Cornelia, a passionate interior design enthusiast, shares her creative vision through her popular Instagram account, @corneliasinterior. In 2019, Cornelia and her husband took an exciting step by purchasing the Green Villa, an impressive property from 1910. This beautiful turn-of-the-century villa, painted in an eye-catching shade of green, is a dream for anyone who loves historical homes. On Cornelia's Instagram, followers can partake in the family's journey through both renovation and decoration, where she offers practical tips and inspiring ideas to transform each room into something unique and personal.

Tell us a bit about yourself, Cornelia. Who are you and what do you do?

Cornelia, 32 years old, residing in our beloved green villa in Danderyd, north of Stockholm, for 4 years. Here, I live with my husband and our two daughters, soon to be 1 and 3 years old. I love a project, and there's always something ongoing at home! The beauty of houses (and sometimes, of course, somewhat taxing) is that there's always something to do - but it suits us!

On a daily basis, I am the marketing manager and in charge of interior design at a serviced office, but currently, I am on parental leave from that position. I also work with Instagram, where I try to inspire with interior design themes, and occasionally I can take on other interior design projects, but there has been less of that since I had children - hard to find the time!

How did your interest in interior design begin?

I have always been interested in interior design, as long as I can remember! When I was little, I rearranged my room all the time, nagged about repainting frequently, and I was drawing floor plans and furniture arrangements in my sketchbooks already as a 10-year-old. I cut and pasted mood boards during art lessons in middle school, so the interest in creating and expressing myself creatively has always been there.

After high school, I moved to Santa Barbara in California to study for a year at college and took classes in architecture and interior design. It was there and then I felt that I should work with this in some form. My professor in interior design inspired me a lot! I learned incredibly much from her during my time there.

Your Green Villa is a fantastic house, what do you like most about your house?

Thank you! It is my dream house in many ways. A house I sometimes passed by when I was younger and thought, "that is a fantastic house!" When it came on the market, we had decided the day before, "now we stop looking for houses, we'll buy another apartment first" but of course, the green villa got a chance, and we seized it directly! I like that it is so homely - it's a feeling that is hard to pinpoint, but some houses just have "it." Specifically, it is the veranda I love most about the house. When I stepped in there during the viewing, I felt, "here I am going to live, and the Christmas tree will stand there in the corner." The veranda has a light intake that is absolutely wonderful! Windows in all directions and patio doors out to the garden. There, I feel at my best!

What are your sources of inspiration when it comes to interior design and design?

Above all, hotels, restaurants, and travels inspire me a lot! But I also find a lot of inspiration on Instagram, Pinterest, and Hemnet, for example. Flipping through interior design magazines has always inspired me a lot as well.

What challenges do you often encounter in interior design projects, and how do you handle them?

When I work with clients, it can sometimes be difficult to convey a vision of what the project could look like when finished without resorting to 3D renderings, which the project's size and budget do not always allow. Then, it's about working with mood boards, material samples, and simpler sketches to try to convey the feeling that I have in my head but that isn't always so easy to transfer to someone else. I have been involved in projects where it has required a lot of persuasive ability to get the client to approve and dare to try certain ideas, but indeed, they are almost always satisfied with the end result!

If you had to choose a single product/item/object that you consider indispensable in interior design, what would it be and why?

Hard! I instinctively want to choose two things, haha, and that's art and textiles. Textiles because a room without them becomes cold and harsh, which is anything but homely! And when I decorate a home, "homely" is often the guiding word and the most important thing to achieve in some way.

What is your best interior design tip?

It ties in a bit with the previous question, but my best tips are to invest in textiles and art! It is with these two important ingredients that one creates a personal home in which one feels comfortable. They are also two elements that are easy to vary and, to some extent, move around in the home to create a new feeling with resources that are already available. Many people get terrified when I start talking about investing in art because they envision their budget blowing up immediately, but it doesn't have to be expensive art! Look for beautiful paintings, sculptures, or other art objects at flea markets and auctions, or keep an eye out for hobby artists on, for example, Instagram or the local art tour that exists in many places. The most important thing when decorating your home is that it appeals to YOU, not that there's an actual value in, for example, the painting.

Do you have any dream projects that you haven't had the opportunity to realize yet but would love to design or decorate?

It would be fun to design and build a house from scratch. But at the same time, I love old houses and houses with a history, so I'm not sure if I'll ever do that. Another dream is to decorate a hotel, preferably in some exotic location - there, one can really go all out in a completely different way!

Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers, perhaps about future projects, personal reflections, or industry insights?

I think we're seeing a trend where we're moving more and more towards personal homes again, which I love! Gone are the beige and minimalist interiors, and we're moving towards bold color choices, patterned wallpapers, maxed-out textiles, and personal photographs as part of the decor - something I welcome with open arms! Put a favorite wallpaper on the ceiling, paint the moldings in a colorful hue, and find your next interior details at a flea market to take a step closer to a more personal home that is decorated just for you and your family.