Ilse Crawford
Designer of frames for life and human well-being
Meet Ilse Crawford: designer of frames for life and human well-being. If you’ve ever desired an Ikea light, flipped through Elle Decor UK, or been lured into an Aesop store, you’ve experienced her work. She’s an incredibly prolific designer of everything from furniture to interiors, educational departments to books. And I know I’m not alone in saying she’s had a massive impact on the way interior design is practiced today.
At the core of Ilse’s practice sits a deceptively simple concept: as humans, our senses are how we connect to the world and to our primal selves.
Our sensory experiences of a space become deeply felt modes of communication—like how furniture or sidewalks subconsciously define a pathway, how a soft material encourages us to get cozy, how tall ceilings and natural light open up our gaze, or a low ceiling in a dark room leads us to quiet.
Being conscious and intentional about what our spaces communicate can literally shape the way we live. We can nudge ourselves toward healthier, more fulfilling, or more responsible behaviors.
As Ilse so simply says, “design is a tool to enhance our humanity.”
And it’s a tool she’s honed relentlessly. Ilse Crawford is so eloquently versed in the language of form and material that her spaces feel like poetry. The meanings and messages she embeds translate to a uniquely matter-of-fact compassion for the human experience. As Mark Smith says in his article in The Gentlewoman, “it is Ilse’s unapologetic, unassailable common sense that really distinguishes her.” And I think it comes through not only in her being, but in her work. It doesn’t feel over-the-top; it just feels right.
I first learned about Ilse through a good friend who was studying interior design back in college. Katie (an amazing designer in her own right) let me borrow home is where the heart is, Ilse’s second book, of three. Both a designer and a strategist by nature, I felt a kindred spirit in her process of using writing to examine and give shape to her ideas and approach.
“The world we make is always an expression of our values,” she says. So she’s put language around those of Studioilse:
And she applies the same rigor with her clients. Regarding her work with Ett Hem, a boutique hotel in Stockholm:
“Ilse works with core values, discussing every little detail before even considering design decisions or looking at mood boards,” Mix (the founder) says. “She made a truly exceptional effort in getting to know me and remains by my side together and forever.” - the gentlewoman
Especially with the multitude of moving parts in interior design, putting in the work up front to deeply understand the vision is essential for a coherent, much less remarkable, result.
“Design is the easy bit,” she says. “What you want is for someone suddenly to get excited and look at the same horizon as you, so that they feel genuinely thrilled by the process. That way you end up learning from each other.” - the gentlewoman
Her message is simple: if there is no kitchen table, there’s no place to share a meal. If the sheets are uncomfortable, cozying up in bed for a day of rest simply won’t happen. Only having bright overhead lighting means we won’t linger and lounge in the living room well into the evening. If these things are important, put care toward them.
What I’ve learned from Ilse is not that our environment can nudge behavior, but that it does, whether it’s considered or not.
So why not embrace it? I certainly do, and I’m grateful of the energy she’s spent putting her deeply-held beliefs in words and images that I’ve been able to make my own.
If you’re interested in learning more about Ilse Crawford and her work, I highly recommend any one of her three books, her episode on Abstract, this article on her time with Elle Decor, and her website.
Friends! My aim with this newsletter is to introduce compelling moments of joy and creativity. If you feel like this did the trick, please click like, forward to a friend, and/or share your thoughts in the comments!
xx- Christie
*All images link to their original source.