The Swedish Style

The Swedish style of home decorating is heavily influenced by the light and weather. Long dreary winters with early dusk and a lack of natural light meant a need to bring the lightness indoors. {ale, light, airy, and lustrous is popular with Swedish walls, furniture and floors. Pale walls, floors, and furnishings reflect the natural light and are thought to be cheerful and calm. Walls, floors, accessories, and furniture are painted or stained in pale tones of white, cream, soft yellow, pale pink, soft green, and dove gray. Often distressed. After white, blue is the color most often used in Swedish style interiors. The tone reflects or emits the feeling of a clear, fresh day and coordinates easily with the other colors of the Swedish color palette.

Soft hues and understated elegance characterize the painted Swedish furniture. Wooden frames and delicate, carved legs are found on a typical Swedish style sofa. Fluted, delicate legs, carved table borders and mirrors, and beaded edging are common on furniture.

Light colored woods are used for case goods and flooring. Birch, white pine, beech, and alder are readily available and common. Woods are often bleached or painted or stained with white or pale paints.

Swedish interior design is often a base of plain and an almost primitive look but then it's starkness is softened with a beautiful piece of furnitre, a clock, an ornate stove... something that is an understated relief. Swedish home decor shows a distressed sophistication. Spots of color like red, gold, blue, green stand out against the white or pale colors. Decorating in the Swedish style requires restraint. A few well-placed accessories is enough.




































Swedish stoves