You’ve probably heard of Liza Chloë. But have you seen her house? Liza Chloë van Duyn (27) is a total babe, social influencer and full-time creative based in Amsterdam and she’s pretty much famous for her unique style. I’ve been following her Instagram for ages: she derives inspiration from Pinterest, her parents and unique product design, which results in a clean, simple but very stylish style with a rock’n roll edge. A perfect mix of design, thrift store gems, and Ikea.

Enfin, it was about time to knock on her door. So we did! Whilst showing us her stunning canal house, she answered some questions. Ready?

Tell us about the house! How would you describe your interior style?
Liza Chloe: “I’m aiming for Parisian Funky. When I used to live in Paris I visited many apartments of young creatives, they always seem to inspire me. I remember being at the birthday of this guy and his friends gave him a real Eames rocking chair because he was a chair collector. It instantly explained the level of coolness inside his home and the overload of chairs… This was when I realized how much you can tell by furnishing your home the right way. I like the fact that Parisian homes always embrace the authenticity of the house (old wooden floors, ornamented ceilings, classic heaters) and decorate it with modern simple pieces. But to be honest, sometimes my house looks more Scandinavian, because of all the graphic prints.”

Your first ever interior buy?
Liza Chloe: “Well I moved into my house about eight years ago, I was 19 back then and hadn’t developed any interior taste yet. Think zebra prints, pink velvet chairs, big gold ornamented mirrors, Moroccan pillows - somewhat Buddha Bar inspired. So this honest, I’m a bit embarrassed. My interior back then came straight out of the Dutch store Xenos. And none of this is retraceable in my current interior, luckily.”

How do you make interior choices?
Liza Chloe: “I believe it is important to explore your own taste and make decisions from there. I started with a color palette and a list of materials I love to see. I love to work with neutrals and I love to mix wood, glass, metal, leather, velvet & colored plexiglass. Whatever I buy for my house I keep my color palette in mind and decide on which material would be a great addition to the room. Be strict, otherwise, your interior might not come together as one style. You wouldn’t wear brown, blue, black and red in one outfit as well, right? Think of your interior as a picture, what would be the prettiest composition?”

Do some pieces hold special memories?
Liza Chloe: “Yes! My mobile bar car came from my favorite Parisian Flea Market. I thought it would be a great souvenir to bring my Parisian life back with me to Amsterdam. I also have a picture of my parents on my Kitchen bar. My guests always think they are just a couple of random rock stars, but they are my parents in Paris madly in love (in the seventies). I have a strong connection with my parents, so even though I have the rule of not having ANY picture frames of your loved ones in your interior, this one I am very proud to show since it looks more like an art piece.”

Where do you shop?
Liza Chloe: “I have a big rule when it comes to interior shopping: take your time. Carpets, tables, chairs are never an urgent situation. Your interior needs to stay in your house for a long period of time in order for it to become your home. Every single piece should be a complete translation of your personal taste. It is impossible to always find this in Ikea. So where do I shop? My small decorations I buy anywhere. There are never too many small decorations like cups, boxes, and bowls, so whenever I see one I immediately buy it. My carpets come from Ikea, it’s a budget choice and like fashion, if it doesn’t look cheap/mainstream. Most of my furniture is famous design, which I have had a crush on for years like my Jean Prouvé table, Charles Ray Eames chair, and Noguchi lamp.

In Amsterdam I like to visit MaisonNL for small must-haves, Sissy Boy for Kitchen tools, Mobilia for furniture, Bebob Design for design classics, Stedelijk Museum shop for books, posters and gadgets, Loods 5 for Pillows & a lot of things you don’t really need and I love to mark my calendar for a really good design fairs or second-hand fairs (I got my white Eames there!).”

What are you currently saving up for?
Liza Chloe: “I am currently on the look-out for carpets, curtains, a cool lounge chair for my bedroom, art, a leather stool and very specific couch (wooden frame, cognac brown leather seating, and three seats). Oh, and I am really wishing to find a weird wooden shape. Since I am a strong believer of slowly decorating your house I still have plenty to find! And I love to challenge myself by not having to spend much. I also hope to find a wall cabinet, but I have this fear of hanging things on the wall because they leave such permanent marks (holes). So I am delaying this find.”

Which 3 Instagram/ Pinterest accounts do we need to follow for more interior inspiration?
Instagram
@vdecotiis - I love all his designs and hope to have one myself one day.
@christianespangsberg - madly in love with her art.
@popandscott - I need these.
@huntingforgeorge - all of it.

Pinterest (impossible to choose)
@nicole franzen
@jenny ombler
@elise joseph | Pennyweight

You are a pro, interior-wise. Would you like to make it your job or is it just a hobby?
Liza Chloe: “It’s just a hobby. My own interior is not even finished yet, let alone finishing someone else’s.”

Any left-over dreams for home?
Liza Chloe: “Well, I would love to have a walk-in closet. To be honest, I actually have a room which I could possibly turn into this fashion heaven, but I have no idea where to start and I am not a fan of complicated construction things. Also, I believe my house is still too safe. It needs to get a bit more depth. So I am wishing to get some cognac leather in my living room, and maybe I will get a brass plate at the construction market and place it behind my bed as an abstract shape. Just to give these two rooms more body. This is exactly how I work: I decide on a color in combination with material choice and last I decide what kind of piece it should be.”

A good piece of interior advice?
Liza Chloe: “Add life to a room by adding a plant. With a pot that fits your color palette. Also: try placing art on the floor (as if you are going to hang it soon), it gives your apartment a low-key look. A great way for giving a room more depth is by choosing a few subtle eye-catchers. Not everything in your house needs to be functional, that old magazine with a great cover might look good on your coffee table for a little longer. Think shapes. Think materials. Think colors. All the choices you make when it comes to these three have an impact on your mood of your house. Last but not least: Experiment. Is that empty corner boring or a great way to give space to the room?”

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