Sami Wideberg, a Nashville-based creative director and agency owner, specializes in collage art that transcends time and space. Imagine a 1950s housewife gardening on the moon or a retro swimsuit model on a polar ice cap. Sami captures a vintage style and puts it into a futuristic context. And their home matches.
When Sami first moved into their East Nashville home in 2017, they made some impactful changes. First, they painted the house in authentic Victorian jewel-toned colors. Then, they decorated the space, starting with the pink upstairs loft. “I found just about every piece, if not every piece, from a vintage shop or Facebook Marketplace since I was on a tight budget, but it looks just how I imagined it,” Sami explains. “The green pumpkin glass hanging lights were the first pieces I found and fell in love with and everything else came after, so the room is kind of designed around the lights.”
Underneath the green pumpkin lights is an elegant emerald green sofa. And behind that is a wall of stunning Emma Shipley wallpaper. Since Sami is drawn to otherworldly visuals, each accent wall features different mythical creatures. Yet the eccentric flair of the wallpaper fits perfectly with the Victorian furniture pieces, intricate lamps, and beveled mirrors.
Last summer, with help from their father, they rebuilt the porch and created new garden beds with the excess wood. “I grew up on a farm in Massachusetts, so working with my hands is no stranger and I actually really find the work rewarding. I want to have every space be functional, including my lawn.” One day, Sami hopes to transform the yard into The Secret Garden, a magical oasis.
Because Sami works in the photo and film industry, using their home as a backdrop was a no-brainer. “The space naturally started becoming a creative outlet for my work,” they explain. “As I started shooting music videos and having photoshoots here, people started inquiring about the house for their own projects, which led me to the idea of making this a full-time creative space for artists.”
“The space naturally started becoming a creative outlet for my work. As I started shooting music videos and having photoshoots here, people started inquiring about the house for their own projects, which led me to the idea of making this a full-time creative space for artists.”
Sami Wideberg, Host of The Emerald
Sami’s goal with The Emerald is to give people room to create freely. “Growing up queer and not seeing yourself represented in media is incredibly isolating and honestly scary at times, so I wanted to create a space where people could feel inspired to be themselves, be creative, and more importantly, tell their stories.” Sami’s story is woven throughout the entire home, with so much vision and care put into every corner. Everyone can feel safe, accepted, and inspired there.
“Growing up queer and not seeing yourself represented in media is incredibly isolating and honestly scary at times, so I wanted to create a space where people could feel inspired to be themselves, be creative, and more importantly, tell their stories.”
Sami Wideberg, Host of The Emerald
And Sami loves inviting people over to enjoy the space. “My favorite way to spend time here in the colder months is just relaxing in the living room with a record playing, chatting with friends and enjoying a glass of wine,” Sami says. In the summer, they like to grill out with friends by the pool and work in the gardens. And, of course, they enjoy hosting other creatives in the home, allowing room for imagination and fun.
So how does a collage artist create a space? By combining the old and the new. By mixing the familiar with the magical. And by taking inspiration from the past and launching it into the future.