on the sidewalks of Stockholm: exploring color and pattern

By now it's no secret I'm from Sweden.

While soon I'll have been a New Yorker longer than I lived back home, most of my inspiration —why I do what I do and even how I do what I do — is still rooted in Sweden. Just walking the streets of Stockholm, I find motivation in the architecture: in the colors of the stone buildings, all on a more down-to-earth scale than New York's. And I see patterns everywhere.

Architectural patterns in Sweden

COLORS are intense & bright, not because they truly are, but because of the near-round-the-clock summer light. The palette feels vivid though paradoxically it’s made up of muted greens, pinks, yellows, grays, beiges, and occasional blues.

Colors in Sweden

PATTERNS in textile design are pretty simple. If you're not doing figurative work, a pattern begins by dividing up your empty space. I have been obsessing over stripes for a long while, but my Stockholm meanderings jolted me back to thinking in grids.

Grid patterns one walls in Sweden

I think and lay my ideas out in linear, geometric divides just like in these photos — mixing colors over the divided surface, finding the rhythm, choosing to repeat or not to repeat, until I arrive at a new pattern. The tile wall pictured here is reminiscent of my BRICK quilt, a pattern that came out of exploring the surface movements of a more traditional Swedish brick house.

Patterns that influence textile design

I draw inspiration from small, unexpected collisions — a circular vent breaking a wall's rectilinear expanse or a quiet moment where brick, stone and wood converge. 

- Anki Spets

View more textiles and bedding in our shop

Patterns seen on Swedish streets

search

just added to your cart:
qty:
TOTAL:
SUBTOTAL:
excl. postage 
VIEW CART
just added to your wishlist:
excl. postage 
MY WISHLIST
DUVET COVERS
twin 68 x 86”
full/queen 86 x 86”
king 104 x 86”

 

FLAT SHEETS
twin 66 x 102”
full/queen 90 x 102”
king 108 x 102”

 

FITTED SHEETS (w/ 14” pocket)
twin 39 x 75”
full 54 x 75” 
queen 60 x 80”
king 76 x 80”
cal-king 72 x 84”

 

CASES + SHAMS
accommodates pillow sizes:
standard 20 x 26”
euro square 26 x 26”
king 20 x 36”
standard body 20 x 60”
king body 20 x 72”

LEARN MORE about bagstyle vs frenchback.

 

BLANKETS + QUILTS

twin 69 x 90”
full/queen 90 x 90“
king 108 x 90”
throws 51 x 70”
xl throws 70 x 90"


THREAD COUNT

Thread count (TC) refers to the number of threads per square inch.
Type and size of individual threads are just as important as the count.

LEARN MORE about thread count
.

 

At AREA we carefully consider how each sheet should not only look but also feel. 
Skimlinks Test