SS19 - LIVING catalogue

The Home 2019 Collection

SPACE TO FEEL COMFORTABLY YOU

WELCOME HOME

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Our home is connected to so many feelings and memories that it can be hard to pin down.

Where home is to us has become a more difficult question to answer than to merely name the specific location of our house on a map.

At ferm LIVING, we are engaged with the matter of how a good home looks and feels.

It is a journey with no end-point with constant surprises and new angles. A good home to me may just as well be the opposite to you. So this time, as we present our new collection, instead of only showing you our image of an ideal home, we present you with many little notions. We take you through each room of the home; from the first impressions of the hallway to the place we retire to and recharge for a new day.

Along the way, we are peeking into rooms of people with a special connection to that room. So when you read this, you will see our news next to personally decorated rooms.

Like when we visit Ruth Barry, who has spent most of the past year in the kitchen of her Berlin bakery. Or Marie Nipper, who has made room for her children in her office to actively combine her and her husband’s career with life as a family. Not to mention Ryoko Hori, whose world of scents and senses is present everywhere in her home and shop.

I hope this will be the story of how design can shape your life. But just as much, I hope it shows that having a home and feeling at home is about so much more than things. Home is where the people we love come together, where we share ups and downs, and where life just happens regardless of our plans. So, this edition is not just a listing of the individual rooms, it’s an exploration of the little scenes that take place every day without us even noticing it. It is a panoramic view of the spaces where we live our lives, shaped by our favourite things, memories and people. The stories are here to show you that home can be wherever and whatever makes you feel comfortably you.

WELCOME HOME

TRINE ANDERSEN FOUNDER & CREATIVE DIRECTOR

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Contents The HALLWAY

p. 8

– of Maja Brix p. 18

The LIVING ROOM

p. 22

– of Veva van Sloun p. 66

The GREEN SPACE

p. 72

– of Jin Ahn p. 84

Product overview Furniture

176

Lighting

204

Textiles

210

Rugs

220

Bathroom

250

Office

290

Objects

228

Green Space

260

Wallpaper

296

Bedding

246

Kitchen

272

The KITCHEN

p. 92

– of Ruth Barry p. 112

The BATHROOM

p. 122

– of Ryoko Hori p. 132

The BEDROOM

p. 138

– of Amélie Pichard p. 146

The OFFICE

p.152

– of Marie Nipper p. 166

Introduction

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About us

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Contact

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The

HALLWAY

BELONGING – Life guides you through many passages, literally and metaphorically. The hallway is the first room of a house, connected to the rest of the rooms in the home. But it is also the manifestation of the feeling of coming home: The rattling of keys and the instant familiar feeling, letting you know that this is where you belong.

“It’s important for me to feel at home. Having my things around me is important, although they merely frame a place, of where my life unfolds with my kids.”

The HALLWAY of Maja Brix _ p. 18

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GREEN SPACE

GREEN SPACE

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Tufted Wall/Floor Deco - Shell

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HALLWAY

Plant Box

Place Bench Approaching the bench as an art piece, the design of Place has an audacious and robust expression, while the long, tranquil lines add to its simple outline based on pure geometrical components.

Made of blackened steel, it presents a surface full of character and a sturdy and durable bench. With its deliberately unbalanced composition, the exact look varies with your perspective.

GREEN SPACE

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Mirage Tote Bag

Shell Tufted Rug

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HALLWAY

HALLWAY

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Rico Lounge Chair The Rico series welcomes curves and volumes into a classic design defined by soft lines and an embracing expression.

Contrasting the sturdiness of the frame, the lounge chair has an upholstery of timeless, yet easeful bouclĂŠ fabric, which is woven of uneven yarn to attain the rich, loopy texture of the surface. The curvaceous nature of the series adds a modern union of comfort and elegance to any room and makes you feel drawn into its motherly embrace.

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Punctual Shelving System

HALLWAY

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Poise Oval Mirror · Pujo Wall Table

Hooks - Blue Lapis Lazuli

Hooks - Smoked Bubble Glass

Pujo Coat Rack · Coat Hanger

HALLWAY

GREEN SPACE

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GREEN SPACE

The

HALLWAY of

MAJA BRIX Fashion designer Copenhagen, Denmark

COMING HOME is a remarkable feeling – whether it’s stepping through the front door after a long journey, or in a more abstract sense, returning to something, perhaps even ourselves. Maja Brix, who runs a label in her own name, launched a grand start to her career upon returning to Copenhagen after graduating from Central Saint Martins, in London. She merely wanted to go back to work before commencing her master’s degree in fashion – but never did. Henrik Vibskov, the now iconic Danish fashion designer, wanted her to develop and manage his line of womenswear. Nine years later, after her own projects started taking up ever more space in her head, she pursued creating her own brand.

Today, she has her shared studio space and store, 71 Studio in central Copenhagen where she created a small, essential line of designs based on an ethically focused business plan.

We meet Maja Brix in her top floor studio apartment, with a stunning view of Copenhagen’s beautiful, old centre. Much like her designs, nothing in this space is superfluous or purely decorative. Every centimetre is used to make room for her and her two small children.

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“It’s important for me to feel at home. Having my things around me is important, although they merely frame a place, of where my life unfolds with my kids.”

The dark-green dresser is a piece, which Maja has inherited. Now, it has a prominent spot in her hallway with room for all of her and the children’s bits and bobs.

Overlooking a central and beautiful part of old Copenhagen, her apartment has a lovely spot for day-dreaming and making big plans.

With hooks at two levels, the hallway is perfect for herself and her two small children, who this way can reach their coats themselves.

Maja Brix, 40 years, lives in Copenhagen with her two children, Veronika and August. She runs a fashion line in her own name with values and a focus on sustainability and long-lasting designs. majabrix.com @majabrix 71 Studio Nansensgade 71 1366 Copenhagen K Denmark

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HALLWAY

THE VALUES OF FASHION Maja Brix started on her own, with the wish to create a sustainable fashion brand in multiple senses. Not only did she want to make clothes of better materials and with a longer life; she also wanted to craft a work-life in the fashion industry which allowed being a mother of two small children. This means some nights are still long, but she is not pressed to launch several collections a year, as the traditional fashion industry demands. Instead, she has a carefully curated portfolio with a handful of long-lasting designs: a suit, a dress, a shirt, and a scarf among other things – all available in several materials making the designs look and feel entirely different. Much more than clothing, each design presents a concept and logic of its own, one could say: “With Suit 1, I wanted to explore what masculinity is, the same way I wanted to discuss femininity with Dress 1; you can be both masculine and feminine in so many ways today. What I make is value-based clothing. I wouldn’t go so far as to call it political, but they are a product of thought,” Maja Brix says and continues: “But the products have to work by themselves without one knowing the words behind the concept. I want people to buy it simply because they think it’s good design.”

Having and managing her own business means that now there is a lot of administration to sort through during a single day, leaving little time for drawing and thinking up new designs. But to Maja, it’s a constant process which she never turns off – always on the lookout for new inspiration: “I have a giant image catalogue, and I’m always in the process of finding inspiration and thinking up new concepts.

Just recently, I was sorting out some drawings the kids made, and suddenly I saw all this jewellery in them.” The source of inspiration may be sudden and unexpected, but in her work, Maja Brix leaves nothing to chance: “I’m very aware that it is clothing I make. But all the way back to my studies, I’ve been engaged with the thought of

why we do what we do. That is my raison d’être: There has to be a good reason to do what we do. We take part in shaping the world, and we have a responsibility for the values and objects we produce and send out into the world,” she says.

HOME WITH A HEART Upon meeting Maja, it becomes clear that she pours her heart into everything she does. Even if her space is small, and the place temporary, she finds it important to make it feel homey – and that to Maja means, personal: “I don’t really buy that many things, but everything I have was very carefully selected,” Maja tells and points out that even though she carefully chooses what stays and what goes, most of the things are, in fact, either gifts or something she inherited from family or friends. Within that the children are everywhere; a set of colouring pens and a LEGO police station are just two traces of their activities.

Her work is an integral part of her life, but she still takes the time to create a calm atmosphere for her family before the little ones go to school, every morning. To take care of herself, she goes swimming in the harbour – even in winter – finding moments of quiet in the sauna afterwards.

“Not just in my life, but everyone I know is currently living at a high pace. We all have interesting careers, projects, and families, so those small moments of doing absolutely nothing, have to be forced into our schedules,” Maja tells, and can’t avoid a small laugh as she admits that even if she tried to ban working from home at night, it would be practically impossible. Her home, despite its modest size, is often filled up with people and life; small dinner parties or children camping out in a fortress in the living room. Work, social life, ambitions – Maja Brix wants it all, but at the end of the day, it comes down to one thing: “It’s important for me to feel at home.

Having my things around me is important, although they merely frame a place, of where my life unfolds with my kids.”

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“I’m very aware that it is clothing I make. But all the way back to my studies, I’ve been engaged with the thought of why we do what we do. That is my raison d’être: There has to be a good reason to do what we do. We take part in shaping the world, and we have a responsibility for the values and objects we produce and send out into the world.”

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HALLWAY

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The

LIVING ROOM STORIES – The lovely high-quality sofa and perfect pillows are not what makes a home. You, your family, guests, your history, experiences, and feelings do. With room for parties and contemplation, for your closest family or everyone you know, the living room sets the scene for all the best stories.

“The cloud is a symbol of what we do because it doesn’t have a defined lining. It’s like a transfer zone,” Veva tells.

Every cloud has a silver lining, and to Veva it is interior design, which “comes back in everything we do.”

The LIVING ROOM of Veva van Sloun _ p. 66

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GREEN SPACE

GREEN SPACE

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Rico Series The Rico series welcomes curves and volumes into a classic design defined by soft lines and an embracing expression. Contrasting the sturdiness of the frame, the series has an upholstery of timeless, yet easeful boucle fabric, which is woven of uneven yarn to attain the rich, loopy texture of the surface. The curvaceous nature of the series adds a modern union of comfort and elegance to any room and makes you feel drawn into its motherly embrace.

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GREEN SPACE

GREEN SPACE

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Muses Vases Feel the presence of history and let the Muses Vases inspire your everyday adventures. The vases are made of glazed ceramic with a rough expression to complement the refined grooves of the shape. With their timeless, yet contemporary expression, they’ll fuse the future with a kind memory of the past.

Muses Vases · Bendum Vase · Shell Pot

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LIVING ROOM

LIVING ROOM

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Product Name _ p. 195

Trace Wall Clock Clean lines define this modern and elegant wall clock made to be a fine accessory in your home. The brass hands stand out on the background of browned steel and form a delicate expression. A simplistic approach to the essentials of a clock, it doesn’t have second hands or numbers – only the constant, barely noticeable movements of the two hands reflects the trace of time.

Arum Table Lamp (Right) The Arum Table Lamp is characterised by the black solid marble base combined with the organically shaped lampshade. Achieving the perfect balance in the off-centre structure of the lamp, the black marble foot counterweighs the gentle way the lampshade is suspended from the curved metal arch in a leaf-like manner. With the matte, off-white inside of the shade, the lamp provides a soft, evenly distributed light, and the lampshade can be adjusted to ensure optimal light conditions in all situations.

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LIVING ROOM

Product Name _ p. 195

GREEN SPACE

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Podia Table · Scape Bowl · Bendum Vase

Product Name _ p. 195 30

LIVING ROOM

Distinct Side Table · Rest Lamp GREEN SPACE

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Rico Sofa ¡ Mirage Blanket 32

Distinct Side Table Originally inspired by Japanese minimalism, the Distinct Side Table explores the creation of complex structures based on a single element. The minimalism of its construction creates a contrast to the richness of textures and colours and reminds of an abstract Neoplasticism, which accentuates the overall composition of the side table. The table is made of acrylic stone, enabling the radically different expressions of the plates while being a highly durable material.

LIVING ROOM

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GREEN SPACE

GREEN SPACE

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Katie Scott Wallpaper - Trees · Pouf Oval, Faded Velvet 36

GREEN SPACE

Place Bench Approaching the bench as an art piece, the design of Place has an audacious and robust expression, while the long, tranquil lines add to its simple outline based on pure geometrical components.

Made of blackened steel, it presents a surface full of character and a sturdy and durable bench. With its deliberately unbalanced composition, the exact look varies with your perspective.

LIVING ROOM

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Marbling Wallpaper

Product Sekki Scented Name _ Candles p. 195 · Muses Vase, Clio · Bendum Box

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LIVING ROOM

Flying Shelf

Gami Shelf With the simple aesthetic of a folded sheet of paper as the starting point, the Gami Shelfs has a light expression, and forms a small art piece on a wall. Made in one piece of powder coated metal, it is easy to mount and stylishly makes room for your favourite things and decorations.

Product Name _ p. 195 GREEN SPACE

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Ripple Small Carafe Set ¡ Balance Tealight Holder ¡ Arum Table Lamp

Still-Life Gallery Box (Right) Combining organic shapes and abstract art, these nine limited art prints express a contemporary take on the classic still-life.

The prints find their foundation in different shapes, stacked to form new compositions. With an occasional pop of metallic detailing, the stacking explores our fascination with tactility.

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LIVING ROOM

GREEN SPACE

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LIVING ROOM

Wall Box - Large _ p. 186 Pujo Wall Table_ p. 121

Hourglass Pots As a grand gesture to your home and plants, the Hourglass Pot gives your plants an elevated stand and roomy container in which to spread their roots.

You can use the pot both ways according to the plant’s needs, and no matter which way you turn it you are sure to make a voluminous statement. The pots are made of metal with a matte finish and have been treated to be suitable for outdoor use.

GREEN SPACE

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Katie Scott Wallpaper - Trees · Muses Vase, Calli 46

GREEN SPACE

Mingle Table 路 Herman Chair 路 Desert Rug 路 Collect Opal Lampshade 路 Pouf Round

LIVING ROOM

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Mingle Wooden Table Legs · Mingle Table Top 48

GREEN SPACE

Collect Lighting LIVING ROOM

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Product Name _ p. 195 New Ipsam aut libusa con nienitatum iliam ut pa atem aut eiur re, ut arum as rem faccaborrum rem verit fugit explitatur si aut que eni abore pa volor aca

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GREEN SPACE

Haze Vitrine

LIVING ROOM

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Product Name _ p. 195 New Ipsam aut libusa con nienitatum iliam ut pa atem aut eiur re, ut arum as rem faccaborrum rem verit fugit explitatur si aut que eni abore pa volor aca Tufted Wall Deco Rugs Combining organic shapes and abstract art, this limited hand-tufted art rug expresses a contemporary take on the classic still-life. The rug is made to form an artful statement on a wall or lying on the floor with its stacked compositions of different elements. Forming different engaging levels in the rug, it features high and low piles of the tufting, accentuating the tactility of the rug. Collect the series or hang the rug by itself and let the vibrant colourways and distinctive mood form a detailed and unique art piece in your home.

Turn Sofa ¡ Podia Table

Bow Candle Holder ¡ Arch Candle Holder

Cluster Tables

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GREEN SPACE

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Product Name _ p. 195 Herman Chair, Leather

Katie Scott Wallpaper, Shells

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LIVING ROOM

Rest Lamp

Herman Bar Chair · Plant Box GREEN SPACE

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Shell Pot

Balance Candle Holder

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LIVING ROOM

Plant Box Round

Card Stands

Insert Table · Turn Sofa · Desert Rug · Salon Cushions GREEN SPACE

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GREEN SPACE

GREEN SPACE

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Tray For Plant Box

Pot For Plant Box (right)

This tray is the essential accessory for our popular plant boxes with which you get an entirely new range of styling and storage possibilities. With this tray, your plant box gets a lid on a third of the box, and suddenly it’s the perfect side or coffee table.

With a series of accessories crafted from powder coated metal, you can turn the original Plant Box into a multi-functional piece with lots of styling and storage options. With this pot, you can use the Plant Box with one large plant and still use the rest of the space as stylish storage of things or books.

LIVING ROOM

GREEN SPACE

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GREEN SPACE

The LIVING ROOM of

VEVA van SLOUN Creative director & curator of CLOUDS9000 Ghent, Belgium

I’LL SEE YOU THERE ON CLOUD 9. The line made famous by the genius of George Harrison, is, however slightly modified, surely repeated in the streets of Ghent in Belgium. Here, Veva van Sloun has turned an old school chapel into a hotspot – merging a one-room bed and breakfast, concept store, and café under the brand CLOUDS9000.

They were nine couples who bought the chapel of a former school, centred around a large, lush garden. Veva lives in the same buildings as her flourishing business in an apartment with high ceilings, together with her husband and business partner Jan Wauters, their four children, the youngest of whom is a set of twins aged 5, and a cute-as-can-be dog. With a flair for making people feel comfortable, she is the mastermind behind the interior design both in the family home, the B&B, and the café Clouds in my Coffee.

LIKE A SOUKH The family home is to a large extent shaped by the rather unusual, but ravishing surroundings. Until a decade ago, the grounds were inhabited by a run-down school, and as a result of safety issues, it closed down, and the property sold. Deploying her talent of spotting unlikely potentials, she checked out the buildings with

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her architect friend – both of them immediately falling in love with the old buildings and concrete playground promising of a green haven in the middle of the city. Nine couples joined in on the investment, and today, each of them has their home here. Veva has her entire life in these buildings; from the café with the street entrance in front, to the studio hotel in the back and her private home on ground floor.

Nearly ten years and an investment more significant than initially calculated later, Veva can now focus on her home.

“I don’t think we knew what we were getting into,” she admits. The buildings are on a busy street yet off the street, so you hardly notice that you are in the middle of the city.

“It is a bit like a soukh,” Veva describes, as the atmosphere changes entirely upon entering the café and after moving through the buildings to reach the back.

The renovation process follows that line of change in atmosphere, and Veva started her work at the front and has now finally reached the less visible parts. The ends in their home are finally coming together.

“The project was so big, and the twins were born during the first renovations, so in the beginning, we focused on the public spaces, the B&B, and the café, but now I have more time to really see the space we have in our home. I needed that peace of mind to know what I want,” Veva says.

White walls characterise the home, underlined by bold choices in textiles and accessories – such decisions for which Veva and CLOUDS9000 are known – the living room still feels colourful. Now that the youngest children are five years old, the time has also come for a new sofa and a display of her favourite art books on the coffee table.

BUSINESS AND BALANCE Tracing back the steps of Veva’s life, one wouldn’t necessarily have guessed that a concept store, mini bed and breakfast, and café was in the cards for her. With a degree in law, her career began in a notary office. But six years in, she felt the need to explore her creativity and do something entirely different. She went on to work at Jan’s office, whom she had known since she was 19. And when she moved on to opening her web shop “It all just came together,” she recalls.

Jan and Veva have been working side by side since then; he takes care of the administration while the creative part, the curation, and decoration are her realms.

Although being the business duo, they don’t spend every hour of every day together. Jan has his own office, also in the building, where he goes every morning and from which he comes back home in the afternoon. But the couple definitely enjoys the flexibilities that the proximity of personal and professional life offers, especially when it comes to creating a family-life in balance.

Although Veva still feels that her work takes up a lot of her time, thinking back she wonders how she ever got through it with two small children and an all-consuming home and business renovation:

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“I think I underestimated what it would be like having twins, especially with everything starting up here. It’s a strange thing because I don’t think I realised it until afterwards, and now I can’t help but think ’Oh my god, how have I ever combined all of that?’” Veva says.

Although everything is nearly finished with the business and the home, the family still looks at a busy schedule every week: “The thing is, that between the café and the B&B, we don’t have weekends. So, when I need a break, I travel somewhere. I really need to just step out of the system with my kids sometimes to come back with new ideas and inspirations,” she says.

THE SILVER LINING The success of CLOUDS9000 and the inspiring aesthetic of her living room proves her right when exchanging law texts for linen. “People always say that it’s my talent to spot new trends,” Veva tells which explains why her business has become synonymous with her famous taste. Besides curating the selection in the shop, decorating, and re-decorating the studio apartment, she also consults on indoor lighting and colours.

With her sense for colours, trends, and beauty, the webshop I Object became one of the first of its kind and was the early beginning of CLOUDS9000. At first, she stocked everything herself together with her former Vanessa Massant, but even though she mostly had smaller objects and gifts, the success of the shop faced her with a choice: “I either had to make it bigger and work with a warehouse or keep it at a small scale and stick to more exclusive objects,” she says. Wanting to keep it personal, she chose the latter, changed the name, and build the business, which today is collected under the name CLOUDS9000.

“The cloud is a symbol of what we do because it doesn’t have a defined lining. It’s like a transfer zone,” Veva tells. Every cloud has a silver lining, and to Veva it is interior design, which “comes back in everything we do,” she says.

Veva van Sloun, 43 years, took over an old school chapel in Ghent, Belgium, and turned it into a B&B, concept webshop, and café CLOUDS9000. She lives in the same building with her husband and business partner, Jan Wauters, and their four children. clouds9000.com @clouds9000 CLOUDS9000 Dendermondsesteenweg 104 9000 Ghent Belgium

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“The cloud is a symbol of what we do because it doesn’t have a defined lining.

It’s like a transfer zone,” Veva tells. Every cloud has a silver lining, and to Veva it is interior design, which “comes back in everything we do.”

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LIVING ROOM

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GREEN SPACE

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The

GREEN SPACE

NURTURE – Everything starts with a seed, and a few things are as fulfilling as watching something grow. Surrounding yourself with greenery – outside as well as inside – brings joy in all the shapes, colours, and textures of nature and adds a refreshing dynamic.

“It’s a bit messy in my home, just as it is in my shop. I like things very natural. The same goes for all the plants in here. They are not what you would call standard shape. They have grown by adapting to their surroundings. They are not perfect, but I like using plants on their own terms instead of forcing them onto ours.”

The GREEN SPACE of Jin Ahn _ p. 84

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Bau Balcony Box

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Way Series By upcycling used plastic bottles, the Way series presents an incredibly durable line of designs which can be used outside. The woven recycled polyester has a lovely texture in colours associated with a maritime motif. The series has a classic look with a twist created by the asymmetry of the fringes along the sides.

GREEN SPACE

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Hourglass Pots

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GREEN SPACE

Orb Watering Can · Shell Pot · Plant Box GREEN SPACE

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A plant guide for your home Filled with lush plants, the Plant Box will always have a special place in our hearts. So, we have made a quick guide to some of our favourite plants that are easy to keep alive and thrive in different conditions; from the bright windowsill to the damp bathroom.

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1. The Hallway: Cactus

2. The Office: Rubber Plant

3. The Kitchen: Spider Plant

Cacti are used to the desert, so if you have a dark hallway, this is a no go. But if there is indirect sunlight in your entrance from adjoining rooms, your cactus will do just fine. Although most cacti live in the desert, it’s a common mistake to assume that they don’t need water.

Cacti and succulents can store up water in their thick leaves, but they still need a drop every now and then, as underwatering will cause shrivelling.

The Rubber Plant has large, dark green leaves and will grow big if you let it. It is easy to care for as long as you make sure it gets a good amount of bright and natural light.

It’s used to moist conditions so make sure you don’t place it too close to a heater or a drafty window and mist the leaves whenever you feel it needs a little extra.

If the herbs you need for cooking isn’t enough for you, why not add a little something extra. The Spider Plant is very adaptable and will thrive in both sun and lowlight conditions. It is a favourite to many as it’s very easy and because of its funny little offsprings, resembling a spider hanging from its web, hence the name. The Spider Plants are believed to purify the air which is a great benefit in your kitchen. Make sure you don’t let too many of the babies stay on, as it will drain the mother plant for energy. Just cut them off and re-plant them, and soon you will have an entire little family of Spiders.

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4. The Living Room: Fiddle Leaf Fig

5. The Bedroom: Aspargus Fern

6. The Bathroom: Fittonia

The Fiddle Leaf Fig has become a classic houseplant in recent years. And we understand why. This one loves sunlight, but it can make do with a corner with indirect sunlight.

If you put the fig in a full-sun location, make sure to moist and dust off the leaves regularly. The leaves always reach for the light, so turn the plant frequently to make it grow evenly.

The Asparagus Fern is about as easy as a plant get. It only requires to be watered every now and then, and although it likes sunlight, it won’t be too bothered if you place it somewhere darker. It’s virtually indestructible, so whatever you do, you probably can’t kill it. It likes to be watered but if you happen to forget it, don’t worry. It won’t really mind. But be aware: Although it looks all nice and sweet, it has little thorns so handle it with care if you need to move it.

And also, despite its appetising name, the plant is, in fact, very toxic to dogs and cats.

Fittonia grows in South America in tropical forests and is used to less light and high humidity. That is why it will thrive in your bathroom, even if you don’t have a large window. You can also put it in a terrarium which is the household equivalent to the jungle, Fittonia is used to. The plant is a creeper, so you might want to put it in a hanging pot – that way you’ll also save some room.

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The GREEN SPACE of

JIN AHN Creative director & co-founder of Conservatory Archives London, England

UNDER AN OPEN SKY. Jin Ahn renovated the vast space defined by high ceilings and gaping skylights in an old ironworks, herself. Three years ago, she moved into the space together with her boyfriend and an infinite number of large and small plants – now the unofficial headquarter of her growing plant imperium Conservatory Archives. Located in East London, alongside her two stores and a list of prestigious projects, she engages in decorating spaces with plants for clients. Growing with and against their surroundings, Jin’s vast exotic plant and cacti parks have grown into quite unusual indoor landscapes, vividly displaying just how far plants can transform space. This is more than a crowded windowsill; in this home, plants take up far more space than both furniture, humans, and even the little puppy Hackney. We visited the small family to get the story of trading fashion for gardening, and how it is to live in a self-made jungle.

INTERWOVEN Wandering around nature in England, Jin felt inspired.

So, inspired, in fact, that what started out as a year off from work in the Korean fashion scene turned into a new course of life: a study of horticulture and a permanent move to London. Here, she started her own business, living out her new-found dream: plants, and loads of them. Today, Conservatory Archives counts two plant stores in East London and a consultancy service where

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“It’s a bit messy in my home, just as it is in my shop. I like things very natural. The same goes for all the plants in here. They are not what you would call standard shape. They have grown by adapting to their surroundings. They are not perfect, but I like using plants on their own terms instead of forcing them onto ours.”

Jin takes stores and office spaces under her careful counselling to enhance indoor well-being and cultivate them with more greenery. What today projects an overwhelming vibe and green landscape, in reality and social media, alike was actually never planned for.

She found her home in the old factory building three years ago. Back then, it was used as an artist studio, and although lacking electricity, water, and heating, Jin saw its potential and turned the space into a combined home and studio for her small business. A true paradise for indoor plants, otherwise forced to live in bad lighting conditions in small apartments, her jungle is an ever-changing landscape of plants, interweaving her private and professional life closely together. At times, she uses plants from her personal collection to style a large event or moves them to one of her two stores.

Connecting business and pleasure, she co-founded the company together with her boyfriend Giacomo. When she was opening the first store, he was only occasionally helping her, while finishing his PhD in mathematics.

In the meantime, she convinced him to be a part of the company on a full-time basis.

“Everything is quite dense,” Jin answers, as we ask her how it is to live such an inseparable life. “Sometimes it can be stressful when our schedules become filled up, as we are getting even busier. I have thought about separating my personal life from my work, but I just can’t seem to be able to do it. This is just the way I live.”

Jin Ahn, 36 years, moved from South Korea to London and traded fashion for greenery. In London, she owns and runs the famous and beloved plant stores Conservatory Archives in Hackney.

She lives in an old warehouse with her boyfriend Giacomo, who is also part of the company. conservatoryarchives.co.uk @conservatory_archives Conservatory Archives 493-495 Hackney Road London E2 9ED 3-7 Lower Clapton Road London E5 0NS

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A SUCCESS STORY When she finished university, she thought she was going to be a gardener, but as a child of the city, the rainy British weather and landscapes seemed less appealing to her. Hence came the idea of focusing on indoor house plants. When she finally found the perfect space for the store – which opened late in 2015, she had no idea of the prominent attention plants were about to get. Initially, the idea was to combine her love of great furniture and plants based on her background in fashion and graphic design, but soon after the opening the plants bloomed, flourished and eventually took over.

“At the beginning, the shop was very empty, and we had more furniture than plants. Back then I had no idea that plants would become this popular. People went a bit crazy in my shop,” Jin laughs, as she tells how she experienced her stock of plants in all shapes and sizes, selling out within the first week.

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“Rather than the species, I’m fascinated by the shape of the plants.

They can be very different. I like plants that grow into unique shapes and figures. Texture and shapes are a significant factor when we talk about plants because even if we start with the same Pilea, in time, they will look totally different.”

The overwhelming success was transformed to initial pop-ups and collaborations with brands to style stores or offices. Then, by 2018 the couple was able to open up a second shop – much larger than the first, with room to bring back furniture and design beyond that of the right plant pot.

“I think my background in business and design has helped me a lot. I think I didn’t quite realise that before, but today I can see that I got away with a lot, without any previous experience.

I think people were surprisingly trusting when I proposed something crazy,” she says. And she definitely persuaded her still growing audience. Since 2015, plants have been bursting on Instagram thanks to Jin and Conservatory Archives, counting nearly 100,000 followers to date.

THE WILD AND THE NATURAL When captured in the iconic squares of Instagram, everything seems to be just in its right place. But Jin is no fan of perfection.

“It’s a bit messy in my home, just as it is in my shop. I like things very natural. The same goes for all the plants in here.

They are not what you would call standard shape. They have grown by adapting to their surroundings. They are not perfect, but I like using plants on their own terms instead of forcing them onto ours,” Jin tells.

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She lost count of the plants a long time ago and can’t even begin to name a single favourite amongst them all. Staying true to both the plants' nature and her own taste, however, she has found her place in between the burgeoning greenery: “My aesthetics are quite industrial, very open, and very much about a lot of light. When I decorate with plants in that kind of setting, the green plants simply work better. I do like colourful plants with flowers, but it’s just not my style,” Jin says.

“If I have to name a favourite,” Jin says and gives in, “I would have to say that I really like cacti. But rather than the species, I’m fascinated by the shape of the plants. They can be very different. I like plants that grow into unique shapes and figures. Texture and shapes are a significant factor when we talk about plants because even if we start with the same Pilea, in time, they will look totally different.”

So, what happens when plants become less trendy, one dares to ask? “Plants are not a finite science,” Jin says and continues, “I’m still learning as I go along. It’s really been a journey, but I think it was meant to be like this. I do believe though, that plants will be more than just another fleeting trend – they will become our lifestyle.”

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JUICY – A natural playground and an essential gathering point to the family, the kitchen lets you experience new things or wallow in nostalgia. Let your taste buds be your guide, and don’t play by the rules. Squeeze, whip, chop away, and embark on a journey through the flavours of the world.

“I don’t have this legacy of a mother or grandmother who baked.

I knew that I would have to go and learn from professionals.

In Paris, I learned a lot about integrity and letting things take the time they need – there is no cutting corners, you have to do it right.

That was a valuable experience.”

The KITCHEN of Ruth Barry _ p. 112

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Stage Board Set With this pair of a small and larger oblong board, you get a handy set which brings beauty into your daily kitchen routines. Use them as chopping boards or contemporary serving platters for your brunch and dinners. They are made of ash wood which has been given a special varnish to achieve the grey, rustic look while preserving the natural texture of the wood. The holes let you hang them on a hook, so they don’t take up workspace on your kitchen counter.

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Still Teapot Treasure a moment of tranquillity with the Still Teapot based on the traditional way of tea with a focus on simplicity and balance. The transparent and coloured glass makes the brewing of tea the heart of the pot, while the rounded glass lid reflects the aspect of balance, as it is designed to spin around itself instead of rolling off the table.

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Hale Yarn-Dyed Tea Towels Made in a lovely quality of natural linen and cotton, the Hale series of yarn-dyed tea towels allows for a lush mix of colours in your kitchen. In the six various designs, tradition merges with the contemporary and lets you pair the colours to suit any mood or setting.

Pond Trivets (right) Mirroring the organic irregularities of moving water, the Pond Trivets come as a set of three brass rings which protects your dinner table from hot pans and pots. Together they form an aesthetic composition on the table, and you may choose to hang them up on a hook as decoration.

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Bon Wooden Tray _ p. 196 (left) Drawing a clear line to Japanese aesthetic, the Bon series of wooden trays has a simple expression with a lightness from the four feet, lifting up the tray. With visible joints on the corners of the tray, it’s made with love of classic craftsmanship, and the solid oak gives you a durable and classic tray for your morning coffees or afternoon drinks. The Bon tray is available in two sizes and also comes in black-stained wood.

Kitchen Rod _ p. 205 (left) A light and beautiful storage solution for your kitchen tools and textiles, the kitchen rod lets you clear the table easily. Use it with the hooks to make room for more – use one of the hooks for decorations or memorabilia to mix up the expression of your rod.

Tomo Kitchen Tools _ p. 196 Update your kitchen tools with a stylish set of two wooden spoons, a cooking tong, and a spatula – all designed with a stringent expression and made of carbonised ash wood. The set of four cooking utensils are rolled up in a beautiful cotton bag tied with a leather string.

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Denim Pot Holders

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Fein Series

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Akin Dish Cloth 104

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Akin Tea Cosy

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Fein Bottle Opener

Ripple Long Drink Glasses Ripple Champagne Saucers Featuring a beautifully rippled surface this set of champagne saucers presents a classic glass for sparkling wines. They are made of delicate glass mouth-blown into the mould, adding a dynamic and energetic expression to the glasses.

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RUTH BARRY Baker & founder of Black Isle Bakery Berlin, Germany

FIND WHAT YOU LOVE and do it for the rest of your life.

The first advice from most career counsellors will probably sound like this – but at times, we find ourselves wanting to do something entirely different. The Scottish Ruth Barry exchanged her blooming fast-paced career in the London art world with the insecurity of running her own business and combining it with something she was never able to get enough of: pastries. Six years ago, and with nothing but a cheap oven and a few baking tins, Ruth Barry laid the foundation for the Black Isle Bakery – recently having been awarded one of the most excellent patisseries in Berlin by the renowned German newspaper Tagesspiegel.

We meet Ruth in her Berlin kitchen, where she has spent the majority of her waking hours, over the past year.

Within the space of this kitchen is where the magic happens. Tucked in between high-end fashion brands and small art galleries in Berlin-Mitte’s Linienstraße, Black Isle Bakery fits right in with its art decor and the sparkling personality of its owner.

THE FIRST HARD YEAR Ruth Barry is not your traditional baker down the street.

She went to Edinburgh College of Art where she studied sculpture. When she graduated three years later,

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she moved to New York with aspirations of becoming an artist. An internship at Guggenheim and a move to London later, she found herself working at a gallery of which she later became the manager. What looked like the realisation of a dream, simply wasn’t the right fit for her: “I was working with some of the world’s most renowned artists on amazing projects. But I’m a maker, and I didn’t do well, being part of the machine that powers the art world. I wanted to get back to being creative,” she says while she whips up a lemon curd in the kitchen. She gave herself an ultimatum of six months to figure out her life, and when the time was up, she left her job to learn the craft of making pastries. Pursuing an internship at the fine patisserie Du Pain et Des Idees in Paris – she had the luck of working under a chef baker Christophe Vasseur, who had also quit a career in fashion to indulge in the world of sugar and egg whites. This was an important step for Ruth Barry: “I don’t have this legacy of a mother or grandmother who baked. I knew that I would have to go and learn from professionals. In Paris, I learned a lot about integrity and letting things take the time they need – there is no cutting corners, you have to do it right. That was a valuable experience,” she states as the melted butter reaches just the right temperature.

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Ruth Barry is making the lemon curd and cheese filling for a roulade, while she takes us from her childhood fairyland on Black Isle, the Scottish peninsular, to where she is today; one of the finest pastry makers in Berlin.

Black Isle Bakery didn’t exist in its current form from the beginning. She started out catering at parties and events in London with the advantage of knowing the crowds and people who threw all the right dinners. She relocated her London business in 2014, moving her entire life to Berlin where she had to start from scratch – without the support of friends, family or an embedded network.

“Berlin was different from London because I didn’t know anyone here,” she tells and elaborates: “Here, I had to ask for it – which was good because for the first time I was forced to convince people that it was worth taking a chance on me.”

A tough first year later, she feels happy about the move: “Berlin is ready for the next step – for the food revolution.

I think we’re in the middle of an exciting time and the food scene is changing dramatically. It is going from a place of limited options and quite distinctively average quality to a melting pot of everything from street food to high-end Michelin restaurants.”

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PASTRY AND POETRY Usually, a bakery is a small shop where you go in, get your bread, and leave. But after Ruth Barry’s apprenticeship in Paris, she knew that wasn’t what she wanted, she tells: “When I quit my job and starting baking professionally, the goal was always to have a shop at some point. But I realised that I didn’t want a traditional bakery with nowhere for people to sit.”

The briefing for the architects of the café was to create a space which resembled that of an art gallery. The result is a scarcely furnished space with distinct custom-made furniture. A copper plate covers the wall and creates a stunning back-rest, becoming a favourite among her Instagramsavvy customers. And though the primary materials are steel, copper, or brass – cold, hard materials – Ruth Barry stands in her own space, surrounded by childhood memories and fairy-tales. A beautiful and curious mirror of the young pastry chef, who has poured her heart and soul into her business: ’Follow the road to the top of the hill, pass the tree house and the gorse bushes bumbling with bees. Keep the honeysuckle to your left.’

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The passages on the wall are in simple blue writing, not necessarily something noticed at first glance. She has transformed myths and childhood memories from the Black Isle into poetry, giving the space a touch of the beauty and mysticism of the Scottish coastline.

Her upbringing and background are also mirrored in the selection of sweet and savoury pastries, made daily with high-quality ingredients and love. With her passion for salty baked goods, which are also vegetarian she realised that if she wanted a good one, she would have to make them herself: “I wanted to have a unique product that wasn’t a cupcake or macaron, all those things that are super trendy. I was thinking about the cookies and biscuits that I loved as a child.

Like the Scottish ginger cake, one of our most popular cakes.

I grew up with that recipe, and I really love having recipes that tell a story,” she says.

Like the decor, her pastries are on point. There is no fancy frosting or excessive fondants – her small tarts with simple, seasonal fillings not only look good in their simplicity, but they will also send you dreaming of weekends in the countryside.

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“I don’t have this legacy of a mother or grandmother who baked. I knew that I would have to go and learn from professionals. In Paris, I learned a lot about integrity and letting things take the time they need – there is no cutting corners, you have to do it right. That was a valuable experience.”

“I only make things that I love to eat myself. I don’t want any element which doesn’t feel absolutely necessary. Recently, someone asked me how I get such a true lemon taste, and really, the secret is just to keep it simple. And naturally, to use the best ingredients.” she reveals.

Ruth moves gracefully around her kitchen, and the knowledge of measures and methods seem to be just at the tip of her fingers.

UP AND AT ‘EM A career in the art world entails a lot of late evenings with openings and wine. Ruth Barry’s new direction strays far away from that route and follows that of the traditional baker: she is usually up and in her kitchen before 6 am each morning. Add to that, the pressure of starting your own business from zero. Nonetheless, her happiness and satisfaction are undeniable as she pours the dough from a bowl to the baking tin.

In the corner of her bakery, her new companion is taking a nap.

Sally, a short-haired, brown dachshund, is buried under a blanket. Sally comes to the bakery every day, and Ruth Barry counts her as one of the best things she has done for herself.

“I have to go out with her every day. It doesn’t matter how busy you are, the dog needs you. I know it doesn’t sound like much, but it really is rejuvenating.”

Using nothing but the best, in Ruth's kitchen, there is no cutting corners and no artificial ingredients.

The only time she doesn’t turn on the oven herself is on Sundays.

Starting her business and running a bakery has taught her to treasure the small things, she tells. The baked dough is resting on the table, waiting to be filled and rolled up again. “I really treasure Sundays,” she says with a glow in her eyes, revealing that time off is a rare luxury.

She spreads out the delicious mix of lemon curd and cream cheese, carefully rolling everything up, before letting it settle for a while in the fridge. Her way of moving around the kitchen is impressive, her carefree way of arranging steaming hot baking tins fresh out of the oven – without even wearing mittens. Ruth Barry is rarely at home, but it is evident to anyone stopping by Linienstraße, that she feels home right here in her kitchen.

Baking to Ruth is an emotional matter, and she would never make or serve anything she would not like to eat herself.

Ruth Barry, 34 years, comes from the small Scottish island Black Isle, after which she has named her acclaimed bakery in Berlin where she has lived since 2014. She would take a savoury pastry over cake any day. blackislebakery.com @blackislebakery

Her body has grown accustomed to the kitchen, and even as she removes the hot baking tin from the oven, she does so without oven mittens and flinching.

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Black Isle Bakery Linienstraße 54 10119 Berlin Germany

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Lemon Curd & Cream Cheese Roulade

FOR THE CURD 1

Lemon – finely grated zest

80g

Freshly squeezed lemon juice, pulp and pips sieved out

60g

Unsalted butter

80g

Fine caster sugar

2

Eggs – well beaten

FOR THE CREAM CHEESE FILLING 100g Cream cheese at room temperature 100g Unsalted butter at room temperature 40g

Icing sugar – sifted

FOR THE SPONGE 3

Eggs, yolks and whites separated

80g

Fine caster sugar

0.25

Tsp fine sea salt

80g

Plain flour – sifted A few drops of vanilla paste

START WITH THE CURD. Put the lemon zest, juice, and butter in a heatproof bowl over a pot of boiling water, taking care that the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water. Stir occasionally until the butter is melted. Briskly whisk the eggs into the mixture, scrape down the sides, and leave to thicken, stirring with the whisk occasionally.

When it has thickened up, remove the bowl from the pot and set aside to cool.

FOR THE CREAM CHEESE FILLING, beat the butter using a handmixer until smooth. Beat in the cream cheese and continue for a minute or two until it’s really light. Sift in the icing sugar and mix until completely combined. Taste and add some extra icing sugar if it’s not quite sweet enough for your taste. Set aside in the fridge until ready to fill your roulade.

Grease a 30 x 20cm swiss roll tin and line with baking paper. Preheat the oven to 160C. PUT THE EGG YOLKS AND SUGAR in a bowl and beat together for a couple of minutes. The colour will lighten, and the sugar will begin to dissolve into the yolks. Mix in the flour and vanilla until smooth. It will feel rather stiff at this stage.

IN A SEPARATE CLEAN BOWL, whisk the egg whites on high speed until they are stiff and very voluminous. The whites shouldn’t move when you tip the bowl upside down. Spoon about a third of the whites into the egg yolk mixture and beat in on a slow speed to loosen. Add the rest of the mixture in two batches, folding in very gently with a metal spoon, and making sure to not knock too much air out of the mixture. Pour into the swiss roll tin and spread out into an even layer.

BAKE IN THE OVEN FOR 10-12 MINUTES, or until the sponge is slightly browned and springy to the touch. Lay a piece of baking paper on your work surface. The paper should be larger than the area of the sponge. Turn the sponge out on top of the baking paper, sponge-side down. Peel off the paper from the bottom of the sponge and, using the baking paper underneath, roll the sponge up while still warm (starting with the short side). Set the rolled sponge aside to cool.

ONCE COOL, UNROLL THE SPONGE and spread a layer of the cream cheese filling followed by a layer of the curd over the surface of the sponge. Roll back up and dust with icing sugar to finish. It can be served both at room temperature or straight from the fridge – however you like. The curd and cream cheese recipes make more than enough for one sponge. Spoon extra on the side when serving or spread any leftovers on toasted brioche and sprinkle with toasted flaked almonds for an indulgent breakfast.

Feel free to use shop bought lemon curd when you’re tight for time and adjust the vanilla in the sponge to your taste.

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SENSES – Connect with your senses and create a sanctuary from the daily rush. Feel the soft textiles on your skin, evoke old memories with perfume your mother used to wear, or treat yourself to a long bath.

“All scents tell their own story, not least because of the long time that went into making them. Scents let you remember the tastes of childhood, maybe sometimes even dreams.”

The BATHROOM of Ryoko Hori _ p. 132

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Bathroom Shelf

Katie Scott Wallpaper, Shells

Dora Clothes Stand (left) Consisting of three panels of sleek, powder-coated metal, the Dora Clothes Stand forms a minimal storage solution with a hint of Japanese aesthetic. Use it as a stylish drying rack, which can be folded so that it doesn’t take up a lot of space when stored. Or as a simple room divider that lets you display your favourite garments while creating a beautiful sense of space in larger rooms.

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Adorn Mirror (right) Adorned with an elegant black brass mounting this full-size mirror is designed with a clear reference to the world of jewellery. You can place the mirror leaning up against a wall, or you can mount it using the eyelets on the backside.

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RYOKO HORI Owner of Ryoko Berlin Berlin, Germany

REMEMBER THE SCENTS OF YOUR CHILDHOOD? Ryoko Hori wants to revive your memories by strengthening the connection between mind and body through the fantastic world of scents. 10 years ago, she left Japan and with that a career in fashion, and began studying remedial massage therapy in Australia, Ayurveda in India, and finally classic perfume making in France. Today, she finds herself in what she calls a senses salon in Neukölln, Berlin.

Ryoko’s home and shop is a space of rituals which she carries out daily by herself, or with clients, to whom she also offers therapeutic massages in the tatami room. Little brown bottles and containers with white, minimalist labels are everywhere – her magic mix of essential oils, ambience sprays, and handmade perfumes. Her senses salon is an extension of the apartment she shares with her partner in life and love, Daniel Kula. We remove our shoes as we step onto the tatami mats and into her world of senses and scents – a world in which true luxury is a matter of time and attention.

RECONNECT WITH NATURE Ryoko’s salon is more than a business – she is on a mission to reconnect modern people with their bodies and senses.

Mindfulness and meditation have both been rediscovered in recent years creating an awareness of the importance of prioritising peace of mind. Ryoko meditates daily and does

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“All scents tell their own story, not least because of the long time that went into making them. Scents let you remember the tastes of childhood, maybe sometimes even dreams.”

meditation workshops in the tatami room, but also wants to add the layer of connecting body and mind through our often neglected senses: “We seem to have developed our vision so much more than the rest of our senses. And if you use one sense a lot, you will at some point weaken the others. Today, vision is our primary sense, but we tend to forget that when we are born, our sense of smell is the most developed of them all – it is the very way we perceive the world for the first time. We need to practice using our sense of smell and taste again to connect with our body as a whole,” Ryoko tells us, as she pours traditional Japanese green tea, hojicha, into one of her many homemade clay cups. She handles her surroundings with gentle, elegant movements, carefully arranging everything to perfection.

Ryoko takes her time. Even little everyday routines, such as having a cup of tea in the morning are elevated to a treasured ritual. Training her senses every minute of every day, she finds time to appreciate the details of daily life. Taking a bath, to Ryoko, is not merely about cleaning her body, but rather about finding – or refinding – the connection to nature. She often immerses herself in the water of her large tub, while stones at the bottom and aromatherapy help her establish the connection to nature.

A PERSONAL MATTER Ryoko studied the traditional ways of things, yet searches for her own path in everything she does. Something that seems to be running in her family, as she tells: “On my mother’s side, I feel very connected to my great-grandmother.

In the very beginning of the 20th century, Japan was a very conservative society, but she had her own stationery shop, a ryokan (Japanese guesthouse, ed.) as well as a pachinko parlour (Japanese arcade game, ed.), which was highly unusual for women back then. I felt the need to know more about her, and now I’ve started making a special scent for her.” The scent will be made on a base of sandalwood, cinnamon, clove, and oud – one of her personal favourites, which has been used for centuries in Japan.

Ryoko’s Spring Detox Blend We asked Ryoko for her best tip for a spring cleaning for the body and soul.

- Juniper Berry Essential Oil _ 3 drops - Eucalyptus Essential Oil _ 3 drops - Grapefruit Essential Oil _ 4 drops - Jojoba Oil _ 10ml Mix all the essential oils together and apply directly onto the skin before a nice massage.

“Just like her,” so Ryoko tells. ”I want to find my own way. I find it fascinating to understand the traditional way, but I want to make the path my own.”

Everything Ryoko does is a personal matter. Everything in the shop carries her mark in the shape of hand-written notes or labels made on an old typewriter, which is standing behind the counter.

“Everything we make is still very small-scale, so I like to make it personal. It will mean something more to people when they know the story behind and get little hand-writings, too,” Ryoko says.

THE SCENT OF MEMORIES Ryoko compares applying oils onto your skin with eating, and the making of them with cooking. She is fascinated by the skin and keeps referring to it as the largest organ of the body. Just as she is very mindful with what she eats – although, Daniel is the one who cooks it – she truly cares about the origin of her ingredients.

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Recently, she travelled to India with her father to search for new ingredients, her personal touch being palpable in every step of all processes. Being personally involved is time-consuming, but that might also just be her secret ingredient: “All scents tell their own story, not least because of the long time that went into making them,” Ryoko says, and explains the process of making a new scent or oil; the mixing of essential oils, then the wait for the different scents to merge, and the coming back to check the next day, only to start all over again.

She saves everything, even the mixes she doesn’t like, and pours them into one large bottle to see what comes out – a punch of unsuccessful scents that might just turn into something better together.

She keeps detailed descriptions of all the scents, oils, and balms, she has ever made. Although this allows her to make a new batch of the same, it will never be exactly the same, she says: “I can always make more, but the ingredients are never the same. Everything changes with time,” Ryoko says.

Time is a secret component but making scents is no definite science, she explains: “Smell is one of the senses directly connected with the most primitive brain centres which are responsible for our emotions and memories.

There cannot be any final answers because the way people

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experience scents is not the same all over the world, it changes with their experiences, their roots, the place and culture.”

Although all of her different scents and lotions are addictive, she wants us to experience something else through the scents than ‘pure’ pleasure. She wants us to allow ourselves to let the scents take us back: “Scents let you remember the tastes of childhood, maybe sometimes even dreams,” Ryoko says with persuasion and leaves us longing for a scented journey through time.

Ryoko Hori, 38 years, grew up in Japan and now lives in Berlin with her partner Daniel Kula. Together they have the senses salon Ryoko Berlin where Ryoko offers therapeutic massages, ceramic, artworks, and her own oil blends and perfumes. ryoko-online.com @ryoko.berlin Ryoko Berlin Friedelstraße 11, Neukölln 12047 Berlin Germany

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To Ryoko, taking a bath is not just about cleaning your body, it’s finding a connection to nature

Ryoko rarely wears perfume, as it distracts her in her work, but still, scents are part of all of her everyday rituals.

As we visited Ryoko in her home on an icy winter day in Berlin, she welcomed us into her sensuous universe with an incense ceremony in her tatami room, using her favourite scents from all over the world.

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Billedetekst Plads til mange liner

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BEDROOM EASE – Whether you are into mindfulness or pillow-fights, long mornings or an early start, the bedroom cuddles you with the familiar scent of your own pillow and the comfort of a heavy blankets. Recharged, the bedroom sends you out into the world with fresh energy.

“All my life, I wanted to do things according to my own conviction.

So, I wanted a place which was more than a shop. Today, everything with Instagram and the internet is virtual. My store is virtual reality.

I call it Chez Pichard – I want it to feel like a home, where some will come to have a drink, while others will come to buy shoes.”

The BEDROOM of Amélie Pichard _ p.146

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Shay Cushions Perfectly balancing the classic and trends, the familiar and something new, the Shay series of patchwork textiles presents beautiful cushions with artful use of collages and colour blocking. A lovely pop of colour to update a sofa or revive your favourite armchair. The case is made of 100 % organic cotton.

Daze Bedspread This large quilted bedspread is a silky-soft addition to your bedroom. The thick feel comes from the quilting technique, which gives you a lovely cotton bed cover that feels double-woven. In this delicate light blue colour, it creates a serene and soothing atmosphere in your bedroom.

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Pujo Hanging Coat Rack

Salon & Corduroy Cushions

Bon Tray · Ripple Carafe

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Shay Patchwork Blanket Perfectly balancing the classic and trends, the familiar and something new, the Shay series of patchwork textiles presents beautiful quilted blankets with artful use of collages and colour blocking. A lovely throw on colder nights or a powerful statement on the arm of a chair or hung on the wall. The blanket is made of 100 % organic cotton.

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AMÉLIE PICHARD Fashion designer Paris, France

IT TAKES A VILLAGE to raise a child, it is said. In the case of designer Amélie Pichard, it takes a village to start and run a shoe and accessory brand in her own name. Although she moved to live in the centre of the (fashion) universe, Paris, ten years ago, Amélie Pichard has preserved the mentality and lifestyle of one living in a small village. The small street Rue de Lappe sets the scene for her urban village, and when she takes her daily walk a couple of hundred metres from her flat to her store, she does so with the casualty of one walking from one room to another in their own home. Rue de Lappe was the first place she moved to when she came to Paris for fashion.

JUST LIKE HOME The sun shines brightly on the early fall morning as we visit the little village of Amélie in central Paris. She came here ten years ago, and as she started studying at fashion school, it felt like she had finally found the right spot for her, she tells. Still, after graduating and getting her first job at a fashion brand, she felt that work just wasn’t for her. She wanted to get back to basics of what she did and turned to learn how to make shoes the old-fashioned way.

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She found an orthopaedic shoemaker who taught her everything there is to know about making shoes. She stayed there for six months, and when she won a competition to design a shoe for a big brand, her career kickstarted. But even though the time was an issue, she turned to the only remaining cobbler in Paris, Madame Germaine and asked her to create her first collection. Madame Charmant closed her little factory, during the making of the first official Amélie Pichard line, but her acknowledgement and admiration of traditional craftsmanship stay vital in her work.

Living in the small top-floor apartment in Rue de Lappe where she still resides, this was the place her brand started out.

She did everything here from work over parties, to sleeping and meetings with important partners. Later on, she got her hands on a small maisonette in the beautiful courtyard, which she turned into an office. Now, that she has expanded with staff to help her with the growing number of tasks and orders, that same office serves as storage, while her glossy kingdom of humorous fashion lives down the street in a small shop with a bright green front decorated with the mix of everything Amélie likes herself.

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“All my life, I wanted to do things according to my own conviction.

So, I wanted a place which was more than a shop. Today, everything with Instagram and the internet is virtual. My store is virtual reality.

I call it Chez Pichard – I want it to feel like a home, where some will come to have a drink, while others will come to buy shoes.”

“All my life, I have been wanted to do things according to my conviction. So, I wanted a place which was more than a shop. Today, everything with Instagram and the internet is virtual. My store is virtual reality. I call it Chez Pichard – I want it to feel like entering a home where some will come to have a drink, and some will come to buy shoes,” Amélie tells.

That’s why the store is no usual shop. In addition to the large mirrors covering the back wall, you’re greeted by a kingsize bed, covered in fake fur. When the shop opened, it was made in pink satin, the plan is to change with every season. She opened up the store as she decided to quit the business of fashion: No more retailers, no more seasonal collection, no more keeping up with the high pace and stress of fashion week. And even if the business moved from the top floor to the ground with a big sign and street entrance, the way Amélie works and runs it, is according to her own tune.

Amélie does not go shopping. Instead, she travels a lot. In total, she has been on 12 road trips in the USA.

Sailor and Lula are Amélie's two Persian cats, and she could not imagine having a home without cats.

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TRADITIONAL SAVOIR FAIRE Amélie forced herself to learn the traditional craft of design when she worked with one of the remaining keepers of the tradition of shoemaking. Today, the few months she spent making shoes by hand means that she’s engaged in every little step, from initial idea to finished shoe on the shelves in her store: “When I work with leather, I want to know how the leather is produced. Ideally, I would have lived where the cow lived its life and know myself how to tan the leather,” Amélie says, “It is important to me to be comfortable with my art all the way from the factory to the store.”

Her choice to start with the craftsmanship herself reflect her strong ideology which remains a vital part of the brand today. “I love the spirits of the traditional jobs in France. Back in the days, this was a neighbourhood where they used to make chairs, and I admire the savoir-faire of the craftsmanship. I wanted to have my own production in France, but now it is too late – we don’t have the real suppliers here anymore,” Amélie says. As a fashion designer – and a successful one at that – breaking up with the system, so to speak, is no easy choice. And she is still very much aware of the fact that, although she doesn’t do fashion week, she is still part of the system. But she is trying, one little step at a time to break with the high pace and unreasonable demands of the market.

“A lot of things are changing,” says Amélie and refers to the way we produce things, especially clothing, “I don’t like fashion. I make fashion, but I don’t want to be in the fashion system,” she declares.

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“Everything is always in contrast. I know it’s the best cliché, but I like to see a woman from the man’s perspective. I work a lot with femininity, modernity, clichés, and humour.”

LIFE OF CONTRASTS Sticking to traditions while doing modern, innovative designs is a symptomatic process of the entire way, Amélie has arranged her life: Full of contrasts. “I like traditions, and I like innovation. So in my collection, I try to merge them,” Amélie describes.

Amélie has lived in the same street in Paris all the time, she has been here.

But a life of contrasts is not just visible when it comes to her work; nothing is exactly as it seems, and although she plays with the clichés, she indeed is no stereotype Parisienne. She’s a star of the fashion world, yet hates the industry and never goes shopping. She lives in the centre of one of the most exciting cities of the world, yet rarely goes out on weekends. She is innovative but loves tradition and succeeds in the surprising connection of French elegance and humour, more often than not on the black side. “Less is more. But too much is cool.” The architect of my shop, Marion Mailaender, told me that one day,” Amélie says about the way the brand balances style and expression.

“Everything is always in contrast. I know it’s the best cliché, but I like to see a woman from the man’s perspective. I work a lot with femininity, modernity, clichés, and humour,” she says about her artistic vision with her brand, and laughingly states: “It looks like a company with naked girls, but there’s a lot to understand behind it.”

When Amélie stopped doing retail, she opened up her own store down the street from her apartment.

The bed has not only become the symbol of her shop, but it’s also the centre of her personal universe. “I need to have at least one day during the weekend where I just lie in bed with a book and my cats,” she admits. “In fact, the only thing I can do on weekends is going to the florist, buy a new plant and have good food. Bring a bit of nature inside, you know,” Amélie says as one of her Persian cats jumps onto her lab, a perfect image of her dream home: “I couldn’t live without plants, and a home is not home without cats.

I still think Paris is the perfect place to live, but even though we’re trying to make the apartment perfect, in reality, the perfect place is in nature.”

Amélie Pichard, 35 years, went to Paris for fashion and now has her own shoe and accessory brand. She lives down the street from her store with her boyfriend, Julien. ameliepichard.com @ameliepichard

The store changes with every season, but every styling showcases her sense of humour and love of a large bed.

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Chez Pichard 34, Rue de Lappe 75011 Paris France

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The

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MUSE – Create the right surroundings for letting a new concept grow into a stroke of genius. Sort out your thoughts and ideas and turn your office into an inspirational space. Smart storage and beautiful details turn your office around from being a space you long to leave to a room, in which you long to be.

“Art is all that beyond everyday routines. It is that which awakens something within us; a place we meet an echo of something inside ourselves - whether it has emotional dimensions or becomes relevant through its societal discourse.

I like the things that annoy me or the things with which I instantly fall in love.

Much of what hangs on our walls is a bit weird.

I definitely don’t have a beauty criterion.”

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Mingle Table · Scenery Pinboard · Herman Chair · Haze Cabinet 156

Rob Basket

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Ripple Carafe Set · Bendum Box

Mingle Table · Alza Bowl · Collect Socket · Opal LED

Guestbook

Herman Chair · Trace Wall Clock

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Everything that takes place in your home – every party and casual coffees with a dear friend – each leave their mark. This guestbook makes cherished memories of all of it that stay long after the party is over. It features 194 pages of high-quality paper, a silk ribbon, and original artwork with gold foil on the fabric hardcover.

Letter Tray · Paper Organiser · Muses Vase, Era GREEN SPACE

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Mingle Desk - Taupe _ p. 123

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Clipboard · Striped Box

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Herman Magazine Stand

Card Holders

Plant Box with Container & Divider

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Luru Bookends An extra support and a beautiful expression move into your bookcase with the Luru Bookends, ensuring that your favourite belongings stay in place. Made of marble, you get a set of two bookends, one black and one white, letting you play with classic colours and coordination on your shelves.

Scenery Pinboard (right) Stylishly organise your thoughts, inspirations, and ideas with the new pinboard series of a beautiful frame of black-stained ash wood with beige cotton/ linen fabric on a cork base. These two components combined creates a raw and natural look, which is a nice fit in a modern home. Go big with this large style; mount it onto an empty wall or let it lean up against it for a more casual look.

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MARIE NIPPER Director & curator of Copenhagen Contemporary Copenhagen, Denmark

THE SKY IS THE LIMIT. She calls her latest venture at the newly reopened art museum Copenhagen Contemporary a ‘bumblebee project’, meaning a project which is unaware of its incapability to fly - just like the bumblebee.

Marie Nipper is proud of all the things she has achieved and has kept a humble attitude. Already at this early stage of her life, she has achieved more than most could hope for - being the director of one of the most promising art institutions in Copenhagen. With her husband Simon Friese, also a praised art professional, she has two children; Uma, who is almost four, and the few montholds August. Recently, they exchanged their large apartment in Copenhagen’s centre for a classic house in the outer boroughs. She welcomes us into their new home to talk about her work, the contemporary art world, and the art of balance.

THE NEXT BIG THING August hangs quietly on her arm, as she effortlessly shows us around the house, leading us up the stairs and into her new office. The three-story house features a lovely office with sloped walls and a desk in its centre. Both a working room for Marie and Simon, there is space for their children: a round colouring table and a hanging cradle are prominent in the room.

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The art world is a demanding business, and instead of cutting back, the couple has arranged themselves and found possibilities to be a family in the midst of it all.

“I think it’s important to introduce children to art. My own life is marked by a family in which art played a major role.

We want it to be part of Copenhagen Contemporary because getting the opportunity to experience art as a child, makes it that much easier to take it in later in life,” Marie says.

It is easy to lose your breath when trying to follow Marie’s fast-paced career – merely 39 years old, it becomes evident that this is just the beginning. A short recap: after graduating from university with a degree in art history, she got her first job at ARoS – Aarhus Art Museum. Here, she discovered that her real talent and passion was amidst the dialogues with the artists themselves. She recalls: “Artists have all sorts of takes on what it means to be human. I found that juncture very inspiring.”

During her first maternity leave with Uma, there was an available position as Senior Curator at the Tate Modern in Liverpool. With a nine months old baby, a move to Liverpool was not realistic, so when she was offered the job, she decided to split her time between Liverpool and Copenhagen. After some

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time, she returned to Copenhagen full-time to be a freelance consultant and curator. Before long, Tate wanted her back – this time as artistic director. Unable to resist such a great offer, she went back to England to lead this world-renowned museum with an impressive art collection. About a year ago, her phone rang, and she was pulled back to Denmark to lead and develop the new and ambitious Copenhagen Contemporary.

And this is all just over the past nine years.

THE WEIRD AND THE BEAUTIFUL Marie is returning to an art scene in Denmark, which has changed since she started in the business. A new interest in contemporary art has sparked amongst the Danes, she explains: “The audience in Copenhagen has become braver – there is a new interest in contemporary art. The perception that contemporary art is something inaccessible has changed, no longer necessitating an advanced knowledge of art to get an experience. Olafur Eliasson is a great example of this: you can experience his work intuitively with your body, but it offers a complexity which anyone can extract at their own pace.”

Giving up a position at an internationally recognised art museum for a newly founded institution with no history and less money, may sound like a surprising choice, yet the match reflects Marie’s attitude:

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“We work on trying to separate our work from our personal lives.

Nowadays, I have a much stronger need to simply tune out, and then we go to our house in the woods. Before, when we would go, I would have checked my emails in secret, but I don’t have that need anymore. I realised that sometimes a complete escape is necessary to come back with new, inspiring ideas.”

“What I love about Copenhagen Contemporary is that the organisation is very flexible, which means that we can quickly react on any new ideas. We want to create an informal environment around art and make the scene more urban. I don’t have the patience for the inner workings of big, classic institutions, although I love visiting them myself.”

Marie Nipper spent part of her childhood and some years after high school in Paris – a city, which she regards as her second home. “It’s rather that romantic idea of living in Paris, though I’m not certain it would be convenient,” Marie laughingly admits.

The many hours she spent in the sacred halls of the Louvre have left lasting impressions, but her view on art is not classic, per se.

Everywhere in their house, there are artworks – some even signed works gifted by artists she worked with. But not everything you see is art at first sight. In the window sill, you find a sculpture by Tony Matelli – two cans on top of each other, with a few playing cards and a single French fry; the cards and the fry are made of bronze, one of the finest materials in the world. To its left, lies a 1:1 copy of a frozen chicken made in ceramics, which Marie bought at a student art fair.

“Art is all that beyond everyday routines. It is that which awakens something within us; a place we meet an echo of something inside ourselves – whether it has emotional dimensions or becomes relevant through its societal discourse. I like the things that annoy me or the things with which I instantly fall in love. Much of what hangs on our walls is a bit weird. I definitely don’t have a beauty criterion,” Marie says.

THIS IS NOT AN ART SHOW Art, work, children – life. Everything is interwoven and has been so for years. Though now they’re each working their job, Simon and Marie joined forces on both fronts long ago. Recently, they founded the art book publishing house, Roulette Russe together. Marie tells: “If you look at it from a strict business perspective, it’s not a great idea. But there is something about the medium of books I would like to insist on. The book remains of utmost importance, not least to the artists, since a book outlives any gallery show.”

Naturally, work takes up a lot of time and space: “We talk a lot about it at home. Since both of us come from different backgrounds, we complement each other well. Fortunately, we also get to travel together and bring the kids,” Marie says. Although in recent years, she has learned to let go and appreciate the importance of getting away from everything – even if only for a little while:

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“Art is all that beyond everyday routines. It is that which awakens something within us; a place we meet an echo of something inside ourselves - whether it has emotional dimensions or becomes relevant through its societal discourse. I like the things that annoy me or the things with which I instantly fall in love. Much of what hangs on our walls is a bit weird. I definitely don’t have a beauty criterion.”

“We work on trying to separate our work from our personal lives. Nowadays, I have a much stronger need to simply tune out, and then we go to our house in the woods. Before, when we would go, I would have checked my emails in secret, but I don’t have that need anymore. I realised that sometimes a complete escape is necessary to come back with new, inspiring ideas.”

So, when they moved into their new home, they dedicated the top floor to a shared office space. In principle, Marie says, she could work from anywhere. But to get closer to her aim of defining boundaries between work and their personal lives, they have made a place of their own to both retreat and focus – or just to make sure, that work doesn’t take over entire areas of their living room.

Even so, the divorce between work and free time hasn’t been entirely finalised: “It is important to me that it’s nice to be up there. That’s also why we’ve made room for the kids.” she says. Generally speaking, Marie values atmosphere over looks.

“I want a space that is used. It’s more important to me that my things have a story or make me feel nice and comfortable. The same goes for art. We have many big pieces and not that many walls left. So, usually, we hang them intuitively – sometimes it just gets a nail where there is room. In my home, I prioritise how art makes me feel, that isn’t necessarily what I would do in shows.”

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Things are different now than before when it was just the two of them: “When we had our daughter, I panicked about what it would do to my work and identity. I was used to travelling a lot, luckily, we found out that you can do practically everything with children. It’s just a bit more complicated.” She laughs, as she tries to describe the process of getting two small children through airport security. It’s the kind of laugh that ensures you that this, too, is a case of willpower. It becomes clear, that what Marie Nipper sets her mind to, she will get done.

Marie Nipper, 39 years, returned from Tate Liverpool to take over the role as director at the newly re-opened Copenhagen Contemporary. She lives in a beautiful villa with her husband Simon Friese and their two children Uma and August. cphco.org @copenhagen_contemporary Copenhagen Contemporary Refshalevej 173A 1432 Copenhagen K Denmark

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Life is full of contrasts As we navigate expectations and dreams in the search for meaning and comfort, we long for a balanced life with room for chaos and calm, moments of reflection and times of joy. A place where we can be ourselves, realise the true value of things and feel at home.

Based on a passion for authentic design and clear functionality, we challenge ourselves to shape the future and take pride in creating products that help you balance the contrasts of life.

Our soft forms, rich textures and deep colours allow you to create an authentic and composed atmosphere, while avant-garde shapes, striking patterns and curious details add a touch of the unexpected.

From our base in Copenhagen, we work with artisans around the world, fusing our Scandinavian mindset with global skills and traditions. We take our responsibility to people and the planet seriously and expect the same of our partners.

We create collections of furniture, accessories and lighting, so you can create space to feel comfortably you.

Welcome home.

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THANK YOU Maja, Veva, Jin, Ryoko, Ruth, Amélie, and Marie for opening up your homes and inviting us inside.

HEAD OFFICE ferm LIVING ApS Laplandsgade 11 2300 Copenhagen S Denmark T: +45 7022 7523 info@fermliving.com

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