interior design by anne 65

sneak peek: lila & tom


Kathleen Boonen is half Belgian and half Dutch, a stylist and a former editor for Vogue and Elle, and Jan Donhardt is a German who grew up in Ibiza and provides the entrepreneurial vision behind the couple’s agency, Lila & Tom. The two met in the south of France and together gave birth to Lila & Tom, and now they call Barcelona home. Lila & Tom are not only their two children, but also the inspiration for their fashion story agency dedicated to art direction and styling from concept to completion. This pair shares a great eye, so don’t miss the full post below! Thanks Jan and Kathleen! — Anne

Photos: Juan Carlos Ponsa and Enric Montes

Image above: Detail of the guest bedroom door, painted by my brother, Phillippe Boonen, who is an artist who lives between Barcelona and Paris.


Image above: Entry hall. We love the space in this apartment and how it is able to grow and change with our lives.


The “office” for Lila & Tom — in the same building, it allows us to spend more time with our children. Chairs and table found in “vide-greniers” (second-hand markets) and markets between Barcelona and Berlin. We love combining found objects with objects from the four corners of the globe.


Wood cable spool makes for a great table base for Lila to do her art. Old linen was used to recover the couches to hide flaws. The living room is a great place for the children to play their games.


Wood table was found in the streets of Madrid (we love finding pieces on the street — nothing makes us happier, yet we debate whether to bring it home or not) and repainted by Kathleen. The desk holds an old mirror, porcelain vase, glass and an old, broken chair whose function is purely decorative. The lamp is aluminum, and the lights are from Habitat.

CLICK HERE for the rest of Lila & Tom’s sneak peek after the jump!


Tom’s bed with metal letters on the wall.


Small frames with images of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, found at a sale in Provence. Rabbit lamp from Vinçon.

These floor tiles are original and very typical to old apartments in Barcelona. The closest we’ve seen are by a producer in France called Carocim (http://www.carocim.com/).


The foundation of the house is cement tiles, dating back to the beginning of the 20th century. Each pattern resembles a rug. The felt slippers are completely handmade and were found in one of Ali Baba’s caverns in the great brocantes [markets] of Barcelona.


Mobile from the Ivory Coast against mosquito netting from Ikea.


Old map from the market in Ibiza. Table and chairs from Ikea.


Old chair with plastic bull.


Pages of an old book on the wall.


Mask of the Comercial Bolsera.

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65 Comments

Karen

Those floors are to die for. I wonder if there is a way to duplicate this look on ceramic tiles!

Danielle

i love this one. front door is my favorite part. so brave with paint in such close proximity to a white couch! i guess that’s the good thing about slipcovers though.

Hannah

Love the cable spool for a coffee table and what an adorable little girl.

Sarah

Beautiful floors – and I wish I dressed as chicly as their young daughter!

Ing

If wood-cable-spools-as-coffee-tables doesn’t catch on like wild fire, I will be so surprised. Such an amazing reuse idea.

Teresa

I have to agree with everyone, how fabulous are those tiles…! I wonder if anyone knows, are there still places in Spain that produce tiles like these? Or anywhere else?

herlongwayhome

I love this! such great uses of a neutral palette with pops of color. Particularly love the wire hands on the wall in the second picture. Thanks for sharing!

Kira

I LOVE the wooden cable spool table! I have vague memories of my parents having a larger one in the early 80′s when I was little. Where can you find those (for a decent price/free?) I’d love to obtain one for my own house now.

Georgia

Need those tiles in my home! They are so beautiful…they give so much charm to the apartment!

Kitchens Dublin

I really like the floor tiles but wonder how long it would be before I get sick of them. The whole house looks amazing and has a lovely fresh feel to it.

Connie

I have always wanted a door like that one and been a little afraid to do it! It’s gorgeous and gives me a little ump… to get me going. :)

Stacey

absolutely sweet, in so many big and little ways

I especially adore the spool table, just the right height.

Frenchee le Trip

I’m in awe of this beautiful apartment. Thanks for the inspiration. I had the same thought as Jenny with Baby and her watercolors next to the white upholstery. I’ll bet that was just for show.

nisha

love the painting on the door… its so pretty! I’d love to try this on my door…

mina

those floors are just lovely, if you dont have to live with them!
living in Barcelona myself, it is a joy to find a flat without them..

Laura

What a beautiful and inspiring space! I especially love the very first picture of the guest bedroom door.

kath

Thanks so much for sharing this. What a lovely way to start the day. That door just made me sigh…..

Katie Bee

I love the ease with which a couple ikea pieces were mixed into so many vintage and antiques. and those floors…

Jo

The photo with the pile of lunch boxes and pictures of Snow White characters is SO sweet!

Meg

The flooring ROCKS!!! What a beautiful home- so warm and welcoming, light and airy. SPECTACULAR!!

Kara Paslay

LOVE the floors like everyone else and of course I think the electrical spool table is great! My husband and I modified an electrical spool and put a concrete top on it to make a pretty awesome dining table!

Kinga

Hey, there! I’m from Budapest/Hungary. I don’t speek very well english, so I agree with everybody : it’s a lovely and creativ home! I adore that door, too.

jenni o

wow. this really blew me away…the (seemingly) effortless mix of old and new, and of course, my jaw dropped when I saw that gorgeous door!

Emma Treadgold

I heartily endorse the love for the floor tiles. They really make the house special and set the tone for all the gorgeous bits and pieces they have gathered together. Very inspiring. Wouldn’t we all love to move to Barcelona now…

Vanessa

I agree with Mina. These floors are lovely but a pain to live with. Mine are pretty old and in rather good shape but they are difficult to clean and keep in good condition.
You can buy new ‘mosaic hidràulic’ (that’s how it’s called in Catalan) here http://www.mosaicdelsur.com/Mosaico/index.html – and play a little with their tile pattern simulator.

Karen

Ah Barcelona! I would love to visit and explore – and this beautiful apartment is all the more incentive for me!! The light, the unique tiles of the floors – sometimes I wish American apartments (and homes!) weren’t so cookie-cutter.

hallie

The flooring took my breath away. To the two of you from Spain who say that they are difficult to clean and care for – can you explain why? I’m so curious. Thanks!

Adamantia

Congratulations! Your house is like a beautiful dream…
Love from Greece!

bowiechic

I adore the flowers on the door. I would love to paint my front door like that but can’t paint apart from walls.Artistic in my head but hands don’t work like that.

Nuala

Could I possibly use the image of the old wooden cable spool for my IT coursework, I will mention you?

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