Tropical Scandinavia: Inspiration for a more joyful life
By Malin Norman | Photos: Tropical Scandinavia
If your home is in need of a mood boost, Tropical Scandinavia’s playful designs offer just that. With modern interpretations of totems and vibrant patterns, the lifestyle brand provides inspiration for living a more colourful life – helping you become the best version of yourself.
Using symbols that encourage joy and fulfilment, the founders of lifestyle brand Tropical Scandinavia see themselves as protectors of fun. With bold prints in vibrant colours, their designs are meant to empower people. “We believe that the objects and colours that we choose to surround ourselves with have a direct impact on our well-being and inner strength,” says Johanna Stark, who founded the brand with her husband Emil in 2019. “In a way, what we create is self-help design.”
Inspired by surfing and travels around the world, the designers cleverly blend Scandinavian minimalism with tropical vibrancy – celebrating the joys of life, often with symbols. The designs are a form of modern totems, seen across the collection of apparel, home décor and textile art. Not working with seasons or trends, Tropical Scandinavia is driven by a firm belief that products should last longer than that. “We love tropical motifs and we want these vivid colours all year round, not just for summer,” says Johanna.
One of the creative duo’s best-selling designs is The Protector. Inspired by ancient masks from around the world, this design is a symbol of protection and positivity – with three pairs of eyes, as they believe that it is simply not enough with one pair to get new perspectives. Another design is Tree of Life, reminding us of the fullness of life and the importance of appreciating it all. “There will always be things or events we don’t like, even if it’s just the weather,” says Emil. “But what we can actually change is our own thoughts. Perhaps we can go through life with a bit more ease and joy – we can choose the light.”
Both Johanna and Emil have a creative background and enjoy an intuitive process. “Every design evolves through a dialogue where we send sketches back and forth between us, until we land on the final design,” says Johanna. “This shared process, where ideas bounce and develop in multiple stages, is the core of our entire creation.”
Based in Hammenhög, southern Sweden, the design studio is a colourful universe. Everything here seems to blend together, as the founders also run a showroom in their house where they welcome thousands of visitors in summer to browse, get inspired, and have a chat. “Our showroom has become a destination,” adds Emil. “This lifestyle really suits us. It’s the kind of life we don’t need to take a vacation from.”
Web: www.tropicalscandinavia.com
Instagram: @tropicalscandinavia
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