Timelessly On-Trend: 10 Hallmarks of Gustavian Furniture

Most Gustavian pieces were painted in a pale gray, but it’s rare to find a piece wearing its original paint, since the majority of pieces have been repainted multiple times throughout their life. This beautiful dresser/desk combination owned by antiques expert and designer Loi Thai is wearing a darker gray paint on the exterior with an unexpected minty-green interior.

This staple of Swedish style originated from the town of Mora where a cottage clock-making industry was started to support the poor farming community. Each family would specialize in making a different piece of the clock, which would then be sold without a case. Cases were then made or purchased locally, which explains the wide variety of body shapes and styles, along with paint colors and painted designs found among antique Mora clocks.

Gustavian raw pine and painted benches often incorporate storage in the seat so the piece could serve double duty. Often long, narrow, and simple in design (although more ornate versions exist), pieces like this painted bench (owned by Vibeke Svenningsen) are perfect to use in modern foyers, mudrooms and dining rooms.

Gustavian-style chairs borrow many design elements from French furniture but the straight, fluted legs and the no-nonsense squared-off back are hallmarks of the less-fussy Swedish style. Original Gustavian chairs are very expensive, but the good news is that there are a lot of great reproductions available today.