"I have a love-hate relationship with trends," says Berlin-based interior designer Kasia Kronberger. Having studied trend forecasting, which she applied to her first career in luxury retail, Kasia not only sees trends coming; she also knows what to avoid. "I gravitate away from aesthetic trends because once you can see them, it's already too late," she says. "But how culture moves more broadly influences everything, so I respond to that."
Kasia's design goal for every modern home project is to "make sure clients feel reflected in the environments we create for them". To ensure as much, she delves deep: "What's important to them, what places they're connected to, what stays with them from the past. Personal stories, translated into homes, become a meaningful anchor for aesthetic choices."
"We opened up the kitchen, which was previously closed off completely," says Kasia. "But with open-plan living, we sometimes forget how to make different zones cozy and intimate, so we tried to keep these pockets separate."
The owners of this chalet-esque house south of Berlin lived in Milan for some time and, says Kasia, "It impacted them a lot." So Kasia, who founded her own interior design firm, Studio Bosko, brought in some vintage Italian pieces and, across part of the ground floor, a striking terrazzo palladiana floor (a large, irregular mosaic of natural stone) to remind them of their time in Italy.
"This is not a big space so we added a round table, which breaks the square shape of the room and adds softness," says Kasia. "The chairs add to that juxtaposition of shapes."
We adore the simple, stiff wood frame of Afra and Tobia Scarpa's Monk chair for Molteni, but if your budget doesn't stretch into the thousands, this FRAMA option from Westwing has a similar sturdy feel.
"This is for the mother, who has the boldest taste in the family," says Kasia. "The green paint doesn’t extend all the way to the ceiling, so as not to be overwhelming and to lend height and openness. We also chose rounded furniture for a softer feel."
The house — a 1970s, partially timber-clad gabled house — was also a compelling muse. "It was very dated but had charm. The clients felt inspired, so we kept those 1970s characteristics." This inspired Kasia's use of warmer-toned woods — for example, the "almost mahogany" floor-to-ceiling cupboards in the hallway, kitchen cabinetry and oak paneling.
The 1970s palette nods to the decade: "1970s fashion had a lot of oranges, browns and yellows — that warm, autumnal palette really worked with the story here." The nature surrounding the property also influenced the design. "The clients bought the house in autumn and fell in love with the colors of the garden," explains Kasia. "This inspired the palette."
"This room had previously been paneled in a dated, orangey pine," says Kasia. "A lighter oak stopped it feeling like a cave, while preserving the house’s character."
"We wanted a calm space here so we went with cooler tones, beige walls and subtle character, with an added element of craft," says Kasia.
With Kasia's work, there are often deeper layers of thought beneath the surface — so it's not just about evocative colors but how color relates to the material. "They're often not independent," she explains. "Color often comes from the material" — for example, in the daughter's bathroom, the marble on the basin and the plinth on the walls. While many architects work to minimize the palette throughout a home, Kasia likes to combine different tones of wood. "Clients worry they'll clash — to me, they add depth and tension."
Lilac bedding is an unexpected accent in this bedroom scheme — and where better to shop for the look than from Piglet in Bed?
"The limewash paint has a marbled texture resembling a clouded sky," says Kasia. "The downstairs interior reflects the garden, but this room is closest to the sky."
Audo Copenhagen's classic table lamp adds another, albeit smaller dose of texture to this scheme — and it's a timeless piece to add to your own space,
"The room is calm but with richness and interest," says Kasia. "A lot of that is in the texture — the marble, the textured glass. The colors add calmness while also being fresh."
But how to satisfy the differing preferences of the sociable homeowners and their somewhat introverted 14-year-old? The solution was two living rooms on separate floors. "We noticed a need for a space where the daughter could withdraw and relax, and move through the space without being involved when the parents have guests," says Kasia. A trend that any teen would get behind.
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