Marcus Lawett

IKEA’s Creative Offices in Malmö, Sweden, were designed by Nanna Lagerman–a multidisciplinary designer, creative director, curator and stylist. Based in Stockholm, Nanna has previously worked with IKEA on numerous publications–and her work on this space speaks of her vision and creativity.


















For this project, Nanna and her collaborator–interior designer, Nina Warnolf, wanted to find out what happens when you have a board meeting in a room with plywood walls or sit on a spectacular sofa with plywood cubes instead of tables. They kept the best interior features like the beautiful parquet floors, decorative ceilings and structures intact and they decided to restore them.

Each room in the hub has its own feel and its own personality, which makes it a different experience for the teacher–one day they could be writing on the walls and the next they could spend their time in an all-pink room decked out with (also pink) curtains.

Only one word: Stunning.

Anna Pirkola

One of the biggest human struggles since the beginning of modern times has been the attempt to achieve a balanced life. We push, pull and try to fit everything in, falsely believing that we can be everywhere and do everything all at once–spreading ourselves thin.

If you were born in the late 80’s like me, you can attest to the revolution of technology. Life as we knew it changed before our eyes . . . suddenly everything went wireless, we no longer needed booth phones to call when away from home, video games were all the rage and all we could hear was that technology was here to make our lives easier.

What started off as something that could ease the pace of our lives, ended up making us feel dissatisfied. It’s made us work harder, longer and feel a constant sense of unfulfillment. It’s like we cannot ever achieve our goals. Technology was supposed to connect us . . . but it’s pulled us away from real life–to the point where we now understand the difference between being “in” and “out of” real life (well, some of us still do).

I used to think that faster was better. Only a year ago I was living my life like a race, doing everything on autopilot and living my entire life logged on, isolated from the real world–incapable of switching off even for the sake of my health or my relationships.



The non-stop mentality is making us sick. In my book 30 Days To Minimal Blogging I explain how my response to anxiety in the past was to do more, to try harder and to never, ever stop hacking at the things that were difficult to deal with. We are tackling our challenges in the wrong way; we are doing more than ever but in that we are getting less and less life out of our days.

Fast living at all times isn’t natural; the bigger, better, stronger philosophy is what brought us fast food–a disconnect with what we put on our plates. It’s made way for big chains, for dehumanizing services, for automating our consumption–without truly making things that once used to be an experience, what they should be.

That’s why after spending my life trapped in the "do-not-stop" and the "boss-everything" mantras, I reached the tipping point and I needed to rewire the way I defined living.

I’ve said this before: that often times the answer to changing a radical point of view is to start with a new radical approach and tweak that. So, my response to my fast-paced life was to make a 180 degree turn and start living slowly. Rethinking my approach to work, to myself, to my family, my relationships and my surroundings. In other words, I started being mindful.

The Slow movement is not just about diminishing the speed at which we do things–it’s about being aware of ourselves and the things outside ourselves, about understanding when the right time is to be slow and when it’s time to be fast–and recognizing the difference at all times.



Certainly, living on the slow side is a challenge in this modern era we live in and it has doubly so been a challenge for me and for my business. We live in times where people feel entitled to a response almost immediately as they send in an email, where everything is urgent and no one can wait. I’ve had to force myself to comply with a daily schedule, to switch off on my weekends, to connect more outside of social media and find gratification in simple things–in cooking a simple meal, in spending 15 minutes in meditation, in having a conversation with my daughter and sitting in the learner’s seat once in a while.

By taking simple actions in our lives, we contribute to everyone’s life–we add significance to the lives of the people we love, we contribute to our communities by buying local, we say no to dehumanizing treatment by making better choices. We re-educate people to wait and at the same time we allow ourselves to be better at what we ourselves do.

It’s imperative for our health and our happiness that we learn to slow down by doing what we can to add more life to our days and we that we collectively start redefining what’s truly good and what it means to be truly stronger.

It is time for all of us to remember that slow can also be a good thing.

Rylee+Cru


I have an innate inability to make myself feel uncomfortable in the name of fashion. It’s something that was probably built into me from the womb. There’s not a single picture of me as a baby OR a toddler all dolled up–and I clearly recall feeling itchy at the mere suggestion that I should put on a ruffled dress or pair of tights for dinner out when I was a kid.

My mother... the badass! She had to raise me at a time when fashion for girls was either full-on “toilet paper doll cover” (remember those?) or being often referred to as a boy-which I was (ALL the time) but I couldn’t care less; playing on the floor while wearing a yard of taffeta wasn’t even a question.

My go-to outfit: A long (often batman) t-shirt, shorts and tevas. Yes. Tevas.




































The fashion industry has become more inclusive when it comes to kid’s clothes and I believe we owe that to the small-independent designers and studios, pushing the envelope and allowing our kids to be themselves–creating fashion that is not only comfortable but that they can identify with, no matter what their style or needs are.

Rylee + Cru does just that: it’s fun, encouraging, ludic and practical. It’s real, fuss-free clothing that kids approve of–and their newest collection guarantees a lot more moments of play for our little ones... which translate into a whole lot more memories made for all of us.

Oscar Properties


One of the biggest misconceptions when it comes to minimalism is that a minimal style and a mindful life automatically tie in together. It isn't necessarily like that... and believing that is a tad naive. I know a lot of people who are put off by the idea of minimalism because they see it as an excuse or a hypocritical form of consumerism.

Let’s all be clear in that minimalism, YES, is a way of life–maybe even a socioeconomic response–but it’s also a STYLE; and while both things can merge and create a life of simplicity and frugality, we shouldn't impose that vision on anyone. Like anything else, it's a personal choice.

The simplicity movement/stripped down interiors became a trend (as I mention it in this post) in response to previous movements, like the ones of the 70's and 80's that were visually impactful and often visually polluting. Everyone who took on the movement of "less is more" has done it according to their own beliefs and their own limitations.

Innovation is also part of what minimalism is. There are a plethora of ground-breaking work that has sprung from its evolution. Those who want to embrace every facet of minimalism should do it without having to dodge the angry remarks of people who dismiss it–and those who want to make it just about "stuff" can.

Minimalism can be as prudent or as lavishing as anything can be–and there are no rights or wrongs.











Oscar Engelbert, CEO & Founder of Oscar Properties, created his Architecture and Design Firm with the intention of developing modern homes that could blend the history of each building, visually-impacting modern design and the understanding of how people want to live. That’s why he’s focused on old and new buildings equally, making his primary concern to create strong and unique housing concepts, where architecture and design are important elements. Something that, in his opinion, goes a step beyond ordinary simplicity.

NYBROGATAN 19 is one of the firm's newest projects. The converted farmhouse is now two penthouse apartments that offer a series of accommodation. The focus for this project was to evoke "a feeling of peace" in each apartment, regardless of the size or price. The free flow concept allowed the firm to give all their attention to perfecting finishings (grey marble, light parquet floors, fully integrated appliances, etc), generous hidden storage and a harmonious and contemporary living quarter.












This project concludes one thing–and that is the premise of minimalism not being vague. It’s, in fact, something that can accommodate everything and everyone. Minimalism is a realm of things. It's style. It's a way of living. It's simplicity... whenever, wherever and however we choose it to be.