Five questions for interior designer Charlotte

Living comfort starts with a nice interior. Interior advisor Charlotte Rijk knows all about that. Charlotte mixes your current interior to a brand new one, based on your style and personal items. She comes up with creative and functional spatial solutions for more living comfort. Every day she is busy with surprising combinations of shapes, colours and fabrics. We asked her five questions and discovered useful interior design tips that we would like to share with you.

Decorating your first home: how do you start?

"As an advisor, I really look at the individual living wishes. The ideal interior in my opinion depends on what your day looks like. Do you like to invite people over for a long dinner? Then a beautiful table with good chairs is the starting point. If you like to stretch out on the sofa at the weekend and watch Netflix, then you start with the perfect lounge sofa. If you value your breakfast ritual, I would look for a nice spot where the sun can fall in the morning. My tip: start with the floor. Then move on to the place where you will be spending the most time. In addition to basic items such as a sofa, table and chairs, lighting and sufficient storage space are also very important for your living comfort."

Photo: Charlotte, Charlotte Mixt

What should you pay attention to when furnishing a rental property?

"You don't have to own a house to invest in beautiful furniture. If you rent for a number of years, it is smart to choose a modular sofa. It consists of different parts that you can play with. If you move to another house, you can put the same sofa together in a different way. This way, you invest in a nice sofa that will last and can be adapted to your wishes and home.

Are you not allowed to wallpaper your rental property? A wall can be painted in no time! Or choose wallpaper on a panel. You can even wallpaper the panel on two sides, allowing you to change the style throughout the seasons. Another solution is a rug on the wall. You can also use the rug for the floor, so you can continue to play flexibly with your furnishings."

Photo: Charlotte, Charlotte Mixt

How do you furnish a small home?

"In the city you see a lot of lofts and studios nowadays. In such an open-plan home, it is nice to create different corners with their own function, such as working, eating and relaxing. First think about where you are going to spend most of your time. Do you like to invite guests to dine at length? Then place a dining room bench in the corner against the wall. This creates a lot of space and if you're not using the extra seating, just slide the table up against it.

Another tip: work with coloured areas on the wall to create visually separate spaces. When the sleeping area is dark green and the kitchen is lighter, you really have the feeling that you are stepping into another room. That is very nice in an open space.

Also look at what you can use as a room divider. You can hang something from the ceiling or choose a beautiful folding screen or a collection of plants. People often choose a long, narrow cupboard. That works fine, but I would advise placing it in the middle of the room. That way, you can slide the sofa against it at the back, for example. People are very tempted to place all the furniture against the wall, but then you build up everything and there is empty space in the middle. Instead, place your furniture loose in the room so that you can walk around it. This feels nice and airy and open."

Photo: Charlotte, Charlotte Mixt

What interior design trends can we expect?

"At the moment, round shapes are very popular. We also see that people are opting for warm tones, such as pink, terracotta, dark red and various shades of green. Slowly but surely, we see more and more bright colours such as neon and pastel shades are becoming more and more popular. The organic forms remain but the graphic forms with clean lines are also coming back more and more. It always remains the question which trend really continues.

In my advice, I don't follow trends, but I look at what suits the person. I listen carefully and want to give people a push to put on a crazy twist that suits them. Don't play it safe, but just choose what makes you happy. That could be a colour on the wall, but also a crazy coffee table or a bright orange lamp. I like to make it personal, with things that have a story attached to them. For example, a souvenir from a beautiful trip or a table from grandma.

Photo: Charlotte, Charlotte Mixt

Do you have any tips for people who want a new interior?

"Changing your interior does not always have to be expensive. Take a good look in the attic or in your family. You can paint that old cupboard of Aunt Gerda's. Replace the knob and the matte finish. Replace the knob and it will match the rest of your interior again. Or choose new cushion covers, a new plaid on the couch and a different colour on the wall. That way, you immediately have a different vibe in your home.

The things that someone already has are central for me. Even if someone is ready for a completely different interior, I don't start from scratch. If you do that, it creates a kind of hotel room where you've never been before. I make it personal by upcycling existing stuff. For example, you can add a seat to an old IKEA cabinet, giving it a new function and making it last for a long time. By reusing things, you preserve individuality in the interior. It costs less money and is also very sustainable.

Whether you're moving house or want to give your existing home a new look, Charlotte combines your existing items with new ideas for a new personal interior. For more information, please visit www.charlottemixt.nl.

You can read this interview in the latest edition of the rental magazine 'Buitengewoon Huren 2022-2023'. The Buitengewoon Huren is packed with information that is of interest to you as a (potential) tenant. We take you along our extensive range of complexes. From Hellevoetsluis to Doetinchem and from Koog aan de Zaan to Maastricht: all in one clear magazine.

In addition, this magazine gives you many good ideas and practical tips;

Be inspired by the interior tips from Charlotte Mixt, discover how the living room concept The Villy makes living in the new The Roofs in The Hague more pleasant and fun, and read the interview with senior account manager Bart Baltussen about the trends we anticipate for even more living comfort.

Curious? Click here for the online magazine!