At Home with Maura
From a grandfather clock to a Mallorca penis, Maura Maschke's apartment has it all. High ceilings and art not only on the walls make the apartment a sophisticated adventure playground. For our homestory, the art director opens the doors of her old apartment in Hamburg Mitte, where she lives with her partner.
Vida: Moin Maura.
Maura: Hi.
V: Thank you very much for letting us visit you and our Rizbaf, which is here with you. Maybe first a few key data about your apartment.
M: We are in Hamburg Mitte - near Gänsemarkt - in an old building apartment with a total of 4 rooms. We live here as a couple with a large living-dining area, office and bedroom.
In Maura's kitchen, you'll find copper-colored utensils as well as cheeky vacation souvenirs.
V: Your Instagram name is @heimmmat with 3 M. What's that all about and what does home mean to you?
M: The three M's come from my initials. Maura Maximiliane Maschke. My father and sister each also have 3 M's in their names, my mother does not, but is of course just as special. I had been playing with different Instagram names for a while. Home for me is not necessarily a place but also the people you surround yourself with. We have lived here for 2 years and felt extremely quickly at home because we had each other. Home is for me very complex. I also always like to come to my original home in Düsseldorf to visit my family. For me, the feeling of being at home depends very much on the people.
V: You are a total DIY and upcycling queen, which is extremely visible in the apartment. Here you discover little details everywhere that are special and heirlooms from your family. I don't have any skills in that direction at all, which is why I find it so fascinating. How did you get into it?
M: It more or less came about that way. With the heirlooms it came with time, there were always more. Also, because we have more space available for 2 years that the treasures can find space at all. To the DIYs have inspired me especially Instagram, TikTok and Co. I thought to myself that these can not be so complicated - try makes wise. Of course, not everything always works, but many things work, which I am then particularly happy about.
V: What is your favorite heirloom in the apartment?
M: Currently, the grandfather clock in the dining room, because it sounds special, is particularly suited to this place and comes from the special old apartment of my great-grandparents in central Cologne. It is also not so deep, which means that it does not take up so much space. Just by looking and contrasting with the very modern other furniture in the dining room, it stands out.
V: Such a beautiful piece. I totally cringed at the first chime, since you're not used to that anymore unless you're standing in a church square. Mega charming, super cool. We also find some tapestries in your home that are not ours, but are great. For example, this little tapestry in the shape of a cupcake - where did that come from?
M: It comes from a French artist, Clotilde Puy @clotilde.puy, who hand-tufted it. It was a part of the food collection that directly appealed to me, especially because of the colorfulness. I actually tend to go plain and thought the office could use some color accents. I especially like that feel and depth that simple pictures on the wall often don't have.
From Cologne center to Hamburg center -
the grandfather clock of Maura's great grandparents
V: What is the charm for you in combining old and new? What advice would you give to people who say: I'm going to the flea market but I also want to have the USM Haller board in my home?
M: I always find the interplay particularly beautiful. Modern and simple shapes are more unagitated and let accessories or special pieces speak for themselves. Modern furniture always gives a good stage for everything that happens around and on it. However, I find the older treasures that have a certain timelessness just as important. The pieces I may have from my great-grandparents and grandparents, I would also pass down to my children if it came up someday. I feel those will always have their due and place and give a lot of personality. Just heirlooms or old furniture would perhaps be too much and too heavy, but I particularly like the combination of the two and find it exciting.
V: You can see that especially well here in the apartment. You've chosen a wonderful Rizbaf to go with your hodgepodge of modern and vintage furniture - to match your couch. What I love about this piece is that it conveys vacation. Especially now that winter is dragging its hooves. Why did you choose this rug?
M: The color scheme was the first thing that appealed to me. You just find these beige tones everywhere in the apartment, even darker stories pull through for me every now and then and then this vacation feeling that the rug conveys through the palm trees. This rug has perfectly complemented the room, which could well tolerate a texture due to its straightforwardness.
V: What's currently your favorite interior trend that you're watching and that will evolve into your next purchase?
M: Very good question. I actually think anything that makes it more homey at home. We've talked about tablecloths decorated with embroidery before. I totally like the trend towards maximalism in particular, even though it hasn't really caught on with me yet. I'm often conflicted about whether I can add another piece to it or whether I shouldn't rather let the pieces I already have speak for themselves. That being said, I love completely full rooms with lots of plants, various pictures and accessories from flea markets. Maybe in the future I'll be more confident and resolve to be bolder in one corner or another.
V: I think you are already very brave. Especially when it comes to wall decorations. I said earlier that I'm always extremely careful. It's a particularly beautiful apartment. We're so happy that we were able to be here. Thanks for the cinnamon buns, you literally made my day. We're looking forward to maybe having another Rugtales rug move in here.
M: Yes, super gladly. Thank you very much.
