Home story: The interior blogger Sarah Van Peteghem shows us her Scandinavian dream apartment
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How did she get this beautiful apartment? - one wonders when one sees the incredibly aesthetic photos from Sarah's Instagram account sarah_cocolapine . Sarah von Peteghem is an interior blogger and inspires her more than 100,000 followers every day with new impressions of her apartment. It shows in a clear and appealing way how to furnish your home in a minimalist, Scandinavian style. She also runs a blog and an online shop and this year she started her own interior consulting service. In an interview, she told us how this came about and what her very personal interior design tips are.
Dear Sarah, would you like to briefly introduce yourself to our readers?
I'm Sarah Van Peteghem, I'm originally from Belgium, but I've been living in Germany for almost 10 years. I studied 'Industrial Design', but I have a great passion for interiors and furnishings and I am very happy to have made this subject my profession.
Your Instagram account has over 100,000 followers and you are also very successful with your blog. Has it always been your wish to inspire others with your ideas or has that developed over time?
I started my blog 8 years ago. At that time I was working as a designer in a company in Berlin, but I was missing the creative side a bit. I was so incredibly fascinated by Scandinavian design and interiors that I just started sharing the inspiring homes I discovered. I never thought at the time that it would be this big.
How would you describe your furnishing style and how did you get your beautiful apartment?
My style is mostly Scandinavian, but I love the character and individuality that can be achieved with a mix of different styles. My apartment is furnished in a rather minimalist way, but I really like accessories because they always make it look a little less minimalist. I moved here in Munich 1.5 years ago and I really liked the apartment, especially because of the beautiful kitchen and bathroom. You can easily change everything else in a rented apartment, but an aesthetic kitchen and bathroom were particularly important to me.
Do you have a favorite room in your apartment and why is it this one?
This is probably my home office. I like my work very much and have designed a space in which I can be creative, but which I can also close in the evening. Working from home is nice, but sometimes letting go is difficult. If you can just close the door, that helps.
You started your interior design consultancy "Scandinavian Interior Service" this year. What exactly are you offering?
As the name suggests, I offer Scandinavian-style online interior design advice. The main thing here is to understand the space and the person behind it and to find a personalized solution for the customer. I help to design a space that works and in which you can feel comfortable.
What is important to you in interior design or what do you focus on when furnishing a room?
I find the character and personality of a room very important. I absolutely don't like a room that looks too 'clean', it's more suitable for catalogues. In addition, I also think it is important to choose suitable furniture and lighting that have a timeless design and are beautiful to look at for years. You can then simply work with accessories to create a special mood or bring in a certain trend.
Where do you get your inspiration for designing a room?
I use my blog because I've already collected all the furnishing ideas that inspire me. And besides that, I also use Pinterest, although I particularly like the visual focus on this platform.
You produce and sell your own posters and graphic designs in your shop. How did that happen?
Because I also missed a 'creative output' in my work at the time, I just started designing posters. I love experimenting with different techniques like photography, painting and making collages. This is how I create posters that I think would look beautiful in a home.
In your opinion, how can you bring sustainability into your home?
I think the most important aspect is to think carefully about what you are buying. Especially when it comes to furniture and lighting, it is important that they have a certain lifetime, in terms of aesthetics and quality.
Do you have an ultimate tip on how everyone can quickly and easily create changes for a new sense of space?
With textiles and accessories you can give a room a different look. I'm especially a fan of pillowcases because they're so easy to change out. They're also easy to store when not in use, so there's always variety. A pillowcase is also great for testing out a new color palette.
What are your living and interior trends for 2020?
The color scheme will definitely play a bigger role and the topic of home office has come into focus a lot in the last few months, but it will still be important for all of us to have a nice place to work at home.
Thank you very much for the beautiful and insightful interview, Sarah!
Check out Sarah's blog post for more inspiration.
Photos & Styling: © Sarah Van Peteghem
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