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Make-over: A Magnificent Berlin Studio



I think it's time for a new mini make-over episode, how about you?! This time I thought we'd head to Berlin and the awe-inspiring studio of Our Food Stories and Design Tales (take a look at previous before + afters in the series here and here). The brainchild of creative duo Laura and Nora, Our Food Stories is a culinary feast for the eyes and has garnered a following of close to 1 million Instagram followers who stop by each day to get recipes (read more about the pair and their work and take a look inside their homes in this interview). Let's dive in and find out how they transformed the first floor of a derelict warehouse into a stunning studio for cooking, food styling, photography, workshops and events.

Oh and thank you so much to the series sponsor Builders Bay - an amazing online marketplace for builders, renovators and DIYers where you can buy and sell surplus materials, architectural salvage and ex display stock! Perfect!



Our Food Stories started out five years ago from a small studio in the countryside, one hour drive from Berlin. The tranquil setting was wonderful since it offset the stresses and strains of setting up a business, "It really rescued us, since the first years of building up our own company have been so stressful." However, the blog became increasingly popular and they eventually grew out of it. "It made sense to look for somewhere closer to home, so in the summer of 2015 we started to look for a Studio in Berlin."

Since natural light is a key element in their photography, it was important to find a space with at least one North facing window. Known as 'reflected light', north light is popular among artists since it bathes the subject in the same cool ambience throughout the day - giving artists and photographers greater control over their work (this has got me thinking about using the North facing windows in my home more!). The space would also need a high ceiling to fit their enormous tripod!



The pair went to view another property which wasn't quite right. However, from the window they spotted a building 500 metres away and immediately fell in love with the windows and the building which combined "nice and neat with old school charm". They passed by on spec and found that the first floor was still empty and had the perfect light (two north-facing windows) and height. Result!

 "When we saw the space for the first time we just could not believe it was still available to rent! The first thing we did was check the point of the compass and the second time we visited we brought some flowers and did a little test photo shooting."



Despite the incredible shell, the space was in desperate need of renovation. The walls were yellow, and some walls didn't even exist. It also had no bathroom.

Thankfully they would need to do little in the way of renovating themselves.

"If you rent a studio or flat in Germany the landlord has to give it to you in a good (renovated) condition. As a renter you don't normally have a big influence on the renovation, but luckily we could decide on a lot of the details, which we are very thankful for. "



The landlord prepped and painted the walls (white) and, at the request of Laura and Nora, installed an incredible concrete floor.

The original eight metre high ceiling was something of a photographers dream but they were warned by the landlord that their heating bill would be astronomical if they kept it and a result it was lowered by several metres. 

"We would never have lowered it, but the landlord told us that it would have been impossible to keep the space warm in the winter because the roof has no insulation."  

Overall though, the duo are delighted with the results of the renovation.



The pair used furniture and lighting to divide the vast room into a series of zones: "we created different corners, which allow us to create different set ups." But they were also keen to keep the space pared-back and clutter-free. "It’s very important to have a space that is not too packed, so when it gets messy during photo shootings, you still have enough space."


Being food stylists and photographers, the kitchen was a major focus. The pair spent a lot of time thinking about which kitchen to install, in the end settling on a kitchen from Frama. "It perfectly fits the industrial surroundings, we are so in love with it!"






Despite the white finish, Laura and Nora are pleased that they can see the outline of the original brick wall. The lines / texture also help to break up the empty expanse.



The pair had free reign to paint some of the walls and used paint from KABE Copenhagen to add nuance and texture. "We just chose by intuition which wall should get which colour."


 This mammoth tripod is one of the reasons they needed a studio with such a high ceiling!



"The way we choose the style of the interior comes naturally and is also kind of indirectly dominated (in a good way) by the space itself, its aura and its architectural character."



 "We love the mix of old and new! Our home in Berlin is more modern, with new danish design interiors, our home in the countryside more rustic, but also with a modern influence and our studio is kind of a mix of both with industrial elements."


"Some of the vintage furniture is from Ebay and a lot of the old tables and lamps were bought from J&V and Urban Industrial."






"We are so grateful and happy to work in this wonderful space."



Just WOW!! This is my absolute dream (I wonder if they need a kitchen hand - or even someone to do the washing up?!). Could you imagine settling in here each day?

In case you're looking to create something similar at work (or home), here's the low down on some of the items:
GET THE LOOK



1. Studio Kitchen - Frama
2. Semi Professional Coffee Machine
3. Gubi table
4. Marble Speakers
5. Midgard Workshop Lamp
6. Linen Kitchen Towels
7. Vienna Chairs
8. Adam Barstol
9. Enamel Factory Light
10. Chopping Board



The pair love to collaborate with other local talents. This incredible pampas cloud installation created by Mary Lennox spread across Pinterest like wildfire back in the autumn (it's easy to understand why!). 

But the key focus remains on the pairs passion for food so I was dying to know if the girls had a favourite recipe! I was told this was an extremely tricky question, since they love them all, but at a push Laura would go for the gluten free quince cheesecake with meringue and Nora the gluten free poppy seed cake.

Sound good to me!

For more mouth-watering recipes you must follow these ladies over on their blog and instagram: @ourfoodstories, and @designtales for interior inspiration! They also have a beautiful book available here.

Which leaves me with one question. Hands up who'd love to work from a studio like this and eat lots of cake?!

Thank you so much to Laura and Nora for showing us their studio! 

Have a wonderful weekend!



  
 All Photography: Courtesy of Our Food Stories / Design Tales.

* All words are my own, and I only ever work with brands and services I feel are of interest to my readers. This post also includes affiliated links which means that I make a very tiny amount of money (perhaps enough for a coffee and a choccy biccy from each post!) if you click or buy items. Thank you for supporting the businesses that make My Scandinavian Home possible.

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Workspace inspiration: A Norwegian design studio

Was it just me, or did the holidays go something like: 22nd December - BLINK - 10th January?! So typical! I've got so many work goals this year that I'm actually really excited to be back (is that annoying?!). My first goal (as always) is to re-arrange my office / studio space - perhaps I'll just get stuck on that for the year, who knows, but hey it's a start! This could be why my Pinterest workspace board has over 790 pins (obsessed, who me?!). I'm a big believer in how your environment affects you - and if you create a kick a*se workspace you can achieve anything, right?! This morning I stumbled across the beautiful, minimalist studio of Ask og Eng captured by Holly and Hedda of Avenue Design Studio. Norwegian duo Kine Ask Stenersen and Kristoffer Eng founded Ask og Eng in 2016 having built several sustainable kitchens and furniture for their own homes. Today they design and create bamboo kitchens and furniture for a wider audience out of their pared-back studio in Drammen, Norway. The studio has an airy, minimalist aesthetic with striking contrast. No guessing that Kristoffer is a trained architect (oh, how I could use a skill like that!).  








Photography: Avenue Design Studio

Kind of an easy space in which to keep a clear head wouldn't you say?! Love that there's no clutter too (although I know, personally I do like to have a lot around me!). How about you?

What really caught my eye is how their beautiful furniture and kitchen take centre stage - acting as a constant reminder of their vision. Definitely something to think about in our own workspaces?!

Is there anything that stands out to you?

I spy the DCW, ERA chair and Menu WM String chair and an old dutch teapot.

See more pics of Studio Ask og Eng over at the lovely Avenue Design Studio

If you're looking to give your workspace a bit of a spring clean (or total transformation - hey, why not?!) - there's loooooads of beautiful inspiration in the studio archive.

My workspace actually once rocked up on the front cover of an interior book (Everything in its Place) which I'm still so proud of today! Even so, I'm thinking it could use a little wood for warmth (vintage pieces?) and some colour too - what do you reckon? Thoughts welcome!

Have a wonderful day!

PS I really had better get packing now (see earlier post). I'm off to Hamburg first thing in the morning  and then will be heading to Hannover in the evening, quite the German adventure! If you feel like tagging along I'll be posting on Instagram stories along the way!

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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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The beautiful workspace revamp of an interior designer

If you took a peek at my Instagram stories yesterday you'll know I spent the day hanging out at My Scandinavian Home interior designer Genevieve Jorn's home. Gen is one of the few people I know that changes her home around more than I do (quite a feat!) - and this time I was over there to shoot her newly revamped office. You may remember the space from this feature (also beautiful!). Today, the dark green walls have been replaced with a soft 'antic grey' hue by Jotun and natural textures such as wood, rattan and wool have been added alongside beautiful pieces from MSH partner - Danish homeware brand Nordal. I really didn't want to leave by the end of the day, it's such a lovely, calm place to work! Here's a peek in detail....












Photography: Niki Brantmark. Home-owner / interior design: Genevieve Jorn

Isn't it lovely? Could you imagine working in a room like this?

Get the look from Gen's office:

1. Hippo head 2. Rack with 6 shelves 3. Wooden chair 4. Nature side table 5. Natural basket 6. Oriental canvas carpet 7. Nature folding table 8. Downtown chair

(Find a webshop that sells Nordal in your country here).

You might also like to check out Gen's sitting room, kitchen and bedroom - yup, she has the most beautiful home E.V.E.R!

Have a lovely day!

This post is brought to you in collaboration with Nordal. However, all words are my own and I only ever work with brands I absolutely love and think you will too! Thank you for supporting the businesses that help bring fresh content to your mail box and make My Scandinavian Home possible.

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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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