Ida Lauga

Tell us about your Portal shelves through the years!

I remember when we stood there measuring where the first one should go! It was a low, slightly longer one that we had in our apartment before our last one. Then we got a small, low one, followed by a taller one in the bathroom. One became a bedside table in the bedroom, while another transformed into a TV-bench. I sold one of the shelves in the Facebook group TÔNN 4-ever. It’s so clever how the shelf can live on in another home. When we moved into this house, we used some of the parts we already had, with new additions, and it became something entirely different again! I love how they grow and change shape but are always with us!

What’s your secret to styling a Portal shelf?

I actually don’t think I have any particular system at all. What’s important to me is to have beautiful things on display, and the rest goes into a drawer or behind a closed cabinet. No visible extension cords or clutter; small items are placed in a nice bowl instead. But nothing is static! A home is alive, and the shelves can change, and what’s on them should be used.

You are a master of pleasure in the everyday living. Napkins, wines, breakfasts, colors, and piano. How do you create a cozy everyday life at home?

For me, to thrive at home means taking care of it. I dedicate a specific half-hour every morning to cleaning. It might sound a bit crazy, but I get really stressed when there are things everywhere. And I love everyday luxury! That means no rush, enjoying long breakfasts together every day, having midweek dinner parties with friends or cozy movie nights with popcorn on a Tuesday after school. Date night after the kids have gone to bed. But for that to work, we all need to chip in, everyone who lives here, to create the conditions for spontaneity and flexibility. Taking care of the home and making it look nice and cozy is the foundation for me to feel comfortable and have the energy for all those little extras that make everyday life delightful!

Ida Lauga is an interior stylist and runs @pla_car_d. Ida lives with her husband, two children, their dog Ilse, and their rabbit Sigge, and together, they share their home with several Portal shelves.