As could be expected from a design geek, I spend a ridiculous amount of time every week trawling the net for fantastic products, people, and stories to include either in my various columns or indeed right here on my blog. Even when I’m trying extremely hard to concentrate on something else and not get sucked into the labyrinth of links presented to me on Twitter, Facebook or the blog roll on somebody else’s blog, this seems to be mission impossible. There is just too much fabulous stuff out there waiting to be discovered by trend spotters and cool hunters and design bloggers. There really is no getting away from it. So I have to be quite selective about the things I am posting, otherwise I really would be here all day blogging.
It was whilst checking out Trendir, one of my favourite design sites, that I came across this fabulous furniture company from Sweden. Svenskt Tenn is an interior design shop located on Strandvägen in Stockholm, Sweden. It was founded in 1924 by Estrid Ericson, who recruited Josef Frank to the company 10 years later. Together they created the elegant and boldly patterned personal interior design style that continues to pervade the collection to this day.
I totally adore this colourful, bold, and bright furniture and I think it is the perfect antidote to all this gray and wintry weather we have been having lately. If I could come home everyday to a house filled with such beautiful pieces, I would certainly be on a high. The colours cheer me up no end.
On the website it explains the philosophy behind Svenskt Tenn saying that Josef Frank’s vision of humane, soft modernism and Estrid Ericsson’s artistry combine to create a highly personal style with a combination of Viennese elegance and Swedish functionalism. The brightly coloured patterns used by the duo went completely against the ideals of the day, as did unabashed borrowing from both high and low cultures and eras.
They called it ‘Accidentism’ or ‘The Happy Chances Philosophy’. In 1958, Josef Frank wrote in the magazine Form: “There’s nothing wrong with mixing old and new, with combining different furniture styles, colours and patterns. Anything that is in your taste will automatically fuse to form an entire relaxing environment. A home does not need to be planned down to the smallest detail or contrived; it should be an amalgamation of the things that the owner loves and feels at home with.”
And I totally agree. A home should be full of all the things you love and feel comfortable with, regardless of whether they match or compliment each other. There was a time when I was disgusted by certain colour combinations or using certain patterns alongside one another. Now I see a beauty in this that fills me with joy. I don’t know, maybe its an age thing. My tastes have certainly changed over time and I’m glad that they have or I would never have been able to enjoy this beautiful furniture by Svenskt Tenn.