Kateryna Gonchar
Berlin, Germany
I can easily say that Kateryna is the first person I met outside of NYC when I created NORMAL. We were both starting our accounts, and definitely helped each other along the way. She lives in a 50 square meters big apartment in Berlin with her boyfriend and their cat. Her home shows me once again that you don't need the biggest space to create your happy places, it's all in the energy you bring there. Her kitchen and balcony have already made it to many interior accounts across the board. She was very kind to give me this exclusive interview. We talked about her kitchen renovation, inspirations and dream pieces. Enjoy!
You can find her as @ekaterynagonchar :)
What are your biggest inspirations for this home and decorating it?
Over the years my home and tastes have changed and evolved a lot. One of the things that have never changed is my love for vintage furniture. I love real furniture, furniture with a history behind it, a past life, and the fact that I can still keep it alive by giving it space in my home. Currently, I am really into natural elements, wood stone marble, and natural brown beige green colors. I think my biggest inspiration right now is timeless design.
Tell us about that kitchen, now that it has made to multiple big interior feeds, I really want to learn more about what you changed, did it yourself...
Well, it's my baby, my favorite room, the one that is always being improved. Since day one it's been constantly changing, first, it was sixty, a little pop, then boho, and now it's how I wanted it but I can't explain the style. I recently painted the wall from pink to creamy beige, changed the table and installed a marble countertop on it, and added a few more wooden shelves. The kitchen project isn't finished yet because I'm changing something else this winter that I don't really like, and I'm hoping that this will be the final project that will finally make the kitchen perfect, for me! I used to do everything myself, my boyfriend always helps me when I need it but I usually don't!
Through these years I've learned how to use certain tools, what exactly to buy at the hardware store and how to install things, it's been a long process that has made me proud of myself and makes me feel encouraged to change more things when I feel that way!
You are one of the first people I got to know through Normal from another side of the world. Tell us a bit about yourself, who are you?
I'm Kateryna 27 years old, I was born in Ukraine and when I was 8 moved with my mom to Naples where I grew up and discovered a love for interior design, I always wanted and still want to be an interior designer. I moved to Berlin when I was 22 because I was looking for a drastic change in my life, I wanted to discover myself and do it in a new city. I'm currently living here for 5 years, and I'm studying UX Design, a passion I have discovered lately, and sometimes working as an interior designer in a really informal way. I'm an active person who's always into something, I love traveling and discovering new places and new foods, my ideal weekends are made of biking, flea markets, good new restaurant drinks, and sometimes dancing. Berlin is the place I got used to call home, but I feel won't be forever!
What inspired you to start an interior account?
When I moved to Berlin I slowly started following interior bloggers until I was convinced to make one myself. It took me three years but one day I was sitting in a cafe in the neighborhood I used to live in called Wedding and I felt inspired and the next day I opened my account @ekaterynagonchar which brought me a lot of nice opportunities and introduced me to a lot of nice people.
One thing that really stands out in your profile is that your Berlin home is 50 square meters, and you do such a great job at using your space. What made you decide on this particular home? Was it an obstacle to live in a small space? What are your recommendations for working with such spaces?
Thank you so much, I'm always trying to do better! Well, actually I didn't decide on this house, she decided for me. I'll tell you the story; me and my boyfriend Luca had to leave both our apartments before September and it was already June and we couldn't find one, here in Berlin it's a really BIG thing to find an apartment in the center or in a nice area for a good price I mean. The most common way is to know someone who knows someone is leaving. And this was my case, the day of my birthday I woke up and my friend told me that her friend was leaving this apartment, I immediately wrote an email and made an appointment, the day we saw the apartment we had no intention to live together, Luca was just coming with me, when we entered we felt really good, the vibe was amazing and the owners only after few questions proposed the contact. So that day we also decided that this house could be a home for the three of us (+ our cat Vasilij). Managing this small space was not very easy, we learned to share spaces and give spaces. I would suggest starting with the big furniture essentials, use the space wisely and be sure to create multiple spaces to use separately. Always thinking twice before deciding on something is always good advice, but when you have a small apartment believe me it is the best advice you can have.
Also the terrace space. I'm truly in love, it adds such a beautiful element to the home. How did you decorate it?
I feel really blessed to have such a big balcony in the city, I have enough space for my small garden, a sitting area, and a dining area. As always I focused on natural elements, wood, terracotta, and natural tones. I really wanted it to be a place to host summer dinners with friends, which is why I chose a folding table that is good for six when open and perfect for our breakfasts when closed. We use the balcony a lot from April/May until early September, we enjoy every single moment on our balcony and I decorate it to be suitable for all kinds of situations. But like the other rooms, it should have some changes, I would like to be ready for next summer with some new balcony furniture but with my beloved natural materials.
How do you define your interior style? Also, do you have a dream piece or furniture you have on mind?
This is so hard to define to me, it's a mix and match of different styles and I really like it to be non-categorized.
I have a huge wish list of dream furniture I want, I will share with you some of the most wanted:
Camaleonda sofa - Mario Bellini
Travertine armor dining table - Floating Back armchairs - Pierre Jeanneret
Akari A1 and Akari 24N lamps - Noguchi
How does having an interior account changed the way you approach your home and purchases?
I have always been a perfectionist, I only feel relieved when my home is cleaned to perfection and everything is in the right place. I love waking up in the morning to a tidy house. After saying that, having an interiors account made me more of a perfectionist than before because any moment could be a perfect moment for a beautiful photo, that's why everything has to be ready, no one is allowed to leave a blanket unfolded! I have to confess that when I go thrifting I sometimes buy things that would fit my interior better, and then I sell the things that no longer fit my home.
I always buy consciously and things that I can easily resell durable furniture, and timeless accessories, most often second-hand and vintage. It's very important not to fall into unnecessary shopping just because it's trendy or because it would look good in a photo but in real life, you won't use it at all.
Buy things that interest you, things you feel and love. Find the trend in you.
And the information we all wonder…
Some of my favorite items:
Cord couch: Vintage from Ebay
Travertine coffee table: Vintage, from Ebay
Cesca chairs: Vintage, form Ebay
Plia, Anonima Castelli: Flea market Schöneberg
Wool carpet: Trendcarpet
Kitchen island: Legs from Ikea countertop vintage Marmor '70
