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….is right now this one, accoring to votes @ Booli Inspiration. The company Booli aggregates real estate listings, and today they lauched a new website with “Sweden’s most beautiful homes”. The promoting goes “Maybe it’s time to furnish or renovate a little bit at home? Take the chance, let yourself be inspired. And by the way, best of all, if you really fancy a room … the home is for sale.”

I’m not sure whether estate agents will be perfectly happy with this (they already have a horn in hand to Booli), and for that matter: people have actually had their homes photograped in order to sell the place, not to participate in a “nicest home”- competition on the internet. But the idea isn’t too bad…! It’s Swedish! Ugh sooo Swedish! We vote and think, assess and evaluate…And lift our Scandinavian ideal to the skies. (Thank God there is no way to dislike a home, I don’t want people to see their rooms displayed with red minus-56 figures)

Get in there if you need insipration on Scandinavian interior style!

The prevailing style of decor in the capital of Sweden has been a topic in this blog several times. My apology and explanation is that I – during my four months long search and hunt for an apartment to buy – glanced through countless real estate ads and visited numerous styled Stockholm homes. It has been summed up in Scandinavian style and the “colour” Stockholm-White (its definition and colour code is disputed, some holds it’s S 0502-Y). Now, I stumbled across the (very fine) blog Splendid Willow, written by Monika, who is a native Swede living in the US. She has recently listed the design elements you can be sure to find in a Stockholm apartment:

* White. Swedes embrace gallons and gallons of white paint.
* Hardwood floors with individual rugs (we stopped using wall to wall carpeting decades ago).
* State of the art kitchens.
* State of the art bathrooms.
* Books! Books are prominent, we surround ourselves with books and display them with pride.
* A great mix of old and new. A true Swede will rather have no furniture at all than to get rid of historical elements such as old wood burning stoves and the old beams.

I endorse all the points and add to the list:

* Naked windows. A fear of curtains lives inside the city homes.
* Stylish lighting. Lighting is a crucial point. Right now, two trends stand out: large round lights hanging from the ceiling (the IKEA Maskros lamp probably sell like crazy) and chandeliers, preferably crystal.
* Well-arranged wardrobes. Again, you’ll never escape IKEA, that company has distorted our brains showing their shelving systems with thousands of practical options. (The dream of a walk-in closet is intrinsic but not always pronounced.)

Proof. (Exhibit A to F)

|photos from Skeppsholmen|

Today’s chew in the Swedish decor-blogosphere regards the release of two new (old!) Josef Frank textile patterns. The two topical patterns, Aramal and Ceylon, were created by Josef Frank in the 1940s and has never been in production – until now. Svenskt Tenn is in the process of pressing textile rolls that will be sold per meter for a price of approx. $185.

Press photos from Svenskt Tenn via Hemmariket.

Upper pic Aramal, bottom Ceylon. Now, what say you?

Personally I say the significance of the work of Josef Frank (and Estrid Ericson) in developing the Scandinavian style must be fully acknowledged, appreciated and admired. Josef Frank’s interior design philosophy is immortal. Second, I get allergic itches from the notion that having Josef Frank design in your home ensures and signals “good taste”. It is ok to feel aversion towards, or get dizzy or puke-ready by, the highbrowish patterns and upper-classy concept. There is no such thing as free-thinking! I think Aramal is too much, it wouldn’t even queue at the dentist’s!, but I can very well imagine Ceylon as clothing on a single chair or stool cushion…

The Scandinavian interior design style has been mentioned previously in a few posts. Now what about some pure philosophy on a day like this? I’ve been contemplating the words of Josef Frank, the “creator”, or may I say father, of the Scandinavian (or Swedish) interior design style. Josef Frank was born 1885 in Vienna and moved to Sweden in 1933, where he started working for the design company Svenskt Tenn and produced numerous design items until his death in 1967. With a pic from Svenskt Tenn is the middle, here’s Josef Frank and some of his designs:

Josef Frank formulated his interior design philosophy (referenced as the Scandinavian or Swedish modern style) in two much quoted articles that appeared in Form magazine in the 30s and 50s. Amongst other things, he stated the following:

The modern dwelling space has white walls. This is the only way to preserve its freedom and enable the introduction of a variety of items without disrupting the colour scheme.

Josef Frank thought too much white in a room gives an unrestfull impression. White walls needs to be combined with colours and patterns for a balance to be created. He also said:

There’s nothing wrong with mixing old and new, with combining different furniture styles, colours and patterns. Anything that is in your taste will automatically fuse to form an entire relaxing environment. A home does not need to be planned down to the smallest detail or contrived; it should be an amalgamation of the things that its owner loves and feels at home with.

One of Josef Frank’s fundamental ideas was that the occupants of a home should enjoy a personal relationship with all the objects surrounding them. Each object should hide a “secret” that makes it special and interesting. All pieces of furniture should be individual “living organisms” with souls of their own. Also, in the Form Magazine of 1958, Josef Frank coined the term Accidentism. He had been asked to write an article, and the result was a scathing criticism of the contemporary stiff modernism. This was his way of making up with the modernism, which was then supreme. He thought it was too standardized and was tired of everything looking the same. The Accidentism theory is based on the idea that we shall personalize our surroundings as if it were the result of an accident:

The living room where you can think freely and harmoniously is neither beautiful nor harmonious, or fotogenique. It has emerged as a result of coincidences, it will never be ready and it can in itself absorb whatever might be, in order to satisfy the holder’s changing discerning.

Now the words of Josef Frank – articulated half a decade ago – do shed light on contemporary Scandinavian style, as well as other contemporary interior trends, don’t they?

I just came across this Home-Tour article about a Swedish couple that have moved to UK and made an interior design style cross-over. Since we, the editors @trendey, are Swedish and British in a fine mix, I felt this theme was highly appropriate. The owner of the featured English home is Lena Renkel-Eriksson, who – upon her arrival in Britain – founded the company The Swedish Chair.

The insides of this classic English house has a large portion of Nordic light; interiors are airy and the colour of choice is white. To the white base, elements of rustic blue, gray, yellow are added, as well as folklore details and antiques. The style is a blend of Gustavian and white, Swedish and British.

Now hold your breath – rumours say our Swedish Henen is one signature away from buying a house in London. As this happens, the Swedish-British Interior Style mix will be taken to unprecedented heights.
Stay tuned.

As I mentioned earlier, I’m in the process of buying myself (& Mike) a new home. Very many apartments pass my eyes these days! I have to show you a piece of flat from today’s harvest on the net. This 100 sq. meter 2 bedroom flat is actually next door to this one. So let me state my case of the contemporary Swedish Urban Style Mix.

The house dates back to 1882. Well-preserved and charming details, generous ceiling height and wood flooring in pine are some of the basic elements. It has two functioning fire places (we need that warming coziness in cold Sweden). Ok, reception room/living room:

Note the airy interiors and the use of “Stockholm-White”. See also the Pappelina rug in the right corner.

The kitchen in this apartment has a touch of country style with its white kitchen cabinets, pine flooring and a rag rug. It’s equipped with a gas hob, dish washer, owen, a huge American refrigerator; everything the chef might need. Owners have preserved the kitchen’s original wood stove (and it’s functioning!)

This home also has a sparcely decorated balcony. The apartment is listed for sale with the real estate agent Bjurfors (from which I’ve borrowed the photos).

Let me show you a cool example of the Swedish urban interior style. This 2 bedroom duplex flat just hit the Stockholm market. It is listed for sale with the real estate agent Vision Fastighetsmäkleri. It is situated close to Mariatorget, which is usually referenced to as the heart of Södermalm (I’d say the heart of Stockholm). Bidding starts at 3 475 ooo SEK (close to £300 000).

The interiors is this flat combine the time-typical turn of the century character (it has two fireplaces and old details preserved such as high skirtings) with modern design and airy spaces. It is well refined, well componed and I’d say, an excellent example of a very typical Stockholmish style. Now, let’s have a look:

Above is the living room, @ ground floor. And the kitchen:

Below is the entrance/hallway, and let’s go downstairs.

Downstairs, there is a lounge room…

…and a bedroom:

Photos from VISION Fastighetsmäkleri

As I am hunting for a new apartment, many glimpses of Stockholmish homes pass my eyes. It is well known that the Scandinavian interior style is fresh, elegant and sleek. It has a neutral palette of colours and clean light elements of decor. Details are quiet; few, simple and uncluttred. Interiors are airy. In apartments I’ve looked at – mainly in houses from the turn of the century to the 1920s – floorings are close to always wide planks or parquet. Walls are white. White, white… white! (No wonder there’s a colour named “Stockholm-White”). Windows are naked. If decorated, with simple straight curtains. Personally, I get bored of all the whiteness. At the same time, I fancy the peaceful, stylish and airy fundaments of the Scandinavian design. What I’ll do? I’ll add a twist or two!

Now imagine a big airy living room with Stockholm-white walls, large clean windows, high ceilings and a dark-stained wide plank floor…Add to this a multi-coloured gypsy chandelier: A touch of boho charm and baroque class that speaks up and has something to express in the quiet northern interior.

Gypsy Chandelier Multi Colour, £85 from Dutchbydesign.com. It’s made out of metal and durable resin, and has a total length of 125 cm from the top of the chandelier to the bottom of the beads. For a low-ceiling room, a corner, somewhere with less space, there is also a smaller alternative, the Gypsy Mini Chandelier (below). The mini version’s dimesions are D.38cm H.28cm, and the price tag says £35. Let the interior talk!