Nordic Living 16-05: At the Summer House

NORDIC g in Liv ISSUE NO.5 | JUNE 2016

Summer vacation ahead

Summer is upon us, and many of you are probably in the midst of preparations for a few weeks off. And don’t we all need that, a bit of break in you every day life to relax, reflect and recharge? It is so easy to just keep doing everything everyone is expecting from you, but it is important to take the time for reflection every now and then. To think about what you spend your time doing, if it is making you happy or if you are just following other peoples expectations.

In this issue, we are spending a week off in our summer house. Curling up in the sofa with a good book if the rain is pouring down, keeping the kids busy with drawing and crafting and enjoying flowers in every way.

As this wasn’t enough, we added more stories from our designers - as usual. Welcome, we hope you will enjoy this issue.

Thank you for reading, following and supporting us, and we wish you a wonderful summer!

Maria Richardsson Founder and CEO of Nordic Design Collective Ps. As always, we love to hear your what you think about our work! Tell us through social media or send us an e-mail. We want to hear it all - the good, the bad and the ugly.

CONTENT Trend: Flower Power

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At the summer house

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Presenting: La BohĂŠme Trend: Kids Holiday Time

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Get Creative! 15 Meet the designer: Anna Handell

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Trend: Summer Time Kitchen

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Presenting: Sagalaga Design

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A day in the life of: Elin Wesslund

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Nordic Living is a magazine created by Nordic Design Collective, all rights reserved. www.nordicdesigncollective.com | info@nordicdesigncollective.com

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Trend

FLOWER POWER Summertime and the flowers are blooming everywhere.

Why not bring some of them inside to remind you of the summer months when it’s getting colder and darker outside. We love to mix posters with plant piedestals and some earrings for that party.

From top left: Ancient Blossom no.2 by Details by M, Flower by Fotograf Helén Karlsson, Pink Madness by Piel Design, Floral by Anna Handell, Pedestal high black and petrol by Wis Collection, Flower Cards by Toril Bækmark, Vase by Återbrukshyttan, Wagtails Spring offwhite cushion cover by Nadja Wedin, Double Rose earrings by Sägen, Blue Magnolia Silk Scarf by Lisa Edoff Design.

Right: Line Roses wallpaper by Camilla Eltell Form.

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AT THE SUMMER HOUSE Styling and photo: Maria Richardsson & Frida Bengtsson

Summer is here, and hopefully a bit of free time.

Spending time in the summer house is the best way to relax and recharge your batteries. Curl up in the sofa with a good book and a cup of coffee, and enjoy a day off.

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Left: Tindra Yellow wool blanket by Lina Johansson, Hollyhock cushion cover by Studio Kajsa Rolfsson, Late Lights poster

by Anna Handell.

Above: Memory (A Study of Trees) poster

by Anna Handell, Pluie wall hanger by La Bohéme.

Above: Bugs & Butterflies tray by Nadja Wedin Design.

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Presenting

LA BOHÉME The designer behind La Bohème gets her inspiration from dismantling, taking apart to rephrase, reclaim and revalue. This is very visible in her collage work where she is using old newspapers, magazines, photographs and even old passports from around the world. The old and used gets a new life and a new meaning.

Tell us about your background!

Art has always been in me, around me, since I was a child. In high school I studied art and design and I was captivated. I went on to university and got my bachelor degree in international relations and global development, which at the time seemed like a change in direction from art. Now I see more clearly that art and politics are intertwined and I constantly use the knowledge gained from my university studies in my art. During my studies, I did have a dream of perhaps becoming a social worker and in my final year I received a scholarship to write my thesis about water problematics in Zanzibar, east Africa. However, while making interviews and writing my thesis on site, I found myself almost daily at the local gallery. Master teacher Kadudu Hassan invited me several sessions and I learned new techniques of batik, masaii and local art. I went on to study shape, colors, light, shade and social structures with a local artist. Again captivated. I came back to Sweden, got my degree, doubted myself about a year and then finally – started La Bohème.

What’s the story behind your brand?

The story is much rooted in the music of Charlez Aznavour, tunes that played constantly during my return to Sweden. The song La Bohème seemed to sum up all I wanted to say and it created a channel for me. This sentimental, spinning, romantic and naive longing, for something beyond logics What inspires you to create?

I have an overwhelming fondness for dismantling – to take apart, dissect, rephrase, reclaim, assemble and revalue. In life, and in art. This is a reoccurring theme for me, regardless the project. Moreover, artists such as Frida Kahlo, Patti Smith, Agnès Desarthe, Rachel Brice and Nathalie Missaoui provides me with a never-ending stream of inspiration.

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Trend

KIDS HOLIDAY TIME School is out and summer holiday has begun. So how do you keep them busy during the weeks to come? We suggest to get creative; play dress up, make your own paper animals or why not rearrange the kids room with some new posters.

From top left: Krokodil Custom Made Poster by Wallmark Formstudio, Kicking Giraffe and Hula-Hoop Zebra poster by Christina Heitmann Illustration, Forest Pink poster by Cecilia Lood, Hug poster by Yrva, Animal Masks Savann by Ejvor, Papermals Paper Animals DIY by Emma Eklund, Reindeer Kids T-shirt by Kläppi.

Right: Hungry Cat and Hungry Dog plates by Studio Äppel Päppel.

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GET CREATIVE! With this template, you can create your own bird mobile!

Thanks to designer Emma Eklund, we can offer you the perfect summer craft for rainy days!

FREE DOWNLOAD ď ” E DIY MOBIL J

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M AKE ME! G

What you need: - Printer and paper - 2 round wooden sticks - Glue - Needle and thread - Scissors

5 Assemble the clouds as shown.

1 Print out the pages to build your mobile. If you have a thicker paper that’s good, 160g are recommended.

6 Fold the stork in half.

Then fold down the wings.

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GLUE

2 Cut out all the pieces and group them together. A with A, B with B and so on. Colour your pieces on one side.

7 Make holes with a needle on the marked spots on the stork. Attached thread in the holes as shown and tie the 3 threads together with a knot at the top.

1 mm

3 Glue the A pieces together so that you now have two coloured sides. Do the same with all the other pieces.

Now you should have 8 cloud pieces and 2 stork pieces.

8 Stitch the pieces together with thread, I have used sewing thread.

4 Cut the clouds on the line.

If you can cut out 1mm of paper that is good.

9 Make a cross of the sticks and tie the pieces onto the sticks. Use some thread to make a hook. Done!

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Meet the designer ANNA HANDELL

“IT TAKES TIME TO FIND YOUR OWN VOICE” For 15 years, Anna Handell has been helping companies and organisations finding their own voice. Since a few years back, she is also finding her own voice in her art projects.

Text and photo: Maria Richardsson

“When I work with clients, it is really important for me that every little detail speaks the same language.

And of course it is still important for me that there is a common ground in my art work as well, but it gives me more room for experimenting and expressing myself”, Anna tells me when we meet in her home just

outside Lund in the south of Sweden.

Her home is also her studio, and working from home suits her very well. “I’ve been sharing office with other freelancers and agencies before, but I get disturbed way to easy. I need to be able to focus and find my flow”.

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When we meet, Anna and her family are just packing to go to Italy for a holiday.

It turns out they go every year, and the country is really important to her.

“I get so inspired when we go there, the architecture and the nature is so beautiful!” Nature is a big part of Annas life, which you can tell when you look at her collection of art prints. When we go into her garden I understand why. The garden is filled with plants, flowers and cosy corners. “I collect different varieties of fig trees, I really want to get a small piece of the Mediterranean at home as well” she tells us, and I remember that one of her first collection of art prints were a study of fig trees.

During the summer season, she often work from her garden and she also built her own green house from old windows in different sizes. “Yes, that was a challenging

project - but fun! I built it together with my father, he is really creative when it comes to those kind of projects” Anna says.

And it turns out that creativity runs in her family. Her mother is also an artist, and together they have a small gallery in Båstad.

However, it wasn’t clear for Anna to work within the creative field. “Not at all, I studied ethnology at university and wanted to do something very different from my creative parents. My first job was within marketing, but it only took me a couple of years before I started my own business with marketing communication and graphic design” she says. “It has been a journey, but right now I feel I have found my way of working but it has taken me a number of years”.

Something that really stands out when talking to Anna is her thoughtfulness and her integrity. “Yes, integrity is important to me. It takes a lot of trust and faith in order to make room for creativity, and to do that you have to surround yourself with good people, that complement and enhance you”. Finding her art group, OK Konst, is part of that. “We do exhibitions once a year, and the most important thing is to have fun. Our attitude is that everything is ok (hence the name), there is no jury and no formal requirements, and that creates a wonderful cohesion within our group.”

For Anna Handell, the people who buy her products are very important. “I love that I get a personal connection to every single buyer of the products I sell

at Nordic Design Collective. It would be such a nightmare to have piles of stuff in a warehouse somewhere, collecting dust!�

When visiting Annas home, it is clear that she loves to surround herself with beautiful things that inspire her, and her home is filled with small still life’s with flowers from her garden and old things, things with a soul, a beauty and with lots of love. Just like Anna herself.

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Trend

SUMMER TIME KITCHEN The kitchen is the heart of the house so why not treat it to a mini makeover this summer. A few things like a new poster, ceramic pots or a tray for those lovely summer treats, will make a big difference and make your kitchen feel new and fresh.

From top left: In The Kitchen poster by Wallmark Formstudio, Blomdoft cutting board by Adelina Lirius, Perhonen teatowel and tray by Sagalaga Design, Blackbird And Rowanberries tray by Tian Gan, Jävligt God BBQ book by Owl Streets, Set of Jars by Camilla Engdahl, Happy Bugs fridge magnets by Mooncake, Faith Hope Love Navy trivet by Sabina Wroblewski Gustrin.

Right: Polygon placemats in silicone by By May.

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Presenting

SAGALAGA DESIGN The designer behind Sagalaga Design learned how to walk with a pencil her hand and this has lead the way towards where she is today.

With a clean graphic style and a great feel for colours Sagalaga has designed a collection with a great connection to nature where she finds her inspiration.

Tell us about your background.

My name is Satu, a creative designer from Finland. I`ve always been interested in forms, colors and stories. When I was a kid learning to walk I learnt to do it with a pencil in my hand. If someone took the pencil away from me I fell down. I guess it was a quite clear sign where to navigate with my life. I learnt to walk, draw, paint and do other cool stuff and here I am now with Sagalaga Design.

What’s the story behind your brand?

The story of Sagalaga Design started in 2013, when the whole concept and the first products saw the light of day. At first Sagalaga Design was only textiles and paper products but we recently expanded with the wooden products.

We value high for good quality and sustainability and we are producing everything here in Finland with high standard materials.The name Sagalaga Design comes from my nickname Saga, meaning also `tale` and `laga` for one, is a Swedish word that means `to make`, so Sagalaga for me means I ́m telling stories and designing them for by myself for you.

What inspires you to create?

I spent my childhood in a very small town on the west cost of Finland. The first thing I could see from my window was a huge pinewood. Actually, what I saw was only the log of those trees, but it was love at the first sight. The pinewood was my playground and today the same forest can be found in our products. I still love nature and it gives me the inspiration I need. Even a short moment on the sea or in the pinewoods is still the best thing I know.

What made you decide to start your own company, and what do you like most about it?

I have worked many years as an illustrator/ Graphic designer & artist for clients like publishing houses, corporations and associations and I felt I needed to create something of my own. With Sagalaga Design I can bundle together all my passion and studies from interior & textile design to art and graphic design. And I love it.

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A day in the life of

ELIN WESSLUND Every Thursday, one of our designers are in charge of our Instagram. One of them is the designer Elin Wesslund, who brought us along behind the scenes for a normal working day.

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08.06: Good morning everyone! My name is Elin Wesslund and I will be showing you my day today.

08.14: Can’t imagine a day without coffee!

I always starts my day with a nice cup of coffee, or two. How do you start your day?

09.29: This is my work space from above, nothing fancy about it at all, just one of those home offices.

10.39: Folding, folding. I few weeks ago my latest design arrived from the fabric but I hadn’t had time to pack them until now.

11.29: I own a box, it’s quite big and old.

Very old actually. In this box I keep a real treasure! It’s my herbarium from the 1800s

12.38: Time for a lunch break! I’m taking a walk in the harbor in this lovely weather.

13.16: Back from lunch and I’m getting some orders ready. Hope the new owners will be happy.

15.14: And for all you guys that wonder who I am and what I create, here’s all of it (except my posters) news and old ones.

Check out the work of Elin Wesslund in our store!

17.17: Time to say goodbye, thanks for following me through this day, I hope you enjoyed it!

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