Painting Swedish Looking Furniture – 3 Tips / Part 3
Picture Credit Habitania Work Rooms
As we discussed in Part 2, Accent furniture, such as Gustavian chairs, smaller tables, drop leaf tables, stools, and benches can be brought into the home, and used instead of the larger scaled furniture that we are used to today to achieve that Swedish Gustavian look.
Another element that draws people to the historical Swedish look is the painted furniture. There is an art to getting the rich patina that is seen on true antique furniture found in Sweden. Almost anyone can find vintage French furniture in their area which can be distressed using a number of techniques to give it a historical appeal.
In this early post I wrote, I describe some of the paint techniques I have used to achieve great white painted furniture.
Here are some of my best tips to getting realistic Swedish painted finishes……
1. Work with colors that are muted. If you have ever mixed paint before, think about the colors that are produced when black or white paint has been added to a color. In the 17th and 18th century, there was a limited color palette available, so black and white paint was added to an existing color to produce a shade that was darker or lighter. On one of my pinterest boards, I compile some colors that will give you ideas of ranges of hues that are very appropriate. Annie Sloan has a wonderful range of colors which all are muted, yet vibrant paint shades which I suspect were based off the French style that she is so attracted to. She has put together a fabulous palette of colors which would work in any French or Swedish styled home.
Don’t ever work with colors with really bright pigments. I cannot blame anyone for being confused as there are thousands of shades of paint to pick from. The furniture should look aged, and color appropriate for the century you are after. I guarantee you, getting a really nice finish on a piece of furniture doesn’t have to be complicated.
2. Strip Or Sand To Get Down To Bare Wood.
A raw wood piece of furniture is always the best to work with. Although finding a piece of furniture that is untouched with paint rarely happens. Starting off with a piece of furniture that is not painted is ideal, but if it does have paint, consider comparing the the color you have picked out to the color the furniture is painted in currently.
Would you mind having the original color showing through?
If not, consider spending the time stripping off the paint. A perfect strip job isn’t necessarily if you plan on re-painting it, but enough of the paint removed will give you a new wood surface to work off of.
I have seen black painted furniture with distressing showing white beneath, and it doesn’t look great. A base color of red looks terrific with black painted furniture, or just plain wood. If you don’t want to strip the furniture, (as it is a lot of work) consider giving a good deep sanding to the furniture, especially to the areas you plan on distressing.
Often times if stripping the furniture is something I don’t wish to do, I sand the furniture quite well as a first step, paint it in the color I plan on working with, and then sanding it again as a third step. This allows me to touch up the original paint color that shows through, while leaving some of the distressed areas that show off the wood. It is a lazy way of getting the finish, but the results are quite nice.
If you plan on doing multiple shades such as the chest below, consider colors that work really nicely together. White works nicely as a top color.
Swedish Distressed Chest From Atelier September
Distressing gives your piece of furniture a depth, which is often seen in Swedish antiques. I am not afraid of roughing up my furniture, and I am not afraid of altering an antique. Many antique dealers caution people from painting furniture, because it does loose the natural patina, and because of that, it often looses the value. This is a wise piece of advice to those people who are looking to “invest” in heirlooms for the value.
If you always wanted a white distressed cabinet, paint it, and don’t be afraid to do so. My motto is that you have to first love the piece, because after all, it is in YOUR home. Your children may have a totally different style in mind for their own home, so do what makes you happy, rather than looking at furniture as items to pass down to family.
I used to sell used furniture for a hobby, and always ran into the problems with paint sticking properly. Either you tore off your arm by sanding the heck out of every piece, or you ran the risk of the paint peeling later on, which lead me to use oil paint. Not every oil paint brand is the same. Some brands are so hard to work with, that they will make you pull your hair out. It is almost impossible to find oil paint in a finish that is either flat or eggshell. You won’t find glossy Swedish antique furniture, so don’t use it on your furniture. The look should either be eggshell, or satin.
Cover Stain By Zinsser is a fantastic oil primer which I discovered by accident, and almost was beside myself when I discovered how well it performs. You can buy this at Home Depot and almost every Hardware Store, and the best part of this paint is that it is TINTABLE in almost all the lighter shades of paint samples such as Behr, Martha Stewart, and so forth.
High Hide Odorless Oil Primer without Sanding – Odorless Primer
I bought the paint, because I couldn’t send out a piece of furniture which would later peel. I wanted a paint that could stick to anything and not scratch. Oil based paints are not environmentally friendly. The trade off with this paint is that it has a heavy smell which disappears after it has dried. You will need to use a paint respirator, and I emphasize that recommendation.
The most surprising aspect to Zinsser’s Coverstain Primer is that it is not a thick paint. It is rather thin, and goes on like spreadable butter. You rarely need an additional layer of paint, because it is oil after all, and isn’t like water based paints. Oil paints tend to self level as they dry, leaving almost no brush marks. Oil paints do cover well, and hold up wonderful. Unlike other oil paints, which can take up to a week to cure, this Coverstain dries to the touch in 3 hours, and cures over night.
The other reason why I recommend this product, is that it is sand-able. Almost every other oil paint brand I have tried doesn’t sand very well, and often leaves the finish needing an extra coat. Because Zinsser’s Coverstain dries flat (matte) sanding blends in rather nicely. In the past, I often added two coats of the tinted primer, and then sealed it with a Polycrylic
Polycrylic is one of the best finishes to use on white based furniture, because it doesn’t yellow over time, like polyurethane does. With the polycrylic, I would apply it with a brush, and then with a damp white cotton wash rag, I would just wash it off. This would give me a seal to the paint color, while at the same time, maintain the flat, or eggshell finish that I enjoyed.
Another tip I would recommend is to buy a good quality angle paint brush for water based paints. I have used these with my oil paints, and my brush sits in paint thinner for weeks, and it is still not damaged. Regular chip brushes are ok, and inexpensive enough to throw out, but a good quality brush won’t leave paint strokes. Someone suggested to me to invest in an expensive brush, and I pass on those words of wisdom.
Swedish Accent Chair With A Fabulous Paint Finish $506
18th Century Buffet, circa 1760 Jane Moore Interiors in Houston
Picture Originally Featured on Indulge Decor Blog
Stunning Swedish Styled White Painted Accent Chair
Neoclassical Swedish Styled Accent Chairs Sold In Pairs $983
3. Glaze Your Furniture With Brown Glaze…..
Glazing is so easy, it takes minutes. If you can wipe your table after dinner, you have the skills to glaze! It is that easy. A glaze is a translucent binder which paint pigment is added to the mixture to produce a translucent color. You can buy glaze mixed together at your local hardware much like ordering paint, or you can buy glaze alone and mix in paint yourself.
Buying brown glaze already mixed will go a far way if you paint furniture for a living. I used it on all my painted pieces, including my white furniture.
Blend & Glaze Decorative Painting Liquid
Ralph Lauren Faux Technique Glaze
I have discovered that glaze can be applied in two ways. You can apply it with a paint brush, let it stand for 3 minutes, and take it off with a slightly damp rag. With white furniture, even though you may feel you removed a lot of the glaze, the little bit that is left gives your furniture that slight change in color.
With flat finished white furniture, I give some wise words of wisdom. Add a coat of polycrlic before you glaze. You could even dilute the polycrylic with a slight bit of water, OR, just brush on a very small amount on to your furniture, such as dry brushing techniques. The reason for this, is that your furniture can turn a shade of brown, which is not what you are after. White furniture will have a hue of brown, but you don’t want the glaze to STAIN the paint.
Another trick is to work with a creamy white, not a bright modern white. Your whites should always have undertones of brown or green in them. When glazing white furniture, if the finish is flat or eggshell, you will need to work fast in pulling off that glaze. If the finish is satin, you will have a bit more time.
For painted furniture such as blue, or darker paint colors, glaze can be added, and it makes a world of difference. Often times I just paint on the glaze, such as you would just dry brushing the furniture. I use the term “dry brushing” as your paint brush isn’t loaded with paint. A small amount is necessary to make a dramatic difference. A brighter colored blue, will be muted when brown glaze is added, so experiment with brighter paint shades with brown glaze, you might be surprised what beautiful finishes can be achieved.
These Swedish chairs were likely scraped down to the original paint
Look how nice white upholstery looks with gray paint.
Originally featured on Romantiskahem.blog
This beautiful console table featured on The Paper Mulberry Blog, originally from Appley Hoare Antiques
Tara Shaw Swedish Chest- Coach Barn Now Sells Tara Shaw’s Collection
Reproduction Swedish Tub Chairs From Amazon $775
Swedish Distressed Chest From Atelier September
A Stunning Trumeau Mirror From Tone on Tone Antiques,
Featured on Henhurst Interior Blog
Swedish Aged Paint Finishes From Antiqbr Blog
An extravagant painted sofa in terrific blue gray paint with painted ormolu
From Tone on Tone Antiques Featured on Featured on Henhurst Interior Blog
Swedish Aged Paint Finishes From Antiqbr Blog
A Few Previous Articles Of Interest
- – White Painted French Furniture– The French Provincial Furniture
- –25 Ideas Of How To Incorporate Orange, Pink and Coral Into Your Home- The French Provincial Furniture
- – Ideas For Embellishing Painted Furniture– The French Provincial Furniture
- –French Provence Red Check Textiles– The French Provincial Furniture
- –Distressing Painted French Provincial Furniture
Breathtaking Weathered Dining Tables You Can Buy Online
French Louis XVI Directoire Provincial Walnut Dining Table- Quality Is Key On Ebay $765
French Louis XVI Style Drape & Bow Carved Painted Dining Chairs $1436 Quality Is Key On Ebay
Consider this stunning Maison table available from World Bazaar Exotics on ebay, listed at $1,188 for your Swedish Gustavian styled home.
Dimensions: 48″ Version: 48W X 47D X 31H, 68W with leaf, 72″ Version: 72W X 47D X 31H, 92W with leaf
This outstanding table with timeless 18th century style is crafted out of solid oak with aged finishing techniques that will surely impress you and all your guests. This deep grey finish will work quite perfectly in a Gustavian styled home. This table includes one 20″ drop-in leaf extension.
Restoration Hardware also sold a very comparable table inspired by 19th-century French Empire design. RH’s table is also built from solid oak, and had a full skirt and slender tapered fluted legs. A weathered finish also lends itself to a look that has been aged for years. RH’s price ranges from $695 – $1495
Restoration Hardware’s French Oval Table
Gustavian Oval Gate Leg Table
Gustavian furnishings have an uncanny ability to express serious sophistication without ever veering into the indulgent, foo-foo, or precious. This oval dining room table is a classic example of serious form following the functionality that only a drop leaf surface can provide. Whether placed in a loft of cottage, city apartment or large estate, this piece just works. 31 inches high x 63 inches wide x 77.5 inches long
Swedish Dining From Traditional Home, April 2007
French Country Louis Dining Table $3,348
A graceful 18th century style piece reminiscent of the French country aesthetic, this generous dining table will please those devoted to beauty and simplicity. Fashioned from solid oak and elm, the rounded edges and legs create a gentle, rustic effect.
Beautiful White Rent Table – Seen In The Home of Shannon Bowers
Carl Larsson Table From The Gustavian Collection
Louis Extension Dining Table French White Solid Hardwood- Buy it on Ebay
The Napoleon collection faithfully captures the romantic feel of vintage, painted furniture from the French countryside. Featuring gently curved frames made of solid hardwood, brightly colored then rubbed down on the edges. Adds a soft splash of vibrance to any setting. $2,200.00 71″ to 91″ x 43″ x 30″, (91″ fully extended ) Oak wood
Harlequin Set of Twelve French Dining Chairs in Grey Linen Antony Tood
Linley Heavy Distress Farm House 14 Person Trestle Dining Table $3,938.00
The Perfectly Imperfect Home: How to Decorate and Live Well
Swedish Mora Floor Clocks
Mora Clock in Salmon Paint Sweden, Circa 1820, Tall case clock signed “Matts Jonson/Mora”, Sweden circa 1820. Wonderful salmon paint with gilded detail, all having an exceptional patina. Original clockworks have been newly cleaned and adjusted
Swedish Mora Clock Painted In A Soft Blue With Cream Painted Carved Accents From A Tyner Antiques
Sweden Circa 1790 Early Mora clock, Sweden circa 1790, in original pale salmon paint. The bonnet features beaded detail around the face and the crown, as well as oval glass panels on either side for viewing the clockworks. Both the bonnet and case retain their early, rounded glass. All original with newly cleaned and regulated clockworks Cupboards and Roses
Below:
1. Swedish Painted Pine Tall Case Clock, C. 1780, of the Rococo Style with carved and polychromed case detail. Mora movement and original paint decoration – Lillian August Designs
2. A Swedish tall clock in a rare pillar design with and original faux painting resembling marble. The face is an unusual combination of metal exterior with a gilded center echoing the gilt paint on the feet. The clock is in working order with the added feature of a calendar. Sweden, circa 1800. Dawn Hill Antiques
3. Swedish tall case clock, c.1780-1800, of the Gustavian period, the rococo case carved with neoclassic gilded motifs and retaining traces or its original paint. Mora movement. Lillian August Designs
Below:
1. Mora clock, Sweden circa 1820, with dial signed “P. Svensson / Rageröd.” Scandinavian pine case with reeded panels and dentil molding under the bonnet. The original clockworks have been newly cleaned and regulated. Sold By Cupboards & Roses
2.Sweden Circa 1848 “Mora” clock, Sweden dated 1848, with a beautifully carved case retaining its original painted decoration including the two sets of initials commemorating a marriage. Inside the case is a record of the clock’s provenance which reads,”Carl Nilsson, 1786-1850. Worked as a clockmaker in Northern Slätthult, Jönköping County. Buried in the cemetery of Villstad. This clock was purchased June 13, 1964 by Emil Johansson.” Sold By Cupboards & Roses
3.Antique Black Swedish Mora Grandfather Clock, circa 1850, Antique Swedish Black Painted Grandfather Clock. The lovely curves of this clock are typical of the Mora grandfather clocks, famous from Sweden. Sold by Scandinavian Antiques
Swedish Mora Clock From swedishinteriordesign.co.uk
Swedish Mora Clocks From swedish-clocks.com, rlgoins.com, Swedish Interior Design
Shannon Bowers Home, Swedish Design- Painted Blue Mora Clock
Swedish Painted Pine Tall Case Clock, C. 1780 Lillian August Designs, Swedish Interior Design
5 Space Saving Pieces For The Swedish Home
One of the things I enjoy the most about Swedish furniture is its clean lines and compact nature. Bessie of the housing crunch and the typically small living quarters in that area of the world, the furniture they make is ideal for tight living. If you have a small apartment or home, then Swedish furniture may be a great type of furnishings for you to use. Here are some good space-saving ideas:
1. No arms – Chairs and couches with no arms or every low arms opens up a room and make it more comfortable visually. The lack of arms on chairs also makes them easier to slide under a table or get out of the way when you need extra room.
2. Multipurpose – There are many pieces of multipurpose furnishings that are unique to Swedish furniture. Many times you will see things like a loft bed with a desk underneath or a couch that doubles as a bed. These ways of making furniture more useful are great ideas in a small home.
3. Storage – Storage is also a big issue. Many Swedish homes do not have closets or they have very little space in them. That is why storage is so important. Bringing back the idea of multipurpose use, you will find that many Swedish designed benches also raise up so that you can store things inside them. Footstools do the same thing in the living area, as do coffee tables. Anything that can hold something will. They even put storage drawers under the beds.
4. Clean lines – Clean, uncomplicated lines mean that the room looks bigger than it really is. You do not want a lot of heavy furnishings taking up the space. Instead, think thin and organic with unvarnished wood and exposed metal fittings.
5. Easy to assemble – The trials and tribulations of living in a small space is that when you have to move you have to get everything as compact as possible. That is where easy to assemble and disassemble furniture comes in hands. If you can move something in a box instead of trying to heft it down a flight or two of stairs it is much more convenient.
As you can see, Swedish furniture is ideal for tight living. If you have a small home and want to make it feel like a larger space, Swedish furniture might be your answer.
Author Bio:
Paul and his wife Julie both spend quite a bit of time coming up with ideas, blogging, and researching all things related to childcare through “babysittingjobs.com/”.
Swedish Tables and Console Ideas From Victoria Magazine 2001
Gustavian Style Dining Chairs Seller Cupboards & Roses
Photos: Enrique Menossi Para Antiq
Living With Light:The Scandinavian Way
The colours used in many Scandinavian homes are whites, neutrals and the tones and hues of nature – the grey blues of a northern lake at dawn or the cool vanilla light of the midnight sun.
Surfaces are painted pale, or emboldened with blocks of bright white. Windows, triple glazed to keep in the heat in winter, are dressed with fine, unlined fabrics to let in the maximum amount of light, and mirrors reflect every gleam of precious daylight or candlelight into nooks and niches.
The home of the artist/fashion designer J Morgan Puett
Swedish Dining Chairs From Circa Antiques on One Kings Lane
Late Rococo Chairs- Gronsoe Castle Sweden 1780- Lief Almont Antiques
Swedish Side Chairs- Laserow Antiques
Another Photo From Living With Light:The Scandinavian Way
I like to bring the same unstructured look to choosing furniture too, and this house in Sweden (see more like this in ‘Living With Light’) has the ideal combination of practicality and charm. The hand-woven rag rugs are traditional in Sweden, and are often handed down through the generations.- Gail Abbott – Drop Leaf Swedish Dining Table
Affordable Holiday Dining Décor That Looks Like It Was Done by the Pros- Grace Kelly
Decorating for the winter holidays does not have to be arduous or expensive. A professional look is easy by following even a few of the following hints. There are some simple rules of which to be aware before diving into the list of ideas.
First, one should work with the look that he already has in the dining room. For example, a rustic looking room could be decorated with an abundance of natural outdoor elements. On the other hand, a formal dining room may call for a more ornate look.
Second, one should always decorate in a way that feels comfortable to him. Most decorating can be done simply using items that the individual already has while obtaining a couple other pieces affordably. The key is to use the imagination to take indoor decorations, pieces from the outdoors and a few affordable add-ons to decorate just like the professionals.
Theme and Colors
The first step in decorating a dining room for the holidays is choosing a theme. A few options include rustic, elegant, country, modern or eclectic. In addition, the individual may choose to decorate around one or two simple items, such as snowflakes, pinecones, flowers or fruits. A good point to remember is that a theme does not have to be overdone to be meaningful. Professional decorators often prefer to use one or two main décor pieces that will catch the eye.
The second step is choosing a color scheme. Many prefer using a traditional palette of reds and greens. However, modern options would include shades of blue, shades of green, or an all white setting. A dining room will look quite elegant when outfitted in metallic colors.
Plants
Plants are the perfect way to enliven a room. They provide natural bursts of color and fresh scents. There are several ways to use fresh plants in a dining room.
§ Poinsettias are a staple for the holiday season. Because poinsettias come in varieties of reds and whites, they will match a variety of color schemes.
§ An environmentally friendly option is to place evergreen tree saplings on the table or the floor; in the spring, they can be planted outdoors.
The Table
The dining room table is the perfect place for creativity. The ideas for decorating here are as limitless as one’s imagination. First choose the color and design of the dishes, tablecloth and napkin.
§ Napkin rings are essential for a polished look. These can be store-bought or homemade using florist’s wire and greenery from a craft store.
§ Nametags make seating easy. The tags can be decorated with stamps, printed or hand-written on specialty paper, wired to sprigs of greenery or set in spray-painted pinecones.
§ Candles provide ambiance. Floating candles, set in short glass bowl filled with cranberries and water, will not block one’s view across the table. Pillar candles in varying widths and heights will look elegant when placed on glass pedestals.
§ A rustic look can be achieved with branches from evergreens or hardwoods placed in tall, straight glass vases. They will fit into a holiday theme when coated with metallic spray paint or fake snow, which can be found at craft stores.
§ Fruit always looks welcoming and can often be found on sale during this time of year. Citrus fruits provide bursts of color when placed in tall glass hurricane vases.
§ Those who have bulb ornaments left over after decorating can place these in glass bowls or vases for a festive centerpiece.
The Rest of the Room
After the table is decorated, one should not forget about the rest of the room. For a cohesive holiday look, doorways, windows and more can be decorated. For example, wreaths provide a cheery welcome when hung on windows. Fake or real evergreen branches can be placed around doorframes. Holly can be hung from a chandelier.
Holidays are the perfect time to get together with family and friends. Decorating the dining room for celebrations can be done affordably using many items one may already have around the home or yard. A professional look is simple to achieve with a simplistic, themed design.
Author Bio
Grace Kelly writes for Zintro, a marketplace of experts in various fields that helps connect investors, lawyers, analysts, designers, entrepreneurs, and more. Find an expert by discipline on Zintro.com consultant directory.
The main house dates from 1819. Stolper and gable boards are beautifully carved by Per Haugen from Lom, one of the masters in this demanding and traditional art© FOTO: Nils Petter Dale
EPOK Norge – Swedish Furniture
Swedish Gustavian Interiors From The Affari Catalogue
Country Swedish Style From The Affari Catalogue
Designer Colette van den Thillart’s European Decorating Style
Picture Credit-Toronto’s Best Dressed
Designer Colette van den Thillart is a very talented designer whose work has been featured in some of the biggest magazines such as Canadian House & Home Magazine and Traditional Home. This Canadian designer works as the creative director of NH Design and certainly doesn’t mind breaking the rules and going her own way.
Colette is currently working on an 18th Century estate in Denmark that we hope to see some time soon. We cannot wait to see what this beautiful home looks like, and whether she will keep with the traditional schemes that are often found in 18th century or if she will incorporate modern elements in to the design.
Achica Living had an interesting interview with Thillart, where she gave her top 10 unexpected design tips. In the Achica Living article she suggests to create multi purpose rooms, than typical living-rooms, kitchens and bedrooms. She suggests in vertical houses with tall walls that libraries could be incorporated into dining rooms.
Here are some excellent examples:
1. Home Beautiful Magazine features a wonderful dining space with an extravagant cabinet that reminds me of some of the elements in the Drottningholm Palace Library. Designer Myra Hoefer’s California home’s unique library and office features a large table perfect hosting dinner parties.
2. This dining room features a round table with brighter green colored slipcovers. The wall cabinets have wired fronts exposing a large collection of books.
3. This Ketchum, Idaho home features a lengthy white painted table with a large collection of antique books featured on built in black bookcases.
4. This dining room features a paired down approach, with books stacked on industrial metal shelves. The look gives this room a clean look, yet the books give this room a lot of detail to look at.
All The Best Blog also interviewed Thilart, and here are some of the questions and answers I found most interesting…..
Q: What books are currently on your bedside table?
A: Savage Beauty – The Life of Edna St. Vincent Millay by Nancy Milford
Citizen of the World – The Life of Pierre Elliott Trudeau by John English
The Book of Symbols– Reflections on Archetypal Images, Taschen
Redeeming Features – Nicky Haslam
French painted blue and gold dining chairs featured in Traditional Home Magazine
Watch this video featuring Colette van den Thillart, who adds European touches to a classic Ontario cottage without losing its rustic feel. Barn boards and crockery lamps work beautifully with Windsor chairs, antiques and pretty designer fabrics
A sitting area within the master bedroom doubles the comfort and elegance. The lilac-and-white bedroom was inspired by Canada’s northern light. The headboard was custom designed by Colette.- Traditional Home Magazine
18th-century engravings, Lilac Draperies – French Sofa
The hallway is a study in neutrals with wall-to-wall seagrass and patterned wallpaper. Colette accessorized the foyer with gilded antlers, a unique art piece with a plaster frame and warm white furnishings, including an 18th-century Russian side chair. From Canadian House & Home
This pedestal table with matching cane back chairs features a hand-rubbed grey finish. Beige linen seats complete the upscale look.
Gustav Foldover Table and Chairs. Table, $1998; armchair, $699. Available at The Art Shoppe.
See more products inspired by Colette van den Thillart’s London home, featured in our January 2011 issue, in our gallery. Plus, watch a tour of Colette’s cottage.
Designer Colette van den Thillart’s daughters, Ava, 9, and Hannah, 11. Each bed is framed by a chintz canopy for a soft and romantic look.
An American’s Guide For Getting The Swedish Country Look
With the stresses this world has to offer, it is no wonder why there is such a gravitation towards a home that is cozy and relaxing. Our homes are places where we want to connect with our family and friends amidst the fast paced life we are living.
Country decorating has always been a very popular decorating approach in the US, and around the world for that matter. American painted furniture with colonial elements is often what you would find in many homes in America that are designed to reflect the early America period design, but rarely do you see a home decorated with a Swedish reflection.
Swedish country decorating has a slightly different slant than you find in America. The style and approach to furniture is quite a bit different. In Sweden we find the same countryside looks that are found away from the city with a homestead influence. We give you 5 tips to getting the Swedish look with the common elements that you can find in America online and in your local antique stores.
Here Are A Couple Tips To Getting A Country Swedish Look In Your Home
This Swedish decorated house in Dalarna, Sweden has all the rustic elements
you would expect to see in a house set in the Scandinavian country. Borrow a couple ideas from this home for your personal decorating.
1. Collect The Right Style Period Furniture.
This family house in the Swedish countryside has some very authentic Swedish looking furniture. Gustavian style Rococo chairs through out the home show off a Gustavian look that is famously created in Sweden. The chairs alone tell you this home is from Sweden. Finding these very rare pieces of furniture in America is next to impossible, and buying true antiques can be very costly making a whole home decorated around the Gustavian style a far reach for most people.
There are some furniture pieces in America that double the looks found in Sweden.
– Consider decorating with furniture that is has clean straight lines, and made out of wood. In the picture above the drop leaf table looks much like the early shaker style seen in America. Look at some of the furniture from Chelsea Textiles to get some good ideas. Many of these tables such as this one, and this one, can be found for less. Collect furniture such as drop tables which can be used in the middle of a living room paired with a sofa, they can also be pushed against the wall.
Other items that are universal to some degree are wall shelves. Find wall shelves that are made of wood, and slightly cut with a curve. The top of this cupboard is a great example of a look that is found in the country. Plate racks for the walls are easily found on ebay and can be painted any color to create a uniform look within your home. Collecting plates that can be positioned on the wall or on plate racks is another common element in Swedish styled homes.
– Have a couple pieces in your home which are just plain wood. Consider stripping a side chair down to its bare wood, and waxing it. Beauty can be found in wood, and gives a much needed balance towards an interior with many painted finishes.
–Wood Slat walls are another very common architectural element with Swedish styled homes. Often times these walls are painted a white or a gray with gilt mirrors hung on the wall.
– Another option is to collect Queen Anne furniture which then can be manipulated with paint to get the look of the backroads in Sweden.
-Wooden chairs and old benches can be a stylish approach in decorating your home. You can include a corner cupboard, plate racks and even sideboards and serve as storage areas around your dining room.
–Shop on ebay for the just right pieces to finish off every room in your home
2. Get The Color Right
This pinterest page gives a person some excellent examples of Colonial decorating in America. Much like Swedish decorating, painted wood is a very common element. When comparing the two styles, one thing is very evident, the colors are slightly different. Dark blues are very common with Swedish and Nordic style antiques, as well as lighter hues of elementary colors. In this photograph you can see a wide range of salmon oranges, deep blues and red. Consider bringing the historical c0lors that are found in Sweden inside your home.
Decorating with red and pink can be very country. While pink is shunned these days, it can be a dramatic color which can really speak volumes in your home. Getting the right color, and adding additional painting techniques such as distressing and glazing can give a terrific historical look. Black is also a great color for primitive interiors. Other country colors to consider are yellow, and red, and creamy white. Consider putting more of an emphasis on the bolder richer colors such as a deep red than the light blues and whites found in the castles of Sweden. Borrow from the colors found in Sweden for your wood accessories, furniture and walls.
Wood can be painted and heavily distressed to give you the dramatic looks that
are found in Sweden. Light colored drapes around the windows let in the light, and give this home a soft touch. Antique Swedish mirrors also make this home, and a pair of sofas in blue and white stripe are the colors found in Sweden. Wooden floor with Nordic Style runners sewn together making a large rug. In this home antique kitchen table is paired with Swedish Leksand chairs.
Country style decorating can capture the spirit of the simplicity of country living amidst the modern times. Country decorating is one way of reminiscing the pasts. It reminds us of how we are living our lives. Decorations inspired by country living makes us closer to nature. A cozy home reminds us to live simple lives.
Picture Credits- isogninelcassettodiadriana.blog, Weranda Country
The Principles Of Scandinavian Design
You read and hear quite a lot about Swedish design, these days – or maybe Nordic or Scandinavian design principles. Since the advent of IKEA as a global phenomenon over the past couple of decades, these terms usually conjure up images in most people’s minds of a lot of quirkily-designed innovative flat-pack furniture, often in bright primary colours. Of course, there is a lot of truth in this view, but it rather over simplifies things.
Scandinavian design as an overall concept first emerged back in the 1950s as a design movement characterized by straightforward designs, a general minimalist approach, a focus on functionality, and, yes, the low-cost mass production techniques we’ve come to associate it with today.
It was perhaps the Lunning Prize, which was awarded to outstanding Scandinavian designers during the 1950s and 60s that was most instrumental in making Scandinavian design what it is today – and helping to define it. And if there is any kind of real ‘definition’, then it’s based on the idea that functional everyday objects can be beautiful too – and that such objects should be easily available to all rather than a privileged few.
Julia Foster Decorative Antiques – juliafosterantiques.com
Simply Scandinavian is a book by Sara Norrman- Amazon $19
Simply Scandinavian is a book by Sara Norrman which celebrates unpretentious and simplicity with understated elegance in interior design. Scandinavian rooms are typically light, airy and bright, with modern furnishings mixed with pretty antiques and vintage pieces. Natural materials, especially wood completes the style of cool, calm and uncluttered living spaces. The main focus chapters of this book include, elegant simplicity, vintage-inspired, pared-down modern and contemporary rustic. 160 pages, published in 2010 by Ryland Peters & Small
This thinking reflected the growth of social democracy in Sweden and other Scandinavian countries over the same (post war) period, in addition to the availability of mass-produced low-cost materials and mechanisation of production. Scandinavian design made full use of pressed wood, plastics, anodized or enamelled aluminium and pressed steel, for example, as it does today.
In recent years, the march of globalisation really has taken Swedish design to the world’s masses in developed countries in highly efficient ways – but ways which are also sustainable as care for the environment is very much central to Scandinavian design philosophy.
We can now see an increasing mix of styles and cultures which is an inevitable result of that globalisation in mixing Scandinavian design techniques such as an ever increasing interest in pine furniture.
Many classic dining tables, for example, may owe as much to modern Swedish design principles as it does to a traditional French farmhouse as today’s furniture designs become increasingly eclectic.
KETTNER’S – Restaurant & Champagne Bar
Kettner’s is located in 29 romilly st, soho, W1D 5HP london.
Elle Decor Magazine – Our Little Big House Blog
Home of British Photographer Paul Massey- See More of this home here
Home of British Photographer Paul Massey
Hanni and Steffen’s Swedish Home
Vintage Home by Judith Wilson On Amazon
It is the perfect alternative for modern white interiors, ideal for family
living—as extra scuffs won’t ruin the look—and low maintenance as well as
relatively inexpensive. For home designers looking to develop a new style from
old looks, this essential resource provides information on how to shop and
search creatively as well as how to identify and avoid fakes. Tips are also
included on mixing various vintage objects creatively in order to create
welcoming and eclectic interiors in any room.
Scandinavian Interior- Taken By Don Freeman Photography
Gustavian Style: Warm Or Cool Tones?
Swedish Gustavian Pine Benches
Gustavian style is all about painted surfaces, intricate wood carvings, distressed wood flooring, and beautiful family heirloom furniture. Gray painted furniture are commonly associated with Swedish interiors. Gray can be both a cold and warm color depending on the hue of the paint. When gray is mixed with yellow, it can take on a color that is more warm, where as mixed with purple, or blue, it can appear on the colder tones. Gray is a staple color in old world Swedish homes, and will work with any color palette. Here are a couple examples of cool and warm color tones:
Cool Tone Examples:
The cool color tones can be very attractive and fresh. Light blue can open up the home, and allow it to appear more spacious.
1. As you can see this home has light blue painted walls, and furniture which is painted in the exact same color tones. Furniture is accented in gold, and other pieces are painted in white.
2. This ad for Tara Shaw is based on the cool color tones. A very light blue floor, and a gray wall with undertones of blue are the perfect back drop for this antique piece of furniture painted in blue-gray. As you can see white washed pine furniture adds a touch of wood, and works with the color palette. See more of the furniture here
Some Tips For Cool Interiors :
– Use several glazes when washing your furniture. Look at the color depth with these chairs- Pair of 18th C. Rococo Gustavian side chairs in the original paint From Marston Luce Antiques. The color is very rich and dark, and would work perfectly with a room based in the lighter blue tones.
– Paint your walls a very light blue and accent with punchy shades of blue such as seen in the table cloth. Add in lots of white painted accent pieces.
– A blue painted wall can go a long way to create a cool interior. Here we see a combination of blue gray and white.
– Brighter whites are used in cooler tones, while beige color washes and upholstery are used for warmer palettes.
Warm Tone Examples:
Warmer tones tend to feature traces of yellow, and brown in the swatches. A warmer palette will make your home appear to be warmer in the winter than a room that is painted in a light shade of blue. Rich yellows work so beautifully with gold, and brass.
This ad for Horchow features an interior bathed in the warmer tones of brown. Wood is washed with brown or beige paint allowing the natural wood to show through.
–Olivier & Chantal’s French Home is a great example of a warm color palette. The walls are painted a dark gray, and red painted furniture give an opportunity for color to be apart of this room. Red is also a warm color, making it the perfect choice against the dark gray walls that appear in this room. Untreated wood breaks up the painted surfaces, and allow the eye some rest. Solid upholstery allows this home to remain uncluttered. Simplicity, and clean looks govern the Swedish style. See more of this home here
-This Campagne cover features a Gustavian room with lots of warm tones. Lots of beige is used with a combination of white. Looking closely at the furniture, painted finishes on the clock and the settee reveal exposed warm wood, with beautiful distressed white finishes. See more of this home here.
Some Tips For Warm Interiors:
1. Paint your walls yellow and combine beige and gray into the interior. Work with darker tones instead of light paint colors.
2. Incorporate stone and concrete into a warm interior. Display stone busts or urns on pedestals. Consider leaving the wood raw and untouched without any polishing or lacquer. Add in brass instead of silver.
3. Incorporate black painted furniture into a warm decorating scheme. Black painted furniture often looks terrific against tones of yellow.
4. Consider also working with the darker green color palette. Combine green upholstery with untouched pine frames, or gilt wood frames. Work with a country theme with lots of distressed furniture, or work with brighter Kelly greens such as the colors featured on Lars Scandinavian Design Book. As you can see the secondary color is always beige not white.
Where To Find Swedish Looking Wall Sconces
PAIR Vtg Ornate Gold Syroco $20 Etsy
Pair of French Style Oval Gilt Wall Sconces with Mirrors $450 Etsy
One common decorative element found in Swedish decorated homes is the use of small mirrored sconces. Not only were these beautiful to look at, they were practical in the 17th and 18th centuries when light switches and modern electricity was not invented yet. Candle sconces were placed on the wall in old times to bring light to a room. The mirror backing magnified the light from the candle which allowed the room to be even brighter.
Sconces were paired with tables, which made sense to protect the home from fire hazzards. Candles at walking height were easier to light at dusk, allowing the freedom of candles on the tables to be moved around from room to room as needed. In addition, stationary candles on the walls didn’t serve a fire risk as much as those on table tops. Often times pictures depicting Gustavian interiors feature demi lune tables paired up with wall sconces. Gustavian interiors are all about simplicity, and symmetry, although I am sure positioning the table or chair below a candle also prevented bumping and tipping over of candles.
Today it is hard to locate a set or a pair of these Gustavian styled wood sconces. They are not a common find! If you are really enamored with old world Swedish and Gustavian styled rooms, hunt around for rectangular mirrors that you can alter yourself.
1. Shop Ebay For Similar Looks
Ebay is one of the best resources for decorating your home. Lets face it, if you are after a particular style, it isn’t going to be in your local antique store, unless you live in Sweden. Shopping ebay allows you to narrow down the parameters, and search for key words. Consider buying something close to the style you are after, and alter it with additional wood, decorative wood appliques, and paint. You do not have to have ALL genuine antiques in your home. Be creative without spending a fortune.
Get the Look For Less- Vintage Primitive Pair Homco Black Mirrored Candle Holder Wall $17.00 Check out this pinterest page with looks you can create for less.
2. Shop Esty!
Esty is often the last place I look, and often times I forget all about esty. Ebay is always my first place to look, although when I have looked on esty, often times there are a few hidden gems.
Last week I was searching through ebay for a particular set of handles for a desk I am finishing up. I found what I was looking for, and waited several days to bid. I ended up loosing the bid to another, and would have spent way to much money anyhow. I looked on esty after loosing the auction, and found an identical set of French pulls for a lot less money. The best thing is I could buy right away. Esty has a LOT of great listings. Take the time to search out key words.
The greatest thing about Esty and Ebay is you are supporting local families and small businesses. Every day people like you and I…. Often times they are looking for a small profit, making it very a reasonable place to purchase.
Suggestions:
Smiling Horse Designs has for sale an 18th century Gustavian reproduction gold painted mirror with candle holder. Hand crafted wood painted mirror, using same techniques as in the original design. 7″ taper holder in metal, painted gold. They are selling this incredible mirror for $99 Here you go! The best deal I have seen yet!
Please be sure to add yourself to the Swedish and French decorating page on Facebook. Enjoy lots of photographs and other people who enjoy this particular decorating style
This house is situated outside the town Karlstad in Sweden. The house actually manages without water and sanitary sewer! This primitive styled log house has been passed down for generations. The current family who enjoys this home are the eighth generation.
Gustavian Sconce – www.lauritz.com
Gustavian Sconces – www.smagarde.nu
Gustavian Sconce www.stadsauktion.se
Spegel gustaviansk Johan Åkerblad –www.stadsauktion.se
Pair of wooden wall sconces…. perfect for a country side home. Paint them, and heavily distress them. Buy it for $20 on etsy