What Decorates My Day interprets LINUM; 2

Lately we have been seeing clear indications that table settings are enjoying a big moment in interior design. There is a desire to be creative with details, and it is not unusual to see carefully curated layered solutions bringing placemats, runners and tablecloths together in tablescape perfection.

One person who is something of an expert in this field is designer, photographer and writer Emma Johansson, who runs the successful Instagram account What decorates my day and blogs under the same name on the Lovely Life portal. For our versatile HEDVIG collection’s spring campaign, we asked Emma to give her very own interpretation of the programme’s table textiles in her wonderful home. We also took the chance to ask for her tips on how you, our readers, can approach creating a dynamic, inviting feel with table dressings in different colours.

Using more than one colour in table settings can sometimes feel like a challenge. Can you share any tips on how to create a harmonious table setting with a wide colour spectrum?

I want people to take more risks with colour in general! Beige and grey are all well and good, but something happens to our senses when we surround ourselves with colour. One great idea is to pick out the colours of your flowers in your table setting. Right now I feel like practically any colour combinations are allowed, trend-wise, so dare to mix. Start with two accent colours and then build on that with other shades.

You are so inspiring! Tell us, where do you get your inspiration?

Thank you, that’s so kind! I find inspiration in just about everything I see. If I see a fabulous colour combination in nature, say, or in a flower bouquet or café or similar, I take a photo on my mobile so I won’t forget it. Sometimes I use apps like Hemnet or Pinterest to find concrete inspiration for jobs. But I get my daily dose from Instagram. And in every person I meet. I am constantly sucking up inspiration like a sponge, in everything I see and hear. I am always making notes in my mobile so I won’t forget.

How can we create a stylish table setting with a slight twist?

Add a bit of greenery – a dried flower on the napkin, for example. It’s also nice to scatter flower petals slightly carelessly on the tablecloth. I pinch them from my geraniums here at home if I don’t have any other flowers, and that can truly liven up any table setting.

You have recently published a fantastic book. Can you tell us a little bit about the book and how the idea came about to write it?

Yes, that’s right! It’s a diary for life planning. Essentially a normal diary with a weekly planner, but we have added personal development ideas throughout the year that help people to give themselves more space for planning and reflection, i.e. nice offline moments. Maria Wiig (the other half of Livsjournalen, the Life Journal) and I have both made our own journeys from salaried high-fliers to freelance creatives. The book was a way for us to share our experience and tools that helped us to follow our dreams. We have done it all ourselves. Our first edition sold out through our own webshop in eight weeks. We are currently approving a second edition for printing, which is fantastic.

How can people balance their work and private life as freelancers?

You don’t, haha. But my job is my passion, so I don’t always feel like I’m working. So for me personally that’s no problem – it’s probably my partner (and my friends) who have had to learn to live with me always working or never working, depending on how you look at it.

Do you have a dream project?

IF I do! We have just bought a holiday home, a farm in Överkalix, so right now I’m dreaming about turning the old house into our own paradise on earth. But we aren’t going to do it in a stress, it should take time so we get to both dream about and long for it.

See Emma’s Instagram here.
Visit Emma’s blog.

Get inspired by Emma’s first interpretation here.