Halloween in Scandinavia

Happy Halloween Images of Tivoli in Copenhagen, Denmark

Three Sweet Scandinavian 'Witches'

Happy Halloween!

A Little Something Fun for Friday!

Take an old chest, some new paint, and a little bit of inspiration to create a whimsical, playful and beautiful piece for your home.

Have a Fabulous Friday and a Wonderful Weekend!!!

Wood + White = Warmth

White walls are a perfect backdrop for the warmth of stained or waxed wood furniture. 

This antique game table has a patina of perfection and pops when placed against a pure white wall.  The glass lamp keeps the look crisp, clean and fresh. 

While some contemporary white interiors can be stark and cold, the inclusion of an antique Rococo chest of drawers brings wonderful warmth to this home.

The natural wood doors with curtain inserts and X 'mullions' is an unexpected treatment for the closet of a white, contemporary bedroom….unexpected but beautiful. 

Historic Apartment's Unique Illumination

An apartment in an historic building in Sweden uses unique oversized pendant lights along with original antique details and a well edited collection of antique furniture to create a fresh, bright and warm home. 

Images via Skeppsholmen

Swedish Style - A Shopping Guide, part 2

In this installment of my multipart post on a beautiful antique Swedish home, we will be looking at the dining area and the kitchen. 

This room is decorated in classic Gustavian style as supported by the white painted sideboard, crystal chandelier, white painted dining table with an embellished apron, pewter candle sticks and antique art.

Sideboards are pieces that clearly represent the classic Swedish style.  Often people will tell me that they want a Swedish look but either don’t have the space or the budget for several items.  When I hear this I immediately suggest one of three pieces for them to consider:  a sideboard, a chandelier, or a clock.   

The Swedish sideboard is often, but not always, taller than it is wide.  It will have at least two doors and two drawers - sometimes with diamond or reed carving decorations.  A gallery back is also a common design element, along with white, pale gray, green or cream paint.

Gustavian Style Sideboard - Sweden, early 19th cent.

Swedish crystal chandeliers usually support wax candles in their candle branches, have a crystal basket design at the bottom and cascading crystals at the top.  Sometimes a touch of cobalt blue is added which really emphasizes the Swedish origin. 

Swedish chandeliers ‘in the style of’ the classic antique designs, but made in the latter part of the 19th century or the first part of the 20th century, were often adapted to support electric bulbs. Sometimes the candle branches were adapted for electricity but often the interior frames had three, four or five bulbs added which allowed for the ambiance of wax candles in the branches as well as the beauty and practicality of electric bulbs illuminating from within.

Empire Style Chrystal Chandelier - Sweden, Mid 20th Century

Pewter is a big part of antique Swedish interiors.  Used every day, antique Swedish pewter is both beautiful and practical. 

Antique Pewter Candle Sticks, pair - Sweden, 19th century

Clockwise from the top:  Empire Style Crystal Chandelier, Swedish Sideboard, Pewter Candlesticks, Large Ironstone Bowl, Swedish Dining Table and Chairs, Oil Painting On Canvas. 

The beautifully renovated kitchen was tastefully designed with a nod to the historic past of the home but with modern conveniences and design touches.  The open shelves provide easy access to cookbooks, frequently used items and the homeowner’s collection of ironstone.  The natural wood countertop provides warmth to the all white space, while the pretty blue rag rug runner compliments the cobalt blue in the chandelier and the lighter blue on the seat cushions.

Every Swedish home has several rag rugs.  Made from scraps of fabric, old clothes, linens, etc. these rugs have become iconic.  We consider them to be pieces of functional art as each is unique and one of a kind.  Providing warmth and softness to the feet and beauty for the eye, Swedish rag rugs are sized and priced for everyone and every budget.

Clockwise from the top:  Crystal Snaps Glasses, Three Crowns Union Cachet Pot, Copper Teapot, Swedish Rag Rug, Demilune Dining Table, Swedish Rag Rug,  Gustafberg Bowl, Antique Glass Decanter, Neoclassical Dining Chairs, Empire Style Crystal Chandelier

Please check back again as we will continue our tour of this beautiful Swedish home and demonstrate how you can achieve a similar look.

Images via: Skona Hem

The Kitchen Designer Interview

Awhile back Susan Serra of The Kitchen Designer contacted me because she was looking for images to support an article she was writing for Decoati.  As it turned out, that inquiry resulted in an article about my own personal kitchen and the unique placement of my cook top.  Susan's professional and creative eye zoomed in immediately on a major detail that isn't often seen in kitchen design, but wasn't even a concern or consideration to me. Read how our dialog gave us both a new perspective.  

To see images and read more please visit Susan's fabulous blog: The Kitchen Designer.

And while we are on the subject of kitchens, click on over to Linda Merrill's blog ::Surroundings:: and take a look at the progress she is making on her DIY kitchen redo and the pretty copper teapot from Avolli that she used in her article.  

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 04, 2009

Linda's Kitchen: Let there be light and contemplating copper

Another Sunday and some more progress on my kitchen makeover!  My volunteer staff (a.k.a. close pal Rob) was all rested from his weekend away in NYC last weekend where he took in The Marriage of Figaro at the Met and Jude Law in Hamlet. He said Figaro was excellent and Jude Law was amazing as Hamlet. So, a little arts news for those interested!

This week, we FINALLY installed the recessed lighting! I was very excited!  Bright lights always make things better. Well, until I got a hold of what was going on in between the refrigerator and the cabinets...oy. Scary, to say the least.(read more...)