Hello Norden

from White Bear Lake Magazine - March 2023

White Bear Lake by the Hour

“My company name, Hello Norden … Norden is German and Scandinavian for north, and so it’s sort of a play on words. Hello is just to give you that sense of easygoing, approachable, and Norden ... clearly we’re the northernmost state, but also my aesthetic is very Northern, so it’s always going to make you feel like you can cozy up and put your feet on a coffee table. All of our spaces feel that way,” Folstad says.

Folstad’s living room is the result of the transformation of all transformations. What once was six rooms and two outdoor decks is now a modern industrial family-friendly living space featuring a custom staircase, exposed wood beam headers and a cohesive, minimal color palette. A wood-burning stove along with layers of leather and hides throughout the space speak to Folstad’s Nordic style.

But still, months and years later, Folstad was experiencing symptoms that she would later find out were physical manifestations of her trauma.

“I was becoming really sensitive to noises and lights and sounds and stuff, and then I noticed that I was designing spaces in certain ways, but I didn’t understand why at the time,” Folstad says. Her friend, who worked as a trauma therapist, was the one to suggest that what Folstad was experiencing was due to her trauma. The pieces all came together.

“What I’ve been learning is that the way that I approach design is from a nervous system regulating standpoint,” Folstad says. “I was applying all these design principles that I didn’t have a name for them, but they were ways to design spaces that felt good for me.” All of Folstad’s signature detail-oriented processes—specific light placement and dimming, acoustics, safe window and door locations, soft-edged furnishings, organic and monochromatic colors, shapes and textural layers—bring a sense of control, comfort and safety as much as aesthetic.

“I apply my principles to every project, more overtly in certain ones than others,” Folstad says. “... Every human has experienced some stressor and trauma in their life, so it helps everybody.”

New North

While much of Folstad’s work revolves around interior transformations, she’s equally attentive to nervous system-informed design principles in furnishings and decor. At the Hello Norden offices and shop in Minneapolis, new and reimagined offerings include heirloom quality pieces with an edge—think antique wool rugs, leather club chairs, sheepskin throws and rustic coffee tables—all with a heart for anti-consumerism and eco-friendly design. Folstad has also curated a collection of kitchen and dining, home decor, apothecary and bed and bath products. “I want to be that go-to space for people looking for a highly-curated aesthetic,” Folstad says.

Since opening the Hello Norden shop in January 2016, Folstad has worked even further to bring more of her unique style to visitors through her Misfits of Creation line of reimagined home furnishings. The pieces, antiques and odd-balls made anew in Folstad’s creative vision, are statement-makers reflective of her signature mountain modern aesthetic.

“I use a lot of vintage and really sort of unique shapes that are not for the masses … You don’t see anything in my designs that you just would be able to point to and say, ‘I know where they got that,’” Folstad says. “We’re highly custom, highly textural, and, so to me, it was just sort of a natural extension to be able to carry all of these pieces that have a story and that, a lot of them are one of a kind.”

And now, Folstad is expanding Hello Norden’s offerings to include a custom furniture line available to both designers and homeowners. The products will be made in the U.S. and sold online and in store with a predetermined selection of colors and sizes. But, ever the creative, Folstad wants to make it possible for clients to get their exact vision with this new line.

The hardwood flooring, seen throughout the main level of Folstad’s 100-year-old home, is a result of a significant undertaking to remedy the mistakes of previous renovations. To level the floor, Folstad’s team handmilled reclaimed hardwood into flooring and custom cut each 16” strip of wood. The floor was then sealed with a zero VOC (volatile organic compound) vegetable oil blend.

“We will also accept customer-owned materials,” Folstad says. “Any designers can come to us—or even homeowners, too—if somebody just wants to come into the shop, we have tons of fabrics there, and we can do anything, really. Sky’s the limit.”

At the end of the day, Folstad is just hoping to help others create a space that feels entirely their own. “The spaces that you live in should tell a story, and it should tell your story. I don’t want to walk into a place and know the stores that you got things from or to have it look like anything else [or] other people,” Folstad says. “Make your space unique and tell a story … it’s going to make you more proud to live in it.”

Ready to feel better, look better and live better?

We offer results-driven group strength and conditioning fitness classes, personal training, physical therapy, and nutrition coaching for a best-in-class individualized fitness experience.

BearFitness 1873 Buerkle Road 651.419.5112 bearfitnessmn.com

Children’s Discovery is a local, family owned child care. Our mission is serving families through the exceptional care and education of children. Discover the difference, today!

Children’s Discovery Academy 3665 Talmage Circle, Vadnais Heights 651.653.9871 childrensdiscoveryacademy.com

Building Strong, Confident Leaders through Small Class Sizes and Individual Attention

Grades K–8

Schedule a Tour Today!

Magnuson Christian School 4000 Linden St. 651.478.7317 magnusonschool.org

Whether you are a famous celebrity or a “regular” person, everyone needs a good estate plan. Let me help you put together a plan that suits you and your family.

Sheila J. Kelly Law Firm, LLC