My lovely Insta friend – Birgitte De Paepe, aka @zebodeko – has a fabulous home. I’m literally in love with it. Everybody calls me Biche, and she is 53 years old. She was born in Belgium and moved to France (for love ☺) 27 years ago. Biche lives in a small village in the rural South of France at 20km from the coast (Saint Tropez is at 50km), with her two youngest sons. The two oldest, Tom, 23 and Ayla, 21, have their own apartment.
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Her 50 years old house she bought and completely renovated 12 years ago is boarded by a forest and filled with thrift finds her own designed woven wall hangings and tons of plants.
For a living, she manages a Belgian restaurant with her brother in Hyeres, in the South of France, but her goal is to make a living with interior design. Biche loves to create things, and nature is her inspiration. She constantly changes and moves things around the house.
Can you remember your first design project in your home?
Biche: In fact, everything started a long, long time ago, in the belly of my mum, LOL. She’s a florist; I was born in our flower shop in Antwerp, Belgium. Being an artist herself, she gave me the hunger to create. I’ve been exploring the world of drawing, painting and mosaic my whole life; being creative has always been a necessity. And then, about three years ago, I discovered the world of weaving, and it felt like coming home. That’s when I started my ZEBODEKO – @zebodeko – Instagram account.
I’ve always loved decorating/designing my home/garden in different ways, but my weavings were the only things I posted until two years ago. I started revamping and posting my living room. Some lovely messages and reactions, and suddenly my head was full of ideas I just had to try out.
And now we’re 50 bedroom designs later, haha. Where do I get my ideas? Everything I see but especially nature, inspires me. I often go to thrift stores where a simple item can be the start of a design. It can also be a movie or a piece of wood on the beach.
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What is your favourite Instagram page on design?
Biche: I always get much inspired by @thejungalow! Furthermore, I’m in love with Roth Azulik’s designs and especially with the hotel Azulik UH MAY in Tulum, Mexico. I also really love the Philip Dixon house in Venice, California. My dream home would be a supernatural circular adobe/bamboo eco-construction or a tiny house.
What inspires you, and what’s the favourite part of your home?
Biche: All Of Nature Wild and Free 😀 This is my motto, and it tells everything. I always go for raw and natural materials: plants, wood, driftwood, terracotta, jute, seagrass, you name it.
These materials inspire me to make things myself: DIY and I are one! Apart from that, I love vintage thrift finds; almost nothing is new in my house. If I would describe my home’s style in a few words, I would say it’s a Badass Bohemian Nature-inspired Jungle Fairyland.
Apart from my bedroom 😀, my favourite spot is my she-shed “Casita Bonita” in the garden. I renovated it last summer from floor to roof, so since it’s my favourite space, I guess I should call its renovation my favourite project!
Casita Bonita is boarded by the wild green “left natural” wilderness area of my garden. This tiny lounge spot, where I love to sit with a cocktail in the early evenings when it’s still too warm on the deck located full South in front of the house, literally is my canvas. I love the vibes in this very green part of the garden. And, of course, I constantly change things around, so it reflects my daily mood. 😀
Can you describe your style?
Biche: If I would describe my home’s style in a few words, I would say it’s a Badass Bohemian nature-inspired Jungle Fairyland. I’m all into RE: re-use, re-purpose, re-design and re-cycle with a big touch of fantasy!
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How does your family relate to your passion for design? Do they support it?
Biche: They love it so lucky me 😀
What’s the wildest/best/most exciting thing that happened since you started this?
Biche: The most exciting thing was doing home staging on a budget in other people houses and, of course, being featured in a real magazine and on some huge Insta accounts or blogs like @apartmenttherapy, @fashions.tv, @myinterior and @roomporn.
It really valorises your work. The first time I received a present in a deco shop when I showed my Insta account was also very exciting. And of course, people messaging lovely compliments, sending products for free or asking for advice gives me all the vibes I need to continue.
Did you have any mishaps / crazy stories that happened whilst styling?
Biche: I once had a canopy falling on my head and me standing on the bed screaming for help with my arms in the air, pieces of rope in my mouth and a hammer between my knees that would fall on my feet with the slightest move.
I always sing very loud and very off-key whilst styling, I literally drag home pieces of wood from the forest and the beach, or I abruptly pull over the car to cut palm leaves or pampas grass on the road. Needless to say, my kids always make fun of me when they hear me sing or when I come home with my goodies. 😀
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Here are some great decor tips from the lovely Biche:
Follow your own envies and taste (not trends), and create what you dream about. Don’t be afraid to use colours or go for “more is more” in spaces where you’re just passing. Be brave, be crazy, be unconventional, create fantasy and listen to your heart! Never doubt yourself! Can you do it yourself? Yes, you can!
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What’s next for you?
Biche: I suffer from wanderlust: I would love to buy a van and travel around Europe to discover many places and people. I would love to learn pottery and carpentering and surfing and Italian and ….haha, too many things to list!
A huge thank you to Biche for this interview. I’m so happy that I met many talented, strong, gorgeous women during my Instagram journey. It’s not only about followers, numbers but the people who we meet and like. We may live a thousand miles away from each other, on the other side of the planet, but we are friends who support each other. 💖
What’s your favourite design style? Tell me in the comment below!
Love,
Noemi xxx
Don’t forget to follow @noemionebohostreet on Instagram for your daily boho vibes and inspiration.
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