Aimee Friedrichsen's 1937 Cleveland home was "asking for color": the designer and pro renovator sat down with us to chat about her bustling, cheerful home, complete with beautifully wallpapered spaces and a stunning pistachio-colored bathroom. See how she styled a pair of our Dekayess Sofas in a dreamy blue velvet, centering a cozy blue living room.
Q: Could you give us an introduction? Tell us a bit about you, your background, and anything you'd like us to know!
I’m Aimee. I love my family of six, wallpaper, a pop of yellow in almost every space, and a fountain drink Diet Coke! Together with my husband, Nate, we design, renovate, and manage our six homes. About ten years ago, we moved from Chicago to Cleveland and bought our first home. It was covered head-to-toe in old wallpaper and colorful carpets, and it was our first experience turning an old house into a home we loved. A year ago, we turned Friedrichsen Homes into our business, and now we have two long-term rentals, two-short-term rentals, our home, and one work in progress.
Q: Tell us about your home. When did you move there?
We started casually searching for a new home at the end of 2022 when we added a fourth kid to our family and wanted a little more space. We love older homes with character, so we were delighted when we saw the slate roof and copper gutters of this 1937 brick colonial. When I popped in at the open house, I spotted the blueprints in the closet and loved the idea of a house that had its history tucked inside. We’ve now lived in our home almost two years, and we are slowly giving each room a little love to make it our own.
Q: How would you describe your design aesthetic, and how do you cultivate it?
I love following different interior designers on Instagram and flipping through coffee table books. My goal when designing a space is the character and personality of what’s already there. In our home now, I love the vintage tile in our bathroom, the painted mural on the ceiling of our quirky “guest closet” and the marble window sills. Our previous home had a more neutral palette, but this home has felt like it’s asking for color! Either way, I love design that is full of character and charm and not too perfect. (And if I could put wallpaper in every room, I probably would!)
Q: How does your living space reflect you/your family/hobbies?
Our family includes my husband and I, three sons and a daughter. If you asked anyone what our family hobbies were, they would probably say renovating homes and basketball. We have a lower basketball hoop in our garage and another hoop in the driveway! Beyond that, our kids love to read, so books are almost always scattered across our living room, and our daughter loves to play pretend, scattering toys about!
Q: What do you hope people will notice when they first walk in?
Before we moved in, I told Nate that my design direction for this home was going to be “happy.” He proceeded to tell me that wasn’t really a design direction. He’s probably right, but as we continue to make each space our own, I hope that people will walk in and find a cheerful and welcoming space.
Q: What was your approach when you started designing your living room? Did anything change from your original vision for the space?
A few years ago, I started seeing wallpapered rooms on Instagram, and I became slightly obsessed. I found ways to sprinkle wallpaper in our old house at the time, but when we moved into this house, I knew I really wanted to go bold with pattern, and I started dreaming about wallpapering the entire living room. I created a mood board and played around a bit, but the end design is not that far off from my original vision.
Q: What made you choose Medley furniture for your home?
When I first discovered Medley, I loved their commitment to natural materials, sustainability, and creating products that stand the test of time.
Q: Let’s talk about your gorgeous living room. You’ve positioned your two Dekayess Sofas beautifully in the space—the arrangement feels so balanced and comfy. What drew you to choose the Dekayess?
The Dekayess feels like such a classy sofa. It has a classic design and shape, but what I love most about it is the extra detail on the arms. The curved shape makes it feel special, and that’s what drew me the most to this sofa.
Q: Where do you find inspiration for your home? Do you love any specific designers, artists, brands, or ideas that inspire you?
Inspiration is everywhere! I’m always making note of color combinations I love - most often found in my toddler daughter’s wardrobe. At the moment, I’ve been studying Heidi Callier’s book for design inspiration, and my favorite follow on Instagram to learn from is Deidre Webster of Studio Day Design.
Now for some extra fun…
Q: When it comes to design, are you a set it and forget kind of person or do you need a refresh often?
I’m more of a set it and forget it person, but it often takes several tries before I actually decide it’s set!
Q: Are you highly attentive to clean spaces, or do you not mind a little mess?
With four kids, I have to embrace a little mess (and sometimes a lot of mess).
Q: What's the funniest memory you can recall in your home?
I wouldn’t exactly say it’s funny, but it is a favorite memory from when we first moved in. Our old home was in a neighborhood where there weren’t many families with younger kids. When we moved here, we were so excited about all the neighborhood kids running around. Our living room and dining room both have big windows that go down to the floor, and for the first several months after we moved in, our kids spent a lot of time by those windows, hollering whenever they saw new friends outside, before running out there themselves.
Q: What's next for your home?
We are so excited about having our living room completed. Wallpapering the whole room was quite a project, so next on my list is just a simple painting project: giving our stairway and upstairs hallway a fresh coat.
Q: If you could sum up the feeling of your home in a few words, which would you choose?
Well, I’d have to say right now, the words are probably “In progress.” We still have several projects to complete to make all the spaces feel like they are ours. I hope once it’s done, the feeling will be happy, comfortable, and character-filled.
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Thanks so much for the interview, Aimee!
Feeling inspired? Shop our Dekayess Collection and order free fabric samples right here.
