Pair of Late Gustavian Neoclassical Chairs

Pair of Late Gustavian / Neoclassical Chairs

Jason Phillips

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

Wooden Flooring

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

Color Palettes Of Brown And Grey

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

Furniture Lines

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

Functional Furniture

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

Corner Fire

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

The Environment

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

Less is more

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

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

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

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

19th Century Swedish Gustavian Pedestal Table

19th Century Swedish Gustavian Pedestal Table

Set of Four 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Chairs

Set of Four 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Chairs

19th Century Swedish Gustavian Style Bench

19th Century Swedish Gustavian Style Bench

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

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

Colefax and Fowler

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

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

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

1. Put on New Hardware

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

2. Refinish It

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

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

3. Paint

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

4. Reupholster It

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

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

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

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

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

Table With 4 Chairs- Live Auctioneers

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

Table With 8 Chairs- Live Auctioneers

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

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

$11M Stockholm Palace is Made for ….Curbed

$11M Stockholm Palace is Made for ….Curbed

Häringe Slott Sweden, Swedish Castles, Swedish Resorts, Historical Hotels, King Gustav Vasa, Gustavus Horn, Swedish Wallpaper, Swedish Furniture, Swedish Decor, Swedish Interiors

Häringe Castle- mogi.metromode.se

If you want to explore near Stockholm Sweden, consider visiting the Palace-turned-hotel Häringe Castle.  This stunning 17th-century baroque castle- hotel just 45 miles outside Stockholm is located near a nature reserve.   Historic lore suggests that Vikings first claimed the Häringe Peninsula as property in the 11th century.  The estate has belonged to many famous people as King Gustav Vasa, Gustavus Horn, and Axel Wenner-Gren. Häringe was a ship yard during the time of King Gustav Vasa and probably even earlier.  Häringe manor consists of the castle garden and park facilities, farm buildings, staff quarters, the farms and active farmland. Häringe is a very important link to the City’s history, and is a national tourist destination.

The main building was originally built in 1657 by Field Marshal Gustav Horn. The south wing was built slightly earlier when the castle was built. The castle got its present appearance at a major refurbishment in 1770.  Häringe sat as an estate from about 1770 until 1929, when it was bought by the newspaper man Torsten Kreuger. Kreugar added the landscaping and the swimming pool.
After Kreuger, Häringe was bought in 1934 by business and industrialist Axel Wenner-Gren and founder of Electrolux. He filled the mansion with expensive furniture, and it was said he also built the road leading up to the estate. The Wenner-Gren had Häringe many famous guests like Greta Garbo, Danny Kaye, Karl Gerhard. At one point, all the furnishings were sold by one owner, only to be researched and re-purchased by another one years later.  After Wenner-Gren’s death in 1961, the lavish furnishings disappeared.  The new owner, crab importer Olle Hartwig, pored over Wenner-Gren’s photo albums, and was able to re-purchase most of the items.

Häringe castle is located in open countryside between Landfjärden and Bobäcken. Häringe estate was in the early 1900s, one of the largest in the county. The manor house, which has its origins in the mid-1600s, is today a whitewashed two-story building with mansard roof. It has separate wings on both the north and south side. On the south side there is a large swimming pool and remnants of very old trees.  Beyond the grandeur interior, the property lead the way to feature Sweden’s first outdoor pool with a slide from the second floor bathroom, as well as a bowling alley and underground tunnels.

North and east of the castle are a dozen red-painted farm buildings of different ages, which at one time meet the housing needs of the property. These are dominated by a large barn from 1946. On the castle’s west side are the remains of a garden with statues from the Wenner-Gren at the Castle (1934-1961).

There is also a nature reserve south of the property called the Häringe-Hammersta. The land in the nature reserve owned by the Archipelago Foundation. The land immediately surrounding the castle is privately owned.  Today the palace is used for conferences, as hotel accommodation. This castle turned hotel is owned by the Ljungberg family since 1999 and is part of an exclusive hotel chain.

Information gathered from Haninge.se

Additional Links:

– A Bridal Party At Häringe Castle – 2bridesphotography.com

– Most interesting pictures tagged “häringeslott” on Flick River

– An Enchanted Castle in Sweden –remodelista.com

– An Enchanted Garden in Sweden- www.gardenista.com

– Sweden’s most haunted castle: Häringe – Network Europe

– A night at Haringe Palace –Live Like You

 

The indoor dining room features doors painted by an artist who lived in the home
in the 1930s. Wallstreet Journal

It is no doubt that the hottest designers are using distressed Gustavian furniture in their own homes. Designer Daniel Romualdez is one of those designers.  His Montauk, New York home also shows off a captivating white based interior.  Romualdez breathed new life into the home using only splashes of blue, white and black.  The main dining room shows a beautiful collection of seashells in weathered frames.  The room is furnished with 18th century Gustavian furniture with a geometric blue and white upholstery.  Most of all the pictures we picture below are credited to the Wallstreet Journal.  Here are a few links to this homes interior from Corbis.  Here is a picture of the stairway that was installed in limed pine, in line with the Swedish styles found through the house.

Decorating with seashells can add a natural touch to your home.  Here are 10 tips to getting a high end look with seashells:

1.  Paint your walls in soft pastels. Keeping the wall color light will create a serene feel and allow you to play off the colors found in the lighter natural tones of seashells.

The ocean and the sky are both blue, so blue should be incorporated into the color scheme. Borrow looks from Daniel Romualdez’s home by choosing upholstery in blue and white.  White based backgrounds for upholstery choices keep within the classic textile choices found in Sweden.

-Light blue or green walls are also great colors for a room decorated with seashell decor.

-If you do use brighter blues, consider using it in an accessory as Daniel Romualdez’s does with a vibrant floral centerpiece.  Add layers of duller blues in your rooms with accents of brighter tones of blue sparingly.

2. Mix in reds, oranges, and golden hues within your home decor to provide a contrast to the white walls, and white shells such as what Daniel Romualdez’s does with the black hand painted doors, and black frames on the walls.

3. Consider installing wall panelling, which can be stained in a soft cream or white.  Wood adds an organic layer that is commonly found in Swedish decorating. Clean, brilliant white walls make a great backdrop for bold color splashes or natural wood accents.

4.  Sofa or floor pillows incorporate the feeling of comfort.  This Sea Shell Linen Pillow Cover with Jute & Mother Of Pearl Embroidery has both the linen fabrics found in Swedish decorating, as well adds a bit of the pearl shine we find in the sea.

5.  Cover furniture or home decor with shells.  A neoclassical bust with smaller seashells is a sophisticated approach to using shells in your decor.  All you need is a nice looking neoclassical bust, hot glue and a variety of seashells.

-Make a crown for the bust or display it on it’s own.

Here we see a rustic bust, with a seashell crown.

Here we see a mirror made with hand collected shells and Ikea mirror frame.  All the shells are facing the same direction rather than the sporadic placement that we see with seashell art.

Here we see a beautiful floral display with an urn decorated in seashells

Plaster Busts on Ebay

7.  Consider presenting your collection of shells as a display on your wall with corbels.  Instead of displaying the smaller shells, collect the larger seashells, which can make more of an impact.  Swedish decorating is known for clean, uncluttered looks, so bigger shells are better in a Swedish scheme.  Corbels can be rather expensive, but there are ways of getting corbels that match without spending $300 on each corbel.  Make your own shelves for pennies with concrete molds such as this one from Mold CreationsConcrete Success has the perfect mold shelf featuring a sea shell in the design, selling for $34 dollars.  This allows you to make endless shelves for your collections, without spending any more than for the mold itself, and the plaster or concrete.

Interesting Finds on Ebay And Amazon

This square sea shell mold would be a rather interesting texture to cover an entire accent wall in a bathroom with. It has a rather primitive fossil quality to it.

-Silver Tone Decorative Spiny Jewel Nautical Sea Shell Home Decor $27

-Luxury Lane Hand Blown Art Glass Seashell Centerpiece 7.5″ tall by 12.5″ long $25

-White Pearlized Chambered Nautilus Sea Shell Decor 5″ – 6″ $25

-100% Real Sea Shell-4.5″ Original From Haiwaii,$9

-Small Brass Compass Rose Nautical Wall Plaque $50

-Bathroom Decor- Set of 3 Decorative Clear Glass Bottles with Nautical Sea Shell $71

-Luxury Lane Hand Blown Art Glass Seashell Centerpiece 4.5″ tall by 9″ long $25

-Aluminum Sea Shell Decor 4″H, 10″W $36

-Round Rustic Wooden Nautical Porthole Mirror– $70

-Set of 2 Seafoam Green and Cream Sea Shell Pattern Rustic Aged Decorative Bowls $110

-Gorgeous Set of 4 Mini Sea Shell Covered Spheres $48

-Decorative Wooden Paddle  $19

-Wooden Nautical Sailboat Yacht Model w/ Shell Sail $24

See our other post Daniel Romualdez’s Breathtaking Late-Eighteenth Century Farmhouse

Daniel Romualdez’s Montauk Home-www.williamwaldron.com

Another View Of This Room From www.corbisimages.com

You can see the trim was painted blue, and the floors limed.  In addition, the doors were touched up.

In a corner of the living room, a 1940s mercury glass lamp stands on a rough, round Empire-style table next to two 1920s Scandinavian painted chairs. The graceful wing-backed chaise dates from the 1930s and is upholstered in simple white canvas duck, with natural linen pillows from Ruby Beets.- House Beautiful Magazine

If you haven’t ever seen Ruby Beets home, you are in for a treat.  Featured in House Beautiful Magazine back in July of ’06 , this house has the perfect mix of old world charm,and rustic surprises that make it very interesting to the eye.  The raw painted furniture, iron decorative items, wood panels and paint color choices are particular elements of the interior styles found in Sweden.

If you enjoy the country cottage looks, but want something more upscale, borrow ideas from this home. Here are a couple suggestions from this interior.

1.  Have Slipcovers Made- Spend the extra money and have tailored slipcovers made that will give you the comfortable feel like this home.  Swedish textiles were mostly made from organic materials.  Consider materials like muslin, duck, or canvas.  Many people are taking drop cloths sold in hardware stores and bleaching them.  Today you can buy pure white duck or canvas cloth in off white, and various shades of cream, and blue amongst other colors.

2.  Invest in Great Antiques– I am not one of those people who are afraid of touching antiques.  My best advice, is if you find a sensational chair, improve it and make it your own.  Buy the upholstery fabric that makes you happy.  Buy the hardware that you will enjoy looking at day after day.  Make it YOU!

It is amazing what a strip job will do for your wood furniture.  Taking off the varnish will allow the paint to sink into the wood, that when you do to distress the wood, the overall finish looks so much better than painting it alone.  For years I have used a chemical stripper until I bought a heat gun, and I never knew that stripping furniture was soooooo easy and fast!  If you want to get a rustic look for your furniture, working with the bare wood is the ticket to high quality Swedish looks.

3. Use Black Somewhere- Swedish interiors are usually based around light colors such as blue, light greens, gray and so forth.  You would be amazed how nice black stands out against a lightly colored wall.  I used to love black painted furniture, that everything was painted black until I fell in love with lighter painted furniture, and all of our furniture was repainted in white or gray.  Our walls in our house are painted a light blue, and after debating what color to paint a hallway floor clock, I decided to plunge for black, and was it ever a great decision!   Everyone comments on it, because it sure stands out against the lighter colored walls.  Contrast can be a surprise!  Black colored furniture looks exceptionally well in lighter interiors.  Even if you have just one piece in black, it can look sensational!

Here are some of the comments from Ruby Beets featured in Home Beautiful that were particularly interesting

“I was a vintage clothing dealer in the’70s. I’ve been buying old stuff forever. Ruby Beets used to be about the found object school of antiques. My partner and I would buy a dresser and it would have peeling paint and we thought that was romantic. But now we want the drawers to work—enough with the drawer bottoms falling out! The new store is a cleaner, more modern and edited version of what we used to do. My house is too. Life is irritating enough at a certain age. Anyway, I like a lot of white, you can see that. All the furniture is slip-covered in muslin or cotton duck so I can remove it and wash it, which I do every six weeks. I guess, unless something horrible happens. I like big graphic shapes. Those white dishes and things in the kitchen cabinets, some are vintage and some are new ironstone, which we carry in the store. That cabinet we
bought from the local hardware store here. It went out of business, and they had 52 feet of glass cabinetry that we took and put in the kitchen. ”

“When you walk in, you don’t know what age the house is, but it feels like something old. I love it because it feels transparent inside. Hie boards are painted gray like the sea in winter, and because we have no near neighbors we have nothing on the windows—you can see from the front door all the way through to the water at the back. You can see a lighthouse in the distance. The girls used to say they lived in a lighthouse.”

“My husband is an obsessed fisherman, but he’s catch-and-release. He also collects taxidermy fish. He probably has 50 or 40 in his office.”

What is the significance of the name, Ruby Beets?-“Oh. I don’t know. I made it up years ago. But it’s catchy, right?”