Swedish Style

I have been off working on a shoot for BBC Home & Antiques this week, with the lovely Charis White. This time the story is Scandinavian Reds and Whites. When we arrive the location house is a beautiful blank canvas, with fabulous period details, great shuttered windows, and twin fireplaces in nearly every room. Typically these location houses are all white with decent floorboards and features, just ready and waiting to be transformed.

Couriers arrive bearing gifts (well, boxes and boxes of props) and are left to hoist heavy pieces of furniture up several flights of stairs. I'm amazed at how they manage to negotiate stairs and awkward antique furniture without ffing and blinding, but they do. I'm disappointed that I don't hear them saying "To me" "To you", so I quietly mouth it to myself and chuckle.

Jude, our handyman/set builder for the day gets cracking on the walls creating a slightly aged effect on a fine red border to be used for one room set. Its a simple and effective idea that you could try at home with the help of a spirit level and a bit of dry brush work. I couldn't resist sneaking a picture of Jude's lovely paint splattered brushes.

Once the paint was dry and goodies unwrapped we were ready to set up the first shots and get furniture and props in place. These are just a few piccies of some of the beautiful items sourced by Charis, who always manages to combine new and old, high end and high street. She can be relied upon to come up with interesting pieces and novel little finishing touches like the gingham and mini baskets, which were to be used for a table dressing idea.

Look out for the finished article in October's Issue of BBC Homes and Antiques