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Inside the world of fashion blogger Diana Rikasari
Long before the term “social media influencer” was coined to describe people who gain fame and followers from posting stuff on social media, Diana Rikasari already made her presence in the virtual world known.
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Through her blog, Diana Rikasari has been posting her day-to-day fashion tips and writing about just about anything that goes on inside her head since 2007. (thejakartapost.com/I Gede Dharma JS)
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ong before the term “social media influencer” was coined to describe people who gain fame and followers from posting stuff on social media, Diana Rikasari already made her presence in the virtual world known. Through her blog, she has been posting her day-to-day fashion tips and writing about just about anything that goes on inside her head since 2007.
This year, Diana has ventured out to become an entrepreneur with her successful shoe line, Up, which she founded in early 2011. She recently also released a book entitled #88 Love Life that instantly became a bestseller and a must-have for teenage girls.
Her creativity and passion for fashion are not only reflected in her work; the house that she’s been living in for two years with her Pakistani husband and their son is just as quirky and eclectic as herself.
“I think the house contributes significantly [to my creativity] because I believe that it is where I recharge. When I’m out of ideas, I just roam around, do a bit of redecorating and then I get new ideas,” she said during our visit to her house.
“I think the house is like a play area because I would actually change the layout like every month; as simple as changing this pot here [to] there […] Doing these things kind of refreshes my mind.”
Below is an excerpt of our interview with Diana in which she explains about every corner of her house.
Colors
“I’m very lucky because my husband likes colorful stuff as well, so he doesn't mind me using a lot of splashes of colors – as long as they're not 'girly'. That’s why even though this house is very colorful, you won’t really feel that it’s girly.”
Stairs
“When guests come inside the house, one of the first things that they will see is the stairs – so they have to be interesting. I really love traditional Indonesian tiles so I use those and, since I wanted it to be fun, each step has different colors and different patterns.”
Bathroom
“I wanted each part of the house to have a different theme and represent our love for art. The guest bathroom is very small, but we try to make it look interesting, so instead of using tiles with normal patterns we use the classic Mondrian.”
Kitchen
“We had to debate a lot with both of our parents because they think that in each house there has to be two kitchens (wet and dry) and I don’t believe that because in most houses the dry one is never used and it becomes a waste of space. The kitchen is like a magnet for the family; it’s where most of us actually hang out, cook, make stuff, chat […] and I wanted to make cooking more fun and become a part of the family, not something that the maids do at the back of the house.”
Natural light in the living room
“I don’t feel comfortable in houses that are dark or require a lot of light during the day. I also can’t stand being under a roof; I just have to have my head free because that’s how my mind works and that goes the same way with blinds and curtains. We don’t have an air conditioner in our living room; we only use them in bedrooms because I don’t want to spoil my son – I want him to get used to sweating."
The unfinished wall
“I think that’s a way to balance things out; I love to have things that are rather unfinished. I’m very philosophical in many things; I believe that the wall kind of shows you that life is never ending. There’s always something to go for and this is like a constant reminder.”
Working room
“It is actually the sexiest room in the house because it’s a glass room. It’s super transparent, clear from the outside and good for inspiration and to refresh your mind – we are lucky enough to have the green grass as the back view of the house.”
Diana also gave us permission to visit Up’s headquarters in Kemang Pratama.
The place is a representation of the brand itself: colorful, girly and artsy with more white space. (“We need the walls for taking pictures.”) Diana usually comes only twice a week for two to three hours since the rest of her unfinished business is done from home while taking care of her 2-year-old son Shahmeer.
“I just work from home whenever my baby is asleep, or at night when everyone is asleep. At the end, I do feel like I’m a work-from-home mom even though I have an office.”
Asked for one piece of advice for decorating a house or office, her answer was simple: “Just be yourself.”
Watch the whimsical world of Diana Rikasari here. (kes)
