HENK Visits with Gisele Azad

In the 'HENK Visits' series, we drop in on people who inspire us, offering a glimpse into their daily lives at home. This time, we visit Gisele Azad, creative consultant and columnist for Vogue.nl.

A year ago, Gisele and her boyfriend Rudmer moved to an idyllic wooded plot in the heart of Drenthe's nature. This new life and her inspiring content have earned her an impressive following: in just one year, her community grew to over one hundred thousand followers. We spent a day in the far north to talk to her about their big move, the renovations, and the interior of their unique home.

How has your personal interior style changed since you moved from the city to the Drenthe forest?
We consciously left almost all our furniture behind when we moved to the Drenthe forest. In the city, we lived in a beautiful 1912 house that Rudmer had completely renovated himself, with high ceilings, ornate details, and en-suite rooms. The furniture we had was perfect for that house. So, we decided to leave everything behind and start almost from scratch in our forest cottage.

I didn't quite know what it would look like. I had never lived outside the city and first wanted to discover how we wanted to use our new home and what furniture would fit. Now that we've lived here for over a year, I notice that I increasingly lean towards natural materials, shapes, and fabrics. I strive for minimalism, with carefully curated items. I've started delving more into art and would love to buy a piece of art once we've finished renovating. Moreover, here in the forest, I notice that my taste is very much leaning towards Scandinavian. I lived in Sweden for almost 4 years and was inspired by the architecture then, which I now truly see reflected in our forest cottage.

Who or what are your biggest sources of inspiration in terms of interior design and fashion?
I currently love what Monument does and curates. They have a talent for sourcing and styling unique objects, making a space instantly look distinctive and eclectic, yet still exuding a sense of calm. Their work is a great source of inspiration for me. Donald Judd has been a major inspiration for years – but now that we live in the forest, I resonate even more with his work. As for fashion, I currently find Amsterdam's Rohe Frames very beautiful.

What are some of your favorite decorative pieces in your home, and what makes them so special to you?
I actually love all our wooden stools. We have a very old one by Aalto and a few by Max Bill. We adjust the layout of our house with the seasons, and the stools always come in handy. Besides that, I'm fond of our collection of vases, which are mainly vintage. Each item has its own story and has been carefully chosen, and that's what makes them so special to me!

Why did you choose the Hug sofa for your interior?
I chose the Hug sofa with the idea of when we finish building one of our cabins. At the end of the summer, we're starting the construction of our dream home with our architect. It will be a house of wood and glass, with large open spaces, a wood-burning stove, and a sleeping loft. It's truly our dream project. I can't wait to place the Hug sofa in that space, relax wonderfully, and look at the forest while the wood-burning stove is lit. The sofa is incredibly comfortable yet stylish, something that is often difficult to combine in a sofa. It will truly be a showpiece in our wooden house!

You are going to renovate two more wooden cabins on your land; what are your plans for them?
When Rudmer and I stumbled upon this forest cottage in the middle of the national park, we immediately loved it! On the wooded plot, there is a house that was once a holiday home, and next to it, two more old wooden cabins. It's quite a project, but we were eager to take on this challenge. After successfully buying it, we immediately moved into the house and found an architect. We didn't immediately start demolishing or renovating because we really wanted to take our time to approach everything properly. Together with our architect, we brainstormed about the final layout of the plot. That's how we came up with the idea of connecting all the cabins with a wooden deck.

One of the wooden cabins will become our office, combined with an open space where we can develop various creative concepts. The other cabin will be a workshop and studio, with an industrial and minimalist look, where we can make furniture, paint, ceramic, or engage in other creative activities. The spaces will be open and bright, but thanks to the use of wood, they will also feel warm. The exact interpretation will probably change over time, but that's what makes it so fun and dynamic!

Gisele has the Hug Sofa with the fabric facet shitake124. Curious about the sofa? Discover the sofa here.