A place of my own: A new lease of life

AnneLi is a store concept developer from Sweden. She initially came on holiday to Barcelona some 15 years ago and, like many, fell head over heels for the Catalan capital. Determined to settle here she finally made the move seven years ago. After living in several different areas of the city, she moved into her current apartment in the Eixample two years ago. She describes it as her “little oasis in the middle of a vibrant city”.

Her home is indeed a calm and peaceful haven. And although almost every item of furniture, fixtures and soft furnishings is white, there’s nothing remotely clinical about it.Although Swedish-born, AnneLi is not a huge fan of Ikea, and her light and airy three-bedroomed home on Gran Via is instead filled with items retrieved from the street. She says, “I’m very creative, and I love giving furniture a new soul. It’s amazing what people throw away here. They are replacing good furniture with flat-pack furniture to modernise their homes—in Sweden these kind of treasures would be worth a fortune.”

She’s quick to mention that her dream would be to have a loft space in the Poblenou, ideally big enough to house more pieces she recovers and breathes new life into. She adds,  “I don’t have a huge amount of space to store my findings, so I also leave my old pieces in the street when I’m done with them. It gives me great pleasure to know that they will also go to a happy home and somebody else can enjoy them and hopefully take care of them”.

She shares her home with a Swedish friend, and is more than happy living the quiet life. She stresses the importance of feeling comfortable and content in one’s home. “I work a lot from here, so I spend a lot of time in my room and lounge, but I love this space, it has really good energy and, in general, it’s a pleasure passing the day here. I never forget how happy I am in Barcelona. I tell myself every day. But it’s a busy city, so it’s vital for me to have an escape for myself, and I certainly have that here.”