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An Interview with Victoria from Apartment Number 4

Here at Gingerlily we love blogs. As a result, we’ve decided to feature our favourite blogs right here on our own. To do this, we’re going to feature regular interviews with the people behind all of the sites we adore. To start off, we’ve spoken to Victoria from Apartment Number 4 about how she got into blogging about interiors and how she defines her interior style.

Tell us a bit about yourself?

I'm a blogger but also work full time as the editor of men's fashion magazine, which I absolutely love. Having Apartment Number 4 gives me that release from the world of fashion I crave and it's nice to come home on an evening and look for inspiration for French bedrooms or the best textiles on the high street. My lonely hearts ad would read "Creative who owns two cats - Shirley & Audrey - with GSOH and ability to yes to every offer of a chocolate biscuit."

Victoria from Apartment Number 4

When did you start blogging and why?

I started blogging in 2008, when I launched my blog I Heart Fashion. I was interning at various magazines straight out of university and I used my blog as a platform to showcase my writing. It developed from there and in March of this year, after nearly seven years of blogging, I decided to change my domain to Apartment Number 4. I'd outgrown so many things I used to love writing about and felt restricted with my original name. I can honestly say that making that move was the best decision I ever made.

How did you decide to blog about interiors?

Turning 30 and finally having a place I could call my own, meant my love for interiors really developed. I would find myself spending hours looking for inspiration, and forgetting about spending money on clothes and instead putting it towards a mid-century inspired sideboard. With interiors, because it's something I'm very passionate about, I have my own style, people seem to like it and I feel a lot more confident in what I am writing and putting out in my piece of the internet.

Pots fo flowers

What has been your biggest struggle in blogging so far?

I think my biggest struggle has to be comparing myself to others. It's very difficult when you've been blogging for so long to see bloggers start less than 12 months ago and overtake you in regards to social media and readers. But that's a really unhealthy way to be so I made an agreement with myself this year to stop looking at numbers, stop caring about other people's "perfect" lives on Instagram and concentrate on me. So far, so good!

How would you describe your interior style?

I have quite an eclectic taste in that I love, let's say, bits and bobs. If you were to come to my house, none of the rooms match but everything has its place. I have an old vintage bar cart next to a bright blue modern sofa, across from mid-century furniture and huge black and white photography on the walls. I definitely can't define my style by an era or genre, but if I had to say what influences me, it would have be Californian-boho - retro pieces of furniture, colourful textiles, lots of wood, white walls, plenty of greenery in the house.

Where do you find inspiration?

Pinterest has to be my ultimate source of inspiration. I spend at least an hour before bed every night pinning and looking for inspiration for blog posts. I have over 60 boards, with everything from Scandinavian styling to colours, places to travel to, typography, photography and packaging. I literally pin everything. I also love to sit and scrapbooking the traditional way, basically pulling ideas and pages from magazines and keeping them in files on my desk to refer back to

Cacti

Can you describe the style of your current bedroom?

My bedroom at the moment is black and white with a real French inspired theme to it. I have a white iron bed, white wooden furniture and an incredible amount of light from a huge window and French doors onto a Juliette balcony. It was actually this room which sold the property to me when I first went for a viewing.

How do you style a bedroom to make it feel relaxing?

It's the one room which is always immaculate. It's my sanctuary, so imagine beautiful bedding, sheepskin rugs, a chunky cable knit lambswool throw at the bottom of the bed, a huge dressing table with a French vintage mirror. I love spending time in there and getting some much-needed rest away from my phone, computer and the cats. I light a vanilla candle, turn down the lights and read a good book. I really try and keep all technology out of the bedroom now, and it definitely helps me to sleep better. Unless it's the weekend and I watch Friend's for the hundredth time.

Bedroom

Which interior style are you most proud of in your home, and why?

I'd have to say the room I'm most proud of is my bedroom. It just really came together how I wanted it to, and even though I'm not always going to be blessed with as much space as I have now, I think I made the most of the dimension I had to work with. It was the room where I spent the most money but that's because I spend such a good amount of time in there getting my essential 8 hours kip.

What interior trends are you looking forward to in 2016?

I can't wait to see what trends emerge for the new season. The new Pantone colours for 2016 are absolutely beautiful and I'm looking forward to seeing the use of brass more, replacing copper. It was big this year, but I suspect it get even bigger over the next twelve months. I'm hoping something will replace the pineapple - I've had enough pineapple to last me a lifetime - time to give the melon slice some loving, especially in textile prints.

Table dressing for Christmas

Which article on Apartment Number 4 would you consider your favourite?

I think my most recent favourite has to be my Christmas table styling post, which I planned for a good couple of weeks. I loved the finished photography and it came out better than I had hoped. But my overall favourite ever post is my letter to my teenage self. This is one of my most read blog posts ever and it really seemed to resonate with people. Plus, I love going back and reading it every now and again for a giggle.

What is your next interior project?

My next interior project has to be turning my spare bedroom into an office. Right now it's a dumping ground where you can't see my desk for the piles and piles of magazines on it. So instead of perching my laptop on my knee, I'm going to make it my mission in 2016 to make a creative office space, where I can shoot my photographs, maybe film videos and basically build my little (for now) empire. Which is your favourite room and why? Let us know in the comments below. All images are the property of Victoria from Apartment Number 4 and have been used with permission. Please contact Victoria if you wish to use any of these images.