To explore the quiet, austere beauty of classical Scandinavian design, take a look at Danish painter Vilhelm Hammershøi’s turn-of-the-20th-century domestic scenes. Rediscovered of late, his work is often cited as a source of inspiration for contemporary interiors, including London Couturier Anna Valentine’s Kitchen and our own Julie Carlson’s apartment remodel (stay tuned for more on that). Most of these designs have a modern-minimalist air, but Swedish brand Kvänum’s Hammershødi-esque Real Classic kitchen line, with its paneled cabinets, glass-doored china cupboards, and hushed Gustavian palette, feels directly lifted from times past.
Kvänum itself has been in business since 1923 and specializes in traditional millwork: it operates by the motto “authenticity in everything” and is an official supplier to the Swedish Royal Court. A new standout is their Karleby Almond kitchen in shades of cream and gray. Especially at home in a setting with soaring ceilings, it looks like a throwback without being in the least bit quaint. That’s because it’s filled with ideas that are appealingly timeless.
Photography courtesy of Kvänum.
Kvänum kitchens are fabricated in the company workshop in the town of Kvänun, and though mostly made for a Scandinavian clientele, can be delivered to the US.
More Swedish kitchen inspiration:
- Beyond Ikea: 11 Favorite Scandinavian Kitchens from the Remodelista Archives
- Before and After: A Designer’s Own Ikea Hack Kitchen
- Kitchen of the Week: Art and Soul in a Copenhagen Kitchen
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