emmas designblogg

This blog has moved!

Thu, 15 Jan 2015 16:48:17 +0100

You'll find me at em.elledecoration.se, see you there!

Space Matters - a new mood board based creative gallery

Thu, 15 Jan 2015 00:00:00 +0100

Rodeo, one of the most interesting Swedish fashion magazines, just launched a new site called Space Matters, where a collective of female creatives from different fields show what is inspiring them right now, through interactive mood boards, interviews, videos and other media. For this first season, you will find super model Frida Gustavsson, photographer Fumi Nagasaka, & Other Stories fashion designer Behnaz Aram, Elektra and Miranda Kilbey from Say Lou Lou and activist/journalist/model Yomi Abiola sharing their processes and creativity there. The editors, Nike Felldin and Lisa Corneliusson, describe the site like this: "an atelier, pin board, library, network and a collection of characters".

"Space Matters is for the people who think in pictures. Inspiring, complicated women we have encountered, and as we felt entranced by their worlds of ideas, we asked if they wanted to come and hang with us for a while."

Looking for the perfect sofa

Thu, 08 Jan 2015 13:41:48 +0100

I just moved into a new apartment before Christmas, and since I didn't have room for a sofa in my last home, the space in my new livingroom where it's supposed to go is now empty. I've been dreaming of a vintage Moment sofa, but they are very hard to find, so I'm starting to settle with the thought of a new sofa instead. My issue with most new sofas though, is that they are all huge and bulky, and take up a lot of space, both literally and visually. Ideally, I want the high legs and petite measurements from the midcentury Danish sofas, but the comfort of modern ones.

I have been considering the Aura from Bolia, but find its lines a little too strict, it doesn't look inviting enough for what I had in mind. Then I thought about the Söderhamn from Ikea, which is super comfy and stylish, but not quite light enough in its expression. While those are is still in my mind, I think I have found exactly what I'm looking for in the new Cloud sofa from &tradition!

Designed by Italian born, Stockholm based designer Luca Nichetto, "Cloud has the defined shape of the Danish design tradition and the soft and cosy pillows of the Italian one." Cosy and welcoming, Cloud envelops the sitter as if a nest, but still maintains a clean, classic shell and silhouette. And it's upholstered in Kvadrat textiles designed by Raf Simons. Sounds pretty perfect, doesn't it?

A perfectly balanced creative mess

Tue, 06 Jan 2015 01:15:30 +0100

I find places like the home and studio/shop of Antwerp based fashion designer Jan-Jan van Essche so fascinating. Every inch of these spaces oozes of creativity, there are moodboards, fabric samples and collected treasures everywhere. While the colour palette here is mainly natural; ranging from white to brown, it's not very strictly edited, making it obvious that this is in fact a collection of beloved items rather than a "designed and decorated" show home. I feel like we are somehow allowed to see a little bit of how the designer's mind works, what inspires them and their work.

Photographer: Nicole Franzen

Read the full interview and see more photos on Freunde von Freunden

A Fresh New Year

Thu, 01 Jan 2015 20:44:25 +0100

It's the first day of 2015, and the new year ahead is still a blank canvas waiting to be filled with whatever content we decide to give it. I am excited to turn the page from 2014, which to be honest wasn't a very good year in my life, and look forward to many exciting adventures in the new year. The first will be a move of my blog! I'll tell you where I'm heading in a few days. As I am now on my tenth year of blogging here, I figured it was time for some change, and I'm hoping you will all come with me.

Right now though, I am enjoying the last few days of the winter holidays, trying to rest and reload after all the festivities. As I just moved into a new apartment before Christmas, I am now deep into moodboards, paint swatches and decorating plans to make the place look and feel a bit more like me.

What are your plans for the new year? Did you make any resolutions? Any exciting adventures planned?

Photo: Brian Powers

Happy Holidays!

Thu, 25 Dec 2014 05:23:52 +0100

Just popping by to wish you all a very happy holiday season!

If you happen to live in a place where the snow and holiday atmosphere is lacking, I recommend checking out Irene Finne's instagram, full of wintery landscapes and beautiful still lifes.

Valje storage system from Ikea

Sat, 20 Dec 2014 00:53:28 +0100

I know there has been a lot of Ikea posts here lately, but can you blame me when their press photos look this good? These are some of the news coming in February, lots of new table legs and tops, and a new storage series called Valje with shelves, cupboards, drawers and wall shelves/boxes. Valje has a new simple assemblage solution, with no need for tools, just click it all together. Great news for all of us who don't love spending all evening trying to put our new purchases together, and keep misplacing that hex key all the time.

And do I possibly spot some Lotta Agaton styling here? I believe so.

The Vipp Shelter, a step beyond prefab

Thu, 18 Dec 2014 17:33:00 +0100

I was very much taken by surprise when I read the news about the Vipp Shelter. I would never have guessed a house would be the next step for the classic Danish design brand! Launching their own kitchen was a bold move already, but proved successful and it has since been prized with several well deserved design awards. The Vipp Shelter is a new bold concept, namely a 55 sqm fully equipped house made of galvanized steel. All the design and deco choices have already been made for you by Vipp's head designer Morten Bo Jensen. This means that shortly after you place your order in the Vipp webshop, you can step into your new vacation house, already decked out with everything from cutlery and bedding to lighting and furniture. You just bring a weekend bag and food, the rest is already taken care of!

The first shelter is placed in a secret location somewhere "in the wilderness" in Sweden, and I heard there will be a contest later to guess where it is. Time to start looking around then!

Christmas Inspo from Susanna Vento

Wed, 17 Dec 2014 10:54:03 +0100

A small tree and a candle is really all it takes to create a Christmas feeling at home. I definitely prefer this simple decorating style that anyone can take inspiration from and create a similar set up in their own homes.

Photos from Susanna Vento's instagram

Oblique Hanger by Annaleena

Tue, 16 Dec 2014 23:24:27 +0100

I just love the new Oblique hanger from Annaleena! The styling of these pictures is also so great, super simple but impactful. Another new item in her shop is the rectangular hanger in white.

I have her circular hanger, and am just pondering if I'm going to hang it in my bedroom for those "wear again later" clothes, or if it works better by the entrance to throw scarves and random coats on...

New String photos by Lotta Agaton

Mon, 15 Dec 2014 22:26:17 +0100

These just landed in my inbox! New photos for String, styled by Lotta Agaton and shot by Marcus Lawett. In the bottom photos showing a workspace, you will find a height adjustable table that is the newest addition to the String collections, designed by Björn Dahlström and Anna von Schewen. It's one of few adjustable tables I've seen that would actually work in a home office as well.

I'm planning a shelf wall in my new apt, but can't decide if I should go for plain Elfa shelfs, or invest in the String system. Thoughts anyone?

Krusning lamp shade by Sigga Heimis for IKEA

Wed, 10 Dec 2014 18:34:00 +0100

While on the subject of Spring news... This paper lamp shade by designer Sigga Heimis, whom I had the great pleasure of meeting in Iceland on my last trip there, is coming to Ikea in February. What's so cool about it is that you can shape it any way you like, so every lamp will be different, even though it is bought at the big warehouse.

H&M Home Spring 2015

Wed, 10 Dec 2014 11:15:50 +0100

I'm already browsing the Spring collections and all the press photos from them, but I'm not sure if we are ready for that yet? Perhaps we should enjoy the holidays first, and wait with the longing for greens, freshness and a new start until after that. Oh well, try and stop me! Here you go, fresh inspiration from H&M Home's Spring 2015 collection!

Color and styling inspiration in a white loft

Tue, 09 Dec 2014 12:17:22 +0100

I just moved, so I'm sitting in a sea of boxes writing this, but still wanted to check in and share some inspiration. I was quite impressed with these images from Flou, showing their new sofabed Duetto. Amazing loft location and great styling, right on trend with the gray, brown and blue hues that can be seen everywhere this autumn.

My new home looks nothing like this (it's a small 50's apartment) but the color palette is pretty much what I'm aiming for.

Studio Mama loft in Stockholm's Old Town

Thu, 04 Dec 2014 15:51:39 +0100

I first got the architectural photos from this loft, and thought the space looked amazing but perhaps a bit too stark for the blog. So I was very happy when I saw that it has now been styled for sale, with great results! Still very minimalist, to let the apartment stand out and shine on its own, but now with an added sense of space and personality. It's designed by Studio Mama and was planned to be the owner's own home, but as they are relocating it is now up for grabs through Fantastic Frank. Located in Gamla Stan, in a 300 years old building, the loft was carefully renovated to retain the atmosphere but still have all the functions and comfort of a modern home.

At home with Skandinavisk

Tue, 02 Dec 2014 15:26:00 +0100

While I was on a quick visit to Copenhagen last week I met up with Shaun from Skandinavisk, the brand we collaborated with for our Koto candle, and during our meeting he showed me these pictures from his home that I thought it would be fun to share with you. The family lives in a classic Copenhagen house, decorated with a mix of modern design classics, antiques and vintage finds, and an abundance of green plants. Shaun takes no credit for those though, as he told me the gardening interest and green thumb belongs to his wife Lene. She also works with the scents for the candles, advising on which plants from the Scandinavian flora are to be reflected in the scents to give an authentic and true fragrance that fits the theme of the candle.

Photographer: Pia Winther

Stylist: Gitte Christensen

Icelandic Design feature in Blue Wings Magazine

Mon, 01 Dec 2014 21:18:00 +0100

I just wanted to share this article on Icelandic design that I made together with photographer Mikael Axelsson for Finnair's in-flight magazine Blue Wings. Pretty proud of how it turned out. If you'd like to read it you can do so here (it's on page 61-64) and please check out the featured brands if you are curious about what is going on in terms of design in the world's youngest country: Postulina, Staka and Kristbjörg.

Shopping News for the Selective Minded

Sat, 29 Nov 2014 06:54:00 +0100

This week brought lots of great news if you are looking for new items for your home, a great coffee table book, some cool yoga gear or perhaps even a new home. And I know you will wonder if I picked them all because of the greige color... But no, I did not, it's a lucky coincidence. Or perhaps the trendiest hue of this autumn. Who can tell.

Let's start with the first one, the opening of interior designer and decorator Oliver Gustav's online shop. If you had your eyes open for the last year, you will have seen Oliver's name pop up in every travel guide on Copenhagen, and also as the designer of Yvonne Koné's new shop. His brick and mortar shop is a mandatory stop for any design interested Copenhagen visitor, and I am sure the online boutique was anticipated by many. It carries a curated selection of Mad et Len fragrances, objects by Michaël Verheyden, as well as a few carefully chosen decorative items.

Lotta Agaton and Pia Ulin's book finally launched, and is available in Lotta's webshop with four different covers!

Le Yoga Shop Paris, where you will find what in my mind is the world's most stylish lounge wear (I haven't jumped on the yoga train yet), launched their A/W 2014 collection, and a new issue of their magazine. Created by the Naddermier couple, Kia being a fashion photographer and Magnus a Creative Director, you can expect style out of the ordinary, but also a deep knowledge in yoga as they have both been practising for more then 20 years, and Kia is the founder of Mysore Yoga Paris – one of Paris’ most authentic and well respected yoga studios. They collaborate with some amazing creatives to develop the brand, like Filippa K, Hope, Burfitt and OFR.

And lastly, if you are looking for a new home, or perhaps just want to look at the pictures for some great decorating inspiration, Pella is selling her house!

Perfectly Graphic Ikea Styling by Pella

Fri, 28 Nov 2014 20:38:50 +0100

I just love these photos that Pella styled for Ikea Livet Hemma, and the table lamp Låter, that was new to me, is definitely going on my list for the next trip to the big store. Because one can never have too many lamps, right?

COS x Till Wiedeck, store installation with display tables

Fri, 28 Nov 2014 11:15:44 +0100

For winter 2014 fashion brand COS commissioned Till Wiedeck to develop a bespoke in store installation for their worldwide retail shops. In close collaboration they created “Object XI & XII” a unique interpretation of Wiedeck’s 2012 project Critical Objects. The two tables continue the studio’s exploration of the border between the functional and the sculptural.

“Object XI & XII” is designed to host a carefully curated selection of items in a black and white theme. Merging functionality and abstraction we developed a unique rubber granulate surface resembling Travatine stone while preserving the tactile and functional aspects of the rubber.

The table can be seen in COS stores worldwide from 20th of November 2014.