People of Belarte - Viktoria Persson
MEET THE INTERIOR DESIGNER
Viktoria Persson started out as an interior designer and always had a very big interest in shapes and colors. After traveling the world for a while, on the lookout for unique interior items found in obscure flea markets, she decided to open up her own interior design store. Here you can find everything from eye-catching retro furniture to colorful vintage interior decoration. We absolutely love the big windows and how beautiful the light hits all the glass art and vintage items inside the store. Our curvy wallpaper fits just right in here. With her knowledge and personal experience, we want to be able to help you find your sense of style, and at the same time open your eyes to adorable vintage & second hand.
What have you done before & what do you do now?
Since I was a little girl, my biggest passion and interest has always been interior design. However, it took me many years of different design studies and work within the fashion industry, to finally realize that interior design is what I should do! After a few years working as an interior designer and with my parents basement full of never ending flea market finds, it became very natural for me to open up my own interior shop.
What's your biggest source of inspiration?
I have always been inspired by color combinations, patterns, and structures. By seeing things and spaces I’ve never seen before. Theatrical, dreamy and playful places like circuses, amusement parks and hotels. People in the creative sphere who dare to stick out. Oh and of course traveling, especially Italy.
Describe your interior aesthetic, and has it always been the same?
My personal style is very mixed. Right now it’s very 70-80’s Italian influenced with a lot of danish pastels. I guess the core has always been the same throughout the years -colorful, playful and bold. Objects I bought as a little girl are still some of my personal favorites. I do love trends, but tend to get bored very easily, especially when something gets too mainstream, then I quickly adjust and move on to what I believe is the next coming thing, which always tend to happen very naturally.
What's your thought process when decorating with different colors and shapes?
I like a lot of color, but too many colors at the same time can easily create a messy impression. As a base, I therefore usually choose a few, duller colors that harmonize with each other. To that I like to add a little stronger accent colors on the details and some individual furniture, which makes the interior stand out. It is important to always think through what it is you want to emphasize and let it take place. I prefer to work a lot with round shapes to create a welcome and soft feeling.
What's the best way to get out of your comfort zone and get a more personal touch to your home?
Take your time to truly think and analyze about what it is you really like -colors, patterns, materials, shapes etc. Do not get caught up in the fact that everything has to go in the same style. Instead, tie it all together with a choice of colors to create harmony. Making a moodboard is a very good start. And remember to never decorate your home for someone else or what you think others will like, always do it for yourself!
What's the most important thing to think about when buying second hand?
What I learnt throughout my years hunting is to only buy things that I really love. The best thing I know is to find unique pieces that I’ve never seen before. My eye loves to get surprised. Brand and origin is less important to me, quality however is something I highly value.
How do you see your business from a sustainability perspective?
The most important thing for me is to make people realize that they do not have to buy everything new. To instead buy more vintage and second hand and to take advantage of what you already have. Repaint and replace details on what is less fine. Much of the decor that I sell I redo myself.
Sustainability is one of the core values at belarteSTUDIO, a cornerstone of our business model from the very start. Our mission is to be a sustainable company with minimal environmental impact, and that is why we only print our wallpapers on demand. This is one of many reasons we absolutely loved doing this collaboration with Viktoria who mainly deals with vintage and second hand. Her vintage retro interior style paired with our beloved Curvy pastel wallpaper had this wonderful synergy where old meets new in an amazing way.
Together with Viktoria we have released two new colors of our bestseller, Curvy. A belarteICON that works amazingly well in any environment and really brings forth the “awe” of every room.
