Linda Dekkers is the creative behind Live Loud Girl and the owner of this eclectic family home in Dubai. With a thriving business in interior styling, lifestyle and concept creation, her style is rooted in Dutch spontaneity with a focus on minimalistic sensibility.
Combining a layered approach using different brands and styles, her home reflects her passion for travel, curating pieces with special meaning and collecting inspiration from all over the world. Let’s take a peak inside the world of Live Loud Girl…
TELL US ABOUT YOUR HOME AND WHO LIVES HERE?
My home is in Dubai where I’ve lived for the last six years with my Husband and two sons, Jack (8) and Sam (7). I have gathered lots of treasures and furniture pieces along the way and they all sit comfortably against a minimalistic and Scandinavian backdrop.
WHAT IS YOUR INSPIRATION?
My style is eclectic and all about collecting things you love and combining it with what you already have. Your home should tell your personal story. A key piece in my house is the Eames Lounge chair that we bought with a family inheritance. It is my first real design piece and it puts a smile on my face every day that I see it. My inspiration comes from everywhere – magazines, coffee breaks, team meetings, Instagram and travelling – a favourite holiday destination is Sri Lanka.
WHAT WAS YOUR APPROACH TO DESIGNING YOUR HOME?
I have approached each room as a separate project. Throughout the home I had the floors white washed by Nordic homeworx. This provides a base for each room to flow cohesively, but has allowed me to change the look of each room to make it unique. Sticking with a few favourite colours helps retain a balance. The master bedroom has recently been refreshed for summer, where I changed the bedlinen and added a few soothing touches as I prefer to keep the room very neutral.
For the boys bedroom I went for a bold wall colour called Fusion, that I love. I have combined it with the birch OEUF NYC wooden bunk bed and the rattan daybed to lighten it up which works well.
WHERE IS YOUR FAVOURITE PLACE TO SPEND TIME AS A FAMILY AT HOME?
In our previous place we never had a big sofa to chill on, so since we moved into our new home in October, the new sofa has been the place to be. We upgraded an IKEA sofa with a beautiful brown linen Bemz cover which has been a game changer, I just love the result!
WHAT WERE THE MUST-HAVES WHEN DESIGNING THE KIDS BEDROOM?
I always want to make sure that it’s a design that the kids grow into, instead of growing out-of. A great way to start off is by selecting a beautiful wall paper or bold colour on the walls, it changes the whole vibe of a space. I also love to play around with wall art. Some of our favourites are the lights by Zoe Rumeau, prints by Pax and Hart or pieces by Aro for Kids.
What is your advice for families battling with a living room full of toys?
Storage space is always on top of our list when designing a family home. We like to mix and match, making sure that everything can be neatly put away. We always try to put up shelves to display favourite books and treasures. For toys we are often using these cute and colourful crates which are stackable. Big baskets are still a great way to pack away more bulky items. I’m also big on repurposing furniture that you might already have in the house. An old vintage cabinet with a fresh coat of paint might just be the perfect piece to add character to a room.
Work life balance…does it exist?
Haha, not in my life! I try to have dedicated time for work and for the kids. However, by having your own business, your mind is always ‘on’. But I love what I do and don’t mind the hectic times now and then. As my kids are getting older, it does become a little easier. Whoever cracks the code of having the perfect balance though can send it through. Would love to hear about it!!
WHAT’S UP NEXT FOR LIVE LOUD GIRL?
If only we knew…We continue to grow every year and we never really know what direction we are going. That said, we work best keeping our Dutch spontaneity combined with allowing some spare time to be creative.
Top of our wish list is to install a whole house and maybe do a project abroad. We have a few brands that we would love to shoot. Our calendars are full with things we love to do, so we are very happy!
