I love Scandinavian homes with tones of earthy green, grey or chestnut accents. But every now and then a Danish home pops up with vibrant hues which catch the light and brighten up my feed. They are like a happy breath of fresh air!
Tanja Gotthardsen's apartment in Aarhus is one of those. Her interior is full of wonderful vintage finds and colourful art, and accessories against a backdrop of luminescent blue and pink. I wrote to Tanja to find out more about her lovely Aarhus home and was excited to discover that there's more than to the apartment than meets the eye. Tanja is a huge advocate for sustainability. The Dane runs a consultancy business which helps sustainable brands and businesses communicate their efforts and her home is testimony to her commitment to using sustainable brands. Read on to find out more!
How do you work with brands?
At the mom moment, so many businesses are greenwashing, rather than doing the actual work. I strive to help make the honest, ethical and environmentally responsible brands stand out from the crowd. I also hold public talks, panel debates and run a consumer oriented blog, where we discuss subjects such as material innovation and human rights - subjects that are also touched upon on my
instagram.
How does your own home decor reflect your ambition?
My decor is primarily made up of second hand finds which I've collected over the years having visited everything from flea markets and thrift shops to more curated vintage boutiques. I also have a few more recent purchases from sustainable brands that I've worked with.
Are there any particular Scandinavian home decor brands you would recommend?
For sustainably made furniture, I would look towards
TAKT CPH and
Make Nordic. Their furniture and materials are certified sustainable, and they put a lot of effort into ensuring pieces that will last a lifetime. Our
couch is from Make Nordic.
For softer elements, such as cushions, throws and bedding, I would suggest
Mumutane (socio-economic), Ordinary Things (organic and socially responsible) and
Aiayu (organic and socially responsible).
For vintage / secondhand I would keep an eye on
Curated CPH for art prints and
The Basement for furniture, lamps and vases.
The wall colours in your home are so beautiful - is the paint also from a sustainable brand?
The paint I've used is what we call in danish 'naturmaling' - it's a chalk-based paint without any harsh additives. It's made locally by Linoliebutikken - run by a couple who have developed the chalk-paint over the decades. They use the most beautiful pigments in their paints, and it makes the walls extremely vibrant and changeable throughout the day.
Do you have any tips on how to decorate our homes in a more sustainable way?
Absolutely. My best tip is to remember that the most sustainable item, is the one you already own. Use as much as you can of what you already have. When you want to purchase something new, be honest and ask yourself: "how much will I actually use and treasure this?" After that, start asking questions about how sustainable it is. Many brands postulate sustainability but can't elaborate. Ask them how they ensure it is environmentally friendly and ethically made. You may initially find it difficult to discern the trustworthiness of their answers, but the very act of asking the question will in itself push for change.
If you wish to learn more, we're am entire community of sustainability advocates that can teach you how to dig deeper.
What a beautiful home! - The colours, the furniture, the accessories, everything!
Thank you so much to Tanja for sharing these pictures and talking about how to create a more sustainable home - the Danish way. Truly inspiring!
My first stop is that paint shop!
I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below.
How about kicking off the week with a tour of more delightful Aarhus homes?
Wishing you aa wonderful start to the week! See you Wednesday*
Niki
*I'll be posting three days a week over the summer in order to wind down and spend a little more time with family (Monday, Wednesday and Friday)
17
