HOME STORIES - SARA JIN MI

Goldsmith Sara Jin Mi creates jewellery from her Copenhagen studio, working primarily with 18-karat gold and precious stones. Her instinctive relationship with colour and materials extends into the home she shares with her family — a personal collection of art, furniture, objects and memories gathered over time.

For the first chapter of Home Stories, we visited Sara at home in Copenhagen to talk about the things she chooses to surround herself with, the stories behind them, and the connection between home, wardrobe and the pieces she creates.

“It’s the things I’ve collected and chosen over time that make a place feel like home.”

 

For Sara, those things range from design pieces to objects with little material value but a very specific memory attached to them.

Her Wegner dining chairs share the space with some of the first ceramic pieces she bought by artist Klara Lilja. There is a small carnival mask brought home from New Orleans, hand-sewn curtains by WintherWackerhausen and a green chair that once belonged to a close friend’s café.

“My green chair used to be in my friend’s beautiful café. Now it’s a lovely little memory of that place.”

And then there are the traces of family life that have gradually become part of the interior.

“My kids have also influenced my home. Everywhere you look, you’ll find little drawings, chestnut animals, magnets of them or things they’ve made. I treasure it all.”

There is no strict rule governing what gets to stay. Sara is drawn equally to craftsmanship and sentiment — to objects made to last and those capable of holding onto a particular moment.

“If something is well made and will stand the test of time, or if it holds onto a core memory, I’ll keep it forever.”

Materiality plays its part too. She talks about the softness of oak and the feeling of warmth that certain colours bring to a room.

“It’s difficult to explain because feelings are so individual, but I love the softness of oak and the sense of comfort that colour can bring.”

The things she considers truly irreplaceable, however, are mostly found on the walls: artworks she and her husband have collected together over the years.

Colour appears throughout the apartment: on walls, artworks, ceramics, textiles and small objects collected over time. Sara laughs that others might not consider her home particularly colourful, but to her it certainly is.

“For me, it’s all about making it feel hyggeligt. I admire people who adopt a minimalist and clean aesthetic in their home, but somehow I always end up with lots of colour — especially pink — and a rather messy home. I do blame my kids for some of that, though.”

That instinctive use of colour also appears in her work as a goldsmith. Sara isn't afraid of combining different gemstones or introducing unexpected colours into her jewellery.

Her wardrobe is another story.

“I definitely think there’s a connection to my jewellery. In my designs, I’m not afraid to use colour or mix different gemstones. It’s actually quite the opposite when it comes to my wardrobe, which is far from colourful or bold — but colourless and practical.”

Her everyday uniform is simple: black trousers, a basic top or T-shirt and a soft knit.

Comfort is important. Sara walks rather than drives or cycles most days, so clothes need to move easily with her. Being petite also shapes the proportions she gravitates towards.

“I try to focus on adding volume either at the top or the bottom — but not both, because then I’ll look completely formless.”

“My clothes need to be comfortable and easy to move in. I don’t like feeling trapped within a shape. That’s why I find blazers and denim challenging. They can look beautiful, but they feel too stiff for me.”

Perhaps the clearest connection between Sara's work, home and wardrobe is not aesthetic at all. It is the way she thinks about what deserves to be kept.

As a goldsmith, she works with precious materials intended to live far beyond a single moment. At home, the same idea manifests itself less as a particular style and more as consciousness around what she brings into it.

“I think it’s more about being conscious of what I buy and choosing things that I know I’ll use and enjoy for a long time. That is the same mindset I have regarding my jewellery designs.”

For Sara, longevity doesn't require restraint or neutrality. A piece can be colourful, expressive or unusual and still have permanence.

“It doesn’t have to be simple to be timeless, as long as the quality holds up and it continues to bring joy.”

CURRENTLY

Wearing

“At the moment, my everyday uniform consists of basic pieces that I can work in and smudge without consequences, combined with more fun outerwear. My go-to for tops is Kernemilk, and I’m currently very into my new leather bomber jacket from Nicklas Skovgaard.”

Looking for

“A good pair of ankle boots with an elegant shape that I can walk in all day — maybe from Aeyde or Khaite. And a cashmere knit that will get me through winter.”

Inspired by

“I’ve reached an age where I find it fun to revisit my younger self — to realise that I’m still drawn to many of the same things I loved back then, but that I feel more comfortable with them now and am more willing to embrace them.”

“I have a feeling that many millennials can relate to that. It’s almost as if the things that once felt too pop and mainstream are now being rediscovered, recognised and given a stamp of quality.”