Swedish Dreams

In my third trimester of pregnancy, I have my share of sleepless nights. When I can't sleep, I often resort to watching instant downloads on Netflix.  I enjoy watching crime thrillers, provided they aren't too scary or graphic,  and recently I stumbled on a Swedish series that I really like, called "Annika Bengzton: Crime Reporter." It's a little like watching CSI, but in Swedish.  The Swedish language is beautiful to listen to and I find the background settings and architecture fascinating, almost as much as the story lines themselves.  This has got me thinking about Swedish interiors.

What I find most interesting about Swedish homes, is the use the use of white throughout.  Whether the home be traditional or contemporary, you can pretty much bet that the walls and woodwork will be white.  I wonder if the Swedes prefer to use so much white because they need it to counteract the abundance of dark, gray days during the winter? (You see much of this in the show.)  In any case, the effect is very airy and ethereal, giving the impression of space, light, and cleanliness.  I'm drawn to this because so often I feel weighted down by the visual clutter that goes hand in hand with a house full of kids.

The homes also have a refreshing simplicity to them.  Furnishings appear to be selected for practical reasons and not merely for aesthetics or image, as is often the case in American homes.  Even when individual pieces are a bit more decorative or ornate, they sit very simply in the room, like a pearl necklace pared with a white and denim jeans.  This allows you to enjoy the beauty of each piece on it's own, rather than seeing the whole room as a complicated arrangement or composition.  Fancy pieces sit comfortably alongside the old and well-worn, without any pretense or apology.  The effect is an irresistible homeyness that says "welcome--come and sit a while."









Also interesting to me is how warm these homes feel in spite of all the white.  Usually when I think "warm" I image color.  But these homes achieve warmth through the use of texture and aged materials.  Look at enough Swedish interiors and you'll start to notice these commonalities: wide plank wood flooring, whitewashed tongue and groove wall paneling, sisal rugs, woven baskets, cracking plaster walls, and painted furniture, often worn, chipped and rustic looking.  All this texture balances out the white, giving a sense of coziness and warmth.  I like that imperfections like nicks and dings only add to the elegance.  As of mom of two (soon to be three) wild boys, I embrace this! Perfection has no place in my home's vocabulary.












Another thing I love about Swedish interiors is the carefree way old and new, high-end and low-end are intermingled.  You'll see a midcentery modern chair, paired alongside a Gustavian antique.  Or an Ikea light-fixture in an elegant, old-world apartment.  There is an underlying confidence in all this mixing and somehow the end result comes off as very chic.  While I think I'm pretty eclectic in my design tastes, these rooms bring that idea to a whole new level.










So my final take-aways are these: embrace imperfections, consider white the perfect backdrop, and always remember texture-texture-texture.  We could all learn a thing or two from the Swedes, especially with all the gray days we have here in Seattle.