Scandinavian modernist jewelry

Photo: Nordiska Style

I found this pewter necklace a few days ago in a second-hand store. It's swedish, and it's signed Rune Tennesmed. Designed in the late 60's or 70's. I love the orange glass beads! It's always fun to find a piece that catches your eye, signed or not, without having any idea who the designer might be. Then you make some research and you end up going to bed at 2 am because you can't stop reading about your new interest!
I don't know why, but I never really took the time to read about scandinavian modernist jewelry. Those clean lines, geometric shapes and organic designs inspired by nature (melting icicles, volcanic lava, rocks, moss, etc.)... I just can't get enough!

First stop, Finland:

Photo via Purist Pro

Earrings, Pentti Sarpaneva

Photo: Ruby Lane

Moss flower pendant necklace, Hannu Ikonen

Photo: Didier Antiques

Silver Moon pendant necklace, Tapio Wirkkala

...Sweden:

Photo: Grasilver

Armring, Bengt Hallberg

Photo: Tradera

Bronze necklace, KE Palmberg Alton

Photo: M. Schon

Silver bracelet, Claes Giertta

... Denmark:

Photo: Grasilver

Armring, Astrid Fog for Georg Jensen

Photo: Grasilver

Silver necklace, Anton Michelsen

Photo: Grasilver

Silver neckring, Bent Gabrielsen

...And Norway:

Photo: Utopia

Silver necklace, Bjorn Sigurd Ostern for David-Andersen

Photo: Lush Life Antiques

Silver ring, Anna Greta Eker

Some of the pieces shown above are rare and expensive (but oh so gorgeous!). To start a collection, I'd suggest to go for bronze or pewter, Ebay, Etsy or Tradera are great places to find vintage scandinavian jewelry. And if you're ready to invest in a silver statement piece, you can visit this wonderful store. 

That one is also amazing, and both websites are fantastic sources of information if you want to know more about the designers.

Ceramic designer's house in Oslo

So this is ceramic designer Silje Aune Eriksen's home in Oslo. Wonderful! The exposed beams are just fantastic and add so much character to that room! I love neutrals, and I'll definitely try mixing tans and bright neons. But Silje, if one day you read this and you get tired of your flat, let me know, I'll move to Oslo! Oh, and if you don't feel like moving the furniture, that's fine with me, I'll take everything. Thank you!

Photos: Elle Decoration Norway via Decoist

I also fell in love with her ceramic muffin holders, they're lovely! (and that cupcake looks delicious...)

Get them here!

Spring thrift-store finds and vintage wallpaper

Image from Nordiska Style

Green! Every Spring, I want that color everywhere, on the walls, on my clothes, I want green accessories, greens in my plate... Of course, I don't change my interior every season, but it's fun just thinking about it! Last weekend at my parents house, I found this vintage wallpaper in my closet, made in Norway in the 70's. I bought it in a thrift-store in Montreal years ago for less that 2$ (the roll was still wrapped). I fixed it temporarily on the wall to see how it would look like, and I'm quite pleased with the result! But as I only have one roll, I'm still not sure how I'm going to use it... The brass candle holders are also thrift-store finds (from Sweden), and the cased glass vase is from the 60's and was designed by Per-Olof Ström for Alsterfors Sweden. Amazing shape and color!

The Land of Giants: Powerful & Aesthetically Pleasing Pylons

To turn ugly looking pylons into majestic 150 foot sculptures. I know it's not new, in fact, it's from 2008, but I don't care, it's a brilliant idea and I want to share! This project, 'The Land of Giants', by Choi + Shine won honorable mention at the Icelandic High-Voltage Electrical Pylon International Design Competition. It is, for designers, an original way to rethink electrical pylons.


From the architect firm: "Making only minor alterations to well established steel-framed tower design, we have created a series of towers that are powerful, solemn and variable. These iconic pylon-figures will become monuments in the landscape. Seeing the pylon-figures will become an unforgettable experience, elevating the towers to something more than merely a functional design of necessity."


"The pylon-figures can be configured to respond to their environment with appropriate gestures. As the carried electrical lines acend a hill, the pylon-figures change posture, imitating a climbing person. Over long spans, the pylon-figure stretches to gain increased height, crouches for increased strenght or strains under the weight of the wires."  


"Like the statues of Easter Island, it is envisioned that these one hundred and fifty foot tall, modern caryatids will take on a quiet authority, belonging to their landscape yet serving the people, silently transporting electricity across all terrain, day and night, sunshine or snow."

Images from Choi + Shine

The Giants are not a part of the Icelandic landscape yet, but I really hope to see them in the future! While waiting, have a look at the 'The Power Collection' by norwegian brand Funkle. They created lovely cushions and plaids to stay warm and stylish!

Image from Funkle via Norway Designs

Rune Guneriussen photography

I'm captivated by the work of Rune Guneriussen (born 1977), a norwegian artist who combines art installation and photography. The amazing light, combined with household objects that seems to live their own lives in the beautiful norwegian nature... I really feel like I'm in some surreal, mysterious and magical world where man-made objects look like some strange creatures in the wild. His poetic photographs can also lead to an interesting reflexion about our imprint on nature. "It is an approach to the balance between nature and culture, but also a multiple reading of stories." 
See more on his website!

Images from Rune Guneriussen