In Conversation with: Caroline Sillesen
We invited Caroline, Danish architect and co-founder of the design studio Atelier Axo and jewelry brand Corali, to style the STOFF Nagel designs through her artistic vision. Caroline Sillesen embodies the essence of a multitalented creative soul. Her practice spans a wide spectrum of disciplines, from thoughtfully crafted furniture design to exquisitely refined jewelry. We invited her to talk about her creative practices – and her thoughts about the STOFF Nagel design.
Where do you source your inspiration?
It’s a difficult question to answer, because inspiration can’t be contained or explained in a few lines. What my inspirations have in common, though, is that they have to be explored in depth or nerded into, as I say. I need to spend time with them, to understand their logic and rhythm before they unfold. For my latest jewelry collection for Corali, I was fascinated by the musical form of the cadence – an improvised fragment of music that isn’t written down in notes. I listened to recorded cadences, studied classical scores, and tried to interpret the balance between calm melody and the wild, spontaneous, intuitive sound. What inspires me is something that somehow awakens impulses in me, when I come across it. Whether it’s a piece of music, a façade layered with history or a place with a strong genius loci.
You recently moved into your countryside home. How does living close to nature influence your everyday life?
Life in the countryside moves slower. For me and my family, it’s the best of both worlds. We spend most of our everyday life in the city where we live in our apartment, and then retreating to the countryside on weekends. Out there, there’s space to listen – to the wind, to the rhythm of the day, to myself. It reminds me that creativity grows best in stillness. Living close to nature has changed my sense of time; things unfold more quietly, and that calmness seeps into everything I make. It’s about having the basic elements close – wind, earth, water, and fire.
Is there a ritual or habit that helps you stay creatively connected?
To be honest, life with small children is quite hectic. Most mornings start with building Lego for an hour before the day really begins. My husband and I take turns walking our dog in the evening, and that walk has become a quiet ritual. A moment to gather my thoughts when the city is falling asleep. On weekends, it’s about being in touch with the basic elements, as I said before. It could be working in the garden with my hands in the soil, reading by the fireplace or taking long walks in the autumn weather. The most therapeutic way for me to reset before a new day, though, is to take a warm bath outside – all year round. The scent of wet pine trees, the view over the field by our house, watching the animals wake up. Lately it’s been so dark that I bring a small lamp with me, and there’s something quite peaceful about that.
What does “sculptural” mean to you in the context of the STOFF Nagel design?
To me, something sculptural carries a certain presence. It defines a space, even in silence. The STOFF Nagel design has that quality. It’s both modular and poetic, built from a clear structure yet inviting a sense of play and individuality. I see it as a small piece of architecture – balanced, timeless, and tactile. It reflects how I think about form in general: that even the smallest object can hold substance, rhythm, and emotion.
Which project and/or design are you most proud of?
I’m most proud of the projects or pieces that feel honest. When it’s guided by intuition rather than reason. It’s a given that the basic elements have to work: an earring must not be too heavy or unbalanced; the flow in a restaurant must function for the chef to even create a memorable experience. When something finds its balance between thought and feelings, the brain and the heart, it stays with me.
