Joanna Goddard, Cup of Jo

If you don't yet know Irene Hoofs, today's your lucky day! The Malaysia-based designer runs the design blog Bloesem and recently launched a children's blog, B:Kids. Fans adore her fresh, modern style and friendly tone. We decided to "visit" her (over e-mail, unfortunately!), and it was clear that this design maven and her family live beautifully...

Can you tell us about your family?
My husband and I met almost fifteen years ago. We both have a passion for exploring other countries. For the past two years, our son, Lode, joins us wherever we go. He's the best thing that has happened to us and hopefully there will be a little brother or sister for him in the near future.

What's Kuala Lumpur like?
It's a cosmopolitan city; the energy is great, and people are very friendly, especially towards children. And I love the weather. You can feel the country wants to grow, and it's an easy hub to many Asian cities. For instance, we recently went to Bangkok to do some sightseeing.

You're originally from Amsterdam. What brought you to KL?
My husband found an exciting job here, and I didn't mind joining him. But I had two wishes: My Apple had to come with me and we would look for a place big enough for me to have my own studio. My wishes came true.

What do you do as a family in your area?
You can go to the elephant park, and see wild monkeys and beautiful birds.

How would you describe your decor style?
We try to keep our place open and uncluttered. We like to travel light and keep space for Lode to run around. Each year, we only buy one or two collector's items by designers we love--Isamu Noguchi, Eames and Hans Wegner. I also hope one day to have a real Kiki van Eijk.

How did you want Lode's nursery to look?
Fresh and basic and simple. The main attention should go to his books, toys and posters.
The curtains are from IKEA.

How did you decide on Lode's name?
"Lode" is just a name that I heard one day and fell in love with. It felt right, and fortunately my husband liked it too.

What a lovely chair! Do you use it a lot?
It's perfect comfy chair where we can read books together. Lode also enjoys sitting in it himself and will get this really proud smile on his face after climbing in it with as many toys as possible.

What language do you speak with Lode?
Dutch, and the baby-sitter speaks English with him.

Where did you find the great Panton chair?
We bought it at a market. We love the bright color, and it brightens up Lode's room, which doesn't always get much light...

When you choose toys, what do you look for?
We love wooden toys; they're solid and give a more natural feel. I don't think Lode notices this yet, although he finds the wooden toys hard to break. I think he likes the plastic toys just as much, and often they make more noise and he likes that, too.

Is art a big part of your life? (P.S. Your husband is cute.)
Although I'm not a frequent visitor of museums and don't know a lot about art, I do know what I like. Art, design and crafts make me very happy and give a beautiful dimension to our lives. They're like good food and wine: They make life so much better.

What prompted you to start a kids' blog? (We love it.)
I'd been toying with the idea since Lode was born, and I must say writing posts for BloesemKids is almost easier than for Bloesem, because there are so many beautiful finds out there. It's great to see how children inspire people to be more creative and daring and to tickle our imagination with beautiful products.

Do you consider blogging work or relaxation?
Mainly relaxation, but sometimes when I'm still writing late in the evening or on vacation, I consider it work. A blog never stops. It's a never-ending story, but a beautiful one...

Has motherhood been the same or different from what you expected?
Being a mom has softened me more than I had expected. My son brings so much laughter to my daily life. Motherhood also makes me fully appreciate life--it's just a wonderful gift!

For more, visit Irene's design blog and kids' blog. If you're in the house-touring mood, you can read through all the past Cookie home tours here.