Sophia in short

I moved to Lisbon six summers ago. I live with my partner Kael. He is Brazilian and we met in a bar right before covid hit, so we quarantined together and that was the beginning of us. I am from The Netherlands and lived in different places around the world for the past ten years. As a kid, we always came to Portugal to visit family on a farm one hour from Lisbon. They've got donkeys and chickens and turkeys and grow their own veggies. I was always mesmerized by this pure and self-sustained life. After living in Bali for about two to three years, I decided to move to Portugal. The Portuguese climate is great, but I'm particularly inspired by Lisbon's light. It reflects everywhere which at times makes me feel like I'm in some sort of heaven on earth. Though things have been changing a lot in this city in the past years, it still has its rough and unpolished edges which I'm really fond of.

I used to do photography in the past, but now I am focussed on my writing projects. Since being a kid I always dreamt of writing a book, and two years ago I finally decided to take myself up to a challenge and start writing. Last year I published my first novel called "Violet Syrup". I won't lie, it was scary to publish my book considering it's semi-autobiographical. Now I am working on my second novel which is going to be a fictional story set in Andalucia.

Next to writing I run my own Instagram account where I share bits of my daily life. My city strolls, Portuguese lunches, coffees, and my daily outfits. My wardrobe is quite random, one could say, I have lots of clothing items of different styles. I'm a mix 'n match kind of person through and through. I spend a lot of time at home and like to cook and experiment with food, so that's why home is important to me. My home needs to feel cozy and warm.

How would you describe your (interior) style?


It's colourful, some would perhaps say funky even, but I'm always looking to balance it out with natural elements such as wood, plants, and Oriental influences. It's essential that there's not one style that dominates. Like, I love wood, but a house full of beige and brown wooden furniture pieces? Boring. On the other hand, a house that's filled with colours makes it look artificial and plastic-looking, which is certainly also not me. A bit of both? Count me in.

What about colour in your home?


I can not imagine living in a home without colour! Those homes of celebrities you'd see in Architectural Digest, consisting of just black and white or beige, and filled with cold materials such as stone and marble. It might feel "serene", having a calming effect on the mind, but I'd honestly feel cold in my heart.

I certainly choose coziness over serenity, but as said before, I believe in the right balance between the two. Could we call it yin and yang?

What is your favourite place in the house?


We recently switched Kael's office and our bedroom, which means our bedroom is on the top floor of our apartment. We wanted to create a living room feeling in our bedroom, so I added a lot of books to our new pink cabinet, and put a black-and-white checkered rug on the floor. And not to forget our massive Anton Heyboer rooster painting that my grandmother bought at Heyboer's commune in Den Ilp decades ago! As soon as the sun goes behind the buildings, I move upstairs, open up the doors to the balcony, and spend the whole evening here doing yoga, writing, and reading.

Is there one item specifically that you are attached to?


Last year, I bought my first vintage design furniture piece: the Plona chair by designer Giancarlo Piretti. I love the stainless aluminum with the black leather and its unexpected futuristic shapes.

Where do you get your furniture and accessories?

Sometimes I thrift from Lisbon's flea markets and vintage stores. Other times I order from the more affordable furniture stores such as Sklum and The Masie. I also got a few things from Scandinavian stores.


What's a real "no go" for your interior?

A fully beige interior is a real no go to me. I'm also not a fan of wallpaper.

Dreaming about a future place to live (your dream house)...what does that dream look like?

I'm dreaming of living closer to nature and having a big garden with big doors that open up to it, but I'm actually happy to be in the city for now.


Anything about your interior that you could really recommend?

Put plants in every corner of the house! I also like to pile up my books and simply put them on the floor next to a painting, for example! It makes things look a bit more chill and effortless.

You illustrated your own book cover. Really cool. But what is the book about?

It's about a Dutch girl named Ophelia who's obsessed with trying to find the Truth behind reality, and once she starts to travel, she slowly stops living in her mind and focuses on the physical reality behind her. The story is quite philosophical, but is also simply about living young, wild and free!

Studio Lemström articles that Sophia uses on a daily basis

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