A report in the magazine Leva Bo

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 will later say 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 but lively oak veneer where the grain gives character and warmth without taking over. A kitchen base that lets the styling bloom and at the same time holds 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. Couriers brought dining tables, chairs, and rugs. Existing furniture and details in the apartment were moved aside.

The first thing they do is to “feel the room”. Which table fits best? Which rug frames the scene? What is needed to build that warm, lively autumn environment that should meet the reader already on the cover?
When everything is in place, the kitchen is left ready for an early start the following morning.

Maria is first on site and continues building 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 fast, methodical, and very stylish.

During the day, 8–12 images are taken for the report. 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 get 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 report must be returned to the stores, companies, etc. that lent them for the photoshoot. When the images then appear in the magazine, all purchase info is included; the idea is that the reader should be able to get inspired and buy what they like. 

A list of everything belonging to the existing kitchen is also handed over to the editorial team – so the reader can find, buy, and be inspired by the details in the images.

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 report.

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