Anete Liepa

My journey into home styling started in childhood. Growing up in Sigulda in a traditional Latvian household, my grandmother taught me the art of creating warmth and comfort from simple, resourceful materials. She didn't have much, but what she had was arranged with intention. Every piece had a purpose. That stuck with me.

I studied Interior Design at Riga Technical University's Faculty of Architecture, then earned a diploma in sustainable design practices from the Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies. For five years after graduation, I worked as a professional interior designer. It was good work, but honestly? I felt disconnected from real life. I was designing for people who had budgets I couldn't relate to. Spaces that looked perfect but felt sterile.

That changed when I started helping friends and family redesign their homes on realistic budgets. Watching someone's face light up when we transformed a room for under 100 euros using thrift finds and DIY touches—that was different. That felt meaningful. So in 2015, I made the shift. I stepped back from high-end design and started focusing on what I really cared about: making beautiful, cozy homes accessible to regular people.

In 2019, I launched "Pieņemams Mājoklis" (Cozy Home), a blog dedicated to affordable interior design rooted in Latvian and Nordic traditions. The response was immediate. People were hungry for this kind of practical, cultural, budget-conscious advice. They weren't looking for perfection—they wanted homes that felt warm, looked intentional, and didn't require a second mortgage.

The breakthrough came in 2021 when Latvijas Mājas magazine featured my work on seasonal decorating and Riga thrift shopping strategy. That article reached thousands of readers and validated something I'd believed all along: comfort and beauty shouldn't come with a hefty price tag. They're about intention, cultural appreciation, and smart sourcing.

Now, as Senior Home Styling Correspondent at fundovance SIA, I combine my 12 years of experience with a mission to help people create spaces they're genuinely proud of. Whether it's teaching someone how to spot quality vintage furniture at Spīļu iela flea market, or showing a young couple how to add coziness to a cramped Riga apartment on a student budget, the work feels authentic. It's about real people, real spaces, and real solutions that actually work.

My philosophy is simple: you don't need a designer's salary to have a beautiful home. You need intention, a willingness to learn, and someone who understands both the cultural context and the financial reality of living in Latvia. That's what I do.