Have you seen my amsterdam post yet? I had such a great time there, especially because I got the key to a gorgeous, stylish little apartment. the apartment belongs to annalena, a very stylish and humorous person I haven’t seen for quite a while.
When I posted on facebook that I am looking for an accommodation in Amsterdam I got a message from her, that I can have her apartment. just so. I haven’t expected to open the door to that little shrine of style and beauty. i am in love with all the little doors and storage rooms, while the windows show trees and green, sitting on the balcony makes you feel like being in the cool, hipster area of any European city. one funny thing, the stairs to the flats are so steep, i had to climb them sideways, I wasn’t used to it and almost fell.
Annalena has a great way to make a flat a home, a space where you want to invite friends, I saw myself sitting in summer with a drink on the balcony having talks till late night, watch the life in the windows of the opposite buildings.
she has that eye for details, just see the welcome notes with lot’s of tips and recommendations and a book about Amsterdam.
thank you Annalena, we really enjoyed our time in your beautiful little apartment.
ANNALENA
Where are you from?
Bremerhaven, Germany
where do you live now?
Amsterdam, the netherlands
what is the difference between Amsterdam and Berlin?
I guess the biggest difference between the two cities is the size and how people react to that. Amsterdam is much more relaxed, people can bike everywhere and actually the dutch spend the most time outside compared to other European countries. Which is kind of funny for à windy and rainy country.
what do those two cities have in common?
Both towns have a fantastic cultural scene. Great music venues like paradiso, outstanding museums like foam or night clubs like trouw.
what is your favourite time of the day?
Instead of time it’s more what I’m doing within the time. I enjoy sleeping until late and have long taking breakfast while reading a newspaper and listen to German radio stations eg Deutschland Radio Kultur or Bundesliga conference Saturday afternoon. No matter in which town or country I’m living listening to German Radio makes me feel like being home.
On the other hand I can enjoy sitting with my friends at my dining table late at night drinking red wine and not thinking about tomorrow.
you seem to like traveling, where have you been lately?
Indeed I love to travel in all kind of ways. This year journeys represent
this in the best way. I’ve been to London to visit friends and staying at their place, I went to Sicily with my best friend and we rented a car and discovered the island while returning in the evenings to our Airbnb appartement and then I just returned from three weeks backpacking journey to South East Asia.
what is important for you about a flat?
I moved up to twenty times and for me it’s easy to create a place where I feel home. But I definetly need to take my own furniture with me or buy new ones and I’m a town girl for whom it is necessary to live in a diverse multi cultural part of the city where it’s never quiet and it’s easily to find a good restaurant and bar within 10min.
what does home mean to you?
Due to the fact that I have moved a lot and lived in different countries home gets a different dimension. Home for me means that I need to be able to be myself and have people around me who are important to me and we take care for eachother.
and what friendship?
Friendship for me is all about trusting and being for someone eventhough you are not living in the same town. Unconditionally friendship.
what is your favourite colour?
It’ s all about black
your apartment has a great use of little rooms and doors to hide toilet, washing machine and other stuff, was that your idea, or already in the flat?
Actually that’s why I felt in love with the appartement on first side. It’s only 40sqm but they are used in the best way. When I bought it three years ago it has been the only appartement I looked at. I immediately knew this is my place.
you have a gorgeous apartment with a great atmosphere and beautiful mixture of old and new. is that your style or grown over the time ….
First I wanted to say that it has always been my style but actually that’s not true. 10 years ago I was not daring to mix and match styles and white was the most dominant colour. Now it’s more diverse I quess. There are some furniture and accessories which moved a long way with me and other are easily replaced.
do you have a recommendation for us when it comes to planning an interior?
Start with thinking which activities are most important for you and choose furniture from that as a starting point.
do you have a recommendation for an album or song for us?
Another Love [Explicit] by Tom Odell
thank you annalena
What an amazing apartment! Small and beautiful. Annalenas style ***** !