With its emphasis on light-infused interiors and fresh painted surfaces, Swedish interior design is easy to live with, traditional and yet contemporary in its appeal. Katrin Cargill distils the chief characteristics of a look that embraces the cool colours and modest proportions of Gustavian interiors and the unpretentious charm of country nostalgia. Five practical chapters - The Essence of Swedish Style, Colour and Paint, Furniture, Fabric and Accessories - show how you can adapt and recreate this style in your own home.

The photographs, many of little-known Swedish interiors, feature rooms where the look has been successfully recreated and some of the period houses that provide the inspiration.