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The art of kitchen design has evolved significantly over the years, with modern trends emphasising functionality, aesthetic appeal, and convenience. As an experienced homeowner and kitchen enthusiast, I've come to appreciate the importance of well-thought-out kitchen layouts. In contemporary design, the kitchen is no longer just a place for preparing meals; it's now a social hub where conversations are shared, and memorable moments are created. One emblematic feature of modern kitchen design is the kitchen island, according to premium interior designers . This standalone piece has become an indispensable component of many homes, offering extra workspace, storage, seating, and sometimes, a spot for the stove. However, I've come to a somewhat controversial conclusion: I'll never install a stove in my kitchen island. You may wonder, why? It's fashionable, convenient, and gives an open feel to the kitchen. True, but let me take you through my journey of understanding kitchen design, the traditional kitchen triangle concept, and why the rising trend of stoves in kitchen islands might not be the best choice for everyone. The Traditional Kitchen Triangle Concept The kitchen triangle concept is an age-old design principle that still holds sway in many modern kitchens. This idea revolves around the three primary work areas: the stove, the sink, and the refrigerator. The triangle configuration is designed to minimise traffic within the kitchen and maximise efficiency. Also read: What to Think About When Designing Your New Kitchen In my experience, the kitchen triangle has proved to be practical and effective. It provides a straightforward workflow, ensuring easy access to the stove, sink, and refrigerator. However, the integration of kitchen islands into this concept has stirred a new dynamic, especially when the stove becomes part of the island. The rising trend of installing stoves in kitchen islands is indeed captivating. It's seen as a way of breaking away from the traditional kitchen triangle, introducing a more open and interactive cooking experience. But is this a wise move? The Rising Trend of Stoves in Kitchen Islands The kitchen island stove is gaining popularity, and understandably so. It introduces a sense of luxury, enhances the aesthetic appeal, and allows the cook to interact with guests while preparing meals. However, as much as these benefits are enticing, there are considerable pitfalls to consider. The Pitfalls of Installing a Stove in a Kitchen Island While a stove in a kitchen island might seem like a brilliant idea, I've discovered a few drawbacks that have made me rethink this design. First, installing a stove in the island can disrupt the efficient workflow established by the kitchen triangle. It often results in extended walking distances and can create traffic issues, especially in busy kitchens. Second, it introduces safety concerns. With the stove in the middle of the room, the risk of accidents increases, particularly in households with children. Third: I like to use my island for entertaining. While it's fun to have some company while you're cooking, as a guest I do not want my face right on top of the hot plate. Fourth: Cooking can be messy. I much rather have my spaghetti bolognese sauce splattered across my easy-to-wipe backsplash rather than on my oak flooring. Lastly, the installation process can be complex and costly, involving rerouting gas lines and installing a ceiling-mounted vent hood. These can also be a real eye sore and interfere with the line of sight. There are inbuilt extractor fans that work with a downdraft but their efficacy often leaves much to be desired. Benefits of Rethinking the Kitchen Island Stove Personally, I use the kitchen island purely as a prep and serving area, while the cooking zone remains along the kitchen wall. This layout offers the best of both worlds: the functionality of the kitchen triangle and the luxury of an open island. Rethinking the kitchen island stove has numerous benefits. It promotes a safe and efficient cooking environment, reduces installation costs, and maintains the integrity of the kitchen triangle. Additionally, it provides more options for kitchen island use, such as extra seating, storage, or a dedicated prep area. Real-Life Experience: Why I'll Never Install a Stove in My Kitchen Island In my own kitchen, I've experienced firsthand the benefits of not having a stove in my island. The workflow is smoother, the environment feels safer, and the island serves as a multifunctional space. My kitchen island has become a central gathering spot where my family and I share meals and conversations, and create lasting memories. How to Redesign Your Kitchen Without a Stove in the Island If you're considering redesigning your kitchen without a stove in the island, start by analysing your cooking habits and needs. Think about your ideal workflow, your cooking environment's safety, and your kitchen island's functionality. Consult with a kitchen design expert to explore different layout options that best suit your lifestyle. Conclusion: Redefining the Kitchen Design Norms Rethinking kitchen design norms, specifically the placement of the stove in the kitchen island, can lead to a safer, more efficient, and more enjoyable cooking experience. While trends come and go, the principles of good design remain constant. The kitchen triangle has stood the test of time, and in my opinion, should remain a crucial consideration in kitchen design. Remember, the kitchen is the heart of your home, and its design should reflect your lifestyle, needs, and personal taste. So, before you jump on the kitchen island stove trend, consider the drawbacks and explore the alternatives. You might find, like me, that the best place for your stove is not in your kitchen island.

Interior design has a unique power to transport us through time. By embracing different design styles from the past, we can infuse our homes with the character, charm, and atmosphere of any era. The mood board is one of the most effective tools to visualise these time-travelling transformations. A carefully curated collection of colours, textures, patterns, and furniture can transport us through time, allowing us to recreate the most iconic styles of each era. Let me take you on a journey through design history, starting with the opulence of Victorian style, moving through the boldness of 90s pop culture, and arriving at the serene, sustainable comfort of contemporary design today. Each decade brings its own flavour and aesthetic identity, offering endless inspiration for today’s interiors. As I put together this blog, I couldn’t help but recognise the styles, sometimes smiling in nostalgia or cringing at past trends, all while realising how much it shows my age! Every design phase holds a special place, reflecting the evolution of interiors and the way we live. 1. Victorian Era (1837–1901): Luxurious Elegance and Ornamentation The Victorian era was all about excess, grandeur, and ornate details. Homes of this period were richly decorated, reflecting the social status and wealth of their owners. A mood board capturing the essence of Victorian design should focus on lavish detailing, dark, dramatic colours, and opulent furnishings. Colours : Deep, rich hues such as burgundy, emerald green, and royal blue were common. These bold colours were often accented with gold or brass detailing. Patterns : Florals, damask, and elaborate brocade were used extensively in wallpaper, upholstery, and carpets. Furniture : Heavy, intricately carved wooden furniture dominated Victorian homes, with mahogany and dark-stained woods being popular choices. Textures : Velvet, silk, and heavy draperies were used to create a sense of luxury and sophistication. A Victorian-inspired mood board can help you create an interior that feels grand and timeless, full of detail and drama. Perfect for lovers of antique charm! Key items for a Victorian-inspired mood board: Dark mahogany furniture Burgundy velvet drapery Floral wallpaper in deep hues Ornate brass lighting fixtures 2. Art Nouveau (1890–1910): Organic Flow and Whimsy Art Nouveau marked a shift towards more fluid, natural forms. In contrast to the heavier Victorian style, this movement embraced organic lines, floral motifs, and a lighter, more whimsical approach to decor. Colours : Soft greens, lavender, and muted golds were common, reflecting the natural world. Patterns : Art Nouveau patterns often featured flowing lines, stylised flowers, and nature-inspired motifs. Furniture : Furniture became more curved and fluid in design, often featuring inlaid wood, glass, and mother-of-pearl. Textures : Delicate materials like silk and lighter woods were used to create an airier feel compared to the darker Victorian styles. This style is perfect for creating romantic and soft spaces. Incorporate these elements into a mood board for a home that feels artistic and natural. Key items for an Art Nouveau-inspired mood board: Curved wooden furniture Stained glass lamp Floral wallpaper in pastel hues Flowing, organic textile patterns 3. Art Deco (1920s–1930s): Glamour and Geometric Precision After the softer curves of Art Nouveau came the bold, glamorous lines of Art Deco. This style, emerging in the 1920s and 30s, was all about luxury, sharp geometry, and striking contrasts. Colours : Rich jewel tones like emerald green, sapphire blue, and ruby red, often paired with black, white, and metallic accents, particularly gold and chrome. Patterns : Bold, geometric shapes, zigzags, and symmetry were key features in Art Deco design. Furniture : Sleek, polished surfaces in high-quality materials like lacquer, glass, and chrome were popular. Think of mirrored coffee tables, glass-top consoles, and angular chairs. Textures : Glossy finishes like lacquer, along with velvet and satin, created a luxurious and glamorous feel. An Art Deco mood board is perfect for anyone looking to evoke the opulence of the Jazz Age in their home, with a focus on bold patterns and polished materials. Key items for an Art Deco-inspired mood board: Geometric gold mirrors Black and white marble flooring Velvet armchairs in jewel tones Lacquered furniture with chrome accents 4. Mid-Century Modern (1940s–1960s): Functionality Meets Style Mid-Century Modern design is known for its sleek lines, minimalist approach, and emphasis on functionality. This style, which emerged in the 1940s and flourished through the 50s and 60s, is timeless and remains popular in today’s interiors. Colours : Earthy tones like olive green, mustard yellow, and burnt orange dominate the Mid-Century palette, often accented by teal, turquoise, or coral for contrast. Patterns : Simple geometric shapes and abstract forms were common in textiles and wallpapers. Furniture : Low-slung, clean-lined furniture made from materials like teak, walnut, and leather became iconic during this era. Classic pieces like the Eames Lounge Chair or the Noguchi coffee table are staples. Textures : Natural materials like wood, leather, and wool were often used, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. A Mid-Century Modern mood board is perfect for those who love a balanced blend of form and function, with furniture pieces that serve as works of art themselves. Key items for a Mid-Century Modern-inspired mood board: Teak wood sideboard Eames Lounge Chair Abstract, geometric art Wool or jute rug in neutral tones 5. 1970s: Bold Colours and Eclectic Vibes The 1970s brought a wave of self-expression, experimentation, and eclecticism to interior design. Known for its bold colour schemes, funky patterns, and mix-and-match approach, 70s design allows for a playful, carefree vibe. Colours : Burnt orange, avocado green, mustard yellow, and earthy browns were popular throughout the decade. Patterns : Geometric shapes, psychedelic patterns, and oversized florals appeared on everything from wallpaper to fabrics. Furniture : Low-slung, modular furniture, often in bright, unconventional materials like plastic and acrylic, was a hallmark of the era. Textures : Shag carpets, macramé, and velvet were frequently used to add texture and a tactile quality to spaces. To capture the funky, free-spirited vibe of the 70s, use a mood board filled with eclectic and bold elements. Key items for a 70s-inspired mood board: Bright orange velvet sofa Shag rug in a bold colour Geometric wallpaper in warm hues Retro lighting like a lava lamp or orb pendant 6. 1980s: Maximalism and High Glamour The 1980s were a time of excess, and this was reflected in interior design. Maximalism reigned supreme, with bold colours, glossy surfaces, and oversized furniture taking centre stage. Colours : Bright pastels like teal, mauve, and peach were popular, often accented by black and chrome. Patterns : Abstract, Memphis-style patterns with squiggles, zigzags, and geometric shapes were iconic of the era. Furniture : Large, overstuffed sofas, mirrored surfaces, and metallic finishes created a sense of glamour and opulence. Textures : Plush materials like velvet and silk were used alongside glossy, mirrored, and lacquered surfaces to create a layered, luxurious feel. A mood board filled with 80s-inspired elements is perfect for lovers of bold statements and over-the-top glamour. Key items for an 80s-inspired mood board: Oversized pastel-coloured sectional sofa Black lacquered furniture Abstract, geometric-patterned textiles Mirrored furniture or walls 7. 1990s: Pop Culture Meets Minimalism The 1990s brought a blend of pop culture influences and a minimalist aesthetic. While the early 90s continued some of the boldness of the 80s, the decade saw a shift toward more pared-back, minimalist design. Colours : Neutral tones like beige, white, and grey were popular, often with pops of colour like electric blue or neon pink for a fun, pop-inspired look. Patterns : Minimalist patterns, often simple stripes or checks, appeared alongside bold, pop-culture-inspired graphics. Furniture : Sleek, functional furniture, often made from glass, chrome, or plastic, was a hallmark of the decade. Textures : Soft textiles like cotton and linen were used alongside glossy, smooth surfaces like glass or plastic. A 90s-inspired mood board can capture both the minimalist vibe of the decade and the playful, pop culture influences that defined the era. Key items for a 90s-inspired mood board: Glass coffee table with chrome legs Neon signs or pop culture posters White modular furniture Bold graphic rugs 8. 2000s: The Rise of Technology and Eclectic Fusion The 2000s were a time of rapid technological advancements, and this was reflected in interior design. People were experimenting with mixing different styles, creating an eclectic blend of traditional and modern elements, all while integrating tech into their homes. Colours : Earthy tones like browns and greens were mixed with metallics like silver and chrome to reflect both a connection to nature and a futuristic vibe. Patterns : Abstract and geometric patterns became popular, often used in wallpapers or textiles, bringing a more dynamic feel to living spaces. Furniture : Sleek, minimalist furniture was still in style, but now it was paired with bold statement pieces like oversized sectionals or vintage-inspired chairs, creating a unique balance between comfort and style. Textures : There was a mix of natural and synthetic materials. Leather and wood were paired with shiny finishes like lacquer or metal, representing the clash and harmony of old and new. A 2000s-inspired mood board embraces this fusion of styles and the influence of technology. Key items for a 2000s-inspired mood board: Plasma TV mounted on the wall Leather sofas with metallic accents Geometric-patterned cushions or rugs Multi-functional furniture with hidden storage Statement light fixtures like metallic chandeliers or modern floor lamps 9. 2010s-Present: Contemporary Comfort and Sustainable Design In the 2010s and beyond, contemporary design has evolved to focus on comfort, sustainability, and personalisation. Home interiors have shifted towards more conscious choices, incorporating eco-friendly materials and mindful consumption, while embracing a cosy, lived-in feel. Colours : Neutral palettes like soft greys, whites, and warm beiges dominate, with earthy accents like terracotta, sage green, or deep navy to add depth and warmth. Patterns : Organic, fluid patterns inspired by nature—such as marble veins, stone textures, or botanical motifs—are common, creating a serene, grounding atmosphere. Furniture : Functionality and comfort are key. Modular sofas, natural wood dining tables, and multifunctional pieces like ottomans with storage or convertible desks reflect both practicality and style. Textures : A rich blend of textures characterises this era, from bouclé and velvet to reclaimed wood and rattan. The tactile contrast of these materials enhances the overall warmth and cosiness of spaces. A contemporary-inspired mood board reflects this mindful blend of sustainability, comfort, and a curated yet personal aesthetic. Key items for a contemporary mood board: Sustainable furniture made from reclaimed or eco-friendly materials Modular or multifunctional seating Organic-shaped ceramic vases or planters Textured throws and pillows in natural fibres Indoor plants to bring nature indoors and enhance air quality Final Thoughts Interior design is a powerful way to bring the past into the present. By creating mood boards that embrace the characteristics of different decades, you can curate spaces that transport you to another time, allowing you to relive the aesthetics of your favourite era. From the grandeur of Victorian opulence to the sleek lines of Mid-Century Modern and the bold excess of the 1980s, every design style offers its own unique charm. Ready to time travel through design? Grab some inspiration and start creating your own mood board to transform your home into a reflection of the era that speaks to you!

I started my interior Instagram account a little over 2 years ago. I had always been interested in interior design, and revamping my own home, but never really considered sharing that with others. To be honest, I was fairly addicted to Facebook, and figured adding another social medium to the mix would certainly fuel my addictive personality when it comes to consuming social media content! Nevertheless, I got persuaded by a good friend, who was very active as an influencer with her interior account, to give it a try. I had just finished a very large-scale renovation of our own home, and had plenty to show. Being a business woman by trade, I was actually hugely interested by the business model of Instagram and how an influencer and ‘influencing’ works. Can you really make money just by posting pictures? Would I be able to make any money on Instagram? I decided to go and find out. Partly because I was really intrigued, and partly because I was really drawn to the creative and aesthetic aspect of Instagram. I needed a creative outlet next to my work in de medical world. And of course, the competitor in me (I was a national gymnast in my youth) just wanted to ‘win’. Because, and let’s be honest, in the end it’s a game. It’s a game of numbers, strategy, a bit of luck and a lot of perseverance. If you want to achieve anything, you need to be in it for the long haul, because it is hard work and requires dedication. Free stuff So, influencers seemed to be getting a lot of ‘free stuff’. At least, that’s what it looked like to me at the time. Little did I realise how much work goes into making creative online content and it rather is a fee for services rendered. Either way, that was going to be my first goal. Being so successful that someone (didn’t really matter who or what) deemed me worthy enough to ask me to promote their wares. Wouldn’t that be cool? So, I was going for it. How many followers would I need? No idea. But definitely a lot more than the 100 I started with (consisting of family and friends). Fast forward 2 years, and I am, without too much hesitation, calling myself an influencer within the interior space of Instagram. I do ‘get’ free stuff, I do get paid for posts, I am dedicated and work bloody hard for it. I now get to experience the other end, and everything that comes with it; the good, the bad and the ugly. Between me and my fellow influencing colleagues, we’ve probably seen it all. We normally chat about the good stuff. But hey, I like mixing it up! I am going to divulge some of my pet peeves. Straight out asking for a follow For me, a big no no is asking someone to ‘please follow me’. Or variations on that theme. I can’t count the number of times when someone left a comment, or sent a DM saying ‘I will follow you, if you follow me back’, or ‘we seem to have the same style, follow me’, or (without commenting on your picture) saying ‘please take a look at my account’. Invariably these are much smaller very new accounts, sometimes very good, sometimes not so good. Regardless of what the content of the account is, I am always instantly annoyed, and think ‘make me’. Go and create content that attracts followers to your feed, like we all do, and make me want to follow you. Go and put in the work to increase your reach! I won’t follow someone just because they ask me to. Unfollow because you don’t follow back Everyone should follow accounts they truly like. I know I do! That could be because of content, or personality, and usually great accounts have a combination of both. I have had the most brilliant conversations with people whose accounts didn’t immediately appeal to me. But because their personality was so infectious, I just had to follow them to see what they had to say every day and their style would grow on me. Conversely, I have unfollowed people whose photos were brilliant, but they turned out to be plain boring or even nasty human beings. You shouldn’t have to follow someone out of guilt or worry for repercussions. I can’t possibly follow back everyone who follows me. For starters, Instagram won’t let me, and secondly, I wouldn’t be able to see the wood for the trees. I was once in the middle of a long and lovely conversation with one of my followers, who all of a sudden said: ‘hey, I just checked and realised you’re not following me!’, followed by lots of expletives. They promptly left the (what I thought was a really nice and genuine) conversation and unfollowed me. That affected me. We’re humans, not robots. Piggy backing on your content Influencers want to influence. That’s our job. We would like our audience to share our pictures, and save them for personal use. Sharing our pictures (provided proper credit is given) is really nice. It’s starts to bug however, when other accounts take every single picture you post, and share it on their feed. Over and over again. Even when appropriate credit is given. There are certain feeds out there that look like a copy of my own and I don’t love that. Clearly, what is far worse, is taking someone else’s pictures and post them as if they were your own. That’s simply stealing and is against the law. Murdering my content Every so often, other accounts share my pictures and add the most hideous filter so that even my husband wouldn’t recognise the place he lives in. If you wish to share my content, which I am (and most of my colleagues would be) generally quite pleased about, please share it as is. That’s the content I created, that’s the image I would like to portray. Excessive tagging of other accounts in pictures We can all tag other accounts in our pictures. I use tags in my pictures to show what brands are featured; sometimes for collaborations, but mostly as information for my followers (reduces the number of questions asking ‘where is this or that from?’). You can also tag the bigger aggregate accounts, as they ask to be tagged so they can repost your content within their theme. And that is normal. But what annoys me to no end is when I am being tagged in pictures that have absolutely nothing to do with me, but with the sole purpose for me to take a look and get a reaction. I am sure it is a very unpopular trick. I immediately remove the tag. Playing the victim If you have a follower tracking app, do yourself a favour and de-install it now. I used one for ages, and agonised over who started to follow me and who decided to unfollow me. However, I got rid of every app that logged into my instagram after I got hacked (out of precaution, read more about that here ), and I surely never missed the followers app. If you want to continue using them, please never go and ask someone why they decided to unfollow you. It won’t get you anywhere, just makes for very awkward conversations and makes you look desperate and very uncool. I am sure they have their reasons. Asking for free advice I work in the interior space. So do my fellow influencers. It is our job. I happily and always answer (polite) questions that I get. I love engaging with my followers. But it gets tricky when people are clearly after free extensive advice and want to take up hours of your time (unpaid). The question ‘could I please brainstorm with you for a little?’ or ‘Please tell me what you would do?’ is difficult. I happily give a quick response and think along on the spot. However, it gets awkward when you’re being asked for more and more, and you need to find a way to politely end the conversation. Most of us are available for professional services if you so desire. Abusing the DM facility Every now and then I get sent DMs asking support for a specific cause that has nothing to do with my feed. I find that difficult, particularly when these causes go against every single thing I stand for in life. But at the same time, I do not wish to offend my followers. My instagram account is a professional account, relating to interiors. I personally choose to not elaborate on the bigger issues in life on Instagram, we have other great spokespeople for that. That’s just my choice, other may feel differently. Being rude That’s an obvious one, right? Again, we’re humans, not robots. You come a lot further with niceness, full sentences and manners. I can’t count the number of times I have been asked ‘brand of couch?’, nothing else. I was raised to say hello, please and thank yous. Also, when you receive a reaction with the information you were after, it is very nice to say ‘thank you’. Trolling Unfortunately, influencers also deal with jealousy. People who somehow deny you the pleasure of whatever it is you have to show. Regardless of the fact that you worked very hard produce that one shot, to get what you’ve been given, and that you’re simply doing your job. Comments like ‘you’re just lucky to get such and such’, or ‘it’s ugly / looks terrible / what were you thinking’ are just not necessary. In my opinion, if you have nothing nice to say, why say anything at all? It just makes me wonder why you follow me in the first place, if there is nothing you like about it. Of course, we are in the public eye, and a certain level of trolling is unfortunately expected. We do not expect everyone to love what we do, or share our opinions. I certainly don’t expect everyone to gush over every single thing I do. My style isn’t for everyone but there are ways about it. It is a shame that people forget their manners sometimes. Stalking This is a tricky one. These are generally the ones who are over the top nice, keep on responding to every single comment you make, keep sending you instant messages with endless stories and don’t know when to end the conversation. The bunny boilers I call them (ever seen ‘fatal attraction’?). It’s over the top and frankly they scare me sometimes! I can’t be best friends with everyone, and even my best friends don’t smother me like that. I’m not that cool, trust me. Bashing others Unfortunately, we still come across bad-mouthing of other accounts. And that’s just not cool. It’s not a good look and says more about the basher than the bashee, if you ask me. When you’re upset about someone, someone’s comment(s), or someone’s social media strategy, I would urge you to refrain from instantly hitting that post or reply button and simply try to let it go. You can vent with the people you trust. In my opinion you are better off not publicly judging whatever someone else is doing. If it bothers you, simply unfollow that person. It’s an online community that you freely chose to be a part of. If you don’t like it, maybe reconsider. And with that train of thought, I’d like to add a few words on pods. Instagram pods have been in existence for ages. Helping each other is supposed to help your reach. And particularly people starting out, who want to grow their account, frequently choose to participate in a pod. I did too. I honestly don’t think it helped my exposure on Instagram a great deal. But I developed some fabulous relationships due to pods, for which I am very grateful. I have left every single pod I was in a fair while ago, simply because I didn’t have the time to keep track of everyone’s posts. I felt bad about not always being there for the other pod members (but mostly for my family who saw me permanently glued to my phone) so chose to no longer participate. I enjoyed interacting with my fellow pod members and have been very lucky. However, some pods impose certain rules that are simply ridiculous. People who believe they can tell you what to do, and what not to do, claim some sort of leadership position and tell you off for whatever it is you do or don’t do on Instagram. Don’t stand for it, that’s all I will say about it. This is a voluntary platform; please try and have fun. Final words I love my followers. The majority are an awesome bunch of people, that entertain me every day. They’re the ones that make me love what I do, which is sharing my online content with the world. They were the ones that stood by me when hackers were unkind to me, and helped me back on my feet ( read more here ). They’re the reason some amazing friendships are formed that mean so much to me. I enjoy being ‘an influencer’ although I try very much to keep it real and put things in perspective. Instagram is a place for everyone; whether you simply like following nice accounts, or would like to achieve more. I truly believe that anyone can be an influencer, as long as you have good content to share and stay true to yourself. What you need is perseverance and dedication. We don’t need the ugly. Instagram is big enough for us all, let’s just be supportive of each other. And most of all, have fun!

And then we bought a house in Spain! Just like that. Or that's what it looked like to the outside world. The reality is that it obviously required a fair bit of work, research, tenacity and guts. Oh, and money, let's not forget that. Hubby and I are property investors. We like houses. It's that simple. Truth be told, in Australia, it's a fair bit easier to hold investment properties than in Holland. The legal and tax systems are set up differently. It's hard to get into the housing market, but once you do, it's pretty easy to buy a second property. So where Dutch people opt for shares when they wish to invest, Australians tend to go for investment properties. Dreaming of a holiday home We always dreamed of a holiday home. Somewhere to escape. Something totally different to normal. Something that would be ours, and not purposely bought to rent out. We could never quite justify it though; you spend a lot of money to not always be there. And we love travelling all over the world. Would we still do so if we owned a holiday home somewhere idyllic? Then corona hit. And we realised anything can happen. The world turns upside down without warning. We figured life is short. Too short. If we really want something we should just go for it. Especially now the kids are still young to enjoy it. And the idea of spending time somewhere in the middle of nowhere, without lots of people, suddenly sounded very appealing. Because that's what we wanted. We both love living in the city. We love the hustle and bustle, restaurants, shops, and everything within walking distance. But if we're buying an escape, we want to be countryside, away from everything, somewhere with gorgeous views preferably. Bonus if there was surf around (hubby will always remain a surfie boy of course) but not a must. Fun fact: hubby's requirement was to be able to have enough land to have a goat. For some weird reason, he is fascinated by goats. They're cute, I admit. I love animals. Not sure if I need a goat though! While we still live in The Netherlands, Spain was our first choice. My husband speaks fluent Spanish (very convenient), we love the weather, the food, the wine and you can drive if you have to. We did lots of research and in the end, settled on the area around Valencia. Why? Valencia is über cool. I am obsessed with its street art. I like how it's gorgeous yet understated, grungy, easy, friendly, 300 days of sunshine per year and it's very affordable. In fact, Valencia was recently voted as the number one city for expats to live in ( read the full report here ) by InterNations. Research We started doing our research (we'd already been property hunting in France, and other areas of Spain) and got in touch with Valencia Property. Actually, we got in touch with many real estate agents (and when I say 'we' I mean my husband because speaking the language makes a big difference). Valencia Property is run by Brits (makes life a hell of a lot easier for me) that have been living in Spain for yonks. It's always hard to trust people when you buy property, especially real estate agents. Agents in Australia can be snakes (never take anything face value from them), and agents in The Netherlands are so honest you wonder if they actually really want to sell you anything. Spain was totally new to us. David and Graham of Valencia Property were so incredibly nice to us, without us having to sign any paperwork or commit to exclusivity, it made us wary of a hidden catch. Initially anyway. We decided not to disclose hubby spoke Spanish fluently, to be able to hear what people spoke about behind our backs (what can I say, too much money at stake not to do your due diligence). Having gone through the entire process now, with the benefit of hindsight, I can wholeheartedly say that their attitude and belief that all good things come to those who make them happen couldn't be more true. I'd happily recommend them to anyone interested to buy in Valencia (just tell them I sent you). Read more here. Viewings Then the actual search. After all the pre-work, short listing lots of properties, investigating all the legal requirements, and contacting lots of agents, we set off for Valencia. We rented an AirBnB in Cabañal, a folky neighbourhood by Valencia beach. Awesome place, a vibrant area, and great food, just not the place to be if you value your sleep at night. It was also the middle of summer, so incredibly hot, particularly wearing corona masks. David had arranged an entire program of viewing properties for us which was just awesome. We saw a few properties with different agents but they simply didn't fit the bill. So after a few days we decided we'd only see properties with David, who kept arranging new properties for us to see (after we changed search areas). David also arranged appointments with a trustworthy lawyer and bank manager for us. Incredibly useful as well since you need both in order to buy property. You need a Spanish fiscal number, which is normally not hard to obtain from a Spanish embassy in your own country, EXCEPT in corona times. That made it impossible. David arranged for our lawyer to complete our paperwork, which went all without a hitch. A little scary at first, as doing official things in Spain the 'Spanish way' is a little scary, but we decided to have a little faith (after checking the lawyer's paperwork and credentials). And the legal papers appeared in our inbox while we were in Spain still. But where? Initially we looked for property in Náquera, an area in the mountains next to Valencia, hugely popular by rich Valencians to have a weekender as it's a couple of degrees cooler than the city. I just couldn't love it. We saw some nice properties albeit in urbanisations. An urbanisation is a group of apartments, townhouses or villas organised and grouped into urbanisations, much like estates, which are small communities within themselves. These urbanisations are often gated with on-site security. Living in an urbanisation can offer many advantages over living in a property on its own. While some people love that, we were just not into it. I prefer my own property, my own rules, and the more 'raw' feeling of country living. Doesn't have to be entirely off the grid, but it certainly needs to feel like you're part of the elements. Having said that, it wasn't the concept or urbanisations that put me off in Náquera (in fact, we saw a gorgeous home we almost placed a bid on), it was the mountains! I get claustrophobic of high mountain tops and freak out at cliff and steep driveways. Not my thing. I wanted views, definitely, but don't need to be up high to get them. I preferred the rolling pastures of orange trees more inland. Luckily hubby agreed. So we set off to Vilamarxant, and the areas around it. Being there, different parts of the day, got us excited. That's what we were looking for. Gorgeous surrounds, cute little village, beautiful sun sets nice properties, 20 mins from the airport and only 30 mins to Valencia city itself. Plus, it was a lot cheaper than Náquera. Bonus! Falling in love We've bought a fair few houses in the past. And I know exactly when I want to have a place, it just feels right then. I can make a judgment call within a few minutes of setting foot in a property. We know what we look for. Usually we both feel exactly the same about a place which is lucky. The moment we entered the country home that we can now call our own, I fell in love. The setting, the tranquility, the cute pink house, the pool, the views, the orchard and the squirrels. It was exactly what we had pictured. We instantly named the house VILLA ARDILLA (the squirrel house). And even though we saw a few more houses after this one, I knew I had to have it. And, it would easily house a goat if we wanted to. The owners were keen to sell to us and we soon settled on a price. We couldn't be happier and started the ball rolling to get the actual keys and start living the dream. Are you curious what happened next? Curious about the house? What it looks like on the inside? What I am going to do with it? Read my blogs here!

And then what? As you could read in my previous post , we just BOUGHT A HOUSE IN SPAIN! Oh Em Gee! So we gathered a team, did the search, found an amazing place in Vilamarxant (Valencia, Spain), made an offer, reached an agreement, completed the paperwork and....... went home. That's right, holiday time was over and we had to head home. No idea how exactly settlement periods work in Spain. Yes, we agreed on a date for the final signing of the deed, but (as it turned out) that was 'open to interpretation' and a 'guide only'. Awesome for planning purposes and OCD control freaks like myself. Not. Plus, let's not forget we're still in the middle of the corona pandemic. We had already anticipated that perhaps we couldn't make it back to Valencia whenever we wanted and had arranged a power of attorney through our lawyer; he could sign the paperwork in our absence. The idea was to return in the autumn holidays, sign papers, get the keys, and spend a week in bliss (and mess, as the house was bought with the whole kit and kaboodle, 4 decades worth of 'stuff' from the previous owners). Obviously we couldn't travel as our flights got cancelled. A good thing in hindsight as the paperwork wasn't done in time. Spanish bureaucracy is slow at best of times, add in corona and it's snail speed. Good to go! Early November we received the good news from our lawyer that everything was good to go, and if we could hop on a plane within the next few days to sign the deeds to the property. BUT HOW?? We decided hubby would go. He speaks fluent Spanish (all paperwork was in Spanish) and lots had to be arranged (the property is nearly off the grid, and electricity/gas/solar/wifi/pool etc is not that straight forward). We knew that the elderly vendors were very keen to meet us to explain all the ins and outs. Plus, we needed to arrange a caretaker for the 3000 sqm land to avoid returning to a jungle. So hubby booked a flight, and got mentally prepared for the quarantine period upon return. You must know, that in Vilamarxant there hardly is any corona (8 confirmed cases in the entire village of 30.000), plus the property itself is in the middle of nowhere with nothing but orchards and squirrels. The plane was empty, the airport sterile; if you ask me, hubby was much better off than the rest of the family, left behind in corona epicentre downtown Haarlem. But man, was I jealous! A dream come true and I can't bloody go! Keys! Hubby has been a star. Arranged for the deeds, milked everyone for information, got lovely old Luis to explain everything there was to know, became friends in the process (paella waiting for the whole family upon our return), arranged for water (comes from a well, not town water), arrange for electricity (usually solar), learnt about the pool (well water without chemicals that you replace every few weeks, and then use to flood the orchard) and had meetings with gardeners. The land was in perfect shape, albeit a little overgrown. Obviously we have to maintain this good record. And we wanted to trim a few trees a little. The house overlooks the mountains of Sierra Calderona, obviously we want to be able to see the sun go down behind the mountains. So the huge olive trees would need a hair cut. I know right, I am chopping down olive trees. Sacrilege in The Netherlands, but so plentiful in Spain. We've got tons. Just like orange trees, lemon, grapefruit, pomegranate, figs, almonds, you name it. Hubby collected his entire first day breakfast from the garden. How cool is that? The house Then about the house itself. When we went looking for houses our main priority was the setting. As you spend a lot of time outdoors. Of course, I do like a nice house... but you can make something decent out of lots of places. We saw many houses. And some were like concrete huts, some decent, some with little space, some with lots of space, invariably tiny kitchens and shitty bathrooms, most with cool tiles and Spanish features. Most of these country homes are used as weekenders, so not an awful lot of attention to modern comforts or any decor styling really. This house was different. I fell in love the moment I saw it. It was pink, it had a limestone facade, and it had terraces, the views and a pool. And an orchard with lots of fruit trees. Plenty of storage, and outbuildings to convert in something cool. It was private, yet not completely abandoned. In the middle of nowhere, yet within walking distance to town. I loved it. Yes, it had quirky features. Decades of enjoyment of many generations of the same family left it with undoubtedly many memories and lots of junk. But the bones were great. This house was loved. The bones were great, the finishes of good quality. The kitchen was big, 4 bedrooms in the main house and 2 (!) bathrooms. It had stone feature walls and a wooden fire burner. I was sold. This was the place for us. Luckily hubby felt the same. A quirky hotel The previous owners rock. They left the place as if it was a hotel. Towels on the bed, linen in neat little piles, and cava in the fridge. How cute! I had totally planned for sifting through full cupboards of crap but they had (luckily) emptied them, except for the ones in the living and dining, that are full of curiosities (I can write an entire blog about those and maybe I will!). Garden work Hubby spent a few productive days up there but we haven't been there since. Obviously. And I cannot wait. In my mind I have decorated every single room already and built pergolas over the pool. Anyway, in our absence the gardener has started working on opening up the view for us, and maintaining the garden. A few trees have to go for safety reasons, and others just need a winter chop. We can now see the over the tree tops from the pool deck. See the before and afters here: And from the terrace across the house we can view the mountains again: Can't wait! Needless to say I have tons of ideas. I just need to get there! Fingers crossed it can happen soon. I will take you along on the journey! Read here all blogs about Spain.

Urban Mediterranean with a touch of country Urban Mediterranean with a touch of country; I think that's how I should label my interior design style of our house in Spain. Not that I like labels. On the contrary, I do what I like and whatever feels right. I have a penchant for the unconventional and certainly do not like to be placed in a box. I really don't really care about following trends, I rather set my own. But you can always find certain fixed elements in my style, and that is respecting and honouring vintage elements combining them with modern touches, being true to the character of the house, and not following the masses but rather creating my own signature style. I think you'll find that, even though this home is vastly different from the one on the canals in Haarlem, it still is very much me, and recognisably so (or at least... that's what I've been told). Working from anywhere I'm a freelancer, a marketeer, influencer, blogger, project manager, online content creator, whatever you wish to call me. Either way, my place of work is flexible, but I do need access to a computer, and ideally a place to sit. The goal is to spend a fair bit of time at Villa Ardilla in the future so an office space was a must (and so was the WiFi set up, which is quite another story in urbano rustico in the Spanish country side, let me tell you but hey, it works - end good all good). The previous owners left a beautiful desk - bonus, a bucket load of chairs (one will have to do for now even though it feels like concrete on your bum after a couple of hours work) but it wasn't quite set up as an office. In fact the spot I had in mind was a little.... how can I say this... megh? A gift horse We bought the place furnished. This is quite normal in Spain and actually a godsend when you arrive and you have something to start from. We were lucky, the previous owners liked good quality furniture. While some items were absolutely gorgeous, others were not so. But that's what you get, decades worth of stuff all accumulated in one country home. And stuff there was, Oh Em Gee LOTS of it. Here are some before pictures of the living room space now turned study / living. As you can see, lots of wood. The Spanish way. Some gorgeous, some not so. Large chunky pieces of furniture, all built to last and placed purely for functionality and to house dozens of people. What I missed the most was texture. Everywhere I looked were hard surfaces. Granted, you live a lot of time outside, but inside simply wasn't inviting. It has some awesome architectural features though; I am totally obsessed with the exposed stone. It even has an exposed brick wall, so I am feeling right at home! The fireplace rocks, and gives lots of heat in winter. However the walls were whiter than white, the lights brighter than bright, and the copious quantities of the artworks (some very questionable) were placed at random. The place wasn't sure what it wanted to be and needed a personality injection, and real fast too! We work in Spain too Hubby and I both work from Spain from time to time. Me in particular, have a fair few local projects on the go, which makes me have to be there. It also makes an office space a necessity. The desk was originally placed in the bedroom, which is not ideal. I decided I would divide the large living room into a multifunctional space, after clearing out all the unnecessary and unwanted furniture pieces and dodgy artworks. First up, paint! First up, paint! Paint instantly transforms a space. Even if colour isn't your thing, there nothing like a fresh coat of paint that hides a multitude of sins (in this case the 2453 holes in the wall, randomly placed, to hold even more random artworks). I wasn't a fan of the orange of the feature wall from the start, that had to go. Also, the room lacked a bit of definition. The outside of the house is pink, and I drew my inspiration from there. I picked a colour palette for inspiration from Pinterest for the entire house, and went from there. On the colour wheel pictures you can see the two colours I picked for this particular space: And then we got started! The house is built in a typical Mediterranean style. Super thick walls, little natural light (to keep the house cool in scorching summer temperatures) and popcorn texture everywhere. Takes forever to paint. And every morning as you wake up, you find specks of white you've missed. But we got there in the end! I decided to paint the feature wall the dark (nearly black) aubergine colour, as well as the bulkhead on the other side, to define the space. First peek Even with the stone-age green and blue striped lounge set, (that, I have to honestly admit was actually pretty comfy), it looked a whole lot better already. A good basis to take the styling from there, starting with the study area. I love combining vintage with modern. I discovered an old sewing machine and there was no question about it, it had to feature. Also the desk was great. I desperately needed, however, to take this space into the 21st century, adding some texture and infusing a bit of a modern vibe. Via Martine I had been following Via Martine for quite some time on Instagram . I love her style, her approach to her feed, her art and on top of that, we bonded over our mutual horrible experience of being hacked on Instagram . A kindred spirit. Plus, and that was what sealed the deal, the use of a colour palette that exactly matched my choice for Villa Ardilla. It was the modern touch I needed for my study space in the country side. A perfect match with the vintage elements that were already there. Martine gave me a number of artworks to feature in Villa Ardilla and they all got a prominent spot. Finishing touches I added a dividing open cupboard in industrial style, curtains, an area rug to define the space, cool lighting, and simply rearranged the set up. Got the desk from the bedroom, created a special corner for the sewing machine, picked a chair that I could sit on the longest and created a study space we're both stoked to be working from. The view from the desk is the feature wall, the fireplace, the awesome masonry entry to the dining and the rest of the house and the quirky painting of our very own Diesel. Tadaa! Some pictures of the finished space! Whispering Bold goes Mediterranean; a bit urban, a bit chic, a touch of country, a little vintage and throwing in some modern industrial elements for good measure. Hard to pin point the exact style, but that's the way I like it. It's simply me. I've been working from this spot on and off now, and it certainly makes for productive days in the Spanish country side. I love it. Thank you Via Martine , to help me put the finishing touches on the styling. So? What do you think? Would love to hear it!

Blank Canvas We couldn't complain obviously. We've seen and heard so much worse! Many houses in Spain are sold with the entire inventory and it's a big gamble what you might find! Of course, you can elect to have everything taken away, but I thought the treasure hunt was so much fun. And we were lucky, the previous (elderly) owners had taken such good care of the property, and really invested in (mostly) quality goods. Tastes differ but it's lovely to arrive in a foreign country with a bed to sleep in, and a cupboard to put your clothes in. They had emptied all cabinets (trust me, that must have been a massive job!!) and even left us clean sheets and towels. I loved them already! The first room we tackled was our bedroom. And to be fair, it didn't need that much. It was spacious, had gorgeous exposed stone, a massive built-in cupboard and a big ensuite bathroom. The Mediterranean tiles on the floor really suit the place. And are a delight in summer. It was just a little hard to see through all this with the copious amount of extra cabinets, desks, picture frames, wall-mounted shelves, gross curtains and 'interesting' bedhead. See here for the before picture! Colour I first decided the colours had to change. The house is a little dark (to keep the heat out in summer) and had stark white walls. It just gave cold shivers. It really needed some depth to it. The house is pink. It's country side, and a Mediterranean setting. So I first on a colour scheme that would inject some warmth and summer into it. The entire family voted yes (bonus) - this is the scheme we went with (found on Pinterest): Off we went to the local paint shop. A lovely lady who was very keen to help select the right colours. We ended up choosing a darker and lighter tone for the bedroom, to really make the exposed stone stand out. The first coat went on (thanks hubby for cutting in), I was a bit concerned it would end up being purple, but thank goodness it turned out just the way I had planned. The feature wall was going to look fab. The lighter taupe colour went on every other wall and looks great. The walls are texturised. Personally not a fan of popcorn on the wall, but it suits the house and hides a multitude of sins. Particularly since I first had to fill about 3 dozen holes in the wall.... Decorating Then the fun part, decorating! We took 3 cabinets, plus the desk, elsewhere. In addition to the enormous built-ins, plus a tall boy, they really weren't necessary. The lazy chair I found in the living room (yay!). We bought some simple sheers for the windows and some bedding. IKEA to the rescue for bedside tables , and replacement lamp shades for the (otherwise still pretty decent) lamps. I brought the plaid and the genuine Berber rug from home. Nearly done! Gallery wall I like a good gallery wall and decided this was a good wall for it. But I wanted to keep it quite peaceful. With coordinated artworks, in the colour palette of the house, but with subjects that mean something to us (without being too obvious). I ordered these 5 pictures from posterstore.com: Petra, Jordan: Probably one of our best holidays ever. Absolutely love that place. And the pink tram, Lisbon Portugal: Fun memories of an awesome city. Great Ocean Road, Victoria, Australia: Because we get homesick every now and then. Pomegranate: Those we find in the garden of Villa Ardilla! Beach: Hubby is a surfer and misses the ocean. Result of the makeover So then, on a very low budget, our new Spanish bedroom looks like this! And the view to the other side (with a sneak peek to the bathroom) : I am stoked! Can't wait to spend more time there. What do you think?

A prison cell So my daughter's room in Villa Ardilla was a bit of a prison cell. Stark white, a cupboard and bars in front of the window. It's not terribly big, so we couldn't exactly go nuts with funky styling either. The cupboard is huge (yay) but fixed. The bed was intended (I guess) to sit against the back wall, judging from the light switches and electricity points on either side of the wall. Except that, if you did place a bed there, with a bedside table (to operate said light switch) you couldn't open the cupboard anymore. Not sure about the spatial planning capabilities of the previous builder / electrician. Either way, my daughter (9) preferred her bed against the window anyway so that immediate problem was solved. Except for the prison cell bit. Given it's a summer country home, the last thing you want to feel is as if you're being locked up! So we urgently needed to inject some personality into this space. Girly yet sophisticated If it had been up to my daughter the entire room would have been hot pink, but given others might want to sleep in this room too, we settled somewhere in the middle upon relatively neutral colours, with some added drama and some girly art. We opted for the same base colour as we had already used in the dining room (read more here). Stunning, and it adds instant warmth to the place. My daughter already proved to me she was an excellent painter, and a true helper, so together we set off to paint. My son decided that the roller was great fun. So the girls did the cutting in (me high, she low) and my son followed with the roller. Very efficient! Now for the drama My daughter had her mind set on an arch on the wall. Now I have to admit that drawing perfect circles is not my strong suit! But surely I wasn't going to tell her and fall off my motherhood pedestal. I took a pin, a string and a pencil. We measured out the middle of the wall, where we wanted the centre of the arch to be. That's where we pinned the string, and (while holding the pin in place) drew a perfect circle on the wall with a pencil attached to the other side of the string. Then I grabbed a spirit level and drew perfectly straight lines down from the outer points of the circle. Then I coloured in the outer lines with perfect precision (even if I say so myself) with a dark egg plant colour. My daughter thought I was a super hero. Winning on many levels! From that point onwards it was easy. We filled in the arch, added a second coat and voila, visual interest added! Skateboard art My daughter had already picked her art for this room, many moons ago. Hanging the skate board art is super easy, with the easy mounting system, if it wasn't for the massive stone walls of a Mediterranean Villa that makes the drill smoke in disgust. But we got there in the end, and mounted the three chosen skate boards in perfect fashion. End result The end result is a completely transformed room. And all we did, in the end, is paint, and hang some artwork. A piece of cake but the room went from drab to fab in a matter of days. No more prison cell, but my daughter still won't leave her room now. She loves it! It's girly yet sophisticated and she's feeling very grown up. This room doubles as a guest room and I personally would be very happy sleeping here. What do you think?

'I love your office! Why would you change it?!" This is why I gave my home office a makeover This was a pretty common reaction when I told my followers I was busy giving my office a full make over. And truth be told, I loved it too! So why did I go ahead and changed everything? Well let me tell you. I have a bad back, courtesy of an elite rhythmic gymnastics career on international level in my childhood. It limits what I can do and I have to take daily medications to be able to get out of bed in the morning. It sucks but I've learnt to live with it and I just keep doing whatever I want to do. Having said that, spending a full day sitting down at my desk to work, which I often do, was an absolute killer. My posture was totally wrong Two main reasons (besides simply being injured) why I kept aggravating my back: a predominantly sedentary job (in other words, I need to get off my bum) and a chair and desk combo that were ergonomically totally incorrect for my body. How often do you really take a look at how you sit? I knew all the theory of course, but I can honestly say I never really analysed my own work spot. If I had done this sooner, I would have realised that my set up only compounded my back issues. My desk was too high, my seat too low. As simple as that. See this picture (courtesy of Sydney Sports and Exercise Physiology) as a reference for how one really should sit at their desk. I decided to go for a standing desk, one that I could set to the right height for both standing and sitting to address a) my posture and b) to get me off my bum. Then one thing led to another This led to the following practical issue... I had these gorgeous shelves above my desk. My screen would smash into them at standing height. Not ideal. So they had to come off. When they came off, my wall looked like Swiss cheese. Oh and did I mention the black paint was actually covering the wall paper that was there before, that I hadn't bothered to take off (as you should!)? In conclusion, it was messy. So I thought I might as well redo the entire wall, and then solve another practical problem I was facing in my office; the lack of storage. Wall shelves look great to display pretty things and your nicest books, they're not terribly useful to store things you actually want to hide. My office really isn't that big (about 3 by 2.5m) and I could use all the practical storage I could get. My design vision for a healthy home office I had this vision in my head of what my new office should look like and guess what? I found it exactly as I had in mind, ready to purchase of the internet! Yay! It was fully customisable to my taste and I had to contact them to get a quote. This is where the alarm bells should have started ringing to be honest. Yet I was still totally surprised that to my shock horror this beautiful unit was going to cost me over 5000 euro. Sketch it with SketchUp Surely I could do better and I started designing my own budget friendly version. It took a bit of SketchUp planning as my space really is limited but customising basic IKEA Billy bookshelves would get me a long way! This is an impression of my vision, the quick and dirty way, but completely to scale. Makeover time! So then the actual makeover. First I needed a clean canvas with a fresh coat of paint. I wanted a warmer look and feel, with a touch of a wabi sabi. This time I did decide to do the right thing and remove the wall paper to start from scratch. This was quite a disaster and I ended up removing most of the original paint underneath. Not all, no, that would have been nice; the most awful patches remained. I decided there and then that there was no way I was going to scrape off all those fiddly bits of paint, and that wall was going to be wallpapered again. Champagne taste on a beer budget Remember, this is the budget version of my vision. So I went to the local hardware store (Karwei) and bought this gorgeous textured wallpaper (Le Noir & Blanc vliesbehang uni zand (dessin 4081-11). It was on special, yay! Three rolls and it costs me still less than one roll of the high end (also gorgeous) brands. Then I went looking for a matching paint colour and settled for Histor colour 'intuitive' (Histor My Color muurverf extra mat intuitive). I love it. Why did I go for Histor? Well, it's a great paint brand and it was on special. Another bonus. I am not married to a certain paint brand. But just as a side note, I never used Histor paint before and I was thoroughly impressed with how easy it was to apply. Neat, no drips and smooth as a baby's bum. Painting was easy, wallpapering was not. Not because wallpapering is hard but because my ceilings are 3.3m high (yes really) and balancing on the top step of the kitchen ladder with both hands holding wallpaper while only just reaching the ceiling made me ache the next day in muscles I didn't even know I had. Anyway, blank canvas done! (Note to self: next time get the tall ladder out of the garden shed.) Hello Billy - say hi to the IKEA icon but then customised Next up, furniture assembly. I bought 3 IKEA Billy's . I intentionally did not buy the bigger size for the one side of my room as I liked the extra support and the look of the middle post. To make it look a little less Billy-ish I bought these gorgeous doorknobs of Zara Home to finish the look. I love them. They're solid, perfect size and perfect material. Stand up for what's right: a standing desk I bought the IKEA Idåsen desk . I liked the look and the mechanism. I insisted on an electric standing desk as I didn't want to do my back in by manually adjusting desk heights on and off. This was a splurge, you can find one that's half price. The lady in the IKEA was super helpful and I ended up buying the desk chair too (as much as my own personal rule is to not style entire rooms with items from the big yellow and blue shop). It was just so comfortable and perfect for my body. And as my entire reason for doing all this was improving my back health, I decided I just needed to live with an actual big standard office chair even though it hurts my design eye. And as far as desk chairs are concerned, the Mullfjället really isn't that ugly. In fact, she makes me happy. Work with what you've got I repurposed my old oak shelves. As they're a) beautiful, b) functional and c) add a bit of warmth and texture to the space. All I had to do was cut them to size. Easy. Let's get functional As this makeover was all about a functional (and healthy work space) I also decided to address another issue that had been annoying me for ages; lighting. My desk lamp was too small and shining downwards. My pendant hung in the middle of the room. As a result, it would cast a shadow on my face. I personally don't care really but it isn't very nice for people to look at during video calls. I needed to find a lamp that would fix this and function well, both in standing and seating position. I fell in love with this beauty of a light fixture of Nordlux. I am obsessed with the retro touch plus it's adjustable. Perfect. Custom finishing touches After a few days of hard work it was time for the styling and the finishing touches. As I promised myself to take it easy that day, I looked around in the room and my eye fell on the ugly radiator. Another thing that's been bothering me for ages. Nothing in my home is standard, neither is the size of my window sill or radiator. So buying a radiator cover was out of the question. I decided on the spot to make one myself, using the same oak I have used for the shelves above my desk. And I absolutely love it. Anyway, it ties the room together and adds the texture and warmth I was after. So then I started styling the space. The final result! Done! I am stoked! I'm almost happy to be spending hours on end behind the computer. I kept my lazy corner of course (awesome comfy spot to be sitting in the sun looking out over the canal) for my instagramming time, but sit wit perfect posture (OK I try) when I do computer work. And as for the budget? In total, including all furniture and DIY materials, I spent about 1200 euro. A fair bit of money but not for everything I realised in this space. You can probably save a few hundred euro's and pick another desk if you want. I also consider it an investment in my health and it's a far cry from the 5000 quoted on the original office element I saw (and that's without sprucing up the walls). By the way, I like my own version much better. Because it's mine and I put my own blood, sweat and tears into it. Guess what, no disclosures! And now for the full disclosures... I have none! None of this was a collaboration. This was my own project, on my own terms, with my own money. Hubby only helped me to pick up all the IKEA goodies (you know, that sore back) so alright then, he gets a few brownie points for that. Other than that, it's all me. Health matters more than design I'm happy to say, it's been about a week working at my new desk, in my new chair, and I can already feel the difference. Isn't that amazing? My back won't ever be the one of an elite gymnast again but at least I am no longer aggravating it. I even wrote this blog standing up, would you believe? The standing up part takes a bit of practice. I like it but I can't do it for long just yet. I guess that takes a bit of training too. Just as paying attention to your posture and overall health. Anyway, there you have it. The real reason for my office makeover and a great excuse to give it a stylish updated look at the same time. What do you think?

Why my Instagram reach plummeted overnight Let me tell you what happened to me. I received a DM from a random stranger, let's call him 'a dirty old sleaze bag' or 'Rob' for short. It never ceases to amaze me how many people seem to confuse Instagram with Tinder. Anyway, Rob sends me this message, offering to be my sugar daddy and spoil me with his money. Of course he wants nothing in return, he'd be happy to see me shop up a storm on his account. All he wants is some online companionship. This is nothing new. I get these random messages all the time. Rob was actually quite polite and the language wasn't too graphic. Obviously Rob never received an answer and received a firm 'block' in his online face. I generally have a good laugh about these messages with my online community and often share them in my stories. Now, I am a civil person, so despite the sometimes incredibly inappropriate messages, I always blank out the account name and profile image. And so I did this time too. Shortly after I posted this story, I received a notification from Instagram that they removed my story as they found it to be against community guidelines. ' Whatever .', I thought. Personally, I figured Rob should be the one being reprimanded, and found the reaction a little over the top, but it didn't really bother me if the story ran or not. So I didn't give it another thought. Then things started to change. Instagram reach is always up and down. That happens. I was just having a good run however. My previous posts in the weeks prior generally racked up a couple of thousand likes, with a reach of anywhere between 20 and 170k. The moment Instagram removed my stories it was as if all stats and my mojo were reset. Only a handful of my followers got to see my posts. My statistics plummeted. I figured it had something to do with that story. It simply had to, as it happened immediately after. It was as if my Instagram reset my stats and mojo. I did my research into shadow bans. 'It takes a week, sometimes two.' , they said. ' Check your hashtags .', they said. ' Create engaging content .', they said. ' If all that fails, take a break .', they said. I reluctantly resigned to the fact that I'd be going nowhere for a week or two, cursing Rob and of course myself for sharing that story in the first place. It wasn't a shadow ban But after two weeks nothing had changed. I had great engagement on my posts from my loyal followers (at least from the ones that got to see them), but my posts were hidden for anyone else. Then one of my followers sent me a message and told me that I didn't even came up in search results anymore. That they had to type the full @whisperingbold and only at the 'd' my name would pop up, where normally they'd only need to type 'w' for me to show. That made me so sad, and I realised that maybe things weren't going to change in a hurry. I try not to whinge on Instagram. Your audience doesn't like that. People resort to social media to be entertained, not to get caught up in other people's misery. But I decided to tell what had happened to me in my stories, and if anyone had any brilliant ideas. Why did I not know about Instagram account status? Very soon after I posted my story, one of my Instagram contacts sends me a message and said: 'Did you check your Instagram account status? Perhaps there's something wrong there.' Excuse me? What's my Instagram account status and where do I check this? So it turns out that account status is a way to find out if you've posted something that goes against community guidelines and if it may lead to your account being taken down. Go to your profile. Tap in the top right, then tap Settings. Tap Account, then tap Account status. I checked my status, and WTAF! There's my stupid story with stupid Rob's message! I was put on notice as allegedly I had shared something that contained nudity or other inappropriate sexual content. So Instagram turned off all my privileges and ensured the world was protected against my so-called inappropriate content. Now, you must know, I have an interior decorating account; the nudest thing I show is my dog at my home without a doggy jumper. Even Rob's message I thought was a bit of a stretch to be reprimanded this severely. Request a review to remove Account Status tag Instagram kindly suggested to request a review if I disagreed with their decision to remove my content. Did I disagree? Absolutely! I pressed that button as soon as could, and figured it would be weeks (if ever) to hear anything from Instagram again (customer service is not their strong suit, see what happened when I got hacked ). But low and behold, within 2 minutes I received a notification saying they had reviewed my content and had approved it, thanking me for my feedback. And instantly I was back, people could search for me and find me again, and my reach instantly went beyond my follower base. I was elated. But why did I not know about this before? Quickly checking what my Account status said now, it revealed nothing out of the ordinary: Phew. Now you know about Instagram account status I am a firm believer that Instagram is big enough for all of us. And your successes won't need to bring anyone else down. So I am telling you this now, in case you ever find yourself in the same position, as I wish someone had told me earlier. Clearly it's not the same as being hacked , but the end result isn't necessarily all that different when, through no fault of your own, all your Instagram efforts and activities get blocked. I lost many followers over those couple of weeks, without having the chance to rebuild anything. And when you're a content creator by trade, that's pretty much the same as finding yourself suddenly unemployed without any income. I am so grateful for the girl who told me to check my account status. I wish I had known about this weeks earlier. I take pride in sharing my Instagram knowledge with other people and feel quite silly for not being aware of Instagram Account Status. However, I know for a fact that many, with me, had no idea about these measures that can be taken by Instagram. I hope that this blog helps others who find themselves in a similar situation in the future. Apart from all the Robs of course. They can get slapped with all the protective measures and worse as far as I'm concerned.

We all get fraudulent emails; it's what you do with them that matters Hackers are after your Facebook or Instagram account We all get them. Particularly if you're very active on social media. Emails that generally either a) freak you out (something terrible is about to happen to your account) or b) make you jump for joy even though deep down you know it probably is too good to be true (for example: ' Wow, this company is offering me an amazing collaboration .' or ' Yay, I qualify for the blue verification tick behind my name !'). Scammers are everywhere unfortunately. And they're getting better and better in pretending to be someone they're not. I've fallen for it too (read here how I got hacked). I think most of us however are getting pretty good at spotting fraudulent emails (funny email addresses, content that isn't quite right or simply having ' feeling' about it. But when a reputable company seems to be sending you a legitimate email for a legitimate reason, particularly when security is concerned, our heart still skips a beat. They are being sent all.the.time. however. Even just today, I had three. Two telling me there was a 'Facebook' security breach and I should log in asap to ensure nothing bad would happen, and one telling me I qualified for a verified account. The latter was already filtered by my email client and had landed in junk. The other two however simply appeared in my inbox. How to verify whether an email is from Facebook or Instagram How do you recognise fraudulent Instagram / Facebook emails? As it turns out, verifying that an email came from Facebook or Instagram is incredibly simple but you need to know where to look. Here’s how. On Facebook (desktop): Go to Account Settings on your own profile page, find the down-pointing triangle icon at top right. Click it, then choose Settings & Privacy > Settings to open the main Settings page. Find the emails that Facebook has sent you. Near the top left you should find Security and Login. Click that and scroll down to the Advanced section. Click the item titled “ See recent emails from Facebook .” Match Your Message. If you see a match for the questionable message’s subject line, you can be pretty sure it’s legitimate. Be sure to look both in the list of Security-related messages and in the list titled Other. On Facebook (mobile app): The process on the mobile app is pretty much the same (Settings > Password and Security > Advanced See recent emails from Facebook ). On Instagram (desktop): Go to Settings . On your own profile page, find your small profile picture icon at the top right. Click it, then choose Settings to open the main Settings. Scroll down to “ Emails from Instagram .” Match Your Message. If you see a match for the questionable message’s subject line, you can be pretty sure it’s legitimate. Be sure to look both in the list of Security-related messages and in the list titled Other. On Instagram (mobile app): The process on the mobile app is pretty much the same (Settings > Security > Emails from Instagram ). Most Facebook or Instagram emails I receive are fake Obviously the emails I received were fake. I pretty much guessed at much but I was still a little thrown by the email address, as it had a @facebookmail.com address, which sometimes is used by Facebook. Hackers really are master spoofers these days. I checked my accounts and no emails had been sent to me recently. So I went from being 99% certain I was being targeted, to 100%. Don't take the risk, always check. My default is to NEVER trust any of these types of emails, unless proven legit. Don't fall for it If this blog post has prevented even only one of you from being hacked it's been worth writing it. Were you aware you could do this simple email check to verify a Facebook or Instagram email? Be safe!

Follow these 6 general Instagram tips and grow your account You are excited about your passion or business and would like to share it with the world. You would like to grow your Instagram account but you’re not sure how. You can’t figure out why your account isn’t growing as fast as you’d like and would some extra insights. Let me provide you with some basic general Instagram tips and tricks that have helped me starting out and will help you grow your account and increase your engagement rate. Choose the Optimal Instagram Account Type Instagram allows you to have different accounts both personal and business, public and private. The first obvious step is to ensure your gorgeous pictures are there for the world to see and to set your account to public. What you perhaps hadn’t considered yet is to convert your account to a business account, or a ‘creator’ account. A business account is, as the name would suggest, for companies, however, it was until a year ago or so the best tool available to influencers. If you do not sell any products, perhaps a better choice for you is the ‘creator’ account, which has a range of tools useful for a large-scale active Instagram user. These include: Growth insights such as data around follows and unfollows Direct messaging tools that allow users to filter notes from relevant people Flexible labels that allow users to designate their preferred method of contact The growth insights give you detailed data about changes to your account. These include statistics relating to daily and weekly changes in your follower numbers. This works across all parts of Instagram – your traditional feed, stories and reels. This makes it easier to spot any spikes or troughs in your following, and perhaps helps understand the reason for any changes. Analysing your account, and keeping tabs on what works and doesn’t, is always a good idea. There are free (and paid) tools available to analyse your (and other) accounts. You’ll find a few of them on my influencer tools page on my website. Just type in your username and the sites will provide you with a raft of useful information. To switch your personal account or Business profile to a Creator Account go to your Instagram account settings, choose ‘account’ and follow the prompts to switch account type. You can choose to connect a Facebook page but (unlike for a business account) this is not mandatory. My personal experience switching from a ‘business’ account to a ‘creator’ account is that my reach per post increased significantly, in particular the exposure to non-followers. Perhaps Instagram limits exposure of company accounts in order to increase revenue from paid advertisements with guaranteed exposure, but this is speculation from my side. Tip 1: SWITCH TO A CREATOR ACCOUNT AND START ANALYSING YOUR DATA Instagram Username: only searchable criteria of your profile! You may have chosen your account name when you were a teenager and into unicorn sparkle rave parties. Or when you were sharing pictures of the puppies of your mum’s dog. Or when you were totally into fitness and posted every run. Or you may simply not have given it much thought if it is a match with your intended strategy and audience. The reality is… your name and username are two of the most important components of your Instagram profile because they are the only two searchable criteria of your profile . When users type a keyword or name in the search field on Instagram, the app looks at only the username and name fields of accounts to determine if an account is relevant to that search query. Choose a username that represents your brand, is recognisable, and, if possible, distinguishes what you do. Your username might be simply your (business) name or an adapted version. Or you might also include a word or two that describes you, your industry or niche to further define who you are. Keep in mind that when people want to tag you, they are not presented with a list to choose from. They will have to remember your name, and start typing the first letters, before the first options appear. I have seen so many interior accounts named housenumber12345 or something along those lines that I just cannot remember which one belongs to who. They are simply not identifying. Try and avoid too many special characters, simple words are much easier to find and remember. Choose something that stands out, something that grabs attention and makes people want to click through to your bio to see what your feed is all about. A house number will not do that. But for example, a made-up name of @cornershopwiththeweirdfrontdoor might. Instagram hands out names on a first come first serve basis. Many good names are taken. Avoid the temptation to add a special character to an already existing username to create your own, it only leads to confusion. No one likes to be tagged in feeds / stories unrelated to them, or vice versa. Consider your target audience and choose your language accordingly – can everyone understand and/or pronounce your name? Tip 2: CHOOSE YOUR USERNAME WISELY AS IT IMPACTS YOUR VISIBILITY! Pay attention to your Instagram Bio & Profile Picture Pay attention to your bio! It is often one of the first things prospective followers will see. If it grabs attention, you’ve just bought yourself another glance at your feed. Explain who you are and what you do, target your audience with a few niche words, share your personality with a (funny) light-hearted personal detail about you, and provide a way for followers to get in touch and make use of the website. The latter is important because this is the only place you can add a clickable website link on your own page. Make the most of it! If you have a website, add it here. If you’re working with other companies, place a link here. If you are featured on somebody else’s site, mention it here. There is only room for one website so use it wisely. A handy tip is, if you do not have your own website, is to use www.linktree.com or any other landing page builder site. These (often) free websites allow you to create a landing page on which you can add as many links as you wish, which means you do not need to replace old links if you want to add a new one. Even if your feed isn't directly about you, and perhaps you don’t love being in the spotlight yourself, do consider a profile picture with your face in it just as you should add your (first) name or an alias. Followers like knowing they’re dealing with a real person, and address you by your first name (and so should you, when you leave comments elsewhere). It is all part of creating engagement and relationships, which is what you are after when you are growing your account. Tip 3: OPTIMISE YOUR BIO – IT IS YOUR INSTAGRAM BUSINESS CARD Optimise Feed Appearance & Strategy for Instagram Growth Have you considered a strategy for your feed? What would you like to show your users? What do you look at when you’re checking out other accounts? Consistency is key; it should be obvious what your account is about. Is your thing plants, ensure a plant in every picture. Are you obsessed with the colour pink? Make that obvious in your feed. Do you schedule your posts? Do you have a specific order topics / items that you’re showing? If not, perhaps it is time to think about that. Is the lighting the same in every picture? Do you use a consistent filter? I operate in the interiors space of Instagram. Sad but true, detailed pictures and close-ups notoriously do not do well in interior account feeds. Likewise, (too) personal pictures or pictures taken without natural light tend to perform badly in interiors. What's the situation in your niche? For a while, there was a trend to add some quotes, blank spaces, or other ‘filler’ pictures in your feed. Granted, they add value to the overall look and feel, however generally don’t go very far in reach (sometimes hashtags are not even used). If this is a strategic decision for aesthetic reasons then by all means, go for it. However, do keep in mind that the engagement rate (what companies are looking at in selecting collaborators) is calculated on a series of your last posts. So they all count. In summary, take a good and objective look at all the squares on your feed and ask yourself if something stands out (a winner or a sore thumb) – and then take it from there. Are you communicating what you stand for? Tip 4: TAKE AN OBJECTIVE LOOK AT YOUR FEED AND CONSIDER THE OVERALL AESTHETICS Instagram Captions & Commentary to grow engagement Instagram isn’t just about pretty pictures or reels. An engaging caption is just as important. Outsiders often wonder why it is so exciting to follow people who keep on posting pictures of (in my case) the same room in the house, with perhaps a minor change, or a different angle. Well, you’ll know as well as I do, that the people behind the accounts make that happen! You get a virtual relationship with loyal followers who like to hear from you, and what your next story is. I have followed users with fantastic homes, drawn in by the beauty, but the captions bored or annoyed me. So after taking inspiration from their homes once, I quickly unfollowed them. Be personal in your captions but be careful with oversharing. In the end, most of your followers are not your real friends. They are phone friends and generally prefer to hear something uplifting, light-hearted or recognisable. Adding a call to action in your captions is always good, it gives followers something to answer, which increases your engagement rate. Don’t be too transparent. I personally am not a fan of the generic ‘So, what are your plans today?’ as an attempt to add a call to action to a caption. I highly doubt these people are genuinely interested in me going to the supermarket, having a work meeting and having to pick up my kids after school. Instead, ask something about your picture for example. Or create a caption so engaging, it simply calls for commentary. Also, consider your language and your target audience. People are often inclined not to read a caption they do not understand (or press translate). So, if your own language is not a common one, consider adding a translation into English to widen your target audience. The use of hashtags is probably the most important part of your caption (or to add to your first comment, whatever you prefer) and only with the proper use of hashtags will you widen your reach. Research hashtags of similar accounts and change them up. But don’t be afraid to copy a list from a previous post if that one turned out to be a winner! ALWAYS RESPOND TO COMMENTS, and then preferably using the name of the person you are addressing. And while you are on their feed checking their name, leave a comment on their latest post. You want to increase engagement and the only way to do this is to start a conversation, and actually talk to people. Don’t be afraid to share a post you really like in your stories, or send people you admire a message complimenting them on their feed. The only way to get people to follow you is to grab their attention and make them look! As a general rule, and it sounds so obvious but it so often gets forgotten… be kind. Tip 5: IN AN ONLINE WORLD WHERE YOU CAN BE ANYTHING, BE KIND Time your Instagram Posts In your Instagram insights, you can see what days of the week and what times your users are most active. Theoretically, this would be when your posts could be most successful. Personally, I take this with a grain of salt. I like responding to my followers as soon as I can. For that reason, I post in the morning. Then I can follow up during the day and be social with my family in the evening (and not drive hubby mad and to a divorce). Do whatever works for you as long as you’re consistent. I post daily, but not often on Saturdays. I have noticed that when I have better things to do than being on Instagram, generally my followers do too. Tip 6: CHOOSE A TIMING THAT WORKS FOR YOU AND YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE I don’t profess to have all the answers. Nor do I have access to Instagram’s trade secrets (I wish!). I am sharing my tips, tricks and insights for you to take advantage of. And even when you do everything right, things don’t always pan out as you wish. And then when you think you’ve nailed it; Instagram changes its rules or algorithm again and puts you in the naughty corner. It is not always fair. We all need a bit of luck sometimes, or a nice share from a bigger account for an instant boost in follower numbers (just grab their attention, you might just be surprised what comes from it!). You’ll have purple patches and low points. Focus on the things within your control and be prepared to put in the hard yards. Being an influencer on Instagram means being in it for the long haul; it takes a lot of time, rejection and can sometimes be ungrateful. It can however also open up a whole new world not privy to before, forge great relationships and provide opportunities you may not have thought of prior. The most important thing is to have fun!