Flowfabriken – Interior Design Process of a Yoga & Health Studio

Not just any yoga studio – but also a health studio

Yoga and health studio Flowfabriken is not an ordinary everyday yoga studio. When Irene Gimmersta first decided to set up their studio in Borås, Sweden, she envisioned that this was not going to be your typical yoga studio, and yoga was not the only service they wanted to provide.

Imagine somewhere you can visit during your lunchtime, perhaps a great opportunity for meditation at noon, or a yoga session after work to relieve the stresses of your day – sounds great, doesn't it!

An invitation for more flow in everyday life

Flowfabriken invites those who want to get more flow in everyday life. Appealing to both individuals and companies, whilst showing them the importance and value of reducing the stresses of our daily lives. They help find ways to increase energy and finding peace with the knowledge of ourselves and our bodies.

Often it is impossible for people to find the time to take care of these important aspects in their lives, which is why Flowfabriken has also developed a digital service, which enables their clients to take care of their physical and mental training when they are unable to visit the studio.

Take a tour around Flowfabriken with this video

A Pinterest board of interior ideas – Interior planning for a studio space

When you take a look at Irene's board, you delve right into the planning and construction of this beautifully modern and minimalistic studio space. See how each interior comes to life, shaping the interiors we see today for Flowfabriken. From the materials, lighting, storage solutions, and changing rooms – every component and element for this interior created a wonderfully minimal and unique space for Flowfabriken.

Flowfabriken's Pinterest board showing their interior design process

A place of sanctuary and meditation

Flowfabriken's passion was to create a sanctuary for everyday people, a place for meditation, yoga, and contemplation and offer activities that can contribute towards health, whilst also improving the quality of everyone's life.

"We want to encourage people to reach their full potential by offering useful tools to achieve flow in everyday life, tomorrow, and working life. When challenges and abilities are in balance, you will find flow. A state of harmony in your body and in your mind. A meaning of life." says Irene.

Irene Gimmersta, founder of Flowfabriken

What an entrance – Waiting room plus reception

When the conceptual ideas of Flowfabriken interiors were realized, the view of how this interior space should make their clients feel was very important, both for interior stylist Ann-Louise Håkansson and for Irene. From the calming reception and waiting area to the hallway leading to the relaxing meditation, health, and yoga studios.

Yoga studio entrance with wallpaper Silence.

Meet, greet and shop

Just imagine walking into this place and booking your next yoga, meditation, or health session. From the wow-factor of an entrance to the reception area, it's lovely how open and welcoming this space is.

You are not forced to wait in the waiting area either. If you like, you can browse what they have on offer in their shop, and who doesn't love a good peruse?

The combination of those hanging banana leaf decorations and our wallpaper Silence offers a spectacular and jawdropping backdrop along the walls. There are glass doors that run throughout the entire studio and combined with the glass roof windows, the whole space will usher in plenty of natural sunlight, which is very important for any studio design. The beautiful wooden flooring also runs over the majority of the floor.

Continuation of our wallpaper Silence

Yoga & meditation studios

Our natural wallpaper design Calm adorns the ceiling wonderfully in the open space of this studio. Featuring hand-knotted banana leaves, this design certainly adds a great sense of depth and warmth to the room. The curtains can be opened and closed for creating extra privacy, and with its minimally furnished design, there is plenty of space to meditate, provide health classes, etc.

Showcasing the wallpapers Breathe and Calm from our Re:Create collection.

The naming of a yoga studio

The name Flowfabriken translates to two quite contradictive meanings. "Flow" represents the condition we all long for, or all want to see in ourselves, whilst "fabriken" translates from the Swedish word factory. The name is perfect as the very city Flowfabriken is located has a long industrial history with factories and textiles over the years. The city's coat of arms shows two pairs of sheep shears, this is a tribute to the huge numbers of smiths over the years in this town.

Every room has been designed with purpose and thought

When you walk into a room – no matter if it is someone's home, an office, or a restaurant – that room has been designed with a purpose in mind and to bring inspiration. Rooms should ignite many feelings, perhaps of peace, tranquility, freedom, or possibly a place that feels homey and calm, and we certainly get this when you walk into the entrance of Flowfabriken. All the spaces have been designed with the meaning of creating a sense of peace, tranquility, and relaxation, just what we all need.

Q&A with interior stylist, Ann-Louise

When the final pieces were added to the interiors of this studio, including wallpapers, we couldn't wait to ask Ann-Louise from Hjärterum Design & Interiör some questions about the interior of Flowfabriken and the design process of this space.

Where did the inspiration for Flowfabriken come from, and was there a theme in mind?

– I was commissioned to style the interiors for Flowfabriken by Irene Gimmersta. I received an inspirational mood board that was created on Pinterest with requests for the expressions and feelings wanted for their studio interiors.

– Also, on my last vacation, I spent three weeks in Bali, and this gave me a lot of inspiration for the feelings Irene wanted to achieve for the studio. I had also already bought a lot of details that fit this theme perfectly.

What were the most important aspects of this project?

– Creating an environment that is similar to your client's mood board, if you receive one, is always important to follow. For this project, I worked with natural materials, earthy colors, and harmony in all parts of the room. My top priority was to create a sense of calm whilst also designing an environment that would inspire and bring creativity.

Did you think about any eco-friendly elements?

– It was very important to work with a lot of natural materials in this project. We decided that all lighting should be LED. The wallpapers from Rebel Walls are also very sustainable; their material is made from recyclable paper and has no toxic materials, which I think is wonderful for a yoga studio environment. I think creating awareness of sustainable materials is very important.

What is your favorite part of this studio?

– Firstly the entrance is inviting and harmonious, and after you come up the stairs, you immediately feel a sense of calm, where you are also met and made to feel welcome and relaxed. The shopping area is a great feature. You can purchase many things relating to yoga, relaxation and meditation, and also some lovely clothes.

– The large hall with the wicker banana leaf roof looks amazing, and those big white rice lamps create a wonderful dynamic in the room. Here I can imagine settling down for a yoga session.

Why did you choose these wallpapers?

– When the theme was chosen by Irene, the choice in wallpaper was easy, especially as the wallpapers came from one of Rebel's latest collections, Re:Create. This collection was designed with well-being in mind, so it was really perfect for this studio interior project.

Wallpapers used for this project

Calm

Silence

Breathe

Text: Catherine Higgins | Photo: Maria Sjöstrand