My Design Journey and Enter The Creative World of Sibella Court

First, a little essay about my interior style journey... Then, it Sibella time!

Hello dear readers, I’m so happy you’re here as I have some inspiring videos for you below and a little essay about my own personal style journey along with some thoughts about the lovely Sibella Court too, whom I’ve been following for at least a decade.

I truly appreciate Sibella’s eye for detail, don’t you? Her design ethos in general is also very important to me as there is a lot of sustainability and creativity involved. Her combination of handmade, art, whimsy, shabby, vintage and new objects is closest to my own personal style though I must confess… I got off track the past decade with my style to be quite honest and now wish to return to my roots as I was very much a casual, whimsical decorator too before I became a blogger. When I moved to Germany, I sunk more and more into Scandinavian style which is huge here, but more Danish than Swedish (Swedish is more comfortable and relaxed, I’d say - Danish is more strict and clean). The Germans love Scandi everything it seems. Clean unadorned, functional, well made.

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While I do still like Danish style, I do find it quite uncomfortable and strict to live in - I want my former laid back linen sofas back that I could sink into on a Sunday morning with my sisal rug underfoot, my big cuddly dog - a carmel-cream St.Bernard/Collie mix named Bear by my side, along with slounchy down-filled striped linen throw pillows, wonderful candles by Diptyque, a pile of design books, and a big Astier de Villate vase full of field flowers or flowering branches… I still want to own these small Conserve vases, 5 to be exact, to place down the center of a natural wooden dining table with fresh flowers inside…

I want my rattan roll-up bamboo blinds back, some rooms with floral wallpaper, others with lovely chalky painted walls, and still others left raw and unpainted after the wallpaper has been torn down (I love that look).

My bathroom with light cement floors, Moroccan tiles around the sink like these from Terre.

My ideal interior is hard to define but it’s these things: Farmhouse meets Paris apartment with a little London moodiness thrown in, clean Copenhagen, a mix of old and new, and ok… even some Southern California surfer vibe tossed in since I grew up on the beach.

How do I even define that? Eclectic? Chaotic? Crazy? And how do I do that style in northern Germany exactly where it’s really hard to source the things that speak to my heart?

As I mature and understand my personality and needs more, I want to break away from how I’ve created my own rooms since relocating to Germany and try to ease my way back to where I began when I left behind my 1975 carriage house on an apple orchard in Hollis, New Hampshire.

I want to go back to linen slip-covered sofas and 50% of my possessions (at least) being vintage finds, with cream, black, blue and green and pale peach as my go-to palette. One vintage glass cabinet in my kitchen on the wall (with doors) where I can place all of my lovely teas and ceramics. Mood boards on my walls, peppered here and there as I please, when the mod strikes. Some paintings and collages I’ve made myself and others, by Aidan my son who is already showing himself to be a wonderful illustrator. And I don’t want a flat screen TV on my living room wall anymore. My husband always wins this argument, but I’ve seen what TV does to my son and his personality and honestly, just having it hanging there makes him want to spend time on it - I’d much rather toss the ugly thing anyway.

I want to get back to my roots, the days when the lovely Rachel Ashwell and her show (we’re talking year 2000) were my go-to inspiration points when I so very young and curious about decorating. You can only imagine how excited I was back in 2012 when I was invited to have tea with Rachel in her private home in LA - just Rachel, me, and my dear friend Leslie Shewring.

It was one of the most special days that I’ll never forget to spend time with someone who essentially helped me in my early days of decor and she didn’t even realize it. I remember meeting her for the first time in LA in 2005, 6 months before I started decor8, and I was too starstuck to talk to her - my husband had to ask her to sign my book. Little did I know that 7 years later, I’d be having tea and sweets with her in her Brentwood home. I digress…

Now let’s circle back to Sibella and her fantastic vision for rooms and spaces.

Photo: This is her shop in St Peters, Sydney, Australia… Isn’t it lovely? It’s called The Society Inc.

Sibella Court. Such a design rock star. I particularly appreciate how her rooms are very unique, quirky, and filled with art. There aren’t many leaders left in the design world who take such a personal, laid-back approach to their work - most tend to follow very prescribed, formulaic methods in which to create and adorn a space. The sofa goes here, you need tables on each side, and the rug needs to be precisely this many inches under the sofa and blah blah blah. Often, creativity is lacking.

Not with Sibella. She’s a pirate.

I can see the thought that goes into her styling work, but also the times when she’s not really thinking at all - she’d winged it - as many artists do - this is their competitive edge as those moments of “eff it, let’s just place this there!”, can create their signature stamp that others can’t replicate. You can’t truly copy someone who never stops creating can you? It’s impossible to keep up. It’s hard to get into their mind. That’s why copying is so utterly useless. Find your own passions and follow those.

Sibella is not only an interiors expert but a true artist and visionary. She reminds us all to relax and decorate from the heart, let loose a little, and aim for rooms to live and enjoy your life in.

I found some delightful videos about her, including a home tour, that you’ll enjoy below in case Sibella is new to you - I’ve included them below.

And if you’re new to the world of Sibella, she also authors books that are so visually rich and unique - definitely google them or check Amazon or your local book shop.

“Home needs to be an oasis. I like to come home and not want to leave.” -Sibella Court

I’ll wrap up now with two videos embedded below. I wish you all a stunning weekend full of creativity and beauty.

Love,

Holly

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An interview with Sibella Court:

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Her home tour: