I made my hobby my work—and I ruined it

So this is a rehab post. I’m starting over.

When I made my first career transition from environmental engineering to interior design, I was afraid that my passion for design and architecture was just a hobby. And well... I was right.

Ok, maybe I’m being a bit dramatic. I had five successful and fulfilling years working on interior design projects. For a while, I truly thought I couldn’t be happier in my job. But I was wrong this time (lol).

I’ve always been fascinated by home decor, space planning, and building. Since I was a kid, I was constantly rearranging my bedroom, moving furniture around just for fun. My mom always supported me, and I was so happy when it was time to buy new bedding—I’d always pick a new theme. I had the sun-and-moon bedroom, the pink-green-orange phase (I know, bold!), the floral room... and I planned it all to the last detail. New cushion covers, paper decorations on the door, a fresh magnet board (remember when those were a trend?), candles... even my fish tank would get new stones to match the colors. I had fun.

And I kept going like this for years.

When I moved out for college, it was a moment. Buying everything for my new place? Heaven. I got this big beautiful corner desk that I loved so much. Honestly, I probably had one of the best rooms in college—most people didn’t care much and just used a bunch of inherited furniture that didn’t match at all. I remember once I found some gorgeous pink tumblers while traveling and sent a picture to my housemates. Their answer was, “they're beautiful, but we’re definitely not spending money on that.” Understandable—tight student budget. What did I do? Bought them anyway.

I carried those tumblers with me for years... until I moved in with Matheus and he kindly let me know it was time to say goodbye to my single-girl pink glassware. RIP, friends.

It’s important to say that during high school, I was the most decided person when it came to choosing a degree. I was sure I’d go into architecture. But in my senior year, when it came time to apply, I changed my mind. I grew up in a small town in the Brazilian countryside—I didn’t see many architects around. And I was really good with numbers, very pragmatic. So I chose engineering.

No regrets! I learned a lot. I had an amazing job after college. And I definitely use a lot of what I learned in engineering in my work at Valsa today.

But at some point, I realized I needed more creativity in my life. Architecture came back into my mind. I was this close to starting a second degree (thank God I was too lazy and gave up lol), and instead went for an interior design specialization. I was SO happy. For the first time, I felt like I was in the right place.

Long story short, I worked with interior projects for five years and created some beautiful homes. But something still didn’t feel right. I had always dreamed of having a homeware brand, finally took the leap—and here I am now, completely satisfied!

But that’s not the point of this post. Let’s go back to it.

When I was about to make the switch to interior design, I was afraid it was just a hobby—something I loved but not “enough” to turn into a profession. I was wrong. But now that that chapter has closed, it feels like my hobby died with it.

We moved into a new apartment last August and... I haven’t done anything. No moodboards, no decor plans, nothing. The idea of searching for new pieces overwhelms me. And this used to be my favorite thing in the world. I was always painting something, buying new art, redecorating. I miss it. I want this to be my hobby again. I want to enjoy decorating my home.

So this is a rehab post. I’m starting over.

And my dining table? It needs replacing urgently. Shall we start there?

I’ve reopened my personal home Pinterest board (!!) and started looking for furniture inspiration again. I’ll share some of my favorite finds here, and I’d love to hear what you think. I’ll probably go for a bespoke piece, and I’m excited to hunt for some new chairs and do a little upholstery project.

OMG, even writing these words feels strange. I think I ended my interior design career so burned out that all of this became a bit of a trauma. But I’m ready to heal.

Let’s go to the fun part: references!

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Stainless steel is back—and it’s here to stay. And I’m a huge fan!

I’m leaning toward this direction for the dining table. I love the idea of a bold, sculptural cylinder base in stainless steel. And pairing it with a wooden top? The contrast would be so good. Any suggestions?

Now, for the chairs—if I do go with the stainless table, I’ll definitely need to warm things up. And what better way than with fabric? I’m obsessed with the idea of a striped upholstery. How fun would that be?! Should I go for it?

Ok, I’ll stop here for today. Baby steps.

I feel like if I try to go beyond this, it’ll start feeling stressful instead of fun—and that’s not the goal. So that’s it: step one of the rehab.

While I plan, get some quotes, and prepare for the investment, I think I’ll also look for a simple DIY project—just to dip my toes back in, test the waters, you know? lol.

But that’s a topic for another post.

I’m calling it: step one, complete! No stress, just vibes. Let’s see where this goes. And if you have any wild chair fabric ideas or secret Pinterest boards, send them my way. I’m officially back on the decorating train.

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Side note: In case you’re in Lisbon on July 3, I’m doing a take over with Valsa at Fresco Lisbon, here on my neighborhood and I would LOVE to see you there! Tickets in advance here.

See you soon!
With love,