News from the studio! Two brand new (yet kind of familiar) prints have just landed in the shop: the Stockholm and Uppsala maps are finally here — and they look nothing like before. If you’ve been following my work for a while, you might remember the older versions of these two cities. They were colorful, playful, and full of life... but over time, I found myself growing apart from them.
To be honest, I didn’t feel like they really matched the vibe of our new website and everything I’ve been creating lately. You know how sometimes you outgrow something, not because it wasn’t good, but because you’ve changed? That’s exactly what happened. So I made the decision to bring both maps back to life — this time, in my signature black and white style for maps, focusing only in highlights.
Let me tell you — redrawing these cities was a comforting and meaningful process. Sitting down to reimagine the streets of Stockholm and the cozy corners of Uppsala felt like catching up with old friends. There’s something beautiful about revisiting a place through illustration. You notice things you missed before, you remember little details, and you get to add new layers — of memory, of meaning, and sometimes, a little humor too.
I added places I had completely forgotten about in the first versions. I tweaked perspectives. I let myself play a bit more. You might even find a few inside jokes or unexpected details hidden in the drawings. That’s the beauty of working in this format — it leaves space for both information and imagination.
One thing I’m especially proud of in these new versions is a small tribute I included to Gunila Axén, a Swedish fabric designer I’ve admired for years. Her work has always inspired me — the textures, the minimal yet expressive patterns, the way she captured a world of warmth and personality in just a few shapes. Including a nod to her in the new Stockholm map felt natural, like she belonged there all along.
This project also made me realize how much I miss Sweden. Working on these two maps stirred up so many good memories — cold walks along frozen rivers, the smell of fresh cinnamon rolls in every corner café, the calm pace of fika breaks, the light that lingers late in the summer. Honestly, I’m now very ready to hop on a plane and go back. A few slow days in Stockholm, a train ride to Uppsala, and long mornings drawing in a warm bakery. Sounds dreamy, right?
These new illustrations aren’t just about updated maps — they represent a shift in my creative path. They’re more aligned with the feeling I want to bring into your homes: calm, thoughtful, playful and full of stories. They reflect the new direction of the shop, the cleaner lines, the subtle tones, the kind of visuals that invite you to slow down and look closer.
And here’s the exciting part: this is just the beginning. Redrawing Stockholm and Uppsala has sparked something in me. I’m slowly revisiting other older maps, sketchbook in hand, giving them a fresh new look too. Some of them are going to change completely. Some will just get little updates — an added landmark, a better layout, a more balanced design. But all of them will be done with love and attention.
So yes, wish me luck in this journey of rediscovery and reinvention. It’s a big task, but it feels right. Like tidying up your house and finding that favorite old thing you didn’t realize you missed.
In the meantime, the brand new Stockholm and Uppsala prints are now available at the shop, under the City Maps section — in both standard paper sizes and printable formats, so you can choose what suits you best. I really hope you’ll love them as much as I loved drawing them.
Maybe they’ll remind you of your own trip to Sweden, or maybe they’ll inspire your next one. Or maybe you’ll just want a little fika-flavored corner in your home. Either way, I’d love for them to bring a bit of Scandinavian calm and charm to your walls.
And if you spot the tribute to Gunila, or any of the hidden jokes in the drawings — do let me know. It’s always fun to see who finds them!
Thanks for being here, for growing along with me, and for letting my work be part of your spaces. It means more than you know.
See you soon (maybe from the next map-in-progress)!
– Sira
