This month I am going to look at Dutch and European design, designers and brands and what better way to start than chatting to Linda Dekkers from extremely successful creative consultancy: Live Loud Girl. Having followed Linda for a while now on her social media and blog plus her jointly owned business Fronteriors I wanted to discuss her design aesthetics and what makes her 'tick'.
Do you feel that your Dutch upbringing influences your design aesthetic?
I grew up in a household of practical furniture in combination with treasures we would take with us from our holidays through Europe. Brands like IKEA are big in The Netherlands, but so is being exposed to Dutch design. I have always had a passion for working with furniture. I would paint an old chair or use a hand me down table as a desk. So working with a mix of affordable and high end design, vintage and new has always been in my blood.
Your own home is very stylised and looks like it is in a magazine when it features on your Instagram. Which pieces in your own home do you love the most?
Our Eames chair is a design piece that I had fallen in love with years and years ago. When I got a bit of money when we lived in New York, I decided to invest in it and have not regretted it till this day. I do believe that if you fall in love with something, that you should invest in it yet it does not have to be design furniture. The cabinet in the boys room used to belong to my grandmother. When she passed it on to me, I decided to paint it and use it as a closet. Vintage finds on a flee market can also make me very happy. It's the mix of things that I love most.
Which interior designers do you most admire, and what is it that draws you to them?
On Instagram I follow a lot of interior stylists that inspire me. Like @eyeswoon and @elisabeth_heier for their consistent style and beautiful imagery. But I also get lots of inspiration from other industries for building my brand and being a successful entrepreneur by @_jeanettemadsen_, @yara_michels and @jaceyduprie.
When you are blending the old and the new what pointers do you have to keep things balanced and aesthetically pleasing?
For us, the most important when styling a space is that it reflects your story. Whom ever is going to use that space should start smiling when they walk in. Wether that is using lots of design, lots of vintage, keeping is minimalistic or bringing in colour, there is no right or wrong. We do believe that you should invest in furniture that you can bring along in the following years even if that sometimes means it will have a different function. Cabinets can become storage, dinner tables can become office desks, chairs can be bedside tables.
What is your favourite design era and why?
The here and now but I am a sucker for a 70's accessory
You co-own Fronteriors with Kathryn, what made you decide to create the business?
Kath and I have known each orther for years. And even though we are in the same line of business, we never felt threatened by one another and would help each other out when needed. As we both have a long history of using IKEA hacks in our designs, we felt there was an opportunity of starting Fronteriors. We complement each other and have not looked back since we started almost 18 months ago.
With your company Fronteriors being so successful in upcycling Ikea products, do you feel that there is a movement in restoring and ‘upskilling’ products to make them look custom?
Absolutely, and the pandemic has only made that feeling more present. We spend so much more time at home now, realising that we should really make it our happy place. Making your home beautiful does not mean you have to invest a lot. Upgrading an existing IKEA cabinet that you have in the house ties in with many of our values. Besides that, we think it is important that customers can mix and match to create a piece of furniture that reflects their own personality.
You are great at blending affordable, custom, high end and vintage finds into one clean cohesive design. Is this a natural skill you have, or do you feel that it has evolved over time?
I have always loved combining. Yet over time my style has changed. When I started my blog, I was very much in to minimalistic design and a monochrome colour pallet. Now I use much more (warm) colours in my design (and in my own house) and love the traditional Scandinavian aesthetic. That is why it is so important to let your interior tell your story because your story will probably change over time.
Are there any items that you are in love with right now, and are on your wish list for future purchase?
A lamp from @casagitane - a shop that is also a huge source of inspiration to me.
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