ELFA INSIGHTS

Your personal space

How would you describe a personal home?

For us at Elfa, a personal home is an organised and harmonious place where you feel secure and comfortable and can relax. It requires some time and effort to create that sense of ease and well-being that allows you to be yourself; you may need to sort out your belongings, improve your storage arrangements or refurnish your rooms. Small details can make a huge difference and a tidy, well-organised home will almost invariably leave you feeling content and at peace. Making optimal use of the space and fittings also gives your home a personal feel.

The sharing economy and the home in 2030

One alternative is not to own all your belongings, but to share or exchange things with other people for periods of time. This means a circular approach, which brings variation and a personal feel to the home and is also beneficial to the environment.

Trends

It is not uncommon to express one’s identity through various personal belongings in the home. However, in order to maintain a sense of tranquillity and balance, it is important not to have all your personal belongings constantly on display. Like life itself, many of the things you like will change in the space of a decade. Trends come and go, and our personal belongings – they remain with us. Many people have items in their home that they are loath to part with. A good storage system makes it easy to keep things organised, hide items you don’t want on display and put the focus on the spaces that you want to be seen.

Enjoy a look back at some of our favourite possessions in the video below. What personal touch will you put on the 2020s?

5 tips for creating a more personal home:

Pick out favourites from the trends – decorate your home with gadgets that you truly want, to create an aesthetic appeal that you will enjoy for years.
Only invest in things you love – forget the throwaway culture. Invest in good-quality items that you really need.
Don’t rush when styling your space – gather inspiration, moodboards and try out different combinations. Everything will end up in the right place sooner or later!
Have a sort-out and only keep what you really like – we accumulate a lot of things over the years. Make a habit of selling or donating excess items and only keep what you like.
Mix and match – try mixing new pieces with old, light with dark, patterns with solid colours. A well-balanced décor brings a decidedly personal vibe and a dynamic unity to the home.

Jannice Wistrand, a feng shui consultant and interior designer, is a member of the Elfa Insights team.

Elfa Insights 2021

Elfa Insights is Elfa’s think tank where we investigate trends, needs and challenges related to storage. We do so by conducting consumer surveys and collecting views and insights from leading experts in the fields of architecture, sustainability, fashion, interior design and future predictions. This gives us the opportunity to delve deep into our favourite subject, storage, and inspire others to bring order, structure and harmony to their home and thus create space for important everyday things.

Jannice Wistrand

Feng Shui consultant and certified interior designer. She is the founder of the consulting company Add Simplicity and her blog addsimplicity is one of the Nordic region's largest in interior design.

Christian von Essen

Writer, podcaster and future trend spotter. Runs a podcast called “Heja Framtiden” in which he takes a look at the future. Author of a book about the future of Sweden after Corona.

Emma Elwin

AD, fashion stylist and sustainability consultant. Founder of Make it last, a creative duo specialising in style and sustainability.

Elisabeth Halbjørhus

Qualified marketing professional and founder of the company Pureelisabeth AS, where she works as an interior design consultant and stylist. Active fashion, interior design and trends influencer.

Christine Dalman

Elfa’s Senior PR Specialist and Storage Expert for the past 30 years.

Sustainable wardrobe

When it comes to sustainability, it is best to wear what you already own and make sure it lasts longer. So it’s smart to invest in good-quality clothing with enduring designs that will remain in style and stand the test of time. It is also extremely important to care for your clothing and store it correctly.

Major renaissance for the home

Our home has become the centre of our lives. It’s where we work, spend time with the family, exercise, eat our meals and relax – multifunctional, 24/7 spaces, quite simply.

Home office

Working from home is here to stay – as is the home office. To make remote working effective and comfortable over the long term, it is essential to have space and storage in the home, which not everyone has today. When setting up a home office for regular use, it is important to plan the spaces in your home.