Past Events and Happenings

This past December Lars featured some of his favorite pieces of furniture from his showroom at Miami's Iron Side event which was part of Art Basel Week, developer Ofer Mizrahi hosted legendary architect Ron Arad and toasted the premiere issue of Curated Living.

This past June Lars Bolander was featured as a Tastemaker on OneKingsLane.com and got a chance to hand pick his favorite items from their beautiful vintage home accessories collection.

This past January, Lars Bolander, representing artist Nadine Kalachnikoff, and Christopher Leidy featured a gallery at Art Palm Beach. The crowds turned out in droves - familiar and new faces came to admire both side of the gallery- on one side, Nadine's vibrant butterfly collages on canvas and on the other, Leidy's spectacular underwater digital C-prints. Both artists spoke to the joys and wonder of the natural world. The exhibit was a great success.

A book signing was hosted by Lars Bolander and the West Palm Friends of Fisher House at the Lars Bolander's showroom in December. Alex Papachristidis signed copies of The Age of Elegance, which feature an array of his luxurious and eclectic interiors. A percentage of the proceeds benefited the West Palm Beach Friends of Fisher House, a non-profit that provides financial assistance for housing, food and other amenities to veterans and their families.

This past October Lars Bolander and Nadine Kalachnikoff hosted the Butterfly Art Exhibition at the Dr.Remos Wellness Center Opening in Miami.  30 percent of the proceeds of  all sales of the paintings was donated to the National Young Arts Foundation  (NYAF).

Following his penchant for bringing together new and old friends, Lars Bolander hosted another successful book signing in his design studio.  This time introducing Heiberg & Cummings Design's White Light, published by the Monacelli Press. The Manhattan-based design duo, Bernt Heiberg and Bill Cummings, pair a Swedish minimalist aesthetic with playful elements to create highly livable spaces. The book also reveals the designers' creative processes and inspirations through image collages and essays - from entertaining to cultivating specific craftsmen to photo journals of the adventures of Heiberg's Jack Russell, Flink.

Top 5 Interior Design Elements

With 30+ years in the interior design industry, I am often asked for my must-have's and go-to’s when designing a space. Having worked on projects around the world across every sort of design and architectural plans, I want to share my top 5 absolutes in interior design.

1. LIGHTING

Lighting is without a question the single most important thing in a room. Light has to be exciting. And there are many ways to light a room to make the room cozy. With beautifully designed lighting, you avoid stuffiness and overwhelming. Natural light is also very important and a staple of Scandinavian design.

2. ANTIQUES

I always have to be surrounded by antiques. I love the beauty of the pieces and the history they hold. You wonder who could have been sitting in that old wooden chair or looking at themselves behind that gilded mirror. Sleek, iconic mid-century antique pieces are a staple of Scandinavian design and achieves an understated relaxed elegance when placed in a room.

3. SWEDISH DESIGN INFLUENCE

Swedish design is all about mixing humble with grand, traditional and modern. A pale color palette is Scandinavian hallmark; blues, greens, greys, whites, light airy colors have been used for years because they reflect the natural Swedish light.  In any room you go to, it will always feel like summer, always bathed in beautiful natural light that is reflected in the pale color palette of the room. Painted furniture, miniature floral print fabrics, nice stripes or checkers in cotton or linen, and wood elements are also quintessential Swedish elements that make a space inviting and comfortable.

4. ART & BOOKS

Paintings and books are very important and give a place a cozy feeling. I like it when you can move things around and mix and match, and book are the perfect accessory to subtly change a space. You can fill a wall with them, put stacks of them on a table, or use as a stand to display an art piece. Art does not need to be expensive. I very often put a few art pieces together on one wall  and leave the other walls empty. Makes more of an impact.

4.CHAIRS

Chairs can transform a space from a cold, standing area to a comfortable room you want to spend time in. Chairs are an invitation to sit and enjoy. Placing chairs in the bedroom makes it personal and calm. Putting chairs around the living areas also encourage movement, allowing you to constantly redesign and rethink the space in accordance with what's happening at that moment.