Flu, Floors & Fifty Shades of Oak
- Dagmar
- Oct 12
- 3 min read
The Stylish Chaos of Being Sick (and Designing Anyway)
By Dagmar – stylist, sniffling mess, and queen of indecision
Let’s be honest — right now, I’m not exactly the picture of creative glamour. I’m somewhere between a cold, the flu, and another cold that apparently missed me the first time and came back for revenge. Add to that a cocktail of medication strong enough to knock out a small horse, and you’ve got… me.
Yet, in true Dagmar-style, I’ve decided this is the perfect moment to design a new apartment. (Because why not make major life decisions when you can barely breathe through your nose?)
The Great Apartment Adventure (a.k.a. Send Tea with Honey)
The move is coming closer — January 2026 — and I should be deep in packing boxes and planning. Instead, I’m deep in tissues and tea. But I’m stubborn, so between sneezes, I’m comparing bathroom tiles, kitchen cabinets, and debating flooring like it’s an Olympic sport.
You’d think, as an interior stylist, I’d have it all figured out by now.
Spoiler alert: I don’t.
The Bathroom Saga
It started simple. A calm, natural, timeless bathroom. Then I found another tile. And another. Suddenly, I had a Pinterest board that looked like it was made by five completely different people.I changed the bathroom once… almost twice… and at this point, even my contractor sighs when I say, “I’ve been thinking…”
The Kitchen Chronicles
Ah, the kitchen. My beautiful battlefield. It was going to be warm and neutral. Then it wasn’t. Then it was beige again, but with a twist. Then came the countertop saga — one small change there and suddenly the whole kitchen had a completely different personality. Honestly, I think the cabinets are filing for emotional damages.
The Floor Fiasco
And just when I thought I’d reached peak indecision, I found myself standing in the middle of the showroom, feverish and confused, whispering: “Herringbone… or straight?” Every time I decide, I change my mind again. Herringbone feels sophisticated, but straight feels calm. And honestly, I just want the floor to tell me what it wants to be.
The Designer Without Ducks
Right now, my ducks are not in a row. They’ve wandered off somewhere between the tissue box and the tile samples. But you know what? That’s okay. Because this chaos — this messy, sniffly, can’t-make-up-my-mind phase — is part of the creative process. It’s proof that even stylists go through the “oh no, what have I done?” moments.
And deep down, I know it’ll all come together. One day soon, the kitchen will feel right, the bathroom will sing, and the floor will quietly glow in whatever direction it’s laid.
Until then, I’ll be here — wrapped in a blanket, tea in hand, surrounded by color samples, and trying to remember if I’ve already taken my meds or not. I will be taking it slow (for once!) because let’s be honest — health is the greatest luxury of all. Not the perfect countertop, not even the most stunning wooden floor. Those can wait. My body? Not so much.
So no reckless styling marathons for me right now — just rest, tea refills, and the occasional half-hearted attempt to choose between “oak sand” and “natural oak” before I fall asleep mid-scroll. Because even when life’s a little wobbly, there’s beauty (and humor) in the in-between.
P.S. To all my fellow design lovers out there:
take care of yourself first — the world can wait a little for your magic.
With Love,
Dagmar
From The Art of Living Beautifully — Linen & Wood
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