Quark continues his Home tour with Sophia. Here is the second part of his interview. Let's take a closer look at his apartment. How did she give birth to her ideas? What difficulties did she encounter?
Where do you look for your ideas and inspirations?
Pinterest is the best source of inspiration I can recommend. It gives me a lot of ideas. I like the clean and Scandinavian style. I don't think you should put a lot of stuff in a small space . The more the space is loaded, the more we will feel oppressed.
Instagram is less about decoration. There are fewer things.
YouTube home tour videos can give you a lot of ideas . I use these 3 platforms to inspire me for decorating our space.
What is the most difficult space for you to organize?
I have trouble organizing my kitchen. We have very little space available there. This is the biggest challenge of this apartment. There was little storage. We added the folding table, a first shelf to put the microwave and another serves as a side table. I put everything else away in the library. Cooking pots and utensils are stored in the kitchen. The dishes are stored next to the dining table. This limits movement. I also took an IKEA piece of furniture to store cutlery and added extra drawers. Standard kitchen units did not fit in our space. We hijacked a piece of furniture and the result is there!
How do you adapt your inspirations to your apartment?
Constraints need to be identified. Ours is my companion's hobby. He loves to play video games. For my part, I like to stay in front of the TV. Thanks to the separation made with the library, we each have our corner. We would have stepped on each other if everything was in the same room. For noise, everyone puts on their headphones. Our daily life, that's it. Especially in confinement. So as not to be on top of each other, we each have our own activity.
Is there a space you still dislike in your home?
The bathroom is the only room I haven't decorated. We want to change the tiles and the floor. It's an old building and the VMC doesn't work very well. Moisture quickly accumulates in the room. The bathroom floor is terrible. I would like to transform it with adhesives. I did not dare launch major transformations because we are tenants and do not have the agreement of the owner to carry out this type of idea.
What are the most difficult items for you to store?
These are my clothes, I have too many! It bothers me to store them in the kitchen. I was afraid that my clothes would soak up bad smells. I didn't know where to put them. But the cupboard closes properly. I just make sure it's tightly closed when I'm cooking.
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Papers are always a problem ! I store them in the library. It is the multifunction piece of furniture. We bought briefcases. We can store important documents there. The rendering is clean and orderly. I really like.
My companion puts his shoes in a basket at the bottom of the bookcase. I put my shoes in my closet. I have lots of seats. I keep the boxes to store the shoes according to the seasons. The ones I'm not wearing are in the boxes.
How do you make a choice when it comes to keeping or throwing away?
I prefer to sell my stuff on Le Bon Coin or Vinted. I only throw away when something is broken . I also give the clothes I no longer wear to my little sister. It makes him happy!
I keep some things with my parents. When I was in Lille I had a mirror to store my jewelry. Now he's with my parents, I don't have the room anymore. I'll pick it up when we have more room, because it's really useful.
In your opinion, what is the impact of storage?
Storage is important, it saves us time. I don't search for my things for hours . I can't afford to be disorganized in a small apartment anymore . So I changed my habits. Everything has its place.
I have a lot of cosmetic products: creams and perfumes. I had to restrain myself.
I said to myself: “well I have to stop, I have to finish what I have before buying”. We are taken by this overconsumption effect. I wanted to eat better . I gave things away that I no longer use. I keep everything I think is necessary. Finally, it's not so bad. It did me a favor. I realize that we keep far too many things that have no use.
What is the most important thing in decoration for you?
It's to feel good at home! I wanted to create something very clean and sober with soft colors. The important thing is to adapt the apartment to the style you like. I like the Scandinavian style and cocooning. They allow me to create a reassuring bubble.
What advice would you give to someone who has little means to tidy up their apartment?
Shelves are the ideal solution. It doesn't cost much. We have added many in the bathroom and in the kitchen. I also appreciate the pegboards (Pegboard) . There are plenty of small holes that allow us to hang practical accessories. We can quickly create a sticky note wall or a storage wall for the kitchen. We can also add green plants. It's really convenient for students and small spaces.
What is one thing to avoid when it comes to storage?
It is necessary to succeed in defining the essential to avoid piling up objects in the corners. We have lots of baskets which are very well organized inside.
I recommend giving everything a place. Do not store an object just anywhere. Each object must have a place in the house and a reason for being there.
Interview by Imane Charkaoui.
Formatting by Coralie Mottu
