Designer_Visits

Jessica Nielsen

{Photography: Marjon Hoogervorst ~ Words: Sandra Jacobs ~ Translation: Nanette Watson}

Jessica Nielsen has been living together for 4 years now with her boyfriend Eelco who is an architect in a cool apartment in the North of Rotterdam. Light dominates this rental apartment. They painted the concrete floor white themselves. They share a studio that is a stone’s throw away and they usually continue working on their laptops together at night while sprawled out on the large sofa in the living room.

When we are at home we also like to cook together; we are real pizza lovers. We own a red brick pizza oven by Ferrari in which you can bake a delicious pizza within 3 or 4 minutes. Once you have tasted these pizzas, you’ll never want anything else… Friends of ours regularly ask us when they can come over for pizza again;-). We got a secret recipe for pizza dough ;-) from an Italian cook. Our favourite pizza is Pizza Bianco (without tomato sauce) with mozzarella, smoked cheese ('scamorza'), rosemary and olives.

Do you use your designs in your own home?

My own cushions are on the couch and other than that I keep some of my own art work on the walls: these are drawings that I may use for a product or an assignment one day. I do not have an ‘off’ setting as a designer; I am always designing, which is very restless but also nice. Without this restlessness there would be no new ideas, no inspiration. Whenever an image comes to mind, it is a challenge to create it. I rather quickly hop behind my computer; I don’t make a lot of sketches on paper.

What would you take with from your house if you would only be allowed to take 1 thing?

My granny’s record player from the fifties. It is made of bakelite, which is a very heavy but also very beautiful material. We got the record player restored so now it works again as it used to.

Was there ever a moment while growing up where you thought: yes, I am going to be a designer?  

I always wanted to become an architect when I was younger, but I wasn’t good at maths so that was the end of that. My sister and I were always making drawings and doing arts & crafts together at home though. I studied Graphic Design at the Willem de Kooning Academy in Rotterdam. In hindsight, I was way more interested in illustrations. 

What would you like to change in your home?

All these cheap doors! That is really the ugliest part of this house. We like living here but ultimately we would like to buy a house so we can make it our own. Eelco is working on the transformation of empty buildings (rezoning) for his work, and we regularly see interesting properties. We hope that one day we will find our dream house in there.

Where do you want to live 10 years from now? What does your dream house look like?

We are both city people and really love this neighbourhood (North of Rotterdam). It is lively here, folksy and a bit chaotic. There are more and more nice stores locating here and it is close to the centre of Rotterdam. We would love to live in an old school building, but in any case a building in which we would be able to determine the layout still.

Who are your examples/heroes/favourite designers?

There are many designers, from various disciplines, whose work I admire. At this moment, it is Olle Eksell, a Swedish illustrator, who inspires me. I admire his handwriting and the humour in his illustrations. 

 

Name a negative trait of yours that is causing you the most problems

I get distracted easily! That can be difficult at times. I’m not so good with projects that drag on. When I am busy with a design for a very long time, I sometimes get tired of it. When I see it a year later I often do like it again.

What inspires you? Do you perhaps have a favourite blog or website that you like to visit?

Everything around me inspires me, I see beautiful shapes, patterns, colour combinations… When I need extra inspiration then I grab a book by Olle Eksell or another illustrator or artist. Pinterest is also a source of inspiration but can also be paralysing because of the overload of beautiful imagery. 

The Jessica Nielsen collection is available at BijzonderMooi ~ in Dutch or in English  

.. Jessica Nielsen

..all images by Dutch phtographer Marjon Hoogervorst aka Vorstin 
 

.. translation by xPattyCake

 

Buro Jet

{Photography: Marjon Hoogervorst ~ Words: Sandra Jacobs ~ Translation: Nanette Watson}

Jorine Oosterhoff and Egbert-Jan Lam are Buro Jet. Together with their daughter Fiep and 3 cats (Bras, Branie and Banjer) they live in Arnhem, in what is called a Janitor house from 1939 (national monument in the ‘Delft School’ style)

How would you describe your neighbourhood?

We have a lot of space here and lots of green. Sometimes there’s a woodpecker or a porcupine in our garden. It feels as if you’re in the middle of nature, whereas we are actually living in the centre of town. The light here is superb! And we are only 5 minutes biking away from the Veluwe national park. Our studio is located in the school building next door so we have everything nearby. Our home is our sanctuary. A place to play with Fiep. With the studio next door, we do enjoy closing the door at night and then not work anymore, which is possible. So we can just enjoy each other’s company. Egbert-Jan: I love to cook, mostly Italian and Asian. I even started a cooking battle with a few very good friends. Then we battle who can make the best risotto for example. I will take days to prepare THE best risotto with homemade chicken stock and so on. Jorine already gets stressed if there is more than one pot on the stove.

Snoutcups

Our products all came about because of our own fascination with nature. Our designs are also in our own house. Especially the Paper Laser Lights. Funny enough we never used the snout cups ourselves. We do give them away as presents at lot. An architect friend we know has a house with a very clean design, very ‘iPhone’ if you know what I mean. He has put two of those snout cups in the bathroom for his two boys. Every night after brushing their teeth they can have a snout cup moment in the mirror. Isn’t that great?

Collectors

Egbert-Jan: We really love collecting. We collect a lot via the internet, such as Marktplaats (Dutch online store for second hand stuff), we really love that store!;-) You could say I’m totally addicted to it at times. We also own a lot of stuff from other designers. A cupboard from Joost van Bleiswijk (his graduation project), a table from InekeHans (where I used to work) and ceramics from Lenneke Wispelwey. But also things we inherited, such as the table we got from Jorine’s mom that she owned during her student days. It is now in our house.

Garden chair

The chair in the hallway used to be in the garden. It is one of the old discarded school chairs. This is a janitor house and next door used to be a school. When we were cleaning up the garden, we found in the bushes. It had become so beautiful that we took it inside and gave it a special place in our house.

We always ask our interns to make their own project in ceramics and then we keep one of those ourselves. We now own a whole collection of intern’s work. I’m sure we’ll doing something with that one day. 

Egbert-Jan: We are gigantic collectors and therefore also quite materialistic. I want to have it all, more, more, more. But I could also just leave here. I love nice stuff, that is my profession, but I care more about human values and respect. Jorine: I do get attached to things though, there are some things I simply won’t be able to do without.

 

Was there ever a moment as a child where you thought: yes, I’m going to be a designer!

Jorine: probably more a princess or something, I think. But I definitely wanted to do something with my hands. I knew early on that I that wanted to join the art academy. My father is an architect, who always made nice drawings. I went to study at Artez in Arnhem. What I liked about product design is that you can use all kinds of different materials and a real product can come out of it. Quite funny that now I only tend to work with porcelain still.

Egbert-Jan: I was always creative with my hands. When I was 10, I was already making renderings and models (villa’s for my cars). I could easily keep doing that until four in the morning. I went to visit the Design Academy in Eindhoven and I thought THIS IS WHAT I WANT. What was a bit foolish that I only applied there, and then I didn’t get accepted. But then they phoned me later at home that I was accepted after all. Brilliant!

What would you like to change in your home?

We would first do the kitchen. We are not changing it now as we are still living here under an anti-squatting arrangement. We would like a nice kitchen such as D-Tile. We would also like to do something about the flooring. The laminate flooring we have now is not very attractive. We would like to have concrete flooring.

Where do you want to live 10 years from now? What does your dream house look like?

Downtown Manhattan. It isn’t really where we would want to live permanently but having an appartment there would be nice. New York is brilliant. We would love to be there for a month. And we would also like to have a summer house in Sicily. Then we will be completely content ;-)

Secret admirers of:

Jorine: Lewis Carroll of Alice in Wonderland has done really brilliant work. Children are also good designers. Egbert-Jan: I used to be a big fan of Ingo Mauer  but that is fading a bit now. I do notice other artists more now. I am a fan of Arte Povera.

Penone is possibly my hero, a real artist. Egbert-Jan: and also Charels and Ray Eames. They have done so much work, that is really impressive. And Ontwerpduo. It’s great to see how they made a simple idea such as the Tallow into such a success and manage the whole production for example.

Name a negative trait of yours that is causing you the most problems

Jorine: Egbert-Jan is dominant and impatient. He has gotten more patient through his work with ceramics. You can’t rush ceramics. Egbert-Jan: Jorine is even more stubborn than me. You wouldn’t think so but she is. But other than that she is a very nice girl  ;-) 

What inspires you? Do you perhaps have a favourite blog or website that you like to visit?

Jorine: Stories! I read a lot of fantasy stories and children’s books.

Egbert-Jan: Nature and museums. I really love the Victoria and Albert Museum. It is impossible to see that in one week. Just the ceramics department alone consists of  several halls…

 

The Buro Jet collection is available at BijzonderMooi ~ in Dutch ~ in German

.. Buro Jet

..all images by Vorstin 
 

.. translation by xPattyCake

Lucas and Lucas

{Photography: Marjon Hoogervorst ~ Words: Sandra Jacobs ~ Translation: Nanette Watson}

Lucas and Lucas are Sander Lucas and Marijke Lucas-Geurts. They live with their 1.5 year old son Joris in Tilburg, the Netherlands. Type of house: working class house from the nineteen thirties

How would you describe your neighbourhood?

All houses around us here are old working class houses. Close to the city centre. We live close to the station, the large supermarket and the ‘TextielMuseum’ (Museum of Textiles). The city is redeveloping the area around the railways. In the old days, the railway area was also where the workshops of the railways were located. There is a lot of industrial heritage that is now getting rezoned. It will be an up and coming neighbourhood ;-)

What do you like to do most when you are at home?

When we are at home we do very little. Since our son was born, we have a strict regimen of getting up, taking Joris to daycare, work, get home (late) at night, cook and taking Joris to bed. So at the end of the day we are pretty much ‘done’. Certainly because, until recently, Marijke was getting home late as she was working in Amsterdam as a graphic designer for ELLE Decoration. We love to cook (Asian and Italian), eat nice food, and have a glass of wine with friends.

Marijke: sometimes we watch a movie or a nice documentary at home, or a tv-show such as ‘De Grote Verbouwing’ (the big renovation) or ‘24kitchen’. It wouldn’t surprise me if Joris becomes a cook or an architect later in life ;-). I breastfed him for 10 months and have often watched these kinds of shows during breastfeeding.

How do you work together as a ‘new’ couple in Lucas and Lucas?

Sander has been working as an independent product designer for at least 10 years already, and has marketed several different designs under his name. We intend to expand the collection in the future. It could very well be that the products will have a bit more graphic design to them ;-). We can also take on larger projects now and offer a total package of 2D and 3D design. A good example of that was when we did our first project together earlier this year: redesign the interior of the Solidd store in Tilburg; a concept store with clothing, sandwich shop and a hairdresser. Sander concentrated mostly on the the design and building of the new display items in the store, and Marijke added the graphic design elements and did the styling. 

Sander: it was getting too much for me to do everything on my own, so I am very happy that Marijke is now there to support me and supplement where needed. There are a couple of designs that are still in the works. These need to be worked out further or need to be produced still.

We will also continue to do projects independent of one another: I teach one day a week at the faculty of Industrial Design at the Technical University Eindhoven and set up exhibitions (i.e. for the Design Academy Eindhoven and TU Eindhoven) in collaboration with Mark van der Gronden. Marijke remains available as a freelance Art Director/Graphic Designer.

Do you use your designs in your own house?

The ‘Cup light’ (a lamp made from a coffee cup) and the ‘Table chandelier’. We also have work of other designers in our house. A cupboard of Ahrend that use to belong to my grandmother. A Jielde lamp in the living room that we bought for only 6.25 Euro at a second-hand store with an additional discount of 50% ;-), a cupboard of Mark van der Gronden (shown in second image) and a second-hand dining room table by Martin Visser. Joris has a night stand in his room that Maarten Baas burned in exchange for a distilling machine from Sander. Oh, and a red couch by Maarten Baptist! A bit large for this house but we had already bought it, so luckily it fits in our front room.

What would you take with from your house if you were only allowed to take one thing?

Difficult to say, but for sure the Jielde lamp! (in the kitchen) Because we managed to get it for very little money. Everything in the house has a story behind it. Marijke: the cupboards by Kiki van Eijk above the red couch for example: Sander and I both bought one when we didn’t know eachother yet. We both loved them. That is so special!

Was there ever a moment while growing up where you thought: yes, I’m going to be a designer?

Marijke: I wanted to become a photographer. After I finished high school I went to the design school St. Lucas because I thought I was too young to go to the art academy. We mostly did technical photography, which wasn’t really my thing. Next, I went to the Design Academy in Eindhoven to study‘Man and Communication’. Sander: I always wanted to be a designer. When I was 11 years old, I already designed chairs from straws. My parents still have the little designs in their living room. It took a wile before I settled into to the Design Academy. I started out studying ‘Man and Well-Being’, but the way of working didn’t suit me. So I switched to ‘Man and Leisure’, which was much more open. I could do exactly what I wanted there, which was good. Sander: I graduated with a DIY distilling machine: a brochure that describes what you need to make one yourself. You can buy all the materials at any DIY store.

How do you get from a distilling machine to coffee cups?

Sander: I love to combine materials and objects that do not match at first glance. This way, you create something new, something unusual. For the Candle holder (the Chandelier with a fork) I was looking for a solid saucer. I couldn’t seem to buy the saucer without getting the cups that go with them. So the cups were ‘left overs’. This is how ‘Cup light’ came about. Marijke: Sander just doesn’t like throwing things away.  

What would you like to change in your home?

We would like to redo the kitchen and the attic.

Where do you want to live 10 years from now?

Marijke and Sander together: in Berlin! Marijke did an internship there in 1999. The first time she was there she felt right at home. We love this lively and vibrant city. The people there are very open-minded and there is a lot of creativity.

What does your dream house look like?

A nice building with a studio downstairs, we would live on the first and second floors and then on the third floor we would have guest rooms. That would be nice, but we don’t think that dream will ever come true. Actually we are perfectly fine living here. With a small child it is nice to live close to family. We would miss them, and also our friends. But we would really enjoy living and working in Berlin for a short while!

Who are your examples/heroes/favourite designers?

We aren’t really focused on examples or heroes. Sander: I can get very happy from a nicely designed switch. The Jielde lamp for example has a beautiful mechanism. When we are on holiday we often go to DIY stores and supermarkets to find quirky things. Our glass cabinet in the hallway is full with it. Marijke: it is mostly about having fun in our work. I could name Charles and Ray Eames, but recently I watched a documentary and found out that these people were not happy at all. Then I think: is that an example? We do love beautiful things. Marijke: I am really into vintage kitchenware such as Pyrex, Finel/Arabia and Figgjo Flint. Because of the beautiful graphic and folkore designs.

 

Name a negative trait of yours that is causing you the most problems

Sander: The cleaning and tidying obsession of Marijke. Marijke: Sander is the  ‘leave your socks where you take them off’ type, there is always lots of stuff at the bottom of the stairs. We do balance eachother out though, without Sander I would probably be cleaning all day.

What inspires you? Do you perhaps have a favourite blog or website that you like to visit?

Sander: Something that I see on the street or in the second-hand store. I do visit blogs every now and then, but that is often already too beautiful, already finished. When we go on holiday, I like to go to the supermarket or DIY store looking for quirky objects or materials. Actually it is full of useless stuff, but for us it is a source of inspiration because it is simply quirky. Marijke: and as a graphic designer, I take photos of letters and things that I see. So not design books or typographical posters but actually things I see around me while I’m walking down the street.

Lucas and Lucas collection is available at BijzonderMooi ~ in Dutch ~ in German

..Lucas and Lucas

..all images by Vorstin 
..translation by xPattyCake

 

Mar.ly by Marly Gommans

{Photography: Marjon Hoogervorst ~ Words: Sandra Jacobs ~ Translation: Nanette Watson}

Founder of Mar.ly is Marly Gommans and she lives with Mark and their cat Ralph in Tilburg, the Netherlands. A link house in a charming old neighbourhood.

When you look out your window you see

We live in an old neighborhood that is being renovated. The neighborhood is very mixed, with lots of young families, as well as elderly people and students, close to the city (only 8 minutes on foot). I used to want to live in Amsterdam but that is simply unaffordable these days and now I actually prefer living in Tilburg as it is so centrally located in the Netherlands. Why Tilburg? Mark studied in Tilburg so it made sense for us to settle here and we’ve stayed on after Mark completed his studies. Historically, Tilburg has been quite an industrious town; hard working, friendly people who respect each other. Especially in a neighborhood such as ours this is very noticeable. Everyone is friendly and doing his or her own thing but still very much part of a close-knit community where no one really lives in isolation.

What do you like to do most when you are at home?

I like to watch art movies such as Les Amours Imaginaires! But this weekend we saw a Quentin Tarantino movie and I love that too, so I guess you could say I have broad interests ;-) There have been times when I could watch as many as 5 movies a week but on average about 3 or 4 for sure. I also like to mill around the house, organize things, DIY stuff. I can actually get pretty frightened by the idea that our house might actually be finished because we do not want to leave here yet. I was raised with the idea that when your house is finished, you move. I like to make things fit together in our home. It is different from designing for my work because that is really aimed at creating products. At home there is no rush to get things done and less pressure, so that gives me a nice and relaxed feeling. 

Do you take your work home with you?

I try not to do that and make my home really my home.  So I am very glad I have a work place outside of the house. The only work that I do at home is photo shopping. I am more relaxed at home and allows me to focus a bit more. I have two interns, so my day ‘at work’ is rather structured.

Do you use your designs in your own house?

Yes! The scratching pole ‘Cats in Style Scratch Post!’ of course, and the cat cushion and cat litter box and my bag ‘Woodbag’ is hanging on the coat rack in the hallway. The Dressed Wood cabinet XS is also in the hallway.

What would you take with from your house if you were only allowed to take one thing?

Almost everything here in this house has a story to tell, so I find it difficult to answer this.  For instance, to me personally, the scissors on the hallway wall are very important. They used to belong to my dad and before that to his grandfather. The little clock from Kiki van Eijk is also special to me because of the sweet inscription. When I read it, I thought: oh they really must have been happy with me. Kiki gave me the clock when I completed my internship with her.

Was there ever a moment while growing up where you thought: yes, I’m going to be a designer?

Actually, I wanted to become an engineer. I had heard that from someone else and seemed like a pretty good idea at the time. We used to do a lot of arts and crafts at home though. My dad was always welding in his workshop making bicycles and my mother made jewellery and dolls, more as a hobby. I was raised with the idea that you can, basically, make anything. In elementary school, I participated in a jewellery-making contest organized by a local jeweler. They explained in class what you were supposed to do and I remember that half our class wasn’t listening when they explained the rules but I couldn’t wait to start. I really loved it that my design won first prize and they made a golden model of it with a real diamond.  I thought: this is it! This is what I want to do when I grow up. I found it so magical that my design became a real product. I already knew early on that I wanted to go to the Design Academy. 

What would you like to change in your home?

Probably its location. I would like to still have this house, but then perhaps in a quieter place. I like to listen to music at home. But here you always have to be considerate to your neighbors, so I cannot turn up the volume as much as I would like sometimes! 

Where do you want to live 10 years from now? What does your dream house look like?

I would prefer to live in an old house in a quiet neighborhood.  Not too old as we would not want to renovate it ourselves, but something with few walls and lots of glass and a view on the stables, and a field for my future horse. And a studio at the house would also be very nice. If you would have asked me this two years ago I would have said Amsterdam, so I wonder how I will feel about it in a couple of years from now ;-).

Who is your example/hero/favourite designer?

Maison Martin Margiela is really my hero. He has been for a long time. Everything fits into each detail. He puts his mark on everything in a very beautiful and refined way. The shops, each photo shoot, clothing, perfume bottles, everything makes sense. My heroes are mostly in fashion because they deal with designing in a very different way. Most product designers are only concerned with the product and in fashion it is the entire setting. For me that is design. It’s not that I would have wanted to study fashion instead as that would not have made sense for me either; I wouldn’t want to enter the battle of the fashion industry. It wouldn’t have given me the same positive vibe that I have now in my current work. 

Name a negative trait of yours that is causing you the most problems

I should probably take it easier sometimes. Things have to be perfect. I’m really into details. I can look for hours for the right toilet paper that ‘suits’ our toilet and our cat Ralph has been picked for his color ;-). He matches the couch exactly, ha, ha. Sometimes I think to myself: Marly, it would be better for your health if you would collect beautiful things a little bit less obsessively. But on the other hand, that is also why I do what I do. 

What inspires you? Do you perhaps have a favourite blog or website that you like to visit?

I look at fashion designers a lot. How they use materials. The products that I design are often designed with the material in mind.  For instance, the idea that wood and leather make a nice combination (Woodbag). My cat project ‘Cats in Style!’ came about out of necessity. We had to buy a scratch pole and a cat litter box, and I thought: this is impossible… I can’t let this into my house. This can be done better. Then I get eager to design it. This is a world problem ;-). 

 

Mar.ly's collection is available at BijzonderMooi ~ in Dutch ~ in English

..Mar.ly

..all images by Vorstin 
..translation by xPattyCake

Ontwerplabel Vij5

  {Photography: Marjon Hoogervorst ~ Words: Sandra Jacobs ~ Translation: Nanette Watson}

Face-to-face: a designer's profile with Arjan van Raadshooven and Anieke Branderhorst from ontwerplabel Vij5

 

Arjan and Anieke are ontwerplabel Vij5 and live together with their 2 black cats named Joey and Stein. The type of house they live in is a corner unit from the nineteen fifties in the Netherlands.

When you look out your window you see 

Our 15 metre deep backyard, with lots of edible stuff. We don’t really have green fingers but we do our best. We like everything that is edible in our yard. We already grow a lot: grapes, tomatoes, raspberries, herbs, etc. We enjoy sitting on the bench in front of our fire basket in the back of the yard. 

What do you like to do most when you are at home?

Not a lot. We like to read a bit or watch a movie. Arjan: I prefer watching shows such as ‘Game of Thrones’ in which I can completely lose myself. It’s a very nice way to ‘switch off’. Anieke likes to cook a lot, which varies from baking cookies to preparing complete meals. She can easily spend 45 minutes in the kitchen after a day of work. We don’t eat anything involving packaged or ready-made meals. We find it important to eat healthy, which also makes it easier to sustain long working hours. Anieke takes a PowerYoga class once a week and also does some exercises at home.  

Do you take your work home with you?

No. Work is often on the mind still, but we try to avoid crawling behind the computer at home. We do work late sometimes, but then we do this at our studio, and not at home. We also talk a lot in the car about our work because we are on the road often. 

 

Do you use your designs in your own house?

We mainly have products and prototypes of other designers in our own collection, such as the Lloop lamp by Ontwerpduo, the Sample series jewelry by rENs, Le Belge System by Reinhard Dienes, the glass carafe ‘Schenk’ (Dutch for ‘to pour’) by Bas van Raay and the stool ‘Wrapped’ by  Floris Hovers. We only add designs to our own collection that we enjoy ourselves. The consequence is of course that we then also put these in our own home. We also own a prototype of the Tabloid Table, which we have designed in cooperation with Floris. We also exchange designs with other designers sometimes.

What would you take with from your house if you were only allowed to take one thing?

Our two cats ;-) Everything else is material.

What did you study?

Anieke studied at the Design Academy (Identity, followed by Communication) and I (Arjan) studied Architecture. We’ve known each other since our student days. Arjan got a bit of the taste for design from me (Anieke). The Flex Vase was our first joint product. Arjan: I enjoy product design, the small scale of it is manageable. Architecture is more abstract. Arjan: We both look at things differently but at the moment that we agree we know it is right. Arjan: I look at things more strategically whereas Anieke looks at the finished product and how to perfect it. We do the design work together, which is somewhere in the middle.

What would you like to change in your home?

Anieke: I think I would change the environment before the house itself. I would rather look out over a field then at the other side of a street. Arjan: I would like to have our studio nearby and I would like to own a showroom.

Where do you want to live 10 years from now? What does your dream house look like?

We don’t have a real dream house in mind, but a place (not new) where we could combine living and working in a creative way would be nice. I doesn’t matter so much where it is located. The Netherlands is so small. We are used to driving. You shouldn’t live somewhere to find peace and quiet. Not WHERE you live but HOW you live is important. You need to find peace within. Arjan: that one can go on a bumper sticker ;-)  A large garden with a green house would also be nice. But then we also should have a gardener (laughs).

Who is your example/hero/favourite designer?

Arjan: We are not so focused on specific names. Scholten & Baijings creates nice work (very nice shapes) and we like Floris Hovers very much, but they are not examples for us. We don’t place anyone on a pedestal. You need to work together and that is the most fun part. Then you get to create the most beautiful things.

  

Name a negative trait of yours that is causing you the most problems

Arjan: I am too direct and can do 16 things at a time but that is also efficient. Anieke: you cannot do 16 things at the same time! But you do accomplish a lot in one day. Anieke can really take her time for things and that makes me jealous but then I also sometimes think: get on with it already!

Arjan: your biggest quality is also your biggest pitfall. It’s possible to lose sight of things: we take too many decisions based on emotions. Which on one hand is good, but sometimes you need to be rational as well. You cannot run a business based on emotions alone. 

What inspires you? Do you perhaps have a favourite blog or website that you like to visit?

We read blogs and magazines to stay in tune with what is going on, but not really for inspiration. We also use Internet sometimes to check if a design doesn’t already exist. We often get magazines as proof when we publish in it. The mix of magazines is very nice. Our design process largely consists of us talking. Most designs we thought of during a drive somewhere. Luckily we understand each other very well. We need very little words. And then it is only a matter of working out the details once we are back in the studio ..!

Ontwerplabel Vij5's collection is available at BijzonderMooi ~ in Dutch ~ in English

 

..ontwerplabel Vij5
..BijzonderMooi 
..all images by Vorstin
..translation by xPattyCake

 

And a little extra today ... this short video made for us by Jonna van Hesteren

 

Jurianne Matter

{Photography: Marjon Hoogervorst ~ Words: Sandra Jacobs }

Face-to-face: a designer's profile with Jurianne Matter of Jurianne Matter, Paper Design from Holland

 

Jurianne lives with Peter and sons Eise and Brecht in an early 60s link house in a pitoresque village in the Netherlands.

If you look out your window you see

Green! Always green, everywhere. That's what makes this place special. While the view into my garden may not be extensive, it is not blocked by any houses.

What do you prefer to do when you get home?

Well, to be honest, I am always working when I am at home. Somehow my work and private life have always merged. For me the most precious time at home is Sunday mornings. Getting up early and starting my day with an espresso and newspaper when everyone is still asleep, I end up blogging and ‘pinteresting’ in my office. Still a bit of work! Once everyone wakes up, I make Sunday breakfast (with fruit shakes and eggs). Then the men in my house basically disappear to do their thing – I guess that is what happens when raising two adolescent sons...

My workroom feels like a (custom made) coat. Compact, small, with a door that can be closed! It’s also necessary because I am easily distracted. I only put music on when I'm ironing, driving, or designing. 

 

Are your designs in your own home?

No, not really. Except for my little lanterns, which are in the kitchen and now it is almost Christmas of course my Angels and Circles are in the Christmas tree. When I am done with a new design, I really need to take a break from it. In the beginning of the designing process, I am totally in love with my new design, and I dive in all the way. Because of that it takes a while after the production before I find it beautiful again. Partly because I first have to get positive feedback. I’m quite insecure about my designs. It is always scary what people might think of your work. 

What do you take from your house if you could bring 1 thing?

My teapot by Jens Quistgaard. Tea is really my cup of comfort. And the original Pierre Paulin chair. It is so fantastic. I am very attached to it. It's been a family heirloom and has been in our home for 10 years now. I remember as a toddler I literally lived in this chair.

Was there ever a moment while growing up when you thought: yes, I’m going to be a designer?

Actually, I wanted to be a conductor for a large orchestra or an inventor of “Beautiful Things”. I used to make funny machines from cardboard. People who inserted a coin, could pull a lever and received a sweet little surprise out of my machine. I was not the type of person with any technical abilities but somehow I managed to make it work. Especially constructing the idea for it to work attracted me to. That “design-way-of-thinking” is what I really like to do. I am also the ultimate late bloomer. I always wanted to study languages (did that for 2 years); my parents wanted me to study performing arts, but the thought was too scary for me. I was the first student to enroll in the Artemis academy program. I felt like that training was made for me. 

What would you like to change in your home?

I only wish it was three times bigger, nothing else. It has lots of natural light, it is green and modern. The location is top notch. We are close to the moor, and I'm only 20 minutes away from Amsterdam. I am happy with the social coherence around here, a very close-knit neighborhood, really like a village.

Where do you want to live in the next 10 years? What would your dream house look like?

More to the east of the Netherlands (where I come from). I would love to live in a big 60s bungalow that was designed by some well-known architect, with high ceilings, wooden panels and slate floors.

Who is your model / hero / favorite designer?

Tineke Beunders of Ontwerpduo. She is such a nice person. She stays true to herself (she doesn't look in magazines or read blogs) and transforms her ideas seemingly without effort to materials or design. I admire her confidence! Scholten and Baijings are in my mind genuine trendsetters. This whole new neon trend? I think they were the first! And Sabien Engelenburg (Engel.) Everything about Sabien and her work is very real. I admire her for the efforts she puts into her business and very importantly: she shares her knowledge.

What is a negative trait of yours where you have the most bothering you?

The cozy chaos in my head. I should really try my best to focus. I am very easily distracted by my business, by my phone, Twitter, Pinterest, etc. I should lock myself up in my room. My room must be ‘clear’ with no noise and then I can design. I also suffer from perfectionism. Creating a better or more beautiful design. It's a tricky characteristic to have, but also a good one at times. Fortunately, there is always a moment when I say to myself “this is the best I can do for now and under these circumstances.” That turning point in my mind is sacred to me. Only then I can accept that my work is good. It doesn’t matter to me, if in a month’s time I think “what on earth was I thinking when I picked that color?”

 

 

What are you inspired by? Did you put a favorite blog or website where you can enjoy watching?

Mainly by nature, by northern European traditions and folklore, and by people who are craft masters. I am also fond of Midcentury Modern design (especially ceramics). I get inspired by large and small museum. Just by looking around. I find lots of inspiration on the Internet via Pinterest (want to know me? Look at my Pinterest boards) and through Bloesom, Modern Findings,Handmade Charlotte and magazines such as Elle Decoration UK.

Jurianne Matter's collection is available at BijzonderMooi ~ in Dutch ~ in English

 

..Jurianne Matter

..all images by Vorstin

..BijzonderMooi

Jannita van den Haak

{Photography: Marjon Hoogervorst ~ Words: Sandra Jacobs ~ Translation: Nanette Watson}

Face-to-face: a designer's profile with Jannita van den Haak from Jannissima

Jannita Lives with Arwin Caljouw in a working class home from 1956 in the Netherlands.

When you look out your window you see 

Tranquility and space; our garden faces south. When you look the other way, you can see new developments where there once used to be a park. The entire neighbourhood has been renovated. Kind of useful as now we have a supermarket and tennis courts at our disposal.

What do you like to do most when you are at home?

I like to spend time lazing in my sun bed with an Italian novel or magazine. I love the sun. I like to read Italian. My dad always listened to Italian music (Eros Ramazzotti) in the car and from I was 6 years old I started noticing that.  I started to learn Italian this way, from the back seat of the car while going on holiday. I also enjoy tidying up my clothing cupboard on a Sunday afternoon. That really relaxes me. I don’t have time for that during the week. When I am at home we are also cooking and eating. Arwin is really the cook in the house. I am the hostess when people come over for dinner and I like to dress up the table. Arwin is very refined! Everything has to be perfect. This way, we have nicely divided the tasks ;-)

Do you take your work home with you?

We talk about it but being at home means to relax. There are books for inspiration but we do not work at home. I also check my email on my Ipad but I can’t really recommend that to anyone. It is a real automatism and not healthy to be online all the time.

Do you use your designs in your own house?

Arwin has done all the customization in our house. We also have a nice mix of our own designs, antiques and Ikea furniture. I made a dish of glass (a project at the Academy), I knitted copper on a knitting machine and melted glass over that. This resulted in a kind of stillness in the glass. That was the start of working with glass. From this I discovered how diverse it is and what all you can do with it. My jewellery collection originated from that. And of course the bags I designed. First backpacks and now also leather purses. For years, I’ve been putting the travel theme into my designs. We also own a lot of souvenirs. I now have my first Fornasetti (an Italian designer) and I am very happy with that. It is a ceramic object of a winking woman.

We love to travel because of the experience and like to take with nice souvenirs from our travels. Nice ceramics with a story; like the Sicilian head. The story behind that is that an Italian woman fell in love with a slave, a forbidden love. Her dad killed her slave and put the head on the land. She went to sit and cried above it and then the land became very fertile and the family very rich. Ever since then, the ceramic variant of the head is a symbol for fertility and richness.

What would you take with from your house if you were only allowed to take one thing?

My Fornasetti. That was the first piece I bought. I would also take the mannequin head from Malta and the complete contents of my clothing cupboard (laughs). Ah, decisions, decisions...

Was there ever a moment while growing up when you thought: yes, I’m going to be a designer?

I already designed clothing for my Barbie dolls when I was a child and accessories for me and my friends, such as hats and broaches. We even created complete miniature villages of carton and paper. In high school, I made costumes and decors for plays. When someone from the Design Academy came for a visit, I was convinced. Before that I always thought I would become a lawyer ;-) and my mother hoped I was going to become a hairdresser (as she is one also).

What would you like to change in your home?

Quite a lot if money wouldn’t be a problem. We have a large garden, so I would extend the house. And renovate the attic. But I would also find it ok if the next tenant does it.

Where do you want to live 10 years from now? What does your dream house look like?

My ideal house is a one level house in the middle of the city, a roomy loft in Milan or Amsterdam. I also lived in an apartment in Italy for a year. I studied in Rome for a year (theatre design). That was great. I come from a small town and was raised in a very sheltered environment. That year in Rome was really good for me in that I learned to make my own decisions. It was a life-changing experience.

Who is your example/hero/favourite designer?

I have a few. Paul Smith because of his store policy. Each store is different and he has many. I am very proud of the fact that he bought one of my bags. Here in the Netherlands, I really think Marlies Dekkers is an example. She is a real businesswoman with a design imperium, very cleverly done. I am also a fan of Givenchy (they make really beautiful luxury bags), Lanvin and Martin Margiela and of course Marc Jacobs, and Patricia Urquiola from Spain because of her beautiful techniques.

Name a negative trait of yours that is causing you the most problems

I find it very tough to let go! I have at least 10 people working in my team. I can’t be everywhere all the time, which is difficult as it is my company. I also want to initiate too many new things but I really need to be strict to myself. However corny: there is a time to blossom and a time to grow. Sometimes you need to take the time to blossom.

What inspires you? Do you perhaps have a favourite blog or website that you like to visit?

I like professional mailings, such as Textillia and Fashion United. I also visit exhibitions to get inspired by other designers, i.e. Salon del Mobile and the fashion fair in Paris (Pret a Porter). Arwin sends me links of Bright and Coolhunting. But the greatest thing is to be travelling about and discovering new things.

Jannissima's collection is available at BijzonderMooi ~ in Dutch ~ in English

..Jannissima
..Jannissima designs

..all images by Vorstin 
..translation by xPattyCake

Floris Hovers

{Photography: Marjon Hoogervorst ~ Words: Sandra Jacobs ~ Translation: Nanette Watson}

Face-to-face: a designer's profile with Floris Hovers from Floris Hovers Designs

Floris lives with Eva, their children Ronja, Katrijn, Abel and Winnie the cat in a small working class home (from the 19 hundreds) in Raamsdonk, the Netherlands.

When you look out your window you see

At the front of the house, we can see horses. A little while ago, there were even air balloons lifting off in front of our house. At the back of the house, there is a big field where they grow corn. You can also see the dykes from there. It is a very nice and open area. 

What do you like to do most when you are at home?

I like to work in the garden. Keep myself busy. I like being at home anyway and keep things neat. I am also the one who cleans the house. It doesn’t have to be spic and span but it does need to be tidy again at the end of the day. What is a useful about this being a small house, is that it takes only 10 minutes to vacuum and mop the floors.

You work from home. Do you find it easy to let go in the evenings?

Mostly, but it is a continuing process; similar to the business itself really. I am a night owl and enjoy ending the day with a nice glass of port, while sitting on the garden bench. That has become kind of a ritual. It’s my way of pondering over the day. Get everything in order again.

Do you use your designs in your own house?

Yes, I use lots of prototypes, all experimental things. Those are actually the nicest, as no concessions have been done to them yet. I don’t own a lot of design, other than a table by Piet Hein Eek (I bought it for very little at the end of my apprenticeship), which I use as a desk now. I also own a ‘Lluslamp’ by Ontwerpduo and a chair by Tiesencoo. In this phase of my life, everything has to be practical and affordable. I also own things from Ikea. I know very well what is nice but it doesn’t fit here right now. The standard chair by Jean Prouvé (Vitra) for example. I would love to have that next to my kitchen table. Or the ‘polder’ couch by Hella Jongerius, which is also very beautiful. I generally tend to like ‘has beens’. I like it when things come together in your home. I inherited a cupboard from the previous occupants. I was allowed to keep it. The inside was already green and I really liked that! I took out the doors so you can see the colour better. Things have to grow over time and that is the same with an interior.

 

What would you take with from your house if you were only allowed to take one thing?

I think I would take my violin. It used to belong to my grandfather. I would also take my cigar box in which I keep things that are dear to me: photos, post cards... it contains a mix of all kinds of stuff. It is sitting on my bedside table. It is almost what I would call a ‘life chest’.

Was there ever a moment while growing up when you thought: yes, I’m going to be a designer?

When I look back, I realize that I was always busy doing arts and crafts. I was a master at drawing. I still do that now but nothing publicly. I am now making drawings for a history book.

That is also the real Floris, my true self: toys and children’s books. You can see that in our home as well. Lots of children’s books. It doesn’t all have to be that intellectual. I am very eclectic, which is reflected in my work, more and more. I want to work with multiple materials and colours in one design. And then try and find the balance in that. I am now creating a chair with typical colour combinations and typical shapes. A little bit like my home is right now. You wonder: is this right? But the overall atmosphere is good.

What would you like to change in your home?

I own a box with little cars that I collect. They are all in boxes still. It would be nice to have that in a studio or office sometime. I’d also like to extend the house a bit in the long term, so my children can each have their own bedroom. What I would also like is a cement floor with in the middle a wooden floor. I’ve seen that somewhere once and I think that would look nice. For now, I’m perfectly happy though and I already find it a challenge to maintain it. I don’t strive for richness or poorness. I don’t miss anything. I work nearby and that is already such luxury. I can take my kids to school, which I find a very nice time of the day. We also have lunch at home.

Where do you want to live 10 years from now? What does your dream house look like?

In a little house with a big garden. An old farm or mansion with high ceilings and a nice orchard. Alternatively, an old school from the fifties or sixties in the style of the ‘Bossche school’ with large windows. It does have to be in this area though. I am a bit of a homebody. I like this place so much that I could live here the rest of my life.

Who is your example/hero/favourite designer?

I always mention the same names but there are so many. Outside of my own profession, I admire the person Anton Pieck. Because of his vision and his eye for detail. And the composer Yann Tiersen (he wrote the music for the movie 'Amelie'). That is my kind of music. I would love to be able to do that as well. If I were able to do that I would give up my work as a designer. I would love to perform with him. That would really be a dream come true. I am now a director of a children’s choir. Music is very important to me. 

Name a negative trait of yours that is causing you the most problems

I am not an easy person to live with I think. Ask Eva;-) I really married the right woman. I am insecure and that causes me problems sometimes. I can envy other designers (I don’t mean jealous) because of their way of presenting. My reservedness is also ok I guess. It’s just the way I am. I do things my own way.

What inspires you? Do you perhaps have a favourite blog or website that you like to visit?

I am an analogue person. That is conscious decision. I’m not on Facebook or Twitter. I phone and I email but that’s about it. I can’t make time for something else. Inspiration has to come my way. The inspiration is in the world around you. We were on holiday in France recently. We were driving over an old toll highway. I can get completely lyrical over a construction like that. I memorize it and then later on I make a sketch of it, which sometimes pops up in my designs later on.

Floris Hovers' collection is available at BijzonderMooi ~ in Dutch ~ in English 

..Floris Hovers Designs

..all images by Vorstin 

..translation by xPattyCake

 

 

Anne Olde Kalter from LaFarme

{Photography: Marjon Hoogervorst ~ Words: Sandra Jacobs ~ Translation: Nanette Watson}

Face-to-face: a designer's profile with Anne Olde Kalter from LaFarme

Anne lives with Dirk in a very characteristic and authentic house, which used to be a small farm in Watergang, a small village near to Amsterdam.

When you look out your window you see

I see a drawbridge, the canals of the wetlands and a small orchard. During the past winter, the canals were frozen and thousands of skaters came by in our usually quiet little town. In the summer, you can see many boats go by.

What do you like to do most when you are at home?

I work at home so I am there quite a lot. The nicest thing about living here is being outside, close to nature. I also love to cook together with Dirk. We also use fresh produce from our own backyard, as we have our own kitchen yard since this year!

Do you take your work home with you?

Work and private life aren’t really separated. I enjoy the luxury to work in my pyjamas in the morning. I am not jealous of all those people stuck in traffic jams. I try to do a lot of work during the day, but it can get late sometimes. I just want to do quality work and it is nice and quiet at night. I do have a lot of perseverance I think J. I don’t stop until I’m happy with it. I do try to make appointments in town. From here, I can be in the centre of Amsterdam within 15 minutes. It feels as if we are living partly outside of the city.

Do you use your designs in your own house?

Yes I do. It makes me rather happy. I try to make things that I like to look at myself. In addition to graphic design work, I’ve started doing ceramics, mostly for relaxation, although the china cupboard is getting slightly full from it!

What would you take with from your house if you were only allowed to take one thing?

I love to scour flea markets to find things with a story behind them. ‘One of a kind’ things are more valuable to me then mass-produced stuff, but if I would buy a ticket now to a far away place, I also wouldn’t need to pack a lot. A few photos perhaps. I have collected a blue and white crockery set but if I would have to start again, it also wouldn’t be a train wreck. It is actually quite funny, as you collect a lot of stuff around you but in actual fact it is easily replaceable.

Was there ever a moment while growing up where you thought: yes, I’m going to be a designer?

I wanted to become an architect when I was younger, or a Flying Doctor. That seemed like fun J as then you could be a doctor and a pilot at the same time. In any case, it had to be something cool. I always liked to draw. I first studied communications, and then decided it wasn’t for me. Then I wanted to do something creative. So I studied Art Direction. Having a background in these two studies is now very useful, I’ve noticed. My parents are also very creative. My father writes and my mother does sculptures, but they both have a medical profession. You have to find your own purpose in life. My little brother summed it up nicely recently: “The things you do, you really do with attention and passion. And that is why you develop in a positive way”. I feel fortunate that people often come to me with projects. A privileged position to be in, I think.

What would you like to change in your home?

This is a rental house so we can’t change anything but I would like to have more windows. Then I could enjoy the view even more. In the bedroom, a large window for the view and a woodstove would be really nice.

Where do you want to live 10 years from now? What does your dream house look like?

I’d live in two houses J. They don’t have to be big: one Swedish stuga in a field and one house in a quiet place in town. I miss the city every now and then.  The house in the city does have to be in Amsterdam.

Who is your example/hero/favourite designer?

Stephan Sagmeister is my big hero. He creates really cool stuff. He is a graphic designer who lives in New York nowadays. Much of his work comes from his own experiences. He wrote a nice book a few years ago: ‘Things I have learned in my live so far’. In it, he visualizes one-liners that he has collected over time in a special typographic way. One of my favourite one-liners from that book is: ‘Complaining is useless, either act of forget’. 

Name a negative trait of yours that is causing you the most problems

I always say yes to everything, but sometimes it is a bit too much. I plan too tightly. I always think: oh, I can do that quickly. When I buy my new iPhone, I hope that I can plan everything better as I will always have my agenda with me, but the iPhone won’t say ‘no’ for me of course. 

What inspires you? Do you perhaps have a favourite blog or website that you like to visit?

Discovering new cities I find inspiring. I’ve been in New York with a few friends when I quit my job and followed a letterpress course there, which was considered very hip & happening. That is where the one-liner: 'Ma’am step away from the computer' came from. I used to work for an advertising agency as a creative where I was sitting behind the computer the whole day. I wasn’t happy there and wanted to do something different. For the course I had to develop a one-liner to print. I thought it up when I was sitting in the plane to New York, after quitting my job to focus on handmade design.

I visit pinterest a lot, although I’m a lazy ‘pinner’…I repin a lot though, ha,ha. I also like to visit these blogs: color collective, uppercase (also a cool magazine!!) , the style rookie (16 year old style icon). 

 

 La Farme's collection is available at BijzonderMooi ~ in Dutch ~ in English ~ in German

..LaFarme

..all images by Vorstin 

..translation by xPattyCake

 

 

Nienke Sybrandy

{Photography: Marjon Hoogervorst ~ Words: Sandra Jacobs ~ Translation: Nanette Watson}

Face-to-face: a designer's profile with Nienke Sybrandy from Studio Nienke Sybrandy

Nienke lives with Sander in a new apartment in IJburg, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

When you look out your window you see..

I see the playground from the school located around the corner, with children playing the entire day. We used to have an open view of the Rembrandt tower but now everything is completed filled with new construction. What’s good is that the trees are getting bigger all the time.  We don’t have a garden but we do have lots of windows. What’s also nice is that we are right at the lake (IJsselmeer) as soon as we walk out of our street.

What do you like to do most when you are at home?

I like to cook and eat together with Sander. We love Italian food: lots of pastas and risottos. I recently found a very nice book with lots of delicious recipes: La Cucina Verde (the most delicious Italian vegetable recipes). I also like to read a lot of books. The television is hardly ever on. It is actually silly that we have two television sets.

Do you take your work home with you?

YES. I often keep working in my studio until late, so we also often eat at Italian times. Sander has usually prepared dinner by then. Sander is really my sidekick. When you work alone, it’s still good to be able to consult someone every now and then.

Do you use your designs in your own house?

Not really, except for the new cushions. I have one damask tablecloth, but that really only gets used at special occasions. Sander really wanted to have one of those. When you move into a home, there are often already holes in the wall. The house is passed on to the new occupants with a past of its own. By putting a golden plug in the wall you can mark the spot, reminding you of the previous occupants.

 

What would you take with from your house if you were only allowed to take one thing?

Coincidentally, this happened to me about two years ago. There was a car on fire at 6:00 in the morning in the parking garage underneath our house. We heard someone knocking on our door and sirens going off. Sander handled the situation very well but I was sort of paralyzed. At that time I did look around to see if there was anything I really couldn’t do without. I ended up taking a picture of my dad. I am very attached to that photo.

Was there ever a moment while growing up where you thought: yes, I’m going to be a designer?

This happened almost by change. I like to be ‘taken’ by a story and I think theatre is a great way to tell stories. I went to study theatre design and wanted to do more with costumes, but that wasn’t a subject taught at the school I was at, so I ended up going to the Rietveld Art Academy instead. During my graduation year, I encountered a way of working in the textiles department that I really liked a lot. I ended up graduating with a series of products: ‘Zonder Titel, met Verhaal’ (‘Without Title, with Story’). All of a sudden, I was a designer, but it only really came together for me once I started my Master’s degree in Free Arts. 

My work comes about from observations of daily life, small events in and around the home, the streetscape and everyday uses. My most favourite material, and muse, consists of objects that are so self-evident that they get overlooked. The work isn’t particularly colourful. Not so much consciously, but with a poster such as the ‘Bloemkopieën’ (‘Flower Copies’) it is part of the design. It simply has to be in black & white.

What would you like to change in your home?

I would never choose a red kitchen again. We chose this kitchen when the house wasn’t built yet. You buy a house based on a drawing and then you need to choose a kitchen at a very early stage.  Simply because it was possible to choose a colour we thought: red may be kind of fun. You do end up getting bored with it very quickly though.

Where do you want to live 10 years from now? What does your dream house look like?

I’d like to live in the neighbourhood of the ‘IJmeer’ lake. With a garden and a wood stove on the ground floor, and a shed to rummage in; the freedom of the outside but also the freedom of the city nearby. The nice thing about the city is that you can be part of it, that there is space for everyone. 

Who is your example/hero/favourite designer?

I admire many designers, artists and writers; I don’t consider one specific person as my example.

Name a negative trait of yours that is causing you the most problems

I am often in two minds about something, and that costs a lot of time. I really want it to be exactly right (I set high demands for myself). I am a bit clumsy at times; I tend to drop things... 

What inspires you? Do you perhaps have a favourite blog or website that you like to visit?

My inspiration is GOOGLE. You enter something and then you go from one to the next. You are ‘taken’ on a journey and that is what I like about Google: from an interesting blog to a review of holiday pictures. You can find the most amazing things this way. The Herbarium of Naturalis (the Museum of Natural History in Leiden) is also great. Other than that, photography is a source of inspiration for me. 

 

 Nienke Sybrandy her collection is available at BijzonderMooi ~ in Dutch ~ in English ~ in German

..Nienke Sybrandy 

..all images by Vorstin 

..translation by xPattyCake