My Experience in Stockholm

I want to go back. Stockholm was breathtaking. The geography of the city was nice because they have the water and rocky cliffs that give great views and add variation to the architecture. We arrived by bus and so I got to see the Swedish countryside. Stopping at the IKEA headquarters to to learn about the design process and philosophy which is planned and organized very well. We checked in at our hostel and ate dinner at a Mediterranean buffet overlooking the city. The next day was off to Svenskt Tenn to see the legendary designs by Josef Frank. The store has been in the same location for eighty years and is still extremely successful. After that we went to the National Museum of Fine Arts were we focused on 20th century Swedish design. At most places we are sketching as well. We bring our colored pencils or gauche paints and focus on color pallets and form. We visited three design stores after this to see current trends. Saturday was started in the Nordic Museum to focus on Swedish interior design from 1870-2000. It was a mix of woven, embroidered, lace, and knitted textiles, along with a printed wallpaper exhibit. Next , we went to four design showrooms of furniture and interiors. We ended that day at Rosendals Garden were we sketched some more. This was one of my favorite places to see. It was full of all kinds of plants and flowers. The last day was spent at the modern art museum. There was a current exhibit by great painter named Karin Mamma Andersson. She has a unique way of working with time and space with a ghostly feeling. At this point our minds are exhausted by shape, color, form, people, places...and on to the ferry to Helsinki.