With spring just around the corner, I’m feeling the desire to paint my apartment bright colors and pack it with airy, happy furniture like this Swedish banquette in the Gustavian style. Again, this piece has been reupholstered, but I think it has a great look to it, bold without being loud. The Gustavian style is uniquely Swedish, and originates from the period of Gustav III, who served as king in the late 18th Century. Most people would say the style is rooted in the Neo-Classical movement, but it also has a kind of minimalist French Rococo feel to it, which isn’t surprising given the king spent a fair amount of time at Versailles before assuming the throne. This particular piece is circa 1880, so very much toward the tail end of the movement, but aside from IKEA, it’s really the look most furniture-philes associate with the country. Available at David Duncan Antiques in New York.
