CLEAN LINES
THE OLIVE-GREEN CUPBOARDS of the kitchen from Danish Reform match the rest of the flat, which is kept in earthy tones. The black wall lamps are from Midgard at Connox, and the industrial look contrasts with the clean lines of the kitchen. The copper-coloured plate on the wall is made of aluminium and comes from Kerabad, while the oven is from Siemens. THE WHITE REFRIGERATOR is from Smeg and perfectly matches the light Fenix laminate tabletop. THE CERAMICS , also in natural colours, are from Serax.
Jules Villbrandt lives in the heart of Berlin in a historical flat from 1902. She has lived there for almost 10 years, so the flat has evolved in sync with her needs. The kitchen – the most recent addition – has a simple idiom and natural colours that harmonise with this small flat where you can continually express your creativity and play with the design.
Jules Villbrandt is the founder of the German interior design and life style blog Herz & Blut, where she uses her keen eye for special things to cast quirky objects in exactly the right light. She has lived in her historical flat from 1902 in Berlin’s Wedding quarter for nearly 10 years, with no plans of moving anytime soon. The vibrant pulse of city life has always attracted her, and she has always dreamt of living in a flat with high ceilings and wide floorboards.
Now she has the space for her ideas in more ways than one. Here, she has space for her creative chaos and for her constant need for change. Indeed, the flat has been through a series of transformations. From a classic student abode with after-parties in the kitchen to a comfortable family home with art on the walls and a new quality kitchen with clean lines.
– The kitchen is the nexus of the home, and I really love the colours and materials we’ve chosen. My dad and I removed the old laminate floor and found some beautiful wooden boards underneath, which we have restored. Steeped in history, the floor perfectly reflects the kitchen’s simple idiom and the natural hues, explains Jules Villbrandt.
Her approach to the new kitchen’s design differed somewhat from her mindset when she moved into the flat nearly 10 years ago – an excellent illustration of how her home has evolved in sync with her own development. This time it was all about quality, so the practical wall cupboards were removed to let the daylight in and make the 8 m2 seem more spacious. The kitchen style neatly ties in with the rest of the flat, where Jules has surrounded herself with her favourite colours, using them in every room. The earthy tones in the kitchen and the dusty olive-green cupboards appear to be a natural continuation of the living room, which can be seen from the kitchen. The living room displays Jules’ passion for interior design and art, and a wide array of posters hang side by side on the sand-coloured walls.
– I’m no minimalist – an aspect of myself that has taken some years to accept. That might explain why our flat has become more colourful and curated over time, and why I’m always on the lookout for new and different elements that I can use to change the look once again, explains Jules.
The small flat in the buzzing Berlin Mitte testifies to a strong sense of aesthetics that provides the space to live life with all the clutter it entails.