Friluftsliv: A Print Collaboration with Coco Lapine
I’ve been keeping a secret this summer that I’ve been counting down the days until I could talk about it. Finally - my print collaboration with Coco Lapine is live and I can share the details with you!
I’ve admired Sarah’s beautiful prints and Nordic-themed blog for several years, and was delighted to meet her in person in Copenhagen at Three Days of Design this spring. Sarah, known as Coco Lapine online, is a Belgian designer based in Munich. Her passion for design shines through her beautiful blog posts and stylish collection of prints. When she approached me with the idea of creating a print collection together, I jumped at the chance to collaborate with someone whose work I love.
The set of prints feature four of my photographs taken on my first trip to Norway in 2017, based on my fascination with the Norwegian concept of friluftsliv (literally translated as ‘free air life’). This concept is all about spending as much time as possible outdoors and embracing the weather - rather than hiding away indoors during the winter months, wrapping up warm and heading outdoors to admire the landscapes. This is how I wanted to spend my time in Norway; I didn't want to hide away from the cold weather, I wanted to embrace it. I spent most of my time outdoors, in the wildness surrounding Oslo, sledging and hiking in the hills. You can read more about that trip here.
To celebrate the launch of the collection, I caught up with Sarah to ask her a few questions about her work …
What made you decide to start selling prints?
I studied Product Design in University and always had an affinity with graphic design and illustration, which I could express without limits while I was still in school. When I started to work full time as a designer though, I was missing a creative outlet and started to create art prints. This was at roughly the same time as I started my blog and soon I was creating art prints that would fit within the interiors that I was sharing on my blog. The print shop grew bigger and bigger and I’m so happy that my prints have made their way in homes all over the world.
Where do you look for inspiration?
I know this probably sounds cliché, but I find inspiration everywhere. Sometimes it’s Pinterest, often it’s nature in all its glory or a visit to a museum. Inspiration usually strikes when you are doing something else though. I love it when creativity strikes in the most unexpected moments. When I don’t feel creative or lack inspiration, I will usually get away from my office and do something else. This always does the trick.
How did you become interested in Nordic design?
Around 8 years ago I moved into my first apartment and I was looking for inspiration to decorate it. I then discovered so many inspiring Scandinavian interiors, which I soon after started sharing on my blog. After a first visit to Copenhagen in that year, I was so inspired that I never looked back and became absolutely passionate about Nordic design and its culture. Ever since 8 years ago I have been sharing one interior a day on my blog that inspires me.
Do you feel inspired during winter? Is it one of your favourite seasons?
I live in Munich, Germany, where the winter is quite rough (not as cold as Oslo, where the Friluftsliv collection is shot though), but I love the coziness that comes with it. Even though I’m not such a fan of the darkness, I love snow and the way it transforms a landscape into something truly magical. I think the friluftsliv concept makes so much sense and I always make sure to not let a day go by without leaving the house and go outside to enjoy some fresh air. I don’t really have a favorite season, they all have something unique about them.
SHOP THE COLLECTION
NIGHTFALL PRINT
All photographs in this blog post are taken by Sarah Van Peteghem