The Scandinavians are well known for their distinct and innovative sense of design, and this is certainly one of the reasons I was most excited to journey North. Before this trip my personal encounters with Swedish design were fairly limited to the mismatched Hanna Anderson outfits in which my mother dressed me regularly until the age of eleven. While I’d like to think my tastes have evolved beyond the stripe-on-inverted-stripe aesthetic of my onetime go-to label, I found that much of the same playful attitude imbues Swedish decor in the home. Here are some of the shops from which I found it the most difficult to not shoplift:
Svenskt Tenn:
Far and away the most beautiful store I visited in Stockholm, this enchanting world of decor was described by our Swedish guide as the “anti-Ikea.” The description was apt; for everything Ikea is bare-boned, minimal, and mass produced, the goods here are fanciful, ornate and elegant. Unfortunately, it is also everything Ikea is not in regards to market-cornering pricing. One day I’ll be able to afford a calfskin bench, but until then my Instagrams will have to tide me over.
Leave it to the Swedes to create a festive contemporary update to Grandparents’ Beach House chic.
