“I was around seven when we moved here, and I remember how odd it was that everyone had those small metal boxes outside their homes. I had never seen a letterbox before, there’s another system in Iraq,” says Elaf, as her younger sister adds, “That first year, we joined the other kids on our street for Halloween. We didn’t know that tradition, but soon found out how brilliant it was to walk up to a house and receive candy. So, we just continued walking and walking, until our parents had to send out someone to search for us.”

Their father has family that had moved to Sweden, and after a visit, he realised that he also wanted to move there with his wife and children. As an engineer, he soon found a job, and fast forward a few years, they ended up in a lovely house in a suburban area in a small city called Höganäs, with a big garden their father loves to take care of. “Well, my first memory was not of the garden, it’s of my older siblings picking the best and largest rooms before I even had the chance to see them,” says Sarah looking at Elaf.

Elaf and Sarah’s cousins played an important role in their lives by introducing them to how things work in Sweden and the Swedish language. “It’s funny, but one thing we often did was go to IKEA together. We would get some coins from our parents, and we were quick to realise that we could get pizza, ice cream and soda for little money at IKEA. That was an adventure for us” says Sarah with a laugh.

Studies in Gothenburg

Sarah is the first to admit that her older sister paved the way for their current life. It was Elaf who convinced their parents that she should go to a large gymnasium in another city, and it was also she who wanted to study medicine in a city further away. “I was interested in Stockholm, but my parents wanted me to live close to them and suggested Lund. So, the compromise ended up being Gothenburg, two hours away and a city that I’m really fond of,” says Elaf.

Why medicine? Elaf explains that she has always been fascinated by biology and the human body. It’s so complex, and there are always new things to learn. But studying medicine is hard, and in the intense periods before an exam, she dreams of becoming an interior designer or a goldsmith creating jewellery.

Elaf found an apartment in Gothenburg and lived there alone with her cat Ester for a couple of years before her younger sister also decided to study medicine and moved in with her. In the beginning, there were a lot of discussions, but then they developed a new and more adult relationship. Elaf is most often the one who cooks, while Sarah prefers to make sure the apartment is clean. “But sometimes I have to cook, and then it’s usually eggs…,” says Sarah, and her older sister adds, “And usually not enough spices…”.

But they have had a good time living together, and most of their time is spent around the dinner table. “I happened to buy a table that was bigger than I expected, but it has been great for us. We can have all our books, papers and computers spread out and spend all day there. The big table is probably my favourite piece of furniture in the apartment. Well, at least for now,” says Elaf and continues to explain that things are about to change very soon. Because, at the time of writing, in 10 days she’s getting married.

Marriage in the making

“Our parents knew each other, but it was one evening when I was bored that I added him on Instagram, and then over quite a long time, we slowly became closer,” says Elaf about her fiancé who, at the time of our conversation, she’s about to marry in just a few days.

A new life is to begin. Her future husband will move in with her to the apartment in Gothenburg, and Sarah has found a new place. Both are excited about furnishing their respective homes. “We look forward to going to IKEA and finding the furniture that suits us,” says Sarah, and Elaf adds, “It’s like when we were kids and went to IKEA and dreamed about living in the room settings there, but this time it’s for real. It also feels like a big responsibility though. I love to choose furniture together with my fiancé, we’ve found several things, for example, a beautiful sofa with a chaise lounge, but at the same time it’s quite stressful,” says Elaf, but looks more happy than concerned.

Elaf loves minimalism and light tones of beige and brown, but she wants the updated version of the home to have a bit more colour and detail. To make it cosier and more personal. She also wants it to feel more grown-up now that she’s going to live there with her husband.

A home should be comfortable

Both Elaf and Sarah are sure about what they believe is most important in a home. “It should be comfortable, and a place where one feels safe and wants to spend time,” says Elaf. “Yes, and cosy, and if possible, it should also have a balcony or garden,” says Sarah who loved the balcony in the current apartment so much that she sometimes dragged the dining table out on the balcony and spent the day studying there.

If Elaf should choose one part of her home that she wants to update the most, it’s the living room. “It’s where you spend time with your friends, and I believe it’s the room that should show who you are,” says Elaf, “But the home I live in also needs to take Ester into consideration. The furniture has to work with a cat as well.” The two sisters don’t believe that there’s much that separates their style of decorating from most homes in Sweden but add that they as religious Muslims of course have a prayer mat and a Quran close at hand, because they pray five times a day. “And then I probably also have more spices at home than most people,” says Elaf and laughs.

Memories that last forever

Most things were bought new in the apartment that Elaf has shared with Sarah, but they did get a beautiful and traditional cutting board that used to be their parents. “A couple of months after I moved in, it broke though,” says Sarah, still looking a bit traumatised about the experience. “I told Mom and Dad, and I thought they would be mad at me, but they just laughed and said that it was old and probably a bit fragile.”

Another, happier memory from the apartment is the large dinner they organised during Ramadan for all their friends. “We’re fasting during Ramadan, and it makes you a bit tired, so instead of me cooking for all of us, we got everyone to bring one dish each,” says Elaf, “We had decorated the apartment beautifully, with a Ramadan theme, lots of moons everywhere.” The dinner turned out to be a fun and relaxed evening, and extra special because of Ramadan, and because all their best friends could come. “I love photography, and I took a lot of pictures that day,” says Sarah, “I also printed the best ones and put them in an album. It makes me glad every time I look at them. I don’t think we’ll ever forget that evening.”