Johanna Weckström: Make the work a lifestyle

To know Zoco Home, is to know Johanna Weckström, thriving mother of two kids and one big Zoco Home family.

Inspired by her travels as a young girl with her father, an importer of Traditional Mexican ethnic decoration, the apple hasn’t fallen far from the tree! Johanna carries the love and passion for the undervalued and uniquely beautiful pieces, the same way that her father did.

‘Travelling has always been a part of my life.’

‘It is so interesting to understand different cultures and travelling to countries around the world. It has opened my eyes and gave me a different perspective on life and the beauty of it.’

From humble beginnings travelling and selling these unique pieces online, Johanna feels fulfilled in all areas of her life, professional and personal. Her  favourite part of the job has always been meeting and accompanying clients in their Interior Design endeavours. 

As you can imagine, her day to day life is very hectic and hands on, often being the first one in and last one out of the studio before she clocks in at her second job as her childrens chauffeur in the evenings.

‘We have clients visiting our store from all over the world. It’s incredible to be in contact with inspiring people and different cultures on a daily basis.’

Johanna remembers fondly the birth of her first daughter; she had been firm and vocal about not wanting to have a second child, and the nurse, knowingly said ‘See you in two years, Johanna!’ And in effect, there she saw herself, a couple of years later having baby number two.

‘Kids make your life complete… they give you a reason, they need you and you need them.’ 

To this day, Johanna does not miss anything from her life before her children, she has found a way to have it all. Her current mantra is ‘Make your work a lifestyle.’ Something which, contrary to popular opinion, is actually quite eye opening advice for mothers who want to have the best of both worlds. Johanna has brought her children up in the business, they have travelled together, visiting the factories and the communities behind some of the most authentic pieces in Zoco Home.

‘No two items are ever the same, and that in my idea, is beauty. There is so much more behind the products than what meets the eye.’

Zoco Home is where she operates her unwavering passion of interior design projects, proving that she is a multifaceted professional who loves her work. The carefully curated collections display her cultured and technical knowledge of the pieces.

‘There is a story in everything,’ a phrase that bears the essence of what is Zoco Home, and an integral part of Johanna’s initial vision; a commitment to sharing the stories behind the pieces that inspired her through the years. Pieces that we have concentrated into one cultivated family, The Ethnics Collection.

‘There is a story in everything and I would love to share that with people and inspire them so they can create their own beautiful stories.’

Day to day scheduling can be a struggle, especially while trying to puppeteer work, family, and the steady and incessant growth of the Zoco Home establishment. Sometimes it’s hard to plan holidays, and make time for self care, but despite this, she wouldn’t change anything for the world.

At the moment, Johanna is taking things as they come, living each day, enjoying the diversity of her work and not knowing what she’ll be doing next week.

‘I am going to make everything around me beautiful, that will be my life.’