Get to know TypeO Loft

We are incredibly happy to present the faces behind our fantastic partner TypeO. Design enthusiast Micha Van Dinther and copywriter Magnus Wittbjer describe themselves as a design studio specializing in communication and retail. Recently, the two creators expanded their business by launching TypeO Loft, a slow living Bed & Breakfast where guests can experience hand-picked design interiors with views of Västerlen’s beautiful natural landscape. All products in the loft are available in the TypeO shop and guests sleep in Read The Label bed linen. The loft was launched in mid-June and is located on the croft Micha and Magnus have owned since 2016. When we meet them in mid-October, we find that the concept has gone so well that the couple have not yet had time to sleep in the loft themselves.

What do you think has made TypeO Loft such a success?
We believe there are many factors. Partly because people want to stay close to home and spend their holiday in Sweden and that you also may want to spend the holiday a little isolated and not in a hotel with lots of other guests. Here it becomes private when there is only room for two people. We believe that our goal of getting visitors to experience nature, silence and relaxation has attracted many. It feels like people are longing for it and we call it a "Slow living Bed & Breakfast", precisely because we want to create the opportunity to get down to business here.

Do you think there is a longing for the countryside among the visitors?
Yes, it could be so. We see this every day, so we have probably gotten used to it, but if you look back when we moved here five years ago, we had the same experience that our guests have now. Then they walked around and thought "this cannot be mine". It is like a fantasy to be so close to nature and we notice that there are many who come here from larger cities and want to try something new. There are also several persons who have chosen to book again after their first stay and stay longer the next time.

You have chosen to have Read The Labels bed linen in your Loft. What were your thoughts when choosing brands that are in the loft?
In general, when it comes to all our brands we are happy to strive locally or Swedish if possible, but also that there is some form of thought behind it. Not mass-produced in a country far away, but it can be a craft idea or artistry in it. The products can be those you do not see in all other stores but feel hand-picked. An important part is also that the products are durable. As far as Read The Label is concerned, in addition to sustainable production, we wanted to find bed linen that would withstand use. It is one thing to have the products in your home, but it is another that the sheets and bed linen are used continuously by new guests. There we thought you were very good at helping us reason about how we should think about care advice and so on. In our opinion it has worked very well with the products so far.

How have you been reasoning if you look at the whole picture, in terms of material choice in the loft?
The idea has definitely been inspired by what counts as Scandinavian, but we would say a little warmer. We have found inspiration from Belgium. They have an aesthetic that is generally relatively stripped down and simple but that retains some warmth. For example, we have chosen to only plaster the beams and not paint them, then the walls are plastered with tile fix to give more texture. We have also considered having curtains in the loft but found that the light entry is what guests appreciate the most here. There have been quite small areas to work with and we have tried to find new ways to compress the bathroom and kitchen but keep the same feeling throughout the loft.

You offer a food concept at TypeO Loft, how does it work?
It’s like our little self-composed lunch bag, but which is very simple and tasty. We have selected local foods from the area and composed a couple of dishes that are easy to make for our guests. The interest in food lies with both of us and we think it’s nice to cook together after working a whole day. When Nordiska Kök was to help us create the kitchen part, we had to choose between an oven or a dishwasher and quickly realized that an oven was the most important thing. Although it is not fun to do the dishes, we think that there is time for it.

How do you see the future and TypeO?
Yes, the loft is actually the third leg of the TypeO brand, and I think it is a good example of how we work with communication in a different way. We want to create an experience and I think it is becoming increasingly important for brands to find ways to not only sell products but to communicate something more. It is in projects like this that we push each other and who knows in two years we may do something else, but now we probably have to land a little in this and maybe try sleeping in the loft ourselves.