I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Trine Andersen, the creator of ferm LIVING’s beautiful wallpapers and clever wall stickers.
I understand that you found the word “ferm” (Danish for “clever”) while leafing through your grandmother’s needlepoint book (great “how our company got its name story, by the way!). Did needlepointing grandma have any other influence on your design style? She was obviously way ahead of the curve, as needlepointing is hot right now!

Grandmother did not, even though it would have been a great story, had any else influence on the designing. To be honest, I don’t know if she really likes it I think she wonders that this stuff can sell. She is 95 years old today.

What is your design background, that is to say, when did it hit you that you wanted to design for a living?

My design background is following:

in 2001 I graduated as “Design manager” in communication. Before I started my own business in May 2005, I used to work as an Art Director at two different advertising companies. I had mainly fashion- and lifestyle clients, and did a lot of catalogue and visual profile jobs.

How do you come up with your designs? You seem to have sucbh a range – from Birdweed to Power Poles (I’m a big fan of the Power Pole myself)?
I’m very much inspired by nature – and I make an interpretation of how it naturally looks, and turn it into graphics. I’m also inspired the “traditional way” by travelling, reading books and magazines etc.

What would you say to someone like myself who is terrified to commit to a wallpaper because it seems to permanent and my tastes and style are consitently changing and evovling?

To someone, who is terrified to commit to a wallpaper I would say following: Just pretend you are shopping clothes – this is just fashion for your wall!

Pick the wallpaper you like the most, and start with a single wall in you living room or bedroom. In 1-2 years you are probably ready to look at something else, and you can just replace it with a new design. It is not that time- or money consuming to do a single wall, but the effect and changes it cam make in a room is amazing!

With the new quality, WallSmart, it is even easier to mount the wallpaper. WallSmart is used for the newest collection no. 2, called Graphic in Nature.

How would you describe your design style/philosophy? How has it evolved over the years?
ferm LIVINGs style is very graphical and quite simple. It is easy to see the influenced of my Scandinavian background and special affection for nature. All the products launched by ferm LIVING has to be something that I like myself – something I would choose to have in my own home – even though this is not always the most commercial choice.

I ask this question a lot because I struggle with it myself – how do you get out of a creative rut / designer’s block? Who/What/Where most inspires you?

To avoid desingning “blocks” and to get the right inspiration previous for a new wallpaper collection, I start collection inspiration from all sorts of places long time before the actual design work begins. I have a huge folder, where I collect and keep all small cuttings, words, quality samples, colours, that inspires me, and pictures of the next design starts forming inside my head. Sometimes it looks like I have expected when I make the design on my computer, and sometimes it don’t. I start up doing a lot of designs, and after a period a harsh screening takes place. I often consults my boyfriend and close friends during this process – to get fresh eyes on it.

Thanks so much Trine for chatting with me! I’m going to work on my wallpaper commitment issues! To check out more ferm LIVING products, click here.