{"id":107203,"date":"2017-04-13T16:24:39","date_gmt":"2017-04-13T20:24:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/?p=107203"},"modified":"2020-07-14T14:56:49","modified_gmt":"2020-07-14T18:56:49","slug":"swedish-lagom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/swedish-lagom\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Swedish Lagom the Next Interior Design Craze?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Simple comforts come in the form of a Philip Arctander Clam chair<\/a> and a stone tub in a bathroom at the Ett Hem guesthouse in Stockholm<\/a>, which was designed by Studioilse. Photo by Magnus Marding<\/p><\/div>\n

Interior design sensibilities come in waves. <\/span>Extreme<\/span><\/i> waves. Two years ago, Marie Kondo revolutionized the concept of minimalism with the KonMari Method, her battle cry for decluttering. <\/span>Hygge<\/span><\/i><\/a>, that oh-so Danish art of thoroughly cozy living<\/a> reigned over this past winter. And now? It\u2019s due time that, in this era of heightened political polarity, the design world settle upon a way of living that is far more balanced. Enter the Swedish concept of <\/span>lagom,<\/span><\/i> pronounced la<\/em> like \u201claw\u201d and gom<\/em> as in \u201c<\/em>prom.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The lifestyle is best understood as defined by a native. \u201c<\/em><\/span>Lagom<\/span><\/i> is said to come from the Swedish words <\/span>laget om,<\/span><\/i> meaning something \u2014 like a cup or pot \u2014 that was passed around the table to be just enough for everybody. It\u2019s not too much and not too little. It\u2019s just right,\u201d says Liza Laserow<\/a>, a Swedish furniture specialist and partner at Laserow Antiques & Interior Design<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lagom<\/span><\/i> is an integral part of the Swedish national psyche. \u201cIt affects the way we dress and how we decorate our homes. It\u2019s a well-balanced style. Beautiful but understated,\u201d says Laserow. It\u2019s all about achieving equilibrium through purposeful design updates. Sound simple? That\u2019s the idea. Take a cue from Goldilocks, and follow the rules of<\/span> lagom<\/span><\/i> to get your space \u201cjust right.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Less Is More<\/b><\/h2>\n
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In Liza Laserow’s New York dining room, an Eames chair<\/a> keeps eclectic company with a rustic trestle table<\/a>, an ornate candelabrum and contemporary art by \u00c5ke E:son Lindman. Photo by Emily Andrews<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cKnow when to stop,\u201d urges Laserow. \u201cLet there be air around the furniture to give it room to breathe.\u201d She counts Rose Uniacke<\/a> and Axel Vervoordt as masters at this. Coco Chanel<\/a> famously said, \u201cBefore you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off.\u201d And Laserow follows a similar dictate: \u201cTake one object away when you think you are done.\u201d Her rooms tend to have an airy lightness. They are simultaneously warm with personal objects, while also being streamlined.<\/p>\n

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Something Old, Something New<\/b><\/h2>\n
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The firm Sigmar created the kitchen of this family castle in Sweden<\/a> by bringing together several generations’ worth of furnishings: a traditional grandfather clock, mid-century Hans Wegner dining set and contemporary lighting and storage. Photo by Christoffer Rudquist<\/p><\/div>\n

Pelle Ekelin, a<\/span> dealer of 20th-century furniture at Moderna M\u00f6belklassiker<\/a>, grew up outside Lund, in the southern part of Sweden. He has practiced and perfected the art of combining new and old furnishings in his work and at home. Ekelin always approaches a project by understanding the room first \u2014 without furniture \u2014 asking himself: \u201cDoes it talk? Does it have a history? Does it have charisma as is?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Next, he begins seeking out furnishings, while keeping in mind that \u201ceach piece should have a meaning and a purpose.\u201d He mixes Swedish pieces with international designs to create richly textured spaces. Avoid making a room appear too stylized by utilizing antiques that can serve as everyday pieces. Nothing should be too precious.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Character Building<\/b><\/h2>\n
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This reading nook in Laserow’s home features a Marcel Breuer Wassily chair<\/a>, an unframed Rembrandt<\/a> copy from a flea market and a Svenskt Tenn<\/a> tray table purchased in Stockholm. Photo by Emily Andrews<\/p><\/div>\n

Antiques tend to factor largely in <\/span>lagom-<\/span><\/i>ified interiors. Laserow believes that \u201cantiques are the stars of the design. We simply build the interiors based on the antiques!\u201d Seek out pieces that speak to your tastes and interests \u2014 the more wide-ranging the better. \u201cI like the balance of new and old, shiny and rustic,\u201d Laserow affirms. She currently has \u201ca crush on pieces from the Baroque period. They have a gorgeous patina and will give a room perfect, understated character.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

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Layered Effect <\/b><\/h2>\n
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Sigmar’s signature use of natural materials and soothing colors shines through in this Swedish lake house<\/a>. Photo by Erica Bergsmeds<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

To make a capacious space feel comfortable and inviting, interior design firm Sigmar<\/a> fills rooms with a well-measured dose of eclecticism. Cofounder Nina Hertig says that she and her team are passionate about \u201ccolor and how pieces are made. When you live with something, it needs to do more than just look good in an image. It needs to feel good, too.\u201d She recommends pieces that are useful and functional, while also imbuing a space with thoughtful depth.<\/span><\/p>\n

Natural materials like wood, in a variety of shades and finishes, play well with modern fixtures and vintage finds. The mix and match approach can be liberating. \u201cI hope there is an element of <\/span>lagom<\/span><\/i> in everything we do,\u201d Hertig says. Her foremost rule to achieve this? None. \u201cRules are meant to be broken.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Bring Home the Lagom<\/em> Look<\/h2>\n

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