What created your passion for Danish design?
Growing up in London with a family in Copenhagen due to my Danish Mor (mother), my summers were often spent at my grandparents’ home in Frederiksberg or at our wood-cabin-style summer house along the coast. These spaces were filled with mid-century design elements that left their mark on my aesthetic inspirations. My passion stems from growing up surrounded by original timeless furniture and accessories even down to the Arne Jacobsen cutlery and glassware designs that I still have today. My Mor and her natural flair for interiors and background in fashion were a significant source of inspiration for me, and I owe much of my love for design to her.
While there is some knowledge of Danish design here in Los Angeles, overall awareness and access to Danish brands are limited, despite an appreciation for mid-century design (thanks to the local presence of the Stahl, Neutra and Eames houses). My aspiration is to bridge this gap, drawing upon the undercurrent of artistic expression rooted in Los Angeles’ Hollywood background and the community of creatives within the city. I am confident that they will embrace what I can bring as I see myself replicating my business from London in LA.
You’re based in Los Angeles. How do you adapt the principles of Danish design (minimalism, timelessness, functionality) to resonate with LA’s tastes and needs?
Despite the scale of Los Angeles and the millions living here, what I love is the relaxed energy – I think it has to be the fact that we are surrounded by the Pacific and mountain ranges as the inner hub is non stop! There are so many canyons and areas of nature to escape to easily, which I love.
Los Angeles residents, known as Angelinos, embrace a personal space that is relaxed, and calming for the mind to counter the pace and heat of the city. This is part of my goal here – to create an oasis for my clients, with a Danish twist. Due to the nature of the indoor-outdoor lifestyle, there is an ease I see in creating spaces that embrace the indoor-outdoor lifestyle, like how they do in Scandinavia. There is naturally more sunlight which is exciting to play with as a designer and stylist.
I’ve noticed that people in Denmark, much like here in Los Angeles, spend considerable time in their homes. In Denmark, the atmosphere is laid-back, and the Scandinavian lifestyle celebrates the concept of “hygge,” creating a cosy and inviting environment for entertaining friends and relaxing with family in comfortably crafted, timeless furniture. I’ve always loved open-plan spaces that seamlessly blend indoor and outdoor living, and despite the contrasting climates between Denmark and Los Angeles, the Danes’ love to be outdoors no matter the weather! It’s one of those known facts that the Danes jump into the North or Baltic Sea whatever the weather!
You recently launched Stina Collection by Studio Haslund. Why this development for the studio?
I wanted to create an online destination for a curated collection specific to my local client base. It was prompted by my decision to showcase Nina K Ekman’s work here in Los Angeles back in June at my pop-up. For me, my home and studio merge into one space and I enjoy showing pieces here so my clients can see them in situ.
It is a way of showing a selection of pieces and introducing people to the brand’s collections, which I have access to the entirety. It is an organic process, and I am excited to see where it goes. I see it as one of the limbs of my Creative Studio!
What inspires you?
It’s hard to say as there are so many things that inspire me creatively. If I had to pick one, it would be nature. From a colour and texture perspective, there is so much to take from that. The endless shades of green on trees, a pop of colour from a flower, the dappled light in the sky or sunlight as it hits the ocean. Being in nature creates a feeling I like to emulate in my interiors. The expanse of the sky or water always calms me, and I try to bring that ’space’ into my projects. I seem to often lean into shades of blue so that would explain why!
Living in Los Angeles, I am inspired by the Modernist architecture and how these buildings play on the abundance of light, providing natural contrasts, shapes and shadows.
I look for those areas in a home where the contrasts, forms and shapes are most enhanced. Depending on where something is positioned in a room is pertinent as factors such as the time of day or function of the space are important to how I choose to lay out a space.
