PERNILLE VEST: CURATING SENSORY WORLDS
“What draws me in is a sense of balance and calm, where nothing feels forced and everything exists in a natural dialogue”
Pernille Vest arrived at interior styling through the world of fashion design, where she fell in love with creating scenography for photoshoots of her garments. She has since devoted decades to styling interiors for leading publications, and for the catalogues, showrooms, and exhibitions of international furniture brands. Her creative vision, grounded in a serene warmth and tactility, has earned her a deep respect in the industry, both in her home country of Denmark and across the world. De La Espada has had the pleasure of working with Pernille over the past 3 years for our joint exhibitions with Garde Hvalsøe at 3daysofdesign and, in the lead up to this year’s event, where we all collaborate once again, Pernille kindly took the time to speak to us about her work, and to share her list of unmissable exhibitions at this year’s festival.
With her measured, deliberate approach, and her keen attunement to the sensorial impact of objects and spaces, Pernille has a unique ability to curate spaces that feel honest, warm, and feminine with an understated elegance.
“What excites me most about my work is the ability to shape an atmosphere — creating spaces and compositions that feel both intuitive and deeply considered. I’m drawn to the balance between the aesthetic and the emotional; when a space speaks, almost without any explanation,” Pernille explains.
Her work is deeply tied to storytelling, which accounts for her parallel career in publishing. As one of the co-founders of the Danish interiors and lifestyle magazine RUM, she was instrumental in shaping the look, feel, and content that drove it to international success. She later became part of the founding team of Ark Journal, a publication focused on art, architecture and design, where she curates interiors for its biannual print issues as well as for Ark Kollekt, the magazine’s digital gallery and online store offering thematic hand-selected collections.
“I find a lot of inspiration in materials, especially the way they age, reflect light, and carry a sense of origin. There’s something very compelling about combining objects from different contexts — art, design, found pieces — and allowing them to speak to each other in a new setting. At the same time, that is also where the challenge lies. It’s about knowing when to stop, when something is resolved, and when it still needs tension,” explains Pernille.
For our exhibitions at 3daysofdesign, Pernille combines De La Espada furniture with Garde Hvalsøe kitchens and interior solutions. Her creative lens amplifies our shared approach to design and craft, from Portugal to Denmark, and creates spaces where guests feel welcome to linger and connect with the pieces around them.
“My starting point is always the space itself — its light, proportions, and atmosphere. From there, I begin to build a narrative around the kitchens and furniture, allowing materials, textures, and objects to support and enhance what is already present. With De La Espada and Garde Hvalsøe, there is a shared respect for craftsmanship and material honesty, which creates a strong foundation,” says Pernille.
She continues: “There are always small moments that stay with me — corners where everything aligns quietly. It could be the way light falls on a surface, or how a single object completes a composition. Those understated vignettes often become the most memorable.”
Pernille hand-selects the products to display, crafting harmonious yet dynamic vignettes punctuated with special objects. Past exhibitions have included objects such as dinnerware by Sanmai, paper artwork by Marie Louise Steuch, tabletop ceramics by Helle Bovbjerg, ceramic wall art by Charlotte Thorup, and lighting by Astep, each possessing the qualities Pernille responds to most:
“I often return to designers and makers who have a strong sense of materiality and restraint. I’m drawn to work where you can feel the hand behind it — whether it’s contemporary or more traditional. It’s less about specific names and more about a shared sensitivity: honesty in materials, a quiet presence, and objects that age beautifully over time. Those are the pieces that continue to reveal something new,” she explains.
For this year’s 3daysofdesign, we present Tempus, an exhibition embracing the enduring beauty of well-made products; a tribute to the expert craftsmanship and timeless design for which both De La Espada and Garde Hvalsøe are known. A ten-year-old kitchen by Garde Hvalsøe meets the latest work from the Danish workshop, and products from across the De La Espada portfolio express the best of Portuguese design and craft. The theme aligns well with Pernille’s sensibility:
“I’m often inspired by spaces that feel lived-in — places where time has been allowed to leave its mark. It could be a private home, a gallery, or even a small, understated hotel. What draws me in is a sense of balance and calm, where nothing feels forced and everything exists in a natural dialogue,” shares Pernille.
Though Pernille maintains a consistent sensibility in her work, she is never stagnant nor predictable. Coming from a place of truth and integrity, each project has a life of its own, while clearly communicating Pernille’s values. Her vision continues to make its mark at Ark Journal and Ark Kollekt as well as in a broad range of external projects:
“I’m continuing to work on a mix of interior projects and exhibitions, while also exploring new collaborations. I’m interested in expanding the dialogue between interiors, objects, and art — finding new ways to bring those elements together. After the summer, I’ll be travelling with one of my clients to develop a new project. We’re still in the process of deciding on the location, as finding the right setting is always an important — and sometimes challenging — part of the journey,” says Pernille.
For those travelling to Copenhagen for 3daysofdesign this year, Pernille shares advice for making the most of the city:
“Copenhagen offers endless opportunities to find inspiration and simply enjoy the moment. My best advice is to slow down — walk or bike your way through the city, moving between galleries and exhibitions while discovering small cafés along the way.
A few of my favourite spots include the garden at Designmuseum Danmark, where you can sit and take in the atmosphere; Riviera for wonderful bread and coffee; and Baka d’Busk, one of my favourite places for dinner all year round.”
She also shares her list of unmissable exhibitions at this year’s festival:
OBJECTS OF DESIRE
Thorvaldsens Museum, Bertel Thorvaldsens Plads 2, 1213 Copenhagen
The Objects of Desire exhibition, housed in the historic Thorvaldsens Museum, features work by international designers and makers exploring form, technique, and detail with an emphasis on longevity, material responsibility, and considered production.
BOMMA
Christiansborg Ridebane 16, 1218 Copenhagen
Czech brand BOMMA, specialising in handcrafted sculptural lighting, presents a theatrical installation of their upcycled Fragments of Light collection. Set within the 18th century Court Theatre, the presentation includes regular live performances.
JOHAN BORUPS HØJSKOLE
Frederiksholms Kanal 24, 1220 Copenhagen
Danish ‘højskole’ Johan Borups, a creative community and college founded in 1891, invites visitors into their historic mansion for a graduation showcase by emerging Nordic voices.
Through work with lamps, translucent surfaces, and self–cultivated materials such as bioplastics and kombucha, the students explore design as an experimental practice.
LOKAL GALLERY
Gammel Strand 48, 1202 Copenhagen
Helsinki–based concept gallery Lokal collaborates with The Finnish Cultural Institute in Denmark for 3daysofdesign to present an exhibition featuring Finnish artists and makers combining the traditions of fine arts, refined craftsmanship and collectible design.
CONFLUENTIA COLORUM
Frederik’s Church, Frederiksgade 4, 1265 Copenhagen
Confluentia Colorum is a site–specific installation presented by File Under Pop in Marmorkirken. Through art, craft, scent and sound, it reflects on colour’s power to shape emotion, perception and human connection.
TEMPUS
Garde Hvalsøe, Esplanaden 8D, 1263 Copenhagen
Garde Hvalsøe and De La Espada unite for 3daysofdesign for the third year, expressing their shared values in Tempus, an exhibition curated by Pernille Vest.
Learn more about Pernille Vest
Learn more about the Tempus exhibition
Plan your visit to 3daysofdesign
Photo credits top to bottom, left to right: images 1, 7-10, and 12 by Yuki Sugiura; image 2 by Heidi Lerkenfeldt; images 3, 5, 6, 11, and 13-17 by Inês Silva Sá; image 4, Pernille Vest portrait by Thomas Cato
