A Rental Apartment in Germany is a Gorgeous Mix of Mid-Century Modern, Boho, and Scandinavian
Name: Anna Schmitz and my boyfriend
Location: Cologne, Germany
Type of home: Apartment
Size: 1722 square feet
Do you rent or own your home? Rent, but fixed it up on our own
How long have you lived here? almost 1 Year
Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: When we first saw the apartment the previous tenants, who also were the owners, just passed away. So it had a sad, lonely vibe with very old furniture. Nothing had been done for the past 20 years, and it showed. The apartment used to be two separate ones, but were combined with a staircase in one room. So it has two entrance doors, one on each floor.
I fell in love with the high ceilings and the beautiful stucco in every room. The structure had potential so I convinced my boyfriend with the help of mood boards for every room to fix it up. We moved over the Christmas days, and with the help of friends and family we managed to get everything done before. That included painting all the walls, installing a new kitchen, painting tiles in kitchen and guest bathroom, putting up wallpaper, and a few DIY projects. The apartment will always be a work in progress, and I get new ideas every day for how to improve it.
Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: My style is a mix of mid-century modern, boho, and Scandinavian. Actually I just get what I like, and mix everything together.
What is your favorite room and why? That must be our dark and moody dining room with the awesome marble table. I love having friends and family over! Also most of my little growing jungle lives here. I really enjoy taking care of my plants!
What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? Last thing I bought is a vintage coffee table. I still need to fix it up though. Head to my Instagram @ourhomecgn to see how it will turn out.
Any advice for creating a home you love? Fill your home with stuff and people you love. I love surrounding myself with things that mean something, like souvenirs I collected during travels, items I inherited from my family, or just personal knick-knacks. It doesn’t make dusting easy—but makes me happy every time I look at them!
This submission’s responses have been edited for length and clarity.