Antique Swedish Biedermeier Furniture
Elegant and refined but simple and tasteful, Swedish Biedermeier furniture has become sort after by design lovers the world over. The honey colour french polish finish is the most sort after. You also find a light oak finish on the sofas and Biedermeier dining chairs and rarely they have used a quilted mahogany veneer that has a very rich darker finish with a slight tinge of red to it.
Swedish Interior Design is the world’s leading specialist in authentic Swedish Biedermeier sofas for sale, offering an unrivalled selection of original 19th-century Swedish Biedermeier seating sourced directly from Sweden. Our carefully curated collection includes Swedish Biedermeier sofas, settees, armchairs, and upholstered furniture, celebrated for their elegant proportions, exceptional comfort, and beautifully figured veneers finished in traditional hand-polished surfaces. For clients searching for a genuine Swedish Biedermeier sofa for sale, we provide absolute authenticity, expert restoration, and safe worldwide delivery — making Swedish Interior Design the trusted destination for collectors and interior designers worldwide.
See our Swedish Biedermeier Antiques Here
What is the history of Swedish Biedermeier furniture
The Biedermeier period in Sweden began around 1830 with the accession of a Frenchman to the Throne of Sweden who became known as Karl Johan – the name by which the style of Biedermeier furniture is known in Sweden.
Influenced heavily by the French Empire furniture style of the period and also drawing on the influences of the German Biedermeier movement, Swedish Biedermeier furniture is all about the show woods almost as a reaction to the painted furniture of the Gustavian period (1780-1820).
The shapes of Swedish Biedermeier designs are less angular and rigid than the German styles and mostly less ornate than French Empire which is famous for its use of over the top gilt eagles, lavish adornments and general bling.
Certainly the absolute top end antique Swedish Biedermeier pieces can compete with any French Empire furniture for elaborate gildings and decoration but the overall feel of the Swedish style is less showy and more curvaceous while still retaining the stunning show woods.
As noted above, the honey colour french polish finish is the most sort after usually with either quilted golden birch or later on in the early 1900s-1920s birds eye maple.
It has a really rich and lustrous texture and sheen – we can even re-lacquer it if you wish to a mirror like shine ( although this is a fairly serious undertaking requiring considerable time and expertise to achieve the required result).
How are Swedish Biedermeier sofas chairs and furniture constructed
The frames of Biedermeier sofas, chairs, drawers and tables are usually locally sourced birch or pine with hand fitted wooden plugs rather than screws with an overlay of a top quality thin wooden veneer. Golden Birch is the most prevalent show wood as it was a locally grown product.
It has a wonderful rich grain to the veneer that is only millimetres thick with wild quilted swirls and flames that are either book-matched on cabinet and drawer fronts or used to create 1/4 or 1/8th segments on tables to make a repeating pattern.
This is often supplemented with subtle use of ormolu finishing on posts, edges or feet to counterpoint the show woods.
The finish is a highly shiny french polish in a light honey to mid oak colour or more rarely a darker tone.
You also see Birds eye maple and mahogany veneers used too or higher end pieces: the maple is polished in its natural honey colour and the mahogany has a darker tone but either way the richness of the wood grain is amazing.
Can you reupholster Swedish Biedermeier sofas chairs armchairs and carver chairs
Yes. Our specialist upholstery service is led by real upholsters with old school skills – over 45 years of experience with upholstering real antiques.
Our Biedermeier sofas , dining chairs and armchairs all feature fully sprung and webbed seats with deep horsehair or natural fibre upholstery – some of the earliest sofas are even stuffed with straw!
We fit new black and white webbing to give the seats a firm comfort and recondition the seat pads as required.
The Biedermeier dining chairs are only webbed rather than sprung and we create a perfect dome for the seats for maximum comfort.
Remember that your choice of fabric will drastically change the look of your Biedermeier furniture so be as traditional or adventurous as you dare.
Contact us with your upholstery requirements today
How do I care for my Biedermeier chest of drawers sofa chairs or cabinet
Its very easy to damage the french polish and the original veneers if you treat them worng so please follow these guidelines:
* Always use a soft non abrasive cloth
* Never use cleaning materials that contain acidic or alkali contents include ammonia based cleaners. They will dull the finish and damage the shellac top coat
* Use a neutral furniture polish or wax and polish gently with a circular motion
* If you scratch the veneer, use a scratch cover in the appropriate colour shade to touch in the damage.
What types of Swedish Biedermeier furniture do you stock
We have curated a rare selection of original Swedish Biedermeier furniture direct from Sweden through our network of contacts.
We stock:
Biedermeier side and pedestal and drop leaf tables
Biedermeier chests of drawers, chiffoniers, cabinets and desks
All in the original polished finishes.
Why buy your Biedermeier furniture from Swedish Interior Design
Swedish Interior Design has been the leading expert in antique Swedish Biedermeier furniture since 2005.
We have shipped Biedermeier sofas chairs tables and much more to clients all around the world from our carefully curated Swedish Biedermeier furniture collection.
Our specialist restoration team loves Swedish Biedermeier furniture and we sensitively restore and repolish our Swedish Biedermeier pieces to bring out their beauty.
We have written expert articles for many of the major antiques magazines and blogs or websites as well as the BBC.
Our curated Swedish Biedermeier collection has featured in most of the major international interior design magazines too.
We love Swedish Biedermeier and have a very deep knowledge of its history and design ethic to help you choose the Swedish Biedermeier furniture for your home.
Can you repolish and restore my Swedish Biedermeier furniture for me
Absolutely
we specialise in the repolishing restoration and reupholstery of Swedish Biedermeier furniture in our UK workshop. Our restorers have been working with the Swedish Biedermeier genre for over 45 years.
We can change colours, apply new wood veneers and repair the frames as required.
Our reupholstery work can include fitting new copper coil springs, reworking spring beds , restuffing or top stuffing the seats or whatever else is required.
Contact us today and we will give you a quote for the work you need done
Do you ship Swedish Biedermeier furniture to the USA
Yes.
Most of our Swedish Biedermeier antiques are shipped to destinations in the USA.
Our antique shipping partners will export crate yuour Swedish Biedermeier piece and have it delivered to your door.
US shipping is available to all states in the USA and is easy to do and relatively quick by air freight.
Just email us your address and zip code and we will get you a special shipping quote for your Swedish Biedermeier sofa chair cabinet or table
What is the history of Swedish Biedermeier furniture
The Biedermeier period in Sweden began around 1830 with the accession of a Frenchman to the Throne of Sweden who became known as Karl Johan – the name by which the style of Biedermeier furniture is known in Sweden.
Influenced heavily by the French Empire furniture style of the period and also drawing on the influences of the German Biedermeier movement, Swedish Biedermeier furniture is all about the show woods almost as a reaction to the painted furniture of the Gustavian period (1780-1820).
The shapes of Swedish Biedermeier designs are less angular and rigid than the German styles and mostly less ornate than French Empire which is famous for its use of over the top gilt eagles, lavish adornments and general bling.
Certainly the absolute top end antique Swedish Biedermeier pieces can compete with any French Empire furniture for elaborate gildings and decoration but the overall feel of the Swedish style is less showy and more curvaceous while still retaining the stunning show woods.
As noted above, the honey colour french polish finish is the most sort after usually with either quilted golden birch or later on in the early 1900s-1920s birds eye maple.
It has a really rich and lustrous texture and sheen – we can even re-lacquer it if you wish to a mirror like shine ( although this is a fairly serious undertaking requiring considerable time and expertise to achieve the required result).
How are Swedish Biedermeier sofas chairs and furniture constructed
The frames of Biedermeier sofas, chairs, drawers and tables are usually locally sourced birch or pine with hand fitted wooden plugs rather than screws with an overlay of a top quality thin wooden veneer. Golden Birch is the most prevalent show wood as it was a locally grown product.
It has a wonderful rich grain to the veneer that is only millimetres thick with wild quilted swirls and flames that are either book-matched on cabinet and drawer fronts or used to create 1/4 or 1/8th segments on tables to make a repeating pattern.
This is often supplemented with subtle use of ormolu finishing on posts, edges or feet to counterpoint the show woods.
The finish is a highly shiny french polish in a light honey to mid oak colour or more rarely a darker tone.
You also see Birds eye maple and mahogany veneers used too or higher end pieces: the maple is polished in its natural honey colour and the mahogany has a darker tone but either way the richness of the wood grain is amazing.
Can you reupholster Swedish Biedermeier sofas chairs armchairs and carver chairs
Yes. Our specialist upholstery service is led by real upholsters with old school skills – over 45 years of experience with upholstering real antiques.
Our Biedermeier sofas , dining chairs and armchairs all feature fully sprung and webbed seats with deep horsehair or natural fibre upholstery – some of the earliest sofas are even stuffed with straw!
We fit new black and white webbing to give the seats a firm comfort and recondition the seat pads as required.
The Biedermeier dining chairs are only webbed rather than sprung and we create a perfect dome for the seats for maximum comfort.
Remember that your choice of fabric will drastically change the look of your Biedermeier furniture so be as traditional or adventurous as you dare.
Contact us with your upholstery requirements today
How do I care for my Biedermeier chest of drawers sofa chairs or cabinet
Its very easy to damage the french polish and the original veneers if you treat them worng so please follow these guidelines:
* Always use a soft non abrasive cloth
* Never use cleaning materials that contain acidic or alkali contents include ammonia based cleaners. They will dull the finish and damage the shellac top coat
* Use a neutral furniture polish or wax and polish gently with a circular motion
* If you scratch the veneer, use a scratch cover in the appropriate colour shade to touch in the damage.
What types of Swedish Biedermeier furniture do you stock
We have curated a rare selection of original Swedish Biedermeier furniture direct from Sweden through our network of contacts.
We stock:
Biedermeier side and pedestal and drop leaf tables
Biedermeier chests of drawers, chiffoniers, cabinets and desks
All in the original polished finishes.
Why buy your Biedermeier furniture from Swedish Interior Design
Swedish Interior Design has been the leading expert in antique Swedish Biedermeier furniture since 2005.
We have shipped Biedermeier sofas chairs tables and much more to clients all around the world from our carefully curated Swedish Biedermeier furniture collection.
Our specialist restoration team loves Swedish Biedermeier furniture and we sensitively restore and repolish our Swedish Biedermeier pieces to bring out their beauty.
We have written expert articles for many of the major antiques magazines and blogs or websites as well as the BBC.
Our curated Swedish Biedermeier collection has featured in most of the major international interior design magazines too.
We love Swedish Biedermeier and have a very deep knowledge of its history and design ethic to help you choose the Swedish Biedermeier furniture for your home.
Can you repolish and restore my Swedish Biedermeier furniture for me
Absolutely
we specialise in the repolishing restoration and reupholstery of Swedish Biedermeier furniture in our UK workshop. Our restorers have been working with the Swedish Biedermeier genre for over 45 years.
We can change colours, apply new wood veneers and repair the frames as required.
Our reupholstery work can include fitting new copper coil springs, reworking spring beds , restuffing or top stuffing the seats or whatever else is required.
Contact us today and we will give you a quote for the work you need done
Do you ship Swedish Biedermeier furniture to the USA
Yes.
Most of our Swedish Biedermeier antiques are shipped to destinations in the USA.
Our antique shipping partners will export crate yuour Swedish Biedermeier piece and have it delivered to your door.
US shipping is available to all states in the USA and is easy to do and relatively quick by air freight.
Just email us your address and zip code and we will get you a special shipping quote for your Swedish Biedermeier sofa chair cabinet or table