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The gilded furniture and furnishings of the classic TV ad for Italian chocolate Ferrero Rocher, or the panelling, paintings, staff and statement staircases of the American post in London’s Hyde Park, as per Netflix series The Diplomat, may be a thing of the past.
The future may be more streamlined.
The Swedes are leading this charge with a new space that multitasks – as an embassy for its citizens and a place for entertainment purposes for trade and cultural ties too.
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Last November the embassy of Sweden officially inaugurated its new premises on the second floor of an office building on Pembroke Row, Dublin 2. But it is a place where the ambassador of Sweden to Ireland, Lina van der Weyden, who presented her credentials to the President last year, does not sleep.
“I don’t have a residence,” says van der Weyden without a jot of remorse. “It is so expensive in Dublin we decided to rent.”
By rent, she means rent a multitasking space for the embassy, and a separate place for her to live.
“It is cheaper for the government than paying a huge rent for a space used maybe twice a month.”
Instead, they added what she calls a representative area. The multitasking space is used for round-table discussions, lunches, representations and entertainment. “This is more functional.”
Since its Gustavian period, Sweden has always been a style leader. “It’s about functionality and practicality – to have two feet on the ground – it’s very typical,” she explains.
It’s nice for her too. When she gets home to her less-expensive let in Ranelagh, Dublin 6, she can close the front door and be completely off duty – rather than feeling always on and only using some rooms of a far larger abode on Ailesbury or Shrewsbury Road, Dublin’s traditional diplomatic belt.
The last official residence the Scandinavian country had in Ireland was located at 25 Greenfield Park, in Donnybrook, Dublin 4. The distinctive bungalow, on 1.23 acres, just beside the entrance to UCD, was designed by Swedish architect Sten Lindgren and Irish architect Arthur Douglas. It was put on the market in 2010 seeking €3 million.
The space is on the second floor of Kildress House on Pembroke Row, just off Baggot Street Lower. “When we signed the lease last May it was a vast open space with a white floor,” she recalls, explaining that it was difficult to see how it might shape up.
Two Swedish architects, Monica Huzelius and Daniel Berg, from Hidemark & Stintzing Arkitekter in Stockholm, created the layout and Frank Doyle, Sandra Nowlan and Zunairah Ansari, from Irish practice Studio 3, used their drawings, adjusting where necessary, so that all conformed to Irish building standards and regulations.
It is large and light-filled. Maybe it’s the Swedish climate, she explains. “The winter is very dark. We rarely use dark colours. We need to maintain a light atmosphere.”
In terms of its decor, the only instruction given to the interior architect Charlotta Cronsjö Gest was that there was to be no grey, she says. Her rationale being that in Ireland “it is always raining and can feel grey” here, so instead, she asked for there to be subtle use of the colour green, in its many shades.
She loves the lounge for private conversations. Its sliding doors can close quietly to shut out the world. There’s a large emerald tufted rug underfoot. It’s baked into the laminate top of the House of Gärsnäs coffee table, and in the velvet cushion squares scattered on to the sofa.
The flag-flying of Sweden’s design past and present is everywhere but utterly discreet. A large fishbowl-shaped dimpled glass Dagg vase, designed to resemble dew drops, is by Svenskt Tenn, a company set up in 1924 by a woman, by Estrid Ericson. It started as a small pewter business and its focus remains on comfort and warmth.
A pair of Crown armchairs, by Massproductions, pays homage to its royalty and another pair, also House of Gärsnäs, sit opposite Dandy, a curved three-seater sofa, made to order in a soft báinín-coloured bouclé. A clear glass side table, Sander, which has a mouth-blown cone-shaped base, and a round tabletop made of toughened glass that are glued together using a clear bond, so it appears to float. Both are Massproductions, a firm founded in 2009 by British designer Chris Martin and Magnus Elebäck.
A Julius trolley by Klong sits discreetly against one wall. Designed by Folkform for lighting company Örsjö, the Plissé lamp set atop it epitomises Swedish design. Save for a tiny brass plate on its foot, there is nothing to demonstrate its design credentials. It is only as you come up close that you see its linen pleated shade and base and feel the quality. It is discreet and low key and very Swedish. The same design house created the copper floor lamp.
The seating is all well-sprung. This too is by design. “Diplomats, we always give people equal treatment,” she says. “There are no uncomfortable chairs for difficult customers.”
And what happens to all this lovely furniture when there are spillages at receptions at the new space? Has the curved sofa, for example, been Scotchgarded? Holmström van der Weyden is not sure, but jokingly says that they keep the red wine drinkers to the kitchen area.
A tin of Ikea gingerbread cookies is part of the standard daily fika, for staff and visitors alike. Set on a round patterned tray, they’re traditionally eaten to celebrate Santa Lucia, on December 13th, but here they eat them all year round, she says. They’re served with coffee in white Ikea 365+ cups, along with its everyday tableware. For more formal representations, she takes out the nation’s preferred porcelain maker, Rörstrand. In an elegant embodiment of design diplomacy, the pattern used is called Swedish Grace.
In addition to championing one of her county’s greatest success stories, the Ikea connection is also personal. The ambassador’s father was a photographer named Pelle Holmström, who, she says, suggested the idea of creating room sets for the furniture to Ikea founder Ingvar Kamprad. First published in 1951, the catalogue was once the most read “book” in Sweden, before it was retired 70 years later in 2021. At its peak, more than 200 million copies were distributed; in 69 different versions, 32 languages and to more than 50 markets.
The custom-built kitchen and matching cabinetry is lacquered in Farrow & Ball 47, Green Smoke. Glass pieces, a mix of candle holders and vases, fill the shelves and are mainly from Orrefors, but also feature pieces from Kosta Boda, Skruf Sweden and Svenskt Tenn.
One of the standout decorative items here is Bubble Mouno, a turquoise design made by the ceramic artist Eva Zethraeus.
In the reception area, there is tan leather furniture, an Offecct sofa and matching bench, Edsbyn table and chairs, and a large metal planter, Gråsippa from Byarums.
Statens Konstråd (the Swedish public art agency) provided all the pieces on the walls, in consultation with the foreign ministry’s interior architect.
In her private office, Holmström van der Weyden has a sofa upholstered in a deep green velvet, further homage to the country she’s been posted to. The bottle green Cajal design is by Lammhult, as are the chairs, all scattered with more cushions from Svenskt Tenn.
In her Ranelagh rental she has many pieces of Ikea furniture, all of which she has assembled herself.
“I take pride in that,” she says. “In Sweden you are born with an Allen key in your hand.” Her 14-year-old daughter has followed her lead. “She’s pretty good at putting the designs together. She assembled her desk.”
Get the Swedish look
A cognac leather Bollo lounge chair, designed by Andreas Engesvik for Fogia, from €3,143 at Dún Laoghaire-based Lost Weekend, will add warmth to any space.
Kosta Boda glassware vases start from €50 for the Pavilion design, the Crackle style costs from €345 at Nordic Elements
Add interest and illumination to side tables with sculptural lighting such as the Klong Pavo lamp, with polymer shade and solid aluminium base, power-coated in one of three colours, yellow, green or grey, from about €550, ex delivery, from Klong.com.
Used by the embassy for more formal dining occasions prices for the Rörstrand pattern Swedish Grace start from €23.60 per 17cm side plate at Finnish Design Shop
Fika time needs hot coffee served in a Taggoga vacuum flask, €10 for 1.6 litre with stylish Dragon stainless steel coffee spoons, €5 for a set of six, both Ikea.
Fill shelving within interesting glass objects. The seven cm high Tjarlek candlestick, €8, from Ikea.
Create the same luxurious feel in your sittingroom with this crescent-shaped, ultra-upholstered Dandy sofa by Massproductions, from €6,273 to order at Nordic Elements
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