Oh, Camilla Granasen. She’s a relative newbie to our COLLECTIVE, this one, but not necessarily to the world of real estate. She moved to SLC not so long ago from Los Angeles, where she got her start in the realm of helping folks meet their spatial match. And super serendipitously, I’ve heard, Camilla met up with a fellow Californian who unwittingly sang our praises before they even knew she was a member of the COLLECTIVE team, thereby validating her decision to come aboard. Camilla is no native Angeleno, however–in fact, she hails from the diverse, forest-ridden lands of Sweden, and she’s already taught me to say “hello” and “goodbye” in her native language (“Hej!” and “Hej då!”). Naturally, I also intend to ask that she teach me the corresponding, primary curse words in due time. I’ve yet to spend much time with Camilla outside our headquarters, but I know she’s got a winning sense of humor, she loves boxing and meditating, and I’m sure we’ll be drinking wine on a patio together in the coming, warm months. And–wine or not–she’ll soon be mingling with the likes of you to find the space of your dreams.
Describe your perfect home or space. What does it look/feel like? It’s simple and minimal, with tons of light and a few Bohemian touches. Big windows and patio doors, from where I can see my chickens, beehive, and veggie patch. There is a also a fireplace and an outdoor shower. I’m barefoot in the kitchen, cooking up a witches brew, feeling like a hippie version of Martha Stewart.
One thing you absolutely cannot stand: Snow down the back of my shirt!
One thing you absolutely, unequivocally LOVE: Chocolate, for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. All day, all the time. Dark and sometimes with a hint of salt, or nuts. Or dark piping hot, with some cayenne.
You’re an agent here. Tell me why. What lead you to this work? I fell into it after selling a property. My agent was fabulous and we hit it off right away, and before I knew it we had set up a company together. I had zero experience, but lots of enthusiasm, and I closed my first deal a month after getting my license. Later, I ended up working on a bunch of home renovation TV shows and I have watched over 30 spaces transform. It was magical and exhausting, and taught me to see beyond four walls. It has completely damaged me, and since then, I often find myself ”undressing” houses with my eyes.
Give me your take on our little COLLECTIVE. I’m a newbie here, and I feel very lucky to have found CHC. It’s this collection of wonderful, creative humans that all bring something unique to the table. Everyone is hard working and professional, and yet they always manage to have time to think out of the box and come up with cool ideas. It truly feels like a collective, where each individual counts, but the sum total is even grander because of each person’s contribution.
Describe your perfect day. What, exactly, does that look like for you? I wake up in the countryside in Puglia, Southern Italy and get fresh figs and burrata for breakfast from a local farm before I jump into the Mediterranean for a swim. The middle of the day is spent hiking one of the national parks in Utah, and dinner is al fresco with my best friends under the stars on a dry lake bed in Southern Kenya. After dinner we start dancing, kicking off with Stevie Wonder’s “As”. After shaking our booties with wild abandon, we collapse around a campfire and tell stories and listen to someone playing guitar until the wee hours.
Favorite read/watch: I love movies and some of my favorites are: Mamma Mia (so what if Pierce Brosnan can’t sing?); Like Water for Chocolate (so magical); and Moulin Rouge. Or give me an Audrey Hepburn running around in Givenchy anytime. When it comes to books, there is always a stack on my nightstand that I rotate depending on my mood. Mostly something factual, historical or biographical, kinda nerdy, really. Once in a while I pick up a novel to cleanse the palate. Sometimes it makes me feel a tad guilty, like having dessert before dinner.
Thanks to a story my dad told me as an impressionable teen, I have a latent fear that if I drive down a canyon road, my steering wheel might [unexpectedly] lock up, and I will plummet over the edge of a cliff with full awareness and no control. So. What about you? I have an irrational fear of freezing, and even in summertime I bring an extra layer, just in case–you never know when an ice storm might hit. I believe it stems from growing up in the North of Sweden where it was actually possible to freeze quite regularly, and summers are lukewarm at best. Or, how about snowing in June?
You could be living anywhere, really. Why SLC? I had no idea what to expect when I drove out here a year ago. In fact, it was with some trepidation I headed this direction, since SLC wasn’t exactly on the road most traveled. What got me driving here in the first place was the love of a person, which has since expanded into a crush on a place. Initially, it was the mountains that just looked so incredibly sexy (always will) to me. I would step outside and marvel at them every time I had, “what the F am I doing here?” thoughts. Then I met the people…the sweet, lovely people of this town. And, now I’m realizing how much I can accomplish in a day in this smallish place, AND still have time go to IKEA. There are hidden gems everywhere–just scratch the surface and you will find amazing stuff all around (hint, hint…check out the CHC blog).
How do you think we can improve this fantastic little slice of our nation? Where are we lacking? What’s up with the inversion? You kept that one quiet.
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