Décor+ by Elfa wardrobe with birch shelves and colourful clothes.

COLOURFUL, WELL-ORGANISED AND PERSONAL

She works as a journalist and copywriter for the fashion magazine ELLE and lives in the trendy Grünerløkka neighbourhood in Oslo. Join us in Caroline’s wardrobe and colourful home to get her best wardrobe tips.

Text ELLE CREATIVE LAB Photo Birgit Fauske

Caroline is standing on a ladder holding a couple of boxes in a Décor+ by Elfa wardrobe.

THIS IS CAROLINE

CITY-CHIC FASHION WRITER WITH AN EYE FOR STYLE

Name: Caroline Alvilde Kildebo
Age: 32 years old
Home: In Oslo
Profession: Journalist and writer

Collage with pictures from Caroline’s apartment, living room and kitchen.

Scandinavian design with colourful accents

Caroline’s home is a meeting of Scandinavian design and playful elements that catch the eye. Bold choices like a burgundy kitchen and a pastel blue ceiling feel exciting and add personality to the home. The light base makes the colourful details pop without taking over.

Décor+ by Elfa wardrobe with birch shelves, filled with shoe boxes.

Good storage has been a key priority in Caroline’s 57 square metre apartment in Grünerløkka in Oslo. She has chosen Décor+ by Elfa in white with wooden details in birch for her storage in the bedroom.

As part of the bedroom, Caroline has built a small walk-in wardrobe with structured glass walls. Inside the wardrobe, one of the walls is covered with floor-to-ceiling shelves for storing shoes.

"To store shoes in the best possible way, I store them in the box so that they can be protected as much as possible. Of course, the prettiest thing would have been to have them on display, but here I’ve chosen the best way to preserve the shoes instead. By decorating the shelves with books, accessories and other small items - such as an Eiffel Tower - I extend the decor to the wardrobe," says Caroline.

I see my wardrobe as an archive and care about my belongings.

Décor+ by Elfa wardrobe in grey with Artic sliding doors in glass with black frame.

In the apartment’s other bedroom (guest room), a wardrobe has been built with stylish glass sliding doors with a black frame. The door model is called Artic.

"I wanted a wardrobe that could function as much as a piece of furniture as storage. This solution has both open shelves and drawers and also functions as a kind of shelf. This makes it easy to create beautiful still lifes and decorate here."

Décor+ by Elfa wardrobe in grey with books stacked under the mirror.

By making good use of the space in both rooms, from floor to ceiling, Caroline has created a wardrobe that can be both visually inspiring and personal, but at the same time well organised.

For the guest room, Caroline has chosen Décor+ by Elfa in grey, with wooden details in matte grey.

"I feel incredibly comfortable in my wardrobe, largely thanks to the combination of good overview, good solutions and that it also has something personal. I think you could describe it as costume warehouse meets archive."

A red thread throughout the home

"Colour is important for life, your mood and creativity, which is why it is an essential part of my aesthetics, both in my wardrobe and as part of my interior design. In general, I think colours are very intuitive and the most important thing is to choose colours that make you feel good."

A burgundy tone follows you through the home and creates a red thread that makes the interior feel well thought out.

Caroline’s 5 wardrobe tips

Caroline is standing on a ladder holding a couple of boxes in a Décor+ by Elfa wardrobe filled with colourful clothes.

Think of your wardrobe as a boutique, and make it a place that inspires you. Two principles apply here:

Coordinate all garments by colour or category, and make sure to keep the wardrobe as tidy as possible. This also contributes to more inspiration when it comes to finding today’s outfit. Small lavender pouches or fragrance amulets hanging on the hangers also provide a lovely scent.

Use good aids. Garment bags are great for clothes you don't wear very often (due to the season or occasion) and take better care of your clothes. Check your shoes after use and store them in a shoe box - this will help them last longer.

And last but not least: Clothes hangers. Although thin hangers are practical from a space perspective, clothes don't hang as well on them, and this can ultimately affect the shape of the garment. Use wooden hangers and hang suit trousers in a press or on hangers with clips on either side.

Décor+ by Elfa wardrobe with shelves in birch, containing accessories and books.

Let your wardrobe be an extension of your interior. This ties in with the idea of seeing the wardrobe as your own little boutique.

Having space for small decorative items or lighting in your wardrobe can make a big difference to the overall experience. You can also hang jewellery and scarves on small hooks to make it more visually inviting - both practical and pretty!

Décor+ by Elfa wardrobe with shelves in birch, filled with shoe boxes with labels.

Write small notes on the shoe boxes or take a photo of each pair with a polaroid camera and attach to the outside of the boxes. This gives you a good overview of what’s in each box, without compromising on storage.

Décor+ by Elfa wardrobe in grey with books and high-heeled shoes under the hanging clothes.

Think about the materials when choosing a wardrobe and make sure it fits into the overall look. Do you want it sophisticated and dark, delicate in wood or minimalistic with white?

A hand pulls out a grey Décor+ by Elfa drawer containing accessory tray filled with jewellery and a pair of glasses.

When planning a new wardrobe, create the conditions for a wardrobe that reflects you and what you want to fill it with. Do you have a lot of long dresses? Do you have more jeans than suit trousers? Or do you have a lot of accessories? Take this into account as part of the planning process when designing your dream wardrobe.

A pair of golden shoes standing on the floor in front of a wardrobe.

With easy to use drag and drop function you can plan everything from a small shelving system to a full-scale wardrobe solution.

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