Where NorCal Meets Scando

Angela Johansen grew up in Minnesota, but you get the feeling that she has belonged in Northern California all along. Walk into her shop SALT in Sausalito and you just tsart to breathe easier. The homewares store exudes a Zen-like calmness–minimal and clean, yet never antiseptic. There are the coarse textures of stone and ceramic, the natural grains of leather and wood. The shop's selection of Scandinavian-inspired products are exacting, but never fussy or perfect. Here, she explains her commitment to handmade goods, why there's still nothing better than, yes, a long walk on the beach, and how she achieved her Scando state of mind.

How’d you end up opening your own shop?

I was in retail design for 20 years, mostly with Target, on the advertising side. And I had built my own homes, in terms of design and general contracting. So I decided to bring all those skills together and open a store.

Describe your design style.
I like to think it's both minimal and approachable.

How about three home-design principles you abide by?
Let's see.
• Start with something you feel strongly about, whether that's a sofa or a piece of art, and build from there.
• Control the clutter. A nice basket or bowl is always a smart move.
• And combine the more expensive with the less expensive, like a pricey Italian sofa with a lamp from Ikea.
• Bonus: Every light source needs a dimmer.

How did you develop your love for Scandinavian design?
Because I'm a good chunk Danish, I was always drawn to it. And when you're a creative, you have a tendency to be obsessive so coming home to something calming is so important to the psyche. The reality is, anyone can design Scando. I have a PBP vase from Osmos, made in India, but it's Japanese and Scandinavian influenced.

What's the overlap of Japanese and Scandinavian design?
Both value function and form. Scandinavian, in my opinion, tends to go more cozy, hygge vibes, whereas Japanese design is sleeker and more minimal.

Your shop, while minimal and modern, also has lots of handmade products.

Absolutely. Things can be both modern and handmade, as long as the design has removed the excess from the product; there should be no frivolous parts. So I have lots of hand-thrown pottery and natural fibers and alpaca and wood - stuff that's very tactile and textural.

For those of us at home, how should we mix handmade with machine made?

There's nothing better than accessing a very handmade product and placing it on a veryclean shelf with nothing around it.

How do your customers respond to the direction of the shop?
The people who come in often comment on how peaceful and positive the environment is. Even the DHL guy said that to me the other week.

When sourcing sustainably, what do you focus on?
It's obvious, but one thing I look for is packaging. If a maker sends me stuff in lots of styrofoam, they get nixed. I just can't do it.

What else?
If you buy something gorgeous and well made, you keep it for much longer. We don't talk about sustainability that way. If you buy a nice sweater you can wear it for decades, and you haven't bought a bunch of other pieces made from oil.

Last question: What do you do when you're not working?

I take my dogs hiking everyday to the foothills of Mt. Tam or the beach. It's a key time of day that helps me process and recenter. It's more than just exercise, it's non-negotiable. It's in my DNA.