Decorating Find: Swedish Palette

Designer Shannon Bowers of Dallas, Texas, has transformed her once-dark, two-story Georgian house into a haven of pale European furnishings bathed in sunlight. "I'm a purist," she says. "For me, colors found in nature—like robin's egg blue, light sand and the lavender of hydrangeas—are soothing. Because this house feels so open, the indoors and outdoors are married."

Inspired by the soft hues and understated elegance of painted Swedish furniture, as well as the light shades of flooring in many European homes, Bowers found a linen with a "petit blue" undertone that dictated the colors of the interiors. "Often I'll pick one fabric, and it will determine the palette for an entire house. The wall color is also a derivative of that fabric."

Complementing the Swedish pieces are numerous French antiques that exude a similar aesthetic. "Most of the French furniture is from the Directoire period, so the lines are very clean, and those pieces work well with our Swedish furnishings."  Bowers wanted a consistent look throughout the home. "If I have antiques in the living room, I think they should also appear in the children's spaces. I want to share them with my whole family. I would like for my children to develop an appreciation for them just as I have as the daughter of an interior designer."

Source: Veranda