MiNiMONO FAMILY #21 - ELENA, CHRISTOFFER, ILSE (2) AND LOUIE (6) FROM STOCKHOLM

AT THE MiNiMONO PROJECT, WE BELIEVE THAT THE MOST BEAUTIFUL HOMES ARE THE ONES THAT EVOLVE WITH THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THEM. HOMES FILLED WITH MOVEMENT, PERSONALITY, CREATIVITY, AND THE SMALL DAILY RITUALS THAT TURN SPACES INTO MEMORIES.

THROUGH OUR MiNiMONO FAMILIES JOURNAL, WE LOVE DISCOVERING THE MANY DIFFERENT WAYS PEOPLE CREATE THEIR OWN SENSE OF TOGETHERNESS. WHETHER THROUGH DESIGN, FOOD, TRAVEL, PLAY, OR SIMPLY THE WAY THEY GATHER AROUND A TABLE AT THE END OF THE DAY.

TODAY, WE ARE STEPPING INTO THE WORLD OF ELENA, WHERE FAMILY LIFE AND CREATIVITY COME TOGETHER IN THE MOST BEAUTIFUL WAY.

1-  FAMILIES COME IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES, EACH WITH ITS UNIQUE STORY... HOW DOES YOUR FAMILY LOOK LIKE?

WE ARE A FAMILY OF FOUR, A LITTLE TRIBE MADE UP OF ME, MY HUSBAND CHRISTOFFER, OUR TWO-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER ILSE, AND LOUIE, OUR SIX-YEAR-OLD CAVALIER KING CHARLES WHO PROUDLY HOLDS THE TITLE OF FIRSTBORN (AND STILL BEHAVES LIKE IT). OURS IS A MEETING OF NORTH AND SOUTH: I AM SPANISH, WHILE CHRISTOFFER COMES FROM THE QUIET, WINTRY NORTH OF SWEDEN. OUR RHYTHMS COULD NOT BE MORE DIFFERENT, YET SOMEHOW THEY BLEND INTO HARMONY. ILSE IS THE PERFECT REFLECTION OF THIS MIX , JOYFUL, SWEET, A LITTLE SPARK OF BOTH WORLDS, AND ALREADY THE HEART OF OUR HOME.

2- WHEN DID YOU BECOME A PARENT, AND WHAT SURPRISED YOU MOST ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE?

WE BECAME PARENTS TWO YEARS AGO, AND EVERYTHING SHIFTED IN AN INSTANT. WHAT SURPRISED ME MOST WAS THE DEPTH OF LOVE, SOMETHING ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO ARTICULATE UNTIL YOU FEEL IT…IT’S OVERWHELMING, AND ENTIRELY TRANSFORMATIVE FOR REAL.

LOOKING BACK, IT’S HARD TO BELIEVE THE JOURNEY THAT BROUGHT US HERE. IT FELT WILD AT TIMES, UNPREDICTABLE, EVEN CHALLENGING, INCLUDING FERTILITY TREATMENTS … IT WAS TOUGH BUT I WOULDN’T CHANGE A THING. EVERY MOMENT SHAPED US INTO THE FAMILY WE ARE TODAY.

NOW, WATCHING ILSE GROW INTO HER OWN LITTLE PERSON IS THE GREATEST JOY. THE WAY SHE THINKS, EXPRESSES HERSELF, AND DISCOVERS THE WORLD FEELS SO FUN AND FASCINATING. BUILDING THAT CONNECTION WITH HER, SLOWLY BECOMING HER FRIEND, NOT JUST HER PARENT, IS SOMETHING TRULY UNIQUE FOR US.

3- RAISING ONES KIDS IN ANOTHER COUNTRY CAN BE BOTH EXCITING AND COMPLEX. HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO BUILD A SENSE OF COMMUNITY AROUND YOU, AND WHAT DOES THAT SUPPORT SYSTEM LOOK LIKE?

LIVING FAR FROM FAMILY MAKES YOU HOLD ON EVEN MORE TIGHTLY TO THOSE CONNECTIONS, YOU WANT YOUR CHILD TO SPEND TIME WITH GRANDPARENTS, AUNTS, AND UNCLES, TO FEEL THAT SENSE OF BELONGING. IT’S A DELICATE BALANCE BETWEEN THE DISTANCE AND BUILDING YOUR OWN LITTLE WORLD, YOUR OWN CORE, HERE. AND SOMETIMES, YOU SIMPLY MISS HAVING FAMILY CLOSE BY, THAT CAN FEEL REALLY HARD.

BUT IN A BEAUTIFUL WAY, LIFE HAS ALSO GIVEN US SOMETHING ELSE. MANY OF OUR FRIENDS HAVE HAD BABIES AT THE SAME TIME, AND THROUGH THAT, WE’VE CREATED A STRONG, SUPPORTIVE CIRCLE. THERE’S A SENSE OF CONNECTION WITH OUR NEIGHBOURS AND THE FAMILIES AROUND US, AND WE FEEL INCREDIBLY LUCKY FOR THAT.

4- ARE THERE ANY MEANINGFUL TRADITIONS FROM YOUR OWN UPBRINGING THAT YOU’VE PASSED ON—OR HOPE TO PASS ON—TO YOUR CHILD?

WE’RE TRYING TO BRING ILSE INTO THE PLACES AND TRADITIONS THAT SHAPED US GROWING UP, ESPECIALLY THE FESTIVALS AND SUMMER ROUTINES (THE BEACH, FERIA DE ALBACETE.. ;)) WE’VE ALWAYS LOVED. IN MY CASE, SINCE SHE’S NOT BEING RAISED IN SPAIN, EVERY TRIP BACK HOME BECOMES EVEN MORE MEANINGFUL. WE MAKE A CONSCIOUS EFFORT TO SPEND AS MUCH TIME AS POSSIBLE WITH FAMILY, SOAKING IN THAT ATMOSPHERE AND LETTING HER CONNECT WITH HER (AND MINE) ROOTS NATURALLY. IT’S REALLY ABOUT BALANCING TRADITION WITH OPENNESS, SHARING WHAT MATTERS TO US, WHILE ALLOWING HER TO SHAPE HER OWN MEMORIES ALONG THE WAY.

5- OUR HOMES OFTEN REFLECT WHO WE ARE AND WHERE WE’VE BEEN. WHAT MAKES YOUR LIVING SPACE FEEL TRULY LIKE ‘HOME’?

OUR HOME IS A LITTLE MESSY, AND LOUIE, OUR DOG, IS USUALLY SNORING AWAY IN SOME CORNER, WHICH SOMEHOW MAKES EVERYTHING FEEL JUST RIGHT. WE LOVE HAVING PEOPLE OVER, COOKING FOR FRIENDS, AND HOSTING DINNERS; THAT CONSTANT SENSE OF MOVEMENT AND WARMTH IS WHAT TRULY MAKES IT FEEL LIKE HOME. AT THE SAME TIME, EACH OF US HAS OUR OWN COZY CORNER WHERE WE CAN SIMPLY BE OURSELVES. CHRISTOFFER GRAVITATES TOWARD THE KITCHEN, ILSE HAS HER PLAYROOM, AND I RETREAT TO MY LITTLE READING NOOK. IT’S A SPACE THAT HOLDS BOTH TOGETHERNESS AND WE LOVE THAT FEELING, THAT’S HOME FOR US.

6- FOOD CAN BE SUCH A POWERFUL CONNECTOR. IS THERE A FAVORITE FAMILY MEAL OR RECIPE THAT BRINGS EVERYONE TOGETHER IN YOUR HOME?

FOOD IS REALLY WHAT BRINGS US TOGETHER AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT’S THAT MOMENT WHERE WE ALL SLOW DOWN AND JUST ENJOY BEING WITH EACH OTHER. AT HOME, IT’S A MIX OF THINGS: SWEDISH TACOS (YES, THIS IS A THING…) ARE ALWAYS A FAVORITE AND MAKE DINNER FEEL FUN AND RELAXED, AND WE ALSO LOVE DISCOVERING CLASSIC DISHES WITH ILSE.

ONE OF HER ABSOLUTE FAVORITES IS THE MEATBALLS CHRISTOFFER MAKES, USING HER GRANDMOTHER’S RECIPE. IT’S SIMPLE, BUT WE LOVE IT A LOT.

MORE THAN ANYTHING, IT’S JUST ABOUT SITTING DOWN TOGETHER, SHARING GOOD FOOD, AND CATCHING UP! THAT’S WHAT WE ENJOY MOST.

7- AT YOUR HOME… WHO IS USING THE MINIMONO, AND WHAT FOR?

ILSE IS DEFINITELY THE ONE WHO USES IT THE MOST. SHE LOVES IT AS A LITTLE DESK, BUT ALSO AS A WAY TO CLIMB UP ONTO OUR KITCHEN BENCH. OVER THE PAST YEAR, SHE’S GROWN ALONGSIDE IT AND FOUND SO MANY DIFFERENT USES FOR IT.

THAT SAID, IT’S BECOME INCREDIBLY PRACTICAL FOR ALL OF US AT HOME. IT’S ONE OF THOSE PIECES THAT NATURALLY BLENDS INTO OUR DAILY LIFE, AND WITHOUT A DOUBT, THE MOST SPECIAL LITTLE PIECE OF FURNITURE IN OUR KITCHEN!

THANK YOU ELENA FOR SHARING YOUR STORY, YOUR HOME, AND THE LITTLE MOMENTS THAT MAKE FAMILY LIFE SO SPECIAL.

IT WAS A JOY TO STEP INTO YOUR WORLD!