Wednesday, October 16, 2013

swedish fish


One of my very first memories of attaching to a particular design style was when I saw the Swedish Interiors book during college. I asked for it for Christmas that year and read up on everything from Mora clocks to limewashes on floorboards.  I fell hard for it. 

 I still love Gustavian pieces, and would love to have some of peppered into my home one day.  Not the stuff you see all over, on trend and at large retail stores that specialize in furnishing enormo mega-mansions. The real stuff.  But, knowing the small fortune the real stuff can cost, I may have to settle for some nice reproductions.  While I dream of a whitewashed living formal living room, I fear I don't have the restraint when it comes to the execution part.  I often dream about doing it, and stay up late playing around with rooms in my one-day-way-off-in-the-future-dream-home.


Soon after starting this little blog, Mom and I quickly became friends with a local and Swedish interiors-extraordinaire, Loi Thai.  Loi's shop, Tone on Tone, as well as his personal residence could put the pages of Veranda to shame.  I share his loves for neutrals and his clean execution.  I dream of emulating it one day.  But clearly my love of color gets in the way:


I 'get it from my Momma'.  Her brilliant breakfast area really packs a punch.


I don't know if I'll ever find the restraint to do an all neutral room.  Have you? Tell us your secrets on blending a love of neutrals with a love of color.



16 comments:

  1. I love the modern take on Swedish style in your inspiration board. I recently noticed that my living room is fairly neutral. All of the fabric is ivory or cream but the wall color is a barely there pink.

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  2. This is so funny, I just posted on Gustavian furniture today and finding a place for it in my home/life!! Like you I am completely torn between neutral and color!! xo

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  3. Bethany I struggle with the same dilemna. My mantra is keep your investment pieces neutral and use the colorful punches on pillows, walls etc that are easily changed!

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  4. I think Tone on Tone is so great too. I try to stay neutral...just can't help those pops of color though.
    Cool inspiration board.

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  5. I try, really I do. But color always sneaks in. :)

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  6. Your mood board is fabulous Bethany, but I understand too the difficulty in restraining with color, maybe going for 1 room with restraint would be easier than entire house, that way you still get a dose of color in another space!

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  7. I stay neutral with my upholstered pieces and add color through pillows..I'm a color girl!

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  8. Loi is the BEST! I dream of spending time with him.....He is so kind! He reads and takes time to answer each and every note he gets. That shows me a lot!!!!
    I love his home and his design style. Our home is black, white with golds and metals. I have very little "color". The walls are all SW Silver Strand, which is a very soft gray with blue tones. If I could, I would try and transform my flooring into Loi's grayish whites. Love them!

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  9. A million thanks, Bethany!!! With a neutral foundation, you can add colors, patterns and textures easily with pillows, art, flowers, accessories, etc.
    xo
    Loi

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  10. PS - Hope you're enjoying time with all the animals while momma is touring Italy. Love her Instagram pics!!!

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  11. Great to see what's on your mind while I'm away! I love it, and I have to say meeting Loi has altered my taste and enlightened my design aesthetic, he is THAT good! Miss you! Xoxo Mom

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  12. I agree with you, Bethany. It would be hard to have the restraint with an all neutral room. It's like an all white garden. I love to look at them, but really hard to create.

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  13. I'm fairly new to your blog...but, I've decided I like your style. An all neutral room would be hard for me...I have wall to wall blue carpeting...blue is my neutral! My furniture is neutral, so I can add more blue in pillows...and a few other colors! I love to look at a neutral room....but, know I could never live with them! ;)

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  14. You have to read Kim Macumber's post today! You guys are on the same page. I'm finding that I love small pools of color against neutral walls. I'm alway surprised by the amount of impact it has!!!

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  15. I agree with everyone, keeping my basics neutral and using color in accessories seems to be the ticket!

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  16. Earlier I though that you are going to tell us about the swedish recipe as the name signifies(swedish Fish ) but it well suits to the theme of your home interior design here.

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