Nookofnils interview
Welcome to the fifth installment of the Wallofmen creator series! Hopefully, you’ve read a previous entry, but in case you are new, this is a one-of-a-kind series where the entire focus is on the homes and people who are killing it in the home decor content creator space. The series highlights the overall home decor journey, inspirations, and even difficulties in turning a house into a home. Along with the home, we’ll take a deep dive into the creative minds to learn more about their life and passions.
Meet Nookofnils
Welcome Nookofnils. Let’s dive right into the mind behind the upcoming amazing home. Nookofnils is from Germany, specifically the state of Hesse. Growing up in a big family with 6 other siblings, his creative interests had begun to flow at an early age. Having so many siblings in the home allowed him to explore so many different interests while simultaneously having partners in crime to have fun with. This is where his many interests, such as gaming, writing, painting, fashion, and of course, interior design, began to develop. He adds, “When I am not working, I am very into gaming. I recently finished Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 which is a role-playing game by a little French development team called Sandfall Interactive. Set in a dark fantasy Belle Époque world, it follows a group called Expedition 33 on a mission to destroy the Paintress, who causes the annual "Gommage" that erases people above a lowering age limit. The game somewhat combines my passion for gaming and painting, because I love to paint on my iPad. Here, I like to create illustrations inspired by the style of Roy Lichtenstein and Deborah Azzopardi.”
Nookofnil's creativity extends further than personal interests. He has been able to cultivate an amazing career in social media marketing utilizing this creativity. His career began in 2010 in his home state of Hesse, working as a social media specialist for many years and for many different agencies. His career allowed him to live in many different cities along the way. All the previous experiences and stops along the road finally led him to his most recent career accomplishment. Nookofnils was able to become the senior social media marketing manager for his company, opening a new chapter in his journey and bringing him to the city of Hamburg, where he currently lives.
Home Decor Beginnings
Every store has a beginning. Every start to a new season or adventure has unique motivations and reasons that kickstart the journey. For Nookofnils, his reasons were unusual, as most people begin their journey driven by an interest in aesthetics or the desire to create their dream space. This is what he had to say about the start to his journey “Honestly, I started my interior account as some kind of therapy. After a 10 years’ relationship, I commenced to live in an apartment on my own. This was a new opportunity to think about my individual interior style in order to reflect my own personality.” He adds “It was an intense time to think about the past and the years which are coming ahead. But right now, I am feeling quite okay with myself and my place. Nothing to add, at least for my apartment. When it comes to myself, I am still here living, learning and adding to myself to become a better person.”
Nookofnils, The Content Creator
The beauty of this series is that it recognizes multifaceted people. Having the creativity alone to create a beautiful space from scratch takes talent, patience, along so many other qualities. Coupling that with the needed energy to share the creations with the world consistently is an entirely different marathon to run. We want to know what this journey looks like for Nookofnils. He writes, “What made me posting was the desire to show people who I am and how my personality resonates with my way of living. I constantly try to be entertaining and ultimately that kind of guy you can have a good time with.” He adds, “When it comes to inspiration, I attempt to make my own thing without getting distracted too much by trends or hype. So, I normally get inspiration from people out of the interior bubble who I am in contact with. And by that, I mean the real people, not just the things they possess or present on their accounts… For example, when I moved to my new apartment in Hamburg, I was not looking out for specific inspiration – I was looking for pieces that feel like me and I think I found most of them. However, that does not mean that I do not draw inspiration from certain interior news outlets or magazines.”
All About The Home!
It’s time for the main event! Let’s dive into the colorfully unique home that Nookofnils has the pleasure of calling home. Thus far in this series, we have seen some truly beautiful spaces, but without a doubt, this home takes the cake for being the most individualized in a way that makes onlookers obsessed. This is what he had to say about his home and the integration of his color preferences. “Talking about colours, I always like to add them. Not too much – though it seems too much for some people. Do not get me wrong, I like some neutral and natural tones, since I like the mid-century style of the 50s and 60s which also incorporated colors in one or another way. However, when I look around the world, many things appear dull and toned down.” He continues, “I have the feeling we are living mainly in a desaturated world. That doesn’t mean I would say I tend to the dopamine style, either. This one is too much for me, especially when colours are used for self-purpose. But colours stimulate our senses. In considered doses at least. These are the reasons why I paired some mid-century pieces with a modern colourful approach. People may argue that it is mid-century modern, and maybe they are right. I would always reply to them: “Call it as you want. It is just me. No category needed.”
With every home, there tend to be a few pieces that become one’s favorite. It could be a staple piece in one’s such as a couch, dining room table, or even a dedicated space such as a reading nook. For others, it’s the small details that make all the difference in the world, such as a family portrait or grandma 1950’s vase. This here is the case for Nookofnils, he states,“I have three pictures which were painted by my father and grand uncle. A picture of Jimmy Hendrix, my hometown and of an abstract figure my father never told what made him paint it. I am going to take these three pieces to the grave with me.”
Connection To History
Interior design is bigger than curating Instagramable homes. It has a deep and rich history that spans hundreds of years from the ancient Egyptian and Roman civilizations to modern-day practices. These influences have helped shape the many trends we’ve seen throughout the decades and heavily influence our passions and interests in how we design today. This acknowledgment and respect of the great trends and people who have come before his time is something Nookofnils believes to be of great importance. A person of interest for Nookofnils who has done amazing things in interior decorating is Dieter Rams.
Dieter Rams
“Good design is making something intelligible and memorable. Great design is making something memorable and Meaningful.”
Dieter Rams is a renowned German industrial designer best known for his influential work at Braun, where he created sleek, functional products that helped define modern design. Born in 1932, Rams championed a minimalist aesthetic rooted in simplicity, clarity, and purpose. He is famous for formulating the "Ten Principles of Good Design," which emphasize sustainability, honesty, and usability. His philosophy deeply influenced contemporary design, including Apple’s product design under Jony Ive. Rams' legacy continues to shape how designers think about the relationship between form and function.
With all the things Rams has done for interior design, you can see why Nookofnils holds Rams and his amazing work in such high regard. This is what he had to say about his connection to Dieter Rams “The first time I got in touch with Dieter Rams’ work was in the Braun Museum in Kronberg, Germany while I was working for Procter & Gamble. Here I learned that Apple drew great inspiration from his designs for the Braun brand. I was fascinated with the purity and simplicity. No bells and whistles, everything was on point. When there was colour, it served a purpose.” He adds, “ In general, I admire and cherish Rams’ opinions. Like his design, they are consistently on point and at the same time can be considered as controversial by some people. I would love to be the same one day when it comes to my notions and how to address them as sturdily as Rams.”
Advice To You!
In true Wallsofmen fashion, we’ll conclude this episode with advice from the man of the hour. Whether you’re embarking on your home decor journey or maybe have hit a block in your creativity, this is what Nookofnils has to say to you “Keep asking yourself when selecting your interior pieces and style: Does it feel like me? Do I really need it? Does it really add to my space or is it a pure gimmick? I am not a minimalist, but as Dieter Rams once said: “We got too many unnecessary things in life.”
He continues with “You want to start your own account? Great. But here as well, keep asking yourself: Why are you doing it? For fun? Do you want to turn it into a business? Either ways, do not expect your follower numbers to blow up in an instant. It requires a lot of time and dedication, and the hard thing about it? You will fall into the trap of comparing yourself with others which comes quite automatically. Do not let that get to you in any way. Stay focussed and do your own thing, because you are you, with all your stories to tell.”
We want to thank Nookofnils for not only taking the time to help make this possible but also for letting us share a piece of your story and being apart of our journey. Thank you for reading and stay tuned for the next installment of the creator series coming very soon!
