When I first met Annetta in a design shop that sunny day in Mitte a few years ago, SALTY Interiors had not yet been born. But already back then, I could sense her inner drive and ambition to create something of her own. And not much later after our first “date”, she went off to join forces with her best friend and soul sister Ellinor to build a powerhouse of Scandinavian interior styling in Germany, hustling under the name of – you guessed right – SALTY Interiors.
I love that Annetta and Ellinor always work with those clean lines and soft colours about them. This is a detail shot of the Mammoth chair by Norr11. Snuggle ready. © SALTY Interiors
Seeing the results of the grit of my two fellow Nordic women; seeing how they set up their own business in Germany, introducing a new kind of voice for our Nordic traditions in design and style here beyond “Lagom” and “Hygge“, is so inspiring. The best way I could think of to honour their success was by sharing their story.
So here’s to the positive energy and absolute wicked ladyboss-ness of the founders of SALTY Interiors, Ellinor Belvén and Annetta Kristjánsdóttir!
Another great shot where SALTY mixes warm hues, simple lines with handmade details to create their own Nordic design language. © SALTY Interiors
What’s it been like to open an interior styling business in Berlin’s startup scene?
Honestly speaking setting up SALTY in Berlin could not have been better timed. We were convinced there was a need for a business like ours. Once we got started, our conviction was proven right. Ever since launching SALTY we have been booked to max capacity with jobs!
A beautiful shot of morning light on this Trivial Projects table and HAY vase. © SALTY Interiors
Also, we are working on a much larger variation of projects than we thought we would be in the beginning. We all know the interior world is small. But we feel like there are so many possibilities when it comes to getting jobs, in Berlin and beyond.
Instagram has paved way for a massive following for Nordic design on the German market which was not that established even just a few years ago. With SALTY Interiors, we want to bring Scandinavian design to Berlin. We have definitely been welcomed with open arms.
Working on a styling shoot is a collaboration, here Annetta and Ellinor picked out this beautiful woven rug by About the Knots, this grey couch by Formal A, and cushions by Roros Tweed. Photo by Chris Abatzis. © SALTY Interiors.
What are the biggest challenges you’ve faced so far?
Setting up a business in a foreign country has definitely been tricky. It’s always a bit draining to adjust to a language which is not your mother-tongue, especially when you are dealing with bureaucracy. But at the end of the day we always find a way to make things work. It comes in handy that we both have boyfriends who are fluent in German too ;).
Annetta and Ellinor bring in everything from big brands to family-run businesses into their shoots. These little spritzers you can find on Schramm, a German family-run firm established in 1923. © SALTY Interiors
Without a shadow of a doubt, our biggest reward has been to see we are still confident we made the right decision to start our own company, this many months into the job. It wasn’t easy giving up a good, regular paying job with a set routine. But we were both set on our idea. It has definitely paid off!
Work work work work…but in style. Prints are from Junique. © SALTY Interiors
Do you have any golden tips to share for setting up your own design business?
I’d say take it easy and put down your ideas on paper first. Think about what you want to do and look for others in the same field. It never hurts to contact people, even if you don’t know them. We’ve noticed people are often flattered to be asked for a giving tips. It’s very useful to talk to someone that has been through the same things you will be going through.
What if Monday mornings looked more like this? This is a close up on family run bedding and beds company Schramm. © SALTY Interiors
However, prepare yourself for the fact that you might not make money in the first 6 months. It’s important to stay open-minded and take on jobs that might not pay well in the beginning. With time, you will establish yourself on the market with experiences behind you that has taught you valuable lessons about how to run your business.
So to sum up; assist others in the field, take on “pro bono” jobs, be active and visible. With a little patience and persistence, you will create a name for yourself!
Annetta and Ellinor also work with fashion brands like Z Labels Mint & Berry, to create a personal feel to their shoots. Here also featuring Swedish design brand Granit and Finnish rug company Finarte. © SALTY Interiors
Do you have any role models that inspire your work?
We have a ton of people that inspire us. Every day we find new people on Instagram and online that we think “god damn, this work is amazing”. What we love the most about following these talented people is that it also keeps us on our toes. It inspires us and SALTY Interiors to become better – to think more creatively. We strive to be the best versions of ourselves every day as a result.
The ladybosses behind SALTY – Ellinor (left) and Annetta (right). © SALTY Interiors
If we could mention one person that is truly a reason for why we are in this business, it would be Ilse Crawford. Her work is definitely one of our biggest sources of inspiration. We are her biggest fans! And if you don’t know who she is, watch the Netflix documentary Abstract.
Who would you like to work with in the future? Do you have any dream projects?
Our dream project would be to collaborate with a contemporary architect to furnish a boutique hotel in the forest. It would be an absolute dream to work on ideas from “first sketch” to “opening day”. Another project we are dying to do with SALTY Interiors is a design collaboration with a brand. If one day we could create something together with one of our favourite Scandinavian design houses… oh, it would be so wonderful!
The SALTY ladies love collaborations to support the local market, here they used art prints from Münich based Belgian designer Sarah Coco Lapine in their shoot. © SALTY Interiors
And finally, what’s coming up for SALTY? Any fab projects we can look forward to?
The next few months are already looking very packed indeed! We have lots of things up our sleeve to look forward to. More home staging, a Christmas photoshoot, specials for social media and so on. Last but not least, our most exciting project is preparing for the launch of our very own print collection for November. We will also be featured in a very big publication at the beginning of next year, but we can’t reveal too much about it all yet…stay tuned :P!
You absolute design stars, thank you so much Annetta and Ellinor!
Keep up with SALTY on Instagram or get in touch with them for your next styling project on their website! Also read this great article by Tino Chibebe about SALTY Interiors on BVLPS magazine, another great insight into their work.
These girls mean business. Hurrah to SALTY’s Annetta (left) or Ellinor (right)! It was a pleasure talking to you! © SALTY Interiors