Roy Altman

An Introduction To Woodworking Planes

Tools For Building Hardwood Furniture

Planes To Cut And Shape Wood

In a previous article here, I spoke about some of the most useful electronic power tools and related aids that are a must for newcomers that are starting out with furniture creation. While I stand by that list as a great starting point with some accessible tools, I appreciate that the actual craftsmanship of a bespoke piece of hardwood furniture requires a different touch with manual tools.

In that article I highlighted some robust saws and belt sanders to cut and shape wood, today I want to look at some of the more old-fashioned woodworking tools – the planes. If you want an excellent surface and shape, and to add to that authentic feel, the following planes can be of great use. (more…)

Roy Altman

Great New Trends In Swedish Room Designs

Nordic/Swedish Room Designs

Modern Interior Design Inspiration

The best modern interior design takes inspiration from different cultures and twists the ideas into something new and intriguing.

When it comes to adding a Scandinavian touch to the home, this means more than just adding wooden slats to a wall to create a spa-feel.. or a minimalistic electric log fireplace to make it feel rustic.

The following are ideas I have seen that I love – from some of the more distinct, timeless touches that I have used myself, to weirder ideas that I hadn’t considered. (more…)

Roy Altman

The Dos and Donts Of Cleaning Your Beautiful Hardwood Floor

Clean Hardwood Floors

Cleaning Options For Wooden Surface

In some of my blog posts about interior design, you will have seen that I have an apparent love of the hardwood floor. To me, no other option offers the same sense of style and comfort as a perfectly laid, wooden surface with a beautiful grain. Admittedly, it is easy to get caught up in romantic notions of those timeless, beautiful options and to forget about the practical aspects.

A hardwood floor doesn’t require the same amount of vigorous vacuuming as a thick carpet, but that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t need to be cleaned and kept looking good. So how should we go about cleaning them? In this guide, I will take you through some of the best tips I know that are sure to keep your floors looking their best. (more…)

Roy Altman

10 Ways To Bring Scandinavian Interior Design To Your Home

Nordic/Swedish Room Designs

Swedish-Inspired Design Ideas

Getting a few Swedish-inspired design ideas is great when you want to freshen up a piece of furniture, change a color palette or rethink flooring options, but how do you completely transform a room or a whole home. I have compiled the following tips for the more ambitious – those with new homes to renovate or new builds on the horizon.

1. Elegant linesElegant lines

This is the first thing to remember when trying to bring the Swedish approach to interior design to our homes. (more…)

Roy Altman

Bringing Gustavian Style To A Modern Home

Swedish Furniture Styles

The History Of Gustavian Furniture

Swedish furniture comes in all shapes and sizes – and by that, I don’t mean the different widths and heights of the panels of cheap wood in an IKEA flat-pack bookcase. Design trends have evolved over the centuries in Sweden, and while many first-time home-makers may look for the simple lines and adaptability of more modern creations, more adventurous DIY enthusiasts may prefer to take inspiration from the Gustavian style of the 18th century. (more…)

Roy Altman

10 Helpful Tools For Newcomers To Furniture Making

Tools For Building Hardwood Furniture

Furniture Making Tools

Across this site, I have talked a lot about different styles of furniture and how Swedish design ideas are brought into a home through interior design and some bespoke DIY projects. Getting the ideas on paper is a great start, but I haven’t forgotten about the practical nature of it all. To make these pieces yourself, you need a range of helpful tools.

The following list is a series of 10 tools that I feel are worth considering when starting out. There are different saws, portable items like drills and nailers and other helpful aids to take the stress out of hardwood furniture building. (more…)

Roy Altman

Discovering Swedish Design Through The Swedish Cabin

Off-Grid Living

Swedish Design And Architecture

When we talk about Swedish design and architecture, it is easy to focus on the modern trends towards materials and lighting and the way that they can be incorporated into a new build. Then there are the formal styles of the Gustavian area and the way that these little details can be brought into a more rustic family home. What we don’t always talk about its the old, colonial-style of Swedish design.

The Lower Swedish Cabin is a prime example of Swedish craftsmanship, design and practical use of space in a 17th-century building. It is a must-see attraction to any historian or architecture student, and the best part of all is that this preserved, the stunning building is right in the heart of colonial North America – not Scandinavia. (more…)

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