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Beautiful inspiration from 'Your Creative Work Space'

What does your work / creative space look like? Do you love to sit there and tinker away? I'm sure you're familiar with mine, although more often than not I'm elsewhere - at the kitchen table, on the sofa, in the window, a nearby communal workspace or in a café. A wise friend told me recently that if you don't use a zone (it might be for no other reason that it simply doesn't feel right!), it means it's either in the wrong place, or you have designed it in the wrong way for the task. So true! A few days later the beautiful book Your Creative Work Space: The Sweet Spot Style Guide to Home Office + Studio Decor by Desha Peacock landed on my desk. It was a sign! Known for her eclectic style and helping others see the possibility within themselves, their homes and personal style, Peacock advises that 'your physical setting can either hamper or elevate' your creative calling and offers tips on designing a creative workspace that will inspire the work you are meant to do. The book is packed with beautiful work spaces belonging to artists, designers, craftspeople, writers, and stylists - all of which will make you want to revamp your office in a heartbeat. Here are a few of my favourites:








Aren't these spaces just so inspiring?! Does it tempt to you to pick up the book and make some changes? I can't wait to get started - watch this space!

Your Creative Work Space, by Desha Peacock is published by Skyhorse Press, NYC and is available
here.

Oh and good news, you can win a signed copy over on Instagram today! Yay!

For more workspace inspiration you might like to check out my office space/studio archive (featuring more of Justina Blakeney's fabulous LA studio, the magnificent Studio Slow and Holly Marder's atelier!).

Have a lovely day!

Photography credits: 1 + 2. Justina Blakeney 3. Anisa Rrapaj  4. Johanna Stark's home office by Emil Larsson 5. Sara Banner.  6. Leslie Woodward

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Workspace envy: Studio Slow

Gooood morning! I'm flying back to Sweden today after an incredible few days on set in Upstate New York. I'm so happy with the results (you can catch a glimpse of it here). All will be revealed soon - I hope you like the space as much as Emily and I do!). Tomorrow I'll be back in the office again, but I've been thinking perhaps it's time to get a studio in town - what do you say? I'm kind of thinking something like this incredible work space of Slow Studio in The Netherlands (hey, a girl can dream right?!). We've seen this space before, but being designers extraordinaire that they are, it's constantly evolving. It's where the talented Studio Slow team work to develop interior design, styling and graphic design concepts - and turn visions into reality with a strong sense of sustainability - love that! Let's take a little peek....














Interior design / work space: Studio Slow

Could you imagine working here? It certainly gives 'open-plan office' a whole new name!

How I'd get the look in my new studio (stil dreaming....): Z1 pendant light (it's no secret that I loooove this light - as you can see from this and this post of my home!), yards of grey linen (beautiful!), lampe gras wall sconce, old dutch teapot, Eames lounge chair and ottoman, Lisabo side table.

My workspace envy also includes the creative space of Katrin Bååth, Avenue Design Studio's converted loft and Studio Hear Hear. Don't get me wrong, I love my little home office, but it would be fun to have somewhere fabulous to go each day and be able to chat to other creatives! Don't you agree? Any tips Malmö friends?!

How does your workspace look? Do share below!

Have a lovely day!

PS Thank you so much Valentina for including both Modern Pastoral and The Scandinavian Home
in your list of 'the best interior design books you can't live without' - such an honour to be among such good company!

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The beautiful workspace of an interior designer

The beauty of blogging is that it often takes me to new and wonderful places. Last week I found myself in the home office of interior designer Genevieve Jorn (see her previous apartment here). Originally from Canada, Gen lives with her Danish husband Kasper and cute little daughter Olivia in an old apartment in the centre of Malmö, Sweden. As you can imagine, the space was so inspiring with high ceilings, a dark green accent wall and double french doors leading out to a roof terrace (imagine?!).  Gen agreed it would be the perfect room to add some pieces from Nordal - a wonderful Danish online shop offering a unique range of furniture and decor 'with attitude' (remember this feature from my own dining room?). Here's the result....








Credits: Photos- Niki Brantmark (My Scandinavian Home) / Home-owner- styling- Genevieve Jorn

Oh how I'd love to work here, how about you?

Get the look from Gen's office:


1. Chest of 9 drawers 2. Candle holder  3. Downtown chair  4. Canvas carpet 5. Old school table lamp

For more work space inspiration you might want to check out the creative studio of Katrin Bååth, Holly Marder's workspace and the Brooklyn home and studio of a creative duo. Yes, people work in spaces like these! Guh! 

Do you have a beautiful home office too? If so, you must get in touch! 


Have a lovely day!

Sponsored post: This post was made possible by Nordal. All words, thoughts and content are my own. I only ever work with products and services I love and think you will too. Thank you for supporting the brands that make My Scandinavian Home possible.

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The black and white workspace of a Finnish blogger

A few weeks ago I posted a beautiful collaborative workspace in San Francisco and it was so popular I thought I'd post about another inspirational office today (because we can't all be on holiday in the Philippines!). This black and white work corner belongs to the editor of Finnish blog Lily. One of the things I love most about this corner is that it totally blends in to the area around it (love the black leather sofa). I could certainly sit here and blog, could you work here?







Lily with kind permission
The space includes an Eames DSR chair (15% discount with code MYSCAN) and the Aröd task light from IKEA.

You can also see her mix and match dining space here. Love the way she's photographed it don't you?

I also love this Norwegian work space, this beautiful white and light wood work area and this art studio. How about you?

Have a lovely day!

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Workspace inspiration: the Everlane studio

Good morning Monday! If like me you're back at your desk today you might be looking around and thinking - not this place again?! In which case I've just the inspiration for you. This is the Everlane studio in San Francisco. For those of you not familiar with Everlane - they sell absolutely fab basics and sell them without middlemen and stores - with the philosophy 'Know your factories. Know your costs. Always ask why' (love that). Needless to say, there studio is equally great - set in an industrial warehouse building with polished floors, shades of grey and warm wood, the look is simple, clean and fresh. Perfect inspiration for the start of the working week?!
















Photography: Luke Beard (shared with kind permission). Found via The Style Files with thanks.

Oh to work in a studio like this!

A tip on large plants for your space passed onto me by an interior designer recently....check out your local online secondhand stores to source large indoor plants. 

If you'd like to see a little more work space inspiration it's well worth checking out my 'studio' archive (don't miss the Danish carpenter's workshop and the creative studio of Katrin Bååth - firm favourites of mine!).....and loads more work space (including fab home offices, collectives and ateliers) here. You don't even have to feel bad spending time over it as it's all in the name of work, right?!

Even if there is nothing that can be changed about your workspace - I see from the Everlane website they're shipping international until 22nd November (usually they only ship to the US and Canada) - so there's a way to cheer ourselves up anyway!

By the way - this isn't a sponsored post - I just found their studio and shop so inspiring and had to share it! 

Have a wonderful start to the working week! 

PS Don't miss the free printable 2016 wall calendar.

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Design Spotlight On: Erik Magnussen




I recently broke one of my prized Porcelight pendant lamps over my dining table. More than upset, I made contact to see if I could replace it. It was a chance mail which led to me feeling truly inspired by the deceased designer - and realising that I also owned several other pieces by Erik Magnussen - including the classic Stelton vacuum pitcher. Today Magnussen's designs live on through the family business. I caught up with his son Magnus to find out more about the award-winning designer and found his humbleness, struggles with dyslexia and background as an inventor a true inspiration.



Porcelight - Made By Hand (photo My Scandinavian Home) 

How did Erik's Younger Years Influence His Profession?
Erik grew up in a home influenced by art. His Father was a scientist, inventor and an engineer and his Grandfather was an artist (also named Erik Magnussen) who counted Danish architect Thorvald Bindesbøll and artist Svend Hammershøi as friends. Erik was severely dyslexic (he could barely read), but went to a creative-minded primary school which allowed him to spend a lot of time drawing and playing with clay. When Erik was twenty, he built a ceramic workshop in the basement of his parent's home with the help of his Father. A year later he was offered a job at Danish ceramics manufacturer Bing & Grodahl.

Did Erik consider himself a designer?
Erik never called himself a designer, but his passion for crafts began with clay and he always spoke of himself as a ceramicist. However, in his early years at Bing & Grondahl, his work would mostly be described as art. He primarily made sculptures, and the focus was on small productions. But he was eventually drawn to mass production and his projects evolved into porcelain for kitchens - both for private use and businesses.







Porcelight - Made By Hand (photo - My Scandinavian Home)

Did you ever work closely with your Father? If so, how was he in his workspace?
I wasn't working in the company when Erik was active, but his studio was attached to my childhood home and he worked from there since I was born. He very much enjoyed being self-employed, he had complete autonomy over his work and still had the ability to be very productive. Erik got inspiration from everywhere and it felt like he was always working. He spent very little time at his desk, but when he did, he was sketching or working with clay models. He liked the partnership he had with Stelton and Engelbrechts Furniture and he worked closely with the product development departments until the day he passed away.










1960s Z Folding Chair by Erik Magnussen for Torben Orskov (photo courtesy of 1stdibs

What did his creative process look like? 
Erik looked to solve problems he experienced in everyday life, whether it was designing an ergonomically shaped chair, or a thermos jug you could hold with one hand while reading the paper in the other. A lot of his design stemmed from readily available products that annoyed him. He once said:

"Certainly, there is no real need for more stuff. There is so much crap around. And unless you can somehow raise the quality, make everyday life a little bit easier for the end user, only then can you justify adding to the pile." 

He always carried out a lot of research to see what was already available and worked closely with the product development department to keep the production process as simple as possible.





Petit Plateau Lounge Chair / Erik Magnussen for Engelbrechts (2009) (Photo courtesy of Engelbrechts). Erik found inspiration for this chair by contemplating the shape of his left hand. He made the first model from clay.

What was Erik like as a person?
Erik was just as tolerant as his designs. Nobody was too small. There wasn't a clear divide between his work and private life: he worked with people he liked, and many became good friends. He was very humorous, and people often tell me his designs reflect this. He had a concept which he called 'fine-thinking' - it was kind of a joke, but there was some truth to it too. He would lay on a sofa in the living room, put on Miles Davis and close his eyes. To me, it looked very much like he was asleep, but after thirty minutes he would get up and go straight to his workspace and draw something as though he had drawn it hundreds of times before.

Erik has helped shape Scandinavian design in many ways. What set his work apart?
Erik had a different approach to design from other earlier Scandinavian designers. He was more like a scientist. Aesthetics was never his top priority. He had an extraordinary interest in materials, comfort, the production process and making everyday life easier. He took the concept of 'simplicity', which so often characterises Scandinavian design, to another level. Simplicity formed the basis of everything he did. He simplified the process for both the user and the factories in a way which hadn't been seen before. He also wanted to keep the prices down so that they were accessible to more people. I don't think you can find many iconic pieces with prices as low as Erik's. He moved away from creating sculptures for upper-class family gardens to creating mass market products for that very reason.

Erik Magnussen Ship's Lamp 1004 (Photo courtesy of Stelton

Was he ever aware of this?
I think he was aware, but I don't think he thought a lot about it. He was professionally engaged but did not feel the need for attention from the media etc. That's probably why his products are far more famous than his name.

Was there a key turning point in Erik's career?
While Erik was working as a ceramicist at Bing & Grondahl he was headhunted by Stelton to take over the position of in-house designer from Arne Jacobsen. He went on to design one of the most successful vacuum jugs of all time.






The iconic, best-selling Press Coffee Maker and Vacuum Jug which Erik designed for Stelton (photo courtesy of Stelton).

What did your Father think of the success of the Vacuum Jug?
Popularity was not really my Father's thing; the rest of his family was way more excited when it appeared in movies etc! However, I think he appreciated that he had designed a product that people like to use, and it opened up doors for him as a designer and gave him the peace of mind to take on only projects which he felt passionate about.

Did he focus on items solely for the home?
His work spanned many areas. He was known for table top items and furniture, but he also designed interiors for sailboats, navigation equipment and even mixing chambers for the intravenous treatment of cancer patients.

How do you continue his legacy today? 
My vision is to tell the story about Erik in the right way and bring his favourite products back to life. We are currently working on a new website for Erik Magnussen Design, that will tell the story of his creative process and how he worked. It will represent the way Erik mastered simplicity, and how simplicity was more than just straight lines. I hope to see some of his early products go back into production. Some of them have been removed from the market due to business merges, but the products are still there, and it’s up to us to find the perfect manufacturer.

Will you create any new products for the brand?
This has been a sensitive subject since Erik passed away, because we want ‘Designed by Erik Magnussen’ to mean exactly that. However, there have been several product launches since his death, where we worked with smaller details that hadn't been dealt with by Erik. This has been carried out in close collaboration with professional designers who knew him and what he stood for. This autumn we launched an electric kettle with Stelton, which is based on the classic EM77. Erik had already produced a lot of sketches for the kettle, but there were small details that needed to be solved in
order for it to go into production, and we were very happy to get help with the final 1% of the product. We also bring new colour ways to the classic EM77 each year which enables us to refresh the products without changing the design.



EM77 press tea maker & EM77 electric kettle. Photo Brian Buchard, Stelton

Thank you so much for taking the time to tell us more about your Father's designs! I shall look at my wonderful Porcelight and Stelton Vaccum jug in a new light from now on (and certainly be way more careful with them too!

Do you have any Erik Magnussen designs in your home?

Niki

Top photo: Erik Magnussen, Plateau chair (Engelbrechts), EM77 (Stelton).

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