Sillegården Värmland Sweden

Sillegården is an old farm house which was transformed into an artist colony by Ida Sahlström. Originally established as a traditional farm, it has been passed down through generations, serving as a cornerstone of local life. Sillegården's interesting history began in 1915 when textile artist Ida Sahlström, also known as "Fryksdalsmora," and her husband August Nilsson purchased the old hot spring bathhouse, with the name Sillegårdsbrunn on the edge of the little village Västra Ämterviks in Värmland, Sweden. The location was already known as a historic health spring since the 18th century, frequented by many in hope of cure by radioactive water. Ida was originally from Värmland, grew up on a farm in the same Valley further north. She had left her home against her father´s will in order to study art in Stockholm. Which was a vibrant place for young creatives in the beginning of the 20th century. After 10 years in Stockholm, she became homesick, missed the beautiful landscape of Värmland and came back to her roots in 1915 with her family. They established a little guesthouse and a restaurant in a distinctive nordic-style, which Ida designed herself and which is now known as Idas Dining Room and became famous in the region and was a cultural meeting spot for several intellectuals of the region, among others Selma Lagerlöf. Even guest from Stockholm and other regions came here in spite of the remote location. The wall paintings in the dining room are created by Ida´s sister Anna Sahlgren, even she an artist against her father's will. Ida even had her atelier for fabrics (carpets, curtains) and furniture with a mixture of traditional and modern design. She employed several local weavers in her workshops, who created fabrics according to her unique design and her - for that time - modern theory of colours. Later, Ida´s daughter Margit took over the guesthouse together with her husband, the artist Erling Ärlingsson. He created the wallpaintings on the dining room´s veranda and in the society house, which was build for celebrations and cultural eventd. Under that period, many artist came to Sillegården in order to paint, inspired of and together with Erling and Ida´s brother Bror, who also was an artist. His atelier can still be seen in the garden. Today the beautiful location is a unique farm-to-fork restaurant and a wonderful summer destination, on the banks of the lake Fryken. It operates seasonally from early June to mid-September and offers a delightful dining experience, known for its focus on regenerative ingredients, wild cultivation on their own little farm, and slow cooking over open fire. The houses and the unique dining room are completely unchanged, maintaining the establishment's heritage with original furniture (Ida) and wall paintings (Anna) from 1920. It’s a perfect spot for nature-, art-, food- and vine lovers who would like to enjoy the untouched beauty of Värmland in West Sweden.