Move out!

When summer is here and the Norwegian days are sunny, and the nights long and bright, I spend as much time as possible out in the open. Furnitures that has its place inside during the dark Norwegian winter months, gets a new place under the trees and in the sun during the summer.
Use your imagnation and creativity, and create and indoor feeling outside. Why not bring a desk and chair and read, write, blog or paint (whatever you prefer!) amongst trees and birds, OR if you live in the city, in the back yard or on the balcony. If you have one that is...

Photography: Trine Thorsen
Model: Frida H.A/ Pholk

Flowers in bloom

The apple orchard outside my house is in bloom and it is absolutely breathtaking to look at.  Don´t you agree?

Even my run-down picked fence looks wonderful surrounded by the trees in bloom.

In a few days, the lilacs will be blooming, and the garden will be at its best at the yard sale this weekend. Fingers crossed for sunny weather!

Photography: Trine Thorsen

Sneak preview: Fab fluorecent

 

Not too long ago, stylist Kirsten and I visited ex- co employee at Kvist (now Bolina), ceramist,
Silje Aune Eriksen in her colourful home in Briskeby, Oslo.
 Her place is filled with colorful and humorous details and everywhere you lay your eyes, you´ll be suprised by a funny note, an animal of some sort and a great selection of cool design (chairs, lamps, tables and more) in the colors white, grey, black and neon pink. Silje is weak for ceramics (surprised?), and together with her own designs, her collectibles are neatly displayed throughout the apartment.
The feature will be out in Elle Decoration´s second issue of this year,
which will be out in the stores from February 27th.

Styling feature: Kirsten Visdal and Silje Aune Eriksen
Styling cover:  Jannicke Kråkvik

Photography: Trine Thorsen

Talking about...

Talking about black and white with the wooden dash, LOVELY isn´t it?

All images products to be found at Kvist.

Black & white (with a dash of wood)

Black and white combined is always chic and by adding a some wooden elements to it, I think it is even lovelier. The black and white calendar from Hay is still one of my favourites, but I think it is taken out of production :-(. I can´t seem to find it anywhere...

These images are a few in a series we did for Bonytt magazine earlier this year.

Photography: Trine Thorsewww.trinethorsen.comn

Styling: Kirsten Visdal

Time flies (when your having fun!)

2012 has already started out to be a busy year and blogging has been put aside. Again :-(. 

So far this year I have visited and photographed a couple of beautiful homes, photographed new wallpaper arrivals (LOVE Andrew Martin´s "lumberjack"), delicious cakes, and a cover for Elle Decoration, Norway. I have even judged the "global chic" challenge that NIB (Norske Interiørblogger) put out earlier this month.

My job is so varied and exciting and I am SO lucky being able to work with something that makes my heart beats faster. My job takes me to many new and great places both in Norway and abroad, and I meet so many wonderful people everywhere I go.

My collegues, all the great and talented stylists, make my job fun and inspiring.Together we try and create new and inspiring images for all you readers of this blog, other blogs and magazines around the world. Hope we are able to inspire you in 2012 too. I will definately try my best! :-)

Here are a few bedrooms I have photographed in the last couple of years which inspires me :-)

The home of Line Dammen, stylist and journalist for Kamille magazine.

Styling: Line Dammen

 

 The home of Oliver Gustav in Copenhagen.

Styling: Christine Hærra

 The home of artist Maria Øverbye

Styling: Maria Øverbye

 

My guestroom that Kirsten styled so lovely for our "lovely linen" shoot.

Styling: Kirsten Visdal/Kvist

Photography: Trine Thorsen

Damn you, Nigella!

My boyfriend unfortunately discovered Nigella´s Guinness Gingerbread a few weeks ago, and has for the two past Sundays kept himself busy in the kitchen making this amazing cake.The result each Sunday has been two delicious cakes, which both has gone down faster than I never thought was possible. After the first one, I begged him not to bake it again (since I knew the outcome), but he wouldn´t listen. The Sunday after he was by the stove again, stirring together Guinness and lots of wonderful spices. If he continues in the same path, I will gain at least 5 kg before Christmas...For sure. So next weekend it is my turn! Sorry, Nigella, I have to try and make it my way- with palm sugar instead of muscovado (brown) sugar and soy flour and agave syrup instead of the real stuff. I need the spices but not the carbs...

For the real stuff you need:

150 g butter (plus some for greasing)

300 g golden syrup (light, not dark)

200 g dark muscovado sugar/dark brown sugar

250 ml Guinness

2 tsp ground ginger

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground cloves

300 g plain flour

2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

300 ml sourcream

2 eggs

1x23 cm square baking tin or 1x foil tray approx. 30x20x5 cm

 (we used old fashion cake tins, which made two beautiful cakes)

PS! The first time he made it, my boyfriend took 2 tsp of ground cloves instead of 1/4 tsp by mistake. It actually tasted really good. More spicy and "Christmasy". With 1/4 tsp the you can taste the syrup more and it is a bit sweeter.

You do:

Preheat your oven to 170 degrees. Grease your cake tin or foil tray.

Put the butter, syrup, muscovado sugar, Guinness, ginger, cinnamon and ground cloves into a pan and melt gently over low heat.

Take of the heat and whisk in the flour and the bicarb. You will need to be patient and whisk thoroughly to get rid of any lumps.

Whisk the sour cream and eggs together in a measuring jug and then beat into the gingerbread mixture, whisking again to get a smooth batter.

Pour the mixture into your tin of choice and bake for about 40-45 minutes (you should check it after 30-35 minutes). When it is ready it should be gleamingly risen at the center and coming away from the tin at the sides.

Let the cake cool before cutting into slices or squares.

Recipe by Nigella Lawson found on http://www.lifestylefood.com.au

For American measures, see the recipe on www.foodnetwork.com

All I want for x-mas...

Ok, it is time to start on my Christmas wishes and here´s one out of many.

My breakfast plates have started to crack, and I desperately need new ones before I am being charged of attempt of murder (don´t want my guests to swallow big chunks of ceramics, do I?).

I´m in love with this wonderful series of ceramics from Danish Uh la la, and would be the happiest girl in the world if they were under the Christmas tree this year.

Images found on Uh la la ceramics website

Colorful Christmas!

 We never get enough of great decoration- and gift wrapping ideas, and this year EVERY magazine have their own Christmas issue filled with exactly that. We se more and more colors and recycled paper, and gifts decorated with tape, stickers and colorful ribbons. Gone are Santas, red apples and white angels. Don´t know what you think about this new trend, but even though I am not the most colorful person there is, I like it a lot! I am strongly considering adding some color to the decorations this year- if I dear...

This are a few images from a Christmas workshop feature I did for Kamille´s Christmas issue earlier this fall. Hope they´ll inspire!

Styling: Line Dammen, Bente Helstrøm and Tara Ballantyne

Photography: Trine Thorsen

Apartment love...

 

My absolute favorite apartment right now is the new home of my ex-roommate, stylist and former editor of Norwegian Elle Decoration, Line Dammen. This home is right up my alley color wise (greys,whites, browns and black), furniture wise (a great mix of old and new) and style wise (ethnic meets industrial meets retro meets modern meets antique and so on). Yes please!!! Line is now working  in Kamille magazine, being in charge of the food- and interior section. These are a few of the images that was featured a few weeks ago as a "get to know" the new and talented addition to the Kamille staff.

Styling: Line Dammen
Photography: Trine Thorsen

White on white

 

Around this time last year, Norwegian Elle Decoration came out with a white issue.

One of the homes that was featured in this issue was Elle´s former Deputy Editor, Cecilie. Love the way she has transformed her small apartment into a white and spacious looking place, by keeping it white and neutral. I am especially a big fan of her art wall, with frames and objects in various shapes and sizes. As I guess you can see, Cecilie has a big weakness for white porcelain and her collection is to die for!

Photography: Trine Thorsen

Cool closet!

For my birthday in August I got the nicest present from my boyfriend. A homemade closet!

The closet is a specially made for me, with the color of my choice and big enough to fit all my clothes.

I get so happy every time I open the bedroom door and the first thing I see is this great piece of work.

I have "ordered" more, but in different sizes and colors. One to go in the diningroom and a few more to go elsewehere. I also found some great antique hooks at Vestkanttorget last Saturday, so maybe I have to beg for a shelf too...

If you would like a specialmade closet just for you, send me and email and I´ll pass it on to the cabinet maker :-).

Photography: Trine Thorsen

Oliver Gustav once again!

In May last year, stylist Christine and I spent a week in Copenhagen for inspiration and work, and came home with this gorgeous feature (well, we think so...) shot in Oliver Gustav´s fantastic flowershop and studio in Kongens Nytorv. Unfortunately no one has shown an interest in the feature yet, but since I have now waited a whole year to share some of the images with you, I can no longer hold back. His taste in plants and interior is outstanding (and quite morbid), and visiting his place was a huge treat and great inspiration for us. A wonderful, wonderful day!

If you are going to Copenhagen, I recommend that you pay him a visit too!

Photography: Trine Thorsen

Styling: Christine Hærra

Let´s dance!

Think I need to spend the weekend practicing new moves for Elle´s upcoming summer party :-)

Sissa´s house

Our first shoot in Iceland was the home of Sigridur (Sissa) Olafsdottir, an Icelandic photographer. In addition to making wonderful artwork (she is having an exhibition soon), she is one of the owners of Ljosmyndaskolinn, a private photography school located in Reykjavik.

Some of the art she is working on now are these beautiful images, all presented in vintage boxes.

I want them all!

Since the homes I shoot in Iceland are all specs (not knowing if anybody will buy), I don´t know where and when it will be showing. Hopefully someone will like them, and I´ll let you know if someone do ;-)

Photography: Trine Thorsen

Styling: Gerdur Hardardottir

Paper or plastic?

If I would have to choose between products made out of paper or plastic, I would definately say I´m a paper girl. Just look at these wonderful creations from Japanese Onao. Their collection SIWA, made in collaboration with industrial designer Naoto Fukasawa are just gobsmacking! The products are made from Naoron, a special paper developed by ONAO. The great thing about this amazing paper product is that it´s durable (does not tear easily) and washable! SIWA is the reversing of the characters in the word WASI (washi), which means "crinkle" in Japanese.

Images found on Onao.co.jp