bedMATE of the month #21: Lukas Lewandowski

Every month we visit a creative and inspiring person. She or he is the 'bedMATE of the month'.

The bedMATE is the most iconic item in our collection. The extra long cushion serves as a headboard, but also as a cuddle buddy, a friend who provides support.

We crawl into bed with the 'bedMATE of the month'. We take a look at their home and their colorful (bed)rooms. In conversation we discover how they use the SUITE
experience life. What's going on in their heads? Where do they get their inspiration?
from? And what color do they dream in?

This month, all-round creative Nicole Huisman visited the colorful universe of hotelier and creative Lukas Lewandowski: 'Color is my personality,
my past, my presence, my future, my dreams, my
desires, my fantasies - me.'

He studied psychology - but that actually has nothing to do with what he is doing now. He was a stylist and personal shopper and had his own
vintage shop in Berlin. 'I have also worked a lot in hospitality,
which brought me into contact with many people. This has opened my eyes to the world: hearing different languages, getting to know different cultures. I always moved between different disciplines that allowed me to express myself. '

Nicole speaks to Lukas in his colorful apartment in Amsterdam West. He lives half there and half in Sicily, where his beloved Casa Lawa is located. 'There are very few truly authentic boutique hotels. There are many, but few with “soul”. It often feels impersonal and cold. I had the desire for a space where everything comes together; colours, people, design, food - and I succeeded. And: our first swimming pool is in the making!'

Lukas himself also looks great - his wardrobe is at least as colorful as his interior choices. 'I like combining aesthetics and trends. Interior and fashion are the two favorite worlds in which I move.' About his own apartment: 'When I first entered this 1970s house, nothing had been modernized at all.
I immediately fell in love with the woodwork and the flex stone wall, in the mix with the Amsterdam school style including white tiles. We wanted to keep as much of what it was as possible, for example I left the scraps in, but certain ones
I sawed and reinstalled the pieces myself. The apartment has become an eclectic combination of then and now. Lots of color (the honey yellow on the wall, mmm), a few design pieces and soft woolen carpeting.'

At Lukas you feel warm and welcome: 'Everyone who comes in feels that way. My husband and I are very hospitable people and everyone who comes here becomes a participant in our society. Endless conversations at the table, extensive dinners, spontaneous sleepovers on the couch - all this makes our house a home for us and all our friends & family.

Furnishing Casa Lawa was also based on feeling. 'For me, an interior design always involves exploring the space first. Getting to know each other, feeling the space. The 200 year old house has been through a lot. That was a starting point for us to get started.' What was already there wasn't bad. Breathtaking fireplaces (six!), lava stone floors everywhere and a beautiful old kitchen with a pizza oven. 'Afterwards some items came from Amsterdam, such as a beautiful oval table, the large Linteloo sofa, nice COCO-MAT beds, art. Adding color really made it our space. This process happened very organically, without really looking at trends. I don't use Pinterest, but I do use my own intuition and it works quite well! I love thrift shops and finding things second hand online. We have managed to purchase some beautiful old design pieces from the 60s, 70s and 80s.'

Favorite room in the house? '100% definitely my bed. Crisp bedding means the world to me! There is nothing better than coming home and diving into a freshly changed bed. When we go on a longer trip, we always take our own bedding, just to be sure.' The weekends are also sacred. 'On my weekends in Amsterdam I prefer to sleep in, or do yoga, or walk to the Noordermarkt, have a coffee, get tasty things and then cook with friends in the evening. We have an extensive breakfast in Sicily. We also think that it should be tasty and a lot for the guests. It's like giving everyone a hug in the morning - start the day cheerfully!'

Lukas about the use of color (and life): 'Don't be afraid to take risks and find something exciting. Don't question the choices of others, make room for undefined and unlabeled people. Don't compare yourself to other people. Combining colors and playing with them is the best thing that ever happened to me. Rome wasn't built in a day and it can sometimes take years before you reach the point where you own what you do in life.'