My Favourite Five with Kirstine Meier Carlsen

Kirstine, can you give us a short introduction to yourself and your family?

“I am Kirstine Meier Carlsen, 41, director and founder of Studio x Viaduct, a company that works with interior design and conceptual development. We also run an online shop, and a studio with a carefully curated selection of furniture, home accessories and clothing. I am married to Robert Ades, who is a British writer end editor, and we live in Copenhagen with our 2 small children: Anna, nearly 3 and Eddie, 1,5 years old, and we’re expecting our 3rd child in June. From my earlier marriage I have Clara, who is 20 years old and based in London, and Gilbert, who is 18, who just moved to his own place”. 

What does your ideal day look like for you?

”I love mornings. It’s so wonderful waking up with these two happy babies in our beautiful sun-filled bedroom. It does get a bit chaotic after 20 minutes though, when it comes to getting them and myself ready and get out the door. So it’s all about enjoying the peaceful moments.

Then I enjoy my bike ride to the studio, during which I pass the Botanical Gardens and the King’s Garden, which is a real treat. I like arriving at the studio a bit early so I can have the space to myself - it is my second home, so I need some time in there to care about the place in my own way.. 

Afternoons are best spent in our garden, which is tiny but full of plants. The children love to be out there watering the plants and finding worms. I love cooking, and I make dinner from scratch every day. It’s my meditative moment when I am cutting vegetables! I sometimes FaceTime Clara in London while cooking. It’s our thing to cook together, and in these weird times it is nice that we can find some kind of connection even being so far apart.

I find it extremely satisfying to set the table nicely and present the food. It’s a mess with kids after 2 minutes, but I still really enjoy the preparation and the time spent on it. If we’re lucky, the children go to sleep easily and Robert and I have time to talk and look in to each others eyes. In that moment I am absolutely happy and couldn’t ask for more!”.

What is the best thing about motherhood, in your eyes?

”I am a sucker for the magic universe that is being expressed in the first years from a child’s mind. I think it really keeps my eyes open, and I am constantly reminded that everything looks different, depending on the eyes that see. It is so refreshing and keeps me aware. I love the peculiar sentences and new words they make up - especially with Anna now, who is bilingual. It is a real gift to hear her develop her own language! And then I love all the immediate love and kisses of course. ”. 

Where do you find most of your inspiration? 

”In my surroundings. I always use the actual space, in which I am working, as my reference and draw inspiration from there. It is the only way that works for me. I also think the most natural and balanced development comes this way.”

What are your five favourite STUDIO MINI products – and why?

“I’ve always been a fan of the New York-based brand Oeuf. Their universe is fun and playful, and I particularly love this rug and this pillow – they are both cute, but not too cute, which is so hard to find!

I love the Mason Pearson brushes. They are perfect for my children’s fine Scandinavian hair, and this brush really makes a difference.

This little piano is perfect for our house. My husband is a brilliant pianist, and we have the little version standing next to his grand piano. It’s so nice when the children join him playing.

The handmade papier-maché masks are decorative and imaginative, perfect for my little boy to look at every evening when he lays in his bed.”