This is an interview made by Fredrika, CEO at Von Home together with Amy Frick Melander.
In the heart of Vinslöv, Skåne, stands a majestic 100-year-old brick villa long known as the local "haunted castle". For Amy Frick Melander, Villa Björkhaga was more than just an abandoned building; it was a childhood dream. In 2018, the dream became a reality when she and her family took on the ambitious task of restoring the villa to its former glory. The extensive renovation, which began in late summer 2018, was completed in 2019 when Villa Björkhaga was fully renovated. Amy's journey through renovation and interior design can be experienced on SVT's program "Husdrömmar". For a closer look at Amy's interior design style and the transformation of Villa Björkhaga, feel free to visit her Instagram where she often shares pictures of the tasteful decor and the beautiful Villa Björkhaga.
Tell us a little about yourself, Amy. Who are you and what do you do?
I am a creative, social person who is happiest when surrounded by my family and friends. I work with human resources, recruitment, and travel quite a bit for my job, which means a lot of trips up to Stockholm. Breathing in the city air and feeling the pulse of the city every now and then gives me an incredible amount of energy.
You renovated an entire house, which is well documented on SVT. Which room in the house were you most looking forward to decorating during the renovation?
The kitchen, in combination with our larger living room, has been and is my absolute favorite room, both to decorate and to socialize in. I often (quite frequently) need to be creative, so there's a lot of rearranging at home, it might be small changes to the eye but huge for my peace of mind. The kids love to change and fix things, so their rooms have changed places and been repainted several times.
How did your interest in interior design begin? Any specific event or occasion?
I have been creative since I was very young. My major interest besides school and studying was makeup, clothes and hair, interior design, and working with my hands. If you ask my dear mother and father, they probably can't recall how many times I repainted my girl's room, it went from rainbow colors at an early age to light purple in the last year.
What is your favorite room in a home in terms of interior design and why?
The kitchen, where you can be creative in different contexts and times. It's allowed to have it set up and then clear everything away for a more clean environment and feel.
Do you have any new projects with the house/property underway, or do you feel satiated after your big renovation?
We are currently working on the basement, a project that is meant to take time and be fixed when the feeling strikes. We have five more large rooms down there to sink our teeth into. That combined with spring soon making its entrance. Then we'll continue to explore our garden, which receives more and more love each year.
What is your best interior design tip?
The Base colors. Before, I would have said bright pink before natural color. Now I choose the latter. Find a base that you can change with consumables (candles, flowers) which can be crazy at times, as well as a poster or lamp that is easy to switch out. But daring to be boring at the base is probably my tip. It feels a bit more economical, and somewhere I need (at least I do) to wind down and feel calm in my home environment, and I do that easiest when it feels calm and close to nature.
Do you have any dream project that you would like to realize and also decorate/design?
A dream would have been to decorate a small hotel where each room tells a story through colors, shapes, and decor. Last but not least, the big dream is to work full time with kitchens, interior design, different materials, and to fulfill other people's dreams and visions.
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Take a look at Amy styling with Von Home Napkins and Napkin rings!
