Decorate like a pro dec2016

DECORATE LIKE A PRO

Trendstefan's Christmas decor tips

Henrick's international career advice

DAY AT WORK

CHRISTMAS TABLE DECOR

Follow Interior Designer Sofia Tretow to see how a day in her life looks like

We have selected our favorite Christmas table decor ideas

CHRISTMAS

GLAM SQUAD Christmas is here and we are prepping the house for some serious glam decor, food fiesta and late cozy nights with family and friends!

How about you? What's your family tradition? Do you make new traditions for your family?

In my family, since we are a mix of Finns and Swedes, we mix the foods and create our own traditions. Every year we pick one new dish for the Christmas dinner, something modern with an interesting taste. We started decorating the house already in midNovember, which might be a bit too early for some, but we are big Christmas geeks and we just love to create the atmosphere and enjoy it through the cold and dark months.

We have been talking to strend experts about the Christmas decor and trends for the coming year. We have been hanging out with some cool interior designers and asked how their days look like, and how they got to work in their dream jobs! We have also created some bold metal mixes for the table decor. And, we are revealing our favorite gifts this year. Enjoy this magazine and Happy Christmas!

Love, Tiina Wilen

TREND EXPERT

FABULOUS CHRISTMAS 1. Get another Christmas tree. Difficult to see how your kids' lovely DIY's would fit into your stylish tree? Get one two more that can stand in the hallway.

I've got 3 Christmas trees at home.

2. Get flowers. I big international trend is to decorate a Christmas home with flowers. Not only Hyacinths and Amaryllises but a lot of different flowers and bouquets.

3. Out with the Father Christmas and in with penguins. The international Christmas trends show that our beloved red-caped uncle is about to disappear and in comes arctic aminals som polar bears, penguins and snow foxes.

4. This years color is burgundy. On the international Christmar fair 'Christmas World' the dominant color was burgundy. It looks perfect with brass and green trees. Stylish.

"dear penguin bring me this"

stefan nilsson @trendstefan

A DAY IN A LIFE OF

Sofia

We had a tête-à-tête with one of our favorite interior designers Sofia from Tretow Deco.

Let's hear about her day as a PRO decorator and get some juicy business advice!

DECORATE LIKE A PRO

Sofia, how does a typical day look like for you?

First, I go to the office. It's a fairly short distance and there's hardly any traffic - since it's downstairs in my house. I start the day by reading the decorating blogs and checking to see if any of my favourite decorators and brands have posted something new and exciting, while sipping the obligatory bucket of coffee. Usually, they have!

Then, if I'm for example working on a mood board for a client, I browse Pinterest for inspiration, start sketching on an idea and collect paint samples, fabric samples and pics of inspirational things that set the mood I'm going for. I often get side stepped by the discovery of a new pattern, pillow or something else wonderfully distracting. This goes on the entire day, but I take short brakes to do laundry and other glamorous chores. And more importantly, I take breaks to rearrange my furniture.

Without it, I cannot live!

if you had to pick only one advice for creating a home to love...

Colour! Either paint the walls or change the fabric colours.

But you probably heard that before. So, I'm going with something new: Invest in a piece of furniture that you reeeeeallly love. That will make the room really special for you.

Do you have a specific signature style you love to work with?

Well, I know what I love, and that is what I do best. I love the contrast between hard and soft, antiques paired with edgy stuff! I love sumptuousness and decadence that is balanced by more muted, understated elegance. But, I also love the challenge of working with styles outside of my comfort zone.

What type of interior design jobs do you prefer?

I love decorating period spaces. That turn-of-the-century architecture, with moldings, wainscoting, herringbone floors and high ceilings really resonates within me. Decorating a space like that feels like writing music; it flows through me and that's such a wonderful feeling.

Where do you get your inspiration for your projects?

Pinterest is a wonderful source of inspiration. Beautiful stores, like Oscar & Clothilde and Newport, fellow decorators, Hallwylska Palatset, the Opera and hotels like Ett Hem. ALL movies by Nancy Meyers.

Where did you study interior design?

I've taken courses in London and New York, but my real education has been devouring interior design. Reading every book, every magazine, intern with decorators I admire, analyzing decors I love ( why do I love this? What makes it pop? What would I have added? What would I discard?), constantly trying to get better, constantly trying new things, failing, trying again.

A great how-to tip is choosing a decor put together by your favourite decorator. Now, create a moodboard inspired by that decor. It helps you distinguish the core of what you love about that decor.

DECORATE LIKE A PRO What's the best way to create a personal style in a home?

It's so easy to let yourself be seduced by trends and what people think. What you really need to do is sit down, cut out all the white noise and go directly to the source - you. What do you LOVE? Of all inspirational pictures you saved on Insta or Pinterest, which one do you find yourself returning to time and time again? Use that picture as a starting point and go from there. Don't copy it, just let it be your inspiration as you translate it to your own, and don't let yourself lose touch with that original feeling you got from first looking at the pic.

Also, consider how you want to feel in your home. Calm? Invigorated? Safe? Glamorous?

And most importantly: this is where you spend your life, it's your safe haven. Don't be afraid to listen to your own creativity, surround yourself with what you love. Try to distinguish what's genuinely you, and what is a passing trend.

Take the wonderful beloved vase Dagg from Svenskt Tenn, for example. Did you love it before it became a thing? That's genuinely you, and you will love it even when the sun has set. Or did it grow on you after seeing it in countless homes on Instagram? That's a trend. It will pass for you.

If I love a style but my hubby / wife likes something totally else, what to do..?

That relationship is doomed! Just kidding. Ok, let's be honest: do both of you invest equal time and passion into creating a home for you? Or is one of you a little bit more passionate than the other?

Yes? Ok, so that person should have just a little more say in the matter, since that is the person that will experience most discomfort if something's off. Merging two styles can be tricky but never impossible. If the styles are worlds apart, however, you might be better off agreeing on a style you both like and start a new... With that said, interesting decor is all about creating a well-balanced mix of styles, I think.

We love getting PRO advice. So how many styles is OK to mix in a home?

Many. No matter how hard you try to be consistent in your style, you'rebound to end up with an eclectic mix - that armoire from your grandmother and this knick-knack from your trip to Italy and that space ship made of styrofoam over there that your kid made in kindergarden - and thank god for that! It's what makes your decor scheme a living, breathing organism. But if you're going for a stylistically clean look and worry about mixing too many styles, consider finding items that unify the different pieces. If you happen to have a black iron coffeetable and a antique wooden couch for example, paint or stain the legs on your sofa black, too. That will give them a common denominator - in this case colour. Upholster different padded chairs in the same type of fabric. I could give many examples and discuss this in lenght, but to sum it up: - Unify an eclectic decor by colour, pattern or shape.

- I could really write an entire book on the subject!

! e s a e l p yes

Is there any items that will never move into your home?

Actually, it recently dawned on me that someone coined "never say never" because it's true, especially for me. I change my mind constantly and suddenly I discover beauty in something I used to hate with a vengeance. So....right now it's pine, but that will probably change tomorrow, so who am I to judge? I'm just as easily swayed by trends as anyone else...

How do you plan your client projects and how would you describe a 'typical' project?

I always start by getting to know the client over a cup of coffee (sometimes we have coffee over Skype, if we are in different countries, but coffee is nonetheless always involved). We chat about day to day life, likes and dislikes, interests, hopes and dreams. That way I get a sense of what kind of home the client needs and wants. The client then gets some homework - to sum up his or her style in a few sentences with the help of some inspirational pictures from Pinterest. This helps me to figure out the essence of his/her style, and that way I know where to start.

I then create a moodboard. The client has a choice of a digital one or one with actual paint- and fabric samples, etc.

Where do you find your customers and why do they choose to work with you?

Instagram is a great way for me to find clients and for them to find me.

Besides being extremely passionate about what I do, I'm a good listener, I think, which helps me to figure out what works for a particular person or family. Though I'm assuming they hire me because they like what I do, I'm not imposing (or at least trying not to) my style on anyone, just making suggestions.

When push comes to shove it's really up to you to decide if a decor scheme works for you, or if you need a different fabric on the couch, etc. However, when creating a moodboard, the client gets the most satisfying result when accepting the whole thing as is. It's like a set of domino tiles - every single item is connected. Going rogue and exchanging one piece of furniture for another might mean going in an entirely new direction with the moodboard. It's like changing an ingredient in a recipe - the result might be an entirely different dish. Take a hamburger, remove the meat and cheese and add whipped cream and marsipan instead, and what do you get?

If someone was looking to build a career as an interior designer, what's the most important thing to do or think about?

To really, genuinely love it, that's number one. Passion and enthusiasm go a long way.

Be very clear about your brand and what you represent.

If you don't know, no-one else will.

Be prepared to live and breathe interior decor. Read every piece of literature there is, practice every chance you get ( but it's also important to be clear about what you don't want, so don't do projects you know are wrong for you, unless you believe you can learn from them).

What's your favorite home detail?

follow Sofia

@tretowdeco www.tretowdeco.com

Our fireplace!

LIGHTNING ROUNDS Favorite color? Dusty pink & duck egg blue Favorite material? Velvet & dupion silk New or old? Old Patterns or solids? Patterns Wallpapers or paint? Wallpapers

Photo: Helena Wahlman

haymarket

Stockholm s new pride is the Art Deco inspired jewel in the old PUB building. '

-

Stepping through the grand doors to the Haymarket, you will make an entrance to the design lovers paradise.

The dazzling bar, restaurants and rooms instantly sweep the visitors into the glamorous life that feels more NYC in the 20 s than today s Stockholm. '

'

'

The stylish mix of materials, colors and patterns indulge marbles, black iron railings, jazz from the speakers and custom made wallpapers in various colors, all create a perfect getaway for the picky decor lovers.

-

-

get the HAYMARKET look

HENRICK MOLTAZ DESIGN IS BUILDING HIS

international design career

Vi had a talk with the fantastic Henrick at Moltaz Design, and wanted to know what's going on in his life. Henrick has a booming interior design business with clients around the world, a shop on Orust island and a lot fun things happening in 2017. Let's get to know more!

Henrick Eriksson @henrick.eriksson www.moltazdesign.se www.moltazdesignshop.se

follow Henrick

Hi Henrick, tell us what's going on in your life!

Right now there are many houses to be decorated for private customers, then next year I've got courses and workshops about both color theory and trends in 2017 planned for the Spring. We are also renovating the store on Orust completely. It will be exciting to change the entire look.

How does your life as an interior designer with lots of international projects look like?

There is a lot of traveling, but it also allows me to get inspiration from different parts of the world. No job is similar to another, and there are always different resources available so you have to be able to find solutions and products locally.

What's the most fun and rewarding part of being an interior designer?

The actual execution. Making plans in 3D, and collecting materials is very fun, but it is first after everything comes together when I can see my vision coming to life.

If our readers would be looking to become internationally known interior designers, what advice would you give them?

Brand yourself, and create a specific niche for your look and style. You need to be flexible when working in foreign countries, since the are variations in cultures, weather, religions, etc. Work with social media and focus on attracting the the clientele you want and work with.

You work with cool celebrities, are the celeb projects different and how?

I view every customer as "customer", whether they are global or local celebrities, One shall not be "blinded" by what is around the customer and what they do. My job is to create a home for the client that fit both his personality, visually and emotionally. Regardless of the client they all need to take a psychological test, so I can understand the customer better and see how they think and react to certain forms, colors, etc.

So what's cooking at Moltaz Design in 2017?

We have many projects for the beginning og the year! Mainly change the look of the store and shop, also our team at Moltaz Design is growing. That's perfect so we will be able to handle take more jobs!

I will also launch a new brand Moltaz RE-Design which will be re-made old furniture. We will launch the brand during the Spring, so we are excited about that!

For the Book Nerd

Light some scented candles with Christmas fragrances; vanilla, cinnamon or why not a tasty apple pie?

Listen to Christmas music.

Decorate with Christmas flowers; Hyacinths, Amaryllises, Christmas rose.

White tulips and roses are also beautiful!

Decorate outdoors, with strings of lights, branches, rugs, lanterns, and apples. Use what nature has to offer when you decorate; pine cones, twigs, lingonberry, red apples, cinnamon, etc.

Set the table Christmas table with red apples, pines, cinnamon, star anise, ginger, moss and so on.

Make your own Christmas cards and send to family and friends. Add glitter and pictures of your family!

Let presents be a part of the decorations. Turn them into beautiful paper, wallpaper, newsprint, fine laces and labels that you made yourself. Collect all the presents in a large basket!

Figure out if you want a classic, modern or rustic Christmas? Get creative with your Christmas color palette! Red, white and gold? White and silver?

Black and white? Let the Christmas decor to be in harmony with your allyear-around decor. Is your home decor black, white and lots of wood?

Add some copper or gold for extra warmth. Mix metals for a glamorous look!

Avoid the Christmas rush! Plan your shopping, food preparation, cleaning.

Enjoy the glorious time with the family without doing anything special (besides eating, obviously)

by Malin Bjรถrk / Elce Living

for the Style Geek

SETTING THE

Christmas Table

Tiina's picks

my

GOLD

dining table design

Tiina's picks

my

SILVER dining table design

- DESIGN PRO WANT TO BE FEATURED IN OUR NEXT ISSUE OF

DECORATE ?

Like a PRO

CLICK HERE

Merry Christmas www.elceliving.com