Visiting Kersy: Berlin Dopamine Kick deluxe!

Zu Gast bei Kersy: Berliner Dopamin Kick deluxe!

Clear the ring!

Come closer, come in! We visit Kersy and her loyal companion Stella. Their stage is a historic, magnificent old Berlin building from 1904, in which they have found their very own happy place. Black and white contrasts, stripes and bright primary colors dominate here. Find out why a happy mindset is so important to her, why pictures should tell stories and how 3.4 meter high walls can be a challenge. She also tells us why she drove all the way from Berlin to Wuppertal to a nail salon to get a very special chair. All this and more in our interview with the extremely lively and creative Kersy.

Who are you, what do you do and where do you live?

As a Berliner by choice, I have been living in the capital with my dog Stella for about 4 years. My name is Kerstin, I am 46 years old and have been working in lifestyle communication for many years. When I found my dream apartment in Berlin, an old building in the north of Prenzlauer Berg, I brought my vision of a colorful happy place to life.

How would you describe your style?

Even though it's not always easy for me, a happy mindset is important to me. That's why I designed my apartment so that it cheers me and my guests up and tells inspiring stories. Jonathan Adler has published many books on this topic, such as "Happy Chic" or "My Prescription for Antidepressant Living". I really liked that. There's a lot of talk about dopamine decor at the moment - I think my style is in the direction of happy dopamine decor chic 😊

What story does your home tell?

When I moved in, one of the first pictures I hung on the wall was a poster with the text: "If these walls could talk." I live in a listed old building from 1904 in East Berlin and I just found it so fascinating what this house has experienced. What it has survived! I'm not necessarily super spiritual, but I believe in energies. When I came into this apartment, I felt so much positive energy and I think that is reflected in my decor. We celebrate life, even if there is often not much to celebrate. This apartment should always tell a story about how life is beautiful and colorful.

When did your interest in interior design begin?

I grew up in a tiny village. I have always been fascinated by beautiful things, fashion, accessories. My Barbie house was covered in wallpaper and real carpet, and that's where my dream of becoming an interior designer was born. After graduating from high school, I went abroad and got a taste of the media sector, then began studying journalism. But as you can see, the creativity just had to come out, and back then my student dorm room was definitely the most colorful for miles around.

You live in a world full of colors - what is your secret to making it as cheerful and balanced as yours?

To be honest, I don't have a set plan. I'm a firm believer that things just come out of you. Creativity comes from just starting without having a precise plan. I'm often amazed when I look at photos of my home and see how well everything fits together. However, I like to bring a certain order to my color scheme by setting reference points. For example, I have a large picture in the living room, the colors of which are reflected in various objects in the room. I pay attention to that.

It is also noticeable that I have practically no colored walls. For me, colors need a framework to have an effect. I don't like anything that is too colorful either. The white walls provide me with the perfect framework so that the colorful objects in the room can stand out.

What is your biggest interior “weakness”?

Products inspired by Memphis Milano always attract me. Black and white contrasts, stripes and bright primary colors have an irresistible attraction for me. The Space Age style and everything from the 60s to the 80s, colorful and retro - I just love that. However, I have to be careful not to overdo it. I actually have enough lamps, but I have chosen another Space Age table lamp. I sometimes have to slow myself down.

What about you - do you have any ticks, collecting passions or quirks that you would like to share?

I'm probably no different from many other interior lovers these days - table lamps in different designs are simply fun and naturally arouse the passion for collecting, especially because there are so many unique design classics among them. I recently treated myself to the Joe Colombo table lamp on eBay. It's just great how you can give a room personality with pieces like these.

Is there a special story behind a piece of furniture or furnishings in your home?

A lot of people often ask me about my hand chairs with red nails, and the story behind them is really cool. As a bit of a beauty junkie who is known for always wearing nail polish, I was really excited when I saw these chairs in a home story. It was just so "me". A designer had two chairs in her apartment in Brooklyn. So I googled, tried all sorts of search terms, but I couldn't find these chairs, which I thought were expensive designer pieces. Until I finally found them in the classifieds in Wuppertal. A lady was closing down her nail salon, and that's when I found out that these were chairs that were once created as a limited edition for nail salons. So I rented a van and drove straight to Wuppertal to pick up my dream chairs. When I find a cool piece, nothing can stop me.

What was your best DIY project? Do you have any tips for upcycling and what should you pay attention to?

Well, I think it's great what other people do, but when I have to paint something, I almost have a nervous breakdown. I just don't like doing things with my hands. Sure, I love painting, but for me, DIY means planning, measuring everything precisely, laying out foil, etc. - that really annoys me. But when I finally get around to doing something, I'm usually really proud. For example, I painted a wall in my apartment myself, and I'm still really proud of it to this day. Other people might think that's ridiculous, but for me it was a big deal, especially with walls that are 3.4 meters high. Two weeks later, everything still hurt, haha.

Otherwise, I like to paint things, for example mirror frames or small vases. For example, I gave my mirror in the hallway a curved frame. I never thought that it would be so easy to paint a mirror, but my tip: just give it a try.

Let’s talk about interior faux pas – which mistakes should you avoid?

First, a very practical tip: many of us now live with pets, and it is really important to get a good, preferably washable, carpet. It is really amazing that the homicide squad has not yet shown up at my door, given how many carpets I have already thrown out of my apartment.

I also think that wall design is incredibly important in an apartment. For me, the pictures on the wall have to have a personal meaning, a soul. At first I made the mistake of just ordering posters and then hanging them up framed. I was guided by the design, but somehow I was missing the real connection. That's why I started painting pictures myself and I'm very happy with it.