Elisabeth Dunker refers to herself as an “artist mixing art, craft, and interiors” and a “female health nerd.” In other words, she’s a cyclone of activity. While earning her masters from HDK, the School of Design and Crafts in Gothenburg, Sweden, she started a blog “very intuitively, almost as a sketchbook in public.” That was almost 20 years ago, and Fine Little Day, Elisabeth’s “simple snapshots of life, nature, and the beauty in everyday moment,” has since evolved into an acclaimed Gothenburg design studio that produces elevated everyday goods for the home.
The offerings range from artists’ prints and posters to boldly patterned textiles and bentwood trays. There’s also a Fine Little Day ideas book, which begins: “I like things that are sprawling, mismatched, and fragmentary.” Elisabeth is the brand’s lead designer, creative director, and voice, while her art school friend Ulrika Engberg “steers the boat.” Their motto is “creating, discovering, and spreading the word about art, design, and eco-friendly products since 2007.”
Elisabeth lives with her husband, Dennis Dunker, a highly specialized physician (he’s a neurointerventionalist), in an apartment in Gothenburg that they settled in eight years ago after their daughter and son were grown. It’s a two-bedroom with enough space for the family to gather, two grandchildren now included. But since it’s a rental, “a lot of it isn’t what we would have chosen,” Elisabeth tells us. “Still, we couldn’t tear out things that work, so instead, we made small changes and learned to live with the rest.” Join us for a look at how Elisabeth did far more than just settle.
Photography by Elisabeth Dunker, courtesy of Fine Little Day (@finelittleday).
“We painted the hall floor ourselves even though our carpenter advised against it,” she confesses. “He said it would look dirty and he was right. In hindsight, I wish we had simply kept the raw wooden floor underneath.” The train-style coat rack is vintage.
Dennis bikes to work at a nearby hospital year-round and Elisabeth bikes to an outdoor gym.
She also added Hudiksvalls Teater, a late 19th century pattern from Duro Wallpaper “found during the restoration of Hudiksvall Theatre in 1972; it really changed the atmosphere of the room.” As did the Verner Panton VP7 Flowerpot pendant hanging over the table.
The wooden futon platform is Danish brand Karup’s Japan Bed. The checked pillows are Fine Little Day’s Field Cushion Covers and the rug is an old Ikea design.
More rental apartment inspiration:
- ‘Own’ It Like You Own It: 8 Ways to Personalize Your Rental, Designer Edition
- Expert Advice: 23 Genius, Reversible, Budget-Friendly Hacks to Transform a Rental Apartment
- Regular Rental No More: 7 Ideas to Steal from a 200-Square-Foot Studio in Brooklyn (DIY Closet Included)
- 10 Tips for Transforming a Rental Bath
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