fine design from elisabeth dunker

Posted by Tiffany on June 7th, 2011    2 Comments »

It’s not hard to see where Elisabeth’s inspiration springs from if you are familiar with her blog. (and if you’re not, btw, you really should be- it’s counted as one of the Times Online’s 50 world’s best design blogs!)

Looking at Elisabeth’s photographs is to lose yourself in the deep green of Swedish summer, the rich patterns and textures of her home and world, the sweet imaginations of her children, and the timeless comfort that comes from all of her flea market finds.

photos: fine little day

It’s a wonderful place to get lost on a regular basis – I highly recommend it.

But that’s just what I see. Wouldn’t you rather hear it from Elisabeth herself? She tells us in her own words here in our exclusive interview.

FS: Where in Sweden did you grow up?

ED: I grew in a small town called Sandviken, located in the province (landskap) Gästrikland in Sweden.

elisabeth’s summer house. photo: fine little day

FS: How do you describe your design style?

ED: I belive that my style is rather disparate. It’s probably easier for someone else
to say something about that. But plain, dirty and naive maybe?

FS: How about your style at home – is it the same?

ED: It’s messy, mixed. Things all over at the moment. Almost never tidy. A lot of second hand items, books, dirty laundry. I do like our home, but it would be fun and nice to start from scratch again. To move, get everything down and start over. Get it a bit more Feng Shui. It’s not at all now, Feng Shui.

photos: fine little day

FS: What are some of your favorite things to have around you?

ED: My family and the cat.

elisabeth’s son and hiro the cat. photo: fine little day

FS: What do you find inspires you most?

ED: Well, the thing that absolutely inspires me most is to visit fleas and second hand stores. So I guess it would be kind of hard for me to Feng Shui my home. Yes it would be tough for me, really tough.

flea market finds. photo: fine little day

FS: Is there something in particular that you try to accomplish in your designs?

ED: The practial function is not my first or main focus. Decoration and eye candy is.

photo: fine little day

FS: How does a new design idea come together for you? Do you have a clear idea of the design you have in mind when you start or does it just emerge?

ED: I rarely have a clear idea of how things will come out in the end when I’m working with something. I can have glimpses or tones in my head that I try to follow and visualize. But since I work in a spontaneous way things tend to come out very randomly.

FS: How did you come up with Apple Papple?

apple papple. photo: fine little day

ED: I like the fundamental shape of an apple. I had a wish that it would be an apple in the end. It was not easy though. I worked a lot with that poster picture, did more versions of apples than I can count (exaggerating a bit). But the truth is that the last versions in the work folder on my computer don’t have very nice names. I was very mad, angry and frustrated at the end, it did not become what I wanted it to be. Someone else had to decide which version it should be. I still don’t know if it was the right one. But people tend to like him, I’m very greatful for that.

FS: What does his expression say to you? Does the big yellow guy have a story?

see apple papple in homes around the world in elisabeth’s customer gallery. photo: fine little day

ED: The expression, don’t know what to say about that. But I think he’s from Asia, and he’s a nice guy for sure.

FS: How did you come up with the product idea and illustrations for your Mama’s Little Olle tape?

photo: fromsthlm.com

ED: When I did the tape “Mors lilla Olle” I wanted to do something that felt a bit like the romantic picture that some people have of Sweden and its nature. Wanted it to have a Swedish flora and fauna with water lilies, firs, birches and animals that are walking around in our forests. I think it became pretty much what I wanted it to be when I first started. If you look close at it you can see animals like a bear, fox, hedgehog and a couple of ants. It even has a traditional Gärdsgård fence and a little red cottage (even if it is green on the tape).

FS: How about the Splash pillowcase- how did that one happen?

photo: fromsthlm.com

ED: The Splash pillowcase came up primarily from inspiration by a Swedish patchwork book.

inspiration came from a book on swedish patchwork, published by Liljevalchs. photo: fine little day

FS: In the series of illustrations in your postcards, each looks like it’s telling a story… can you let us in on any of their secrets?

ED: The postcards are a potpourri of my picture bank. Would like to leave the stories for the viewer to tell. Maybe someone who reads this can tell a little about what the pictures say them, that would be really interesting to me.

photo: fromsthlm.com

FS: That would be interesting to me too! That’s an invitation to you, yes you readers – please share their thoughts.

What is your biggest challenge right now?

ED: I’ve started running. I’ve been sitting in front of a computer for about 8 years. Now I’m moving again, that’s a big challenge for me.

photo: fine little day

FS: I can relate. So maybe it’s good we wrap this up. Final question – what are you most excited about next?

ED: Oh, wish I could tell you about that but it’s a secret. I can tell you that much that it is something that is going to be launched winter 2011, maybe not until Christmas. That part is not in my hands,the rest is though :)

FS: That’s a long time to keep us in the dark, E! :) But I know it will be well worth waiting for.

Thanks Elisabeth!

Bring the whimsy and charm of Elisabeth’s world into your own home with designs from Fine Little Day in the shop while they last, this month only!

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