House of Sweden

The Red Houses

How many photos of Sweden have you seen that include a brightly painted red cottage beside sparkling blue water with a bright sun overhead?

The red paint and the houses are an inherent part of the Swedish cultural heritage and cultural landscape.

When the massive influx of Swedish immigrants came to America in the late 1800's, they brought with them memories of a red cottage and birch trees beside a lake.

Olle Nordling's photographs pay tribute to the ubiquitous and pervasive nature of a true Swedish icon.  Everything from barns to manor house and granaries have been covered with the red pigment, making it the foremost example of the concept of equality in the nation.

April 3rd – June 8th
Wednesday – Sunday
12:00 pm to 6:00 pm

House of Sweden
2900 K Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20007

For more information:
Falu Rödfärg