The Swedish House

Book Description
The traditions of residential design in Sweden are inseparable from the history of the country itself and from the history of construction in Scandinavia. This gloriously illustrated volume presents historic wood houses--magnificent castles, simple cottages, stately domiciles, rectories, seaside bathing huts, barns, and sawmills--from the seventeenth century to the present. Also shown in detail are wooden churches and even entire towns built of wood. Among the buildings featured are a farmhouse on the Sörby country estate dating from the second half of the seventeenth century; the childhood home and the adult estate, Hammarby, of the influential botanist Linnaeus (complete with lecture pulpit and specimen collection cabinet); and Gunnebo, a lavish wooden interpretation of an Italian villa built for wealthy merchant John Hall. A celebration of the beauty of wood in bygone houses and a source of design inspiration, The Swedish House captures the special qualities of a unique building practice.

From the Publisher
A celebration of the beauty of wood in bygone houses and a source of design inspiration, The Swedish House captures the special qualities of a unique building practice.

About the Author
Ingalill Snitt is an architectural photographer specializing in interiors and houses. Her images have appeared in numerous books and magazines, including The Swedish Room (with Lars Sjöberg) Lars Sjöberg is a curator at the National Museum in Stolkholm and an expert in the renovation and restoration of historic houses. He is the author of several books and lectures regularly.


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Deserted farmhouses and unpainted wood houses, churches, and historic country estates are the focus of this engaging study of Swedish domestic architecture since the 17th century. Traditional designs, construction techniques, custom fittings, and renovations are examined, with an emphasis on interior decoration, furnishings, and various Continental influences. Examples range from humble rural structures to the renovated S rby mansion, with its painted 18th-century linen wall coverings and tile stove. Residences of the botanist Carl Linnaeus are featured, including his estate of Hammarby, with its study, lecture pulpit, and collection cabinet. Evocative, "certain slant of light" photos exquisitely capture exteriors in every season as well as interior details. An earlier, well-received collaboration by Sjoberg (curator, National Museum, Stockholm) and Snitt is The Swedish Room. Site maps, a bibliography, and an index would have enhanced this publication, but because there is so little in English on traditional Swedish residences, this work is recommended for collections of all levels.-Russell T. Clement, Northwestern Univ. Lib., Evanston, IL Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.


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