"I like to surround myself with things that bring me joy. I like the idea that they also conjure up something magical in our home."
Hong Kong-born artist Nata Lee Hahn lives with her family in a converted car repair shop in Berlin-Kreuzberg.
As a child, she was often taken to antique shops in Hong Kong by her father, where the shop owners told a story about each piece. This is how she discovered her love of treasure hunting - one of the reasons for the eclectic mix of modern, classic and vintage pieces in her flat.
It doesn't take much to make a place cosy: good warm lighting, a few special pieces that have a personal meaning, and people with good humour in the house.
The spacious industrial loft combines relaxed comfort with industrial charm. The building was built 100 years ago as a factory and later used as a car repair shop. Back then, it had no windows, was dark and neglected, but had a large open space that captured the artist's imagination. At first she only wanted to use it as an art studio, but she quickly realised that it could also become a home for a family.
Existing elements were to be retained and original materials used. There are still some old hooks from the garage hanging from the ceiling. So there is always a story to tell.
As with art, Nata Lee approaches an interior design project in a similar way - in her imagination, it transforms into a large three-dimensional building that she can enter.
