Stylogeny combining Josef Frank and Svenskt Tenn Botanical Prints × Scandinavian Functionalism

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Style combination · Contrasts

Josef Frank and Svenskt Tenn Botanical Prints × Scandinavian Functionalism

Frank's prints were his answer to functionalist austerity in the same Swedish rooms: use a calm functionalist layout and let one Frank-style print be its only ornament.

From the research on Josef Frank and Svenskt Tenn Botanical Prints

Mix them and make something Josef Frank and Svenskt Tenn Botanical Prints Scandinavian Functionalism

TogetherJosef Frank × Scandinavian Functionalism
A sample layout drawn from the recipe: shapes from Josef Frank and Svenskt Tenn Botanical Prints, their arrangement from Josef Frank and Svenskt Tenn Botanical Prints, the finish from Josef Frank and Svenskt Tenn Botanical Prints. Not a real work, and not an image of either style.

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What each style brings

Each part of the design comes from the style with the stronger say in it, and each style gives at least two.

Josef Frank and Svenskt Tenn Botanical Prints Scandinavian Functionalism

Type from Scandinavian Functionalism
Colour from Scandinavian Functionalism
Form from Josef Frank and Svenskt Tenn Botanical Prints
Composition from Josef Frank and Svenskt Tenn Botanical Prints

Scandinavian Functionalism avoids horror vacui: this is where the two pull against each other, which is the point of the contrast.

Surface from Josef Frank and Svenskt Tenn Botanical Prints

02

The type

Open fonts standing in for each style’s own type, which is often hand-drawn or commercial.

Display · Scandinavian Functionalism

Together

Jost, standing in for Futura

Text · Josef Frank and Svenskt Tenn Botanical Prints

The linens Josef Frank drew for Svenskt Tenn, which still prints them: invented trees, flowers, fruit and birds, even a map of Manhattan, packed edge to edge in long repeats and many clear colours, mostly on white or natural linen. The plants are outlined, stylised but recognisable, loose and asymmetric. Frank meant different patterns to be mixed in one room, against the cold purity of functionalism; his 1958 essay "Accidentism" later named the idea: rooms should look as if they had come about by chance. Unlike Marimekko's single enlarged motif, Frank keeps many small motifs and colours.

Schibsted Grotesk; Josef Frank and Svenskt Tenn Botanical Prints used Lettering drawn inside the repeat, such as the grey banners naming 'MANHATTAN' that run through the Manhattan print and The printed selvedge mark naming pattern, designer and maker, such as 'La Plata Komp. Av Josef Frank Svenskt Tenn Stockholm'

03

The colours

The ground and leading colours come from Scandinavian Functionalism, with a counter-accent from Josef Frank and Svenskt Tenn Botanical Prints. The ink reads on the ground at 4.5:1 or more.

Josef Frank and Svenskt Tenn Botanical Prints Scandinavian Functionalism

  • #f6f3ec ground · 36%
  • #1f2a37 ink · 14%
  • #e3b53a accent · 18%
  • #a63a2a accent · 14%
  • #3e6b50 accent · 10%
  • #d77a9a accent · 8%

As CSS

:root {
  --ground: #f6f3ec;
  --ink: #1f2a37;
  --accent-1: #e3b53a;
  --accent-2: #a63a2a;
  --accent-3: #3e6b50;
  --accent-4: #d77a9a;
  --font-display: "Jost", sans-serif;
  --font-text: "Schibsted Grotesk", sans-serif;
}

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The two styles

A cream-ground illustrated poster is densely filled with winding green foliage, colorful flowers, lemons, berries, birds, spotted animals, and people relaxing in summer clothes. Red lettering reading “Sunny Days” appears near the upper right, above a small blue table with a pitcher and fruit beside a red chair. 1934–present · Northern Europe Josef Frank and Svenskt Tenn Botanical Prints The linens Josef Frank drew for Svenskt Tenn, which still prints them: invented trees, flowers, fruit and birds, even a map of Manhattan, packed edge to edge in long repeats and many clear colours, mostly on white or natural linen. The plants are outlined, stylised but recognisable, loose and asymmetric. Frank meant different patterns to be mixed in one room, against the cold purity of functionalism; his 1958 essay "Accidentism" later named the idea: rooms should look as if they had come about by chance. Unlike Marimekko's single enlarged motif, Frank keeps many small motifs and colours. A rust-red cat sleeps curled beside a leafy green plant in a yellow pot on a cream background. Large dark lettering reads “Quiet Days” at upper left, with a yellow circle above the plant. 1930–present · Northern Europe Scandinavian Functionalism Nordic functionalism (funkis) arrived in graphic form with Sigurd Lewerentz's posters and winged emblem for the 1930 Stockholm Exhibition. It adapted Bauhaus rationalism to a social-democratic ideal of beautiful everyday things for everyone. Its graphic language is modernism with warmth: clear sans-serif or humane serif type, generous space, friendly simplified symbols and colours taken from nature, applied to public services, consumer goods and national identities.

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