A feature in the magazine Leva Bo

Höstkänsla i vårt Flat Oak-kök

Stylist och designer Maria Löw skapar redaktionella inredningsreportage för flera av Sveriges ledande magasin. För tidningen Leva Bo gör hon allt från stora hemma-hos-reportage till tematiska inspirationssidor för kök och badrum. Sedan 1990 driver hon Stockholmsbaserade Studio Maria Löw.

Natural tones in the autumn darkness

The overall idea of the feature was to create a kitchen where autumn feels present without becoming heavy. Or as it later states in the finished feature:

“Natural tones in the autumn darkness. We decorate with sustainable materials that only age beautifully and are timeless in the cozy autumn kitchen. Wooden materials on frames and fronts, details in brass, wood, and ceramics, as well as kitchen textiles in linen set the natural tone.”

In the kitchen with the Flat Oak door, Maria found just the right balance – a calm yet lively oak veneer where the grain adds character and warmth without overpowering. A kitchen base that lets the styling flourish while keeping the whole together.

The day before the photoshoot

The day before the photoshoot, Maria and her assistant arrived with bags full of props – ceramics, bread, textiles, vases, glasses, and various objects for still life. Deliveries arrived with dining tables, chairs, and rugs. Existing furniture and details in the apartment were moved aside.

The first thing they do is to “get a feel for the room.” Which table fits best? Which rug frames the scene? What is needed to create that warm, lively autumn atmosphere that should greet the reader right from the cover?
When everything is in place, the kitchen is left ready for an early start the following morning.

Maria is the first on site and continues to build the environment layer by layer – she changes, adjusts, fine-tunes. Shortly after, the photographer Joacim Belaieff arrives with tripod, lights, and camera equipment. Together they go through angles and image ideas. They have worked together many times and it shows; the collaboration is quick, methodical, and very stylish.

During the day, 8–12 images are taken for the feature. Every setting, every flower, and every shadow has its role. Items change places and different camera angles are tested. Maria has a clear plan of which images she wants to capture during the day. 

As the day comes to an end, the assignment is completed and everything must be packed up. The various items Maria gathered for the feature must be returned to the stores, companies, etc. that lent them for the photoshoot. When the images then appear in the magazine, all purchase information is included; the idea is that the reader should be able to get inspired and buy what they like. 

After an intense day of photographing the cover image, the large environments, and the small beautiful still life images, the day's assignment was complete. 

The photographer's and stylist's image selection is sent on to the editorial team, where the images that best captured Maria's autumn ideas are put together into the finished feature.

Here you see the result – the carefully selected images that became the cover and spread.