how it's meant to be

A few weeks ago, I was working on a styling/photography assignment with Maaike Koorman for a roof garden in Amsterdam, built by the Dakdokters. It was agreed upon that I could borrow furniture and accessories at a shop in Laren, Kerkhof, and a shop in Baarn, Nijhof. The drive through Laren reminded me of a beautiful, insprired, and inspiring shop that I used to visit a lot when I was a stylist for an interior magazine, back in the olden days. I was curious to know if it still is as nice now as it was then, 10 years ago. It was, and it was even better that I remembered. This is a style that I love, and that I hope to be able to one day put in a house, for myself or for a customer. I love the balance between modern and authentic, rough and sleek. The image next to the green chair is made by Mirjam Bleeker.

The shop is called Meker Atelier and the addres is: Mauvezand 2, in Laren (NH).

before and after

before

after

To let in the light that comes in through the front door, I replaced a closed wooden door for a glass door with a steel, powder coated frame. The railings around the stairs were replaced with cabinets on each side, with a powder coated railing, to make it more slim and elegant.

To keep look of the floor, that was originally concrete, a layer of colored and lacquered cement coating was put on, after the floor heating system was put in. The extra heater is an old design, and gives a bold statement to the living room.

In the kitchen (which was not finished yet when I took the images) one wall is covered with a lot of cabinets, in different shapes, sizes and depths, but all painted in the same color. It hides the oven, it sort of embraces the window, it plays with the light and it creates a lot of storage space. The pink cabinet, around the corner, in the space between the living room and the kitchen, is where the freezer has found its space, and has room for storing cleaning stuff and supplies.

To create more light downstairs we knocked down an wall to create a studio where a separate bedroom was, and we created a room in the bathroom so the light from the master bedroom would also reach the bathroom.

The color scheme is mostly tender hues like soft pink, a lot of different greys and beige, with a few bold colors like the pink of the freezer cabinet, the mustard yellow in the studio and the petrol colored wall in the guest room.

Next step is the curtains and the garden.

I've been working on...

...a house in Ede, in the east part of Holland. The beautiful house, kind of a house boat on land, has a ground floor with open spaced living room and kitchen, and a floor below sea level with two bedrooms, a studio, a bathroom and storage rooms.

I had the honour to decorate the house, from scratch. That meant deciding on the floor, the kitchen, toilets, sinks, made-to-measure furniture, bathroom, colors, the works. A big job, and a very exciting one.

For a job this big, I take a lot of time with the customer to decide on the style, and the floor plans. I translate the choice we make in mood boards. With these as a hand book I start sketching, that means technical drawings (with help from architect friend Jasper Westebring, of course). With a few options I go back to the customer, and together we decide on a master plan.

I will show you my mood boards first, after that I will show you some images of the result, before all the furniture was moved in. It takes a lot of time to settle in, always, and I can't wait any longer to show you the results.

off the wall

Sometimes people send me comments on and questions about things that I write on my blog. Unfortunately, I haven't figured out yet how to answer those questions directly. So from now on, I will answer them through my blog. Maybe other people will be inspired as well!

One question I was asked was about the tiles in my kitchen. Our kitchen was featured in Nya Rum, images by Paul Barbera (haven't seen it myself yet), and someone wanted to know where to find them. They were bought at a Dutch tile manufacturer, Mosa. These specific tiles were designed by Koh Liang Ie, originally in the sixties. My parents also had them, in the toilets, and only the ones with the four circles. A few years ago they were brought back to life. They are only available in white, unless you order a lot, like a Concrete did when the designed the beautiful interior for restaurant Envy in Amsterdam.

The first 2 images are made by Paul Barbera.

back in Buenos Aires, in my mind

Today I took a little trip down memory lane, when I was showing some pictures of our trip to Argentina a few months ago. And I realized that I didn't show half of the better things that I discovered in Buenos Airs. Like this amazing shop in Palermo, Amores Trash Couture. A curious name, and the fact that you have to ring a bell, next to a big white, iron gate, only adds to the curiosity. Once inside, you enter a kind of dreamworld shop where, if it was in a dream, Abba, Andy Warhol, Jacky and Joan Collins, Debby Harris and Madonna would come and shop (or party). The clothes are eccentric and the accessories: I wanted to have them all. But especially the interior was something that will stay in my memory for ever. It's not about fashion, it's about style.

flowers

This weather, this month, is making me long for fields with flowers. Until my next holiday, France this time, I make do with the work of landscape architect Anouk Vogel.

busy busy

I'm a bit busy on the design of a house, so I don't have a lot of time to write a lot now. It's a good thing that these images speak for themselves. Interiors and stunning lamps designed by Workstead. Go see for yourself on their website.

new work, new inspiration

I still owe you my last reports from the best of Buenos Aires, including a visit to a beautiful poloclub with a hotel. But in the mean time we have returned to our beloved Amsterdam. And I'm already working on some exciting new projects. I have been asked to decorate a new house, from scratch, and I'm very happy with this new project. While I was going through some magazines for inspiration, in Marie Claire Maison I stumbled upon an extremely talented, inspiring group of designers/architects in France: Ciguë. They do big projects, like renovating old barns and designing new houses, in breathtaking countrysides. But also smaller houses for which they invent very clever, and cheap solutions. I wish I was them!

good bye BA, part 5: La Maison

At the moment, for a few more days, we’re living in a part of Buenos Aires, Palermo Hollywood, that’s famous for its restaurants. You only have to turn a corner, or walk a few steps down the street to have your pick of all the flavours of the world. And lucky us to live quite near La Maison, our favourite restaurant for a cosy night out, with the two of us or with friends. La Maison is run by Fleur, she’s French (or Canadian, I’m not sure), and she and her staff make sure you have a pleasant night.

You can sit outside in the garden, and enjoy the funny drawings on the shutters, or inside where it’s more quiet and formal. Lovely, elegant food like toast with poached egg yolk and truffle, tarte tatin with goat cheese, and gambas au Pastis. Maybe I should go back one more time and make sure that this time I have room for dessert.

good bye BA, part 4: Voltaire

One of the things that I like best when I'm traveling is when I've stayed long enough to have a favorite place for coffee at walking distance. And at the moment it's Voltaire, around the corner from where we live, at Carranza y Voltaire. The two friendly owners make the perfect coffee, have the best little chocolate cakes and don't mind if our lively twin girls open all the bags of sugar. That's what I call home!