That Mama’s Crib: Linda Dekkers – Live Loud Girl!

Mamas, if interiors are your thing then Linda Dekkers will need no introduction. The awesome mama behind the Live Loud Girl Blog and interior styling service is a regular source of inspo for the Sassy Mama team – we spend hours trawling her instagram feed for gorgeous pics of her latest projects and beautiful ideas. We got an exclusive peek into Linda’s gorgeous new Jumeirah villa (which made us instantly want to go home and declutter!) and spent a few wonderful moments getting to know her adorable boys Jack (aged 5) and Sam (aged 4). Here’s how she does it all, mamas! 

How long have you lived in your home – and why did you choose it?

We recently moved within Dubai and have been in our new house for just two months. The new location was chosen because of the walking distance to the beach and the vibrant vibe of the neighbourhood. The house itself has some quirky features like the high, arched windows, open floor plan downstairs and the small boutique garden.

How did you decorate your own home? Was it very planned out or impulsive?

I don’t do impulsive when it comes to styling… haha. However, I am not a big planner either. I always have the ideas in my head and work towards that, working with the furniture I have and changing the details. Some pieces have a story since I fell in love with them at some point in time. Most items have a resemblance though; they all go very well with white.

How would you describe your interior design style?

With styling, I love to start with a good base, literally a white canvas if possible. White makes me calm. My style could be described as Scandinavia meets Manhattan with a touch of my Dutch roots. I love to convert spaces into homes with a definite dose of funky vibes and originality where children have room to play and adults would love to join them and vice versa.

What are your best places to pick up home furniture in Dubai?

I source furniture and soft furnishing from all over the world. Combining old with new, vintage with IKEA making interior styling accessible and affordable, creating an atmosphere with attitude.Within Dubai I love D.Tales as they carry a range of stunning Scandinavian brands. And Tribe is a fantastic new comer in town for some global chic items.

Do you gravitate to a certain colour palette or design style?

All different shades of white… Having a natural aspiration for beautifully designed homes, I always tend to shake things up by adding some bold – Loud – elements to create a more livable and easy going style. And I love to play with textures.

As a mum how do you balance functioning design and a pretty home?

My kids are not allowed to touch anything (just kidding of course… )! A home, and especially one with young children, should be practical and fun yet for me it shouldn’t turn into a kids playground. So in our home we have some areas where they have their toys and some areas where I have mine….and that works perfect for us.

What did you splurge and save on when decorating your house?

Ever since I started understanding interior design, I had been in love with the Eames chair. So that is an item that we really splurged on and we are happy we did. It’s amazing. More price conscious shopping I do at my Blue and Yellow Swedish friends, sometimes pimping it to make it my own.

Did you use any websites or interior design apps to brainstorm ideas?

Instagram is a huge source of inspiration for me. I follow many fellow designers, stylists, bloggers and entrepreneurs and read their blogs. There are so many creative people out there that keep me on my toes or new suppliers that I want to reach out to. This is how I try to always keep surprising my own followers.

What’s your favourite room/area in your home and why?

My boys are so fortunate to have their own little domain in the house. The playroom is totally their territory in which I occasionally am allowed to bring in a drink or a snack. The boys have reached the age where they can play together although they both have their me-time also. The great thing about having a kids playroom is that it can be changed around according to their style and age. Lucky for me because I just love to do so.

If you had unlimited space (and budget) and could turn one room in your house into whatever you wanted, what would it be? E.g. a Bakery, Gym, Studio?

Does this unlimited time and budget come with unlimited spare time? On my wish list is a New York style loft office. But for that I think I would rather use that unlimited budget to go and live in SoHo.

Separate playroom, or bedroom and playroom in one?

This totally depends on how you live. If you have the space, a separate playroom (with a door that you can close) is great. Having said that, it is so easy to create a nice play corner in the living room with for example some funky furniture and a cool rug. A children’s bedroom is for peace and quiet and long, long nights. So having the kids play area outside of their bedroom has my preference.

Do you have any tips for easy ways to update décor without breaking the bank?

If you want to give a room a total new look, painting a wall is a great option. It is easy to do and easy to change again. If you want to create a great space including wall colour and furnishing, you can always contact Live Loud Girl for making an e-design for you.

Live Loud – Why not?