Our Story

Swedish Heirlooms opened its doors in July of 2002 near the waterfront on Western Avenue in downtown Seattle, and moved to our present location at 2911 East Madison Street in December of 2004. We also have a second showroom at the Pacific Galleries Antique Mall on 241 S. Lander and First Avenue in Seattle's Sodo District as of February, 2007.

The store is near the entrance to the city's lovely park, the University of Washington Arboretum, tucked in between three of Seattle's favorites: City People's Garden Store, the wonderful vegetarian restaurant Café Flora and Thierry Rautureau's famous restaurant Rover's.

The founder of Swedish Heirlooms, Marie-Christine (KIKI) Alvord, a native Swede and a former SAS Flight attendant, came to live through marriage in Madison Park in Seattle in 1982. Having lived in both countries back & forth since 1982 made KIKI long for bringing the Swedish light and harmonious calming colors and simplified and yet elegant style to Seattle. The Gustavian style in particular, so clean and beautiful in its lines, with their soft hues of white grey, soft yellows and blues that brightens our often rainy gloomy climate here would just suit Seattle perfect.

Swedish Heirlooms offers both antiques and a wide selection of very high quality, authentic reproduction furniture in Gustavian and Baroque historical styles manufactured by Swedish craftsmen in the southern part of Sweden. This beautiful and graceful furniture is traditionally hand carved and crafted by several different family businesses in solid high quality woods like pine, beech, alder and birch, which can be modified to your specifications in most cases.

All of our products come unfinished, and Kiki paints them in her studio at home in the lovely light traditional Gustavian color hues and paint styles, using standard and environmentally friendly MILK PAINT which is available in many wonderful colors and glazes.

We also offer the exquisite "White Sense" line of Swedish linen that includes: hand quilted French embroidered bedspreads with matching pillows, double dust ruffles, wonderful French embroidered curtains and table linens with matching napkins, "Carl Larsson" seat skirts, adorable French embroidered lamp skirt, tea cozies, placemats, and much more.

We are also happy to represent our local weaving Artist, Patty King, who hand weaves on Swedish looms wonderful carpets in Swedish colors and patterns both in cotton and wool, and she will also work with you for personal specifications.