AD: How long have you lived in this house?
Weber: We moved in in mid-2020, but we bought the house in 2018. We spent a full two years redoing everything from the ground up—breaking through walls, adding new floors and upgrading or replacing roofing, heating, and electrical systems. We even had to level some floors that were all crooked.
Ropertz: It was a huge project, but we took our time. Andrea was expecting at the time, which was exciting. We live on three floors, with a downstairs space that will be our studio. We opened up the living area, which used to be all box-like rooms.
A DIY renovation
It’s ideal that you happen to be an expert in renovations like this.
Ropertz: Yes, that makes things a lot easier. First of all, just in terms of visualizing what you have in mind. I come from a family of craftsmen. I’m a painter, but I always wanted to get into interior design. Not just in terms of furnishings, nor just paint and wallpaper, but something between the two. I got my start in historic preservation, so I know a thing or two about old buildings.
Did you tackle the restoration all by yourselves?
Weber: For the most part, yes—though with some help from family and friends. But we did whatever we could on our own.
What was your greatest challenge?
Ropertz: This is an old building and you have to be realistic about the challenges. A small hole in the wall can suddenly turn out to be a few feet wide when you take a closer look at what is required to repair it. The insulation wasn’t up to snuff, and there was only a tiny radiator under every window. They aren’t original either since they used to heat this home with coal stoves. We replaced it all with baseboard heating that you can hardly notice. It’s cheaper, too.
Weber: Well, I was pregnant, and we were both working. Just finding the time was a challenge—every evening, every weekend. We hauled out containers filled with debris, which was a bit overwhelming at times. But you only come to realize that in hindsight—we actually enjoyed the whole process.
Ropertz: In the end, it’s your home and project, and that’s what it’s all about.
Andrea, you work a lot with paper, in a bold and colorful style. Why did you forgo bright colors in your apartment?
Ropertz: The house was originally a bakery, and that gave us inspiration for the off-white color, which resembles flour, along with wood and ceramics elements. We just liked all that, and we also needed to go somewhat a bit neutral. We work with color all the time in our jobs, so stepping back was good. That’s why we didn’t go for typical accent walls either. We also wanted a uniform tone throughout the entire house, from the stairwell to the rooms.