Hi and welcome back!
If you follow me on TikTok or Instagram, you’re well aware that the glue holding my various creative projects together is my love of design. I’d like to get substantially more granular with that.
Today’s Brunch at Sera’s kicks off a special three-part series, dedicated entirely to the process of how I found my home, how I designed it, and how I’m living in it now — and what my goals are moving forward!
I’d like this miniseries to serve as something of a guide or short reference collection, with room-by-room art and design recommendations and action items for mindfully living in and making the most of your space, so that it truly becomes your dream home.
*Editor’s note: I decided to put the majority of this series behind my Brunch at Sera’s paywall because it’s one of my more incredibly labor intensive efforts, and while I absolutely understand if it isn’t in your budget, your support of my work is immensely appreciated.
If you haven’t used it yet, please try out the free, 7-day trial for full access to the Brunch at Sera’s archive, and if you find at the end of that you’d rather cancel, no questions asked and no hard feelings whatsoever!
If, however, you find yourself enjoying, please note that I’m always open to specific content requests from subscribers. This project is still very much in an early stage, so my weekly product, design, and living recommendations, will only continue to grow, alongside any future series that my brain hasn’t yet dreamed up. If you have feedback, of any sort, please feel free to comment here, or send me an email at seraflz.info@gmail.com!
**This issue will unfortunately be truncated via email (sorry I talk too much!) so best to read on Substack directly.
Defining your signature element
One aspect of mindful living that I cannot stress the importance of enough is that you absolutely must find your signature element. This is your wow factor, the piece or dish or tradition that goes beyond the structural decor everyone associates with your home — it’s what everyone looks forward to when they come over! It’s what makes you you.
Of course, my blue blanket and gun poster have become calling cards of my apartment, but your signature element should really be something your guests can appreciate and engage with as well.
If you haven’t yet found what that element is for you, here are a few suggestions for what your signature could be:
Make your own matchbooks! Delaney (@tremont_home) has posted frequently about this on TikTok and it’s brilliant (side note: I love her ideas, she inspired the art of candle displaying.) This is super popular at American restaurants and bars, and I often see people collecting them. This practice is less popular in Europe, but they’re around! You can customize these by season or by event, and keep them in a bowl at your door to give out as party favors.
Make your own candles! I have a group of friends who always do arts and crafts together (a signature element in and of itself,) and they frequently make their own HAY-inspired candles, which make for amazing gifts — and are also way cheaper than shelling out for the real deal.
Create your designated cocktail station. I’m not talking about a bar cart — these require a lot of precision in execution, so as not to appear kitschy. I have an Aperol Spritz poster (similar linked here) and I’d say my friends tend to associate me with my love of the drink. These days, I’m more of a Campari girl myself, but feel free to implement whatever signature drink your heart desires in your own home — your own personal twist on an espresso martini would be completely inspired.
I saw this stunning TikTok the other day. My eyes probably mimicked the “heart-eye emoji” in real life. Cherub butter is an unbeatable idea. Your guests would be unbelievably delighted.
My personal signature element is undoubtedly my mac and cheese — when I first moved to Berlin, I had barely ever cooked before. I was coming off 4+ years in Manhattan where everyone works such long hours that food is either consumed in the name of convenience or in extremely expensive restaurants. I was invited to a friend’s Thanksgiving in 2019, for which I said I’d make mac and cheese, despite never having made it before. I was profoundly stressed, and it probably took me about two hours to prepare. These days, I can make it in about 10 minutes, give or take five minutes needed to grate the cheese — a phenomenal arm workout. I make it constantly, for holidays and “normal” dinners alike, and the response is always the same. People go crazy for it — especially non-Americans, who aren’t as used to butter and cheese monstrosities.
Here’s how I do it: start by boiling 500g of pasta (I always use corkscrew, it’s just the best for this), stop 1-2 minutes short of al dente (it will continue to cook later on). Throw some olive oil on the cooked pasta to keep it from sticking. Grate your cheese (never buy pre-grated cheese!) I usually do a combo of cheddar and gouda, you need about 200-250g, then set it aside.
Make a roux by melting some butter (I use about 75-100g) on medium heat and carefully whisk in flour, making sure it doesn’t clump. Once it’s smooth, add in about 300mL of full fat milk, and 200mL of heavy cream. It’s best to warm up the milk and cream a bit first. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add in your grated cheese to get the most beautiful cheese sauce you ever did see. Stir in your pasta and then transfer to a baking dish. Sprinkle a layer of grated parmesan cheese over top, then stick in the oven at 210°C for about 25 minutes. Et voila!
This pairs amazingly with Meera Sodha’s gochujang cabbage and carrot dish, as is documented in this year’s Thanksgiving vlog!
Sticking with the theme of cheese — loyal friend of the newsletter, Jessie Carnevale, posted on her Instagram yesterday that she’s selling (for a very reasonable price) the most adorable cheese candles. If you’re based in the US (or better yet, NYC!) send her an Instagram DM, @jessiecarnevale, to purchase. Picture serving up a charcuterie board with this candle on it — that’s a powerful signature element! I am tickled by this idea and your guests will be too.
If you’re a Brunch subscriber, you already know that the oyster platter ornament from Sur La Table was my breakthrough star of the New York Times 2023 Holiday Gift Guide. Oysters themselves are an extremely elegant (albeit pricey) signature element. If you’re in the US and looking for a less expensive way to celebrate the noble oyster in your home, (that also serves a great cause!) fellow friend of the newsletter, Kelsey Davenport (Instagram @kdwoggle) still has a few copies left of her beautiful “Les Fruits de Mer,” along with a few others on her website. All proceeds will be donated to the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund.
And if you’d prefer your signature element not to be material in nature, might I suggest implementing a tradition at the end of dinner where everyone goes around the table and says what the highlight of their week was, or what they’re looking forward to in the coming months, or simply what they’re thankful for (I do this every year when I host Thanksgiving, but there’s no reason you need to save it for that!)
*Just a reminder, nothing in this newsletter has ever been sponsored — I’m not an affiliate link type of girl! If I share a link here, it’s never been upon request and it’s only because I genuinely like it, have used it, or find it helpful.
How to find an apartment in Berlin
One of my most frequently asked questions is how I found my apartment in Berlin, as a foreign student (at the time) no less! Berlin is a notoriously difficult city to rent in, with an aggressive housing crisis. That said, I do think there are a few things you can do to make your application stand out.
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