The Scandinavian Home of a Stylist & Creative Director

Photography by Sara Angelica Spilling

This week the IN BED Journal pays a visit to Norway and the home of Linda Christiansen, Mikal Murstad Strøm and their 4-year-old son, Storm. After purchasing their apartment in 2023, the Stylist & Creative Director behind pi.su.family & Mold Atelier immediately set about renovating, and the result: a lesson in true Nordic style. Warm wood, natural light, and crushed white linens abound, just as texture and their thoughtful (yet minimal) ornaments add whimsy and personality. It is also a space that is flexible to the demands of family life: revolving artwork and a Togo sofa that finds a new home weekly. We couldn’t wait to find out more about this effortless Scandi aesthetic, Linda & Mikal’s myriad creative pursuits, and where to find the best cardamom buns in Oslo.

Linda & Mikal's bed is made with a refreshing all-white combination of our 100% Linen Bedding.

On the evolution of their family home… 

“We bought our apartment in May 2023 and immediately renovated it, keeping only the bathroom intact. The original layout felt small due to many unnecessary walls and design elements. Our primary goal was to maximize the natural light streaming through the apartment.

“When planning our new space, we asked ourselves: How do we keep our home warm, interesting, and practical without adding too many objects? Ornaments and small decorative items quickly become dust collectors and make cleaning time-consuming. However, these items often add personality to a home.

“To ensure our home has personality without clutter, we decided to create spacious areas with tactile surfaces made of warm materials. We love the combination of a brown boucle couch, limestone walls, a warm pine kitchen, and a cold steel countertop. Each of these surfaces has a distinct temperature and feel, reflecting light differently and having unique acoustic properties. These elements collectively add personality to our home.”

On how their place changes with their needs (and the seasons)... 

“What we love most about our home is that it feels open but not overly large. It's spacious yet intimate. Additionally, we played with the idea of not defining the purpose of some rooms. By adding stools and flexible furniture, we can easily rearrange the spaces. For example, our lightweight Togo couch changes position every week.

“We plan to use our outdoor space for relaxation and recreation during the summer months, instead of relying on the living room. This allows us to convert the living room into a dining area, while the kitchen becomes an open space for mingling and food preparation. In the winter, we’ll move the dining table into the kitchen and revert the living room back to a relaxation space.”

In the kitchen, the centrepiece of Linda & Mikal's home, is our 100% Linen Table Cloth in White

On objects/spaces of significance…

“Our painting by Sindre Braaten has been with us for 10 years and is one of the first things we'd save in case of a fire. Another cherished item is our Hempcrete vase by Yasmin Bawa, which we've also had for a long time.

“Our kitchen is the centrepiece of our home, where we spend most of our time and engage in many family activities. It was designed by Per Nadén, an architect from Gothenburg, Sweden, near Linda's childhood home. The pine used in the kitchen is locally sourced from a small island in Vänersnäs.”

Our kitchen is the centrepiece of our home, where we spend most of our time and engage in many family activities.

The couple's minimalist aesthetic is complemented by our 100% Linen Duvet & Sheet Set in White.

On the bedroom… 

“Our bedroom is simple and distraction free. Our oak bed, that we’ve designed ourselves, is freely placed in the middle of the room. Above we have a Vitra Noguchi lamp and that’s about it. Sometimes our Stool 01 by Danish designer Marie Jagd is used as a bedside table.”

We were intrigued by Linda & Mikal’s request for two duvets… 

“We actually tried using a double duvet a few years ago, but it didn't work for us. It wasn't flexible enough—if one of us moved around, the other person's duvet would shift, which was quite annoying.

“In the summer, we only cover parts of our bodies with the duvet, while in the winter, we like to wrap ourselves up and tuck the individual duvet around us. Plus, Storm sleeps in the middle of the bed, and since he wears pyjamas, he usually doesn't want a duvet at all.”

On Linda & Mikal’s creative pursuits…

“Linda is a freelance fashion stylist, hair and makeup artist, and the designer of all the jewelry for our brand, Mold Atelier. Mikal works full-time as a creative director and handles all the art direction for Mold Atelier.

“A few years ago, we started working with a children's clothing brand called pi.su.family. This family brand aims to create adaptable clothes that help children gain independence and self-respect.”

Storm wears our 100% Linen Kids Sleepwear Set in White.

On staying curious… 

“We enjoy pursuing a variety of interests. As Steve Jobs famously said, "You cannot connect the dots looking forward." We find it fascinating to connect the dots looking backward, so we cast our nets wide and avoid narrowing our interests too quickly. Staying curious and open to new experiences brings us additional excitement and a broader range of choices.”

Staying curious and open to new experiences brings us additional excitement and a broader range of choices.

On navigating parenthood…

“As all parents know, having a family changes your priorities. Our side projects have taken a back seat since becoming parents. We launched our first brand, Mold Atelier, before Storm was born, and our second brand, pi.su.family, when he was about two years old. Understandably, the second brand has had a slower start.

Family comes first for us now, and we cherish spending time together, even if it's just doing nothing.

“Family comes first for us now, and we cherish spending time together, even if it's just doing nothing. Parenthood has definitely impacted our response time to emails, as we've shifted our focus to being present for our family. Balancing work and family life is challenging, but the joy of being together makes it all the best time of our lives.”

Storm wears our Kids sleepwear set in White.

On what drew Linda & Mikal to the neighbourhood… 

“We live on the foot of a small hill with old wooden houses from the 19th century. A charming and colorful neighborhood sits proudly on top of a hill, between the inner-city and outer suburbs.

“On the top we have a neighbourhood square, Kampen café & bar, and Farine, a local bakery that makes Oslo's best cardamom buns. The streets are mostly one-way streets so there are almost no cars, which makes it quiet and child friendly. We love the proximity to downtown, which is 5 minutes by bike.

“In our spare time we usually just hang out in our neighborhood or in our backyard.”

Our 100% Cashmere Robe in Oat hangs in the bedroom.

On bedtime rituals… 

“Our evening rituals begin around 6PM, signaling the end of our daily activities, especially during the winter months. Summer brings a more relaxed schedule, with long days that disrupt our routines. However, in the winter, autumn, and early spring, we all go to bed with Storm at 7PM. Once he falls asleep, we get up and start our evening anew.

“The second ritual is a deeper wind-down. We enjoy some music, enjoy the silence, and get some light work done before heading to bed ourselves.”