Swedish Maximalism in Interior Design

When you think of Swedish design it is all about modern minimalism, black and white, lots of wood and not a twiddly bit of nonsense in sight..well that is changing. It might take a decade to filter down into the homes of the average Swede but at the top end, the new hotels and luxury interior stores are embracing rich colour and more than a nod to the former 'Swedish Grace' style. A trend that emerged in the 1920's but was out of favour by the 30's due to the politicised idea of mass production and functionalism. Scandinavian design has been synonymous with minimalism and clean lines ever since... but things are changing. And what is really exciting is the combination of Swedish minimalism, so stylish and clean but combined with ornate and rich elements. It's all about eclectic fusion. That's just a fancy way of saying your own personal style.

Because of the internet, which I mostly hate, even though it sometimes enchants me with its shiny digital baubles...anyway, because of our unfettered access to pictures of other peoples homes, instagram, pinterest and all the rest, we see so much more possibilities, so many different ways to do things, so much more inspiration that we can cherry pick our own style.

And speaking of style I have to mention Layered at this point, a spectacularly drool worthy store in Stockholm, located in a 500 year old palace. It don't get more maximalistic than that!

I think Swedish style will be even more stylish with the inclusion of a little more detail and the odd embellishment..And whilst we might never reinvent the interior style of Hallwyl Pallazzo  (probably a good thing as that place gave me visual indigestion..I did actually feel sick in there...true) anyway, a little bit of flounce or gold or fiddly nonsense is only a good thing. 

Hallwyl Palace...way too much of a good thing...