Friday Fifteen with Friends: Eva Daiberl

Published: September 23rd, 2016

Perhaps it’s her love of great urban design and architecture, or her passions for travel and photography, her adoration of great pastries, or her good taste in all things fashion. Maybe the combination of these is what gives Eva Daiberl the right to claim the name “Miss Renaissance,” and the reputation for being one of Chicago’s most exciting taste makers. I’m impressed, so let’s make her this week’s subject for our Friday 15 with Friends!

Name: Eva Daiberl

Occupation: Pastry Chef, Food Photographer, World Wanderer, Style & Design Addict

Best known for: Being a creative Renaissance Woman, some call me Miss Renaissance 😉

1. Antique or modern? Modern with European/antique accents.

2. What has inspired or informed your interior style? My early life growing up in Europe, surrounded by so much ancient and beautiful architecture, as well as traveling around the world’s most inspiring cities. Checking into different hotels all over the world has definitely been a major inspiration! Reading design magazines (such as Dwell, and AD) as well as design blogs (Design Sponge has always been a favorite) is also always fun & inspiring.

3. Which colors do you use most? Neutrals and metallics mixed with bright pops of unexpected color.

4. Favorite materials or textures? Velvet in saturated colors, untreated woods, and luxe natural stone.

5. How do you make your home double as a work space? I love editing images at home on my Mac while listening to music. It feels calming and productive to be at home, comfortable and without distractions. All I need is a small desk, a comfortable chair, and a good speaker.

6. What household item could you not live without? My professional series KitchenAid mixer. It’s a true workhorse when I make pastries at home, and I use it constantly.

7. What household items are necessary to host a great party? Oh, I could list so many here….but narrowing it down, I think a set of good quality wine glasses and a nice sound system for playing music are absolutely essential.

8. Tips for hosting at home? Don’t sweat it! Your guests are going to have a great time even if every single detail isn’t perfect. If you go into it with that mindset, you’ll allow yourself to have a good time as well instead of stressing or worrying.

9. Which design website, TV show, or magazine would you be lost without? I believe that I have enough inspiration stored in my mental “files” to never feel completely lost, but like I mentioned above, I absolutely love leafing through Dwell magazine or browse websites such as DesignMilk.com

10. Design rule you love to break? Sticking to one style, such as all modern or all traditional. I believe a clever mix of different design styles makes things fun and lively.

11. What is your favorite room in your home? I am currently in transition as far as my home is concerned, but in my most recent permanent home I absolutely loved my bedroom. It was cozy but modern with a beautiful King-sized canopy bed and lots of luxe mixed fabrics and rugs.

12. What is your most treasured possession? That’s a tough question to answer because I have a lot of things I absolutely love and treasure for different reasons! I also love to collect things. But if I had to pick a favorite, I’d say all of the jewelry pieces that my grandmother and mother (who are both still alive) have passed on to me over the years.

13. What is your favorite thing about Chicago – design-related or otherwise? I love Chicago’s fantastic architecture – I make it a point to go on one of the architectural boat cruises up and down the river at least once every year. I also love the people here. Even though Chicago is a huge city with a lot of international influences, many of the people here have solid Midwestern values and positive attitudes toward each other.

14. To which city or country would you move for design? Purely for design (out of the places I have actually visited myself) I think it would be exciting to be in Berlin. It’s a growing city with an incredibly rich cultural past and it’s rapidly developing in modern design while also maintaining its ancient parts. The design world is flocking to Berlin and exciting things are happening there!

15. How would you describe your style? When it comes to home design, I’d describe myself as modern with a whimsical and fun edge.