INTERVIEW
Ulli from @uls_andthekids
Ulli’s Instagram profile (@uls_andthekids) impressed us immediately. She presents interior, lifestyle and family topics in an environment that‘s really beautiful to look at without appearing artificial. Her photos and content are simply sympathetic, lively and inspiring. So it’s no wonder that she has recently started using her love for interior themes and her eye for design and beautiful things professionally.
We were curious and talked to her about family, design and her interests and we were really happy to learn more about her.
What can we wake you up for?
A delicious coffee, children’s laughter and good weather.
What are your favorite family activities?
We love to stroll over the market in our city and discover the city by foot. Additionally, we love to spend a lot of time in nature. When possible, we love to travel – it’s a great passion of ours. City trips, getting to know all different corners of Europe and visiting friends.
What distinguishes your interior and your sense of design?
I think it’s a great thing that I don’t really have a specific style. I love color, such as the monochrome look or colorful wallpapers. That’s why I like to change the look of the apartment with seasonal decoration. I wont hesitate to replace a poster from the living room to the bedroom. But I always try to make sure to add a lot of wood and white as counterpart, so that this is somehow an overall thread running throughout the apartment. Also, I don’t take myself too seriously when it comes to decorating. We live with children, it’s wild and often messy. It’s never slick here, but you’ll find funny details everywhere. I always think that I still have lots of time to realize a real “adult style”!
You are also professionally involved with interior design, what exactly do you do and how did you get there?
I started decorating children’s rooms last year – a little passion of mine. It’s so great to respond to the needs of the little ones, to include their own taste and to create something that is child-friendly, but at the same time fits the rest of the apartment or house. Acquaintances who have completely renovated a house gave me a chance; I was allowed to set up two girls and two boys’ rooms – it was fun and I learned a lot. Originally, I worked in the fashion industry, but I always had a sense for beautiful things, so if I had to choose again, I would have liked to do a carpentry apprenticeship and then study interior design. But it’s also great to just acquire a new field.
What does quality mean to you? How important is it to you and how is this visible in your home or work?
Quality is an important aspect. Especially when redesigning rooms, it is important to keep this in mind. Carpentry work that is well made is simply very valuable! I have a portfolio of furniture brands that I know I can rely on. When dealing with textiles, I make sure that most of them comes from organic labels. Of course, this is often a budgetary issue too and so IKEA hacks are always an option I like to work with – and again I prefer to use wood!
Being self-employed ánd a mom – how do you organize your life?
With COVID, we are all living in a state of emergency right now. It’s not easy. I only take on the work that I can really get done in the amount of time that I have. My husband is our main source of income and works a lot. I take care of the children and try to work efficiently when they are in kindergarten. Of course, there are also one- or two-night shifts. During the lockdown I reduced my commitments to a minimum. I paused the children’s rooms’ stylings and on Instagram I only accept collabs that are feasible with the children at home.
How do you remember special moments? Is it a smell, a song, a visual association?
Music reminds me so well of important moments. Or the scent of scented candles that we always have at home. I also like to watch movies that are set in cities I have lived in. Especially when that’s NYC, I’m always very happy to see that city again.
What do the stars mean to you?
Stars and especially constellations mean a lot to me. My mother has shown us the different characteristics of the constellations since our childhood and all our friends were categorized first. A starry sky has something very soothing and especially during our time in California I have learned to love a clear starry sky very much. Even now, my children’s constellations fit so perfectly with their different characters.
Which MrStarsky design did you choose and what special moment did you eternalize?
My big daughter chose TERRA and my little daughter the design of Marta Abad Blay – both show the time of their birth: one in Stuttgart and one in Palo Alto, California.
What are your dreams for the future?
That we can all soon live a more carefree life. That we stay healthy and grow stronger from this time on forward. I wish for a carefree future for my children.
Every month, we interview someone we met online or offline,
someone who inspires us with regards to interior design, entrepreneurship and way of life.
Thank you so much, Ulli!
More about Ulli: @uls_andthekids on Instagram
