Articles
Interview with Patrik Lönn
An early September morning in New York City, I was received by an elegant and friendly Patrik Lönn.
The location of the meeting was one of his projects in The Baccarat Building in New York City. When I saw Patrik and his work I got the impression of perfection and solid elegance. Everything is very well thought out and the whole project permeates good taste and every detail was very well planned.
Patrik Lönn grew up in Linköping, Sweden and is today a successful interior designer in New York. He started his career in interior design by working for Swedish brands like Harald Westerberg, Svensk Tenn And NK Interior in Stockholm. As a 22-year-old, he moved to New York to study at Fashion Institute of Technology. The first time he landed in New York he had two suitcases and 500 dollars. He says that he was totally unaware of what life had to offer – but this was just the beginning of the exciting story of his life.
After four years of getting his Interior Designer degree, Patrik managed to get a job with one of his biggest role models: Peter Marino. Peter Marino is one of New York’ s best and most well-known interior designers. His first goal was accomplished, and this is when he realized that he had chosen the right career. Patrik continued to impress, and soon he became responsible of decorating SAKS Fifth Avenue, and thereafter he continued decorating at Ralph Lauren and also worked as a Creative Director for a company.
Patrik had a long term goal to one day start his own company, but in order to do so he need to get a master in design in management. After years of studying, it was time to make the dream come true, and 2007 he started Patrik Lönn Design. Patrik Lönn Design is a boutique company in New York. He explains that it takes a long time to become successful in the interior design industry.
‘’ I believe that I have always hurried slowly, develop slowly and have a stable base when it comes to knowledge and experience. My niche is my Swedish heritage, which means that I am not like anyone else here. Many people want to have a little flair of Europe, which is to my benefit. I call it the‘’ Scandinavian Zest’’.
Patrik, what are your thoughts before, or in the beginning of the project?
The client is also my focus, and I always start by getting to know and interview the client. Thereafter, I plan the interior design. My style is very specific, so they very often know what result to expect. One thing that is important to have in mind is to have the clients’ lifestyle in mind, at what stage in life they are and their interests.
Thereafter, I present different alternatives for furniture, colors, carpets and textiles. I always work from the bottom to the top, meaning that I start with the carpet, and work from there. It is always harder to match a carpet with the rest of the room, than matching the room with the carpet. Textiles, curtains and art is easy to match with the carpet, instead of vice versa.
Please describe your style
I call it‘’ modern classicism’’, and it is based on interior designers that I admire and look up to from the past and the present. For example, the Swedish Gunnar Asplundh who has a clean and functional building by his cemetery. Ferdinand Boberg, another interior designer I admire has designed historical works in Sweden. Some of them are called Prince Eugene’ s’’ Waldermarsudde’’, Tidsgalleriet and the National Chancellery in Stockholm. International interior designers are Jean Michel Frank, a big interior designer from the 1930-1940.
I often buy furniture and designs from Swedish auctions, for example Bukowskis auctions from Sweden. Märta Måås Fjetteström, from the 1920-1930’ s, made carpets. Those are sold at auctions here in New York. It is
Page 20