When Camilla and her family came back from a holiday, they returned to a nightmarish scene; Water damage in their house led to countless restorations and a frustrated Camilla. Despite their unfortunate situation, Camilla and her family chose to turn the house-nightmare into a house-dream. They worked and gave the house a serious makeover, and it became even more wonderful than before. When you visit Camilla and her family, you are met by a house of beautiful open spaces, light floors, and large windows.
Camilla, 38, is a self-employed interior stylist and blogger in her company, Da Costa My Living. Camilla’s projects and her home is characterised by her flair for interior design.
We’ve made this blog post in collaboration with Camilla so you can get her best tips on how to bring ‘hygge’, personality, and warmth into large, open rooms and learn more about where she finds her inspiration.
How would you describe your style?
I would describe my style of interior as a Nordic, cosy style. Everything in our home is kept in light nuances and I love to use natural materials such as wood, stone, and plants. I care a lot about creating harmony between all the rooms in our home, so you get a nice and calm experience. I’m very perfectionistic and my home is like a second child to me, it’s important to me that there’s a sense of peace in my home and there’s not stuff lying around everywhere.
That’s why not many things are randomly placed in our house. But a home to me is also a place that is there to be used; there has to be room for kids, parties, and lots of ‘hygge’. All of that, I definitely think that our little oasis offers
How do you use lighting in your home?
Lighting is extremely important in a home, but for me lighting is not only about the practical purpose of creating light. Good and beautiful lighting creates atmospheres and is crucial for the overall impression of the room.
We have chosen to have spotlights in almost every room so we are “covered” from a practical point of view. In our hall hangs the wonderful Hope pendant from Luceplan, which in my opinion is one of the most beautiful lamps on the market. This lamp is fantastic; it has a great light and a dimmer so you can dim it into a more calm light. In our dining room and living room we have chosen different models from the Finish lighting company, Secto. We have two Secto Octo hanging above our dining table. When two are put together the lighting is great, but more limited with only one. We have decided on the Secto Octo as both floor and wall lamp, which creates a nice and warm lighting, which I think fits perfectly to a fireplace and TV room.
Where do you find your inspiration?
I find inspiration from everywhere I go. It can be anywhere from shops, restaurants, a garden centre, magazines, etc. I’m a big fan of Instagram, where I spend quite some time on my profile and collecting inspiration from many creative and talented instagrammers. Pinterest and blogs are also great places to be inspired to make personal interior decisions.
Do you have a favourite spot in your home?
There are so many places I love in our home. But my absolute favourite is our dining room, where you can see the hall, kitchen and the living room with the fireplace. It’s so nice to have an overview of the house from a room I feel calm and at peace in.
In our back yard we have the most amazing covered terrace with a fantastic lounge area. I think that’s the place that I unwind the most and a perfect place for us when we have guests over enjoying cold drinks and late coffee.
What is the first thing about your home that your guests notice
Our hall is definitely what visitors comment on and have response to. But it really is an incredibly wonderful room with a room height of 8 meters. The acoustics is great despite the large, open space, because we’ve had plasterboards put on the side ceiling, which is super recommendable for open, big spaces. Then there’s our beautiful staircase that leads to our second floor, which has become the most characteristic feature of our home. We have thought out and drawn up the stairs ourselves, so it’s very special to us.
How do you create 'hygge' and personality in your home?
To me, ‘hygge’ and personality are many things, and will vary from home to home. At our place we’ve emphasized peace, harmony, and personal photos in black/white of the kids and experiences we’ve shared.
And gorgeous textiles such as pillows, rugs, and things from the nature. It’s all about feeling good and comfortable, and creating a truely living room. To some people, our home might seem sterile, but there’s room for play, fun, and great parties. Just because you have a neat home doesn’t mean it’s not to be used, I’m just the type of person that finds peace when things are kept tidy.
Pendants, 'Octo 4240', Secto bought at AndLight.com
Floor lamp, '4210', Secto bought at AndLight.com
Wall lamp, '4230', Secto bought at AndLight.com
Wall lamp, 'Fiora' from Darø bought at AndLight.com
See more pictures from Camilla Da Costa's lovely home and soak up the inspiration from the many pictures of her home @camilla_da_costa.
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