Meet Sonja Bouw, an Australian native currently living in Malaysia with her husband and new baby girl, Allegra. We first became enamored with Sonja’s decor sense when we stumbled upon (and then became heavily addicted) to her blog, Tied With a Bouw. Having lived all over the world, Sonja’s embraced the changes that come with a new culture and city and has cultivated a unique sense of interior style. We asked her to share her secrets for adapting to new places without sacrificing her who she is.
We noticed that you incorporate both expensive and cheaper (Ikea & Etsy) furniture and decor into your home. How do you make these pieces work together cohesively? How do you incorporate Ikea furniture without the overall effect looking cheap?
Majority of the pieces we have purchased from Ikea are neutral in colour and tone and what I consider to be basic, mainstream pieces of furniture. I believe this has played the biggest part in achieving a cohesive look whilst incorporating both expensive and inexpensive décor items.
Sticking to neutrals makes it easier to introduce various colours and patterns. These affordable yet versatile pieces set a great foundation in any room which you can then adorn with more expensive and luxurious items.
How does your husband feel about the pinks and purples in the living room and bedroom?
For a long time now, my husband has totally embraced having pinks and purples in both our home and his wardrobe… lucky me! He stands by the saying ‘it takes a real man to wear pink’.
Although I still consult my husband for his opinion before making any major décor decisions around our home, I think it’s safe to say that I hold the interior-décor-reins. Ladies, this power was artfully gained by consulting (or perhaps ‘over consulting’) my husband on every teeny tiny little décor detail until it all became too much for him.
We know that you have a lot of decor from etsy – how do you make such great finds? What’s your secret to searching through etsy?
I admit, finding the perfect Etsy items for your home does take time but with the ‘search’ tool being so user friendly I think the most important thing is to know what you are looking for. I tend to search by ‘item’ and ‘colour’ and once I come across either a potential item or an Etsy shop that I like, I save them to my ‘favourites’. That way I can continue my search without losing or forgetting where I saw that special something as well as being able mix and match items from different stores as I go along. I have also found that bookmarking my favourite items allows me the opportunity to go away and think about whether the purchase is the right one for me and reduces the likelihood of me impulse buying!
You’ve lived in a number of places across the world – what has been your favorite city to live in? How have these experiences shaped your design aesthetic?
Having lived in three different countries now, I would still say that my home city of Melbourne remains my favourite city to live in. However, being exposed to different styles of décor in both Dubai and now Kuala Lumpur, has allowed me to develop a greater love and appreciation for décor and design as well as evolving my own sense of style.
Has it been hard making the transition into different environments and cultures?
I have never been one to really suffer from ‘culture shock’, however, when we relocated from Australia to the Middle East back in 2007 it did take quite a few months to adjust. Whilst my husband and I had travelled together frequently prior to the move, it was the first time that we had both lived abroad. For me personally, taking up residency in a foreign country made me see a country and its cultures in a much different light, more so than if I was just visiting on holiday.
Were you nervous about making such a huge change in your life or did you embrace it? What was the scariest part? What are you most proud of?
To be brutally honest, I was a complete and utter mess in the weeks leading up to our departure and even more so when it came to boarding our one way flight to Dubai! It was the first time both my husband and I were to become expats and it was a really emotional and scary time packing up our lives and saying goodbye to our loved ones and our life as we knew it. I suppose the unknown will always create a little bit of fear in us all (or in my case a lot) but after conquering my fears I embraced the change, challenges and the opportunities that came with it. I am most proud of both myself and my husband for taking a chance, a leap of faith, and embarking on a life changing journey together. Big change can often make or break a relationship and without sounding too corny, the whole experience brought my husband and I closer together and truly showed us that we were in it for life.
What made you decide to change your career and how did you feel about leaving your career behind you?
Whilst I had an interesting and fun job working in the events management field in Melbourne, it was never going to be a long term career for me so leaving behind my job wasn’t all that difficult. Nevertheless, it was hard saying goodbye to my colleagues who had become like a second family to me. The thing I found most difficult was not having to get up for work in the morning. I know, that sounds crazy right? But to go from working with a large team of people, ten hours a day, five day a week, to moving to a foreign country, with no job, where I didn’t know a soul, was quite a shock. Although the relocation was emotionally taxing at first, once I settled in to our new home in Dubai I was excited to have the opportunity to try something new. Fitness and healthy living had always been a part of my lifestyle so what better time to make it my profession! I studied by correspondence with the International Sports and Science Association and in November 2008 I became a Certified Fitness Trainer.
What is your advice to women who are either forced to or choose to make a big change in their lives?
Change can be scary and unnerving but it can also be exciting and refreshing. More times than not, change will open up new doors and present new opportunities so I think it is important to embrace change and turn your focus to the positives rather than the negatives.
What is your advice to women that want to travel? When is the best time in our lives to do it? Do you think with having had Allegra that you’ll be less likely to relocate or will she be experiencing all different parts of the world?
Traveling for leisure and relocating to become an expat are two totally different things and I think it is important to be in the right head space when it comes to both. Before embarking on a travelling experience, set yourself some goals and ask yourself what it is you are hoping to gain from the whole experience. For example, what is driving your desire to travel? Is it to meet new people, further your career, experience new and different cultures, discover new fashion etc? While the primary drivers for my husband and I were career and financial opportunities, we have been lucky enough that regular travel and cultural experiences have also been a part of our journey. I believe that travelling the world can truly enrich your life and given the opportunity you should embrace it whole heartedly. As for timing, I think it is different for everyone and all depends what your long term goals and commitments are. Prior to Allegra being born, many fellow expats had shared their views on travelling and raising children overseas, many believing that the best and easiest time is when they are young. Allegra boarded her first international flight when she was a mere 26 days old, so I think it’s fair to say that she too will experience parts of the world. Luckily for us, my husband’s line of work will always involve travel, so who knows where it will take us next.
Follow Sonja’s blog to learn more and click the slideshow below to shop Sonja’s house.
=) Good job
I like this