STELLA NOVA
VISITING ANETTE ELFRIDA
IN HER PRIVATE HOME, ØSTERBRO
CONCEPT DESIGNER
@ANETTEELFRIDA / @AFEW_ATELIER
Trine: WE HAVE TALKED A LOT ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COUNTRYSIDE AND CITYLIFE - WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU?
Anette: A change of pace.
Trine: IS THAT GOOD?
Anette: Yes.
Trine: WHY?
Anette: Because it stimulates different senses and there are pros and cons to both of them.
Trine: IF YOU HAD TO PICK... WHAT WOULD YOU PREFER?
Anette: Then I would live in the countryside and work in the city.
Trine: SO YOU DON'T WANT TO CHOOSE?
Anette: Maybe not… I have lived like that for a couple of years and it worked really well for me. I felt the heartbeat of the city when I was there, and when I returned home I became grounded by the countryside scenery.
Trine: BUT NOW YOU HAVE MOVED BACK INTO THE CITY AGAIN... AND INTO THE VERY HEART OF IT - HOW IS THAT?
Anette: It feels like it is pulsating… There are incredibly many impressions, but I am very fortunate to have a lot of nature right outside my window, and that means a lot to me. Then I of course have my two dear children here in Copenhagen as well. Both us, the grown-ups, and youngsters enjoy each other's company. I also love what the city can offer - the spontaneity, the endless possibilities… Meeting friends, opening new doors and experiencing the art, over all just become inspired by the city’s many scenarios which are happening in between the simplicity and the glamorous.
Trine: DO YOU MISS THE COUNTRYSIDE?
Anette: I do, but I am privileged enough to have friends and family who often invite me and give me the opportunity to get some grass under my feet. I love nature and the tranquility, and in a way I feel quite restless in the city.
Trine: IT IS FUNNY - I CAN FEEL QUITE RESTLESS IN THE COUNTRYSIDE AT TIMES.
Anette: I think it is because I have the feeling of constantly being at work when in the city. I am such an aesthetic and visual person, that I often feel bombarded by all the impressions and I constantly see things that can be optimised, because I simply can’t help myself from spotting the details in the totality of it all…. That problem doesn’t exist in nature. It is just lovely and green and everything is wonderful. The city is constructed while nature is completely its own masterpiece.
Trine: THE ACT OF MOVING, I THINK DOES SOMETHING GOOD FOR US AS WELL... NOT FOR THINGS TO ALWAYS BE THE SAME AND SEEING THE CONTRASTS MORE CLEARLY... I LOVE CONTRASTS.
Anette: I am sure it does - and contrasts are important - they move us as people too.
Trine: DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING SPECIFIC IN MIND?
Anette: You are forced to transform yourself when you change your surroundings. You have to make new decisions and find new ways of doing things.
Trine: ARE YOU SAYING YOU THINK IT IS HEALTHY TO MOVE?
Anette: Yes, maybe… But of course also disruptive. I don’t think you can analyse your way out of it, your heart has to be in it too and you need time to land properly.
Trine: I HAVE DEFINITELY MOVED MANY TIMES IN MY LIFE... SO I HAVE REALLY BEEN EXERCISING MY BRAIN AND YOU ARE PROBABLY RIGHT - IT IS THE OPPOSITE OF STAGNATION AND ROUTINE AND BY DEFAULT IT BECOMES A SORT OF FUEL TO LIFE.
Anette: I agree. It is challenging - you are swimming in deep waters and you can’t rely on the safety of routines. When that is said, I am actually a bit conservative and really like traditions and repetitions. The sense of belonging, affiliation and togetherness are important values for me.
Trine: YOU ALSO WORK VISUALLY WITH TRANSFORMATION?
Anette: Yes, but in my work as a concept designer, I am also very concerned with the original viewpoint in order to preserve the already existing beauty, and transform it into the present time. Here it doesn’t matter if it is a room or a brand that needs transformation.
Trine: AND THEN IT AGAIN COMES BACK TO THE CONTRASTS - THE NEW AND THE OLD...
Anette: Yes - and that things are allowed to stand out from the crowd and have it’s own artistic vein. It is uplifting when you can spot something genius and exclusive in the details of something. It can occur in many places; art, design or spaces.
Trine: I UNDERSTAND THAT VERY WELL - AND THAT WAY IT ALSO BRINGS MORE PERSONALITY TO THINGS. IT IS WHAT'S PERSONAL, WHICH IS THE IMPORTANT ELEMENT BECAUSE IT IS WHAT'S AUTENTIC. I THINK WE ALL ARE DRAWN TO WHAT IS AUTHENTIC.
Anette: Yes, to me realness and authenticity are the most important and I find that to be true in all aspects of life. Life is full of nuances. Passion is important and without it there is nothing, no drive.
Trine: YES, PASSION CAN'T REALLY BE BENT OR CONFORMED... AND IN THE END THAT MIGHT BE WHY YOU CAN'T CHOOSE BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE COUNTRYSIDE - BECAUSE IN REALITY IT DOESN'T MATTER.
Anette: Life is lived looking forward, but might be best understood when looking back. You have to try things before you can land, and some of us land many times in life. Others never land, but are constantly seeking something changeable. And maybe only through trying and changing do you find out where you feel at home. In the grand scheme of things the most important thing is love. That you have people from your tribe with you in the life you have built. So you literally can sit down together at any long-table together, no matter where you are; city or countryside.
Trine: THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME ANETTE, AND FOR WANTING TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS.
