Thrifted Scandinavian
How found objects can shape a whole aesthetic
There’s something almost meditative about finding the right piece at the thrift store—not the thing you came looking for (does anyone ever find that thing?), but the thing you didn’t know you needed.
This week, I brought home this small collection of wooden vessels and boxes, each with its own quiet personality and potential. On their own, they’re humble. Together, they suggest a story.
Scandinavian design has always spoken to me—not the overly staged, icy-white minimalism sometimes paraded around Pinterest, but the real soul of it: simplicity with warmth, beauty rooted in utility, and the pleasure of natural materials that grow more beautiful with time.
Let’s talk about the caddy in the center. Originally intended for shoe polishing, I’ve reimagined it as a floral vessel. I slipped tall shot glasses into the compartments, instantly turning it into a structure for blooms—dried, fresh, or foraged. With some branches of eucalyptus or stems of golden yarrow, it becomes sculpture, a centerpiece.
You’ll notice a theme here: most of the pieces I brought home could hold flowers (hello to beautiful still life). Even the woven basket and the small ‘wood’ glazed vases are ready to host something living (or once-living).
Scandinavian interiors often nod to the outdoors, not just with wood and light, but with gestures of the forest—branches, moss, pinecones, or grasses displayed not as decoration, but as memory. Surrounding myself with storied objects elicits stories. I can sense the percolation of my next encounter with a journal and a cup of tea.
The small round birch boxes—soft, raw, and lightweight—are begging for a layer of paint or stain, maybe even a collage with vintage papers. I love a good project with a future. These are the kinds of objects that can evolve with your space. Right now, they’re clean and pale, a breath of air. But soon they might take on moody tones or botanical motifs. Stay tuned.
So, what are the tenets of Scandinavian design I keep returning to in my home and in my art?
Form follows function. Every piece has a job. But that job can be beautiful.
Natural materials reign. Wood, wool, linen, ceramic, stone. The imperfection is the point.
Restraint is a form of grace. Fewer, better things. Clarity over clutter.
Light matters. Both literal and visual lightness. Nothing too heavy or overly ornate.
You don’t need a matching set or a design budget to begin shaping a space like this. You just need a few honest materials, a little imagination, and the patience to see how things come together over time. A thrift store caddy becomes a vase. A stack of birch boxes becomes a color story. And you—quietly, intuitively—become a designer.
More soon, especially once I start painting those birch beauties. I have ideas.
This feels like a big step. A step I’ve been working toward for some time.
I’m proud to announce the grand opening of the OI+I print shop on Etsy. And I really do hope you will take a few minutes to stop by and see how it is coming together.
To be successful on Etsy (or in life), one needs the support of friends who are willing to carry a torch for us.
Ways you can support this new chapter -
HEART your favorite artworks in the shop to let everyone know the art you love
SHARE a listing on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest, and tag me @ofinkandinsight
BUY art - a small print on fine art paper costs $24, including shipping in the U.S.
FOLLOW the print shop on Etsy by clicking the follow button at the top of the page
REVIEW artwork you purchase and include a photo. This is an important way to boost the shop’s credibility and visibility
To celebrate, everything in the shop is 10% off through June 30th.
A little bit of art has never been so easy to own!
A big thank you to friends, family and quiet followers for being on this journey with me. I feel all the love you send and I’m delivering it right back to you tenfold. I love you. xoxo