The handsome Swedish interior designer and antiquarian Lars Bolander recently released Scandinavian Design, a beautiful reference book on northern European design – from antique times to modern.
Like many, my first exposure to Bolander’s style was this cover story in Southern Accents. The house featured gorgeous voluminous silk taffeta curtains which still, to this day, serve as a personal inspiration.
The Southern Accents cover story house: the entry had champagne colored silk curtains.
The large living room, appropriately filled with enough furniture to make it cozy and inviting.
The dining room – so lovely, light, and sophisticated.
To Die For: the dining room featured this gorgeous Venetian mirror and painted French chest with light blue silk taffeta curtains.
A hallway with the beautiful peach taffeta curtains and a glimpse into the bedroom.
The master bedroom’s four poster bed is placed in front of a half-canopy.
The loggia featured large Belgian styled slipcovered sofas and armchairs.
Besides having clients’ houses published, Bolander’s numerous private residences were often seen in magazines, giving the public a view into the world of Lars and his wife Nadine. This house, located in southern Florida, is no longer owned by the Bolanders, but it remains a favorite of mine. Filled with antiques and eye catching art work, it is as inspirational today as it was when first seen.
The opposite view of the living area.
A view from the Bolanders’ study into the bedroom – Swedish and French antiques mix easily. It’s so interesting how the chairs serve as art here.
This vignette in Bolander’s house was photographed two different times – which do you prefer? This …..
or this? I love these French sconces so much! This is my favorite vignette.
Two years ago, I wrote an extensive blog story on Lars Bolander, detailing his life in design. To read that story, please go HERE. As a long devotee of Bolander, I was recently thrilled to read about his newly published book. To be sure, Scandinavian Design doesn’t disappoint. It is a wonderful compilation of everything Scandinavian, both antique and modern, and will remain a useful reference book long into the future. Each aspect of design is given its own section – each room, each element – and Bolander carefully and succinctly explains its history from then to now. Nothing has been missed: there are separate sections on the famous Swedish wood stoves and the Mora clocks. There are sections on beds, lighting, chairs, and textiles, to name a few more. And each room, such as the entry, the bedroom, the kitchen, is given its own chapter.
This antique blue Mora is featured in the clock section.
In the chapter on kitchens, special attention is shown to the plate rack.
More examples of Scandinavian plate racks through the decades.
If you are fan of Swedish design or Lars Bolander, I think you will truly enjoy this book, I know I did. To order a copy, go HERE.
And, be sure to visit Bolander’s extensive web site HERE. To read the Cote de Texas blog story on Bolander, please go HERE.
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