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Small Talk: At home with Andrea
Swedish creative Andrea Vestergren and her family live in a 1950s house in Sköndal, where most things are vintage finds, reflecting their deep love of vintage, textiles, and creativity. In collaboration with the Way We Play, we were invited into Andrea's home and into an inspiring conversation about the playful side of life, a home that encourages children’s creativity, and ever-changing feelings about parenthood.
“To me, being creative means creating without any pressure or expectations. I find that the children slip into their own little creative bubble when I give them as much space as they need.”
Hi Andrea, how are you?
– Hi! I’m doing well. Things are feeling very peaceful in our little family bubble at the moment, and I’m really happy about that. Other than that, I’m mentally struggling a little with the transition from summer to autumn. Usually, I’m more than ready to get back into routines and start a new school term, but this year I’m not quite ready to let go of summer yet. But I’ll get there!
Can you tell us a little about yourself and your family?
– I’m a creative daydreamer who likes to have a little magic in everyday life. At the same time, I rely heavily on structure and routines. Deep down, I see myself as a craftsperson and love working with my hands, but I’ve chosen an academic path and am currently studying psychology, something I’ve dreamed of doing since I was young.
Your home is absolutely beautiful, we want to know more about it!
– Thank you so much! We really love living here. We moved in in the spring of 2022. I completely fell for the house after seeing the first photo in the estate agent’s listing. It’s a terraced house in a quiet neighbourhood, completed in the mid-1950s, with a British-inspired architectural style. We’re only the second family to ever live here, so we had the privilege of taking over a house with all of its original details intact.
What does being creative mean to you, and how do you bring creativity into your parenting?
– To me, being creative means creating without any pressure or expectations. The best state of mind for that is to sit down with the children and make something together at their level, simply for the fun of it rather than because it has to look good.
Luckily, both of my children enjoy being creative in their own ways. My son loves building with LEGO, drawing dragons and Pokémon, and he often wants me to sit with him and do it together. My daughter is going through a glitter phase, so we go all out with sequins, pom-poms and a hot glue gun on paper. Or we make beaded bracelets, play hairdresser, plant things or bake.
Do you have any tips on how to encourage creativity in children? How can you create space for it at home, too?
– For us, it works best to have different kinds of materials at home and to keep them within easy reach so the children can get started and make things on their own. We have a cupboard in the living room with watercolours, glue, scissors, paper and all kinds of craft supplies that they’re free to rummage through and use as much as they like. It definitely gets messy, but I think it’s worth it.
I find that they slip into their own creative bubble when I give them as much space as they need. Sometimes all it takes is for me to join in and get an activity started, and then they can sit there for long stretches of time, completely absorbed in their own little world.
The latest thing is that my daughter has started playing hairdresser, so all the dolls have gradually ended up with shorter and shorter hair.
How do you feel your relationship with your children changes as they move from the toddler years into school age?
– It’s a very special transition. As a mother, I have a lot of mixed feelings that I try not to put on the children. There’s a sense of sadness that time is passing so quickly, and that the chapter of having babies, which brought such an enormous upheaval, is suddenly over. At the same time, this is a type of parenting that suits both me and the children better.
As a new mother, I was often stressed and worried. Now I really appreciate the verbal feedback you get from your children, being able to have conversations about how their friendships at school are going, what it means to be a good friend and where different boundaries lie. It’s as if my children are thriving on the independence that comes with getting a little older, and that in turn makes me feel more confident as a parent. That’s really what it’s all about: getting to know these little people and standing by their side as they develop their own personalities.
Wonderful. How do you see your children’s relationship as siblings developing as they get older?
– They have very different personalities, but they complement each other in a lovely way. Of course, there’s plenty of mess and bickering, but most of the time they’re on the same team against us parents rather than against each other. The little sister is more openly appreciative of her big brother than the other way around, but I can see that he always looks out for her when she needs him.
I can’t put any particular expectations on them to love each other, but I hope that, as parents, we can still foster some kind of sense of togetherness and that they will respect and support each other, even if they aren’t as close at certain stages of life, such as when they’re teenagers or young adults. You can go through different phases with your siblings.
What was your favourite game to play when you were little?
– My friends and I used to have clubs with different themes! I remember one that was inspired by Sailor Moon. Otherwise, we were either outdoors. When I was in primary school, we had a lovely schoolyard right by the woods. Or I was indoors playing with Barbie.
What are your children’s favourite games?
– My daughter loves singing and dancing, so we often put on concerts in the living room. Otherwise, it’s stuffed animals and dolls who need to go to the doctor or be taken care of in some other way. My son is out in the neighbourhood with his friends, running around in the little patch of woods, and I honestly don’t know exactly what they’re up to!
Is there anything you would like to recommend?
– Take a break. It’s okay to do things at your own pace.
Explore more of Andrea’s creative world on Instagram here.
Originally created in collaboration with The Way We Play. Styling Louise Rizell, Interview Karolina Borg, Photography Linda Alfvegren.
