Incollect Magazine - Issue 13

Incollect Magazine 85 work in any setting — an elegant welcome in the entry, a refined anchor in the dining room, or a beautiful and useful piece beside a bed or in a sitting room. It is a piece that enhances a space quietly but unmistakably through proportion, craftsmanship, and the gentle poetry of lived, loved surfaces.” Bernadette Truxal of Maison & Co. in Wichita, Kansas, also believes the allure of Gustavian style is tied to its versatility and universal charm. “It is very architectural in form and displays symmetry, so it works with both traditional and modern aesthetics,” she explains. “The carved motifs are decorative, while the shapes and pale paint finishes are understated. It reads as refined elegance and understated beauty.” Among the pieces Truxal has in inventory is a rare griffin sofa. “Shape and detail help identify the Gustavian style here, such as the barrel back, while the griffin motif nods to neoclassical aesthetics, drawing inspiration from Greco-Roman art,” Truxal says. She also has a Gustavian sofa by the master craftsman Johan Lindgren, which displays the classic clean lines and distinctive carved decoration of the style. “This sofa is rare because it is signed by the maker. Even the paper seal from the Stockholm Chairmaker's Guild remains on the frame.” Beginning in the early 19th century, Gustavian-style furniture began to take on more varied shapes, forms, and finishes as the style spread to different countries. A 19th-century Gustavian daybed at Maison de Provence, washed in tones of grey, blue, and beige, feels "warm and inviting, with a gently arched crest rail with floral carvings that quietly continue along the apron and legs without disturbing the simplicity of the form and an overall feeling of comfort, ease, and restfulness." “There’s a longing right now for interior spaces that feel calm, spaces that exhale — I suspect that’s why Gustavian pieces are resonating so deeply again,” Goldsmith says. “They carry a kind of gentleness — an elegance softened by time and light, with a humility that comes from living closely with nature and long northern winters. There’s poetry to be found in that simplicity. Nothing feels showy. It’s just quiet beauty.” Late 18th-century Swedish secretary cabinet with faded blue historic paint. The drop-down desk opens to a black painted interior with 8 pigeonhole compartments. From Modern Antiquarian on Incollect.com, and at the Gallery at 200 Lex. Photo courtesy Modern Antiquarian 19th-century Gustavian buffet in soft gray paint. From Modern Antiquarian on Incollect.com, and at the Gallery at 200 Lex. Photo courtesy Modern Antiquarian