“The living room should possess a pleasant coziness, be comfortable, spacious, and bright.”
This recommendation is taken from acceptera—spelled with a progressive lowercase initial “a”—and authored by the leading proponents of Functionalism. Published in 1931, it captured the essence of Swedish interior design as it blossomed into full bloom. The trend began to bud at the 1925 Paris Exhibition, where exhibitors were tasked with presenting new creations free from established styles. Sweden adorned its pavilion in a cool, restrained aesthetic that quickly became known as Swedish Grace. This look became instantly fashionable but was soon joined by strict functionalist designs, Art Deco-inspired luxury furniture (dubbed "profit-functionalism" by critics), and later, a softer interpretation in wood that historians would label Swedish Modern. Furniture, decorative arts, lighting, and even painting pushed boundaries and redefined the modern taste.
From this transformative period, Auktionshuset Kolonn has gathered 100 lots, now offered under the theme Swedish Grace & Modernism. The collection features elegant pieces for refined salons, like the delicate high-quality chest from Seffle Möbelfabrik or the daybed with gently curved, rattan-filled ends. The ceiling displays iconic Scandinavian lighting designs of the era with shades in colors once cataloged as Champagne, Havana, and Amber. This selection is further enhanced by modernist paintings, with Sam Uhrdin represented as a leader of the Neue Sachlichkeit (New Objectivity), and what about the original illustrations for Hemmets Magasin? They certainly promise excitement, don’t they?
