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Swede Ease

Design writer Ellen Himelfarb reveals the quiet charm of Swedish design. "The first time I saw an all-white room was in Stockholm. In a perfectly quaint gabled house, past a lane of shops whose windows were meticulously curated, the owners hand painted the walls and wood floors an almost bluish white that faded out into the overcast sky out the windows. Their furniture – simple leather dining chairs by David Design, a wooden kökssoffa (kitchen sofa) pulled up to the Super-Ellipse table by Bruno Mathsson, the designer bookshelves from ROOM Stockholm – seemed to float enticingly in the space. In the corner of the compact living space was a 19th-century kakel ugn, a cylindrical wood-burning stove nearly three metres tall, with a glazed white surface garlanded with fanciful ceramic and brass detailing. People were actually ripping them out of their homes back then in the 1990s, said my friend, and leaving them on the street for the taking. Scandinavian design, and Swedish in general, had been influencing UK furniture manufacturers for decades by then. Ercol and later G-Plan had embraced Northern European values of functionality, sustainability and a low-slung look throughout the latter half of the 20th century. Yet it wasn’t until the late ’90s that Nordic functionalism truly took hold and the British began to steer away from heavy farmhouse pine and Italian flash. Our two nations weren’t all that different, after all. We share a great deal of dreary weather, and the idea that white could reflect what little light we got meant that paint companies were suddenly producing more whites than the Eskimos had words for snow to cover our deep heritage reds and greens. Dwindling resources meant we had to make do with available, sustainable materials – and eco movements put paid to the notion that we could and should look beyond our borders for the finest of everything. British shelter magazines brought us white and teak interiors from the length of Sweden. The Wallpaper* generation caught up on names like Børge Mogensen – available only through the rare enlightened importer like Twentytwentyone. And they began scheduling holidays to coincide with the Stockholm Furniture Fair, despite the fact that it landed smack in the middle of February. In 1999 Wallpaper* founder Tyler Brûlé bought a weekend home on an island in the Swedish archipelago, near Stockholm, and sang its praises in print. Often. The world began coming around to postwar design – not only furniture but architecture and fashion – partly from being exposed to that Swedish ideal. Simple, accessible funkis, or functionalism, was born of the tradition of craftsmanship and the necessity of making efficient use of limited materials after the wars. Like the Italian olive oil industry or strawberry farming in Belgium, small family businesses have allowed the Swedes to maintain a consistent quality across its furniture manufacturing, and it shows in the products’ quiet accessibility. I once asked Anna-Lena Knutsson, executive director of Hyssna-based furniture designer Albin i Hyssna, what it was like to compete in her industry as head of a small, private operation run from her grandfather’s hometown. She replied: “We’re all family-owned businesses here.” Certainly there’s an echo of that in the UK’s current lust for handicraft and the efforts to restore furniture manufacturing with skilled regional makers. Not long after Acne Studios opened on Dover Street to showcase its outré jeans and graphic casuals, our perception of Swedish design began to broaden. A new generation of designers out of colleges like Beckmans, Konstfack and Umea were breaking out of the established canon and moving beyond what we’d expect from a Swede. Arctic-born Monica Förster, designer for Swedese, Offect and a dozen international manufacturers, comes to mind. As do Stockholm-based architects Claesson, Koivisto and Rune, who design not only striking minimalist homes but also the furnishings that belong there – like the customisable Concord chair and the deceptively simple Kelly chair. More recently Marcus Huber has brought young designers like Stefan Borselius and the seven-year-old design studio Note to design furniture for Fogia, a Stockholm-based manufacturer with its own factory and a penchant for unexpected curves and colours. Daniela Upmark, who studied in Lund, took advantage of our current obsession with lighting and atmosphere when she hooked up her BXXLight, a made-to-order lightbox that resembles a vintage cinema marquee. Even Acne itself has designed prototype sofas and chairs that defy classic Swedish lines. The rebels occasionally come from surprising places. Markus Johansson, scion of the Albin i Hyssna family, has developed a much more surreal, organic look, referencing underwater life and often appearing in a historically un-Swedish matt black. Former furniture consultants Chris Martin (an Englishman) and Magnus Elebäck launched the furniture company Massproductions to explore industrial production in a more efficient way than perhaps their previous clients had. The New Guard of Swedish designers might flout the traditional Swedish ideal yet their pieces sit rather comfortably within a Swedish context. Or any context, really. When was the last time you saw someone reach for a step stool that wasn’t the Step by Karl Malmvall? It retails with everyone from Design House Stockholm to MoMA Store and has come to define a new standard in functional design. Today more than 50,000 Swedes live in London and the landscape of Swedish businesses in the capital proves the two cultures are not just fair-weather friends. A few years back a Scandinavian friend passed me a box of Läkerol liquorice sea salt pastilles, and despite the fact I spent the rest of the afternoon wrenching them out of my teeth, it was a habit-forming moment. I discovered Läkerol about the same time the most talked-about bakery in East London was the new, fabulous Fabrique, and twisted kanelbullar rolls were the reason nobody could keep to their anti-carb diets. (Denizens of Soho had long since been hooked since Nordic Bakery pitched up in Golden Square.) By the time &Other Stories opened near its sister COS on Regent Street in 2013, our relationship with contemporary Swedish culture was bonded like so many asymmetric jumpers. Visit any of those establishments (and their imitators) and you’ll also get an eyeful of Swedish design in all its incarnations, from tall wood Windsor chairs to punchy, patterned ceramics to slick, slimline display rails. It seeps under your skin. That’s quite a legacy for a handful of families plugging a time-honoured craft. But there it is, plain as day, a sign we’ve seen the light. " Ellen Himelfarb lives in London and is a writer specialising in architecture, design and travel. Ellen writes for Wallpaper* and The Sunday Times Travel Magazine, and is the co-author of the London Design Guide. Swedish Summer at Heal's is an event at our flagship store from 27th July - 23rd August 2015.

In People’s Homes

Matthew Hilton's Bookshelf

Innovation is no small task. So it’s no surprise that designers and craftsmen are always on the lookout for visual material to nurture their next creative breakthrough. One such example is Matthew Hilton, a mainstay of the Heal’s showroom thanks to his naturally evolving yet novel approach to design. Keen to find out where he gets his inspiration, we invited Hilton to provide a hand-picked assortment of books from his personal library. Displayed amongst Hilton’s designs, this carefully curated selection provides a unique insight into the influences behind his unique creations. On the collection, Hilton comments: “the books I have around me in my studio and at home are about the work of artists, architects and photographers who have inspired me or are generally aligned with my way of seeing.” An eclectic mix, each title relates to a specific aspect of the designers work. This includes books on artists and designers as diverse as Brancusi, Picasso, and Henri Cartier-Bresson, all of whom “capture something raw, with minimal intervention or a great paring down to the essence.” To see this hand-picked selection in full, alongside Matthew Hilton’s own range of furniture, why not pay a visit to Heal’s today.

Afternoon Tea by Natalija Bubalo

Spring has indeed sprung. It's as if someone overnight painted the trees pink, the ground yellow and increased the dial on the outdoor saturation knob. It's a real treat for the eyes, the way these recipes are a treat for the tum. The days are well and truly getting longer and, if I’m not mistaken, they’re warming up nicely too. Perfect time to get texting and summon the besties over for a splendid afternoon tea to celebrate spring and all things pretty. These recipes are designed for the spontaneous entertainer. They don't require a lot of cooking or prep time so you can easily impress everyone without showing any signs of culinary stress. Simple, delicious and social. Spring to it! Grilled Courgette, Basil and Ricotta Finger Sandwiches I love how these simple flavours work so beautifully together. 2 large courgette, halved and sliced lengthways 250g ricotta cheese 16 basil leaves Sliced brown bread, use white if you prefer Olive oil Salt and Pepper Heat the olive oil in a non stick fry pan. On medium heat, grill the courgette on both sides until golden. Set aside on a plate lined with paper towel to soak up any excess oil. In a bowl, mix the ricotta with a generous crack of salt and pepper. Cut the crusts off your slices of bread then cut in half so it’s a rectangle shape. Lay half of the bread slices on a clean workbench then spread generously with ricotta. Add a basil leaf and a slice of grilled courgette on top. Close the sandwich with the other bread slices. Serve immediately. NB: If you want to prepare these ahead of time make sure you cover them tightly with cling wrap so the bread doesn’t dry out. Makes 16 finger sandwiches. Chocolate Pistachio Figs Fresh fruit is the perfect kind of dessert but it wouldn’t be a proper afternoon tea without some form of decadence. In this case it comes in the form of a ripe fig dunked in dark silky chocolate. Need I say more? 6 ripe figs, halved 100g good quality dark chocolate, I used 60% cocoa Small handful of crushed pistachio nuts Sprinkle of pink salt Break chocolate into chunks and place in a heatproof bowl. Put a few centimetres of water into a small saucepan then place on a medium heat. Place the bowl over the top, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Dunk each fig half into the melted chocolate then straight into a bowl of crushed pistachios. Repeat. Give them a small sprinkle of pink salt to balance out the sweetness of the fig and chocolate. If you have gone with a darker percentage of chocolate, for example a 70% or 85% cocoa then leave this step out. Leave to set out of the fridge. Makes 12. Salmon and Chive Quiches Ready rolled puff pastry would have to be one of my favourite go-to ingredients. I always have some in the freezer so I can quickly throw a few ingredients together to create a masterpiece in no time. This requires a little more than throwing but not much more. Promise. 8 eggs Small bunch of chives or scallions, thinly sliced 150ml single cream 1/4 cup grated parmesan 150g smoked salmon Melted butter Salt and Pepper 2 packets of ready rolled puff pastry, cut into squares Preheat the oven to 180 C. Whisk the eggs, chives, cream and parmesan together in a measuring jug. Season with salt and pepper. Brush a 12 hole muffin tin with melted butter. Then line each hole with a square of puff pastry. Lightly press the pastry to the edges. Gently tear the salmon into strips and place an even amount into each pastry hole. Pour the egg mixture into each hole until it’s almost full. Cook in the oven for 15min or until golden. Don’t be alarmed if they look big and puffy in the oven, once you take them out the egg mixture will sink. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 12. Raspberry Mascarpone Tarts This tart is the quickest dessert you’ll ever make. The juicy, plump raspberries bring so much sweetness to the tart you won’t want to stop, ever. Pack of 24 mini shortcrust pastry shells 250g mascarpone 1 vanilla pod Small punnet of raspberries Cut the vanilla pod in half. With a butter knife gently scrape all the seeds out and add to the mascarpone. Mix well. Add a small spoonful of mascarpone to the tart shell then finish with a fresh raspberry. Makes 24. All products featured in these photographs are available in store and online in our dining department.