Do you ever come across a photo and it just sticks in your mind? I felt this way when I spotted this apartment posted by Dustjacket Attic on Tumblr. There was just something about that combination of parquet flooring (a lasting obsession) and dado panelling, combined with the classic Mies van der Rohe daybed and the rather glamorous drinks trolley, and how this elegant combo is offset by the contemporary abstract painting. It’s a great mix.
And then this Stockholm apartment popped up again on Design Milk. Looking at it again I realised: it’s too good not to share. Prop stylist Joanna Lavén has filled her home with an eclectic mix of pieces that are offset by the period detailing and the lofty ceiling heights, and Lavén is clearly confident in mixing styles – as you would expect given her professional eye. I particularly like the combination of timber and marble in the kitchen, not to mention the abundance of mid-century furniture.
The pendant lighting is also an absolute knockout, from the Taraxacum 88 light in the top image, which was designed by Achille Castiglioni in 1988, to the equally distinctive 2097/30, designed by Gino Sarfetti in 1958, which adds to the drama of the already dramatic hallway.
One of the main features of this living space that appeals to me is the limited palette, from the soft greys and chalky whites to the natural timber hues. Rather than colour, your eye is drawn instead to texture and form, and to that fabulous parquet floor that flows throughout. Timeless.
Photos by Idha Lindhag. See the posts on Dustjacket Attic and Design Milk.
