Swedish Furniture – Page 21 – 17th & 18th Century Historical Decorating

Falu Red- A Prominent Color In 17 and 18th Century Sweden

The color red has been distinctive color in Sweden in the 17 and 18th centuries. Falu red (pronounced “FAH-loo”, in Swedish Falu rödfärg) is the name of a Swedish, deep red paint well known for its use on houses, barns and cottages. The paint originated from the copper mine at Falun in Dalarna, Sweden. During the 17th century Falu red was commonly used on smaller wooden mansions with the intention to imitate buildings with brick facing. In the Swedish cities and towns, buildings were often painted with the Falu red until the early 19th century, when many began to oppose the paint.

It was then that other colors were introduced such as yellow, white and the beautiful lighter pastel colors that you see in historical architecture in Sweden. Houses and buildings in Scandinavia are usually painted white or yellow. Red paint was the cheapest, so many of the barns and outbuildings in the countryside were painted red.

Only the noble buildings of the farm were painted in other colors. Falu red saw another surge in popularity in the countryside during the 19th century, when farmers began to paint their houses in the beautiful saturated paint color. Falu red is still widely used in the Swedish countryside to this day due to its effectiveness in preserving wood. Incorporate a little bit of red in your Swedish decorating to get an authentic Nordic look. A wood side chair or commode would look terrific in this color!

Falu red during manufacturing may range in color depending on how much the oxide is burnt. The colors can range from dark red almost borderline black to a bright, light red. The paint itself consists of water, rye flour, linseed oil and residue from the copper mines of Falun. The residue contains silicates iron oxides, copper compounds and zinc. The color to the left in pot is a very accurate hue of the Falu red .

– 18th century architecture Sweden, Stockholm.

– A lovely country Swedish Red house. An iron oxide based wood preserver was used on the timbers.

– A lovely red painted house near Trollesund.

Sources Wilipedia

Swedish Red Mike Downey On Flicker

18th Century Home From Country Living Magazine

18th Century Swedish Manor House Lars-Sjoberg Featured on Trouvais Blog

Colonial Red Painted Panelling By Thomas Jayne Featured at Home Beautiful

Dione Herself sold an outstanding late 19th century French Bergere chair that would have worked really nicely with a Swedish styled decor. The chair was upholstered in a red check fabric, while the frame looked to be either painted or white washed.

Check fabric is one of the staples of Swedish decorating. Red along with shades of blue and yellow have always been classic choices for Swedish textiles. If you are looking to do a large project with check fabric, look at NY Fashion Center Fabrics, as they carry fabric in the bolt. A 25 Yard Bolt in red and white gingham checked fabric is $162. Raggedy Ann & Andy sells a brightly colored Flannel ngham fabric in blue. Online fabric store also sells a larger print gingham red fabric.

Red has always been distinctively Swedish. A simple red chair amongst a muted gray background can be powerful all on its own.

Incorporating authentic Swedish colors such as red into your Swedish decorated home can really bring forth a more authentic antique Nordic look.

America Retold has stunning Swedish looking dinner ware in a red floral chintz pattern that would look remarkable up on a plate rack.

Their collection is limited to three pieces; a serving platter which sells for $26.49, a bowl which sells for $12.99, and a dinner plate that sells for $10.49. This set can be grouped with other white table ware, or pair it with glass, pewter, copper or brass for a very regal effect.

America Retold also sells a set of 4 mini dessert cloches that might work just perfect for your dinner parties serving mini 3 tier cakes.

This lovely pictured featured in Martha Stewart Magazine shows an orange Fitzhugh-pattern Chinese-export porcelain inspired the dining-room color scheme. The painted walls match the deepest tone on the china. A quince-colored velvet tablecloth and sunset-hued fabric on the folding screen highlight the richness and depth of gold-tinged reds. This room is based around Federal style decorating, and includes a terrific Empire gold mirror that really makes the space extremely rich!

A Louis XVI-style chest From Charles-Emile Moinat

Villa D’Este Town & Country Red Swedish Looks

Red Gustavian Chair Featured on Karina Gentinetta Blog, Check out this beautiful red Swedish Gustavian Style Dining Room Found Here

Swedish Furniture Ideas- French Commode Lacquered Red From Live Auctioneers

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English Tea Tables : A Must Have Statement Piece In An Outstanding Swedish Room

Scandinavian Design by Lars Bolander withHeather Smith MacIsaac

Tripod tables were designed originally to serve tea. Some were designed to tilt like the pie table which could then be folded up and stored away. You would think the tripod table is English in origin because they have been traditionally associated with England and North America, but it was also popular in other areas of the world as well.

It is not uncommon to find tripod tables in Swedish interiors because they were executed in Scandinavia, Germany, The Netherlands, and France. Dutch painters were known to decorate the oval tops of these three legged tables with landscapes starting in the late 17th century, and this following survived well into the 19th century. In the late 18th century the English style became extremely fashionable, and cabinet-makers in Sweden, Denmark and The Netherlands executed furniture in this style.

Swedish Painted Tilt Top Candle Stand From Rhonda Eleish and Edie Van Breems

Swedish Furniture & Decorating Ideas- London-Townhouse By designer Katrin Cargill

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Stunning European Paint Colors For Painted Kitchen Cabinets

The Beautiful colors found in the Farrow and Ball Paint Line

Plain English Kitchen Designs in the UK shows some beautiful kitchens painted in various blues. The kitchen featured lovely English styled cabinetry with recessed cabinet doors. Recessed doors allows the door to be painted as well as the capability to match wall colors because the cabinet face blends seamlessly with the overall cabinet design.

Consider painting your walls a shade darker or lighter than your kitchen cabinets. In the pictures you can see out into another room which is within the same color groups. The natural wood floors breaks up the use of blue in these rooms. The color yellow is also very Swedish and plays off the blue quite nicely. The brass hardware is a nice pop compared to silver which would blend into the blue tones.

Cover Stain in Oil has been my go-to-paint for several years now. It is one of the best discoveries when I used to paint furniture as my full time hobby. Coverstain IS NOT your typical oil paint. It goes on smoothly, than most other oil brands. If the mixture is a bit thick, add a small amount of paint thinner to the paint. The overall finish is levels out when it dries, and it dries to a flat finish which is incredibly unusual for a oil paint.

The best thing about this paint is you can get it tinted almost any lighter color. I have been purchasing my paints at Ace Hardware as we live in a smaller town, and they have been able to tint the paint vibrant colors, and darker shades. If I want something darker, I simply buy a quart size of satin oil paint at my local Sherwin & Williams and mix it in to darken it up.

In addition to the unusual features of this paint, it can be sanded down when it fully dries. The paint dries to the touch within about 3 hours, but I wouldn’t suggest sanding it down. I usually sand my furniture after day 3. The next day you can sand it down, but I find I run through sand paper quickly because the paint is still not fully cured. Because this paint dries flat, you can add any color over top of it, and it doesn’t have to be oil based. What I would suggest is have Cover Stain tinted the color that is close to your ideal choice, and add your ideal color over top. If you do choose to spray this paint on to your cabinetry, PLEASE buy an industrial heavy mask with air filters. I cannot stress that point more.

Plain English Kitchen Designs in the UK

Plain English Kitchen Designs in the UK www.remodelista.com

Plain English Kitchen Designs in the UK

Plain English Kitchen Designs in the UK www.remodelista.com

Butler sells a terrific butter yellow console table that gives a unique Swedish impression. The first time I saw this table, I got so excited as the color and style are so close to Swedish styled furnitre. The soft blue floral set on the butter yellow are both typical Swedish cloors. The Artist’s Originals line is sold through Butler and is a collection of highly desired fine furniture hand-painted by accomplished artists. This stunning table is made from wood construction and features a single drawer. This table is entirely hand painted, and measures 32” H x 35” W x 16” D.

The console table would fit right into the Martha Stewart’s home in Connecticut. The butter yellow is very simular to historical paint colors.

Martha Stewart’s Previous Home In Connecticut , Turkey Hill

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6 Tips For Painting Plaster Wall Finishes

I was running through the Style Files Blog, and I stumbled across one of my favorite pictures, and until now, I didn’t know the story behind the photos.

An antique dealer Aurélien and his wife Pascale discovered a small chateau built around 1700 by an abbot who was knighted by Louis XIV. The chateau has survived the centuries almost intact. With restoration, they re-created this old century styled home by filling it with antiques that would have been common through that time period. A Louis XV daybed is covered with a a gold silk quilt and decorated with simple canvas cushions. A large Florentine candlestick rests on the Gustavian style table. You can find some more great photos of this home on the Inspiraci Online Blog.

You can really see how the right faux finished walls can make all the difference in a home that is decorated around 17th and 18th style decorating. Shown in most of these photos is what is called a faux Venetian plaster finish on the walls. These finishes are achieved using paint, and sometimes plaster. In the old days the paint was so semi transparent, that the walls appeared to have incredible depth in the paint, which created the wonderful finishes we see on the walls. Their paint was probably much like mixing linseed oil and pigment, which is nothing compared to our modern day paint. Today we can paint a wall in 2 coats or less, and call it finished. There are a variety of Venetian plaster finishes that you can buy at your local hardware store that can be tinted custom colors. Some look much like glossed marbled walls, and others take the form of plastered walls that you would find in Europe.

Venetian Plaster Finishes From Better Home and Gardens

As you can see this Venetian Plaster finish that appeared in Better Homes and Gardens magazine is a very advanced finish. Working with lighter colors at the top is easier to combine than darker colors at the bottom of the photo. As you look closely at the lighter colors in this Venetian plastered wall, the artist worked with a sponge to add some texture into the finish.

Working with lighter colors in your home will also open up the rooms, than the darker colors, and will be easier to live with as the months and years go by. Consider hues of orange, peach, or beiges as undertones. Always practice this technique before applying it to your walls, because in the case of rough plaster, you have to sand it off to have bare walls again. Trust me, I had to sand down the walls of our old apartment, and it was messy and time consuming*

How to do this finish

You simply trowel on thin layers of semi-gloss paint using 3 different hues of paint. You need some sort of pliable texture mixed in the paint to achieve the finish as just paint alone doesn’t work. Many hardware stores sell this finish in gallon sized cans which can be mixed in with the color of your choice. Simply using paint alone won’t work.

To best achieve this finish use AT LEAST three colors for this technique.

Choose at least one pale hue, one medium hue, and one dark hue all in the same color for this technique to look genuine.
Don’t wipe excess paint off the trowel; the randomness of the paint application is what creates the illusion of depth.
Use different trowels to break up the flow of like size designs.

Most importantly in all faux finishes, apply a final, lightly tinted glaze over the entire wall to add depth and unite the colors. Adding a final glaze coat to the walls in any faux wall painting is a critical step most people miss. It is kind of acts like a blurring agent to your mistakes or your paint marks. Glaze is simply a formula that is semi transparent, but softens the overall effect.

I would recommend buying the glaze that is NOT pre-mixed with a color. The reason for this is you are not bound by that one color. I have three gallons of mixed glaze in my garage, which are all in one color. I cannot use it for my random projects that require other colors.

The general rule of glaze that I use is basically pouring half paint and half glaze together. It is as simple as that. It is always better to add a little bit more glaze than paint. With the final coat, I often just roll it on the wall for an even finish.

Experiment to see what works best for you. I have used Ralph Lauren Glaze in the past and have been very impressed. The final glaze coat makes the world of difference. How marvelous it is to decorate in the 17th and 18th century styles, and venetian plaster will pull your look together faster than anything else you can add in the room.

I was searching through flicker recently only to stumble upon Avolli’s Photostream. For those of you who do not know who Avolli is, they are a Swedish, Danish, and Scandinavian antique furniture dealer who specializes in the decorative arts from Europe. They import their greatest finds to their showroom in Scarborough, Maine. Katy Elliott did a lovely post showing pictures of their vast showroom filled with Swedish furniture. Tricia Mitchell, owner of Avolli began her career in the interior design industry eighteen years ago specializing in the design of window treatments. After many years in the industry, Tricia went in different direction creating Avolli which allowed her passion for antiques to become a full time business. She focused on Swedish, Danish and northern European antique furniture.

A beautifully restored 19th century Gustavian style Swedish antique bench. This bench is elegantly shaped and proportioned upholstered sides accented with delicate scroll, pearl and floral carving details and sitting upon four square and tapered legs.

A lovely pair of French armchairs with an authentically restored warm white paint finish. Well proportioned and very comfortable, this pair of chairs has classic carving details along the frame with notched cornered back rests and turned, fluted and tapered legs.

Beautiful Swedish Neoclassical chairs in the Gustavian style from the second quarter of the 19thcentury. Expertly carved with egg and dart detail around the rectangular upholstered back rest which is supported by round leaf embellished uprights and a decorative X splat over a carved Griffon frieze. The upholstered seat is supported by egg and dart carved rails and four round and tapered legs surmounted with applied floral carvings.

A traditional Gustavian style dining table from the mid 19th century and restored in a traditional Swedish white/grey. Half moon ends form a round table, while the one or two new leaves provide seating for up to eight. The simple apron meets floral embellished square, tapered and fluted legs.

In the February 2002 issue of Architectural Digest features an article on Emily Todhunter as she explores some of her favorite shops in London. One of the pictures features herself and owner of Talisman, Ken Bolan sitting on an 18th century Swedish Bench flanked by Swedish armchairs. The backdrop features a wonderful tromp d’oeil painting.

Todhunter Earle Interiors is a collaboration between two architectural designers; Emily Todhunter and Kate Earle. Emily Todhunter began her career as a specialist painter, which makes her all the more interesting as a designer.

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Restoration Hardware’s Gustavian Collection

Restoration Hardware never fails to impress. For some time now, they have been featuring french furniture, but have offered a line of Gothic, Modern, Colonial and Gustavian lines. There are just a few handfuls of companies who reproduce classic furniture and Restoration Hardware is one of them.

Give a person the choice of something freshly painted, and something aged with patina, they will always choose the piece that has a bit of history. Many people would rather choose something classic looking, that opt for a new design. Antiques are seen over and over in the magazines, but finding them is a different story. Magazines showcase antiques because they are often rare, and more interesting than our modern furniture, and they always offer a fresh look that isn’t seen too often.

It is nice to see a company produce an antique design with some integrity. Their Gustavian chair priced at $179 is cross between both the Swedish and French style in the 18th century. The chair is made of solid oak and has a curved top rail, shield back and comfortably upholstered seat on smoothly hand-turned, tapered legs. The French Louis XVI table is priced between $1295 – $1795 depending on the size. Gustav III brought over the french designs from France when he spent some time in Paris and Versailles, which is why most of the Swedish furniture is based on the Louis XVI styles. Hooray to Restoration Hardware, we know you have many fans!

Gustavian Medallion Collection | RH

Gustavian Spindle Back Collection

Restoration Hardware’s Gustavian Collection- French Empire Fluted Leg table

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Andrea Palladio- The Most Influential Architect At The End Of The 16th Century

Palladianism was based on the writings of Andrea Palladio (1508–80) who was perhaps the greatest and most influential architect of the end of the 16th century. Palladio strongly governed his designs by the principles of classical antiquity, from those surviving buildings and in the writings of the 1st-century-bc architect and theorist Vitruvius. Palladio was especially popular in Europe, and gained popularity in America from the 1740’s and on.

Palladio’s work was strongly based on symmetry, perspective and the formal classical temple architecture of the ancient Romans. The style was bold, grand and featured large architectural elements such as Venetian windows and columns. Floorboards were often bare, and paired with sisal matting or oriental carpets. Ceilings were plain plastered or dressed up with plaster moldings. Walls were fully panelled and flat painted often in grey or green, wood grained or plaster covered. Furniture was made from solid or veneered walnut. From the 17th century Palladio’s interpretation of classical architecture dominated design everywhere and was known by the term Palladianism. By the 1770s, architects as Robert Adam and Sir William Chambers were in huge demand and also drew inspiration from classical forms. What made them different is that they also drew a variety of elements from ancient Greece. Their style eventually was defined as neoclassical rather than Palladian even though both styles were incredibly simular.

In Europe, the Palladian revival ended by the end of the 18th century. Most of Europe drew inspiration from the excavations of Pompeii and Herculaneum which gave them a peek into the past and sparked new creative design. Pattern books from architects such as Robert Adam, and James Adam fueled these new waves of cabinet and furniture makers abroad and in Europe.

If you have not heard of Judith Miller, she has the leading authors for period design. Every book that she authors I fully would recommend, as she packs each book with loads of information. The Style Sourcebook is an encyclopedic book that contains over 2300 swatches, from a extensive range of international designers.

This book goes into great detail concerning fabrics over the centuries. It is geared for the professional who puts together rooms or designs for a living. This book is a must have for a decorator who deals with design on a daily basis and needs a variety of swatches to show clients. This book is particularly unique because it covers a large amount of period textiles over the centuries. If you are looking to get a true authentic period room feel, this book is worth looking at.

It is broken down into six basic categories; Style guide, Fabrics. Wallpapers, Paints and Finishes, Tiles, and Flooring.

It begins with a style guide, a short photographic introduction to nine different design periods from medieval to the early twenty-first century. Five specific sections concentrate strictly on fabric, wallpaper, paint and finishes, tile, and flooring, capturing information (price, manufacturer, suitability, color, composition) for each color sample.

The chapters are divided into main design types florals, geometrics, pictorials, motifs, and etc, and then further subdivided into time periods: medieval, 18th Century, late 19th Century, 21st Century, and etc.

Judith Miller does an excellent job of giving a wealth of information about not only different periods but also what textiles lend themselves to these periods. The swatches are carefully reproduced in brilliant color and are accompanied by a detailed caption listing all the information necessary to order such as the manufacturer name, pattern name, size, repeats, composition and, etc.

This book is perfect for the professional who decorates and designs for a living. The book is over 400 pages and contains a wealth of information.

18th Century Decorating

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Louis Philippe Chests- A Dresser Style That Can Be Made Over To Look Expensive

I stumbled across a fantastic blog called Life in The Fun Lane the other day and I was pleasantly surprised. Don’t we all want to be in the fun lane in life? Everyday armed with a smile and jetting on the highway of happiness? Holly Baker is the author of this splashy blog, which includes pictures of her home renovations in more than a few pages of her blog.

At first glance, you can tell she has incredible taste, but you will also notice that she also isn’t afraid of getting her hands dirty as she includes several painted furniture makeovers in her own home.

After browsing through her home pictures I couldn’t help but notice the Louis Philippe chest in her home. Being a furniture painter myself, I knew these chests didn’t come with industrial pulls, and the builders options for this chest are always white, and black and cherry veneer.

So it was a nice surprise to look at her version of this terrific chest. As you can see, she took off the traditional bail pulls, and instead put on door pulls.

In the past, I have loved the way these industrial pulls have looked, but they never looked quite right on my furniture. Combining the rustic look of gray and steel just goes hand in hand.

The Louis Philippe furniture collection features good looks with lovely clean lines and a bit of detail. If you are after a streamlined chest, this might be for you. The first time I came across a (modern) Phillipe Dresser, I just had to get it. I used to paint furniture and resell it. I personally have had the chance to buy the 6 drawer Louis Phillipe dresser twice, in addition, I have also sold a pair of the nightstands. All three sets were painted black, as all of the furniture was bought used, so they had scratches that needed to be sanded out. From my experience, let me tell you about these chests…..

The Advantages:

If you are looking for a really nice looking dresser, with classic looks, this dresser certainly pleases the eyes. It has very attractive lines, and a bit of detail in the molding around the top of the dresser.

The Drawbacks:

This set is made of selected hardwoods and veneers. The only draw back to these chests are they are made of composite woods, which means they are not made of solid wood. This dresser is good for staying in one place and not being moved around. I moved the dressers that I had painted, and although they didn’t damage them, it wasn’t good for them either.

This dresser does not hold up well to wear over the years. In fact, if you were to accidentally drop the chest while you were bringing it into your home, it would dent it permanently. This is what happened to one of the nightstands. We accidentally dropped it, and it bent the corners of the wood. While most chests made of solid wood would scratch, these chests would be permanently damaged. In addition, you would NOT want to put these chests in moist conditions. The wood on the drawers would expand. These sets are heavy, but the quality of wood is not so great.

These dressers operate on sliders. If you have seen an Ikea dresser, you know what I am talking about. Vintage and antique dressers often have middle support sliders, and wood separating the drawers. The modern day dresser doesn’t even use plywood, they use something similar to cardboard. I cannot remember off the top of my head what separated these drawers, but I believe it was the metal gliders. The draw back to these metal gliders is the drawers slip off of them so easily. On another note, they glide in and out, and function with modern smooth cabinetry.

If you are the sort of family that moves around A LOT, forget about this set, because it will get damaged over time. If you are intending to buy it once, and keep it in the same spot, it really is a great deal for the price point. It is one of the nicer dressers around for the price, but the construction isn’t top quality. For a little more than $300, it is a very nice looking dresser, you have to agree~

A stunning solid wood antique

Antique German Louis Philippe Chest- Bonnin Ashley Antiques

Acme 25505 Louis Philippe Antique Chest –FlatFair.com

French Custom Louis Philippe Style Desk -WOW!! Fireside Antiques

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Book Review Architectural Styles: Building Primitive And Classic Homes

Houses are built much differently than they were in the past. Today we find the goal of most builders is being able to build a home quickly with quality. Many people simply want a home built well with nice looks, and lots of space. Most people aren’t too concerned that their cabinetry is made of composite wood, and the flooring isn’t real. They just want something good looking even if it isn’t all natural, ……..and there is nothing wrong with that approach.

On the other hand we have a small percentage of the population who bypass the new developments in search for something unique which could be renovated. These people seem to look forever for something that is so hard to find. They weigh the costs of renovating or building from scratch in hopes to be surrounded some day with something back in time. If you are one of those people, you are not alone. Perhaps you might be searching for a new house to buy, or may be you are hoping to reinvent your current home to bring in some old classical details. I have a book for you!

Many people don’t even approach the idea of building a house, because imagining a new house, or the expenses associated with starting from scratch can be daunting thought. Many people touring new homes looking for ideas find nothing but cookie-cutter copies in which they then find themselves combing through the bookstore shelves looking for inspiration in which they can add to their homes to give that old world feel.

Russell Versaci was inspired to write Creating A New Old House when he was in architecture school. It was then that he discovered the modern American homes didn’t even have a trace of the past, as if they abandoned the architectural elements all together. He turned to history for inspiration, and while searching through the dusty volumes in the library he discovered America was rich with forgotten styles. Russell spent 30 years studying the qualities that make old houses so appealing—and learning how to re-create these qualities in new homes for modern living.

Google Books Has a generous preview of Creating A New Old House Here.

Also Versaci’s Roots of Home: Our Journey to a New Old House preview is also on Google Books

Review By Catherine -I have an academic and working background in architectural design, and I recently began designing a house for myself and my family for the very first time. While having a pretty solid education in modern architecture, I confess to have always been in love with more traditional design aesthetics and architectural history. A few months ago, I was searching for a book like this to aid in designing my home, but I could NOT find anything like this. I wanted a home that was rich in architectural tradition yet the home design also had to meet modern day demands in space and utility. I was ecstatic to come across a review for this book at another website announcing the book’s publishing date. . . I was concerned at first that this book would be nothing but SLICK coffee table fodder because of the beautiful pictures, but upon receiving the book, I found the book to contain pertinent information that guides the reader/designer on how to accomplish a design that integrates traditional aesthetics and feeling with modern day needs and wants. This book is more than just pretty: it spells out how to achieve a historical, traditional look without mocking the past or being trite. . . and at the same time encourages the designer to meet modern needs.

Creating A New Old House will show you homes which were built from scratch which incorporated elements which were patterned after tradition. The houses in this book have been created by some of the best architects, builders, and homeowners who dedicated their craft to creating styles based on classic designs. The homes presented in the book cover different styles ranging in different regional styles across America. You will see portraits of eighteen new houses in classic traditional styles. The examples given were selected from more than 300 homes, presenting the very best in each style. Creating A New Old House became an instant classic when it was published in 2003 and is now used as a tool in hundreds of traditional architecture practices.

About the Author

Russell Versaci was a graduate of Yale, and studied architecture at Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania. In 1985 he formed the award-winning residential practice Versaci Neumann & Partners, based in Washington D.C. and Middleburg, Va. Then in 2006 he founded Russell Versaci Architecture which has a goal of improving the quality and value of traditional homebuilding. Versaci’s designs have been featured in national magazines, including Traditional Home, Southern Accents, House Beautiful, and Southern Living, as well as on Good Morning, America.

Russell Versaci offers 8 guide points to consider when designing a new house with classical strong traditional design.

1. Invent within the rules- When creating new designs, work within the traditional language of architecture.

2. Respect the character of place- Honor the local building traditions.

3. Tell a story in your home about the growth over time. Imagine changes
made by alterations and additions over time, and design within those ideas.

4. Build for the ages- Build with durable materials and time-tested construction techniques which are built to last.

5. Pay Attention to detail. Authenticity of details define house character making it more convincing.

6. Build with natural materials- The timeless beauty of natural materials will always remain in style, while the modern day plastics will always become dated at some point in time.

7. Create the patina of age by natural weathering processes. Build with salvaged antique materials.

8. Integrate modern room functions but hide new technologies.

Building Primitive &Classic Homes

Index Information:

Introduction – Page 2

Reviving the Classic Homes of the Past Page 4

A Portfolio of New Old Houses

CALIFORNIA SPANISH COLONIAL REVIVAL– Recapturing the Romance of Spain Page 24

ROCKY MOUNTAIN RANCH– Rive House in Big Sky Country Page 36

SPANISH-PUEBLO ADOBE– Reviving A Primitive Power Page 48

MIDWESTERN GREEK REVIVAL– An Honest Prairie Farmhouse- Page 60

CONNECTICUT VALLEY COLONIAL– Relocating A Relic Page 70

PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH FARMHOUSE– A New Farmstead with a Past- Page 82

HUDSON VALLEY GREEK REVIVAL– Building By The Book Page 94

MARYLAND TIDE WATER PLANTATION– Preserving History Page 106

GERMAN STONE FARMHOUSE– Bringing a Farm Back to Life Page 116

CAPE COD COTTAGE– A. House of Salvaged Bones Page 128

SOUTHERN PIEDMONT FARMHOUSE– A New Farmhouse For An Old Village Page 138

SOUTHERN ANTEBELLUM PLANTATION– Proper Southern Planners Page 150

FRENCH CREOLE COTTAGE– A Weathered Bayou Cottage Page 160

TEXAS GERMAN RANCH- Sunday House on the Prairie Page 172

FRENCH COLONIAL PLANTATION HOUSE– A Portrait of Louisiana Heritage Page 184

CRAFTSMAN ARTS AND CRAFT’S BUNGALOW– House of Fine Woodworking Page 196

COLONIAL REVIVAL SHINGLE STYLE-New England in the Northwest 206

Directory of Architects 218

Building Primitive & Classic Homes

Building Primitive &Classic Homes

In His New Book, Roots of Home: Our Journey To A New Old House, also details the French, English, and Spanish styles and many more designs that can help you make the right decisions when decorating, renovating, or building with a period style in mind. The book is divided into four parts: Our Spanish Heritage, Our French Heritage, Our English Heritage, and our Continental Heritage. Within each section, several styles of homes are explored, as well as an abundant historical information in each section

Immigration of Settler Patterns In Early American History

This book contains some thought provoking maps, exterior photographs, interior photographs and detail photographs. Anyone looking for information on restoring or designing a traditional home will find plenty of helpful information in this book.

In an interview by Southern Accents Magazine, Russell Versaci gives some really interesting Swedish Information:

Southern Accents: Your previous book,( Creating A New Old House ) in which you tackle the concept of building houses that adhere to traditional design principles, really resonated with readers. What is it about old houses that intrigues us so?

Russell Versaci: Old houses remind us of a time when life was simpler, less stressful, of places we lived in or visited where we felt safe and cared for. I think of them as grandmothers’ houses. Because we yearn to feel secure and connected again in a shifting world, we are drawn to old houses and the feelings they evoke.

Maybe one of the biggest surprises is your debunking of the myth of the log cabin’s frontier origins. You trace it back to the medieval cottages of Scandinavia. How did you discover this?

Roots of Home required huge amounts of research to tease out the details of early building styles and ground them in the story of our country’s founding. Working backward, we found that the iconic log cabin was adopted by William Penn for his Pennsylvania colonists from the short-lived colony of New Sweden in southern New Jersey and Delaware. There, the first log cabins had been built by settlers from the heavily forested areas of Sweden and Finland, where people had been building log houses for centuries. Each American tradition has built on a previous one, mostly imported from the Old World, and only a few have emerged independently. These connections are what is so intriguing about America’s story of home.

Swedish Decorating

“This is an important book. When the great challenge in modern life is the creation of the sense of identity of place, Roots of Home opens a door to the architectural history that has made different parts of the United States unique. An antidote to the spread of bland, anonymous places, this will allow the reader to anchor a place into its cultural background, illustrating not only the origins of the local architecture but how it has developed to suit its unique climatic and functional condition. The book is history but much more than history. It’s is notable for not only revealing the origins of the particularity of each place but in giving examples of how to carry that character into the modern world. Everyone who cares about the identity of place should have a copy.” — Robert Adam, Principal, Robert Adam Architects; Founder, International Network for Traditional Building, Architecture & Urbanism

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35 Pictures Show How To Decorate Around The Swedish Rustic Country Look

Country living is wrapped up in modest, yet meaningful details. The mixture of the old furniture and primitive decor has become a style that many people are flocking back to. As the recession hits and hard times find their way into the economy, many people are digging deeper for fulfilling and meaning in life. Many people discover that what really matters to them is God, friends and family. Perhaps that is why we see many people embracing the country lifestyle. Deep within the country style is an underlining current of family which is the foundation to the look itself. Family history has brought forth a deeper meaning for many families and has made it’s way into the home decor in all forms. Wall genealogies, family picture albums, and weathered furniture which have seen better days are widely embraced.

Sturdy oak tables which have been passed down from family to family are more loved than the brand new furniture without the dents, marks and history. Farmhouse tables which have seen countless family meals, served both a place to prepare meals as well as seeing countless children doing their homework. Families find the value in the most humblest items such hand painted ceramics, and woven baskets. One of the charms of country living lies in comfort. There is a respect for craftsmanship and integrity for design.

In Influential Country Styles, Judith Miller looks at the country traditions from around the world which we love and adore. The comfortable warm looks of the country home have become a style that can be found around the world, and Miller takes us on a tour of the decoration of homes which we can borrow and make our own.

The best thing about Influential Country Styles by Judith Miller is that the book is based on just country interior design. The American Rustic interiors has an entirely different color scheme than the informal English Country cottage. The brightly colored Mediterranean villa looks much different than the white looks found in the Scandinavian farmhouse. Judith Miller explores the best of country style, which you can adopt in your own home.

Influential Country Styles, Judith Miller

Scandinavian Antiques features a stunning Danish Baroque Chest of Drawers with black inlaid details which accentuate the drawers, sides, and top of the chest. The chest is quite small making it a perfect piece to dress up a small wall in your home. Many of the chests from this time period would be three times the size, making this chest truly unique. This is in very good original condition for 250 years old. It has been restored with a French polished finish and is truly of museum quality.

You will fall in love with Coachery Barn’s furniture, just as I have. Coachery Barn is one of the only companies to re-produce furniture which takes the form of the country styled Gustavian and Georgian furniture. Their furniture seamlessly integrates with the Swedish styles because of the clean lines and simplistic looking designs. The paint finishes are well picked and aren’t modern at all. Lovely hues of gray, blue, yellow are distressed to represent the elegance of old furniture. One of their prettier pieces is the old world classic breakfront sideboard base to the left which sells for a little over $1800. Their furniture has the classic appeal of old world style which would look dynamite in your Swedish decorated home.

Old World Furniture From Coachery Barn

Hekman sells a drop dead gorgeous drop leaf side table As you can see Hekman has done a wonderful job of adding extra architectural detail by finishing the edges of the legs and the edges of the table in white paint. In addition, the table has been beautifully distressed to give the impression of age. This beautiful accent table is made of select Asian hardwoods and veneers with two drop leaf sides and a storage drawer. The antique brass casters add an additional luxurious element. Hekmans table sells for $840.

If you are looking for that primitive country feel inside your home, consider scrolling through Country Buzzins on ebay. The company sells antique sign art and old boards by Folk Artist Charles Jerred. The Artist has captured time and memories of old fishing camps, Roadside Motel Signs, Amusement Park signboards. Country Buzzins sells a large inventory of worn and wonderful wooden signs, checkerboards and Parcheesi boards perfect for decor outside and inside the house. Mount a few antique wooden game boards on your wall for that perfect country primitive feel. Many of the signs include the perfect combination of painted colors for your homes decor. Get that primitive style with Country Buzzins.

Global Views produces a wonderful aged wooden horse anchored to a stand. The horse is made of wood, and antiqued with what seems to be a whitewashing to get the wonderful patina. The horse stands 28-Inches tall by 7-Inches W by 28-Inches long. This would make a lovely decorative object on a stand in the bedroom, living room or elsewhere. The rustic look fits in perfectly with the 17th & 18th century decorating. It sells for just under $200.

European Antique Imports is based in Los Angeles and has been in business since 1989. Their pickers continuously search the Scandinavian and European countryside for the finest examples of antique country furniture. Their workshops in Sweden & The Baltic States enable them to provide these antiques at great prices.

IMAX sells a wonderful set of Gazebo Birdcages that would be the perfect home decor accents in your Swedish home. The set includes one small and one large birdcage. The small birdcage dimensions are 15.5” height x 7.75” wide x 7.75” deep. The medium birdcage dimensions are 21.25” height x 10.25” wide x 10.25” deep. These intricate birdcages are constructed of 70 pct aged pine wood and 30 pct wrought iron. Both cages have variations in texture and color. The set have been painted and distressed to add age and appeal. These lovely cages add architectural dimension to any room setting.

Veranda Magazine featured a California home designed by Betty Burgess in their April 2009 issue. The home featured classic french furniture with linen upholstery and a simple clean palette. The simple natural looking design featured large scale furnishings, antique furniture and minimal accessories.

The hand-hewn eighteenth-century ceiling beams and waxed Venetian plaster walls gave the home a rustic appeal typically found in Swedish homes. The overall palette was grey, paired with taupe.

“Grey goes with everything,” Burgess tells Veranda, ” We wanted the whole house to feel peaceful, to have texture. Grey captures the natural colors of the coast along Pebble Beach. It also showcases the home’s remarkable antiques and artwork without competing.”

The kitchen featured classic french cane back chairs upholstered Pierre Frey cotton at French 19th-century table. Adjacent to the table was a white washed cabinet holding white dishware. The living room featured lighter upholstery in natural flax-linen sofa. A pair of 19th century X based stools sit under a contemporary glass based sofa table. An antique barometer gives a touch of luxury on wall. A French 19th-c. chair sit next to the couch. Betty Burgess has a passion for European classicism.

This home by Betty Burgess features a number of stunning french chairs in a natural setting.

Betty Burgess Veranda April 2009

Avolli was asked a few years ago to participate in the Old York Historical Society Decorator Show House. Avolli was selected by Joyce Jordan Interiors as the primary supplier to her dining room. The room was decorated with spectacular painted Swedish distressed furniture. The dining room chairs and side chairs were all given gentle slip covers which brightened up the space. A Danish Bornholm clock was featured and lemon yellow & white striped drapes and yellow and blue china added some color into the room. The spectacular Swedish cupboard, chairs and gilt & marble console table and not to mention the dining room table which first caught my attention are marvelous to look at. Who wouldn’t want this to be their dining room?

One of my passions in life is painting and replicating natural finishes with paint. When one of my friends came across this over-sized Roman bust, I couldn’t help but get excited about the chance to paint it and give it an entirely new look. For most of my paint projects, I tend to work with a brown base, because it is easy to build upon with other colors. With this project, I started off with a light brown / beige paint color.

The color that I have found that works the best is Rustoleums Putty. The product is pre-mixed and comes in an oil base in both a quart or a 12 ounce spray can. With this bust in particular I started off with Rustoluems Putty in Oil, and let it dry for a couple days. Then I took a gloss dark brown in oil and dabbed it on using some cheap packing plastic foam. Anything that has some texture to it will work. If you look closely at the bust I tried to make the detail as small as possible so it doesn’t look ragged or purposely faux finished.

The secret to many faux finishes is to have an overall top coat which blends things together. The minwax Jacobean wood stain gives this bust a glossy look, blending all the colors together, while disguising mistakes. The best way to apply the Jacobean stain is to spray it on. Buying a 1 dollar plastic spray bottle at your local dollar store is one of the best ways to apply it. When you spray the stain on in very light coats, it will not take your previous work off. It is important to allow the bust to dry a day before spraying the final stain on.

Using the same base (Rustoluem Putty) for an entirely different look, you can combine it with a cornflower shade called Dromedary Camel from Sherwin & Williams. Sometime computer screen paint colors can distort the actual color, so comparitive colors would look much like Egyptian Temple , Tangy, Romanesque Gold.

After the putty is dry, I paint on the camel color, and wipe it off with a rag. The beauty of oil paint is it doesn’t come off easily compared to latex paint, and you can achieve paint finishes that look antique. If you have any great painting tips, email them to me, and I would be glad to note them on my site.

In the March issue of Home Beautiful features an impressive European home designed by Eleanor Cummings, and also credits Babs Watkins and Julie Watkins Baker.

Opening into a foyer are a marvelous Louis carved walnut front doors in their original paint finish, while wood beams were cosmetically added to the ceiling in the living room to add length and antique charm. 150 year old planks replaced old limestone floors and wood from a Scandinavian diary were used to make custom cabinetry in the kitchen.

This European styled home home features a VAST amount of antique painted doors and furniture that are incredibly uncommon for their patina and paint finish. Just a pair of antique doors would resell in many galleries upwards of 5k -20K. Add to that – Masterfully painted plastered walls that look like something out of the medieval 17th century, and you have a LOT of talent and investment tied up to create this look.

The amount of beautiful painted antiques are incredibly beautiful to look at, and we appreciate Home Beautiful for covering the talented work of Cummings, Watkins and Baker. The homes natural plastered walls provides a neutral foundation to layer in the home’s focal palette of soft blues and platinum grays. Baker tells us blue is one of the hardest colors to get right in a room. She says other colors surrounding blue can really change the appearance of blue, as natural wood warms blue up, while silver tends to do the opposite; brighten them up while cooling them off.

The focal points in this home cannot be missed – The antique painted Louis XV carved walnut front doors, the Swedish Hutch, and Gustavian bench in the bedroom, the 18th century tapestry, and the beautiful faux finished walls, and painted furniture.

Three Boleyn Antique Gold Ornate Candle Holders

Set Tripod Base Antique Silver Candle Holders

Set La Rochelle Wooden Candle Holders

The Antique Vintage European Textiles ebay is one of my favorite shops for true vintage and aged textiles. Located in Vermont, United States, they recently moved back to the United States; having lived in Europe for 12 years.

They travel to Europe regularly sourcing the highest quality textiles. They specialize in quality European Antique and vintage textiles such as hand-woven Grain Sacks, homespun linen, thistle cloth, hemp rolls, french ticking, French linen, mangle cloths and a variety of other natural fabrics. With many years of research, and hands on experience, Antique Vintage European Textiles are able to distinguish antique from vintage materials, but also work in collaboration with other colleagues to assure the best possible integrity with their period textiles.

They label fabric antique if they estimate the age to be 100 years of age or greater. Be sure to check out some of their absolutely stunning fabrics for your decorating or next upholstery project.

Designer Shannon Bowers Featured in Veranda Magazine

Check out the wonderful write up Joni from Cote De Texas on Swedish Influences

www.maisonsdumond

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Aidan Gray’s Swedish Furniture Line

Swedish Blue Stefan Chair by Aidan Gray

Aidan Gray Dining Chairs

Founder and head designer of Aidan Gray, Randal Weeks has a thing for European design and Swedish furniture. The Aidan Gray line represents everything that encompasses old world design and aesthetics. Products are made-by-hand with natural materials such as solid wood and rustic metals.

Aidan Gray is quickly becoming known for their architectural looking decorative accents and their reproduction antique furniture. Not only do they carry beautiful antique-looking furniture, but the finishes are extraordinary. Their furniture is finished using old world painted finishes and classic distressing techniques. Multiple layers of paint, glaze and waxed finishes are often skipped with most retailers as they become tedious and ridiculously expensive for most companies to make a profit, which has opened up the door to niche companies such as Aidan Gray, Barreveld, Uttermost, Restoration Hardware and Wisteria. Furthermore, being a faux painter myself, it also takes quite a bit of practice to get these antiqued painted finishes looking just right. You need the right paint combinations, because as you add paint, the overall color changes, so I appreciate a line which goes the extra mile.

Painting can be tremendously rewarding, but also quite a lot of work especially when layers of paint are involved, so it is especially nice to see a company provide the extra finishes which give more of a worn antique appearance. The best thing about Aidan Gray is YOU can sell their line, and open up your own small business.

Many retailers who sell shabby and rustic antiques tend to bring in Aidan Gray in amongst their antiques because the line brings forth more of the authentic paint finishes that are often found in Europe. In fact, many small business are even selling on ebay from the comfort of their homes instead of having a store front. Many blogs have sprung up featuring furniture staged in homes with price tags and additional pictures about the furniture which are ultimately connected with “but it now” on ebay.

Ebay has been the fastest growing online outlet, which many sites such as Esty have tried to match, that it is foolish for a small retailer not to be listed on ebay. Paypal, and Amazon have gained the peoples trust when it comes to personal securitythat most people turn to them when they decide what retailer to purchase from. Today you see big mega stores such as Target selling on amazon because that is where the people gather today. With such a niche line such as Swedish furniture, who would have the time to drive across the country to visit a specialty store? Check out some of Aidan Gray’s beautiful Swedish looks for your home, and possibly for your future store.

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