Jewellery designers and siblings Rosanna and Christie Wollenberg don't just work together, they live next door to each other in two townhouses in Wimbledon, south-west London.
ADVERTISEMENTJewellery designers Rosanna and Christie Wollenberg aren’t just sisters who work together on a daily basis - they actually live next door to each other too.
The siblings behind the demi-fine brand Otiumberg call two near-identical townhouses in London’s Wimbledon home. The pair grew up in the area and lived around the world, from UAE to New York and Buenos Aires and unexpectedly ended up back in the famous borough in London's south-west.
Speaking to Euronews Culture, they explained how it came about - and the benefits of living so close to family: “It's never something we thought would be possible but when the opportunity arose, we jumped on it. What's great about living next door to each other is that we can see each other's families in consistent small doses which is lovely, not to mention it's handy to get on with your neighbours”.
The sisters add, “Work wise we are able to take calls in the ease of our own homes and with Christie having 3 kids it makes trying to find a work / life balance that little bit easier”.
Both sisters say the ethos behind their jewellery brand Otiumberg, which aims to offer minimal, contemporary designs with a conscious and responsible approach, translates to their respective homes.
They both favour open plan living spaces which provide a flow of movement and light, which is paired with a neutral colour palette for a timeless space they insist they’ll still love in years to come.
The pair say they both wanted their homes to be places of calm and comfort and took inspiration from summer holidays in the Balearics when they were younger, referencing the islands’ decor style which includes simple layouts and natural materials.
As with all siblings, though, their taste is not identical.
Talking about the differences between their houses, Christie explains, “Rosanna loves photography whereas I have invested more in art from Joshua Perkins to Georgina Beaumount”, adding, “Having children also means that I have had a less minimal approach than Rosanna, infusing touches of colour such as the stripey Buchanan studio blinds and the framed large scale throws by BFGF that fill the basement walls”.
The sisters started from scratch when it came to designing their houses, building them from the ground up. The process took far longer than anticipated, thanks to the pandemic in the middle of the project.
The extra time, though, gave Rosanna and Christie more of a chance to work on making their homes the perfect space.
Speaking about their favourite parts of their stunning houses, Rosanna says, “During the constriction we decided to leave the metal underbelly of the stairs exposed which adds an industrial edge to our home. It’s a feature that was unexpected and I adore it”.
Christie’s favourite? Her floor to ceiling tadelakt book shelf which, she explains, “offers such a great place to store my childrens' books, art and keepsakes. The piece really makes the most of the space and adds character to the basement hallway”.
Both houses boast natural grass lawns in their gardens and Christie’s husband makes great use of their vegetable patch in the kitchen, but when asked what it is that transforms a house into a home, the sisters answer, “It’s the people inside”.
The duo love hosting Sunday lunches where their families can run around between the two houses. For the Wollenbergs, “that’s truly what makes them a home”.
