architectural Digest, Designer Michael S. Smith

Todd Chrisley's house

Todd Chrisley’s House

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

D.Larsson Swedish Antiques

D.Larsson Swedish Antiques

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

3. Rotate Your Collections Through Out The Year

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

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

26 Ways To Organize With Shoe Boxes- Kids Room Decor

4. Push Chairs And Side Tables Against The Walls

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

5. Redesign Your Closet Space

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

  •  My Summer Projects, My Garage Makeover-Hersite

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

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

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

French Wall Sconces

French Wall Sconces On Ebay

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

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

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

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

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

Continue Reading…

Decorating Around The Color Green – Swedish Style

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

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

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

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

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

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

Continue Reading…

Buy The Swedish Style For Less

Gustavian Gilt Cartel Clocks On Ebay

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

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

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

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

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

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

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3 Swedish Style Homes Featured In Magazines

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

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

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

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

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

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

More from Veranda:

Johan and Ingrid Lagerfelt's Home In Veranda 6

Johan and Ingrid Lagerfelt’s Home In Veranda

Johan and Ingrid Lagerfelt's Home In Veranda 5

Johan and Ingrid Lagerfelt’s Home In Veranda

Johan and Ingrid Lagerfelt's Home In Veranda 4

An Up-close and Detailed Look At The Wall Painting

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5 Faux Wall Painting Techniques That Are Easier Than You Think

Lars Sjoeberg The Swedish Room Photo credit Ingalill Snitt Source

Lars Sjoeberg  The Swedish Room  Photo Credit Ingalill Snitt 

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

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

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

1. Ragged Finishes

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

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

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

Ralph Lauren Ragging

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

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

Keep All Tones In The Same Color Family

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

Glaze + Paint For A Final Top Coat

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

2. Dry Brushing

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

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

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

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

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

3.  Sponge Finishes

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

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

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

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

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

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

4. Faux Leather

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

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

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

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

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

– Great Article- How To Faux Paint

5. Stenciling

Stenciling can be very powerful if it is done right.

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

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

Here are a few very well done Swedish stenciled homes:

– Book Review: Jocasta Innes Scandinavian Painted Furniture

Ted and Lillian Williams chateau in Normandy, France

-Neoclassical White Stenciled Walls-Petit Trianon

-Antique Original Red Hand Painted Trunk with Rosemaling Floral Motif

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

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

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70 Swedish Furniture Pieces That Sell For Less- Swedish Decorating On A Budget

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's PicksWhite Lacquer Finish Round Accent Table $321 From Overstock On Ebay

17th and 18th century furniture is still tremendously popular today.  One of the biggest draws to Swedish and Nordic styles is the wood, the carvings and depth of detail.  In a typical home in Sweden centuries ago, you would find almost everything made from wood.  Wood furniture, plank flooring, wood walls, and decorative accessories made from wood.  Each piece would be individually carved, and often painted, and overtime would endure natural distressing.  

Gustavian Looks

Gustavian style drew a lot of attention from around the world, so much that they became known throughout Europe as the “Paris of the North.”  Gustavian style embraced all the grandeur that Paris had to offer, but without the money that France was able to spend.  Instead of marble, they brought out their paint brushes, and learned how to paint faux marble. Instead of mahogany woods, they made their furniture from the white blonder woods found in their native land.  Silk and satin was exchanged out for linen.  Painted swags replaced the costly hand carved garland-like swags found on the walls in France.

Sweden’s vast forest industry made it possible for citizens to be skilled in some sort of trade that involved wood. So, as the trends came out from France and England, the latest looks would be crafted inexpensively. Woodworkers could modify the designs, change out the distinctive English or French designs, and add or change the look to suit their taste.  Furniture feet, leg style, color, wood was all modified for what they found most desirable in their communities.  From region to region different styles of furniture and accessories were made, which also had their own character trait, and color palette.

France and England heavily influenced Europe at that time, and so it was natural that Sweden also followed suit. They adopted the Louis XV and Louis XVI styles founded in France, but made them their own.  Over time, with the excavations from Pompeii, Gustavian style also incorporated the classical looks that circulated around Italy, and Greece.

How To Get The Look On A Budget

I used to paint furniture as a hobby, spending most of my days hunting through thrift stores, estate sales, and I always had my eye on craigslist for the best finds in Virginia.  My husband worked full time, which allowed me the ability to shop for worn out pieces which I then updated and sold.  We moved away from the city, and into the country, where blogging is now my day to day life.   Over the years, I have found some pretty amazing finds second hand, but I also have come to know, they just don’t compare to what you can buy new. I find I am always running across great pieces of furniture around the net which are sort of hidden away.  I have come to realize that you can find really nice furniture for under $500 dollars.  When you add up your valuable time, and gas-  buying online simply just makes sense, especially if you are pretty particular in what you are after.

Here are 70+ links to great pieces from a couple big sellers on Amazon and ebay to give you the Swedish and French looks on a budget.

Here are just a few tips to pulling your look together…..

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks

Arrow Ormolu Mounts From Ari Luxury On Ebay

1. Use Ormolu Mounts– If you have a pretty simple table, dress it up using decorative appliques.  Europe embraced the use of gilt-bronze mounts, brass inlay and quintessential gilded enrichments that we all admire to this day.

Articles:

-Affordable French Furniture Appliques- Hersite

-How Decorate With French Empire Antiques- Hersite

-Architectural Molds- French Style Authority

2.  Look For Straight Leg Furniture– If you live in America, look for the straight legged shaker style table and chairs. Straight legged tables, chairs, benches will give you the Swedish look and they are pretty easy to find in America.

Additional Articles:

– Amazingly Affordable Swedish Looking Furniture- The Swedish Furniture

-Swedish Furniture And Decorating On A Budget- Mora Clock Reproductions And More – The Swedish Furniture

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's PicksTurn this unfinished international concepts table, sells for $42 dollars into a thousand dollar table with an additional marble top and some paint.  Consider white paint with gold accents for a classic Swedish style.  The Second table, sold by International Concepts features straight legs with a round round table top with Drawer- $104

3.  Look For Fluted Legged Furniture -Gustavian furniture is well known for their use of fluted leg tables, square back chairs,  and demi lune tables.  If the legs are right, often times, you can add to the look to make it Swedish.

– This dark brown side table needs some color. Gray, pink, or blue, it would look prettier painted.  It has spectacular legs, and a round table top that looks like it belongs in the Louis XVI collections.  Only $133 On Ebay

-This 3-piece nesting table set sells for only $110 Dollars On Ebay  I would strip off the existing paint, paint it, and then heavily distress it.  Or, paint it a muted pastel and gold leaf the details.  What a great price! 

– Another pretty Console Table $418 On Ebay  Gold leaf the details, or use white paint on the details, and a pretty color on the other features.

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish Paint Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish Paint Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish Paint

 4Use The Right Colors– Paint has always been my best friend.  Typical ‘Gustavian’ colors include gray, pale blue, and pale green colors.  Consider accenting your home with light pink and pale yellow.

Additional Aricles

– The Shocking History Behind “Emerald Green Paint-The Swedish Furniture

-Top Designers Pick The Best Furniture Paint Colors- The Swedish Furniture

-Swedish Paint Finishes -How To Wash Wood-The Swedish Furniture

-Salmon Paint Shades- Decorate With Apricot, Peach and Terracotta –Hersite

5.  Paint With Matte or Chalk Paint – Swedish furniture tends to have a matte, chalky or powdery look. Limewashes were once used to brighten furniture and saturated colors were used along with glue or oil to make paint.

Chalk paint sold through distributors can give the look that is commonly seen on Swedish furniture.  Or, consider adding in a bit of un-sanded grout to your paint.  I tend to buy it in an off white color at the local hardware store, and a tablespoon goes a long way.  It will give you chalk like finish. Use brown glaze to add an antique appearance.  What I tend to do is brush it on, and after 2 minutes, I wipe it off using a facecloth.  It can add a tint to your overall paint finish, and give your paint a look that doesn’t appear to be so new.

Additional Articles:

– Furniture Painting, Distressing & Glazing Examples-The Swedish Furniture

-What’s With Chalk Paint? 80+ Pictures Of Annie Sloan Chalk Painted Furniture – Painted Furniture Online

-How To Paint French Provincial Furniture A Perfect White –French Provincial Furniture

-Priming Furniture- French Provincial Furniture

-Staining And Re-Finishing Furniture- 40+ Pro Tips- Hersite

-What We Are Not Being Told About Furniture Strippers – Hersite

-DecoArt Chalk Paint Line Sold At Home Depot – Hersite

-50+ Pictures Of Great Painted Pieces- Painted Furniture Online

-56 Greige Pieces- Exceptional Painters And Their Furniture Painted Furniture Online

  6.  Work With Blonde Woods- Swedish style generally only features the lighter woods, because that was what was available in the surrounding regions.  Swedish country homes contain a lot of birch, white pine, beech, and alder. It is used for furniture, floors and walls, and either left natural, bleached, or painted in pale colors.

If you have a piece of furniture that is stained, consider investing in a heat gun, to remove the existing finish.  By doing this, when you go to paint and distress the piece, the lighter wood color will show through than the mahogany or darker stains.  It will give your pieces a more authentic appearance.

 

70 of Meranda's Picks

 

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Classical Furniture

Safavieh American Home Collection Concord Console Table $112 on Amazon

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish PaintSafavieh American Home Collection Brigg White and Dark Brown Console Table $196 on Amazon

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish Paint

Natural Washed Tray Accent Table $381 Overstock On Ebay

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish Paint

Solid Oak Paola Arm Chair $863 From Overstock On Ebay

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish Paint

Safavieh American Home Collection Lexington Console Table $125 on Amazon

Safavieh American Home Collection Newburgh 6-Drawer Storage Unit, Vintage Grey $184 on Amazon

Safavieh American Home Collection Newburgh 3-Drawer Storage Unit $242 on Amazon

Safavieh American Home Collection Orford Off White Low Bookcase $208 On Amazon

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish Paint

Victoria Padded Bench with Distressed White Legs ONLY $70 From Overstock On ebay

  • Seat dimensions: 21 inches wide x 15 inches deep
  • Dimensions: 18 inches high x 21 inches wide x 15 inches deep

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish PaintStratton Linen Side Chairs with Nail Head, Beige, Set of 2 $413 On Amazon

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish PaintSafavieh Ashton Carved Side Chairs – Set of 2 $436 On Amazon

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish Paint

nuLOOM Casual Living Vintage Patchwork Blue Bench $275 Overstock on ebay
15.7 inches high x 31.5 inches wide x 15.7 inches in length

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish Paint

Cleopatra Solid White Oak Bench $182 Overstock on ebay

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish Paint

Safavieh American Home Collection Emma Four Drawer Storage Cabinet $204 Amazon

Safavieh American Home Collection Barnet Wall Shelf $148 On Amazon

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish Paint

Tabouret 24-inch Metal Counter Stools (Set of 2) $72 Dollars From Overstockon ebay

Tabouret Furniture From Overstock On Ebay

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish Paint

Safavieh Hudson Collection Johnny Linen Side Chair, Beige, Set of 2 $479 on Amazon

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish Paint

Safavieh Chloe Linen Club Chair $447 On Amazon

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish Paint

Safavieh Nottingham Taupe Nailhead Club Chair $360 at Overstock on ebay

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish Paint

Safavieh Mansfield Linen Pillowtop Ottoman Free Shipping $211 Overstock

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish PaintAngelie 3-seater Sofa $1149 Overstock On Ebay

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish PaintLadderback Armchair $699 Wisteria

Lounge Armchair  $799 Wisteria

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish PaintGustavian Tub Chair $799 From Wisteria

Louis XVI Dining Chair in Royal Blue$299  Wisteria

Chateau Arm Chair in Lavender $389 Wisteria

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish PaintCamille Premium Linen Down Wrapped Sofa $1433 Overstock On Ebay

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish Paint

Lexington Oval Swivel Storage End Table $159 On Amazon

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish Paint

Remiremont Antique White Upholstered Bench $76 on Amazon

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish Paint

Cherry Wood Side Chair, Set of 2, Cream $479 On Amazon

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish PaintSafavieh Mercer Collection Heather Linen Nailhead Dining Chair, Set of 2- $346 on Amazon

Safavieh Mercer Collection Stella Velvet Side Chair $305 Amazon

Featured above is the Ivory and Taupe chair sold for $270 Amazon

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish Paint

Becca Side Chair Finish: Upholstery: Leather- Clay with Nickel Nailheads $261 On Amazon

Alexia Contemporary Fabric Dining Chair $246 On Amazon

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish PaintSean Sofa $1393 Overstock On Ebay

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish PaintMarie Curved Grey Settee $1094 From Overstock on ebay

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish Paint

Eddie Black Onyx Club Chair $569 on Overstock On Ebay

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish Paint

Baxton Studio Antoinette Classic Antiqued French Accent Chairs (Set of 2)

Buy them on OverstockOn Ebay

for $1050

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish PaintJoe Dark Teal End Table $147 On Ebay

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish Paint

Swedish Style Pulls – 12 Pulls For $24 Dollars On Ebay

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish PaintThelma Ash Grey End Table $140 On Ebay

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish PaintNotting Hill 6-Drawer Dresser $654 at Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish Paint

Notting Hill Collections From Overstock on ebay

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish Paint3-piece Nesting Table Set Only $110 Dollars On Ebay

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish PaintWood Console Table $418 On Ebay

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish PaintSafavieh Bernice Dark Brown Side Table $133 On Ebay

 

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish PaintAndrew Carved Oak Side Chairs, Set of 2 $514 On Amazon

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish PaintNara Side Chair (Set of 2) $494 on Amazon

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish Paint

Safavieh Mercer Collection Randy Linen Bench $343 On Amazon

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish PaintCharcoal Grey Castro Armchair $570 Overstock On Ebay

Oval Accent Table $307 From Overstock On Ebay

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish Paint

nuLOOM Casual Living Weathered Vintage French Upholstered Linen Ottoman $269 On Overstock

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish Paint

Safavieh Pecos Reclaimed Wood Stool in Brown$272 On Amazon

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish PaintSwedish Storage Bench $1149 Wisteria

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish Paint

Lisa Cradle (Free Shipping) $164 On Amazon here

Orbelle Trading Ga Ga Cradle (Free Shipping $164 on Amazon here

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish Paint

White Naples Media Chest $256 on ebay

Search out the rest of the furniture collection on ebay

Simply replace the hardware…..

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish PaintSwedish Secretary $1999 From Wisteria

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish PaintThelma Distressed Vanilla End Table $140 On Ebay

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish PaintToby Eggshell End Table $135 On Ebay

Toby Brown End Table

Safavieh also sells a lovely set of nesting tables that have a Swedish look to them.    The dimensions are 35″ H x 20″ D x 20″ W.

Chelsea Textiles Demi Lune Tablehere

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish Paint

Oxford Beige Linen Arm Chair $179 From Overstock On Ebay

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish Paint

Lauren Upholstered Queen or King Canopy Bed Only $319 From Overstock on ebay

Check out other canopy beds from Overstock here on ebay

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish Paint

Naples King Canopy Bed $638 From Overstock on ebay

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish PaintWooden Nightstand $219 From Overstock On Ebay

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish PaintLouis XV Chest $999 From Wisteria

 

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish Paint

Safavieh Mercer Collection Danni Side Chair with Nail Head, Beige and Antiqued Oak $417 On Amazon

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish PaintEddie Camel Club Chair $754 On Overstock On Ebay

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish Paint

Safavieh Abram Dark Teal Console $130 On Ebay

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish Paint

Safavieh Andy Ash Grey Shelf Unit $147 From Overstock  on ebay

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish PaintHand Painted Black Finish Rectangular Accent Table $401 Overstock On Ebay

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish PaintSafavieh Doris Black Round End Table $105 On Ebay

Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish Paint

Safavieh American Homes Collection John Side Table, Antique Black $173 On Amazon

Meranda's Picks, Country Styles, French Provence

Safavieh Suncoast Arm Chairs – Set of 2 $283 on Amazon

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Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish Paint

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Safavieh American Homes Collection Simon Console Table, Natural $208 On Amazon

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Safavieh Jethro Honey Natural Console

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Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish Paint

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Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish Paint

Midwest CBK Marquetry Print Accent Table

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Swedish Looking Furniture, Gustavian Styles, Swedish Decorating, Low Cost Swedish Furniture, Meranda's Picks, 18th Century, 17th Century, Swedish Paint

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Gustavian Console Table $399 Wisteria

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

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

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

So here we go:

1. Furniture: Gustavian – Meranda Devan here

2. Interior Design: Nordic – Meranda Devan – here

3. Interior Design: Swedish Meranda Devan –here

4. Poutres Blanches- Anne Magnier – Here

5. Jeanne d’Arc Living Magazine Photos- Here

6. Swede Blog- Swedish Antiques- Here

7.  Nordic Style From White Lace Cottage- Here

8. Gustavian Style and Inspiration Kristin Fägerskjöld- Here

9. How Swede I am- Judy English- Here

10 Sweden – WP- Daily Themes Group Board- Here

11.  Beautiful Pins From antiqbr.blogspot.com here

12 Marie Antoinette Vanna H- Here

13 Day Bed Love Jane Love Here

14 French & Belgian- Anna Tausend- Here

15. Swedens Red Houses Kristin Fägerskjöld- Here

16 Scandinavian Themes -Susanna Nykänen Here

17. Interiors Gustavian Cornélie Polderman –Here

18. Norwegian heritage, foods, crafts Bette Calderone Here

19. Mäster Henriks Blog Kristin Fägerskjöld- Here

20. La Maison de Mes Rêves- Hanna H Here

Continue Reading…

How To Decorate With Botanicals

Carl von Linnaeus home, Hammarby 18th century Swedish

Today Linnaeus’ Hammarby is one of Sweden’s most accurately preserved eighteenth century farms, with household items, clothing and art from Linnaeus’ own home.  Carl von Linné (Linnaeus) bought the farm in 1758, and it became the Linné family’s “summer residence” .  The family was able to keep animals and grow vegetables, grains for bread, and tobacco. Carl Linnaeus, papered his bedroom in plant posters, of the works by the French botanist Charles Plumier (1646-1704) and British Georg Ehret (1707-1770). Sängförhänget is a print based on his favorite flower “Linnaea borealis” – in short, the Linnean.  Linnaeus’ study appears today, much like it would have looked when he was alive, with walls papered with flower illustrations.

In the 1600s, botanical artists were thought to lead an exciting life. Many left on expeditions to exotic locations around the world, devoting their lives to documenting plants, bulbs, and flowers in some of the most breath taking gardens around the world. Publishers would issue their etchings as part of an encyclopedic or scientific project. Wealthy people then would subscribe to a series, and whole collections were often displayed and bound into books.

Johan Wilhelm Palmstruch (1770-1811)

A Swedish artist’s most famous work is the “Swedish Botany,” which consists of a total of over 770 posters, which appeared in books between the years 1802-1843. Each image is hand-colored with great care and skill, and printed on fine paper. After Palmstruch death, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences published a series of booklets in 1843 with Palmstruch’s art along with a table of contents.

Martha Stewart, Botanical Dresser, Botanical Art

Cover A Chest With Botanical Prints

Martha Stewart had a 8 page article about this very topic in her September 2004 issue of Martha Stewart Living.  She showed how to pull this look together using two different techniques.  The first technique showed wallpaper which was cut out, and glued on to a piece of furniture, while the second technique glued selected sheets of botanical prints to a chest.

Project 1 shows a large wardrobe, which botanical wallpaper was carefully cut out.  Images were arranged on the wardrobe using the placement seen in the original wallpaper pattern.  In the article they suggest using one sided tape to arrange the graphics, which then can be removed later to glue each graphic down.  Another easy way of doing this is to lay the wardrobe down on the ground, and then glue each motif in place.  Remove air bubbles, which may squeeze out glue from under the image.  Simply use a damp paper towel to wipe away any access glue.  Touch up the edges with glue to seal any places around the image that might have been dried up.  Let the glue dry overnight, and then apply water based satin polycrylic to seal the graphics.

Botanical Prints, Botanical Crafts, 18th Century Decorating

The second chest which is featured shows botanical prints which were measured out, and glued to a chest.  In this instance, botanical prints were measured and cut to size.  Martha suggests using craft paper which show the measurement of the drawer, which allow you to determine each prints dimensions.  Cut prints using a sharp utility knife and metal ruler.  Plan your design by laying out each print on the dresser, arranging the prints before you glue them in place.  Next, brush mod podge glue on the back of the print, and apply it to the drawer.  Smooth the image out, removing any air bubbles.  Repeat the process with all the images, and let the glue dry over night.  Add a water based polycrylic clear coat, and either several coats of thick mod podge, or gloss epoxy as a finishing touch.  Add new hardware, or attach existing hardware to complete the look.

Gustavian Decorating November December 2010 Veranda

Gustavian Decorating November December 2010 Veranda From Wilson Kelsey Design Blog

This lovely Uttermost Ava Table is an iron table with a marble top, perfect for seating in the kitchen or living room.  The lovely scrolled iron legs are a bit of a break from wood.  Uttermost sells this table for m$355.

Uttermost sells a lovely set of Leaf Botanical frames in a set of Nine. This set features a wide array of leaf prints, this art is accented by frames that have
a champagne silver leaf base with a gray glaze & light black distressing.  Uttermost sells this set for $306.

Uttermost Set of 6 Ferns I-VI Botanical Wall Art Prints by Uttermost- Each of these six framed botanical wall art prints presents a beautiful illustration of a fern with its scientific name. Frames feature a champagne silver leaf base with brown and black wash and a gray glaze, and the prints are presented under glass. A fantastic accent for your walls from Uttermost. Set of 6

Orange Florals 18×14 Framed Wall Art I, II, III, IV, V, VI (Set of 6) by Uttermost These floral prints are accented by wooden frames with silver leaf inner and outer edges that have a light brown wash. Center section of frames have a sage green base with a heavy brown wash. Prints are under glass.

Set of 6 Wheat Grass Art Accents Sold through Uttermost– This set of prints features wooden frames finished in bronze undertones with brown and black distressing and a gray glaze. Prints are under glass.

Universal Lighting and Decor also sells a lovely iron table which features dainty iron legs with organic curves that lead to a decorative finial. These curved legs are topped with a round, limed pine wood table top.  Lamps Plus sells this table for $355

 

Make Your Own Botanical Plates

Annekata Blog walks us through step by step how to make your own botanical plate using decoupage techniques.  Being that there are plenty of royalty free sources containing vintage botanical, animals, and sea life art available for download, why not dress up a set of plates found at your local thrift store, or estate sale?

They suggest working with a glass plate.  Simply lie the glass plate face down onto the paper you’ve selected, and center the pattern, and cut around the plate.  Draw a line around the plate roughly 0.5 to 0.75 inches out.  Next, relax the paper in water for 30 seconds. Glue up the bottom of the plate, and then center the wet paper face down on the bottom of the plate and carefully smooth out any air bubbles.  Annekata Blog gives us some visual aids to show where to cut the print around the plate for the botanical print to best adhere to the glass without bubbles.  Next, trim the rim with your scissors, and once it is dry, the plate can be hung on the wall.

Another way of creating botanical plates is to start of with a set of white plates.  Simply cut out the images with a pair of fine scissors, which then can be glued on to the plate.  First soak your prints in water, then add mod podge glue to the back of the images.  After your images have dried, paint on a thick layer of gloss epoxy, to get the sheer glass look.

Frame Botanical Art

Create a collection of Botanical prints on your wall by using vintage frames found on ebay.

– For a classic Gustavian Swedish look, consider using round or oval frames.  Many sellers are selling sets of Homco oval and round frames that you can gold leaf.  Consider displaying a collection of 9 prints on the wall in matching oval or round frames.

– Making a large scale gallery wall using botanical prints doesn’t have to cost you a fortune.  Dollar Tree on occasion has WOOD 8 x 10 rectangular frame that can be painted and distressed, or gold leafed.  They sell them for just one dollar.  You simply cannot get better than that!  The item number of the ones I purchased are 639277459237 .  If they are out of stock, the number will not show up on their website, although you can order them with a customer sales rep.

– MCS Industries 12-Pack Bulk Frames Available on Amazon

– Picture Frame Room 6 Panel Divider 387.00 + Free Shipping- Amazon

– Frames 4 Art on Ebay sells their beautiful frames in lots- Ebay

Botanical BooksBotanicals: Butterflies & Insects- – Buy it on Amazon $44

The Golden Age of Botanical Art Buy it on Amazon From $23

Albertus Seba’s Cabinet of Curiosities Buy it on Amazon From $23

-The Art of Natural History in the Age of Discovery Buy used on Amazon from $12

-Birds: Mini Edition: The Art of Ornithology-Buy it new used on Amazon from $19

Botanical Books

Botanicals: Butterflies & Insects- Including more than three centuries of drawings culled from the rare books library of the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, each page in Botanicals explodes with rich colors and lifelike details. Exquisite flowers, delicate fruits, and exuberant butterflies are among the jewels of nature that come to life in this unique compendium. Featured are works by leading botanical artists, including Maria Sibylla Merian, a revolutionary female entomologist and natural historian of the seventeenth century; E.A. Seguy, whose are nouveau-era work serves as inspiration for many contemporary creative directors and designers; and Dr. Robert John Thornton, a British visionary renowned for his interest in botany– Buy it on Amazon $44

The Golden Age of Botanical Art-The seventeenth century heralded a golden age of exploration, as intrepid travelers sailed around the world to gain firsthand knowledge of previously unknown continents. These explorers also collected the world’s most beautiful flora, and often their findings were recorded for posterity by talented professional artists. The Golden Age of Botanical Art tells the story of these exciting plant-hunting journeys and marries it with full-color reproductions of the stunning artwork they produced. Covering work through the nineteenth century, this lavishly illustrated book offers readers a look at 250 rare or unpublished images by some of the world’s most important botanical artists. Buy it on Amazon From $23

Albertus Seba’s Cabinet of Curiosities is one of the 18th century’s greatest natural history achievements and remains one of the most prized natural history books of all time. Though scientists of his era often collected natural specimens for research purposes, Amsterdam-based pharmacist Albertus Seba (1665-1736) was unrivaled in his passion. His amazing collection of animals, plants and insects from all around the world gained international fame during his lifetime. In 1731, after decades of collecting, Seba commissioned illustrations of every specimen and arranged the publication of a four-volume catalog–from strange and exotic plants to snakes, frogs, crocodiles, shellfish, corals, birds, and butterflies, as well as fantastic beasts, such as a hydra and a dragon. Buy new on Amazon from $25

-Amazing Rare Things: The Art of Natural History in the Age of Discovery-The book focuses on an exquisite selection of natural history drawings and watercolors by Leonardo da Vinci, Alexander Marshal, Maria Sibylla Merian, and Mark Catesby, and from the collection of Cassiano dal Pozzo—works all held in the Royal Library at Windsor Castle. Buy used on Amazon from $12

-Birds: Mini Edition: The Art of Ornithology- This breathtaking collection of important and beautiful ornithological art from London’s Natural History Museum traces its development from the Renaissance through the scientific approach favored in the Age of Exploration. Included are brilliantly reproduced artworks by the world’s great naturalists and scientists such as Audubon and Humboldt, along with the legion of Victorian explorers who catalogued the world’s avifauna before photography finally prevailed as the primary means of recording the natural world.  Buy it new used on Amazon from $19

Other Links

– Botanical Decoupage- With Martha Stewart- here

– Martha Stewart Crafts- Botanical Birds Decoupage Paper Cutouts From Michaels.  64 pieces, 12 sheets.  Create nature-inspired decoupage designs on dinnerware, fabric napkins, furniture and many other items using decoupage paper cutouts.  Cutouts work well on glass, wood and most other surfaces.

– Buy Botanical Prints on Ebay

– Inspirational Interior Design With Botanical Prints- Interior Design It Yourself

 

Botanical Illustrations (reproductions from the 1700's) on the wallpaper at the Carolus Linnaeus Swedish estate. Photo by Ingalill Snitt
Botanical Illustrations (reproductions from the 1700’s) on the wallpaper at the Carolus Linnaeus Swedish estate. Photo by Ingalill Snitt
Linnés Blumenuhr Bücher
 

Linnés Blumenuhr | Bücher- Found on manufactum.de

 
Back to school from Mr Perswall Sverige
Mr Perswall Sverige – Visit mrperswall.se

The Linnaean Gardens of Uppsala are the gardens off famous Swedish 18th century botanist Carl von Linné, and the oldest botanical garden in Sweden.

Carolus Linnaeus

Carolus Linnaeus- Picture Credit- gap.entclub.org

Carl Linnaeus

Carl Linnaeus Seen on Pinterest

Swedish ChestA visit to Hammarby said to have inspired Josef Frank to design the  ” Flora Agency “(Model No. 1050), in 1950 for the Swedish Tenn. The chest is wallpapered with flora posters from “Nordic Flora” by CA Lindman.

18th century medicinal manuscript

18th century medicinal manuscript – Visit christies.com

Picture 8Picture 9Housesdecorated by designers Katrin Cargill Interiors, and Carol Glasser Interiors

See more of these house below

The designers had an artist hand-color and glaze 18th-century black-and-white Dutch engravings for the sunroom; eleven are originals, the balance photocopies that are all but indistinguishable from the real thing. Unable to decide which side of Pierre Frey’s Mennecy Bleu fabric was more beautiful, Carol Glasser and Katrin Cargill used both, one on the settle and one on the the armchair. Like the table, the pieces are Swedish antiques.

Better Homes & Gardens 2

Botanicals always look elegant. Paired with traditional furnishings, they bring pastoral sophistication to a room. Frame and mat botanical prints and hang them in a grid. Don’t be afraid to take over an entire wall — the ivory mats and simple colors of the prints keep the look subtle.- Better Homes and Gardens Magazine- here

Insider a 1790's New York Farmhouse- Country Living MagazineInside a 1790’s New York Farmhouse-  Visit countryliving.com

Swedish-Decorating-Ideas3

Swedish Decorating Ideas From Country Home Magazine

Restoration Hardware2Restoration Hardware

Hand-Pressed Botanicals on Linen From Restoration HardwareHand-Pressed Botanicals on Linen From Restoration Hardware

Gård & Torp From The Best of Swedish BlogGård & Torp From The Best of Swedish Blog

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.

 

A Swedish Collected Home In Upstate New York

In the March 2013 issue of House Beautiful Magazine, featured a home with a unique flair for the Scandinavian style.  The owner spent years collecting Swedish pieces, and together with her designer, Charles O. Schwarz III,  they created a home that captures all the charm of a period Swedish interior.

To give warmth to the home, Schwarz installed planking on the walls and bead board on the ceiling and painted it all Farrow & Ball Picture Gallery Red. beautifully they mix the red with rustic wood.In the breakfast room, dark blue walls add so much drama.  The Gustavian chandelier and mirrored sconces which draw attention to themselves in this dark room, as the lights are turned down and the candles are lit at night.

 

The home is surrounded by neutral furnishings and paint colors.  This color combination can be seen in the rugs, the choice of cabinetry, tile work in the bathroom and the soft Scandinavian furnishings.  A beautiful selection of wallpaper is seen throughout the house in the living room, and several bedrooms, adding a softness to this home.  Farrow & Ball’s Ringwold wallpaper complements the living room’s creamy checkerboard flooring, which was painted by the previous owner. Pay special attention to the choice of paint colors on the trim work, which nicely blends with the overall theme of each room, while at the same time highlights the beautiful architecture of this Greek revival home.  See so many more beautiful pictures of his home at the House Beautiful website

A Swedish Collected Home In Upstate New YorkA Swedish Collected Home In Upstate New York A Swedish Collected Home In Upstate New York A Swedish Collected Home In Upstate New York A Swedish Collected Home In Upstate New York

A Swedish Collected Home In Upstate New York A Swedish Collected Home In Upstate New York A Swedish Collected Home In Upstate New York A Swedish Collected Home In Upstate New York

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…

The History Behind Empire Furniture From The Karl Johan Period -Liza Laserow

Drop leaf table made in Stockholm, Sweden. Details according to the periods highest fashion such as lion feet and lions head. The drawers keyhole is elegantly hidden behind the gilded lions head.

Authored By Liza Laserow

1810 the french officer Jean Babtiste Bernadotte came to southern Sweden accompanied by one of Napoleons marshals Monsieur Bernadotte , the man who was going to become King Karl XIV Johan. It was at this time the French Empire style came to Sweden. Napoleons architects: Charles Percier and Pierre Fontaine developed the style in France during the late 1790. They took Neoclassicism and gave it heavier look. Inspired by the roman empires strong lined art and architecture warlike attributes such as eagles, shields, helmets and spears became important symbols of the period. The glory years for this period was between 1804-1814 when Napoleon I was the emperor which also gave the period its name; Empire. During 1830 the style got softer and late Empire and in southern part of Sweden it got blonder – Biedermeier.

Mahognay with gilded details dominated the periods materials for furniture and mirrors and it was during this period the wallpaper was introduced in the form of panoramic views with classical ruins. Silk upholstery with matching window treatments in strong colors such as green, lemon yellow, red or gold was the highest fashion. Sweden also got its first silk weaving mill thanks to a Swede who smuggled a weaving chair to Sweden from France.

Read more about Swedish porphyry during the Karl Johan period.

About The Author

Liza Laserow, the daughter of the mother-daughter-owned company Laserow Antiques. Born and raised in Sweden, Liza moved to New York City, where, though she had trained to be a lawyer.   Her mother, Karin, founded a showroom in Sweden 30 years ago and, in 2009, Liza helped launch a Laserow Antiques outpost in the New York Design Center in Manhattan. The exquisite gallery features furniture curated from Sweden’s most significant periods—Baroque, Rococo, Gustavian, and Empire—spanning from 1650 to 1820.

Follow Liza’s Blog, Old Is New,

Laserow Antiques Website

Laserow Antiques On 1st Dibs

Britahill
Brandstadvägen 612,
SE 275 67 Vollsjö
Sweden
Phone: +46 (0) 416 352 52
Cell: +46 708 13 52 30

1st Dibs @NYDC
200 Lexington Avenue, 10th Floor #63
New York New York 10016
USA
+1 212 988 9194

info@laserowantiques.com

Rosendal Palace- Picture Credits- Sean Munson On Flicker

Here is a clear shot of the palace’s colors

Today, Rosendal Palace looks very much the same as it did during King Karl XVI Johan  and King Oskar’s days, which makes it a unique document of the European Empire style.

The Empire style, which in Sweden is also known as Karl Johan style, is characterised by furniture in mahogany, wall-to-wall carpeting and magnificent curtain arrangements in strong colours. The Red Salon, the Blue Salon, the Yellow Salon and the Green Salon are all witness to the importance of colour for the period´s interiors.Noteworthy parts of the palace to see include the Library, in which Karl XIV Johan’s book collection is kept in mint condition and the interior of King Karl XIV Johan´s bedchamber which was moved from the Royal Palace in Stockholm to Rosendal in 1913.

A set of 6 Empire dining chairs made in Sweden during the Karl Johan
Period. Frame in mahogany with gilded flower detail on black splat.
Newly upholstered.

A pair of empire desk chairs in mahogany with gilded details in shapes of balls, flowers and fan

Pair of Russian Empire Mahogany Side Chairs

A pair of Tazzas from the late part of the Empire period. Made in Red French Marble, patinated bronze with decor of gilt bronze.

Sofa from the Empire period made in France. Frame of dark polished mahogany with gilt bronze decorations. 4 front legs ending with lion feet in gilt bronze.

A pair of French desk chairs (can be sold separately as well) made in
Mahogany and decorated with polished bronze details. Legs ending with
lions feet. Upholstered in dark brown vintage leather.

Swedish mahogany chest of drawers amde during the Karl Johan period
1820-1830. Simple carvings on drawers front and rounded corners.

A pair of Swedish Biedermeier armchairs in light birch made during the mid 19th Century ca 1840.

A Swedish Karl Johan Alder Root Tablein a very good quality. Top made by inlayed alder root standing on a blackened tripod base.

A Pair of Swedish Karl Johan Armchairs

Rosendal Palace- Picture Credits- Faun070 On Flicker

A single Empire desk chair made during the Empire period early 1800’s in Sweden.

Rosendal Palace- Red Drawing Room  Picture Credits- Faun070 On Flicker

A pair of candlesticks made during the empire period 1810-1830 in
France. Urn shaped candleholders and a rounded channeled body standing
on a round foot decorated with flowers.

Rosendal Palace- Library – Picture Credits- Faun070 On Flicker

An empire game table from France made during the Empire Period ca 1800.
Veneered in mahogany and decorated with inlays and brass detailing.
Opens up to a rectangular top.

Rosendal Palace- Picture Credits- Faun070 On Flicker

A pair of beautiful Karl Johan stools made in Birch

Rosendal Palace- Picture Credits- Faun070 On Flicker

Rosendal Palace- Picture Credits- Faun070 On Flicker

A set of four beautiful Empire Armchairs in their original paint. A cream white with green detailing. Newly upholstered

A exquisite crystal chandelier from the early part of 19th Century and
Karl Johan period. Frame made on brass with gilt bronze details. Diamond
shaped crystals. Four arms for candles and one in the middle of lower
basket Calles “welcoming candle”. All original.

A beautiful and large Swedish Karl Johan mirror from the early 19th
century. Its made in gilt wood and decorated with a carved corniche with
a demi lune shaped top mirror. One colon on each side according to the
symbols of the neoclassisism.

An exquisite tall gilt wood mirror made during the Karl Johan period
with a demi lune shaped molding. A rectangular ending decorated with
leaves.

 Antiques In A Modern Settings By Karin Laserow

A comprehensive guide to blending beautiful antiques into a modern home.

Incorporating antique furniture and art into a modern home may seem like a contradiction, but Karin Laserow and Britt Berg show just how easy it is and how stunning the results can be. Highlighting the rich traditions of Swedish furniture and other décor, this full-color guide begins by explaining the basics of antique furniture, from style histories to the nuanced differences of Baroque, Rococo, Empire, Gustavian, Art Nouveau, and more, with striking photographs throughout. Readers are taught how to tell the difference between old and new, how to evaluate antiques, and how to determine whether repairing, repainting, and refinishing are worthwhile decisions for protecting antique investments.

Custom Reproduction Swedish Furniture From Garbo Interiors

Garbo Interiors was founded by Anneli Ullman and Barbro Sahlin. After training in design and decor, both in Sweden and abroad, the two decided to start the furniture shop Carin and Carl in central Stockholm in 2002.  New opportunities opened up in 2007, where a large hotel in Stockholm needed redecorating, which resulted in Carin and Carl’s closing.

Since then, the concept of Carin, and Carl has grown, with greater perspective and new ideas, and is now – Garbo Brahegatan 21. At Garbo, you will find Swedish-made custom reproductions of Gustavian furniture.  They carry genuine antiques, vintage furniture and accessories.

Garbo can help you choose colors, textiles, furniture and accessories. Let them design your room on your behalf!  They manufacture furniture, with the right fittings, and work closely with the carpentry and craftsman as painters, tilers and dressmakers.

Please contact them below:

http://www.garbointeriors.com

info@garbointeriors.com

+46 (0)8-661 60 08

Besöksadress

Garbo Interiors

Brahegatan 21

 114 37 Stockholm

Barbro Sahlin, Mobil: 073-338 56 08

Anneli Witasp Ullman, Mobil: 070-331 30 79

Custom Reproduction Gustavian Furniture

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 FurnitureThe Swedish Furniture

Louis XV Style Red Lacquer Side Table From Hastening AntiquesProvincial Furniture

4 Easy Steps To Decoupage Beautiful FurnitureThe White Dresser

Decoupage Is Simple! Update Your Kids FurnitureKids Room Decor

Swedish Interiors: How To Decorate With The Color RedThe 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…

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

Lars Bolander’s New Book- Interior Design & Inspiration

Lars Bolander: Interior Design & Inspiration offers a fresh take on Swedish decorating. Lars Bolander has been referred to as one of Sweden’s foremost interior designers and a pioneer of Swedish design, yet he doesn’t limit his personal design style to only the Gustavian period style, rather he introduces a new approach to designing around antiques.  His books Lars Bolander: Interior Design and Inspiration and Lars Bolander’s Scandinavian Design offer expert advice about infusing the Scandinavian style into your home, while at the same time mixing in the traditional and modern elements into one’s living space.

Bolander has been featured in House Beautiful, Vogue, Home & Design, World of Interiors, Southern Accents, The Robb Report, American House & Garden, English House & Garden, Chinese Residence, Elle Decor, Architectural Digest and The Wall Street Journal.

Lars Bolander: Interior Design & Inspiration,

Lars Bolander’s Previous Book- Scandinavian Design

Review By D. Fowler

David Lindley claims that Lars Bolander has “the ability to mix objects in a very satisfying, but surprising way.” My first perusal of the book drew my eye to Lar’s affinity for Gustavian and Swedish Country Styles of decorating. The touch of neoclassical furnishing and decor in some settings brought a refined elegance to rooms, especially those with an obvious Swedish Country Style. Bolander has a rare malleability that allows him to not only incorporate what he envisions for a home, but also what his clients envision. One of the more striking examples, shown on the cover of this book, is a magnificent example of his raw talent.

Find Lars Bolander

Lars Bolander NY Shop, The Fine Arts Building, 232 East 59th Street, 3rd floor, New York, NY 10022

Lars Bolander Palm Beach Shop, 3731 South Dixie Hwy, West Palm Beach, FL 33405

Contact: Michael Hale email: michael@larsbolander.com

Lars Bolander Official Website- Here

Lars Bolander Blog- Here

Lars Bolander Facebook- Here

Lars Bolander’s Home Featured in Home and Garden Magazine

Click here, then click on the magazine, and the pictures blow up, allowing you to read the full article

Lars Bolander’s Home Featured in Home and Garden Magazine

Lars Bolander’s Home Featured in Home and Garden Magazine

Lars Bolander’s Home Featured in Home and Garden Magazine

Lars Bolander’s Home Featured in Home and Garden Magazine

Lars Bolander’s Home Featured in Home and Garden Magazine

Lars Bolander’s Home Featured in Home and Garden Magazine

Quest Magazine April 2007

Lars Bolander-Veranda September 2007

Lars Bolander- Southern Accents Magazine Sept October 2002

Lars Bolander-Veranda September 2007

Lars Bolander- Southern Accents Magazine Sept October 2002

Lars Bolander- Southern Accents Magazine Sept October 2002

Lars Bolander-Veranda September 2007

Lars Bolander-Veranda September 2007

Lars Bolander’s Scandinavian Design- Residence Magazine

Lars Bolander Quest Magazine- The Palm Beach Issue

Lars Bolander Quest Magazine- The Palm Beach Issue

Lars Bolander Quest Magazine- The Palm Beach Issue

A Look At The Castle Behind The Movie “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”

If you have seen the previews for the movie The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, it features a captivating estate many Nordic lovers would instantly recognize as Swedish.  This striking castle featured in the movie is “Yxtaholms Castle”, located on an island in Sörmland, just like it is seen in the movie.  Yxtaholms Castle was built in 1753 by Baron Gustaf N. Clodt.

Released in December 2011, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, tells a murder mystery family saga, a love story, and adds political intrigue to produce a multilayered story line.

The movie sets around a charactor- Harriet Vanger, whom is from one of Sweden’s wealthiest families, and had disappeared over forty years ago. Years later in the film, her aged uncle (billionaire Henrik Vanger), continues to seek the truth of her disappearance. He engages Mikael Blomkvist (a journalist ) into his quest to find the truth, by offering to financially back the struggling Millennium magazine if the journalist will solve the mystery.

The thriller, set in Sweden, shows the beauty of the Scandinavian cold winters and elegant interiors, which are highly contrasted by a pierced and tattooed punk Lisbeth Salander, who is a computer hacker with photographic memory.  She joins forces with Blomkvist to uncover the truth about the 40-year-old disappearance.

The Yxtaholms Castle Website tells us that the castle, stables and wings were built in 1753.   Yxtaholm  began to flourish in the 17th century and today it is a modern hotel, restaurant and conference centre.  Design Guy University Blog tells us that the castle is now owned by owned by female Polish millionaire Iwona de Jong who bought the property for $35M in 2010.  Today it functions as a hotel, and has been
updated.  The conference center is now located in the large stable building. Yztaholms castle has 79 rooms and is about an hour and a half drive from Stockholm.

Additional Pictures of Yxtahoms

-A picture of Yxtaholms Castle on Flicker

Design Guy University Blog– Historical Details on  Yxtaholms with great pictures!

Lovisas Guldkorn Blog– Showing pictures of the suite in one of the wings, and in the hall where an amazing wooden ceiling is painted.

-Another picture of Yztaholms Exterior- Flicker

-Another look at this hotel from John Haudi’s Flicker

-Another picture of Yztaholms Exterior Halsokallan.blogg

Yxtaholms Castle – www.svenskamoten.se

Continue Reading…

A Look Behind Sturehov Manor House In Botkyrka, Sweden

Sturehov or Sturehof (also spelled Sturehov castle) is a manor house in Botkyrka, Sweden. Sturehov manor is located at Rödstensfjärden, about 3 kilometers west of the old Norsborg.

The name Sturehof, originates from the oldest known individual owner, Svante Sture Stenson whom was killed by King Erik XIV in connection with the so-called Sture murders at Uppsala Castle.  His descendants owned the farm for more than half a century. The farm was later purchased in 1778 by Gustaf II’s “Finance”, Baron Johan Liljencrantz, whom acquired the property in 1778 as a summer residence.  They say a fire burned down the main building, and only the two wings from the 1600s remained standing.  It was then that architect Carl Fredrik Adelcrantz draw up plans for a new main building. Adelcrantz was famous architect during the time known for his work with the Opera House in Stockholm. The two remaining wings were then modernized with mansard roof, and an update to the exterior paint color was changed from a country red to a prestigious white.

Also See -Swedish Interiors: The Chinese Pavilion

Today visitors can enjoy an afternoon out at Sturhov, where they also have a year around café called Voltaire & Vänner (Voltaire & Friends).  Take a look inside the cafe at The World According To Pia Blog

Sturehof is regarded as one of the country’s finest example in the Gustavian decorating style. While a number of skilled craftsmen worked on the house, Interior Designer Louis Masreliez and architect Carl Fredrik Adelcrantz were to be considered the best in design and architecture of their time.

Swedish Tile Stoves

Johan Liljencrantz owner of the newly constructed main building at Sturehof was also the owner of the famous Marieberg factory.  Today there is a very limited amount of authentic Marieberg Kakelugnar stoves known to be around today.   The stoves that were located differ from the usual 1700s ovens by its white base color, shiny glaze and their bright colors.  Sturehov houses the country’s largest collection of Marieberg stoves, a total of 17 pieces. The most magnificent of all the stoves is the “Liljecrantz ‘Fireplace’. It is located in the room upstairs, which was supposed to be Liljecrantz ‘bedroom.   The tiled stove was  so famous that it was pictured on a Swedish postage stamp.  After Liljencrantz’s first wife, Ottiliana, died in 1788 he built Norsborgs mansion, and settled with his new wife, Eleanor.

The Röhsska Museum featured this interior which was drawn by architect Carl Fredrik Adelcrantz (1716–1796), who was a central figure in 18th century architecture and art history.

The Röhsska Museum featured an exibit called- The Masreliez room whom was named after the artist and decorator Louis Masreliez (1748-1810), who was Gustav III’s architect. The mural was executed by Louis Masreliez in the late Gustavian (Pompeian) style. Masreliez had studied in Rome for a longer period, and seen and been inspired by the ongoing excavations of antiquity’s Pompei. The wallcovering is painted in oil on fabric.


 A late Gustavian late 18th Century console table.

Design by Louis Masreliez and executed by Jean Baptist Masreliez.

Picture Credits

-Thor-Leif Fogelberg- Photo’s of Sturehov Castle- PBASE

Additional Links & Pictures

-Sturehof Castle- View from Mälaren- Flicker

-Sturehof Castle- Close Up View Of Exterior – Flicker

-Sturehov Slott- Wikipedia

-Research Symposium:  Louis Masreliez National Museum

-A Stunning Picture of Sturehov in the winter

 

Sturehov Castle- Swedish Tiled Stove From Michael Perlmutter Photography

Swedish Interior With A Tiled Wood Stove Sturehofs Slott- boibotkyrka.s

Photo By by RRRmikko For Panoramio.com

Heli Lehtonen Fashion Sets on Flicker

Here we see the chairs with modern slipcovers keeping with the Gustavian look.

Thor-Leif Fogelberg- pbase

Gustavian Interiors- Swedish Tiled Stove From Michael Perlmutter Photography

Also Featured in Neoclassicism In The North

The Green Room Wikipedia

The Green Room Wikipedia

Central Room – Wikipedia

Cafe?  Wikipedia

Close Up Look At This Sensational Tile Stove- www.alltomkakelugnar.se

This beautiful stove is in Baroness large bedroom on Sturehof Castle. In the 1700s, considered the bedrooms not particularly private, but I also perform the function of living.

Among the first thing that visitors encounter when going into the company over the floor at Sturehof Castle is the octagonal drawing room and its fireplace in column style. It is a style formation that tries to mimic the columns that held up the ancient temples. This on Srurehof is typical in that it had a square base with a cylindrical top, and tight spot that was tromp l’oeil painted. Tromp l’oeil was very modern at the time and was to be atop the tiles glaze painted decoration that would look as three-dimensional as possible to simulate the ribs and three-dimensional details. – Information From alltomkakelugnar.se

Thor-Leif Fogelberg- pbase

Sturehofs Castle – cotedetexas.blogspot.com

Sturehof Castle Interior –Wikipedia

Another Spectacular Kakelugnar Stove

 

Model Sara Hammarbäck Featured At Sturehofs Slott.-

Heli Lehtonen Fashion Sets on Flicker

Visit Stockholm Blog

The Gustavian Style Of Swedish Interior Designer Louis Masreliez

Thor-Leif Fogelberg- pbase

Liljencrantz ‘Fireplace- Wikipedia

Sturehov Castle Featured in The Swedish Room by Lars Sjöberg, Ursula Sjöberg, Ingalill Snitt,

Previewed by Google books here

Sturehov Castle Featured in The Swedish Room by Lars Sjöberg, Ursula Sjöberg, Ingalill Snitt,

Previewed by Google books here

Louis Masreliez- The Designer Behind Gustav III’s Pavilion At Haga Park

Masreliez was born in Paris and began his education at Ritakademien, which was a drawing academy at the youthful age of 10.  In 1769, Masreliez was given a study grant which allowed him the opportunity to travel to Paris and Bologna to study.  When he left Bologna in 1773, he decided to stay in Paris for eight years,where he then returned to Sweden in 1782 to become a commissioner of the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts.  He advanced the following year, when he was made a professor of art history.  Then in 1805, he bacame the director of the Academy.

He was responsible for the interior of Gustav III’s Pavilion at Haga Park.  In addition he also was responsible for the interior of Tullgarn Palace. Masreliez is remembered for its interior decorations at Haga, Drottningholm, Stockholm Palace in the classical Pompeian style. Masreliez was inspired by the excavations of Pompeii and Herculaneum, which could be seen in his interior design.

The pictures below in this post are located in Salviigränd, which is an alley in Gamla stan, old town in central Stockholm.  On the second floor -Number 1, (the only building in that block not part of the Parliament administration), is a suite of rooms created by Louis Masreliez for the bachelor Wilhelm Schwardz in 1795. Dressed up in pastel, grey, and gold, the elegant Gustavian Classicism interiors features lighted candles, cut-glass chandeliers, taffeta curtains, and friezes and medallions.

A special thanks is to be given to A Connoisseurs Quest Blog for the pictures of Wilhelm Schwardz’s Home in Stockholm- See the entire postA Peek at the Usually Hard to See House by The Gustavian Designer Masreliez in Gamla Stan, Stockholm”  

One can see parallels between the Gamla Stan and Sturehov, particularly in the placement of furniture. Larger round tables serve as focus points in both the Gamla Stan and Sturehov.  Both of the Kakelugnar stoves also have classical columns which make the base of the stove.

We are happy to discover this designer with you….!

Masreliez House, Stockholm

Masreliez House, Stockholm

Masreliez House, Stockholm

Masreliez House, Stockholm

Masreliez House, Stockholm

Masreliez House, Stockholm