Same House, Different Lives! How Diverse Backgrounds Shape Our Interior Design Journey! My Diary, Entry No.1
- bychristabinder
- Jul 11
- 2 min read
Updated: Jul 28
A Lift and a Question
Today started with a simple moment that left an impression on me.
As I stepped into the lift, I met a new neighbor who asked,
“Are you Russian?”
“No,” I replied, “I’m Austrian.”
He smiled and revealed he was Serbian.
It was just a passing conversation, yet it resonated deeply within me.
How Shared Spaces Reflect Urban Living and Connection!
Cycling Through the Thought
Later, while cycling to my appointment in Amsterdam, I couldn't shake that moment off. I live in a house where residents hail from at least 15 nationalities. From the Dutch Caribbean to various European cultures, we all bring unique family stories and ways of living.
Yet, we all chose the same house.
We moved into the same vibrant park because we liked something about this place—its openness, its light, and its promise of community.
About the Place Itself — Funenpark
This house—or rather, this entire locality—is Funenpark, an award-winning residential park in the heart of Amsterdam. It is designed as a car-free, green haven surrounded by modern mid-rise apartments, many featuring glass facades that flood the interiors with sunlight.
Funenpark is not just a place to live; it is a space intentionally crafted around calm, community, and connection.
It has garnered several accolades, such as the Dutch Design Award for its innovative pentagonal paving stones and was named Amsterdam’s Best New Building Project in 2011. The park showcases 170 locust trees, geometric pathways, and modern structures that balance privacy with openness.
And despite all this planning and symmetry — the lives within it are anything but uniform. That contrast inspires me daily.
Why I Design
That thought brought me back to why I do what I do.
Why I love interior design and staging.
Because at the core of it, it’s not about making something look good.
It’s about understanding people — how they live, what they need, what feels like home to them.
I don’t want to impose my style on someone else. I want to discover theirs. Whether we have similar habits or completely different lives —
I want to design spaces that feel right for them.
Same Walls, Different Worlds
Even if two people live in identical apartments, their needs are never the same.
One might work from home, the other hosts family dinners. One needs a quiet corner to read, the other needs space for kids to play.
And that’s what excites me. That’s what keeps my work alive.
Because yes, I can style a room beautifully. But if it doesn’t support the person’s real life, their daily rituals, their energy… then what’s the point?
Interior design, to me, is about embracing diversity — not just in where we come from, but in how we live. I want to meet people as they are, understand who they are, and shape spaces that support and reflect them.
That’s why I design.
What does “Home” mean to you?
Write an answer
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