Astrid

Elisabeth Heier works as a photographer, stylist and visual storytelling in Oslo, Norway. We met Elisabeth shortly in Copenhagen at an event for furniture producer New Works, whit whom we had just started a collaboration. Since then we have been inspired and impressed by her poetic and stylish images. We are happy to be part of a corner in her beautiful home when the choice of textiles for both curtains and sofa ended up with us. The interior exudes calm, harmony and simplicity and we were curious to know more about Elisabeth's thoughts regarding colours and material choices. And maybe something about her sources of inspiration.

A: I read about the renovation of your apartment in a blog post through Norwegian company Jotun,  it was about colour and floor choices, among other things. Your choices feel so solid and timeless, did you have any keywords or clear sources of inspiration when you started?

EH: Thank you! So nice you think that. The renovation and decoration of the apartment, and creating a home for the children and me, is a lot about meeting practical needs . At the same time I want it to be a sanctuary, a good place to come home with materials and colours that last and that will not make me bored. We get so many impulses from outside all the time, it is experienced as inspiring and sometimes as mental noise. At home I need peace and to surround myself with lasting, natural materials. The functionality is the ground but I deliberately compromise with it sometimes to achieve the aesthetic expression I want. The floor for example is a soft wood, I knew it would easily be notches and marks in it, but it is so delicious and soft to step on and not least it is beautiful. So it had to be it.

I love waking up with the light and have never shut out daylight from the bedroom. The semi-transparent fabric filters the sunlight so beautifully when it shines in the morning and the lightness of the fabric makes it almost dance in the breeze. It is so wonderful to wake up to!

A: Before putting up curtains in your bedroom, we got in touch and we sent you some cutting samples of linen fabrics in grey-beige tones. In the pictures it looks like the fabric matches the wall colour . Was that your starting point? What colour do you have on the walls?

EH: On the walls in the bedroom I have chosen 9918 Classic White from Jotun Lady and that together  with the floor in douglas fir from Dinesen was the starting point for the colour I chose for the curtain fabric. I wanted a warm and soft expression and the colour of the fabric goes so well with both floor and walls, they tie it all together.

A: The fabric you chose, Venere Mano Morbida is a semi-transparent fabric, how does it work in a bedroom? Have you added any type of blackout or do you belong to those who are not disturbed by the light?

EH: I love waking up with the light and have never shut out daylight from the bedroom. The semi-transparent fabric filters the sunlight so beautifully when it shines in the morning and the lightness of the fabric makes it almost dance in the breeze. It is so wonderful to wake up to!

The curtain adds a softness I missed. They also make the rooms seem both bigger and that the ceiling height got even a little higher. I have hung the curtains all the way up to the ceiling on a rail and had them sewn to a length that makes them fall soft. For the acoustics, of course, it also works wonders with textiles in a room.

A: For the living room, the choice fell on the same fabric quality but in a natural white tone, what colour do you have on the walls there?

EH: In the living room I have the same white colour as in the bedroom, Classic White, and the colour of the fabric goes almost in one with the wall. That was exactly what I wanted, to soften the expression and to frame  the tall windows beautifully with long curtains.

A: What do the curtains bring to your home? Was there a difference in sound level for example?

EH: The curtain adds a softness I missed. They also make the rooms seem both bigger and that the ceiling height got even a little higher. I have hung the curtains all the way up to the ceiling on a rail and had them sewn to a length that makes them fall soft. For the acoustics, of course, it also works wonders with textiles in a room.

A: The sofa from Menu also happens to be in a fabric from us called Vintage. The fabric is in the natural colour of the linen and feels to me as if it suits your honest and clean style. Was that something you thought about when choosing fabric?

EH: “I probably make the choices of decor intuitively and with my heart more than with my head. The desire to create a feeling, how the home feels to be in, comes from there. To assure myself that I get the expression I want I work more systematically and always make moodboards where I put together materials, shapes and colours before I decide. Same procedure as when I do job projects that starts with a brief from the customer where I work on putting together a visual expression, it feels natural to do the same for my home. Although my own home develops over time, based on needs and budget, the simple and natural is the foundation of every choice I make on the decor. When  I chose Vintage on the sofa, it was based on the desire to have a fabric that feels and looks natural, that has a timeless colour I will enjoy for many years, that feels warm and beautiful both visually and in use.

A: How long have you been working the way you do today? Was it an obvious choice for you? Feel free to tell us about your path.

EH: My career has taken several turns along the way. It feels a bit like an exciting journey where I do not quite know the destination and no day is quite like the other. I studied art and interior design and worked as an interior designer for many years before I gradually went over to do what I do today. Now I work with photography, art direction, some management, storytelling and visual identity. I feel lucky to work with some local furniture/interior and lifestyle brands that dare to invest. Concerned with sustainability and quality – where I not only take photos but get to develop the visual profile and work with creative direction. It makes so much more sense to work holistically in this way and is a process I really like to take part in. The  people behind the brands are dedicated and committed and with the same passion for their work that I myself have.

If someone had asked me 20 years ago, I would not have been able to predict where I am today. At the same time as it feels natural, I still work with aesthetics, there has not been a planned path. I have seized opportunities that have come, followed my gut and worked a lot.

A: Do you have a dream project? It can be anything, in photography, styling, interior design, or what inspires you a lot?

EH: The dream project must be to be allowed to make a book, or a magazine maybe. Travel to all the  places I dream of seeing, with camera in hand. Let all impressions, moods and feelings be visualized in photography. And film! It is Incredibly exciting to combine the two media. Both people, architecture and nature. Light, colours and textures. Something that evokes emotions in the recipient. I think Dorothea Lange said it so nicely; “The camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera.”

Thank you Elsiabeth, we look forward to follow you on your path.