Lars Sjoberg’s Swedish Gustavian Decorated House
The Paper Mulberry featured some fabulous Swedish photos of Lars Sjoberg’s house which were featured in Country Style by Judith and Martin Miller. Judith Miller is the co-founder of the hugely successful annual publication Miller’s Antiques Price Guide. All of her books are really well done, especially her antique guides. She is an author of dozens of books, many of which I really look forward to.
Judith’s Country Style details the warmth and strength of the rural tradition in interior design. The book details more than 400 stunning photographs of homes throughout Europe and North America. All the elements essential to creating a country style are covered: furniture, table and kitchenware, floor and wall surfaces, and architectural details. Although I have not had a chance to review this book myself, it looks incredibly interesting if you are looking to decorate in the country styles of Scandinavian or American influences. Judith’s Country Style can also be purchased on Amazon.
I invested in Millers Antiques Encyclopedia, and am looking forward to buying Furniture: World Styles from Classical to Contemporary. Millers Antiques Encyclopedia is only book I keep beside my desk. Miller is the co-author and author of several other , including , More Period Details : The House Renovator’s Bible , Period Finishes and Effects, and Influential Styles.
Additional Books:
Period Kitchens: A Practical Guide to Period-Style Decorating (Period Companions) by Judith Miller (Jun 1995)
Period Fireplaces: A Practical Guide to Period-Style Decorating (Period Companions) by Judith Miller (Jun 1995)
Classic Country Colour: Naturliche Farben fur jeden Raum by Judith Miller
I have not bought or had a chance to look at her Period Finishes, which looks incredibly intriguing. This book is designed for the designer or decorator looking for
a comprehensive catalog of “out of the ordinary” finishes. Suzan Nettleship describes this book as NOT your typical handbook for the weekend “do-it-yourself”
decorator/painter finishes, which is exactly the type of paint books I like to buy. It looks like you can buy this book for $20 dollars with free shipping. In my post with my friend Melanie I detail some painting books that we both agree are the best in the market.
Lets look at this room in particular……………..
He features two Swedish Rococo Style chairs, one with a natural aged patina, and another painted a classic yellow ochre. The most typical colors from the Gustavian period were gray, Swedish blue, and yellow ochre. It has been known that in ancient times Sienna- A clay that contains iron and manganese, has in it’s raw state the appearance of dark and rich yellow ochre.
If you are looking to paint a piece of furniture, consider painting your piece in an eggshell as close to the antique color of orchre as possible.
Daniel Smith has a wonderful Acrylic Paint in Yellow Ochre in an oil based paint, that is meant for paintings. These sort of paints dry to the touch over a weeks period. As you can see the color is very rich.
Genuine or Reproduction Swedish Chairs are very hard to find. My suggestion is to either buy a genuine one from a dealer, or find something that may work with the style.
Blue and white check patterns are hard to find. I often have trouble finding a heavy linen, or woven material adequate enough to use as upholstery. Often times the gingham fabrics are wonderful to look at, but most times incredibly thin to upholster with.
A company on amazon called Linen Tablecloths sell a number of beautiful classic check table cloths for about the same money that a yard of fabric costs. One comment on amazon said that her table cloth shrunk quite a bit in the wash, so consider getting the largest size and prewash it, and iron it before applying it to your furniture.
This wonderful tablecloth by Mahogany might be the best one yet! The pattern is smaller in scale. It is an excellent table cloth, and one to consider for upholstery. It comes in black and white, a bright Swedish blue and white, and red and white.
60 x 102 Inch Checkered Tablecloth Blue and White
Check out this wonderful Blue Hill Classic Tavern Check. You couldn’t get any more Swedish than this fabric.
Blue Hill, 52″x90″; Classic Blue Tavern Check, Flannel Backed, Vinyl Tablecloth; “Made in the U.S.A”
Blue Hill, 52″x90″; Classic Red Tavern Check, Flannel Backed, Vinyl Tablecloth; “Made in the U.S.A”
Durable Hand Woven 100% Cotton Red Picnic Check Tablecloth 54″ X 90″
Durable Hand Woven 100% Cotton Blue Picnic Check Tablecloth 60″ X 60″
100% Cotton Jacquard Check Dishtowel Yellow Honey Bee 18″ X 28″ Set / 6
Mahogany Large Check 100-Percent Cotton 60-Inch By 90-Inch Euro Tablecloth, Red and White
This picture was blown up to show you how lovely the portrait painting is in this room.
Investing in some quality antique LOOKING oil paintings can really turn your room into more of a historical look.
Check out my page on my favorite 100 oil reproduction paintings, and keep your eye on ebay for some portrait paintings for your rooms.
I have been thinking about this lovely handpainted portrait painting for my home, as the colors are hues of blue. Keep an eye on ebay and you will find affordable oil paintings that work with the colors of your room.
Classic Art of Old Masters- Officer in Uniform
Completely Handpainted Reproduction Painting Beautiful Young Girl in a Grey and Red Dress
Completely Handpainted Reproduction Painting Little Girl in A Blue Dress
Another beautiful detail in this room is the simple wall stripe on the top of the walls. Sjoberg shows us how easy it is to add some interest to the walls without going into complex patterns. You can see he has formed boxes with paint to look like moldings. In the following pictures, he creates an extra special place for a wing chair. Painting frames on the wall can give extra attention to your furniture. Symmetry, or balance to a room is important to the Swedish look .
Some additional furniture that has the Swedish Looks:
3 Pc Cherry Finish Wood Empire Style Nesting Table Set
Weathered Three Drawer Cabinet in Red
Hand-painted Louis Xv Bombe Chest
Tyndale Accent Table – Bailey Street -6003250
Bailey Street 6043208 Dylan Table
Boutique 3P2/LN YO95 Avocado/Linen Decorator Fabric
Cooper Classics Isabelle Pine Console Table
Fluted Half Column Set (plane Capital) F4
Grandfather Clock in Rich Brown – Coaster
Infinity Instruments The Dais – Distressed Round Table Clock
Design Hole Online has some interesting pictures of alternatives to bed canopies, such as ones which anchor to the ceiling. Beautiful wood bed canopies are very hard to find. One thought that came to mind is to bend plastic molding onto a backing of some sort. Home Renovators on amazon has some stunning ornate crown molding that might or might not bend. Although as you see in this design, it is rectangular, instead of the classic round, so bending wouldn’t be an issue if you wanted to interpret or copy this look. This Rococo could be a wonderful look to a bedroom based around a Swedish Gustavian style. These bed canopies are also called bed coronets.
Lars Sjoberg’s house featured in Country Style by Judith and Martin Miller
Lars Sjoberg’s house featured in Country Style by Judith and Martin Miller
Swedish Furniture Gustavian Decorating From Lars Sjoberg’s house Featured in Country Style by Judith and Martin Miller
Gustavian Furniture & Decorating – Swedish Furniture found in Lars Sjoberg’s house featured in Country Style by Judith and Martin Miller
Gustavian Furniture & Decorating – Swedish Furniture found in Lars Sjoberg’s house featured in Country Style by Judith and Martin Miller
Gustavian Furniture & Decorating – Swedish Furniture found in Lars Sjoberg’s house featured in Country Style by Judith and Martin Miller
27 Breathtaking Swedish Wall Clocks
Find Cartel Clocks On Ebay- See it here
A Continental Gilt Wood Cartelle Clock, C. L. Malmsjo & Co., Goteborg-
A Continental gilt wood cartelle clock, C. L. Malmsjo & Co., Goteborg, late 19th century, 8-day bell striking movement by Lenzkirch, painted enamel dial, Arabic numerals, within an ornate pierced and carved case with laurel leaf decoration and a ribbon cresting, signed dial and movement – Northgate Gallery Inc.
18th Century Swedish Giltwood Cartel Clock –Jacqueline Adams Antiques
18th Century French Giltwood Barometers
Swedish Painted Grandfather Clock Talisman London
18th & 19th Century French Giltwood Barometers
18th & 19th Century French Giltwood Barometers
Outstanding Reproduction French And Swedish Furniture From NOIR
For more than ten years, Noir has been designing, building and importing a unique collection of home furnishings. The company emphasizes their collections around natural fabrics, carved furniture and outstanding finishes. The best thing about Noir is they base their collections around the very best designs of our time. In their collections, you will see a variety of furniture from key designs in history such as Empire, English, French and Gustavian looking pieces.
Noir builds their furniture using high quality solid wood, instead of composite woods. You would be surprised to learn that some of the most recognized furniture brands which used to build in wood, are now gravitating towards composite woods to save money. Noir uses solid wood, something that is almost forgotten in a world concerned about the bottom dollar. Buying solid wood will ensure that your furniture will stay in your family for years to come.
Wood washes have become extremely popular in the last 10 years. Some of the best reproduction designers such as Restoration Hardware have been building furniture that combine the best of painted furniture and the beauty of wood in a wash finish. With painted furniture, you often don’t get the detail of the wood, and additionally wood left alone can look rather plain. Washing wood gives you the extra edge towards an appearance of aged furniture that we have all come to enjoy.
Noir’s Gustavian Pieces……
I am particularly thrilled with the Fabian three seater sofa in a weathered finish, as well as the Fabian loveseat. With this collection, they have also produced an armchair to complete the collection. It seems as though the Louis XVI styles,(square back chairs, and sofas) can be challenging to find locally, but they are still widely available through dealers, ebay and amazon of all places. Gustavian collections such as these three pieces are incredibly hard to find and some what rare to have available in a reproduction, which makes this collection particularly exciting! Scroll through their website, and find dealers who carry the Noir furniture here.
Designers Pick The Best Milk Paint Color For Furniture
Pictured, Slate Blue and Oyster White , both by Old Fashioned Milk Paint Co.
In House Beautiful’s “Add a Pop of Color to Your Furniture” key designers revealed their best paint colors for furniture. Brian McCarthy’s reveals his favorite colors from The Old Fashioned Milk Paint line.
“Find a piece that has good lines and trick it up. I’ve taken a plain pine chest of drawers from a junk shop and done a simple, cottagey finish with milk paint. Start with a base in Swedish blue-gray and lightly brush over it with white, pulling back with steel wool in spots to reveal more color.” -Brian McCarthy
The gray Donald Kaufman color swatch that Carey Maloney suggested would look fantastic on any piece of furniture, and would be a great color that you could base your entire Swedish home around. The Blueberry Myrtille would look fantastic on a dresser chest with tons of distressing. This color was chosen by designer Christopher Maya. Ruthie Summers suggests Ralph Lauren Paint’s Relay Red , while Thomas Burak suggests Benjamin Moore’s Heritage Red Exterior Roo, both would look terrific on a Swedish accent chair.
A Museum Recreates The Look Of Century Old Swedish Interiors With Historic Costumes
Picture Credit- Skansen.se
Skansen: Traditional Swedish Style – New And Used Options from $42
Founded in 1891 by Artur Hazelius, Skansen was the first open-air museum in the world; its aim to show how people lived and worked in the past in the different regions of Sweden. Hazelius was a teacher and researcher in Nordic languages who felt that traditional ways of life were disappearing with the onset of industrialization.
He started to collect an extensive collection of objects, which he put together in the form of tableau-type interiors, in a building in Drottningattan in the middle of Stockholm. Gradually, however, he wanted to show whole houses, furnished with traditional objects, furnishings and works of art, inhabited by people in historic costume, and through Skansen this idea became a reality.
Published in association with the Skansen Foundation, this beautiful book is illustrated throughout in colour. It describes not only the museum and its buildings, but also presents a microcosm of Swedish life, culture, art and architecture. The natural landscape of the museum setting is used to enhance the regional variations in Swedish art and architecture, with buildings from the southern part of Sweden being located in the southern-most part of the museum and so on.
Each chapter is devoted to a particular region represented by the museum: northern, middle and southern Sweden, as well as a typical Swedish town quarter. The buildings described here vary in date from the Vastveit storehouse, which was built in the fourteenth century, to the Skane farmstead which was finished in the 1920s. Stylistically, the range of buildings displayed at the museum is enormous: we move through time and style from the summer pasture farm, or Faboden, with its essentially medieval form of wooden construction, through the classical elegance of buildings like the late-eighteenth century Skogaholm Manor, or the impressive malm house built for the merchant Charles Tottie, to functional timber frame of the early twentieth-century Assembly Hall from Varmland. The informative, but accessible, text has been written by Ralph Edenheim, who is a Swedish art historian, and Head of the Department of Cultural History at Skansen. 128 pages.
Below are pictures of Swedish Interiors are those taken from photographer Photographer Joanna Holmgren found in two publications Skansen: Traditional Swedish Style , Swedish Folk Art: All Tradition Is Change
Swedish Interiors – Photographed By Photographer Joanna Holmgren
Swedish Interiors – Photographed By Photographer Joanna Holmgren
Swedish Interiors – Photographed By Photographer Joanna Holmgren
70 Rococo Swedish Stamps For Home or Business Use
Set Of Anna Griffin Lot Of Stamps – Original Listing Here
I never considered picking up stamps until I stumbled across the stamp collection of Anna Griffin. If you love the elegant floral, ribbon and swag pictorials often associated with the times of Rococo romance and Swedish architecture, furniture and art, then consider adding these prints to your own home or business. You might get inspired to make over your pantry cabinet, or hand write your name in your library book collection. There are endless ideas that you can use with beautiful stamps. Make your own holiday cards, stationary, or note pads around the house. Here are 70 of the very best stamps and accessories that can work with the Gustavian Rococo theme.
1. Scrap-booking is exploded in recent years. While there is millions of ways to dress up your family photo albums, some of the simplest designs are the most classy. Martha Stewart uses old fashioned black and white pictures with silver labels. Get this same look for less on the pages of your photo albums with stamps and photo corners. If your album is on cream paper, consider cutting out labels with the same cream paper, and using decorative stamps to add captions.
1. Circular Cartche Anna Griffin 3/4″ x 3 3/8″ x 1/4″ $8.32
2.Rose Motif – 3/4″ x 1 5/8″ x 3″ $5.96
3. Plumes Motif 3/4″ x 3-3/8″ x 3-1/4″ $8.32
4. Lovely Floral Stamps – Set of 7 Designs $7.39
-EK Success Tools Punch, Journal Plate $11
Look at this picture of the EK Success Photo Labels Punch. Don’t you want that for your albums?
2.Add beautiful labels to your flower pots. Why not? I have added lion ring pulls to my planter pots which I can hang tags, or ribbon from. Paint your planting containers and use tags and matching stamp ink in a coordinating color. Consider adding tags with written names of the flower, and details of when to plant it, how long it takes to germinate. Be sure to use clear tape over the tags, which you can then cut to simulate the look of formal lamination. Make every detail of your home personalized and pretty
Set of 7 Anna Griffin Wood Mount Stamps (Words & Phrases) Found On Ebay Original Listing Here
Home Storage Identification
4. Dress up your storage boxes and pantry baskets with custom tags. Who says you cannot paint cardboard storage boxes with flat latex paint? I do! Find coordinating card-stock that matches your boxes and tag your storage.
In this post “26 Ways To Organize Your Organize Your Kids Room With Shoe Boxes” we show you how easy it is to organize with banker boxes and shoe boxes for a neat and tidy storage room and garage.
5. Use round plain sticker labels such as those from Kraft to custom stamp your own labels that you can add your beautiful handwriting to.
-Avery High Visibility 2 1/2 Inch Diameter White Labels 300 Pack
-Avery Removable Labels, 3 x 4 Inches, White, 80 $6
-Avery Square Labels, 2 x 2-Inches, Pack of 120 $8
Anna Griffin Ornate Frames Rubber Stamp Lot –Original Listing Here
Oval Cartouche Wood Mount Rubber Stamp Original Listing Here
Beaded Brass Cartouche Stamp Original Listing Here
Wedding Wreath Stamp Original Listing Here
Small Business Use
5. There are more small businesses that ever. There has been an explosion of small niche businesses at antique flea markets, and antiques nationwide. Instead of tagging your merchandise with plain tags, use it as an opportunity to brand yourself. While people may not be able to see the face behind the product, your specialty items look ten times more expensive with beautiful packaging.
-This photography studio uses a stamp on the back of their photo envelopes.
-This company uses little burlap bags, with stamping.
–Inexpensive paper bags can be dressed up.
-This site offers CUSTOMIZED stamps from any graphics on your computer.
-Look how beautiful this photography or scrapbooking business looks with stamping
-Look how a simple round punch can be dressed up.
-Dressing up your packaging doesn’t have to be complicated. Look how beautiful this salvaged ribbon looks.
-Reconsider using wide popsicle sticks with stamping.
-Natural jute twine is a perfect way of adding a natural touch with your tags for your merchandise.
-Here we see a square tag dressed up with a custom square stamp. The whole package looks so much prettier.
-Here we see a ice blue round punch dressed up with a beautiful company stamp.
Make Your Own Tags:
Don’t spend money on tags, when you can make your own tags at home.
-EK Success Tools Punch, Real Estate Sign 4.3 x 3.3 x 6.5 inches $15
-Extra Large Merchandise Tag 3-1/8-Inch-by-2-1/8-Inch $20
-EK Success Tools Punch, For Sale Sign, 4.3 x 3.3 x 6.5 inches $14
1.Beaded Brass Cartouche– 3-1/8″ x 4-1/8″ $8
2.Oval Cartouche– 3 1/8″ x 4 1/8″ $8
3.Georgian Cartouche-3/4″ x 2-3/8″ x 3-1/8″ $6
4. Wedding Wreath – 2 1/2″ x 1″ $5.21
1.Ribbon and Swag Cartouche 3-3/8″ x 3-1/4″ $8
2.Romantic Cartouche 3/4″ x 3-3/8″ x 3-1/4″ $8
3. Ornate Motif Stamp 2-1/8″ x 4-3/8″ $6
4.Swirl Motif– Perfect for a banner on stationary $6
1.Floral Garland -1-1/8″ x 2-1/2″ $5 (This would be a great pair above any of the plain frames above) , (Beaded Brass Cartouche, Oval Cartouche)
2.Large Blossom Motif 3/4″ x 2 3/8″ x -1/8″ $6
Bottom Row:
1. Medallion Motif Round 3/4″ x 3-3/8″ x 3-1/4″ $8
2 Square Medallion Motif -3-3/8″ x 3-1/4″ $8
3.Feather Fleur de Lis 1-5/8″ x 2″ $5.21
4.Old World Styled Bell with a Bow $6.64
Other Beautiful Stamps From Anna
– Anna Griffin Clear Stamp Sets – In The Garden – Ideas For Stationary $7.39
-Anna Griffin Brass Stencil – Swag Ornament $2.52
-Anna Griffin Clear Stamp Sets – With Gratitude– Ideas For Cards $7.39
-Anna Griffin Clear Stamp Sets – Borders- Perfect For Invitations, Weddings Stationary Set of 4 borders $12
Anna Griffin Margot Collection – Vine Border 1-5/8″ x 4-3/8″ $6.64
–Basket Motif Stamp – 3 3/8″ x 3 1/4″ $8.32
-Anna Griffin Fanciful Alphabet $7.39 Use With A Ruler For Perfect Lines
-Stamp Set – Salutations– Perfect For Envelopes or Cards $11.34
-A Set of 14 Wedding Stamps Lettering $11.34
–Perfect Border For Wedding Invitations. Flip it upside down and you have a large border for the top of an invitation $7
–This border would look great with two borders paired on either side of a center stamp.
-Again create a banner for your invitations or cards with this floral border, which has more of a garden theme. $6
-This scroll border was designed to make long scrolls. $6
-Anna Griffin Collection Punches – Wedding Bow $7.56
-Anna Griffin Brass Stencil – Wreath Border $2.52
Swedish Scrap Booking Paper From Anna
Anna Griffin – 12 x 12 Ivory Flocked Paper – Grey $2
Anna Griffin – Willow Collection – 12 x 12 Flocked Paper – Blue Damask $1.59
Anna Griffin – 12 x 12 Flocked Paper – Floral – Blue $2
Anna Griffin – 12 x 12 Grey Flocked Paper – Platinum $2
Anna Griffin – Willow Collection – 12 x 12 Flocked Paper – Blue Damask $1.59
Anna Griffin Paper 12″x 12″ Willow Stripe Blue $10
AnnaGriffin Paper 12″x 12″ Francesca Floral Green .59 cents
Anna Griffin Paper 12″x 12″ Carmen Yellow Quatrefoil
Anna Griffin Paper 12″x 12″ Francesca Flowers Taupe
Anna Griffin 12 x 12 Flocked Paper – Floral – Green $2
Anna Griffin – 12 x 12 Blue and Grey Flocked Paper – Green $2
Anna Griffin – 12 x 12 Gold Flocked Paper – Blue $2
Anna Griffin – Fleur Rouge Collection – 12 x 12 Flocked Paper – Blue Damask $2
-Anna Griffin – 12 x 12 ivory Flocked Paper – Damask
Sweden’s Manor Houses
Krapperup Castle Built in 1570 over the ruins of a 13th century stronghold; near Molle, Sweden From Larry Myhre’s Photstream
This Article “Inside Sweden’s Manor Houses” Published Nov/Dec-2002 By Dan Hofstadter in Departures
In a small rural province called Scania, three country estates define classic Swedish style.
It never occurred to me when I was living in Sweden, in the 1970s, that “Swedish style”—in furniture, interiors, and fabrics—might one day become popular in America. Swedish design, like Swedish humor, has a certain restraint, a quiet wit, that I would have thought lost on outsiders.
Yet classic Swedish design—and I don’t mean the 1950s masterpieces of Gunnar Asplund and Carl Malmsten or the Ikea explosion of the ’90s, but the checked-fabric side chairs and spindle-backed settees of 250 years ago—is experiencing a great deal of international attention these days. Shops showcasing Swedish antiques have recently opened in London, Paris, and New York, and decorating magazines seem obsessed with Swedish furnishings. The most obvious explanation is that 18th- and early-19th-century Swedish furniture, in its spareness and rectilinearity, fits in quite well with modern furniture; but there’s certainly more to it than that.
There is, I think, a real similarity between 18th-century Swedish and contemporary American taste, a psychological affinity that transcends history and geography and owes much, I would argue, to the ancestral Protestant craving for paring down, for simplicity. Many of America’s foremost furniture creators, from the Shakers through Gustave Stickley and the Eameses, have stressed economy, availability, and clean, well-defined lines. As it happens, these are also typical features of the Swedish interior.
Classic Swedish design reaches its apogee in the royal palaces and aristocratic country houses of Sweden. As late as the 17th and 18th centuries, Sweden was a very poor country whose noble families were often hard-pressed to maintain even the barest semblance of elegance. Many of the landed gentry were really glorified farmers who kept a sharp eye on expenses and shunned ostentation as wasteful and irreligious. Yet these families also wanted to enhance their status, and as they enlarged and improved their arable acreage, as revenues expanded and their tastes grew more refined, they began to remodel and embellish their houses. Toward the late 18th century, a style of design appeared that was simple enough to be affordable and also fashionable enough to give tone to a country seat. This was the Neoclassical style, and its chief exponent was King Gustav III, who ruled from 1771 to 1792. Because he offered so much patronage to builders and designers, he, in effect, created a revolution in taste.
High-strung and aloof, reserving his deepest affection for the theater, Gustav wrote full-length dramas of his own, shocked the court by performing onstage, and built himself a superb little theater in Gripsholm Castle, near Stockholm; some of his courtiers complained he was confusing statecraft with stagecraft. Having made a trip to Paris as crown prince, he was also keenly interested in Neoclassical art and design; in 1883 he traveled to Italy, where he visited Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Paestum. From France and Italy Gustav brought back drawings, paintings, statues, models, and a highly trained painter-architect named Louis Jean Desprez. The so-called Gustavian Style, still greatly admired by art-conscious Swedes, is in fact the Swedish naturalization of what we call the Louis Seize Style.
Gustav commissioned many grand interiors for royal palaces in the Stockholm area, but his subjects couldn’t follow his example to the letter. Too expensive for most of the Swedish nobility, his preferences were translated into a simpler, more provincial visual syntax. What emerged was the intimate, companionable, and at times rather countrified look of Swedish style.
Read More of This Article “Inside Sweden’s Manor Houses” Published Nov/Dec-2002 By Dan Hofstadter in Departures
- Wrams Gunnarstorp Castle From ZTaxi On Flicker
- Övedskloster Hakan Dahlstrbm’s Photostream
- Krageholm Sweden Built 1720
Krapperup Castle Built in 1570 over the ruins of a 13th century stronghold; near Molle, Sweden From Larry Myhre’s Photstream
Krageholm Sweden Built 1720
Wrams Gunnarstorp Castle From ZTaxi On Flicker
Martha Stewart’s Creative Director- Erik Pike’s Gustavian Townhouse In New York Part 1
MARTHA MOMENTS: Eric Pike Leaving MSL
Eric Pike is Creative Director of Martha Stewart Living. Stefan Steil is an interior designer and founder of Stelish. Some of his design work can be found at Stefan Steil. Portraits taken at their townhouse in Manhattan.
There are very few Gustavian styled homes photographed that are truly ALL Swedish inspired. After looking at thousands of photographs, I KNOW it is rare to come across a home that is decorated or renovated all around the Swedish styles. Even if a home isn’t decorated to look centuries old, I find it rare to come across a person passionate for a particular period design that is pigeon-holed into a particular category. It is thrilling to say the least to see a home that is based entirely around a theme, such as Georgian, Egyptian, Early American, or my favorite Gustavian. When a designer sticks to a particular style of antiques, and thinks through the architectural elements and paint colors carefully, a story emerges that allows you to walk back in time.
Not everyone has thousands of dollars to spend on antiques, or money to change the architecture, flooring, cabinetry or fixtures, so many of us have to start somewhere with one bench here, and a chair there. Building up a home that is entirely from one period and time frame can be incredibly exhilarating, and also quite expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. You don’t need to have ALL genuine antiques to get the Gustavian appearance in your home. In this blog, I have put together dozens of posts with decor and furniture that look Swedish and aren’t. Some are costly, and others aren’t. My own home is filled with a ton of vintage furniture that is made over to look Gustavian. Incorporating a few genuine pieces sure help! Your home should be what makes you happy, and not what a blog or a magazine tells you it should be.
It is truly rare to come across a home that is based entirely around the Gustavian look, and not exist in Sweden, and that is the case with Martha Stewart’s creative director Eric Pike. His townhouse in downtown NYC is one of these rare homes where the entire house is designed around a Gustavian palette.
Eric Pike And Stefan Steil’s New York Gustavian Styled Townhouse- Photo Credit An Afternoon With Blog
Eric Pike And Stefan Steil’s New York Gustavian Styled Townhouse
Eric Pike And Stefan Steil’s New York Gustavian Styled Townhouse
The Blog,….. An Afternoon With posted some incredible pictures of the home giving you extra ordinary angles that allowed you a better glimpse into the rooms.
In one of the pictures a stunning oil painting hangs in the bedroom of Daniel Webster, a Massachusetts senator in the mid-1800s and an ancestor of Eric’s.
While the whole townhouse looks like it is within one color, several tones are used. In the bedroom, and the office, the ceiling is a light blue. A light beige is used in the office with storage in a coordinating color. Vibrant colors are used in the closets, keeping the overall palette neutral.
Martha Stewart’s Creative Director- Erik Pike’s Gustavian Townhouse In New York Part 1
Pike tells Martha Stewart Magazine that he faced a challenge that we all face: the need to maximize storage. He sacrificed a few feet in every room to allow for deep doorways that contain hidden, paneled closets, each devoted to specific belongings. “I’ve been collecting for years, and I’ve made everything work in this space,” he says.
Many Gustavian styled homes aren’t cluttered, and here you will see an excellent example of a paired down look. Collectibles are grouped together much like the closet featuring Pikes tableware and silver urns, or grouped on side tables. The look is very much clean and organized.
Look at the impressive storage in the above three photos. Boxes are used in closets for odds and ends keeping everything in place. In any home, there needs to be a lot of attention paid to storage if you want an uncluttered appearance. This is especially true for smaller sized apartments. For my own home, I have used the over-sized boxes that come with Crate and Barrel for my blankets which sit in the closet. When I go into my closets, they look clean and organized even if they are in boxes.
In this post I show where you can buy large boxes with lids for as little as $3 Paint the boxes with flat paint, and customize your closets by painting the interior and the boxes so both match. If you have a home that is based around gray, white or beige, consider doing something extra special for the closets. In my storage room in my garage, I am going with a Alpine green with boxes to match. Why not! Consider a bold blue or even a baby blue for your closets. Pantry and linen closets can be one of the most creative areas to experiment with color.
Martha Stewart’s Creative Director- Erik Pike’s Gustavian Townhouse In New York Part 2
The settee, chest, and rounded-back chair in this photo are genuine Swedish antiques. Eric purchased the other chair at auction and had it copied for the dining room. The tables in the room are vintage, which he painted himself. Look at the three color combinations on the walls. It appears that the wall color, crown molding and ceiling colors are slightly different tones. With the painted antiques, and color of upholstery, this room is rich with detail.
The gray wood flooring doesn’t go unnoticed, tying together the various rooms in his home. The wide planks were bleached, then stained a neutral gray. He decided to upholster all of the living room furniture in a single gray linen, allowing individual antiques to be unified as a set. Hints of silver are found in the candlesticks, light fixtures, and hardware and have always been a classic Gustavian element found in Swedish style.
The house originally appeared in Martha Stewart’s September issue way back in 2005. “I wasn’t going to buy until I could find the right place,” he tells Martha Stewart Living Magazine. He ended up renting a small one-bedroom apartment for sixteen years until the perfect place showed itself to him. The 1840s Federal-style townhouse on a historic block had all the right bones for what he always had in mind.
In this photo from Marthas website, a decorative box houses some objects he used for inspiration. If you look closely, you can see two pictures of the townhouse before renovations. New York City architect Richard Perry, Pike set out to make the apartment his own.
“I like the neoclassical forms and the sculptural lines combined with rustic painted finishes,” Pike says. “They have no unnecessary embellishment — there’s a purity in that.”
I have loved his townhouse for years. I hope you find as much inspiration from his home as I did.
See Martha Stewart For More Information
Martha Stewart’s Creative Director- Erik Pike’s Gustavian Townhouse In New York
The sitting area above lacks the height compared to the rest of the apartment, so a skylight was introduced into the space. Support beams are concealed yet present a dramatic look to this room. Eric sought a square pedestal table to complete this room; finding none, he designed one with architect Richard Perry.
You would never know a television hangs over the living room mantel because an antiqued mirror lifts to reveal it. Look at this photo of the kitchen where one wall houses a refrigerator and washer and dryer behind cabinet doors. A toaster and coffeemaker are housed in an appliance “garage” on a tray that pulls out so you can pour in water. The bathroom is designed just right to make it appear bigger with glass shower doors. The bedroom and the bathroom are the most modern rooms in the home.
Eric Pike is Creative Director of Martha Stewart Living. Stefan Steil is an interior designer and founder of Stelish. Some of his design work can be found at Stefan Steil. Portraits taken at their townhouse in Manhattan.
Paint Your Cabinetry Gray Like Martha Stewart’s Kitchen
Tour Martha Stewart’s Home-Between Naps on The Porch
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Martha’s Bedford Farmhouse Kitchen – Martha Stewart
Remodelista snapped some incredible shots of the set of the Martha Stewart Show showing a fabulous kitchen modeled after her her very own kitchen in Bedford, New York.
Open shelving displays an amazing collection of all white tableware. If you look closely, in the back of the cabinets, risers were painted and hide lighting that illuminates the collection of plates and teacups. Vintage pitchers are used for utensil storage and grouped in a set of three. Look how she seperates the wood from the metal. Look at the additional picture Remodelista shows for how Martha displays her vintage rolling pins as decor on the wall.
The cabinet paint is Mourning Dove Gray (MS 151) and the wall paint is Evening Moth (MS 173), both from the Martha Stewart Colors line. Brass is commonly used by Martha on gray cabinetry, which dresses up the cabinets quite nicely. Marble countertops also give the kitchen an upscale elegance.
Martha Stewart Kitchen’s Set On Her Show
Martha Stewart’s Grey Kitchen Showing Off Her Espresso Maker
Gray Painted Cabinets With White Dinnerware Displayed
