Knock, Knock: Garden Cottage in Germany
Karin Kramer's life sounds like a fairy tale. She lives in the Northern Black Forest with her family and stray cat, and bees make honey in their backyard. With an eye for the uncommon and a passion for fleamarkets, Karin has created a whimsical home for her family of four. Let's take a peek...
What's your town like?
We live in Pforzheim in the Northern Black Forest. Our quarter is old, not rich and has rural character. The town was almost completely destroyed in the war and not very beautifully rebuilt. But the surroundings are beautiful: woods and rivers.
Can you tell us about your home?
Our house was built at beginning of the last century. We live on the ground floor and are renovating the upper floor.
Who makes up your family?
I'm a jewelery designer who loves drawing and puppet theater. Frank is a land surveyor and a big garden-lover. Oskar will turn four soon and Agnes is almost two.
Is there a garden for Frank?
We have a garden with a terrace, where we sit in the summer and have our meals. We pick rosemary or sage for lunch. There's also goldfish pond and a beehive. We've had bees since last summer and hope to get our first honey this year.
Who is your little kitten?
Hedwig, a stray, came to us in December and stayed because of Agnes' wild love. I'm curious how Hedwig will get along with the goldfish. They're still caught under the ice, but when it melts, fishing season starts!
How would you describe your aesthetic?
I love old things, either from our families or the fleamarket. I don't like a clean, anonymous look.
The green living room is a bold choice.
We chose this green to complement the 1980's sofa and chairs from Frank's grandmother. I like the different atmospheres created by color.
Where do you find your lovely pieces?
The fleamarket or the trash. I found the kitchen lamp in the bulky waste of a barber, who closed his doors for a nail studio. He was a charming barber with separate entrances for ladies and gents. The kitchen table is an old regulars' table from a tavern. In fact, I don't think we have a single thing from a big furniture store!
What would you change about your home if you could?
Our bedroom has a big bed for the whole family, which is cozy but a little bit too close. It's time for a separate kids' room.
What are your children's hobbies?
Agnes loves animals and books about animals. She's a blitheful girl. Oskar is energetic with lots of imagination. He loves cars and keys and helping in the kitchen. They both love to be outside with Daddy.
Do your children weigh in on the decor?
Oskar sometimes wants to hang his paintings. He chooses little pieces at the fleamarket, and we made this yellow mobile together.
What does your family do outside the home?
We walk through the forest or along the river. We all love books, ugly vintage things (yes!) and of course holidays.
What advice do you have for new decorators?
Trust your own sense of style! No need to have a perfect home, that would be boring. Our home is always changing. New things come, old go. Collect things! Open your eyes for beautiful pieces, they can be found everywhere.
what a pretty home, and she sounds like she has a very lovely approach to decor and her family. :)
First of all, I love the nose of the Citroen poking into the driveway in front of this lovely ivy-covered house! (And, yes, that green is indeed a bold color!) But my favorite thing about this post is the lovely advice to "Trust your own sense of style! No need to have a perfect home, that would be boring." That instruction makes me feel so empowered and free!!! I will love my own style. Thank you so much.
such a beautiful home, inside and out. thanks for the interview and tour.
I love Karin's creativity; I have one of the prints from her shop. she's said she'd like to write a children's book. I hope it's someday soon.
I am re-visiting this great home tour. (BTW he cat is so cute!) When my kiddos were little, I used to experiment by moving their art table (a little red plastic table and chair set with felt pens and paint and paper) around the house. I would put it out in the open or in a cosy corner. It was amazing how the position of the table would influence how much they used it! The winning place was in the kitchen by the French doors that led into the garden. I owuld cook, etc., and they would happily draw and draw... Has anyone else noticed how the use of space influences activity???
that is so sweet, what a great point, jean...