Men Tjeeena! Hur är läget? Today I'm taking you on a virtual trip to Trier in Southwest Germany and Esther Soellner's wonderful home. When Esther and her family first discovered the1903 listed building it had a distinct look of the 1970s - all the rooms had panelled wood and suspended ceilings. Sadly, the stucco and original floor had been destroyed and it lacked many of the other original features. Esther, an interior architect, was keen to restore the house and bring it back to its former glory. her and her husband set about opening up the rooms and reinstalling original features such as doors and windows. The living space was then furnished furniture from antique markets across Europe including France, Belgium, Netherlands and Italy - as well as handmade pieces. The result is a calm home with a vintage industrial vibe and a hint of poetry. Here are some before and after snapshots:
The extent of the renovation was absolutely enormous and included completely gutting the space, tearing down a wall and putting in new windows.
On the opposite side of the kitchen / dining area, the suspended wood ceiling was removed and new windows and doors were put in.
Dining area after:
The cabinet is a fine example of one of Esther's many antique finds. So beautiful!
Upstairs landing before
You can really see just how dilapidated the house was when the family first found it. Simply everything needed revamping.
Upstairs landing after
The original wood floor was sanded down and given a new lease of life with white paint, while a mid-grey emphasises the architraves, turning it into a feature.
The children's bedroom has been kitted out entirely with vintage and antique pieces.
Master bedroom before
Master bedroom after
Esther made use of existing plumbing to add a luxurious feel to the bedroom with a bath (I'm just imagining a candlelit bubble bath and a great book before bedtime!). She also made a feature of existing beams and pillars - stripping back the plaster to reveal the original brickwork.
A vintage industrial JIELD lamp (I've got one of these in the corner of our sitting room too - always been a fan!)
A black and white theme in the bathroom (love the traditional style loo!) is softened with vintage touches included a wall cabinet and hooks.
How beautiful!
I love all the historical doors and internal windows - as well as the general simplicity of the space. It really allows the architecture to shine.
Keep an eye on Esther's instagram feed @esma.auguste for more snapshots from her lovely home.
I love a before and after - do you? Here are a few others to enjoy this Lillöradag (little Saturday):
Har det bra!
Niki
Photography courtesy of @esma.auguste