All posts filed under: Design

Design created and curated by Caroline Ø Dalili for Dalili design

Saving space

This is the longer version of the article I wrote for BoConcept on my top five space saving tips.

As a Scandinavian designer and a Swede I know a thing or two about practical home interiors and minimalist living. Swedes love being practical. So much so that we sometimes forget, or don’t care about, how things look, as long as they fulfill their purpose. We are also used to living in small spaces, especially in the cities. Hence the birth of Scandinavian minimalism.* However the design of an object and how it looks is all part of it’s practicality. Form is function in my opinion. So here are my five top tips on how to save space both practically and beautifully. Read More

Designer Obsession – Patricia Urquiola

During this years Milan Design Week, Spazio Pontaccio launched the Crendenza collection. A series of furniture in stained glass inspired by the windows at holy sites created by industrial designer and architect Patricia  Urquiola and graphic designer Federico Pepe. This collection shows everything I like about Patricia Urquiolas work. Her designs are not constrained by a certain aesthetic and it boasts with magnificent shapes and playfulness. Now her work isn’t for everyone, but it isn’t meant for everyone either. And in that lies her strength. As a younger and much more inexperienced designer this fills me with awe and inspiration. Having the guts not to try to please everyone. At least that is what her designs say to me. Just like art, the interpretation of design is highly subjective and personal *note to self*. Read More

Trending – colored glass

Lately I’ve seen this trend popping up in my Instagram feed, on Pinterest and most everywhere. It’s totally trending! Beautiful glass furniture lightly colored in new and innovative ways. It’s a great way to integrate bright colors in an otherwise sober interior. And many sporting lush, round shapes, naturally I’m a big fan of those! Have a look below and see if you feel the same?

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Strong colors and shapes by Germans Ermičs

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Fantastic small tables in massive, thick glass by Saerom Yoon

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The Opalina series by Cristina Celestino for Tonelli

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Amazing lamp designs by Ladies & Gentlemen Studio

What do you think? Isn’t this trend amazingly welcome?


Click on each image for product source.

Daily sketch – Silk carpets

I’ve been thinking about doing a carpet design for a long time. But I haven’t know exactly what I wanted to do. From my experience of selling carpets I’ve learned that many times the size of both rectangular and round carpets can be tricky to get just right for a specific layout in a living room. This is often due to the fact that the layout in which the furniture is placed is seldom symmetrical. This thought sparked an idea and inspiration struck. Read More

Daily sketch – loveseats & bar carts

As promised, I wanted to show you the behind the scenes of the design process. This is step one for my design process, drawing new designs and products. I usually watch TV when I sketch. What’s important is to just let the pen do it’s work and to keep my mind occupied. This might sound a bit eccentric, but I have to keep myself from overthinking it and I find that this is a good way to do it. Do you have any tips like this that work for your creative process? Read More

Designer Obsession – Michael Anastassiades

The first time I saw one of Michael Anastassiades lamps I was in awe. I needed to know everything! Who makes these? Who designed this? Are there more? Is it a period piece or a current designer? See, that is the thing with Anastassiades’ lamps, they are classic enough to fool you at first glance. They ooze that confidence and assurance of a true art déco piece from the 20’s. But on closer inspection you realize the technology behind these lamps are way too advanced for the 20’s. It’s cutting edge on what we can do with interior lights today! Balancing that fine line between art and design, he is an artist as well as a designer and also an engineer. And this is where his strength lies, not letting one replace the other.

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In addition to his lamps he also designs furniture and jewelry. Many of his products are part of permanent collections at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, the Craft Council in London, the FRAC Centre in Orleans, France, and the MAK in Vienna. Currently he has a collaboration, that was part of a temporary exhibition during 2013, at the renowned interior design store Svenskt Tenn, in Stockholm. However most of his lamps are sold through FLOS.

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With a similar background within both engineering and industrial design he is naturally someone I look up to a great deal, which is why I also wanted to share his work with you. I hope you enjoy this as much as I do!

A new take on String

If you knew me about ten years ago, you’d probably find me going through the very darkest corners of every second hand store in Stockholm in search for that perfect String. The String shelf, that is*. Everything mid century modern was on the rise and I was looking for my holy grail: black panels with three shelves in deep, dark read teak. But as always with the holy grail there is a catch. Read More

Strutting our stuff at the Stockholm Furniture Fair

In February of 2015 Dalili (the interior design brand and brainchild of yours truly) exhibited at the Stockholm Furniture fair. The time leading up to the fair was wonderfully fun, exciting and extremely intense. Tackling last minute paint jobs in my parents basement* and doing all the electric work on site. But we ended up having an amazing week and we met some fantastic people! Read More