On the day of the recording, Lisa Sperrer is celebrating her blog's twelfth birthday. Exactly twelve years earlier she published her first post, back then under the name Wohnprojekt. Today her blog and Instagram account are called Hab und Gut. She studied communication science with a focus on PR and is a professional photographer, and Hab und Gut has been her main job for many years. In conversation with Alena Gröfler, she explains how a crafting diary turned into a profession, why she turns down most collaboration requests and how she lives herself.
HOMEISSUE When you look back today, are there things you would have imagined quite differently at the start?
Lisa Sperrer Yes, definitely. It began quite differently from how it's going now. Back then I started a blog together with my eldest daughter, to record our crafting ideas as a kind of virtual diary and to inspire other people. That was the basic idea behind it. At the time there were only a handful of blogs on interior design and DIY; it was a really small community. And Instagram was actually still completely irrelevant then. For me it was purely a photo editing app. It had great filters, but it wasn't much more than that back then.
What has changed most since then is the pace. Blog posts used to be long, and there was all the time in the world for the photos. Today it moves relatively fast, and consistency is very important: being active every day if possible and always creating good, aesthetic content. The most important thing of all, though, is something she did from the very beginning and has always kept up, says Lisa Sperrer: "that I don't let myself be bent out of shape for anything or anyone." That means staying true to herself, not looking left and right too much and not paying too much attention to statistics and metrics. "And above all, not taking Instagram too seriously." She doesn't take the algorithm too seriously either. "It really does do whatever it wants sometimes."
Is it harder or easier to get a foothold in the industry today than it was ten years ago?
I think it always comes down to the why. Why do you want to start an interior blog or an Instagram account about interiors? If the reason is purely financial, it could be difficult. If you start because you feel like it, because you want to connect with like-minded people, or because photography and content creation are a hobby, then it definitely makes sense. Then it's fun, and you automatically keep at it consistently, ideally without pressure or compulsion. And in my experience, with good content and real exchange with your followers, success then comes all by itself.
A JOB THAT DIDN'T EXIST
Is Hab und Gut a financially sustainable business for you now?
Yes, Hab und Gut has been my main job for many years now, and I can make a good living from it. And I always have to smile when I think about it: if someone had told me while I was at university, which was 20 years ago, that I would one day have a job like this, I would never have believed it, because back then this job didn't even exist.
Being able to combine her degree, her photography and her passion for interiors in a single profession was, for her, "the total jackpot". She used to photograph families and babies. Today, certainly 80 to 90 percent of her work is products, which she stages in her own home for companies. Now and then she adds UGC, and sometimes she writes articles for magazines, always focused on interiors, travel, lifestyle or food. Brand collaborations are her main source of income, and affiliate makes up only a smaller part. She turns down most requests, because they don't suit her or her account. Dietary supplements, for example, are something she won't promote. "That's something so individual, everyone is a little different." She only accepts a product if she knows it will fit perfectly somewhere in her home.
TRENDS AND CLASSICS
How do you feel about trends in interiors?
Over the last ten years I've noticed that interior trends have also become much more short-lived, much like in fashion. You get the feeling that new styles or must-haves pop up every few weeks. In interiors, though, it's almost impossible to go along with all of it, because expensive and large purchases in particular, like a kitchen, big pieces of furniture or sofas, can't simply be swapped out. That's why my tip is always to go for timeless design with the basics, something you know you'll like for many, many years. Then you can pick up the trends with cushions, accessories or curtains and create some variety.
Her favourite brands are design classics, because they last for decades and go with almost any style. "That's a good investment." She names Thonet and Knoll, for lighting Flos and Louis Poulsen, and she is a huge fan of Sebastian Herkner.
LIVING SUSTAINABLY
Sustainability is a major concern for Lisa Sperrer, both privately and on her account. She certainly doesn't want to encourage her followers to buy things they don't actually need, even though she is aware that this is a very fine line for a content creator.
What are your top tips for a sustainable home?
When furnishing, I would go for timeless pieces, especially with large furniture, because they simply outlast the fast trends. For me, quality above all is decisive. I love, love, love solid wood furniture and the idea that, at best, it can even be passed on to the next generation. For pieces like that I'm happy to invest a bit more, for example if production is in Austria and the forestry is sustainable. But as a rule I always check first whether I can find something secondhand. For me that's the most sustainable thing of all. You usually get it a bit cheaper, and you discover the greatest treasures. And I'm very happy to recommend modular furniture, because you can rearrange it again and again however you like.
HOME
How would you describe your personal interior style?
I think my style can't really be categorised. On Instagram I sometimes get asked what my style of interior is called, but I simply don't have a concrete answer. It's a mix of lots of wood, light, warm tones and natural materials. As a contrast I quite like adding black. It's a bit mid-century, very cosy, but still simple and not minimalist.
How changeable her home is shows in her modular sofa, which she loves. Sometimes it stands in the room as a huge corner couch, at the moment as a three-seater with a récamier, and it can be rebuilt in a few minutes. That way a room keeps getting a new feel without any money having to be spent. She draws inspiration from nature, the seasons and travel, but also from places that at first glance have little beauty or charm. Then her "optimising sense" comes into play. That was how it went with the bungalow they bought in 2015. She walked in and could immediately picture how everything could look. Some in the family, on the other hand, told them: "You're mad, you can't buy that."
How has your creative process changed over the years?
It hasn't really changed at all. I need a lot of inspiration and at the same time a lot of calm, so that I can process and put it all into practice. When life is very loud, which it often is with children, then creativity goes very quiet. Then not much happens.
Her youngest is now four, and she notices that she is getting a bit more free time for herself again.
One piece she would buy again and again is her Tulip Table by Knoll. Several pieces of furniture have special meaning for her, but her piano probably most of all. Her mother learned to play on it, and she believes it is more than 120 years old. Sadly, it can no longer be tuned properly. "But it always has a place in my heart." Asked at the end for a place that inspires her creatively, she answers: "My home."
The full conversation with Lisa Sperrer is available on the HOMEISSUE Podcast with Alena Gröfler.