The History Behind Jean Bernadotte Otherwise Known As Karl Johan
Pair of carved and gilded wood mirrors from the Karl Johan, or empire, period, Sweden circa 1830. Original brass candle holders on each. Original gilding, mirror glass, and backs. $8,500
He was born by the name Jean Bernadotte in France, and later in life became the ruler of Sweden. Here is how the history unfolded…..
Napoleon I – On The French Front
In May of 1804, the French people voted to change the consulate to an empire and to make Napoléon the Emperor of France.
In 1805, Austria, England, Russia and Sweden became united in a new Third Coalition to move against France. It was in September of 1805, when Austria attacked the French controlled Bavaria. Napoléon moved his army into Germany in September, and by October, Napoleon captured the Austrians at Ulm and occupied Vienna. It didn’t stop there, in December, Napoléon won his most brilliant victory which decimated the Austro-Russo armies at Austerlitz.
In June of the following year, Napoléon named his brother Louis as King of Holland, and within each following each victory, Napoléon enlarged the French Empire.
On the other front, Prussia and Russia joined together to mount a new campaign against France. In October, of 1806, Napoléon’s army decimated the Prussian army at Jena and at nearby Auerstadt. Napoléon was interested in preventing his enemies, especially the British, from trading with continental Europe. In November, he declared a new administrative law, which banned English ships from all ports under French control.
Napoléon was on a roll, in June of 1807, Napoléon eliminated the Russian armies at Friedland, which resulted in the signing of the Treaty of Tilsit, by Napoléon and Tsar Alexander. Under the treaty, King Frederick William III, of Prussia, became a vassal to France and lost half of his territories. Russia was forced to recognize the yet-to-be-created Grand Duchy of Warsaw which was to be carved out of Prussian Poland. Russia was also forced to make other territorial changes. Napoléon then turned to defeating Sweden, which he did with the help of Russia, in 1808.
The Start Of Things Falling Apart For Napoleon
The Peninsular War began in 1808 when Spanish and Portuguese forces rebelled against French rule. Tens of thousands of French soldiers died in the war, and the loss of Spain and Portugal greatly damaged Napoléon’s prestige.
Napoléon divorces Josephine, aged 46 years old in 1809, because she had not produced an heir. Worried about the continuity of the empire, he had the senate pronounce his divorce from Josephine in December of 1809. It was because of this that Pope Pius VII excommunicated Napoléon. Retaliating, Napoléon had the Pope arrested on July 6. On February 17, 1810, the Papal States were annexed to France. The pope was then forced to sign an additional concordat and to annul Napoléon’s marriage to Josephine. It wasn’t too long after that that Napoléon married Marie Louise, in April, 1810, the 18 year old daughter of Emperor Francis I of Austria.
On July 9, 1810, Napoléon again increased the size of the Empire by annexing Holland and much of Germany to the Empire.
Jean Bernadotte – On The Swedish Front….
Bernadotte joined the French army and after the French Revolution, he advanced quickly and was in 1804 appointed as a Marshal of France by Napoleon I, even though the pair had a tumultuous relationship. When his service to France ended in 1810, he was voted the heir to the Swedish throne.
In August of 1810 Swedish Parliament had their eye on him for the Swedish throne. In October the same year, Bernadotte arrived in Sweden, and quickly took over as the real head of state, as the reigning King Karl XIII was in poor health. The Swedish royal family was dying out with King Charles XIII, so Baron Carl Otto Mörner (a Swedish courtier), advocated for his position for leadership.
Karl Johan had good relations with France however, Swedish foreign policy led Sweden into alliance with Russia and Britain against France. Sweden was then promised to Norway, which meant going against Napoleon. In 1813 led Karl Johan Swedish troops in the sixth coalition war , which was successful against France. After the victory against French, he forced Denmark to cede Norway by the Treaty of Kiel . Norway declared its independence after having hosted a national assembly at Eidsvoll, but after a short war in late summer 1814 the Norwegians surrendered, and entered into a union with Sweden.
A few facts about Karl Johan:
- He was originally named Jean Bernadotte, but was also named Jean Baptiste after John the Baptist
- He converted the royal court from Roman Catholicism to the Lutheranism, and never learned to speak Swedish or Norwegian. French was widely spoken by the Swedish aristocracy.
- He married in 1798 with Désirée Clary , who had previously been engaged to Napoleon Bonaparte .
- Rosersberg Carl’s Country Retreat – Featured in Neoclassicism In The North On Amazon
- “Rosersberg Palace – Found on abebooks.com
- Niall Smith See MORE Pictures on New York Social Diary.com
- Small Bouillotte Lamp, Empire Style – Found on en.expertissim.com
- Johann Jacob de Lose 1763-1844 1805 www.1st-art-gallery.com
- Spegel by Josef Frank and Estrid Ericson
- First Class Staterooms Empire Rooms. Pinterest
- Late Gustavian Early Biedermeier BJORK STUDIO
- Swedish Empire Chairs- D.LARSSON
- Swedish Empire Stools dlarssoninterior.tumblr.com
- Pair of side chairs Found on cupboardsandroses.com
- Pair of Swedish armchairscupboardsandroses.com
- Pair of Swedish armchairs cupboardsandroses.com
- Pair of Carved Armchairs cupboardsandroses.com
- Pair of armchairs, Sweden circa 1860, cupboardsandroses.com
- Don Freeman Photography
- Lundgrens Antikhandel
- The Neo Lifestyle: Laura Montalban
- Laura Montalban | New York Social Diary
- House of Blass Came Unraveled – NYTimes.com
- Biedermeier pieces are found throughout this house- featured on traditionalhome.com
- An antique Biedermeier cabinet (c. 1850) topped with antique marble Found on traditionalhome.com
- A Palette of Mississippi Blues – House Beautiful
- Biedermeier Found on roys-antiques.com.au
- Biedermeier – Tim Wood Furniture Limited
- Chateau de Malmaison Found on google.fr
- Dallas Interior Design Found on courtneyprice.com
- 1920’s Empire Style Daybed – Castle Antiques
- 19th Century Swedish Empire Mirror- D.LARSSON
- Hinkley 3200AN – Lighting Import Service
- Beautiful Gustavian Stool. Originally Seen On 1stdibs
- Also Seen At www.fangkuang.co
Small Gustavian Empire Swedish Mirror Scandiadecor.com
A Swedish Empire Sofa with Classical Gilt Detailing Upholstered by Talisman circa 1790
Biedermeier Secretaire Found on deringhall.com
5 Faux Wall Painting Techniques That Are Easier Than You Think
If you are wanting depth to your walls, here are some of the very simple faux finishes you can do yourself.
Start by selecting a color theme for your room. In this post you will see a variety of color examples from pale blue, to lighter warm yellows and lighter greens.
Working with glaze, crackle finishes, and distressing techniques can make your furniture appear older than it is. Likewise, layering paint on your walls will also create depth and give you that old world look we all have fallen in love with. Here is how to do it…..
1. Ragged Finishes
Color washes are finishes that are produced with rags and paint.
Color washing is usually is achieved by a using rags which attach to a roller.
The trick to achieving this finish is to work with translucent glaze. Don’t attempt this finish with solid paint. Using a glaze mixture of (half glaze, half paint), paint is applied over a previously painted wall. The effect it produces a subtle textured finish.
A Primitive Effect Using Green, seen on www.ralphlaurenhome.com
Notice the whole wall isn’t ragged, just a small portion of it. Also painted furniture in the same tones are paired in this room to join together the various looks.
Keep All Tones In The Same Color Family
- One tip that I have learned through ragging finishes is to have the glaze mixture matched to be a few shades darker or lighter than the wall color. If you decide to do three colors, keep the tones quite close in color. The overall effect will be soft, and subtle.
Glaze + Paint For A Final Top Coat
- Another trick I have learned is to go over your entire project with a layer or two of glaze mixed in with a small amount of paint. The entire effect of the tinted glaze dulls the look slightly, and hides the roller effects. The idea behind this is to make your work appear subtle. You want to keep people guessing as to what you used to complete the finish.
2. Dry Brushing
Brushed finishes, is an effect which is achieved by dipping your brush into paint, and then removing most of the paint, on a rag. The small amount of paint allows you to add a very soft effect over a previous layer of paint.
The effect depends much on the brush you use. If you use a badger softening brush which tends to be very large and soft, it will produces a soft effect with paint.
I have used this effect with an old broom handle. The bristles are thicker, and harder, and produces lines than a soft shading.
Again, mixing together paint + glaze will allow you to get the look of an additional layer with a faux effect, and you may not have to wipe off the excess paint.
- In this picture, this effect can be achieved by using a dark brown artists oil paint. Most of the paint must be removed from your brush to achieve this look. This look can be achieved using brown artists oil paint over a muted orange base coat, slightly brushing the which highlights some of the raised details.
- Achieve depth to your furniture by applying a lighter coat over top of a painted finish. As you can see with this look, a lighter shade of green-gray is applied over a darker shade of green. This look could be achieved by dry brushing.
3. Sponge Finishes
Sponged faux finishes are those which a paint mixture is applied with a sea sponge.
Sponge painting is still the best and most frequently used mediums when it comes to classic faux finish painting.
Using a sponge, you can use multiple glazes layered over solid paint which gives the illusion of great depth.
Ideally, like most finishes, you want to start with a base coat, and build on it using a glaze mixture. The overall effect should be soft and serene.
Sponging can also be used on furniture to give an old world Swedish look.
In the past, I would use a base coat of brown, and then after it was dry, I would apply a base of oil paint in butter yellow and use a rag, or a textured paper towel to remove the paint. Within just a few minutes of applying the paint, I would remove it, and the oil paint which was wiped off on the rag I would then slightly dab here and there, on the furniture to create a very soft effect, making it seem as there was more layers to the paint finish. After it was dry, dry brushing with the same oil paint was used to blend in the textured effects.
4. Faux Leather
Terrific faux effects can be produced using a very heavy garage bag. Again working with a wall that has been painted, apply a layer of a glaze mixture on the wall. More than half glaze to paint.
Tape the wall in rectangular sections and apply the glaze in the taped area.
Next apply a heavy weight garbage bag to the wall allowing the folds to be pressed into the wall using your arms and hands.
Take the garbage bag off, and the folds of the bag produces a beautiful faux finish.
This is a very easy way to create a classy effect on the walls.
– Great Article- How To Faux Paint
5. Stenciling
Stenciling can be very powerful if it is done right.
Create your own stencils using a stencil cutter which is a fine heated tip that cuts through the plastic blank stencils with precision. Lay a piece of glass in between the stencil and the pattern, and cut away.
17th and 18th Century stenciling has always been the very best model of inspiration.
Here are a few very well done Swedish stenciled homes:
– Book Review: Jocasta Innes Scandinavian Painted Furniture
–Ted and Lillian Williams chateau in Normandy, France
-Neoclassical White Stenciled Walls-Petit Trianon
-Antique Original Red Hand Painted Trunk with Rosemaling Floral Motif
-This photo shows a great example of wall framing simply made by stencils and paint
-Here we see a stunning Rococo design stenciled, or hand painted on the walls for a distinct Swedish look.
6. Complicated Faux Finishes – Marble, Tortoise Shell, Walnut Woods
Not all faux finishes are easy. Some of the advanced finishes are rather difficult. To get an idea of a master faux finisher, check out Pierre Finkelstein. He is the author of The Art of Faux– The Very Best Book for advanced faux finishes. He focuses on the advanced finishes such as Marble, Granite, lapis and malachite, and everything in between.
Marble and any stone for that matter can be painted to produce the high end looks that are often seen in expensive mansions and castles. Faux marble can be painted on to columns, trim, doors, crown molding, and fireplaces.
Anyone can learn these finishes with practice and the right guidance.
Check out my inspirational “faux” gallery in the Swedish and French Decorating Group.
Book Friday: Scandinavian Design On Martha Stewart
Magnus Anesund | Söderberg Agentur
Lars Bolander’s Scandinavian Design
Lars Bolander’s Scandinavian Design Found on US Interior Designs Blog
Faux Marble Bombe Chest- Ebay
Three drawer Gustavian Chest in a worn black and blue patina- Lief
Lars Bolander’s Scandinavian Design Found on The Essence Of The Good Life Blog
Swedish Interiors- Judith Miller
Antique Swedish canape – Augustus Brandt
Swedish Interiors- Judith Miller
La Cuisine… Before And After,Two Maisons.com
“Dishes are stored in an 18th century armoire from Uzes, very simple, sober lines. It’s a brownish purpley color that I also have in some of the pottery scattered around from the Alsace region of France. (The purpley brown glaze was created using magnesium.) Antique Swedish chairs and French Directoire table that we can extend to feed a crowd.”
La Cuisine… Before And After,Two Maisons.com
“I scraped the paint off of an 18th century door to use on the pantry, inch by tiny little inch.”
Swedish Design – Seen On lamaisonfou.blogspot.com/
Swedish Gustavian Decorating Ideas- Primitive Faux Wall Painting
Small Gustavian Desk in a worn green and black patina – Lief
Gustavian Pale Green Swedish Sofa With Tall Back Stephane Olivier
The Houses of Veranda – ALL the Best Houses Featured in Veranda Magazine $37
The Houses of Veranda – ALL the Best Houses Featured in Veranda Magazine $37
Architectural Digest, Southern Accents, Veranda and others all regularly feature homes that have faux finishes on everything from walls to furniture. Paint finishes have evolved since the 80’s when faux finishing was given a bad rap. With many interior magazines featuring upscale 17th and 18th century European homes with extravagant antiques there has been even more of a push towards painted faux finishes to achieve the same look for less.
Faux finishes can be applied to almost any surface. Paint has been used since the earliest of times to transform walls, ceilings and furniture, and today it is being used on cabinetry, floors, ceilings, walls and all types of solid furniture.
The most popular decorative finish techniques include sponging, ragging and to the harder techniques such as marbling and wood graining. The above finish was likely paint rubbed into raw wood. Multiple layers of blue which are then sanded down to produce the effect above.
Swedish Paint Finishes Lars Sjoberg
Gustavian Side Table with one drawer in a worn green and black patina
A very soft faux finish using two colors
Lindsay McCrum’s Chicks with Guns on Juxtapoz.com
Bunny Mellon’s Garden At Her Oak Spring Estate in Upperville, Virginia
Bunny Mellon’s Garden At Her Oak Spring Estate in Upperville, Virginia
Chair From Eurolux Antiques $1,001.00
Vreta Uppsala Sweden Taken By Eric Boralv’s Flicker
Scandinavian Bedroom Featured on Decorology Blog Originally Seen on Scandinavian Chic
I ran across Pbc Style Blog featuring larger pictures of this estate I was excited to find out more about this home. The Mount is classical revival in style, complete with formal gardens. Wharton designed it herself, based on the ideas she outlined in The Decoration of Houses. The house is located in the Berkshires, more specifically, Lenox, Massachusetts, and Wharton drew inspiration for its design from Belton House, a 17th century Palladian-style English country house.
Borrow this look by painting molding in a color that stands out. Here we can see that molding can really speak volumes and add so much personality into a room
Layer two greens to get the look of this headboard. Dry brush a lighter green to produce a layered effect.
Decorating Using Green From World Of Interiors Featured on Trouvais Blog
Outstanding Mural Finishes, obviously completed by a very talented painter.
Photographs from Will Pryce – photographer based in London Will Pryce Photos
Louis XVI Style Square Table with Marble Top Bella Cottage
Hand-Painting Faux Marble Photography by Pieter Estersohn
Swedish Kids Rooms: 6 Ideas To Get The Look
Creative Co-op Vintage Metal Laundry Basket $70 Amazon
Crocheted Girl Shaped Pot Holder with Flower, – Amazon
Add a little Nordic flavor to your child’s room, and make it unique. Here are a couple tips to pull it off:
1. Buy A Day Bed- The Swedish Kitchen Sofa is an example of practical Swedish design that originates from the 1700’s. Houses were small, so the furniture also had to be mult-functional. These sofas could be used during the day and then pulled out at night to be used as a bed. Sofas were painted white or different colors. Not all Swedish Kitchen sofas / köksoffas were used as sofas, some were strictly used as beds. Borrow this classic look, and opt for a day bed, instead of a regular bed.
2. Frame Folk Art Prints– Go for framed embroidery, or vintage tourist prints to hang on the wall. Loose Petals on etsy sells art poster prints that combine lots of color with a vintage flare. For a boys room, consider a gallery wall of printed maps, such as the ones sold through O Maps. Vintage Masters also sells a variety of vintage travel prints that are enticing.
3. Include Antiques– Go for something really unique to showcase on a dresser, wall or on the floor. I once saw an antique rocking cradle used as a storage box for a bunch of vintage dolls. Go for an old school desk, which could also function as an area to draw or practice their writing skills. Create a series of frames which a pairs of antique children’s shoes are framed. Create an open shelving wall where vintage children’s books can be displayed.
4. Paint A Chest In The Classic Rosemailing Technique– Search through google to determine which look you are most attracted to. There are a handful of books on Amazon which also teach this classic Swedish painting. Pinterest also has a ton of pictures of this style.
5. Consider Storage Furniture– Consider installing floor to ceiling bookshelves with doors that that can house their endless toys, clothing and knick knacks. Here you can see Christina Aguileras shoe closet that extends from the floor to the ceiling, making the best use of the wall space. Painting the shelves and the walls all one color will allow the bookshelves to appear built in. A nice light blue would be very Swedish. Place their bed right in front of the shelves as if it was a wall. Build gigantic closet doors from plywood to conceal their toys and clutter.
And Finally…………
6. Don’t Get To Serious- Children’s rooms are a time to break out of your gray obsession and go for color. Hang unique toys from the ceiling and make it an area that will get their imagination going.
Additional Articles:
Swedish Kids Room Ideas – Visit hviturlakkris.blogspot.com
Found on atimeforeverythingjournal.blogspot.com
Plan Toys Victorian Dollhouse – Seen on Amazon UK
Create a calm corner with an antique Gustavian daybed and canopy.
Visit pinkwallpaper.blogspot.com
Carl Larsson Children Featured In Art Work
Dala Hast (swedish wooden horse) by Hart Interior photo on Flickr
Artwork In All Black Frames
Kay Nielsen Fairy Tale Lithographs 1983 In by PetitPoulailler
12 Outdoor Pieces Worthy of Bringing Inside Visit casasugar.com
Vintage Baby Carriage- Found on midnightpoem.tumblr.com
Swedish folk art painted chest 1837 Lauritz.com
Childrens Room Decorated In Neoclassical Style From Anne Sage Blog
Vintage Swedish Poster Design From Kate Davies Designs
Create Cut Outs For The Walls – Visit bluevelvetchair.blogspot.se
Antique tricycles are worth looking out for. Every once in a while ebay sellers will list antique or vintage reproductions for great deals.
Consider tricycles that may even need a new paint job. Paint and a little faux work can make anything look antique.
Shannon Bowers Swedish Nursery
Many of us were wowed when Veranda magazine featured the home of Dallas designer Shannon Bowers a couple of years ago, so it may come to you as a surprise that she had it listed to be sold on the market.
“If I have antiques in the living room, I think they should appear in the children’s spaces, too,” Bowers says. “I would like for my children to develop an appreciation for them just as I have as the daughter of an interior designer. Sometimes the value of a home in our lives is underestimated. Home is where your children’s memories are made. I want it to look beautiful, but more important, I believe it should be a warm and comfortable place.”
I have always been attracted to the cover of Childrens Spaces From Zero To Ten as the space showed a rustic appeal based around white. You have a stunning farmhouse tabe painted in white with reclaimed wood, and naturally distressed appeal.
A long lenthy wall bench is also painted in white and made from clap board. Above the very adorable children is an oversized distressed wall mirror. Beige linen accompanies the bench and the children are dressed in blue. With a cover like this, it is no wonder it has sold 100,000 copies sold in hardcover.
Any girl would be so blessed to have a desk like this in her bedroom. A desk like this is a timeless piece that could be purchased for a young girl and be sophisticated enough to be taken with her as she moves out and on her own for college. This desk sells for $319 and comes in white, a natural cherry wood, green and the blue you see above. If you decided to order blue fabric, and want to match the desk up with the fabric, all you need to do is paint over the manufactures blue to match up with your fabric swatch.
If you decide to do any other Swedish color such as Scandinavian orange, yellow, green or red, order the desk in cherry which allows you to distress down to the wood having a neutral color show through your distressed finish.
This picture shows that you can create the ornate patterned Gustavian wall finishes easy and inexpensively with over sized wall stencils. All you need is paint! The best thing about stencils, is they can customized from room to room. Use a light tone of blue and white for your childs room, and white based backgrounds in your main living areas. Stencils can be customized from one room to the next, and any color combinations can be used.
Swedish Gustavian Wall Stencils
Guidecraft kids furniture is great looking wood furniture that you should consider for your child’s room. They sell beautiful solid oak furniture that is beautiful all on it’s own, as well as painted furniture that has a whimsical nature. Guidecraft prides itself on fourty years of manufacturing quality products that put children first. They design their products with kids in mind and continually test their products to meet or exceed mandatory safety standards. They also batch test their paints prior to production for the presence of heavy metals through independent US based third party testing laboratories. They uphold these quality standards to provide you with a safe, durable, and lasting product that will bring years of enjoyment.
- Guidecraft has a long history of receiving Toy Awards for their product’s innovation, creativity, and adaptability.
- Guidecraft Block Cart $62
- Hideaway 4-Section School Locker $450
- Guidecraft Classroom Unit Blocks – 170 Piece, Classroom Unit Blocks – 170 Piece
- Guidecraft Double-Sided Book Browser $170
- Guidecraft Easy – View Storage Bench $260
- Guidecraft Stacking Bookshelf $80
Toy Storage – Big Book Storage Box – Guidecraft – $73 - Guidecraft Mission Baskets – Set of 5 $34
- Audio Center Chairs Set of 2 $80
- Guidecraft Single-Sided Book Browser $139
- Guidecraft SOUND BOX Games $36
- Guidecraft WEIGHT BOX Games $44
D Is For Dala Horse– Illustrated by Renée Graef. Beautiful pictures of scenes from Scandinavian countries for every letter of the alphabet. The rhyming text makes the alphabet recital pleasant and additional information on the featured word is also presented.
The Dala Horse was first produced in Sweden in the 1700’s (or so), and has become Sweden’s most recognizable symbol. The original Dala Horse (Dalahäst) has been around for many centuries, and probably was created by Swedish woodcutters.
During the long winters, woodcutters would pass the time by carving little toys for their children. These carved wooden toys, made from the scraps of the men’s wood were mostly horses. The most enduring of the little creatures remains the Dala Horse.
The bright, happy little animal as we now know the Dala Horse probably originated in the 1700’s. The carving of the stocky little tailless horses had become a well-established tradition, but up until this time they had been unpainted.
Legend has it that in the winter of 1716, while King Charles XII of Sweden waged war throughout most of Europe, many soldiers were quartered in private homes. Because of the severe winter and the war, all suffered from lack of food and warmth. Tradition has it that one such soldier, carved a Dala Horse from some scrap wood in the home where he was staying. Before presenting it to the child of the home as a gift, he painted it a bright red, a color readily available from the copper mine at the nearby community of Falun.
He also decorated the horse with kurbit painting for the harness and saddle. In return for this bright toy, the woman of the house gave the soldier a bowl of soup. He made another horse and received another bowl of soup. When word o his success in bartering for food reached the other soldiers, they too began carving and painting horses in exchange for food. Thus the Dala Horse is credited in part with the army’s surviving the cruel winter.
6 Pictures – Animal Cushions Visit meetmeatmikes.blogspot.com
Wooden horse on a painted wooden chest Visit lucasantiques.blogspot.com
All White Kids Rooms Visit desdemventana.blogspot.nl
– Old Wooden Cubes Game- Found on mademoiselle-patine.com
Mother Goose. Found on skinnerinc.com
– Devonshire Villas Antique Doll House- Found on collections.vam.ac.uk
-Late 19th C tin toy Found on morphyauctions.auctionflex.co
1890 German Twin Horse Pull Toy w/ Iron Wheels- Found on ebay.com
Antique Dolls – Found on ullam.typepad.com
Vintage Dolls Found on sweeteyecandycreations.typepad.com
Child’s Rattle and Teether, Silver and Coral, Birmingham, England, 1835-36 Found on metmuseum.org
A Steiff Early Velvet Elephant Skittle – Found on christies.com
Blue and White Kids Rooms Stenciled Walls
English Victorian misc. furniture baby carriage/crib/cradle pine – Found on newel.com
Antique Childrens Books Found on etsy.com
Antique Victorian French ivory and silver baby rattle whistle Found on ebay.com
5+ Nordic Homes Decorated Around White
The Swedish interior decoration magazine Skona Hem had a wonderful write up on an English family who transformed their home into that of a Gustavian period style.
The home is largely based around a white palette, anchored by distressed wood floors which create a down to earth family feel. While many of us wouldn’t have access to an authentic Swedish tiled stove, we can incorporate the lines of the furniture that were seen through this time frame.
What To Look For….
– Straight Or Curvy Lines– Look for Rococo, Louis XVI furniture that has straight lines. Look for straight chests which you can add round ornate pulls, and round keyholes to. Victorian furniture also can be painted and re-upholstered to achieve that Swedish appeal.
– Mix And Match Styles– Don’t be afraid of mixing in a variety of country and formal styled furniture. You can see in this home, mixing and matching is very appealing.
– Go Authentic With Patterns- Work with country throws, and rugs to bring in the authentic patterns of Sweden.
– Wallpaper Is A Great Investment– Wallpaper can really transform a room, as seen in this home. Go for white based wallpaper with a geometrical or floral based patterns.
-Lighter Everything– Work with lighter colored fabrics, with an airy feel. Go for thinner fabrics for the summer, and collect natural based thicker wools for the winter time.
– Faux Painting and Stenciling- Create faux molding with paint. Here we frames on the walls, used in combination with stencils to give a whimsical, feminine look to the walls. As you can see, they pick a very light blue for the frames, and all the stenciling is done in a couple shades lighter and darker than the base wall colors. This look is very easy on the eyes.
– Crystal Chandeliers Everywhere– Chandeliers can really make a difference. In this home, almost every room has a crystal chandelier. Get the Swedish look by changing out your light fixtures to something more classic. It will instantly change the space.
Related Articles:
Carolina Rediviva Building, Uppsala University Library (Uppsala, Sweden)
Swedish in Connecticut via Robert Couturier
Gelskov Gods, a manor house on the island of Funen in Denmark
ELLE Russia Decoration July-Aug issue featured a manor house, Gelskov Gods, on the island of Funen in Denmark. The house featured a classic nordic style home with a stripped down, very moderate decorating scheme. The home featured a masterful mixture of baroque, rococo furniture in a clean white and gray based interior.
Anette and Heine Robert Dahl used to live in Copenhagen, but in the spring of 2009 they moved to Gelskov, in this Manor on Funen where they also hold exhibitions, display antiques and flea market finds which they offer for sale. The home also functions as a bed & breakfast.
Gelskov Gods
Gelskovvej 10
Hillerslev
5750 Ringe
Tel.+45 26638094
Get The Look Of Their House…….
-Layer Shades Of Gray – Go for a shade of gray on the walls, and add architectural accents in a painted shade that is a couple shades lighter than the walls. Create straight lines near the ceiling that mimic architectural molding.
– Black Works As An Accent In A White/ Gray Toned Home- In a color scheme like this, black can really give that pop that you need. If your not crazy about black, go with charcoal, or a really saturated tone of gray. Colors like rusty orange, gold, gilt finishes really work in the opposite color spectrums. Add gilt wood mirrors on the walls, decorate with rusty metal accents. Go for an additional color for a pop here and there through your room.
– Keep Your Collections In One Area– In the picture below you can see a bookcase, or shelf holding a variety of white tableware. Collections can look interesting, and when they are paired or displayed in one area, it can give your house an organized look, without it being overwhelming. Here you can see the house has a lot of contents, but they choose to house the collections.
– Add A Variation Of Color In A Different Tone– In one of the hallway’s open areas, you can see a shade of lighter colored pink on the walls, which brings life to the area. If you choose to have a home based around the gray tones, add some subtle colors here or there to warm it up. You can see they do that with the color green on the trumeau mirror in the hallway. It goes with gray, but it isn’t black, black, black. A hint of blue, green or red in the undertones can make a difference in a theme that is based around the same color; in this case gray.
Gelskov Gods, a manor house on the island of Funen in Denmark
Gelskov Gods, a manor house on the island of Funen in Denmark
Gelskov Gods, a manor house on the island of Funen in Denmark
Gelskov Gods, a manor house on the island of Funen in Denmark
Gelskov Gods, a manor house on the island of Funen in Denmark
Gelskov Gods, a manor house on the island of Funen in Denmark
Gelskov Gods, a manor house on the island of Funen in Denmark
Gelskov Gods, a manor house on the island of Funen in Denmark
It is always fun discovering blogs from around the world. The Norwegian Interiors & Inspiration Blog posted some wonderful pictures of a Swedish villa strongly inspired by the typical Swedish Gustavian style. The pictures are taken by the Danish photographer Mikkel Adsbol. It seems as though there are a variety of pictures taken on this home which shed a light on the various rooms throughout the house. A Bit of Everything Sometimes Blog also featured some wonderful pictures. Of the rooms, the washed wood floors, and various Swedish furniture reflect a Gustavian direction in this residence. The bedroom has a slight hue of lilac, as well as the child’s bedroom which seems to have Swedish motifs painted on the walls.
Living Inside also features some lovely pictures of this home.
A Renovated Log House Decorated Around White- Seen On expressen
Modern Furniture In A Castle In Denmark –DH Design & Co
Modern Furniture In A Castle In Denmark –DH Design & Co
Modern Furniture In A Castle In Denmark –DH Design & Co
Modern Furniture In A Castle In Denmark –DH Design & Co
The Norwegian Blog Ernashus posted some striking pictures from Swedish Wlfsta Goods of a Swedish styled interior with some unexpected rustic elements you normally don’t find in the blue and white typical Swedish room that is often shown. In fact, the Swedish style isn’t one that fits in a box, there are so many diverse ways to Swedish decorating, that there are no general rules. Although I am enlighted to see some new variations on the style.
There isn’t too much about this home. This 19th century Swedish home was once neglected, and brought back to life. The brick home with it’s characteristic sloping roof and eaves gives off a very unique impression. The expansive lawn and gardens are accented with a matching gazebo.
Borrow Looks From This Home
There isn’t much on this home. The original article was featured on weranda.pl/…..
This home is spectacular. A great home to borrow ideas from for a white based interior.
Borrow Elements From This Home:
– Have You Ever Seen One Canopy Tying To Beds Together? – Why not? We often see traditional canopies above a single bed. In this case, the home owners decide to use one canopy over two beds. Decide if you like the look. Look at avidekiotthon.hu, ahouseromance.blogspot.com for additional pictures.
– Hire A Faux Artist For A Mural– A mural can really bring the flavor of 18th century living into your home. Hire someone who paints for a living to get it just right, and you will find yourself looking at it for years to come.
– Go For A Pop Of Color- Red is a color to use in moderation, and this home uses it right. We see a classic French chair upholstered in red, with a few throws in this saturated tone.
– Go For A Shade That Is Off White– Pure white can often be too bright, but mix it with a bit of yellow, red, or blue, and it can take on a totally different life. In this home, a warmer look is achieved by mixing in yellow undertones. For cooler tones, work with purples and blues. They add in green grays, and muddy reds to the mix which also work with the warmer color palette.
– Invest in Art Work That Speaks To You– Maybe you love botanicals, or framed embroidery….what ever it is, hang it up and draw attention to it.
– Open Up Your Hutch– Let people see your collections. If you have a bookcase or armoire with doors, open them up. These pieces can really be centerpieces in a room.
– Leave Some Pieces In Their Raw Wood State- If you plan on decorating around white, leave a few pieces in their raw wood. Strip off the existing paint, and work with the plain wood- all natural. Go for an accent chair, or a couple accessories in plain wood. You will see it will go a long way in a home based around white.
More Photos:
10 Of The Best Tours In Sweden
Gripsholm Castle- Ground Floor Corridor Coutiers Wing Built 1780-82, Neoclassicism In The North
If you have never been to Sweden, here is a guide of what tourists have found to be the best and not so worthy sites to visit….
Best Places To Visit………..
1. Monteliusvägen Is Totally Worth Finding According To Many –Is a scenic walkway along the heights of Södermalm. This is one of the most captivating viewpoints in Stockholm, as it overlooks the Old Town and Norrmälarstrand. Plan a lunch or get a latte and enjoy looking at the view from many of the benches that are available. Plan something really special for your significant other here. Tourists have said it is tricky to find, yet definitely worth the search. Many mention that many of the locals don’t even know the place exists or very surprised tourists can find the place on their own.
2. Take In A Free Walking Tour Of Downtown Stockholm– Enjoy a free 90-minute walking tour of Stockholm’s Norrmalm district with a guide who works only for tips, so all you need to pay is what you feel the tour was worth at the end!- Links- Get Our Guide.com, Trip Advisor.com
3. Fotografiska Museum – (The Swedish Museum of Photography) -Fotografiska presents four unique large exhibitions and about 20 smaller exhibitions annually. The photos will range from powerful and thought-provoking to creepy. This museum will certainly be a very interesting tour!
4. The Vasa Museum is an absolute must for any tourist! The Vasa Ship Museum features one of the most complete and best preserved shipwrecks in the world. The ship sank a few hundred meters from its first sailing in the 1650’s. It was then discovered at the bottom of the harbor was painstakingly brought back to the surface and reassembled. In the museum, you can see this ship up-close, and truely is a work of art.
5. The Ghost Walking Tour In Gamla Stan– This tour isn’t your every day tour. Get the inside story behind stories of legends, diseases, murders and of course, ghosts. The old town is charming. Get lost in the atmosphere of walking down cobbled streets and winding avenues. The buildings are colorful, and the narrow lane ways are very interesting to see. Mårten Trotzigs Gränd is the narrowest alley. Take time out to leisurely visiting the shops, eating at the local eateries, enjoying the architecture and simply soaking it all up. There is a lot to see and do, however, don’t arrive early, as many shops don’t open until 11:00 a.m.
6. Royal Palace, Riddarholmen, Stockholm, Sweden- Amongst all European palaces, many people report that this one is the most interesting. It’s beautiful Baroque architectural style took 63 years to finish. This palace is proper and formal but far from pompous. The collection of costumes, uniforms and jewelry are kept in the main museum, while the basement museum features the architectural fortifications and underpinning of the “new” palace.
This palace has over 1400 rooms and many are still in use today.The tour takes about one hour but you can go at your own pace through the many rooms. Your ticket would cover the State and Guest apartments, the treasury, the Kroner Museum and Museum of Antiquities. They stamp your ticket at each venue, which allows you to visit once, over 7 days if you so wish. You can’t take any photographs inside, but the gift shop sells books and post cards.
The changing of the guard ceremony has been a daily tradition since 1523. The change happens at 12pm and lasts for approximately 40 minutes.
Pictures
– Throne room, Drottningholm Royal Palace, Sweden.- Corbis Images
-Chinese Style Interior at the Royal Palace of Drottningholm – Corbis Images
Helpful Comments On Trip Advisor
Pay Attention To The Tapestries “The tapestries in the palace are most interesting. Some depict the lavish lifestyle of the Swedish Royalty. There is one in particular that shows famous people from around the World including The Beatles and Bob Dylan plus many Heads of State.”
You Can Walk Through At Your Own Pace, Or Take The Tour “The Tre Kroner museum gives a history of the palace, we nearly missed it we were on way out when we spotted sign leading down some stairs.You can do the Palace on your own as we did but there were guided tours.”
“The Tre Kronor museum takes you into the Medieval history of the palace which I found fascinating”
“There is so much to see, but no photos are allowed–fair warning! The crown jewels/Treasury museum was my favorite, but the apartments were by far the coolest thing to walk through.”
“There was a very interesting temporary exhibition about the life of today’s king. Among the old baroque palace halls you can see the room which is designed nowadays, for various state meetings – it’s modest and elegant. All in all the palace has modest and austere (even bordering on dull) look in comparison with other European palaces, but hey, this is probably one of the reasons why Sweden never had any revolutions, the royals were just less greedy than the others!”
Take The Tour and Then Visit The Palace On Your Own –“The Royal apartments are very dark, and you can not take any pictures. The attendants in the museum are there to make sure you don’t take pictures, not to answer questions. The only exception to this is the guard in the knights room, they are friendly and will answer questions. A few of the rooms were very nice, but most were just dark. There are many stairs. You can see the backs of some statues on the tour but are not allowed to go to see the front of the statues.”
Lack Of Restrooms Within The Palace “Two warnings. You cannot take any pictures inside the palace and WCs are at a premium. Make sure you use the one at the gift store/ticket center before you go in as there are none in the palace.”
7. Oaxen Slip in Djurgarden “Our favorite meal was dinner at Oaxen Slip in Djurgarden, which our AirBnB host recommended to us. It is the cheaper, ‘backdoor’ sister restaurant to Michelin-starred Oaxen Krog. We ordered a variety of dishes to share, and everything we ate was spectacular! In fact, this is the first time I could say I actually enjoyed the veggie dishes more than the meat dishes. The baby asparagus was absolutely divine. Our waiter also recommended the beets with mayonnaise, which sounded suspect but we went along with what he said, which ended up being the right decision- they were also divine! We also had duck, pork and char as our entrees, and then the bread pudding and glace du four desserts. Service, and our waiter in particular, was great”
8. Stockholm City Hall has been described as a hidden gem. This building is the seat of Stockholm city government and also contains a luxury restaurant and happens to be the site of the banquet after the Nobel Prize ceremony. The organ in the Blue Hall has 10,270 pipes and is the largest in Scandinavia. If you intend to catch the tour, it is advised to buy your ticket in advance. One lady said that if you buy tickets at the hall, you need to buy them in the gift shop and can get crazy if you are feeling rushed to get on to the tour and someone in front of you is buying postcards. The tours last 45 mins and sell out quickly. The views from the top of the hall are especially captivating. So get your camera ready.
9. The Swedish History Museum- This museum has an extensive and unique collection of Viking artifacts, some dating to 4,800 BC. The second floor has a very imaginative timeline of Swedish history and some report a disturbing exhibit that graphically shows a medieval massacre. The best part of this museum is their famed Guldrummet or Gold Room. They feature over 100lbs of gold and 500lb of silver which are treasures from the Bronze to Middle Ages. This museum is a must see.
10. Royal Armoury -If you are interested in learning about Sweden’s royalty, this is the place to go. The history behind Sweden’s kings and queens from the 15th century are displayed in an ever-expanding collection of memories from the country’s different dynasties. They give the history behind Sweden’s well-known events in a captivating way. See objects like Gustav Vasa’s crested helmet in 1548, or the costume Gustav lll wore at the masked ball at which he was murdered. View costumes worn in various films such as from the film “Elizabeth”
We will have to leave Gothenburg, Malmö, Marstrand, Skåne, and Visby/Gotland for another article……..
Some Of The Less Than Impressive Sites According To Comments At Trip Advisor:
Skansen Museum “Some of the less impressive things we did in Stockholm included going to the Skansen museum… we just didn’t understand what the hype was about. At first we thought it would be cool to see the old houses and be able to go inside them, but all of the doors were locked! There was written commentary outside each of the houses, ie. “Inside the living room there are some interesting artifacts” which really didn’t help since we weren’t able to go inside” here
“As for Skansen, everyone I took there really liked it, you must have been unlucky if many of the houses were closed. High season is probably better”
Rosendal’s Garden “We also walked all the way to Rosendal’s Garden to have lunch, given the positive views on TA, but it did not live up to expectations at all! If it had been closer to the museums, then that would be one thing, but we had to walk through farms and forests to get there. To us, it seemed like a prettied-up self-service cafe, and the food wasn’t even that great. If I could do it again, I would give this place a pass”here
A Bit About Swedish Culture Before Visiting Sweden
-43 Things I Love About Sweden – blogs.sweden.se/
-Top Ten Things You Need to Know About Sweden and the Swedish –expatsblog.com
– 10 Things Not to Do in Sweden – About.com
-Party Like A Local – 10 things to know before visiting Sweden CNN.com
Additional Related Articles
–The Lavish Interior Of The Swedish Häringe Castle The Swedish Furniture
–A Look At The Castle Behind The Movie “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo-The Swedish Furniture
–The Gustavian Style Of Swedish Interior Designer Louis Masreliez- Part 1 -The Swedish Furniture
-The Romantic Baroque Style: Part 1- Stromholm The Swedish Furniture
–The Romantic Baroque Style: Part 2 King Gustav Vasa – The Swedish Furniture
–The Romantic Baroque Style: Part 3 Skokloster & Steninge Palace – The Swedish Furniture
–Neoclassicism in the North- The Style Saloniste
–Swedish Painted Furniture Gustavian Neo-classical Annie Sloan
Empire style in the former royal summer palace Rosersberg – Picture Credit daserste.ndr.de
The study of duke Fredrik Adolph Tullgarn Palace –www.kungahuset.se
History Behind Many Of Sweden’s Palaces
Haga Palace
Since 1966 this small palace has been in the Swedish government’s hands, and used for meetings and conferences and as a guest house for prominent foreign visitors.Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt decided to return the right of disposal to the royal family.
Here is the summarized history behind Haga…….
- The neoclassical Haga Palace was built 1802-1805 by the architect Carl Christoffer Gjörwell on the orders of King Gustaf IV Adolf. Across the road was Gustaf III’s Pavilion, which had been built by Olof Tempelman for King Gustaf III in 1787-1790. Located behind this was the ruins of Haga Palace, a Swedish Versailles designed by Louis-Jean Desprez. The structure which was being built was was halted when Gustaf III was assassinated in 1792. Later when his son, Gustaf IV Adolf, found his father’s pavilion to be too small to accommodate his growing family, ordered a new building from Gjörwell.
- Haga Palace was given to his aunt Hedvig Elisabeth Charlotta, (the new queen), and it became known as the Queen’s Pavilion. The next inhabitant was Prince Erik, the mentally handicapped youngest son of King Gustaf V. Prince Erik died in the autumn of 1918 and Haga Palace was thereafter briefly opened up to children who had lost their homes as a result of World War I.
- Later, Prince Gustaf Adolf and Princess Sibylla, moved into Haga following their marriage in 1932. They raised their four daughters, Princesses Margaretha, Birgitta, Désirée and Christina at Haga.
- In 1950 the widowed Princess Sibylla and her children temporarily moved to the Royal Palace in Stockholm in which a few repairs were needed. They fell in love with country living, and chose to remain at the Royal Palace until the renovation of Haga was completed.
- In 1966 when King Gustaf VI Adolf transferred Haga to the disposal to the government, it was turned into a guesthouse for distinguished foreign official visitors. In 2009, it was announced by Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt that the rights of disposal to the palace will be transferred back to the royal court to be used by Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden, and her husband, Prince Daniel, Duke of Västergötland, as a wedding gift in 2010.
Haga Pavilion
Haga Pavilion built in the 17th century by Gustav III. Located in Haga Park, King Gustav III used the pavilion year round and had grand plans for the park, which included a new residence. He was murdered in 1792 and his vision was never completed.
When King Gustov III made his way through the grand courts of Europe, it made a lasting impression. Upon his return to Sweden he along with architect Olof Templeman, designer Louis Masreliez and Swedish craftsmen were responsible for creating the pavolion that adapted to the style and grandness seen in the European courts.
Sweden’s Drottningholm Castle
Drottningholm Castle is located in Lake Mälar, 12 kilometres from Stockholm. The construction of this regal residence began in 1662. Baroque and Rococo influences largely comprise the characteristic features of the park that surrounds the castle. Drottingholm Castle has managed to retain the regal atmosphere of the Swedish royal families as it was during the 18th century.
Work on the castle began at the end of the seventeenth century under the architect Nicodemus Tessin the Elder and was completed by Nicodemus Tessin the Younger. The interior was decorated between 1665 and 1703. Nicodemus Tessin the Younger also laid out a garden design that reflected a baroque appearance according to what was modeled in France. Gustav III also added an English park in 1777.
Drottningholm Theatre is one of the most well preserved baroque theatres in all of Europe. It was built in 1764-66 and was truly magnificent in 1777, when Gustav III took over the castle. After the death of Gustav III, theatrical performances were discontinued and the theatre fell into dispair. In 1922 it was restored to its original state under the direction of Agne Beijer. A unique collection of stage sets is preserved giving you a glimpse into how wonderful it was at one time in history.
Tullgarn Palace
Built in the late 16th century, for Count Carl Sture, this is a renaissance palace was pulled down in 1720 and replaced with the present building which was designed for the French officer Joseph Gabriel Destain for the then owner, Count Magnus Julius De la Gardie.
In the 1770s the Palace was acquired by the State for Gustav III’s youngest brother, Duke Fredrik Adolf of Östergötland. He then radically re-built the Palace in the 1780s. Wings were raised to be one story higher and the whole building was given a flat Italian roof. Fredrik Adolf’s interiors at Tullgarn, were are among the finest of their kind in Sweden. Credit- community.fortunecity.ws
Additional Links To Fantastic Pictures:
- Castles, Palaces & Manor Houses in Sweden Jeannine Mantooth’s Pinterest Page
- Entrance to Salon at Tullgarn Palace Corbis Images
- The Bernadotte Library – The Royal Palace Sveriges Kunset.se
- Tullgarn Palace, stable turned into a restaurant nftravel.blogspot.com
- Christian IV’s Writing Room; Rosenborg castle, Copenhagen www.flickr.com
- The 1st Floor – Rosenborg Castle dkks.dk
- Royal Arms Collection at Rosenborg flickr.com
- 10 Must-See and Do Attractions in Copenhagen The Culture Map
- Inside The Rosenborg Castle tripwow.tripadvisor.com
- Tsars Palaces In Paintings English Russia Blog
- Beautiful Floral Patterns
- Souvenirs from The Royal Gift Shops –www.kungahuset.se
- “A Visit to Gripsholm Castle in Sweden” The Martha Blog
- Slottskyrkorna – Sveriges Kungahus
- Exteriör Drottningholm Castle
- Welcome to Tyresö Castle! | Nordiska museet
- Alexis Daflos www.kungahuset.se
- Tullgarn slott (castle) | Flickr
- Swedish Wedding at Tullgarn Palace
- Take a trip to Tullgarn Palace kungahuset.se
- Castle Tullgarn, Seen at Rococo Revisited
- Castle Tullgarn | Flickr
- Hässelby slott julbordsmaklarna.se
- Hässelby slott sv.wikipedia.org
- Svartsjö Palace, Found on sfv.se
- Svartsjö slott, interiör – Foto Åke E:son Lindman
- Lindman Photography.
- Found on upload.wikimedia.org
- Stockholm Palace – Wikipedia
- Frederiksborg Castle – Copenhagen Wikimedia
- Tyresö slott | Nordiska museet
- A Visit to the Rosenborg Castle in Copenhagen www.hollandamericablog.com
- Rosenborg Castle (Photo credit: Christopher Macsurak) tripideas.org
- dicksandy.org
- Rosenborg Castle: Venture Denmark
- Copenhagen Rosenborg Castle Throne Room – traveljapanblog.com
- Stairway at the Rosenborg Palace, Copenhagen. shuttersandsunflowers.com
- Neoclassicism in the North- The Style Saloniste
- Gripsholm Castle commons.wikimedia.org
- Olivia November 2012 Outi Ranua – Fashion Models
- Unknown Swedish Home Picture Credit- Uploaded On Pinterest
- -Room Interior at Digitalt Museum – Tyresö slott
- Stora Huset –www.nordiskamuseet.se
- Stora Huset –www.nordiskamuseet.se
- Digitalt Museum – Interiör, Tyresö slot
- Tyresö slot- commons.wikimedia.org
- Stora Wäsby – Swedish Castle – Found on abebooks.com
- Stora Wäsby – bohemianwornest.tumblr.com
- Rosendal, the former summer palace of Charles XIV – Picture Credit daserste.ndr.de
- homedesign.marthastewart.com
- Stola Herrgård
- Gunnebo Slott
- Neoclassicism in the North- Seen On The Style Saloniste
- Gunnebo Seen In Neoclassicism In The North
- Gripsholm interiors – Gula Salongen Nationalmuseum Stockholm’s Photostream
- Neoclassicism In The North
- Costumes, Cats 18th Century Blog
Jonas Hultsten www.antikvarlden.se
The chest of drawers in the original room was made in about 1780, was originally purchased for Sofia Albertina and is typical of its maker, Jonas Hultsten.
Jonas Hultsten www.bukowskis.com
Jonas Hultsten www.bukowskis.com
Jonas Hultsten 1700 www.bukowskis.com
“A Visit to Gripsholm Castle in Sweden” The Martha Blog
Walk through Gripsholm with Martha Stewart in this post – “A Visit to Gripsholm Castle in Sweden” The Martha Blog
She captured the beautiful floors at Gripsholm. Each room had a different pattern.
Tour description, Gustav III’s Museum of Antiquities. Gustav III’s Museum of Antiquities, The Royal Palace www.kungahuset.se
Royal Palace –www.kungahuset.se
3 Rustic Scandinavian Country Homes – Borrow Ideas From Norway and Denmark
Inspiring Interiors Blog posted some terrific pictures of a barn styled home with a Scandinavian styled interior. If you are looking for a country styled look, consider how this home is set up.
Start With A Gray Palette
Starting out with gray through out your house can be a really simple way to decorate the rest of your home. To make it interesting, choose several shades of gray which you can work through your home.
For my own home, I decided that lighter colors worked well in larger rooms, while the more saturated shades could punch things up in the closets, the bathrooms, and smaller rooms.
Using gray through out your home allows your home to flow nicer than having one bright bold color in each room of the house. Later if you want to add color, simply attach a chair rail, and paint the upper half of the wall. You can add depth with accessories and wall art.
Work With Muted Shades For Country Styles
The wood walls in this home look very primitive with a gray wash. Some walls are left natural while others are painted. In one of the rooms, dried floral wreaths add a rustic touch to the walls. Here is an example of a captivating look that is inexpensive.
Helichrysum Strawflowers are one of my favorite florals. Pick flowers for drying when they are open, but not fully mature. Hang the stems upside down in a cool-well ventilated spot to dry. Avoid over-watering during the growing season, and these florals will look spectacular dried in a vase or a floral wreath.
Incorporate Red And Rust…….
Red is a classic country color that is commonly seen in the countryside of Sweden. Barns and countryside homes are painted rich reds, making it a very classic color to work with. Painting a chest of drawers or an accent chair in Falu red can really bring out the country side of Scandinavian decorating. Pair together rusty metal urns, and accessories like natural straw, hay, wicker, baskets for that country feel.
The house below was originally an eighteenth century barn which was converted into a guest house. This lovely barn is located in the village of Saint-Hilaire-sur-Helpe, in France, and pairs together both the Swedish and French rustic styles.
Photography by Corinne Schanté-Angel, All images from here.
Early 19th Century Female Portrait –Maison Maison
Swedish Rococo Chest-A. Tyner Antiques
Home 2, This comes from the blog browni.net, a home which was featured on Gods and Gardar.
Here are a couple things we see that really work in this home:
Use A Saturated Shade On The Walls
A saturated shade of mustard is applied to the walls, and followed up with layering of black based tapestry. Centered is a large scale wooden horse sitting on a antique chest. If you notice, the colors from the tapestry, and the wall color are opposite on the color wheel causing both elements to stand out nicely. The white paint in the horse tends to capture the eye against the bold color of the wall, and print in the tapestry.
Set your Furniture On A Slant
As you can see here, it works. Corner cabinets and cupboards off set the rest of the furniture in the room. Chairs are placed at a diagonal, and not everything is symmetrical. Common shades such as green, mustard and blue are used through out the house to keep the palette, exciting but toned down.
Work With Black and White To Balance Things Out.
Upholstered Swedish chairs in a neutral fabric really add balance to this home. The home is bright, but one can still find peace and serenity due to the furniture colors. Looking closely at the chairs, you can see they picked a linen, with a gray white painted frame. The creamy white allows everything to blend nicely together, without being overdone.
Picture Credits
- Swedish Antiques D Larsson Interior
- Jesse Breytenbach Tulip Pattern- Found on jessebreytenbach.co.za
- Found on ana-rosa.tumblr.com
- A Casa di Ro
- Danish Decorating Ideas via Indenfor and Udenfor
House 3, Originally shown in Sköna hem, this house has a powdery color and the country style atmosphere. Again we see saturated shades on the wall, balanced by gray white toned furniture. One way to surely give the rustic country feel is to choose something with a chippy finish. The armoire may have seen better days, but that is part of the romance.
Adding a few delicate features such as floral print fabric, or a worn childs doll can add the country charm to your home. Johan KalÃn for Sköna hem
Swedish Folk Art Home Johan KalÃn for Sköna Hem
The same home featured on Home And Delicious Blog, seen in House and Garden 2006
Swedish Folk Art Home Johan KalÃn for Sköna Hem
Home And Delicious Blog, seen in House and Garden 2006
Swedish Folk Art Home Johan KalÃn for Sköna Hem
Home And Delicious Blog, seen in House and Garden 2006
Home And Delicious Blog, seen in House and Garden 2006
Bergere Chairs Maison Maison
Eidsborg Museum in Telemark, Norway
Blue cupboard Visit skonahem.com
Swedish Furniture Decorating Ideas Gypsy Purple BlogCountry Nordic Styled Home in Drobak,
NorwayCountry Nordic Styled Home in Drobak, Norway
Slant Front Writing Desk in Blue Paint– Sweden Circa 1820
Swedish writing desk, circa 1820, with four graduated drawers under the slant-front. The interior features a central cupboard with lozenge trim and two banks of three drawers on either side. Great patina on the secondary blue paint.
Gustavian style commode with two over two drawers, Sweden circa 1910, in
secondary blue paint. Canted and fluted corners with applied rosettes and shaped
top. Square tapering legs. Original brass hardware.
Chest of three drawers, Denmark circa 1750, with serpentine drawer fronts,
shaped top, and bracket base. The hardware and painted surface are original
INTERIOR & STILL LIFE – Agent Bauer
Rustic Nordic Furniture From Am
Traditional beds in the kitchen of an old Swedish farm house Uploaded To Pinterest
Wouldn’t this be a wonderful stencil pattern for the walls? Found on stylecourt.blogspot.com
Spring Summer Checks and Florals For The Swedish Home
PÄRLVIVA Cushion Cover From Ikea
One of the easiest ways to decorate in the flavor of the Swedish style is through the use of fabrics.
My husband and I took a trip up to Canada a few weeks ago, and I had the chance to visit one of my favorite stores, Ikea. We got to Ikea around 7pm, so we didn’t have a lot of time to shop before the store closed up. I missed a few items on my list, but thankfully, most of their new and old collections are available on ebay.
In my early 20’s I had the chance to work at Ikea as a short term job though the summer, and I loved it. When I go to Ikea, I tend to look for the classic accessories that would fit into a home designed around the antique styles. Their linens, wood mirrors, bowls, glass accessories, and throw rugs are the best products at Ikea.
Their drapery, bedsheets, comforters, and pillows are always great buys. They have wonderful selection of pillow covers from year to year, which allow you to exchange out patterns in your home without having to sew, cut and assemble it yourself.
Adding florals in your home is one way to bring the garden inside. Ikea often keeps their florals and stripe fabric from year to year, giving you a really classic pattern to work with for your Swedish inspired interior. They also have a friendly mix of new updated modern looks that fit into the Swedish styled looks as well.
Quick Updates For The Summer
Change Up Your Bedroom
If you are looking to update your bedroom for the summer, buy a duvet set. If you can handle a sewing machine, buy a second set of the same pattern and add make slipcovers for your chairs or lamp shades. You could have a summer and winter look for your bedroom without spending a ton of money.
In the book “In Bringing It Home – Sweden” Author Cheryl MacLachlan gives us some really easy tips for pulling together the Swedish look in your bedroom.
– She says that the classic Swedish fabrics belong to three families: Stripes, Checks and Motifs inspired by nature. You cannot go wrong with any of these three choices.
– In the finest homes, the bedrooms were fitted with hand carved poster beds or gracious carved bed-crowns. Consider buying a canopy bed, or replicate the look by hanging drapery from the ceiling using rod holders made for the ceiling.
– If you prefer the 17th and 18th century romantic bed looks, consider making your own bed crown out of wood, upholstering it, and attaching it to the wall. Match your bed linens to the fabric draperies hung from the crown to create a dramatic look for your bedroom.
– Swedish beds were distinguished by the treatment of the wood frame. The bed frames were usually carved and painted in a pale gray, or an “English red” the name for a reddish brown color.
– Select bed linens in pale shades of soft sky blues, pale yellows and grays.
-If you have an antique wood bed, consider sanding it down to it’s raw pine state. Raw pine wood is beautiful without paint.
Update Your Living Room
-A very easy way to update your living room for the spring and summer season is to purchase throw pillows. Ikea has throw pillow covers for as little as 7 dollars.
– Exchange out the heavier blankets used in the winter for lighter throws. Go for color, and pattern on your sofa.
– Don’t be afraid of colors such as pink and light blue. Pink can be pretty on a chair, or consider a print on the wall in the color tones of pink and green. Botanical prints featuring flowers can be a nice way of updating your walls in the summer. Go for a pretty pink slipcover, or bed linens.
– A nice floral centerpiece can be really captivating for the summer. I am always surprised at the quality of the florals at Michael’s crafts. Go for a large floral mix, in the colors you dream about, and build your room around it.
– Pick up a set of summer dinner plates. Adding some color to your table can really lift the spirit.
– Go flea market shopping and pick up something really bright for your interior. Consider painting a side table, or a wood accessory. A pop of color can go a long way. Go for something that really is fun, and exciting!
“ Bringing It Home – Sweden” Author Cheryl MacLachlan
In Bringing It Home – Sweden, Cheryl MacLachlan
Another look at this room from Cheryl’s book…..
NYPONROS – Queen Size Duvet Set $39 at Ikea
Swedish Checks For The Summer Found on housetohome.co.uk
Large Scale Checked Fabric- BERTA RUTA From Ikea
Finding heavy weight blue and white fabric for upholstery can be difficult. After shopping at some of the largest fabric stores, I have found Ikea to have some of the best heavy weight fabrics at reasonable price points.
After ordering several check prints on ebay and amazon, I found the number one problem, is the size of the box print to be very small, or 2, the fabric is so paper thin, that it would be difficult to upholster with. Ikea’s fabric section is limited, I find their fabrics are heavier, and cost less than most fabric stores. I have used the Berta Ruta pattern in my home for my upholstered pieces. Use some of their lighter fabrics for making slipcovers.
Find Berta Ruta in Red, Navy, Black and Beige – At Ikea
EMMIE RUTA Duvet cover and pillowcase(s), pink, white $39 From Ikea
“The Chinese room at Värmlands Säby. Completed in 1774 by master carpenter Johan Georg Reincke” Kristinehamn. Found on tdclassicist.blogspot.com
Summer Time – Go Pink! Found on c-home.com
Found on zsazsabellagio.blogspot.com
AINA Drapery From Ikea
Cushion Covers From Ikea
In Bringing It Home – Sweden, Cheryl MacLachlan
Hervé Pierre, the creative director of Carolina Herrera, is a man with an utterly romantic eighteenth-century sensibility. His lower Fifth Avenue condo has been transformed into home thrown back in time. “I am in New York during business hours,” Pierre explains, “but at home I need to be in Paris.”
Herve’s bedroom shows off a spectacular Louis XVI Lit de polonaise bed with blue and white fabrics that are used for the bed skirts, bed drapery, and wall curtains.
Hervé Pierre’s Blue and White Check Bedroom
Hervé Pierre’s Blue and White Check Bedroom
2. Go For Florals – The Emmie Blom Fabric From Ikea
The Emmie Blom duvet cover and pillow case set sells for $49. Buy another set to make slipcovers for a pair of chairs. The set comes with two prints. Simply flip the duvet cover over for a smaller rose print. The best thing about this print is the white background. The white gives the print a fresh spring and summer feel.
EMMIE BLOM From Ikea $49
EMMIE SOT, $49.99 for full/queen set
This ikea mirror looks just like the French Louis Philippe Mirrors-$99 At Ikea
EMMIE BLOM From Ikea $49
Other side of Emmie Blom Fabric, A Small Scale Floral
“Our EMMIE collection combines 19th century French floral patterns with stripes and checkers in delicate colors. Using mostly natural materials” www.ikea.com
HÅLLROT duvet cover and pillowcase(s) Ikea
Herve Pierre is featured in the identical bed, except a different pattern
3. For For Toile With The EMMIE LAND Print From Ikea
Toile is a very popular French choice for bed linens, drapery, and upholstery. Buy the duvet cover and pillow set from Ikea in Queen for only $20 dollars, and a King set for $29. Collect blue and white transferware for your walls instead of hanging wallpaper. Add in a antique wood chair which is not painted to offset the detailed pattern.
30 Inspirational Cobalt Blue Painted Furniture Ideas-Painted Furniture Online
The Emmie Land Print From Ikea Seen here
Decorate With blue and white transferware, and cobalt blue. Picture Credit pierwszykrokwchmurach.wordpress.com
4. Go For A Larger Blue Floral Print – ÄNGSÖRT From Ikea
I have looked at this print in person, and have to say it is impressive. The scale of the print is larger, and the white background makes this fabric bright and light in appearance.
The Queen sells for $79 which includes a duvet cover and pillow cases, and the king sells for $89.
ÄNGSÖRT From Ikea here
In Bringing It Home – Sweden, Cheryl MacLachlan reveals the secrets of Swedish decorating and entertaining and explains how to capture those charms anywhere.
After spending much time visiting homes and conversing with families in towns and cities throughout Sweden, she became familiar with the subtle but unmistakable qualities of Swedish life: how furniture is chosen for its pure, fine lines; how simple fabrics are used to great effect; how soft, delicate colors are layered to create rooms full of light and elegance.
Now in this book, she offers the essence of Swedish style, with an abundance of practical information, handy how-to projects, and colorful inspiration to enrich any home. From the finer points of Gustavian furniture (now available in reproduction everywhere) to the exquisite choices offered by Swedish crystal, from the secret to buying the perfect down comforter to the ultimate recipe for Swedish meatballs, the best of Sweden is shared with readers. Richly illustrated with more than two hundred color photographs by Ivan Terestchenko.
In Bringing It Home – Sweden, Cheryl MacLachlan
Classic Round Mirror From Ikea $50
Don’t you love the color?
Description: Set of Six Louis XVI Style Medallion Back Dining Chairs, early 20th c., upholstered in yellow fleur-de-lis fabric, on tapered reeded legs, now in white paint, H.- 38 1/8 in. www.crescentcityauctiongallery.com
Sweden Gripsholm Castle Hans Thorwid / Nationalmuseum
Here we see the interior from Gripsholm Castle. The Princess’s bedchamber
The Princess’s Apartments were fitted out at the beginning of the 1780s for Gustav III’s younger sister Sofia Albertina. At the end of the 17th century these apartments were lived in by Crown Prince Karl, who later became King Karl XII.
The interior decorations have remained virtually untouched ever since 1782. The painted Chinese silken wall-hangings, however, have faded considerably and the bed curtains have twice been replaced, most recently in the 1890s. The chest of drawers, made in about 1780, was originally purchased for Sofia Albertina and is typical of its maker, Jonas Hultsten. There were no portraits on the walls in Sofia Albertina’s days. Several of those to be seen here now are tapestries modeled on oil paintings.
Picture Credit Sätt slottsstilen i sommar – Sydsvenskan
The red room at the Chinese Pavilion of the Drottningholm Palace, Sweden. The Drottningholm Palace is the private residence of the Swedish Royal Family. The Chinese Pavilion was built in the middle of the 1700s, a period in European history when chinoiserie was the height of fashion. Today, the pavilion houses one of the finest remaining examples of such an interior.
Exotic Taste, Oriental Interiors by Emmanuelle Gaillard and Marc Walter features a whopping 236 pages of rich, luscious interiors, textiles and furniture from Japan, China, India and the Middle East. Pictures Seen on The Lonely Wife Project
Auvergne, France – AD DesignFile – Architectural Digest
Chinese Pavilion of the Drottningholm Palace, Sweden Fauxology
Chinese Pavilion Blue Salon Drottningholm Found on abebooks.com
Farrow & Ball Wallpaper The St Antoine Papers BP947- Buy It On EBAY For Less……
The Farrow & Ball St Antoine wallpapers are based on an 18th century French damask wallpaper originally produced in 1793 at St Antoine. This colourway is part of the F&B Special Edition I collection of contemporary adaptations of Farrow & Ball designs.
Farrow & Ball Wallpaper The St Antoine Papers
Farrow & Ball Wallpaper The St Antoine Papers nestnestnest.blogspot.com
Colefax and Fowler The Best in English Interior Decoration by Chester Jones- Amazon
Found on vibekedesign.blogspot.com
ÅKERKULLA Set From Ikea here
ÅKERKULLA Set From Ikea
ÅKERKULLA Collection From Ikea
70 Swedish Furniture Pieces That Sell For Less- Swedish Decorating On A Budget
White Lacquer Finish Round Accent Table $321 From Overstock On Ebay
17th and 18th century furniture is still tremendously popular today. One of the biggest draws to Swedish and Nordic styles is the wood, the carvings and depth of detail. In a typical home in Sweden centuries ago, you would find almost everything made from wood. Wood furniture, plank flooring, wood walls, and decorative accessories made from wood. Each piece would be individually carved, and often painted, and overtime would endure natural distressing.
Gustavian Looks
Gustavian style drew a lot of attention from around the world, so much that they became known throughout Europe as the “Paris of the North.” Gustavian style embraced all the grandeur that Paris had to offer, but without the money that France was able to spend. Instead of marble, they brought out their paint brushes, and learned how to paint faux marble. Instead of mahogany woods, they made their furniture from the white blonder woods found in their native land. Silk and satin was exchanged out for linen. Painted swags replaced the costly hand carved garland-like swags found on the walls in France.
Sweden’s vast forest industry made it possible for citizens to be skilled in some sort of trade that involved wood. So, as the trends came out from France and England, the latest looks would be crafted inexpensively. Woodworkers could modify the designs, change out the distinctive English or French designs, and add or change the look to suit their taste. Furniture feet, leg style, color, wood was all modified for what they found most desirable in their communities. From region to region different styles of furniture and accessories were made, which also had their own character trait, and color palette.
France and England heavily influenced Europe at that time, and so it was natural that Sweden also followed suit. They adopted the Louis XV and Louis XVI styles founded in France, but made them their own. Over time, with the excavations from Pompeii, Gustavian style also incorporated the classical looks that circulated around Italy, and Greece.
How To Get The Look On A Budget
I used to paint furniture as a hobby, spending most of my days hunting through thrift stores, estate sales, and I always had my eye on craigslist for the best finds in Virginia. My husband worked full time, which allowed me the ability to shop for worn out pieces which I then updated and sold. We moved away from the city, and into the country, where blogging is now my day to day life. Over the years, I have found some pretty amazing finds second hand, but I also have come to know, they just don’t compare to what you can buy new. I find I am always running across great pieces of furniture around the net which are sort of hidden away. I have come to realize that you can find really nice furniture for under $500 dollars. When you add up your valuable time, and gas- buying online simply just makes sense, especially if you are pretty particular in what you are after.
Here are 70+ links to great pieces from a couple big sellers on Amazon and ebay to give you the Swedish and French looks on a budget.
Here are just a few tips to pulling your look together…..
Arrow Ormolu Mounts From Ari Luxury On Ebay
1. Use Ormolu Mounts– If you have a pretty simple table, dress it up using decorative appliques. Europe embraced the use of gilt-bronze mounts, brass inlay and quintessential gilded enrichments that we all admire to this day.
Articles:
-Affordable French Furniture Appliques- Hersite
-How Decorate With French Empire Antiques- Hersite
-Architectural Molds- French Style Authority
2. Look For Straight Leg Furniture– If you live in America, look for the straight legged shaker style table and chairs. Straight legged tables, chairs, benches will give you the Swedish look and they are pretty easy to find in America.
Additional Articles:
– Amazingly Affordable Swedish Looking Furniture- The Swedish Furniture
-Swedish Furniture And Decorating On A Budget- Mora Clock Reproductions And More – The Swedish Furniture
Turn this unfinished international concepts table, sells for $42 dollars into a thousand dollar table with an additional marble top and some paint. Consider white paint with gold accents for a classic Swedish style. The Second table, sold by International Concepts features straight legs with a round round table top with Drawer- $104
3. Look For Fluted Legged Furniture -Gustavian furniture is well known for their use of fluted leg tables, square back chairs, and demi lune tables. If the legs are right, often times, you can add to the look to make it Swedish.
– This dark brown side table needs some color. Gray, pink, or blue, it would look prettier painted. It has spectacular legs, and a round table top that looks like it belongs in the Louis XVI collections. Only $133 On Ebay
-This 3-piece nesting table set sells for only $110 Dollars On Ebay I would strip off the existing paint, paint it, and then heavily distress it. Or, paint it a muted pastel and gold leaf the details. What a great price!
– Another pretty Console Table $418 On Ebay Gold leaf the details, or use white paint on the details, and a pretty color on the other features.
4. Use The Right Colors– Paint has always been my best friend. Typical ‘Gustavian’ colors include gray, pale blue, and pale green colors. Consider accenting your home with light pink and pale yellow.
Additional Aricles
– The Shocking History Behind “Emerald Green Paint-The Swedish Furniture
-Top Designers Pick The Best Furniture Paint Colors- The Swedish Furniture
-Swedish Paint Finishes -How To Wash Wood-The Swedish Furniture
-Salmon Paint Shades- Decorate With Apricot, Peach and Terracotta –Hersite
5. Paint With Matte or Chalk Paint – Swedish furniture tends to have a matte, chalky or powdery look. Limewashes were once used to brighten furniture and saturated colors were used along with glue or oil to make paint.
Chalk paint sold through distributors can give the look that is commonly seen on Swedish furniture. Or, consider adding in a bit of un-sanded grout to your paint. I tend to buy it in an off white color at the local hardware store, and a tablespoon goes a long way. It will give you chalk like finish. Use brown glaze to add an antique appearance. What I tend to do is brush it on, and after 2 minutes, I wipe it off using a facecloth. It can add a tint to your overall paint finish, and give your paint a look that doesn’t appear to be so new.
Additional Articles:
– Furniture Painting, Distressing & Glazing Examples-The Swedish Furniture
-What’s With Chalk Paint? 80+ Pictures Of Annie Sloan Chalk Painted Furniture – Painted Furniture Online
-How To Paint French Provincial Furniture A Perfect White –French Provincial Furniture
-Priming Furniture- French Provincial Furniture
-Staining And Re-Finishing Furniture- 40+ Pro Tips- Hersite
-What We Are Not Being Told About Furniture Strippers – Hersite
-DecoArt Chalk Paint Line Sold At Home Depot – Hersite
-50+ Pictures Of Great Painted Pieces- Painted Furniture Online
-56 Greige Pieces- Exceptional Painters And Their Furniture Painted Furniture Online
6. Work With Blonde Woods- Swedish style generally only features the lighter woods, because that was what was available in the surrounding regions. Swedish country homes contain a lot of birch, white pine, beech, and alder. It is used for furniture, floors and walls, and either left natural, bleached, or painted in pale colors.
If you have a piece of furniture that is stained, consider investing in a heat gun, to remove the existing finish. By doing this, when you go to paint and distress the piece, the lighter wood color will show through than the mahogany or darker stains. It will give your pieces a more authentic appearance.
Safavieh American Home Collection Concord Console Table $112 on Amazon
Safavieh American Home Collection Brigg White and Dark Brown Console Table $196 on Amazon
Natural Washed Tray Accent Table $381 Overstock On Ebay
Solid Oak Paola Arm Chair $863 From Overstock On Ebay
Safavieh American Home Collection Lexington Console Table $125 on Amazon
Safavieh American Home Collection Newburgh 6-Drawer Storage Unit, Vintage Grey $184 on Amazon
Safavieh American Home Collection Newburgh 3-Drawer Storage Unit $242 on Amazon
Safavieh American Home Collection Orford Off White Low Bookcase $208 On Amazon
Victoria Padded Bench with Distressed White Legs ONLY $70 From Overstock On ebay
Stratton Linen Side Chairs with Nail Head, Beige, Set of 2 $413 On Amazon
Safavieh Ashton Carved Side Chairs – Set of 2 $436 On Amazon
nuLOOM Casual Living Vintage Patchwork Blue Bench $275 Overstock on ebay
15.7 inches high x 31.5 inches wide x 15.7 inches in length
Cleopatra Solid White Oak Bench $182 Overstock on ebay
Safavieh American Home Collection Emma Four Drawer Storage Cabinet $204 Amazon
Safavieh American Home Collection Barnet Wall Shelf $148 On Amazon
Tabouret 24-inch Metal Counter Stools (Set of 2) $72 Dollars From Overstockon ebay
Tabouret Furniture From Overstock On Ebay
Safavieh Hudson Collection Johnny Linen Side Chair, Beige, Set of 2 $479 on Amazon
Safavieh Chloe Linen Club Chair $447 On Amazon
Safavieh Nottingham Taupe Nailhead Club Chair $360 at Overstock on ebay
Safavieh Mansfield Linen Pillowtop Ottoman Free Shipping $211 Overstock
Angelie 3-seater Sofa $1149 Overstock On Ebay
Ladderback Armchair $699 Wisteria
Lounge Armchair $799 Wisteria
Gustavian Tub Chair $799 From Wisteria
Louis XVI Dining Chair in Royal Blue$299 Wisteria
Chateau Arm Chair in Lavender $389 Wisteria
Camille Premium Linen Down Wrapped Sofa $1433 Overstock On Ebay
Lexington Oval Swivel Storage End Table $159 On Amazon
Remiremont Antique White Upholstered Bench $76 on Amazon
Cherry Wood Side Chair, Set of 2, Cream $479 On Amazon
Safavieh Mercer Collection Heather Linen Nailhead Dining Chair, Set of 2- $346 on Amazon
Safavieh Mercer Collection Stella Velvet Side Chair $305 Amazon
Featured above is the Ivory and Taupe chair sold for $270 Amazon
Becca Side Chair Finish: Upholstery: Leather- Clay with Nickel Nailheads $261 On Amazon
Alexia Contemporary Fabric Dining Chair $246 On Amazon
Sean Sofa $1393 Overstock On Ebay
Marie Curved Grey Settee $1094 From Overstock on ebay
Eddie Black Onyx Club Chair $569 on Overstock On Ebay
Baxton Studio Antoinette Classic Antiqued French Accent Chairs (Set of 2)
Buy them on OverstockOn Ebay
for $1050
Joe Dark Teal End Table $147 On Ebay
Swedish Style Pulls – 12 Pulls For $24 Dollars On Ebay
Thelma Ash Grey End Table $140 On Ebay
Notting Hill 6-Drawer Dresser $654 at Overstock On Ebay
Notting Hill Collections From Overstock on ebay
3-piece Nesting Table Set Only $110 Dollars On Ebay
Wood Console Table $418 On Ebay
Safavieh Bernice Dark Brown Side Table $133 On Ebay
Andrew Carved Oak Side Chairs, Set of 2 $514 On Amazon
Nara Side Chair (Set of 2) $494 on Amazon
Safavieh Mercer Collection Randy Linen Bench $343 On Amazon
Charcoal Grey Castro Armchair $570 Overstock On Ebay
Oval Accent Table $307 From Overstock On Ebay
nuLOOM Casual Living Weathered Vintage French Upholstered Linen Ottoman $269 On Overstock
Safavieh Pecos Reclaimed Wood Stool in Brown$272 On Amazon
Swedish Storage Bench $1149 Wisteria
Lisa Cradle (Free Shipping) $164 On Amazon here
Orbelle Trading Ga Ga Cradle (Free Shipping $164 on Amazon here
White Naples Media Chest $256 on ebay
Search out the rest of the furniture collection on ebay
Simply replace the hardware…..
Swedish Secretary $1999 From Wisteria
Thelma Distressed Vanilla End Table $140 On Ebay
Toby Eggshell End Table $135 On Ebay
Safavieh also sells a lovely set of nesting tables that have a Swedish look to them. The dimensions are 35″ H x 20″ D x 20″ W.
Chelsea Textiles Demi Lune Table– here
Oxford Beige Linen Arm Chair $179 From Overstock On Ebay
Lauren Upholstered Queen or King Canopy Bed Only $319 From Overstock on ebay
Check out other canopy beds from Overstock here on ebay
Naples King Canopy Bed $638 From Overstock on ebay
Wooden Nightstand $219 From Overstock On Ebay
Louis XV Chest $999 From Wisteria
Safavieh Mercer Collection Danni Side Chair with Nail Head, Beige and Antiqued Oak $417 On Amazon
Eddie Camel Club Chair $754 On Overstock On Ebay
Safavieh Abram Dark Teal Console $130 On Ebay
Safavieh Andy Ash Grey Shelf Unit $147 From Overstock on ebay
Hand Painted Black Finish Rectangular Accent Table $401 Overstock On Ebay
Safavieh Doris Black Round End Table $105 On Ebay
Safavieh American Homes Collection John Side Table, Antique Black $173 On Amazon
Safavieh Suncoast Arm Chairs – Set of 2 $283 on Amazon
Safavieh Dolan Sideboard, Light Oak $311 on Amazon
Safavieh American Homes Collection Susan Side Table, Dark Brown $190 On Amazon
4-Foot 6 by 6-Foot 6 Handpicked Argentinian Cowhide Area Rug, Natural Brown and Off-White $201 On Amazon
Safavieh American Home Collection Devon Walnut and Antiqued Pewter Etagere $281 On Amazon
Safavieh American Homes Collection Simon Console Table, Natural $208 On Amazon
Safavieh American Homes Collection Alexander Bookcase, Natural $195 on Amazon
Ossett Antiqued Pewter and Light Ash Wooden Storage Bench $214 On Amazon
Safavieh American Home Collection Leyton Writing Desk $342 on Amazon
Safavieh DHU205B Dhurrie Collection Handmade Wool Area Rug, 4-Feet by 6-Feet, Ivory and Green $128 On Amazon
Safavieh American Home Collection Howden Sideboard $263 on Amazon
Natural Fibers Collection Sisal Area Runner, 2-Feet by 10-Feet, Natural and Rust $75 On Amazon
Safavieh American Home Collection Sussex Light Brown Console Table $167 On Amazon
Retford Medium Oak Finished Dining Table $194 On Amazon
Safavieh Jethro Honey Natural Console
$113 at Overstock on ebay
Safavieh Amos Honey Natural Console
Safavieh Abram Eggshell Console
Thema Honey Table $140 On Ebay
Deniz End Honey Nature Table $156 On Ebay
Safavieh Coby Honey Natural End Table $126 On Ebay
Midwest CBK Marquetry Print Accent Table
This product has been dis-continued
Inlay Cherry Veneer Accent Table $289 On Ebay
Safavieh Tami Night Table $165 On Amazon
Auckland White Washed Console Table $194 On Amazon
AA Importing 18243 French Wall Clock $112 here
Winfrey Hutch Cabinet $2340 Overstock on ebay
Gustavian Console Table $399 Wisteria
‘La France’ Round Distressed Dining Table $1389 On Ebay
Cosmo 4 Door/3 Drawer Buffet $1232 on Overstock On Ebay
Chael Distressed Pine Bookcase $1716 From Overstock on ebay
Hamshire Round Dining Table 60 inch $1400 On Ebay
Decorating With Blue: Swedish Style Decorating Ideas
There are so many shades of blue, which one do you pick? Swedish decorating is known for their partiality towards the color blue. Blue is one of the staple colors in 18th Swedish century decorating, so if you plan on decorating with this style, we can give you a few ways to incorporate the color blue into your design scheme.
First decide if you want a formal or country appearance in your home. Knowing which look you are attracted to can help determine accessories, furniture, drapery and wall treatments.
1. Formal Blue Interiors – Blue-gray, painted finishes became popular after King Gustav ruled in 1772, and since then they still remain fashionable.
Formal Swedish Tips- Line Furniture Up Against The Wall- This is a classic Swedish touch that can give the look of finer living. If you have a room where you can line a set of three chairs against the wall, or a pair of chairs and a accent table, this will always give your room that refined, superior Swedish appearance. Push your furniture in the middle of the room, and if you have a tv, consider hanging it on the wall. I find that this arrangement always gives the look of more space. You can never have too many chairs. Collect furniture that have fluted legs, such as side tables, benches, or chairs.
Formal Swedish Tips- Buy A Long Oval Table – Here is a Henredon oval table selling on ebay for just over $1000. Strip off the finish and paint it gray. A long, dining table echoes the simple curves of early Gustavian style. Dress up your furniture in light, greenish blue-gray paint finishes to get the high end looks found in the Swedish castles. Consider investing in a crystal chandelier, which coordinates with white or really pale blue or pastel walls and work with white upholstery. Squared picture moldings, and sconces really can add to this formal Swedish appearance. Consider stenciling your walls with green-blue leaf patterns along the inner edges of the walls, and collect old styled portrait oil paintings with dark grounds which give rooms a dark accent.
Formal Swedish Tips- Go For Gold Accents– Dress up your furniture with furniture appliques and ormolu mounts. You can make any picture frame seem so much more expensive by adding gold leaf. Gold leaf is really simple to apply. Follow this link, and I show you where I buy my gold leaf on ebay. Buy a sconce and gold leaf it. Get ideas from this post, where I wrote about the sconces that are the most sought after from collectors world wide. A thin rectangular mirror on ebay can be a great look, which you can then add on a brass candle holder. This DIY project will give you the Swedish look for less.
– Decorative Mirror Molding, French White Bow- $21 Buy it on ebay
– Decorative Scrolls For Mirrors, and Dressers – $40 Buy it on ebay
– Ribbon Bows Mold, Decorate Mirrors and Furniture- $13 Buy it on ebay
-Ormolu French Gilded Furniture Ribbon Large- $35 Buy it on ebay
Louis XV Antique GILT WOOD handcrafted CARTEL WALL CLOCK estimated $1200- buy it for $350, buy it on ebay
Antique Gilt Wood Cartel Clock $450 on ebay– buy it on ebay
– Formal Swedish Tips- Go Brighter With Bright Blue and White- Go for a home that has white accessories and upholstery. Don’t be afraid to go with bolder blues for drapery, upholstery and bed linens. Brighter blues look great in formal settings.
-20 Yard Bolt – 44/45″ White Polycotton Liberty BROADCLOTH- $61 Buy it on ebay
– Solid Poly Cotton Fabric In Bright Blue – Buy it on ebay
-Fabric By The Bolt – 40 YARD BOLT $190 on ebay- Buy it on ebay
-Sunbrella Canvas Air Blue Outdoor Fabric $21 dollars a yard- Buy it on ebay
Cane Back Cushioned Seat Side Wood Chair Fluted Distressed Hammered Nailheads
(Paint it gray, white, blue or what ever colors you are working with. Great frame, great price)
Swedish Country Rustic Styles
2. Country Keys- Rustic Architecture – Country Swedish style is beautiful and worn. The countryside contains a mixture of rustic elements. Go shopping in architectural salvage yards and collect things that are worn. Wood is the key to getting the look. An old wooden door can be replaced by those builder typical doors you see in new homes. A old ladder can lean against the wall. Paint it in a darker blue and distress the heck out of it. Ceiling beams in their natural wood give an architectural feel to a home. Add some faux hallow wood beams across your ceiling. Get the look without having to hire 5 strong men to anchor it in place. Work with light wood flooring, and natural materials.
–Country Keys- Country Textiles- Skirted sofas, slipcovers in natural blends and textured walls are classic marks of styles found off the beaten path in Sweden. Ebay sells a number of Restoration Hardware’s stone washed Belgian Linen products new in their packages. You can buy new pleated drapes on ebay, along with bedding, pillow cases and more for half the cost in the stores. Raw and natural textures are the key to this look. I ordered this heavy oatmeal linen
for several of my drum lamp shades which I am re-covering. The material is heavy, and would be terrific for upholstery.
– Heavily distressed Mora clocks such as these on ebay, give your room that traditional Swedish look.
– Warm Old Barn Finish Table (paint it, and change the color) – $229 Buy it on ebay
– Reclaimed Salvaged Fir End Side Table- $564 on ebay here
– Country Keys – Go For Color On The Rustic Side– Muddy shades of blue work with the country styles. If you like the lighter shades of baby blue, distress your furniture more than you normally would. This certainly helps when the furniture’s wood is raw and stripped. The paint will blend nicely with the raw woods surface giving you a more authentic appearance. For complementary shades, pair blue with orange-red accents, along with shades of green-blues. Gingham upholstery also looks terrific in a country home, along with florals. Work with carvings, such as art that can be hung on the wall, and accessories that are carved such as standing wood birds which are painted and made from wood. Dala folk horse carvings are a Swedish country favorite. Pillows with embroidered blue-and-white folk patterns nicely work in a country home. Think about hand crafts, such as hand embroidered artwork, quilts, delft fireplace tiles, over-sized ginger jars, and colored glass.
Restoration Hardware Shower Curtains
Carved Mango Wood Accent Table Mindi Veneer Hand Finish Robin’s Egg Blue, this table sells for $229 on ebay Buy it on ebay
This Weathered Solid Fir Fireplace Mantel could be used as a bed crown for a rustic country Swedish look. All you need to do, is attach the drapes. Sells for $739 Buy it on ebay
This chair features the pretty shaped backs we see in the Swedish style with a new edge to it. This chair sells for $595 Buy it on ebay
-Hand-Turned Hardwood Accent Table $439 on ebay here
Beige Stripe Loveseat $1500 Buy it on ebay
Buy the matching chair here
– Blue Makes Everything Appear Larger- “Shades known as cool blues―like cobalt, turquoise, and ice blue―have yellow in them and tend to recede, or back away, which can help a small space look bigger. Color experts explain that cool blues encourage calmness (which is nice for a bedroom) and focus (say, in a home office). Sometimes cool blues can go a little further and be cold. But in a bathroom, where you want a crisp, clean vibe, that can be a good thing” Real Simple Magazine
– Decorate With Blue Slipcovers, Drapery, and Linens– One of the easiest ways to decorate with blue is to do it through throw pillows, slip-covers, linens and drapery. Bed coverings are simple to find in the Swedish style. Every time I am at Ikea, I notice their beautiful printed bed sheets. They have a variety of newer patterns, shapes and designs that would work with a Swedish design perfectly. Florals, stripes, and plain sheets are always a design that never goes out of style. If you love the rococo looks like I do, go for florals. Blue and white florals always take the edge of a room, and make it feel more comfortable.
– Dye Your Existing Fabrics Blue– Rit came out with a color called aqua-marine. The color is bright, and light. If you have old fabric that you no longer have use for, or the patterns colors simply aren’t your style anymore, consider dying it. The aqua-marine color can be tinted a slightly different shade by adding a bit of purple to the mix. Their royal blue also is sensational. The ability to dye fabric has been used since ancient times. The earliest record of the use of natural dyes was found in China around 2600BC. Indigo, a blue dye had been known throughout the ancient world for its ability to color fabrics a deep blue. The dye was extracted from several plants, and was imported from India. The shrub was found in India, and was quite expensive to import, so England began growing the plant. Prussian Blue came about in 1774, which was created by mixing iron salt and prussite of potash and aniline and bleaching powder to create bright blue. By the 1800’s, Prussian Blue was known as one of the earliest known chemical dyes.
– Finding the right hue of blue for your room is simply found by what color you enjoy the most. Then, work with the darker and lighter shades of your preferred choice for the trim, drapery, bedding and upholstery. For my bedroom, I found a set of pleated drapes on ebay in blue, and I had my paint colors matched to the drapes. It gave me a starting point. Most important, choose a color which you adore. It makes living in it day after day so much more enjoyable!
– Never Discount A Nice Quilted Throw “Benjamin Moore’s Ashmead Gray transformed the master bedroom’s mahogany Henkel Harris four-poster. Custom drapes from Calico Corners add a hit of pattern, and an antique leather trunk provides extra storage. The duvet and shams are by Area.“– See The Picture At Country Living See beautiful quilts like the one in the picture here……
-Show Off Blue, Brown, Lilac Transferware – “A white background, with hints of pretty gray-blue, is a great backdrop for displaying collectibles and antiques. This dining room’s built-in cupboards show off some of the owner’s transferware collection” View The Picture at Country Living
– Go Bold In The Bathroom With A Bright Shower Curtain. In this photo, a shower curtain has three different white trims stitched on top of it. Borrow this look for your own home by purchasing a plain shower curtain, and dressing it up with ribbon.
-Use One Color Throughout – “Although singular in hue, a monochromatic color palette can have multiple dimensions. Using one color in a room creates a sleek, sophisticated look, but including a few variations on the featured hue will boost character. In this cool blue living room, vivid shades of sky blue pop against blue-based neutrals” See the picture at Better Homes and Gardens
– Cool Tones With Other Cool Toned Pastels “If you like the idea of adding more color to your room but want the bright blue to blend into the overall design, decorate your walls with items in cool colors. Because blue is a cool shade, you’ll create a soothing, cohesive look for the room by incorporating colors like green and purple. Look for prints and artwork that feature shades like sage, mint or hunter green to dress up the walls, or try hanging vinyl wall decals of purple flowers and green leaves. You can even frame squares of fabric with green and purple patterns for a simple but colorful piece of artwork to hang on your bright blue walls.” – Home Guides
– Paint Your Architecture Blue– I saw this picture above on This Old House, and it immediately caught my attention. It is a breathtaking laundry room, isn’t it? One of the best elements about this room that I love, is that the cabinetry, and the walls are painted the same color. Architecture can stand out, even if it is painted the same color of the walls. Doesn’t this look fantastic? Adding extra architectural elements such as crown molding and wainscoting can give your room additional intrigue. Getting the style of furniture to fit into the desired period is often half the battle. Swedish style borrowed much of its style through this time from France, so the two styles mix together quite well. Furniture can always be painted, and dressed up with hardware, so don’t discount a piece of furniture because it is not painted, instead, look at the lines of the furniture, because everything can be altered. Borrow this look by painting a piece of furniture in your room the SAME color.
– Leave Your Furniture Raw With Bold Blue Interiors– With bold punches of color on your wall, consider leaving solid wood furniture in their natural state. No makeup needed! Natural wood when paired with blue, gives a room warmth, because blue often falls in the cooler tones. Having that bit of warm contrast, doesn’t make it feel like an ice palace. In fact, gold, brown and cream can also be neutrals in a brightly painted room. Adding a pretty console table that has been painted and accented in gold can unite the room giving a really elegant feel. Accessorizing with some bergere chairs framed in gold really does wonders for pulling all the elements together.
– How To Use Several Shades Together All At Once “The gentle progression of color in ombre suggests the transition from wakefulness to slumber, especially in soothing shades of blue. The headboard slipcover and matching pillowcases are shrouded in sky-blue linen that’s dyed a deeper, sea-inspired tone, embodying the spare beauty of a monochromatic palette.” Check out the picture at Martha Stewart.
– Display A Collection Of Wedgewood “Tin containers have been manufactured in a very cool color of Wedgwood jasperware. For display on a neoclassic sideboard, we’ve chosen grays, blues, and greens. Symmetrically arranged with eighteenth-century formality, stacks of the circular “Wedgwood” tins can be used for storage. On the wall, a row of lids is displayed like a collection of antique plates or prints.” See the picture at Martha Stewart
– Find Vintage Neoclassical Lamps Which Can Be Painted- In this picture (1 of 9) a classic style lamp is painted a slightly more vibrant shade seen in the wall color. Painting something the same color as the walls allows you to add more accessories to the room without it appearing to be busy.
– Work With Blue Upholstered Furniture, And Then Determine Your Wall Colors – “Keep the background pure with the same color on all four walls and add unexpected pops of color using pillows,” designer Steven Gambrel recommends. Here, aqua paint is just a supporting character; the real conversation pieces are the cerulean sofa and powder-blue-and-white patterned rug.” See the picture here (picture 3 of 9)
– Dark or Light, That Is The Question You Must Determine First “The hardest thing about decorating with blue is that blue can be a hard color to nail down. Blue’s variety of shades can either feel reserved or expressive, subtle or loud. And depending upon the undertones, blue can run the gamut from warm to cool, which change the entire dynamic of a room. When decorating with blue, consider these tricks and tips to creating an interior space that reflects the best of blue’s characteristics” Read more here
– Confused With Color? Work With The Color Wheel- “Complementary Colors- Complementary colors are directly opposite of each other on the color wheel. You can create bold, yet pleasing, color combinations. Nature provides some beautiful examples: the red rose with green foliage, a monarch butterfly against the blue sky, or a purple petunia with a yellow center” See more about this at Home Decorators
– Use 3 Shades To Put Together A Blue Room“Using different shades of blue will work beautifully in a room as long as they complement each other. Blue comes in many different shades from a greenish blue to grayish and purplish tones. One should keep within the same palette, or harmonizing tones, when decorating in several shades of the same color. Use the odd number rule, such as three, when mixing shades of a color.” Examiner
– Create A Bed Canopy And Add Blue Fabric– In this photo, a bed crown is paired with a slightly more vibrant shade of fabric than what is seen in the walls. Curtain hardware nicely hold back the drapery. Borrow this look for your own home.
More Great Links:
-Blue: 350 Inspiring Ways to Decorate with Blue House Beautiful
Swedish Furniture & Decorating From Classic Swedish Interiors Lars Sjoberg.
This lovely picture was featured on The Style Salonite Blog
Swedish Furniture – Gustavian Decorating Classic Swedish Interiors, by Lars Sjoberg
Featured on en.paperblog.com
42” Wide Premium Broadcloth Sky Blue Fabric By The Yard $9.96 yrd on Amazon
A Swedish sofa/bench from the Gustavian period 1790-1810 in its original paint but in a desperate need of some new fabric. Old Is New Blog
A Swedish, Gustavian Console Table
Gustavian Style Chest of Drawers
Swedish Furniture – Gustavian Decorating Classic Swedish Interiors, by Lars Sjoberg
Featured on en.paperblog.com
This Cape -Cod home shows off blue painted walls with antique portraits. “Pair a nuetral-tone linen with a dark blue wall paint for an elegant finish.” See more of this home at Country Living Magazin
Princess Victoria of Sweden’s Dining Room
The dining room is elegant in shades of royal blue. The mirror on the far end of the room is original from when the castle was built in 1805. The dining room table can be extended to the length of the entire room.
When Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden opened the doors to her home she shares with husband Prince Daniel, Duke of West Gotland and daughter Princess Estelle, we were expecting big stately rooms and design standing on ceremony, but what we found was an elegant, yet comfortable home for a young family. The Haga Castle in Stockholm is small by some standards. It has “only” 45 rooms, out of which 25 are in the private use of the family (the rest are offices and other official spaces.). Before the family moved in, the castle went through a 4.5 million euro renovation, making it suitable for young children. (The couple welcomed their first child, Princess Estelle in 2012.) Most of the money was spent on modernising essentials like the kitchen, bathrooms etc. Victoria and Daniel were both very hands on and involved in designing the interiors. Read More At marthafied.com
Dottingham Palace, Chinese Pavillion- Picture Credit- fauxology.com
Dottingham Palace, Chinese Pavillion- The Chinese Pavillion at Drottningholm. Built in 1750s as a birthday present from King Adolf Fredrik to his queen Lovisa Ulrica- Uploaded To Pinterest
This charming little painted secretary from the Château de Bellevue, belonged to Madame de Pompaour. Notice the red painted legs – reminds one of the red painted heels worn only by the nobility of the French Court. Learn more about 18th Century France on Titillating Tidbits About the Life and Times of Marie Antoinette leahmariebrownhistoricals.com
Sandemar, Sweden, 17th century- Jeff Barnes on Pinterest
Two door Gustavian Sideboard in a worn blue patina- here
Patina Style: Brooke Giannetti, Steve Giannetti- Buy the Book on Amazon
A very early Swedish drop-leaf dining table with original beautiful blue paint. The worn paint on this piece gives it great antique character.- here
Swedish Extendable Bench 19th Century here
Pair of Swedish Rococo Side Chairs – here
Make A Game Room By Spray Painting Antique Sporting Equipment in White- Photo William Waldron- Country Living Magazine
Style at Home magazine featured this breathtaking cottage in Peterborough, Ontario. The entire space is decorated around navy and pays attention to the rustic and refined side of decorating. From the delicate French furniture to the shingled walls, this home is unique. More images and full story at Style at Home
Blue & White 1 Inch Checkered Gingham Poly Cotton, 60 Inches Wide By the Yard $3.99 On Amazon
An Interview With Daniel Larsson- The Go-To Guy For Swedish Antiques
D.Larsson Interiör & Antikhandel
I recently was able to interview Daniel Larsson, owner of D.Larsson Interiör & Antikhandel, one of Sweden’s top sources for authentic antique furniture and decor. Daniel opened his store in July 2012 and has quickly become recognized in the industry as the go-to guy for Swedish Antiques – He not only locates the goods you’re looking for but also educates you when buying your first slice of Swedish history or adding to your ever growing collection of rare Scandinavian finds.
Unlike other dealers who wouldn’t dream of sharing their sources, Daniel is a guide with The Antiques Diva® & Co European Tours which means he takes clients hand in hand to wholesale warehouses and secret sources.
Daniel has traveled around the world, and has lived in the USA, England, India, Norway, Spain and Holland, but has returned back to his roots in Helsingborg, Sweden where his main antique store is located.
He and his better half, life partner and wife- Cristina, work together to run D.Larsson Interiör & Antikhandel, a busy antique store, which offers Swedish furniture ranging from 18th to late 19th century. They specialize in presenting Gustavian painted furniture and Swedish country styled pieces. They supply directly to private or trade customers worldwide, and network with easy and reliable shipping companies. Daniel is one of six dealers in Decorative Collectives; a new Antiques Center in Petworth, Uk, where he currently features the majority of his stock.
Here are my questions for Daniel:
Q- What had you interested in antiques? Where did that passion come from?
A: I have always been interested in Interior Design and it came rather naturally to me. In my early 20s I got hooked on the modern retro Scandinavian style when I decorated my first apartment. After taking several years to tour the world I settled down with my wife in Helsingborg, Sweden and together we began to make my house a home. A friend recognizing my talent in design approached me and asked if I wanted to start a business selling antiques together. After a couple of years together we eventually decided to each go our own way – but I was hooked! I had been bitten by the antiques bug and I was committed to staying in the trade. I began to concentrate on higher quality Swedish pieces and expand my repertoire in to Baroque, Empire, Rococo and Gustavian pieces.
Q: Was there one antique that you let go, and wish you hadn’t?
A: Sigh… the one that got away. I’m dreaming of a stunning Rococo mirror (see attached pic) that I wished I would have kept for myself. I try not to get too attached to the pieces in my store – but must confess sometimes I sell items to quickly and find I don’t have enough time to enjoy them properly.
Q:Tell us a few keys to look for when determining if a piece of furniture is an authentic antique?
A: The authenticity of antiques is a complex matter, there are great books about the subject but for an untrained eye it can be very hard to spot a fake. A good way to start is by looking at the wood to check if it’s old and has a nice patina. The best thing you can do is to buy from a trustworthy dealer which will be able to give you all the information about the piece so you are sure of what you have bought. And you can always ask for a certificate of authenticity. Another tip is to always check the price, if it is to good to be true… it probably is!
Q:What are the most sought after styles right now? What are people asking you for?
A: The Gustavian style with it’s pale colors is always popular and people are also asking for good Swedish country pieces because they fit perfectly in a modern setting as well. People are looking to mix things up nowadays, it gives more caracter to a home.
Q:Like many of us who are fond of one thing over another when shopping for furniture and decor, is there a particular style or antique that your wife Cristina buys over and over? Tell us her secret antique fetish?
A: Cabinets, She always need to have at least one big cabinet in the showroom. She likes big and impressive things 🙂
Q: For New Buyers, ….what would you suggest to invest in first?
A: Always buy something that you love, follow your heart. If you want something really Swedish go for a tall case painted clock or a Gustavian sofa. Both are very decorative. Another great choice is a Rococo or Gustavian mirror as they are easy to place making a fabulous statement peace.
Q: Many Swedish dealers shun the thought of re-painting antiques. I find many dealers re-painting furniture in the most popular colors such as gray, or white, and others cringe at the thought of disturbing a finish. What are your thoughts on this?
A: The majority of Swedish painted furniture has been painted several times thru the centuries and to find one in original color is extremely difficult nowadays and when you do find them they sell for extraordinary sums. What happens sometimes is that the latest layers of paint are dry scraped to reveal traces of the original color but the majority of times this is not possible because the paint has suffered to much damage thru the years and needs to be repainted. This way the tradition continues. Don’t be mistaken; repainted pieces, if done properly are still highly valued.
Q:From a Small Business point of view, here are some pooled questions that have been asked from small furniture collectors who represent smaller markets:
How would you suggest going about determining the price for an item? Do you recommend reproduction pieces and if so what determines a good piece? How do you go about restoring pieces that are not in tip-top condition?
A: When I determine the price I look at the originality, rarity and quality of a piece. It’s also important to know the market value.
I certainly do recommend reproduction pieces especially when clients are looking for more than one-of-a-kind pieces. What often happens in the hospitality market is that they need many arm chairs of the same model and that is an impossible to find in the antique market.
I always use a specialized furniture carpenter to restore my pieces if they are not in tip – top condition. It’s important that the restoration work is done the traditional way sympathetic to the past.
Q: Finally, what should clients who wish to participate on the hardcore antiquing tours be prepared for?
A: At The Antiques Diva® & Co we’re known for giving clients access to the best little black book of antiquing address on the continent – in Sweden as well as all over Europe. On my tours I really try to educate my clients. All our tours are private and customized – and thus, when a client books a tour we inquire what they’re looking for and then we plan a route that gets them to down the back roads to the places they need to know about. On tour we translate, negotiate and then we liaise with a shipper to help get the goods home sweet home across the pond. While you can book at 1 day tour – real dealers want to delve deep into the countryside – and our trade tours can run 3 or 4 days of hard core antiquing.
Visit Daniel and Cristina’s website dlarssoninterior.com
Follow Daniel on Twitter- here
D.Larsson Interiör & Antikhandel
Wrangelsgatan 13 254 39 Helsingborg, Sweden
+46 73 438 18 43 info@dlarssoninterior.com
