Kåseholm

A country estate, Österlen, Sweden

This shell flow piece is an on-site shell art installation for the Kåseholm Estate in Skåne, southern Sweden. Apart from the column work in the intimate creative kitchen, mussel wall pieces and shell mirrors were made for specific spots in the private areas of the estate, all in collaboration with Silverwhite Collective.

Matching a Michelin-starred chef

Kåseholm is a four-hundred-year-old country estate on the lush Österlen plains in Skåne, turned into a place for design, art and sustainable food production by designers Jamie White and Joakim Silvandersson of Silverwhite Collective. In spring 2020, in a separate house on the estate – the old forge – they were finishing the design of a new creative kitchen for chef Daniel Berlin, holding two Michelin stars at his nearby restaurant. The kitchen was ready. The walls were not.

Buster Eriksson laying blue mussel shells in rows on a panel in the studio — Buster going with the flow. Hand-collected mussel shells are glued in place, one at a time.

Blue Flow mounted in the black vestibule, five tiles wide and six high — Effectively using the tile grid. Almost-black tiles need something dark. Blue mussels – perfect choice!

Opportunity knocked

Mikael had been to an Outstanding in the Field dinner on the estate and had felt an opportunity for Shellman to contribute to this unique place. We invited Jamie and Joakim to an art and design fair that Shellman took part in. Hopes were up.

Detail of the swirling blue mussels on Blue Flow — The empty shells from the Swedish edible blue mussel feel custom made for a Shellman shell flow artwork.

Blue Flow, three shell panels standing in the studio before delivery — The three pieces get a final studio wall check before hanging them in the restrooms at the Daniel Berlin creative kitchen.

Listing empty spots

Weeks later, a four-hour visit and a walk through the estate ended with a list of empty spots. Jamie had pictured something dark, close to black even, for the restroom area in the creative kitchen, which also held a few exclusive dinner seats. The shells had to hold their own against dark-colored walls. Our recommendation: blue mussel flows!

Detail of the shell flow: abalone, blue mussels and limpets laid in curving bands — A Shellman signature: always have the shells cover the base material. Always! To 100 percent.

Mikael Hjärtsjö gluing limpets and blue mussels where two panels meet on the column — Mikael hiding the screws, closing the corner gaps and covering the edges.

A column begs for shell art

A lone four-sided concrete column rises from the floor in the middle of the room. We could hear it begging to be wrapped in shells. Kåseholm wanted straight lines while we advocated that waves would create a well-needed contrast to all the straight lines dominating the room. This piece was made in the studio as four panels and finished on site, with the last shells put in place to hide screws and corner gaps. Prior to delivery, pictures went to Kåseholm for scrutiny, and the answer came back immediately: “Stunning. Love them.”

The finished shell column at Kåseholm, blue mussels, limpets and abalone in flowing bands — We could hear that lone column rising from the floor, just begging to be wrapped in shells.

Buster Eriksson and Mikael Hjärtsjö either side of the finished shell column — Two shell men revisiting the Kåseholm estate just to check on the artworks delivered a few months earlier.

The briefest of briefs

The shell mirrors in the private rooms followed a few weeks later. Three works – Flower Power, The Square and Back in Black – were made to specific measurements for three spots. The only brief really was set in just two words: dark nuances. ”The rest is up to you guys; let your creative juices flow free.”

Buster Eriksson and Mikael Hjärtsjö with two shell mirrors in front of the main house at Kåseholm — Buster and Mikael with two of the Kåseholm shell mirrors, outside the main house.

The Flower Power shell mirror on a dark green wall above a peacock in the Kåseholm main house — Three shell mirrors were commissioned for the main house. Flower Power – always a favorite of ours – was made for the library.

Epilogue

Since our collab, Jamie and Joakim have sold the Kåseholm Estate and relocated to Cape Town, South Africa. Sadly, it soon became clear that the new owners showed no interest in shell art and had a totally different outlook on integrated design, far from what we shared with the previous owners. Thus, all works were brought back into our hands in 2026. The Flower Power mirror is already sold to a client in southern France. Daniel Berlin has since left his restaurant and opened up the highly acclaimed (two Michelin stars) restaurant and boutique hotel Vyn south of Simrishamn, southern Sweden. Did any of this make you curious about a shell project? Don’t hesitate to get in touch for more information.

“The artworks you’ve made for Kåseholm are terrific! We very much admire both your work ethic, dedication to your vision and meticulous technique. This is something new and exciting, but also somewhat reminiscent of some of the great works of Florentine and Venetian mosaic artists hundreds of years ago. Really impressive!”
Jamie White, Kåseholm Estate

Back in Black shell mirror, 60 x 120 cm, hanging on the studio wall — Back in Black (60x120 cm) shot on our studio wall, but made to fit in one of the guest toilets in the main house.

Detail of The Square shell mirror, cone and turret shells laid in rows — The densely packed The Square was made for the tiniest of tiny guest toilets.

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