We recently visited Stockholm, a City we love and hadn’t been back to for years, so I thought I should share my travel blog with you; perhaps if you’re making a journey there you may find this interesting and maybe helpful! For me Sweden is steeped in interesting architecture, great interior design, amazing fabrics and use of texture as well as amazing food and charming people….everyone is so polite! Of course design stores, fabric shops, museums and eateries were on our agenda as well as being able to do a little photoshoot of our Artist collection Cushions!
We stayed at the Berns Hotel situated right at the heart of Stockholm, but very chilled out, best thing is everything is within walking distance, a great way to take in the sights and sounds of any City. Built in the 1860’s it’s said to be one of the best kept secrets of Stockholm it’s a premium boutique hotel full of modern design. At the same time it is part of the legendary house of Berns dating back to 1863. Maybe it’s the secret entrance (on the side street) that has made guests such as Rihanna, Bill Gates and Dalai Lama pass through its doors. Each floor tells a story and each has a seating area…just in case?!
The majestic breakfast hall at Berns Hotel with crystal chandeliers and mirrors, becomes the most stunning Asiatiska Restaurant for lunch, brunch and dinner its a must see and place to eat – the most delicious sushi, steamed dim sum, Thai meatballs, fish dishes and more, the tempura is the best, everything is cooked to perfection and the staff are ultra efficient, knowledgeable and friendly. The decor is spectacular!
Shopping (and some window shopping!) and a visit to the ‘Hats Off’ Exhibition, ABBA Museum and the Nordiska Museum was not only fun, but educational and inspirational too. I just couldn’t resist having a snoop around Svenskt Tenn it’s an interior design company located on Strandvägen in Stockholm and was founded in 1924 by Estrid Ericson, it’s pricey but all their products are made in Sweden and people just love it! A great place to be inspired! These small lampshade are around £110…..
I had to drop by Marimekko, just down the road from the Hotel this Finnish design company renowned for its original prints and colours was a place I could have stayed in all day! And emptied my pockets! Although a bit pricey, the fabrics are delightful and I found (after 18 months of searching) the perfect fabric to recover an old retro 60’s chair that will be on my One of A Kind soon! Other fabrics found they way into my bag somehow, I see Limited Edition Cushions coming soon too!!
I went to a fabric shop that’s a fav of the Swedes called Ohlssons it’s been there for years! It sell all types of fabrics and yes I was there for hours….it has two floors of just fabrics what more could I ask for! I spent quite a lot in there…..
These window dressing displays at NK (Department Store) are perfect, bright and just so perfect for Spring. I couldn’t resist taking a few pics!
Hallwyl House at No 4 Hamngatan (just opposite Berns Hotel) was built between 1893-98 to designs by Isak Gustaf Clason, Sweden´s most renowned architect at the time. And by the way, among his other famous works is Nordiska Museet (The Nordic Museum). It was the home of Count and Countess Walther and Wilhelmina von Hallwyl. This palatial residence was built as a winter home for the immensely rich couple and completed in 1898. Like Wilhelmina von Hallwyl, designer Lars Nilsson is a devoted collector of all things beautiful like hats (reportedly he has over 260 in his collection!) He has worked for Christian Lacroix, and has been Head of Design at the fashion houses Nina Ricci and Bill Blass. His collection is now exhibited at The Hallwyl Museum which runs until 8th June 2014….
And while we are talking about great buildings and Isak Gustaf Clason, that brings me onto the Nordisk Museet (Nordic Museum) where you’ll find information and exhibitions about traditional fabrics, culture, home life and traditions. Architect Isak Gustaf Clason designed a ‘fairy’ castle in the Nordic Renaissance style, inspired by castles of it’s time it is a dramatic and mystical building.
There is an exhibition at the Museum about the history of stripes….yes, stripes; it was fascinating and made me think about stripes in a totally different way, they showed stripes from everyday object of food packaging, flags, wallpaper, kitchen utensils, lamps and fabrics. Although as we know stripes are both timeless and dramatic, it was how they were used that made all the difference, back then it could be the indication of how wealthy you were, what parish you came from or as we do today used to create depth and a sense of space. If you’re in Sweden visit this Museum, the shop is a delight too!
And yes, the ABBA museum was brilliant! I sang and even performed as the ‘fifth’ member of the band. The memorabilia housed in this building is amazing. The visuals are fantastic, with videos played on large and small screens as you move through the museum. You get a sense of what it was like for the group, lots of life sets of rooms, costumes (I loved seeing the Husqvarna Automatic machine that was used to help create the outfits), notebooks with doodles, historical facts and a FULL area of gold discs. Although as you approach the mustard coloured building it looks like an office block, step inside and you are transported. There’s so much more to the ABBA Museum for me to put it in writing, it could go on for pages….you just have to visit!
Sweden is not all herrings and roe, they are fast becoming a nation to look out for in the dining stakes! A few places to have a delicious bite to eat and soak up the atmosphere would definitely be Nybrogaten 38, Gastrologik, Asiatiska, Oaxen Krog & Slip, (on the water front, Krog was awarded a Michelin star the day before we ate at the restaurant, they must have known we were coming…..) and a hot dog stand opposite Nybrogaten 38 that is simply the best! They are all different but definitely worth the visit………And by the way,we met the tallest guy I’ve every seen, his name is Robin and he is one of the fab staff at Oaxen, you won’t miss him.
I hope my little travel blog is of some interest to you, especially if you are thinking of or planning a trip to Sweden! Tak….
Exciting news coming soon about our new collection of Artist Collection serving & scatter trays and all manner of functional & fabulous kitchen accessories as well as must have wallpapers, all made in the UK. Sign up on our website to be the first to get the latest news!
Log on to – www.jacquijoseph.com and sign up!
Xx
Leave a Reply