I’ve got a treat for you today in the form of another ‘Mental wellbeing, my home and me’ – my blog series interviewing creatives about the connection between our interior spaces and how they make us feel.
Angela Tye and Christina Thaisen are two very talented, small business female founders that bonded over a love of honest, considered design and the beauty of nature in the home. Angela heads up Graen, a creative studio specialising in design-led products for the art and practice of growing plants, while Christina is the founder of NABO London, an online design shop that celebrates function and craftsmanship.
The duo first met via an Instagram post of mine and pre-lockdown, decided to work together on a collaborative photo series centred on home, health and horticulture. The idea was to show that good design and the calm of nature can help to create a sanctuary in the home. The resulting images, all shot in Christina’s London home, showcase an elegant, timeless space that has a sense of tranquility and stillness, focusing on pockets of detail that bring nature to the fore. The pared-back setting provides the perfect neutral backdrop to highlight objects from Graen and NABO London‘s collections.
Here, I talk to Angela and Christina about bringing nature indoors and finding comfort in everyday rituals and simple surroundings.
All images: Angela Tye of Graen and Christina Thaisen of NABO London – shot in Christina’s London home.
Hey Angela and Christina, how are you both feeling at the moment?
A: Good, thank you! The studio has just closed for a summer break, so I’m looking forward to having time and space to recharge and gather lots of fresh inspiration.
C: I’m feeling quite tired today to be honest. Juggling motherhood and running a business isn’t easy. Happy and content though.
For those who don’t know you, can you tell us a bit about yourself and what you do?
A: I’m the founder of Graen, we’re a creative studio and online store celebrating the beauty of nature. We specialise in design-led products for the art and practice of growing plants.
C: I’m the founder of NABO London, an online design shop favouring craftsmanship and function. I’m Danish born but have been living in London for the past 7 years with my partner and our two boys. I am very passionate about new designers and artists and I am working towards making NABO a design community that supports and promotes new talents. I also work as a photographer to support my dream of building up NABO.
How did you two meet and what made you decide to work together on this photo series?
C: Angela and I met through Instagram and it was actually one of your posts that connected us. We started a conversation online and soon decided to meet up in real life. When we met up the first time we exchanged experiences of running a (small) business and we talked about Copenhagen, a city that we both hold very dear. That was when the seed was sown for us to share ideas and collaborate on a project. We decided to work together because we felt that there was alignment in how we think about doing business and how horticulture and interior design complement each other in creating calm and balanced spaces. We shot the photo series in my home but all objects are from either Graen or NABO.
How was lockdown for you both – what has brought you comfort while you’ve been spending more time at home?
A: I’ve always enjoyed spending time at home and having so much extra time with my partner has been a special gift to treasure. Also spending time every day on our small balcony, making a ritual out of sowing seeds and watching them grow was a great comfort.
C: I gave birth just before lockdown so the first part of lockdown was quite overwhelming. But after settling in it brought me comfort to share so much time at home with my family – like a maternity leave for the whole family.
When did you first become aware of the impact your surroundings can have on your mental wellbeing?
A: It was always something I was conscious of, but after moving from London to Copenhagen a few years ago and back again, I became really conscious of my possessions, why I had them and how they contributed to creating a comforting, home environment and how that impacted on my mental wellbeing.
C: My family has always shown appreciation for good design so I remember being aware of it from a very young age. When we moved to London we brought all our furniture and belongings with us, without them it just wouldn’t feel like home.
What influence does nature have on your home and mood? How do you like to bring nature inside?
A: Nature is an integral part of my home and mood. Living in the city with little access to green space means the home is a sanctuary for me. Bringing nature indoors is uplifting, alleviating anxieties and acts as a constant reminder that there is more than the four brick walls I’m surrounded by. Our home is filled with lots of plants, fresh and dried flowers or foliage that are foraged or locally bought and nature inspired artwork.
C: I like to have an emphasis on natural materials and organic shapes throughout my home. I guess I find comfort in a simple and honest aesthetic.
What makes you feel most calm at home – is it a certain object or corner, or is it more an ambience or feeling you’ve created?
A: Any area where there is most natural light, it brings me calm and balance. I often follow the light around the home, so I sit and work where it is strongest during the day.
C: For me it’s definitely the ambience we’ve created. It’s important for me to know that the design we bring into our home is aesthetically pleasing, but it is just as important that it is meant to be used, that the materials we choose get patina instead of being ruined, that each scratch adds a layer to the story of an object. It makes me calm to know there’s room for all of us and for life to be lived.
What little rituals help you feel uplifted and inspired in your home?
A: Lighting a candle, or burning an essential oil blend. Also tending to my plants and having a reshuffle of objects.
C: I like that things aren’t too static and I find it quite relaxing to move things around. It’s my kind of meditation.
What’s the one thing (which isn’t a person or a pet!) that you couldn’t live without in your home?
A: My plants. It just wouldn’t feel like home without them.
C: Our Arne Jacobsen Ant dining chairs. My sons are now the 4th generation eating dinner sitting on those chairs. It’s a testament that good design can last a lifetime and beyond.
What’s the one piece of advice you’d give to someone looking to create a calm, comforting space at home?
A: Use natural lighting as best as you can and work with the space that you have. Bringing nature into the home doesn’t have to mean creating an indoor jungle – a simple, single stem in a vase or a beautiful, botanical inspired print can be just as effective.
C: I’m all for a slow approach to decorating so my best advice would be to think about how you use the space, choose with your heart and buy things that last.
Thank you so much for chatting to us! Where can people find you online?
A: https://www.graenstudios.com/ and @graenstudios on Instagram
C: Thanks for interviewing us, Cate. People can find the online shop at https://www.naboshop.com/ and @nabolondon on Instagram
