“I’ve always been a curious person, and I like to find things that aren’t obvious, but I also grew up with a father who was very much into decorating and collecting art,” the designer tells me. “I remember a friend of his was especially daring in the way he used color, such as bright yellow in a living room, with chintz curtains and contemporary art. From a young age, I’d go with my father to auctions and museums, so I have been super-influenced by his taste.”
After running a home-style showroom that’s open to the public, Busck has pivoted to create a comfortable retreat for aesthetes who appreciate an experience more elevated and unique than a hotel room. It was the right time for a change, and Busck always trusts her instincts. “When I decided to close, it was without knowing what would happen next. I just needed to do something different,” she says. “Back in 2011, my father thought I was mad to open a space on the second floor of a residential building, but I went along with it anyway, because I’ve always followed my gut. I’m glad I did it, but by the time it closed, I’d started to feel trapped. I’d taken advice to expand and open a webshop, so I was selling everything from trays to napkins—and even as it was being developed, I knew something wasn’t right. I realised I had moved too far from where I started, back when I was mostly focused on curating art. I’d put myself into a corner that didn’t feel like me anymore.”
The vacation rental concept still fosters Busck’s love of creating unique, richly layered spaces, while also offering an immersive opportunity for those inspired by her taste. Decor enthusiasts hoping to study and learn from her approach can book a stay and, for a short time, live entirely inside her whimsical world. A couple of times a year, she estimates, the versatile two-bedroomed space will also be used for exhibitions, so there will still be an occasional opportunity for people to visit, even if they’re not overnight guests.
Photo: Courtesy of The Apartment
Photo: Courtesy of The Apartment
Now that Busck is no longer staffing a gallery or worrying about packing and restocking homeware, she has more time to take on interior decorating projects, one-off design consultations, and use her many contacts to source specific pieces for clients. This changed direction seems like the best of all worlds, and the designer’s enthusiasm is palpable. “I really love what I’m doing with The Apartment now—I feel so energised and inspired again,” she says.
