On natural materials, muted colours, and why an interior is about more than how it looks
The light is changing. Evenings pull in a little earlier, the air outside has that first edge of cold, and somewhere between the last week of summer and the first proper autumn morning, most of us start folding the holiday feeling away with the beach towels. It's the season we turn back towards our homes, and to the people who shape them.
In behind the Wave we kick off the season: In Conversation with Janne Wellens
On natural materials, muted colours, and why an interior is about more than how it looks
In Behind the Wave, we talk to the people who shape spaces. This time we sat down with interior designer Janne Wellens. She shares her creative process, her love of natural materials, and the small rituals that help her unwind.
Which materials, textures or colours do you like to use in an interior?
For me, it’s always natural materials, colours and textures. Nature is an important source of inspiration in my work. What I really don’t like is anything that feels synthetic or imitation. To me, that immediately lowers the quality of a space.
To be honest, I still find colour a challenge. When I do use colour, I almost always choose muted tones. I find them more calming than a sudden, bright colour. In art, I’m bolder. There, colour is allowed to draw all the attention, and that can be incredibly inspiring.
What does your creative process look like?
For me, a creative process doesn’t begin when a project starts, and it doesn’t end at handover. It begins in everyday life: surrounding yourself with beautiful things and letting yourself be inspired by what’s happening around you. Visiting a fair, reading books, leafing through magazines, looking at art. Saving images, discovering new designers and products.
Looking back is just as important to me. What has been done before, and which architects and interior designers got it right in the past? I learn a lot from that. At the start of a project, I deliberately stay away from Pinterest for a while. There, you mostly find inspiration from recent work, and everything quickly starts to look the same.
I’d rather sketch myself and look at which era a building comes from.
In the end, my process moves between a lot of work behind the computer, inspiration I’ve collected over the years that resurfaces at the right moment, and above all, a lot of testing.
“At the start of a project, I deliberately stay away from Pinterest. I’d rather sketch myself, and look at which era a building comes from.”
What helps you slow down in a busy world?
Reading, without a doubt. I love leafing through magazines and beautiful books, but I also read novels often. They let me switch off completely. The same goes for writing and journaling. And exercise helps me release my energy. It always resets my mind.
My favourite place to read is our balcony, where we have a beautiful view. Being outside gives me a lot of calm, and so does spending time in nature.
How do you see the role of interiors in daily life: purely aesthetic, or also emotional and ritual?
Definitely not just aesthetic. An interior is something deeply emotional and ritual. The way you move through your day largely shapes how you experience a space. That’s why I find it so important to really get to know a client: their rituals, how they feel in certain places in their home, and where and how they want to connect with others. At the same time, function remains essential. A good interior should simply work well.
“The way you move through your day largely shapes how you experience a space.”
What’s the most beautiful compliment you’ve ever received on a design?
It came from two clients I’ve worked with several times, on commercial projects as well as their own home. Long after their house was finished, they told me I had been important to them. Our collaboration had changed the way they look at interiors, and given them much more appreciation for design. That touched me, because it goes beyond a single project.
Do you have a ritual or object that helps you unwind?
Not really an object, but I do have a small ritual. Before bed, I use a firm massage ball on a few pressure points, especially under my feet. And sitting for a moment with my legs up always works wonders.
