Gunilla Bielke does international luxury interiors concentrating on period styles and authentic decor. Apart from being
an interior architect, she also has a degree as a designer included in her international title, (Barcelona 1990-96).
Her commercial design range was therefore started in 1997 as a way of introduction on the Swedish market and
has the registered name of “Gunilla Bielke Design”.
Under this label, the First collection of historical cushions called “The Palace collection” was launched in October 1998.
This was in Stockholm at a private exhibition in the magnificent show room Sotheby’s Scandinavia.
“The Palace Collection” consists of highly exclusive handmade, signed and numbered cushions in typical styles from
different historical periods. Each small collection bears a royal name representing that era. All the luxurious fabrics used in each collection are new, but wowed or printed in correct period style by small manufacturers mostly weaving for restoration
objects and historical film costumes in Italy, France and Spain. The passementerie/trimmings (ribbons, tassels and fringes)
used are both new and/or antique (ca 1860-80).
During the autumn 1999 Gunilla Bielke launched her second serie of historical cushions called “The Antique Collection”.
As the name correctly implies, all materials used are authentic fabrics as well as passementerie/trimmings,
(The inner pillows are new made). However, none of the materials used are older than the 19th century for obvious reasons,
-they mustn’t be too brittle for modern use. During the years, more historical design objects will be added to the design range, for example lampshades, hangers, wastepaper baskets etc.
DESIGN CONCEPT
All the designed and manufactured decoration items / objects under the label “Gunilla Bielke design copyright 1997” (and the following years) are included in the following design concept, whether historical cushions from the three themes, “The Palace Collection”,”The Antique Collection”and “The Oriental Collection” or letter stands, hangers, lampshades etc.
UNIQUE DESIGN
Each design model will never be repeated more than twice in the same material and decorative finish.
Exception: Design by special order to the same client.
SIGNED & NUMBERED
Each item / object (except lampshades & diadems) has a sewn-on label hand signed by Gunilla Bielke herself and a hanging label with signature,name of object and number.
COLLECTION VALUE
There is an evident collection value from “day one” after having purchased a Gunilla Bielke Design object, because of the
extremely limited edition and the fact that the objects / items are signed and numbered.
CRAFTSMANSHIP
All items are handmade so far by Gunilla Bielke herself. Should this arrangement in any way be changed, no quality change in anyway will occur. All future designs will be strictly supervised.
EXCLUSIVE FABRICS
All the luxurious fabrics used in “The Palace Collection and “The Oriental Collection” are new, but woven or printed in correct period style by small manufacturers,mostly weaving for restoration objects and historical film costumes in Italy, France and Spain. Fabrics used in “The Antique Collection”are all authentic, mostly deriving from original, historical curtain arrangements from private ancestral homes all over Europe.
EXCLUSIVE DETAILS & TRIMMINGS
The designed products from Gunilla Bielke Design are all decorated with exclusive details. In the “Palace Collection”and in “The Oriental Collection”as mentioned before, all the details such as trimmings, ribbons, tassels, fringes and buttons are new but of exceptional quality.All from small manufactures producing limited stock. When it comes to unique and authentic details and trimmings, as in the”Antique Collection”, they are all from Gunilla Bielkes private collection of antique passementerie / trimmings and tassels bought from private homes and antique dealers all over Europe.
DECORATION VALUE
The designers aim is to create a beautiful, timeless elegance which will illuminate and enchant any beautiful home, whether
ultramodern or in authentic period style. All colours used in levelly combinations are historical from different eras.
Therefore they withstand changes in trends and decorative fashion.
DURABILITY
Cushions, lampshades, wastepaper baskets etc. within the design range, are all largely handmade and especially fabricated to endure time and wear.
Old manufacturers and sewing techniques have been used to ensure high durability and many years of purposeful use in elegant homes.
TREATMENT & WASHING
All designed items in textiles (except hangers, lampshades and wastepaper baskets etc) should be washed by Dry Clean only,
to evade shrinking, fading and ruining the exclusive materials. Tassels and fringes should be sprayed with clean water
to moisten them, before disentangling / brushing with a good bristle hairbrush once in a while. Bleach or chemicals not
used by professional Dry Cleaner should never be applied. Cushions are all handsewn together in the old way and should
be washed as they are, with the inner pillow in place.