Inspiration From The Past | Guest Post by Nate

July 26, 2010

We headed downstate this weekend for a family gathering in historic Bishop Hill, Illinois. The little village (population 150) was founded as a Swedish utopian commune in the 1840s has retained a number of beautiful structures. I took hundreds of photos, but don’t worry – I’ll only post a few! In addition to the great architecture, there were great interior vignettes everywhere. Bold, bright blues and yellows were the theme in some of the spaces, but other rooms were painted in the quietest chalk white with just a tiny bit of color to enliven the view.

The trip is about 3 hours from Chicago, and is well worth it. Most of the shops are open on Saturday and Sunday. We had a great lunch on the shady patio of The Red Oak (www.theredoak.com), where traditional Swedish specialties are the name of the game. There’s also a nice bakery/coffee shop and even an inn, should you be so inclined.

Captions and pics:

The Colony Store is full of traditional Swedish decor and delights, and is like stepping back into another era. I love the facade, with its simple brick pilasters and bold triangular pediment.

Wonderfully folksy church birdhouse at one of several antique stores.

Best DIY detail of the day – stained plank flooring with painted “grout” lines. I love it! Could be a really interesting treatment in an entry foyer, powder room, or even on a small wall. Very cool.

Loud color…

And contemplative restraint.

Bishop Hill was known for it’s brooms. I like the black ones.

The commune was very well-planned. Early settlers included farmers, bakers, business people, and the carpenters who made this wonderful piece, with it’s bold cornice and original faux-graining.