Interview with Astrid from ‘The Nordroom‘
I’ve always had a love for Scandinavia, we went there a lot when I was a kid so I just grew up with that lifestyle and design aesthetic and it fits very well with me. Whenever I go to Scandinavia I feel like I’m coming home. I’ve always had a love for interiors and architecture. I remember when I was young I’d love to drive through city’s and look at all the houses (and have a little peek inside to see their interior). When I started blogging the Scandinavian style became very trendy and naturally because of my love for Scandinavia I gravitated towards that style. In the beginning, I mainly posted Scandinavian homes and even though that Scandi style is very visible in my blog today, as I get older I also gravitate to more eclectic homes with vintage décor and darker color tones. I spend hours every day browsing real estate sites where I get a lot of inspiration, but Pinterest and Instagram are also great sources for interior inspiration.
Don’t pay too much attention to trends & ‘design rules’ but focus on what you truly love. Search Pinterest, Instagram, and blogs to find interiors that inspire you and collect all these images in a mood board (Pinterest boards are ideal for that as well).
It might sound strange for someone running an interior blog but I don’t actually pay much attention to trends. But I do love that there is a growing connection between nature and interior design, not just with plants but also in color hues that are being used in interior. And of course that brands are focusing more on sustainability (though I hope that’s not a trend but something that will last forever).
I have one big rule when it comes to my blog and that is that it has to be my personal taste. Which doesn’t mean the home or product has to be a certain design style (my blog features many interior styles) but a blog is such a personal platform I don’t want to feature anything that I don’t really like. In terms of design it could be anything that catches my eye but the main factor is ‘how does this make me feel’ if it makes me happy than I’ll look further into it and start to research the brand. For me it’s important that a brand has a story and if they pay attention to sustainability it makes it even better.
I love to read, I’m very comfortable staying at home and being by myself and I can easily spend an entire day reading. And actually looking for interior inspiration is relaxing for me as well, which comes in handy since it’s part of my work. Last year I started going for long walks as well, I love walking through nature and just hear the wind and the birds around me. Though I do make sure I walk through at least 1 small village because even on a walk I can’t resist looking at beautiful (historic) houses.
Plan! Write down your ideas and come up with a plan to execute them. Pay attention to your analytics, see what works and what doesn’t and use apps that can help you with scheduling (f.e. Tailwind). Often the best moment to post on social media is at a time when it really isn’t very convenient, by using these apps you can set it all up at a time that’s convenient for you and it will just roll out without you having to look at it.
It will sound like a huge cliché but ‘just go for it’. When you want to start a business or any other project it’s easy to overcomplicate things. It doesn’t have to be perfect from the start and it’s very likely that over time you will adapt and change things and that’s okay, because you will learn along the way and making mistakes is part of life (and business).
Images above from Astrid’s daily walks
I would love to shoot my own original home tours, which now during Covid isn’t really possible. I also have an idea for a new project which focusses more on culture and lifestyle but that is still in development and will work better when the world opens up again.
Image Credit: Styling JosefssonLjung & photographer Alen Cordic
Badgers & Berries is all about nature. Flowers and Bees in particular. Not only do we want to capture the beauty and details of these flowers for as long as possible, but we also want to show that these flowers are important for our environment.
I’m inspired by people with conviction and integrity, people whose resilience means they don’t give up when things get tough. That can be people who work towards similar goals as me or those who do something completely different but whose values and attitudes echo mine somehow.
With over 1,000 sales and over 220 raving reviews in her Etsy shop Pure Prana Label, designer Cindy has accumulated lots of experience ánd knowledge about what it means to be a creative entrepreneur. Today she shares her tips on what works for her, and advice on what you can do to grow and expand your creative business.
I first started selling my crochet locally at craft fairs and school fairs. Before I knew it, I was getting custom requests from the local community and from people who had seen my creations out and about the local area. It was then I gained the confidence and self belief to start selling online and I haven’t looked back since. It brings me so much joy to see someone wearing one of my creations or buying an item as a gift for a loved one.