21 January 2020
The Carl Malmsten Room
Interest in the Carl Malmsten Room in Paris and the newly furnished guest apartments at the Swedish Institute has exceeded all expectations. Following the opening on 8 September, more than 3 000 people queued in the first week to see the Swedish design.
After the exhibition period ended in mid-October, the project could best be described as a roaring success. French media also showed a lot of interest. The French Elle magazine, for example, published a five page photo feature on the guest apartments, and the TV programme Télématin nominated the Institut suédois as one of the top-three places to visit during Paris Design Week.
Photo: Luca Lomazzi
The warm and welcoming interior in the Carl Malmsten Room was designed by Anna Kraitz. The colour scheme is mild with the wallpaper Campagna, designed in the 1930s and now in production again, as a calm background to the comfortable armchairs Hemmakväll, the Släden nest of tables and the practical trestle table and the elegant armchair Widemar. The classic floor lamp Staken and a ”Birgitta” lampshade in the ceiling illuminate the room. At the opening, Madeleine Sjöstedt, director-general for the Institut suédois, pointed out that Swedish design has an impressive international reputation. ”The Swedish Institute in Paris has yet again demonstrated that we are a unique shop window for Sweden, in one of the world’s most cultural cities”, she said.
Photo: Luca Lomazzi
The guest apartments will continue to be available to the public every September, and during the time of the exhibition – at least five years – you can visit any of the vacant apartments. Every year, around a hundred Swedish researchers, cultural workers and artists use the apartments.