This High-Vibe Home In Berlin Has Plants That Reach The Ceiling

After living with roommates for years in cities around the world like Tokyo, Jaipur, and Copenhagen, Flora Amalie knew that her first solo flat in Berlin had to be a sanctuary all her own. The writer and photographer is constantly infusing the space with new personal touches that speak to where she is in life right now—while making sure it's always comfortable for couch-surfing friends when they come to visit too.

DIY, comfort, maximalism.

I love a lot of the color trends this season, like mustard or the combination of green and dusty pink. And I obviously love styling with plants. It's lovely that there's such a community among plant lovers now, and information about plant care has become so easily accessible. I also like wallpapers with big prints and velvet sofas, which seems to be pretty popular at the moment!

I have a lot of my family's old furniture, and some of it dates back several generations. It's probably a side table. Or a bookcase. Or maybe the antique lucky cat I bought in Tokyo years ago? The newest addition is usually a plant—right now it's a Begonia Tamaya that I got for my birthday last week.

I will usually light some incense a couple of times a week, or if I'm having bad luck, I'll do a sage or Palo Santo smudging, just to feel like I did something about it! And you can always smell coffee and toast: my staple diet.

Not really! Those guys take care of themselves and I only interfere when they outgrow their spot. I use tiny pins to make the trail, and other than that, I just need to pick off the off yellow leaves once in a while. I am planning to have them cover the ceiling, though, so I'll have to start rerouting them soon!

Besides that, I have photo booth pictures that I've taken with my best friends in the time I've lived in Berlin, and they're up on my fridge where I see them every day. 

When it comes to my physical health, I keep an open space in the living room for working out, and my yoga mat and free weights are always right there ready to use (but placed in a decorative basket, of course!). I find it hard to get motivated to work out these days, so I try to at least have as few physical obstacles as possible in my home. Same thing goes for nutrition: I make sure the kitchen is always ready to use, and I keep my juicer out on the counter so I don't have to dig around for it.

And most importantly, my mental health is actually the reason I moved into this apartment. I wasn't really happy living in a big shared flat with changing roommates. I needed a space just for me where I could feel safe and recharge, and that's what my apartment is to me: It's my sanctuary. And since I love constantly building and gardening and decorating, having a space that's constantly evolving is a kind of therapy for me.

I usually start my day on the balcony drinking coffee, and my dog loves it so much, he'll get up and wait for me to open the balcony door every morning!

A lot of friends and visitors have told me that they feel at home in my apartment immediately. That's just about the highest compliment you can get. 

This interview has been edited and condensed.