The Netherlands got to know influencer Femke Meines (23) when she participated in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest in 2012. It was the start of a career as a singer, actress and YouTuber. Last year, Femke left home, and then again, she didn't, because together with her boyfriend Justin (23, technician at a compressor company) she bought her parents' terraced house in a village near Schagen. The parents in turn moved into the grandparents' house. 'I think it's a nice idea that the family homes have been passed on to the next generation, and that all the memories are preserved,' she says when we visit her.

IN LOVE WITH THE DOORMAT  

'I'm so in love with my doormat,' laughs Femke when she opens the door. Fortunately, visitors don't have to do an acrobatic step over it, because beautiful and practical go hand in hand for the West Frisian. 'It was the first thing I bought when I heard the mortgage was settled,' she rattles off cheerfully, as she will do in one go when she shows her house. 'Justin thinks it's hideous. But we agreed that we would give our interior a calm base, and that I could then go wild with the accessories.'

METAMORPHOSIS OF YOUR YOUTH  

Femke's parents were the first residents of the terraced house. They gave the house a contemporary farmhouse style on the inside, which fits in with the beautiful polder landscape with farmhouses above Alkmaar. 'I found it cozy,' says Femke, 'I was completely used to it being the way it was. But once I moved here with Justin, it felt like we were looking after my parents' house. Then you suddenly notice that you have your own identity, and your own style. We just had to discover it, because we had never had a place of our own before.'

LAB Wallpaint and LAB Interior paint Amaze no. 535 (walls, skirting boards, door and windowsill) and LAB Wallpaint Frosted Sand no. 374 (ceiling).

In their search, the two ended up at LAB, where they received advice from Karin. 'So many beautiful things came out of that that I would never have come up with myself!', Femke exclaims enthusiastically. 'It was about all the colours, for every room, but also furniture. I have the mood board that we made with Karin on my phone, so that I always have it with me as a reference.'

SPRINKLING WITH COLOR

In the meantime, Femke has gone first to the top floor. Her office logically reflects her own character the most there. The walls and ceiling are decorated with fresh green tones Poetic Pondicherry no. 58 and one wall AMS Leaves no. 602. Femke: 'It was quite a challenge whether we would agree on the interior together, because Justin is a super nice guy, but he definitely does not have my taste. As far as he was concerned, everything would have been white, while I would have preferred everything bright pink. I love colour, it can't be crazy enough for me. Colour on colour, print on print, it's all completely fine.'

Also read: COPY PASTE: EVERYTHING ABOUT THE COLOURS FROM FEMKE MEINES' HOME

The infectious energy with which Femke whirls through the house, constantly resonates in her words. She is someone who spreads cheerfulness around her. Also consciously, as becomes clear when she explains why she likes to wear colorful clothes. 'It makes me happy myself and I have the feeling that it always makes others on the street a little happier. That is why I also like to do, is to give a compliment when I spot nice shoes, a nice bag or cool glasses on someone. With the people around me, but just as well in the city, or on the train, with people I don't know.

'Why not just say it when you notice something positive about someone? It happens so rarely, while it is such a small effort and has such a big effect. For the same reason I love giving presents. I live between bulb fields, with stalls with freshly picked tulips everywhere. I like to take them home for someone. Colorful tulips, don't they make everyone happy?'

BEGINNING OF A STORY

For Femke, her home reflects her character, just like her outfits do. 'If I analyze it properly, my clothing is basically colorful, but calm. With a striking jacket or another piece of clothing that stands out, I create a bright whole. My interior is exactly the same. It looks sleek and calm at its core, and sparkles with things like printed cushions and that crazy doormat.' Yet, for her, the house is far from finished, it is only the beginning of what the story of Femke and Justin should become.

'I am really looking forward to looking for something like a nice painting this summer when we go on holiday to Kos. With souvenirs, framed photos and other personal items a house really becomes your own. That all has to grow on us, we are still young, we have just started our life together. I am really looking forward to seeing the house become more full of memories that we have collected in the coming years.'

SUN IN THE HOUSE

Whether or not, when Femke walks through her house, she radiates. In every room, but nowhere more so than in the place she saved for last: the conservatory with the dining room and kitchen. The reason is the vibrant color on the walls, Golden Leaf no. 752 , which makes Femke happy again and again. 'Look, those walls almost look orange, but the beautiful thing is that this color changes with the light. You experience that very strongly here through the glass roof.

One moment the walls look warm brown, then it goes more to orange, then again you see a pink tinge. It's like the setting sun, which also constantly changes hue. The funny thing is that I found these the most difficult walls to decide on, because my parents had painted them grass green. I thought: every color we put on them now will be boring. But it's anything but that. Everyone who comes to visit says something about it. Isn't it special, that a color can release so much?'

MORE COLOURING TIPS FROM FEMKE MEINES  

With Femke's colorful enthusiasm, she convinced Justin to move away from white. Together they created a calm-but-certainly-not-boring base with colorful accessories. Throughout their home you will find a collection of LAB COLOURS . In the article below you will discover the five valuable tips that Femke herself has applied. From renovation tips to color and styling tips.  

Also read: 5 RENOVATION COLOUR AND STYLING TIPS FROM FEMKE MEINES  

WANT TO TRY OUT COLORS OR WALLPAPER?

Are you inspired by Femke Meines' choices and do you want to start transforming your home yourself? Then use ourLAB Sample pots . With the sample pots you can test your LAB COLOUR directly on the wall or a sheet of paper and discover how the colour turns out in your home. Sample pots are only available in LAB Wallpaint . This is a matt type of paint that is intended to assess a colour. Are you hesitating between multiple colours? Then also order our colourcar d ,large colour samples or the complete colour fan .

Author: Chris Muyres
Photography: Lotte van Uittert

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