Daniela, the woman behind the Instagram account @wunderblumen, lives with her husband Stefan, their two children Marlene and Martha and Polly the cat in an old half-timbered house in Kassel in Germany. Across 110 square metres, one thing is especially noticeable: a love of detail and colour. We visited Daniela and her family and talked to her about harmonious colour combinations, interior inspiration and her colourful home. Come on in!
Daniela, you live in a beautiful flat full of character!
Yes, I love our old floorboards, the many small rooms and the charm an old house has – our house tells stories. On top of that, our flat is wonderfully full of nooks and very cosy. And the location – in the city, yet in the country!
Did you have to do a lot when you moved in?
The house used to be part of an old monastery complex and dates from around 1880. It was rebuilt after the Second World War, so as well as the very low rooms, there are now two rooms with slightly higher ceilings. Even so, the flat was in very poor condition – but it had potential and "heart". I've always had a weakness for old homes with a history. We changed and renovated a lot: dark grey carpet had been glued onto the old floorboards, and the boards had to be cleaned.
Your interior shows you're not afraid of colour and pattern. Has it always been that way?
I've always enjoyed change, playing with colours, furnishing and renovating. I love seeing how colours or patterns transform a room. Wallpaper is very effective for this. I'm really not the simple black-and-white type, and even though I often find minimalist homes very beautiful and admire them, well-chosen colour always finds its way into my home. I like it personal and cosy! For me, a mix of old and new gives a home more personality than a uniform look.
What do colours do in an interior?
For me, colours are balm for the soul. They influence my well-being without my noticing – being in a completely white room feels different from being in a space with warm tones.
How often do you change the colours in your flat?
There are a few base colours in our home that stay for a long time – nude, for example. Some rooms are defined by patterned wallpaper, which then provides the basis for certain colours. A change of colour and a completely different mood can quickly be created with textiles, accessories, prints or flowers in matching colours. I love to experiment here and change things every now and then.
How do you decide which colours make it into your home?
Usually I'm inspired somewhere without realising it, or I like something in a beautiful, special colour. Then the colour sticks in my head, an idea develops, and sometimes the colour is allowed to move in. A new piece of furniture, for example, can be the trigger. But the colour has to fit with the colour flow in the flat.
Which colour combinations work well together?
If you choose colours that are close to each other on the colour wheel, they look calm and relaxing. Those opposite each other create lively contrasts and striking accents. Our base colours are a mix of nude and powder tones and neutrals such as white or beige. So much goes with them: terracotta, marsala, cinnamon, browns, cognac, lavender, blue, pink … But never overdo it – combine the base colours with one or two other colours at most.
Are your rooms furnished according to a particular colour concept?
According to mine – according to my intuition! I like it colourful without being flowery, pastel without being girly, Scandinavian without being clinical … A mix of old and new, of design and flea-market finds.
Intense colours run the risk of looking overloaded. How do you create harmony between wall colour and interior pieces?
The colours aren't all thrown together at random – they run through the whole flat. I also usually combine no more than three colours in a room, and I pay close attention to how well they work together. Mood boards help with that.
Do you have the final say when it comes to the interior?
Mostly, but in agreement with the family. My older daughter is developing more and more ideas of her own and, at her age, needs to assert her independence now and then. So a tip from me tends to have the opposite effect. [Laughs.] Luckily, my family usually goes along with my colour experiments. So nobody's surprised any more when I quickly paint a wall a different colour or rehang a few prints.
How did your passion for redesigning and blogging come about?
More or less by chance. I wanted to get some inspiration for my kitchen wall. That's how I first ended up in the SoLebIch.de community and shortly afterwards on Instagram. The year before last, I added my little blog. I never consciously looked for a focus for my account or blog – I've only ever tried to show and share things and moments I like. Even so, blogging isn't my main job; I'm also very happy in my work as an educator.
What's your favourite brand, and why?
I don't have one favourite brand. I find my love of simple Scandinavian design and the mid-century era in Muuto, Ferm Living and Hay. I love the wooden accessories from Skagerak and the playful yet simple French furniture from Hartô. I could definitely make this list longer.
How do you spend your free time when you're not in your beautiful home?
I like being out in nature, in our large garden or in our courtyard in front of the house. That's partly because I love flowers so much – they're my great passion. Being outdoors is an important balance to everyday life with children and work, which is sometimes stressful but also lovely. I like electronic music and love dancing. In summer I really enjoy going swimming. I also love having people around me – my friends, my family – and there are always lots of children at our place. Cooking together, talking, listening to music and sometimes dancing in our little kitchen.
What's the story behind the name "Wunderblumen" ("wonder flowers")?
When I was looking for a name to sign up to the interior community, there was a bunch of flowers on my desk. There was also a little tin with especially colourful flowers on it. Somehow I immediately thought of "Wunderblumen".
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Daniela, thank you so much for the interview!
