Inside the creative mind of — Karoline Nygaard Petersen
In 2022, Karoline Nygaard Petersen and her husband, Magnus, moved back to Oslo after a decade in Copenhagen. Karoline, who works as the Creative Lead at Montana Furniture, lives and breathes colours and creativity. It is no surprise that her approach to interior design reflects this playful philosophy. Luckily, Karoline and Magnus agree that life is better in colours.
A colourful journey
Colours have always played a central role in Karoline’s interior design. Back when the couple lived in a rental apartment in Copenhagen, their options for decorating were limited, which meant that their creativity had to be centered around furnishing. But once they bought their first apartment, they finally got the chance to unfold their creativity.
Since Karoline could often bring home small cans of vibrant wall paint from photoshoots, they had plenty of opportunities to paint their home. Eventually, each wall in their apartment had its own colour – and when the couple moved to Oslo, everything had to be painted just as colourful.
Karoline's vibrant home has been photographed by The Mint Agency.
I find inspiration in things that don’t match too well. It’s more fun than when everything is tone on tone or a perfect colour palette.
Finding the perfect balance
Karoline values personal style, and Montana’s mantra, ‘Making room for personality’, resonates deeply with her approach to interior design. She draws inspiration from many places, but one style that has truly captivated her is Memphis. Meeting designer Camille Walala, who is known for her bold and colourful interventions, opened Karoline’s eyes to the powerful effect of black and white stripes.
Magnus' fascination with the impact of colour on light has also shaped their home, resulting in a palette dominated by pastel hues. However, this is complemented by furniture in bold colours and a striped beam on the ceiling, drawing inspiration from the Memphis style and adding a unique balance to their space.
A soft spot for pink
Karoline has always loved the classic Kevi 2060 chair, which first adorned their living room in a dark blue shade. When the chair became a part of Montana’s product range, it became available in colours that held a special meaning for her – and for Magnus, too. With Magnus having a soft spot for pink, they went for the chairs in the pink colour Rhubarb.
Karoline's three favourites
If Karoline had to pick three colours from Montana’s colour palette that represent her as a person, she would go with Parsley, Ruby, and Rosehip. After moving back to Oslo, she has noticed how green the city is, and Parsley reminds her of the scenic colours that now surround her daily. Just like Magnus, Karoline loves pink, and to her, Ruby is the perfect shade of pink. The colour contains both warm and cool tones, and it has a complexity that she is particularly fascinated by. Karoline is also a fan of bright colours, and she describes Rosehip as an intense colour that can add new dimensions to different styles.
Renew, revive, and keep for a lifetime
Karoline does not only appreciate functionality and colour; she also values the lifespan of furniture, adaptability, and the possibility of renewal. Take, for example, the Montana 1212 shelf in their kitchen – it used to serve as a bookcase in their living room. They added extra shelves for wine storage and attached wheels for flexibility.
On top of that, they added a module that used to be a dressing table in their old apartment, repurposing for extra storage in the kitchen. Karoline prefers to disregard trends and instead sticks to her own style, which she believes ensures long-term satisfaction with the furniture.
Karoline's advice – Surprise yourself
To Karoline, interior design is about having the courage to try new things and being open to surprises. It is easy to get caught up in small details that, in her opinion, are not all that important. The green colour in her living room and kitchen did not turn out exactly as she had imagined, but she loves the result nonetheless. According to Karoline, striving for perfection in everything is not important – things are often much better when they are not perfect.
