Sarah Hartmann’s home is a cross between a fairground and a lucky bear’s cloud. The Berlin-based designer feels particularly at home amidst pastel colors. She buys most of the pieces and furniture in her apartment on second-hand platforms and shares her projects with her followers on @saraheartmann. Thanks to jigsaws, paint and brushes, the found objects become unique pieces that really steal the show from the run-of-the-mill pieces from the yellow and blue furniture giant.
Photos: Sarah Hartmann (represented by 0360works)
FACES: What do you do for a living?
Sarah Hartmann: Since I quit my full-time job as a graphic designer at the end of last year, I’ve been earning my living exclusively with collaborations and partnerships on social media from this year onwards.
F: What job title is on your business card?
SH: Do I need something like that? It would probably now say Content Creator.
F: What does a normal working day look like for you?
SH: I still have to find my real routine, as every day is still super exciting without being an employee. I always get up around nine o’clock and make an overview of what I have to do that day and what I need to get. Because I need daylight for filming and photography, the content has to be shot before 3pm. I usually go to the DIY store afterwards and pick up finds from eBay classifieds. In the evening, I usually edit and post a new DIY or collaboration on Instagram and Tiktok and answer messages and comments. I’m often still going through emails, inquiries and briefings late at night. I have just rediscovered crocheting as a way of relaxing before bed.
F: What will you be doing in ten years?
SH: Hopefully still doing what I love (whatever that will be) – just with a bit more wrinkles on my face.
Sarah’s home and the biggest furnishing mistake
F: What does your home have that others don’t?
SH: Don’t be afraid of colors and patterns.
F: What do you look out for when you enter other homes?
SH: On the smell. I’m a big fan of room fragrances, and I always notice them immediately in other people’s homes.
F: What makes a cool apartment?
SH: A cool resident with a love of experimentation.
F: Which interior design style do you not like at all and why?
SH: The first thing that comes to mind is the maritime style; unfortunately I’m not a fan of this yacht and boat harbor feeling in blue and white. You won’t find pampas grass or anything that goes with the boho style in my home either.
F: What’s the biggest mistake you can make when decorating a home?
SH: Going to your favorite Swedish furniture store, indulging in the motto “once there, everything in” and furnishing the entire apartment at once. It is so much cheaper, more personal and more individual to buy second-hand and invest in selected, high-quality and long-lasting pieces of furniture.
The best second-hand items
F: What piece of furniture or accessory is your best kept treasure, why, and how did you come to it?
SH: There are many that I really love, but one special piece is definitely my lilac dining table, which is also my desk. It was one of the first second-hand pieces in my new apartment and set the style and color scheme for the living room. I bought it from an elderly couple in Charlottenburg for very little money and repainted it. The best thing is that it can be pulled out if I ever invite more guests.
F: Which item or piece of furniture was an absolute bad buy and why?
SH: I haven’t really made any bad purchases yet, but there are definitely pieces that I sold again soon after a DIY or upcycling because I either didn’t have the space for them or the color didn’t quite fit in with my visual concept.
F: Which design classic is not worth the hype?
SH: I may be hated for this now, but I think that the Togo sofa from Ligne Roset may look good and is also comfortable, but it is absolutely not worth the current market price. For this amount of money, you can buy one or more great individual designer sofas that have more to offer.
F: What do you collect?
SH: Nail polish in all colors, (sunglasses) and lamps.
Sarah’s best interior tips
F: Where and on which platforms do you get the best bargains?
SH: My absolute go-to platform is Ebay classifieds. I spend at least one or two hours a day on this site and browse through the offers all over Germany. But I also often find great pieces in my area that I can pick up directly.
F: How do you choose the right pieces to suit your style?
SH: Unfortunately, I don’t yet know a magic trick for finding great vintage furniture quickly and easily. The search should not be underestimated and takes a lot of time and patience, but it is always worth it. I like to be inspired by Pinterest and Instagram, but I’m never too set on a particular piece of furniture or style, as you never know exactly what you’ll find second-hand. But that’s also what makes the search so exciting.
F: How and where can you find the right pictures for your home?
SH: I’m a big fan of supporting local artists, so I can highly recommend platforms like Kunst100. Or you can write to the artists directly via Instagram. Beautiful prints in various styles with matching frames are also available from Wall of Art.
F: What piece of furniture are you saving up for?
SH: The next big piece of furniture that we absolutely have to get soon is a proper closet with lots of storage space. Since moving in, I’ve been drowning in piles of clothes in the corner of my bedroom – this must finally come to an end.
F: The apartment is empty. Where do you start with the setup?
SH : When I moved into my current apartment about a year ago, I first concentrated on the large pieces of furniture and built everything else around them. The dining table, couch and bed were my first to-dos. I wouldn’t save money on these things either, as they are in constant use and should be particularly durable.
F: What are the basic materials and tools one should always have at home to refurbish second-hand parts?
SH: I swear by a cordless sander, a paint kit with paint rollers and brushes and a jigsaw. You can do a lot of DIY and upcycling work with this equipment.
Sarah Hartmann takes you into her apartment. Follow her via @saraheartmann on Instagram.
