The woman behind Villa Bloom & Co.

Hello, I'm Jona and lovely that you're here

If you're wondering who's behind all the photos, recipes and style notes on this blog – that's me. Someone who has been rearranging vases, stroking fabrics and lingering a little too long in every home-decor shop since childhood.

My everyday life · between the office and the craft table

I live with my husband, our two children and two dogs in Saarland – one of the loveliest little corners of Germany that hardly anyone has on their radar. During the day I sit in an office; in the evenings and at weekends, my time belongs to what truly makes my heart beat faster: making our home more beautiful, taking photos, crafting and trying out recipes.

I only started this blog recently – but the dream behind it is many years old. I thought it over for a long time, doubted, planned, wondered whether anyone would even be interested. And at some point I realised: if I don't start now, I probably never will. So Villa Bloom & Co. is my little act of courage – a long-cherished dream that's finally happening.

Decorating · really, always

I can’t remember ever NOT decorating. As a child I made placemats from fabric scraps, stuffed vases full of daisies and explained to my mother that the sideboard was “definitely the wrong way round”. I still do that today – just with a little more practice and (sometimes) a little more budget. My interior style has refined over the years, but the underlying feeling has stayed the same: light, full of stories, with fabric and natural materials.

My favourite trip · Holland

At least twice a year I cross the border. Holland is my decor mecca – the concept stores, the brocante markets, the small family shops in provincial villages that I only found through insider tips. Most of my Riviera Maison favourites come from there, along with second-hand Cath Kidston finds and, of course, those beautiful old factory crates you see in so many of my photos.

The North Sea · my treasure chest by the sea

What Holland is for style purchases, the North Sea is for material finds. Driftwood, shells, weathered wooden signs – on the coast I find things I wouldn't buy anywhere for any money. It's also the region that has shaped my style the most: that light, salty, linen-and-rattan feeling that runs through all my rooms.

Recreating inspiration · instead of buying it

My open secret: many pieces in my home look like Riviera Maison – but they aren’t. I love letting myself be inspired and then asking: “How can I recreate this cheaply and with my own hands?” A fruit crate from the hardware store, a stencil, dark wood stain – and there you have the “Cuisine” look for a fraction of the price. I share DIY hacks like these here again and again, because I’m convinced: beauty doesn’t have to be expensive.

In the kitchen · I'm at my most honest

When I'm not decorating, I'm cooking or baking. Seasonally, often with things I've foraged myself – wild garlic in April, elderflower in May, mirabelle plums in late summer – and with a fondness for ever-new recipes. I can rarely close a cookbook without tucking five sticky notes between the pages. To me, a new recipe is like a new Pinterest pin: just in edible form.

A little cliffhanger · what's still to come

Something you haven't seen on the blog yet: I love sewing and knitting with a passion. Tilda fabrics have especially won me over – those romantic floral designs are pure joy on the sewing machine. A dedicated section on this is coming soon, I promise.

A home isn't just where you live – it's the story you tell every day with the things you gather there.

So if you live somewhere between Riviera Maison, GreenGate and Cath Kidston (at least in your mind), you're in the right place. Here I share what I see, buy, craft and cook – and occasionally forget to photograph because I'm too caught up in it. Stay as long as you like; I'm delighted to get to know you.

Warmly, Jona