Mariann Paulsen My father is Norwegian and my mother is Australian, and we used to come to Norway most summers. After earning my Interior Architecture degree from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, I moved to Oslo in 2007. I started my own practice but quickly realised I wanted a business partner. I had met Kristine through work and tried to persuade her to join me, with no luck. Eventually, I closed my office and booked a ticket back to Australia. Forty-eight hours before take-off, the phone rang – it was Kristine. The rest is history.

Kristine Nilsen My parents weren’t creative at all, but I always knew I would become an interior architect. I must have redecorated my room ten times growing up. I studied Interior Architecture at the University of South Australia in Adelaide, then moved back to Oslo, got a job, built a network, and settled in. After five years I was ready for a change. I knew Mariann from work and that she was searching for a business partner. I picked up the phone, and we’ve never looked back. She has big ideas; I love getting things done. We’re a good match.

Mariann Kristine and I are very different people, but very strong together. If I talk the talk, Kristine walks the walk. From our office in Josefines gate we started plugging away at projects, hiring people, and eventually outgrowing our space. Now, here at Rodeløkka, we have 400 square metres and enough room for all our creative bits and pieces – samples, VR rooms, meeting rooms. It’s fantastic.

Kristine Our focus on technology has made us an international studio – much of the expertise we need simply isn’t available in Norway. Having an in-house digital department has changed how we work and what we deliver. Most of us are interior architects, but we also have several architects on the team. They bring a different mindset and expertise to the table, which is extremely valuable.

Mariann In the beginning, I believed we needed people who could follow a project from A to Z. But eventually I realised that to be the best, we needed specialists. That also means every individual in our team is incredibly important.

Kristine We started out with private residences, working in detail from architecture through to finishing touches, often with budgets that allowed us to source materials unavailable in Norway. That continental approach has become part of our signature. Moving into property development, we applied our experience on a larger scale, which then led to transformation projects. Transforming an old office building into a modern, top-notch restaurant means being creative with an already painted canvas – and this is where we thrive. We want to be part of the process from the very beginning, before technical details are fixed. Everything is connected.

Mariann When I arrived in Oslo, everyone wanted the same interior as their neighbour. Now people want something that stands out, which is why we often integrate art into our projects. In Ambassaden, for example, we commissioned Australian artist Diena Georgetti to create a wall-based mosaic – one of the elements I’m most proud of. It made the space sing.

Mariann A good business model is about staying a little bit ahead – offering something different. We embraced technology early, and working in 3D has proven to be a powerful sales tool. We’re not afraid of change and are always asking: what’s next?

Kristine We have the experience to be innovative and creative within a set framework. We understand construction, buildings, and architecture, which allows us to unlock the full potential of a project.

Mariann I wake up every morning excited to go to work and to meet everyone here. Being an international studio, most of us don’t have our closest family nearby. We are a tight-knit work family, driven by a desire to constantly learn and improve.

Kristine We don’t want to be the biggest – we want to be the best. And I want to keep doing what I do now: looking forward to going to work with amazing people every day.