HOW SWEDE IT IS: I absolutely adore Sweden! The people are so friendly, their hospitality so generous -- and I still recall one magical autumn night in the small village of Alingsås watching a shower of stars fall across the deep indigo sky. Many years ago (thanks to the wonderful Carol Soucek King) I had an audience with the King and Queen of Sweden (with the King standing on one side of me and the Queen standing on the other side of me with her arm around me, talking about how His Majesty makes a great dish of pasta!) -- so I can attest to the warmth and great style of the Swedes, starting at the top! And everywhere you travel in Sweden, there is design, design, design! Fresh, colorful, exuberant! Artist and graphic designer Lisa Bengtsson is one of our favorites -- we love everything she does from her studio in Stockholm. From wallpaper, textiles and porcelain to illustrations and more, Bengtsson is carrying on the great tradition found in Scandinavian design. It was her dachshund items that caught our eye (such as the plates, graphics and fabrics shown above). And we can't say enough about her big, bold, colorful wallpapers. So if you don't speak fluent Swedish, you can translate her website into English. Go to her site right now...and have lots of fun in true Swedish style!
Images courtesy Lisa Bengtsson
