Floral designer Lilo Klinkenberg has transformed her 1,130-square-foot Berlin apartment into a masterpiece of contrasts, combining vintage furniture, bold colors, and custom-made pieces to create a space that mirrors her artistic philosophy. The 33-year-old founder of Studio Lilo lives in the same Kreuzberg building where she grew up, demonstrating her deep connection to Berlin's dynamic energy.

Klinkenberg's large-scale floral installations have gained recognition for filling entire rooms with plants, fabrics, yellow beans, or pak choi vegetables. Her artistic approach focuses on contradiction rather than harmony, a philosophy she attributes to her hometown of Berlin. This same principle guides her interior design choices, creating spaces that evolve organically over time rather than following rigid design rules.

The designer has never permanently left Berlin, except for a brief school stint in England. She has lived in her current apartment for eleven years, having recently transitioned from sharing the space as a roommate to living alone. Three years ago, when her roommates moved out, she undertook significant renovations, removing the wall between the dining and living rooms to create an open, flowing space.

"I like rooms that develop and have character, including rough edges," Klinkenberg explained in a recent interview. Her renovation included installing a new stainless steel kitchen, laying new flooring, and creating zones within the apartment using colorful rugs. The sofa remains in the same spot where her bed once stood during her roommate days, maintaining a view that she considers her "sacred little corner."

Klinkenberg's furniture collection showcases her passion for vintage hunting and custom design. She maintains approximately 70 search alerts on eBay Kleinanzeigen (Germany's Craigslist equivalent) for terms like "70s," "80s," and "Brutalism." Her travels for work always include stops at antique markets and flea markets, where she has discovered treasures like an oyster plate from southern France and numerous Bialetti coffee makers from Italian markets.

When she cannot find exactly what she envisions, Klinkenberg designs custom pieces herself. The apartment features several of her own creations, including a curved metal shelving unit, a green sofa, and a custom dining table. The dining area showcases vintage Bruno Rey chairs for KuschCo surrounding the custom table, topped with a Tradition ceiling light.

Color plays a crucial role in Klinkenberg's design philosophy, particularly her beloved lime green. This signature color has followed her since childhood, when she painted her entire room green, including the heating pipes. Today, lime green appears throughout her apartment, from the carpet in her office to accents in her wardrobe, creating continuity across all areas of her life.

The apartment's color scheme extends beyond green to include strategically placed blue and other vibrant hues. In the living area, a dove-blue rug provides a stage for Mario Bellini's Amanta seating for BB Italia. Klinkenberg uses rugs as tools for creating zones, setting moods, and giving furniture a "stage where they can have conversations with tensions, pauses, and breaks."

Stainless steel elements throughout the apartment reflect Klinkenberg's fascination with the material's interaction with light and shadow. The custom kitchen and various steel accents create modern elements that contrast beautifully with vintage pieces. In the bedroom, a vintage bed is complemented by a Vitra ceiling light and artwork by Charlott Cobler, with Tekla bedding adding softness to the space.

Klinkenberg's office features lime green carpeting and houses her grandmother's inherited desk, paired with Philippe Starck's Dr. Glob chair for Kartell. A custom wardrobe provides storage while maintaining the room's aesthetic flow. The space includes a Giulio di Maruo lamp for Slamp and showcases her collection of vintage fashion pieces, including a Giorgio Armani bag.

The apartment's bathroom continues the designer's attention to detail, featuring Tekla bathrobes, Loewe body lotion, and Aesop room fragrance. Carefully arranged candles create ambiance, demonstrating how small details contribute to the overall sensory experience.

Residents of Klinkenberg's building share access to a rooftop garden, providing a green oasis above the urban environment. The location also offers proximity to the Spree River, connecting the designer to Berlin's natural elements despite the urban setting.

Klinkenberg's approach to her home mirrors her professional work with spatial relationships, proportions, colors, forms, and materials. She observes how elements interact, whether they create tension or complement each other, and whether they integrate into the space or deliberately oppose it. Unlike her often temporary floral installations, her home allows for slower development, with time to observe, move objects, and let the space evolve naturally.

The designer's deep connection to Berlin's Kreuzberg neighborhood influences both her artistic work and living space. She describes Berlin as not just one city, but a collection of distinct neighborhoods, each with its own character. This diversity and constant contrast that defines Berlin directly influences her aesthetic philosophy and her comfort with contradictions in both her professional installations and personal living space.