Designer_Visits

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

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

 

 

 

Renee Mennen and Stefanie van Keijsteren :: Studio rENs

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

Face-to-face: a designer's profile with Renee Mennen from rENs

Renee Mennen lives with Lex in a bright house in Eindhoven, in the Netherlands Together with Stefanie van Keijsteren she founded Dutch design studio rENs

When you look out your window you see

A nice, deep garden with lots of green and no neighbours peeking in.

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

I love to cook and most of all I love making soup: zucchini soup or pumpkin soup with homemade bread. I am a real ‘soup lover’, already from when I was a kid. I also like to mess about the house, move furniture around and tidy up my clothing cupboard. I am not really that neat, but I can really enjoy having all my clothes sorted according to colour.  Even though I know that it will be messy again within two days…

Do you take your work home with you?

No. As I know that when I take work home, it stays at the forefront of my mind, which causes me to sleep badly, so I try to minimize this as much as possible. Lex, my boyfriend, studies architecture and often works at home until very late. It sometimes happens that I end up helping him with his work, but that is different as it is not my own work.  

Do you use your designs in your own house?

Yes, several. I purposely do not purchase designs from other designers.  I enjoy it much more to collect items. If you buy something for a lot of money it is more difficult to part with it, which I find a shame. I do own work from my parents though. My parents are artists and real collectors. Their house is full with beautiful things that they have collected over the years.

We regularly get a phone call from my dad that he has found something new and interesting again. If we really wanted to, our studio and my whole house would be full too.

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

I’m not really that attached to things. I would be able to settle in anywhere and make it my own.

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

My parents have always said: you have to do work that you enjoy. That is the most important thing. But they of course do like it very much that I am a designer now. When I was younger, I didn’t really like it that things were different at our house; my parents are artists and live in an old school building. On top of it, I went to a very artsy school. As a kid, you want to be normal (and like all the other kids). Stupid actually, when you think about it (laughs).

My dad once built a wall in my bedroom because I thought the room was too big. But now I’m very proud of the way I grew up. I’ve always enjoyed a lot of freedom growing up.

 

We are now talking to you because we are visiting you at your house, but you AND Stefanie together are rENs. Can you tell us about your work together?

We have been working together since 2008 and before that we studied together at the School of Fine Arts and Design (AKV St. Joost) in Breda, the Netherlands. First comes are friendship, in which our stubbornness, impulsiveness and our ‘drive’ come together. As a duo, we are constantly looking for new challenges. This keeps our collaboration sharp and above all, a lot of fun! In our working approach as designers, we allow a lot of space for our spontaneity. We are inspired daily by sizes, shapes and proportions. Can a story, a design that has almost no function still have the appearance of a logical design, an industrial product? What would happen if you create a cupboard that doesn’t fit in any building? Does it then loose it function as a cupboard, because it can’t be used? Or does it receive a different sort of appreciation as a piece of furniture, because the cupboard is demanding it through its sheer size?

What would you like to change in your home?

I would very much like a different kitchen. Because I love to cook. Preferably as basic as possible; no designer kitchen. 

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

Hopefully, I’ll be living in an old factory, garage or maybe an old school building, somewhere in the city. I love the craziness and hectic feel of a city. Which city isn’t that important. For now, I like Eindhoven, but maybe I’ll be living in Berlin or Amsterdam in 10 years.

Who is your example/hero/favourite designer?

I think Rachel Whiteread is a very good artist. I find the scale in which she works very interesting. But I also like the tension between applied arts and free arts. Hussein Chalayan (fashion designer) also creates inspiring and authentic work.

It is difficult to stay authentic in these times. Both of these artists have managed to do this, and I admire that.

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

Stefanie thinks that I am chaotic and do not take good care of my personal belongings, ha, ha, which I guess is true to some extent. It is probably because I do not get attached to things that quickly, which makes it easier for me forget or loose something! And maybe I should have a bit more patience, but that applies to both of us.  

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

I get inspired by all kinds of things: things that I can see and that happen around me. We both do not really get a lot of inspiration of the internet. We much prefer browsing through books or scoping out a funny market or a second-hand shop. The best inspiration cannot be found on designer blogs or in magazines, but more in the things around us, in everyday life.

The rENs collection is available at BijzonderMooi ~ in Dutch ~ in English ~ in German

..studio rENs

..all images by Vorstin 

..translation by xPattyCake

 

Tineke Beunders :: Ontwerpduo

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

Face-to-face: a designer's profile with Tineke Beunders from Ontwerpduo 

Tineke lives with Nathan Wierink and their daughter Jasmijn in a small village in the Netherlands called Veldhoven. It is a rented link house. They both graduted - cum laude - from the design academy in Eindhoven and now work toegther as: Ontwerpduo. 

When you look out your window you see...

... a supermarket. I never realized that it would be so handy to have a supermarket this close. Nowadays, we always have fresh flowers and cookies in the house, which we didn’t used to have before. And when you look out the back window you can see our own backyard, which is also special as this is quite new for us. We used to rent from an ‘anti-squatting’ organization, where we had an enormous yard, but we didn’t really do anything with it, as we never knew how long we would be living there still. I like gardening, but it also shouldn’t take too much time. We love our greenhouse, which we found via the Internet after a long search. We also plan to put in a wooden stove. We spend a lot of time there.  

 

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

I can’t do nothing - it’s impossible. I’m always busy doing something. Since our studio is not at the house anymore, I have my sewing machine at home, and my favourite activity is making clothing for Jasmijn and myself. I watch very little TV. If I do, I use Apple TV to watch shows that I’ve missed: interesting documentaries and such. I hardly ever watch live TV, as I think it is a waste of my time. And if I am, I’m usually multi-tasking, like cleaning the house or something, ha, ha..

Do you take your work home with you?

Not really. Since we have our daughter Jasmijn, we work during the day. In the old days, we used to work from 9 in the morning till three o’clock in the morning. It is not my goal to become a famous designer. I want to do work that I enjoy, live in a nice place and have a comfortable live, which is not achieved by working every night. I do always feel like going to work. I don’t really understand people who count the days until the weekend.

Do you use your designs in your own house?

YES. It is cheap to put your own designs (dummies) in your own house. We try out a lot of stuff so our living room is pretty full. We also own some work from designer colleagues: rENs, Fraser Ross and Melissa Peen. We made a design for Mosa (a well-known Dutch tile manufacturer), and so ended up tiling our bathroom floor with little green tiles.

 

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

Despite my house being full with nice things, I don’t really get attached that easily. If there would ever be a fire, I would first think about my hard disk with all our files, very pragmatic in other words. If we were to move, then I would take the map with biking routes that is on the wall in our living room. It is our family biking route map, which we drew ourselves and each time we did a new route, we added another part. I don’t really put up photographs in our house that quickly, rather things like this personal map. It is very dear to me, as it brings back memories but it also determines our future biking routes.

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

I never really thought about it like that. I am simply doing what I was doing as a child already. I was quite introvert as a child. I liked playing in my room, doing arts and crafts. They did think I was a little weird back then. When I finally realized I could actually also make it my profession, it was a relief. All of a sudden everyone liked to do arts and crafts. I worked really hard but it is less difficult than doing something you do not enjoy.

What would you like to change in your home?

I would like to make it more special in the basics of it. Put in a tile floor with pink joints in the kitchen for example. But seeing that it’s a rental house, it is not such a smart thing to do. So we have instead incorporated it in the tables in our sunroom. What I miss the most is one big space. This rental house basically consists of little rooms and cubicles. It is very structured. Everyone in our block has everything organized in the same way because of it.

Oh.. and what I also really, really want is a fire place in the living room.

 

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

I’d like to live in an old farm that we can structure completely to our own liking, with an enormous barn to house our studio, including our greenhouse as we have now. Preferably located in the center of the Netherlands, a bit closer to our family. Since we have Jasmijn, we have come to realize we want to spend more time with family. From where we live now, we really have to make appointments in order to see each other.

Who is your example/hero/favourite designer?

I take on board a little bit of all the people who I find interesting. Jurianne Matter for example; I admire her enthusiasm, her drive, and she is very open (spontaneous). My mother and grandmother taught me to always be busy…and that this is fun. I also admire the working approaches of Jurgen Bey and Rianne Makkink. We visited their studio once and it had a really nice atmosphere. They see designing as a way of life, which is what I also hope to achieve for myself.

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

Well, I am a perfectionist, which is very annoying.  I have to learn to let go, as it takes a lot of time. I can really be very stressed, while Nathan doesn’t feel it at all. For example, I can get very annoyed when a presentation has not been printed properly. No one else who notices, but it bugs me. It also gets you somewhere, this perfectionism, so I guess it is also positive in a way.

 

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

Nathan visits blogs a lot. I don’t really know the names (I believe it is called DEZEEN). I am most at home in a library, and I go to second-hand shops to poke around, see images. Museums for old household appliances are also great, but the museum I like the best is the dollhouse museum, which I already used to visit as a small child. I was particularly impressed by the mini world.

I can also get really inspired by mixing things and colours by coincidence. And by my own childhood, especially now that Jasmijn is getting bigger and I look at things through her eyes. Where my own designs are concerned, I always start with a certain atmosphere. Take the ‘marbles table’ for example. It very much hinged around the atmosphere, with the table as a playful element. I never start from a practical viewpoint. E.g., I never start out thinking: “now I’m going to design a chair”. For example, ‘Cottage town’ came about because I was already in the habit of placing lego dolls in plants. I was already fascinated by the differences in scale since then.

 The Ontwerpduo collection is available at BijzonderMooi ~ in Dutch ~ in English ~ in German

..Ontwerpduo

..all images by Vorstin 

Photographer Marjon Hoogervorst has made many more beautiful images for this series if you would like to use some for a publication please drop her an email. 

..translation by xPattyCake

 

Mae Engelgeer: Studio Mae Engelgeer

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

Face-to-face: a designer's profile with Mae Engelgeer from Studio Mae 

Mae lives with (Do)minique and Evy Leigh in a ground floor apartment of a house in de Pijp, a wonderful neighborhood in Amsterdam ... 'small but lovely' she says. 

When you look out your window you see

A large new housing block, inspired by the old Amsterdam style. Beautiful and neat, but not entirely convincing I think. This is a narrow street with almost no green, really city-like. We were renting here before and we recently bought the place. As soon as you walk out of the street, you get into the lively area of town called ‘de Pijp’. That’s great! 

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

We mostly like to sit here at the small round table enjoying a meal with friends or just between the three of us. My boyfriend is a great cook. I’m not such a good cook myself, so I much rather prefer to eat (laughs). Of course I do throw myself at decorating the table etc. A very nice spot in the house is the bed; other than sleeping in it we also use it as a play area for Evy Leigh at the end of the day. A real family moment.

Do you take your work home with you?

Since we have Evy Leigh, I am better at ‘switching off’. As long as she is awake at least. As soon as she is in bed, I switch on the computer, and in between I check my email via my phone etc. I try to do as little work as possible during weekends, which isn’t really that realistic seeing I’m running my own company. I’m also thinking about it a lot. But I do try to also have quality time with family and friends. I sit behind the computer a lot and sometimes I need Do to pick up some work as well. I’m looking around for a new studio (in a laid back kind of way), also to increase visibility of my label. As soon as I have that, the big computer will go there. I have of course a laptop at the studio…

Do you use your designs in your own house?

Only recently. I never had large supplies and thought it a shame to have the designs in my own house but then I suddenly thought: why not? The samples are now in my house to test whether the fabric stays nice and if something actually ‘works’. My own designs also suit our house well, so why not enjoy them myself as well? Of course it is also a kind of calling card.

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

Jeez, that is a tough question. Almost anything is replaceable. Apart from old baby photos, I wouldn’t really take anything. We don’t own any artwork or antiques. We do own design products, but oh well…those are material possessions in the end. Oh no, wait…I have a new love: my Marc Jacobs handbag. I received this bag from my boyfriend for my 30^th birthday. That bag is very precious to me. I have a few old necklaces from both my grandmothers, I would like to take these and some babythings of Evy Leigh, like her blanket. Also the iMac with all my designs on it ;-)

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

I did like to draw a lot when I was a child. I had a lot of patience. I remember winning a lot of prizes. At a certain point my friends didn’t even want to participate anymore because we were always winning the prize. I was a bit of a ‘jumping jack’ and I dressed differently from other kids (funny combinations). I wanted to dress differently but my mother and sister advised me not to…So I didn’t until later...My mother and my sister thought I didn’t have any fashion sense. They have since then reconsidered and also own my products. I was also always redecorating and restyling my room and would save for a really nice vase or something.

When I finished high school, where I took a course in textiles, I went to the fashion design academy and realized early on that I really like textiles. A design starts with a feeling. By doing and experimenting something develops. I love the soft feeling of fabric. I look at the combination of colour and patterns. At first, my work was very ‘free form’ but now I like it more that my designs are really used, so that is why I switched to functional objects. My newest collection, WOWW,  started from a colour image. I also wanted to do something graphical and colourful. Bright colours in combination with patterns is really Mae.

What would you like to change in your home?

I wouldn’t mind adding a floor. A bit more space in other words. Then we could also get a bigger couch and one of those nice showcases, and… Now everything ‘just’ fits and that is also OK.  

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

I would still be in Amsterdam. I do not want to leave from here. I love the liveliness. Go everywhere by bike. The ultimate would be an old house that you can make ‘new’ again from the inside, at the edge of Amsterdam with a bit of green and animals, and a nice studio at home. 

Who is your example/hero/favourite designer?

Vivienne Westwood for how she approaches live. I think she is exactly who she projects to be. Something she said once I will always remember: ‘I have earned my wrinkles by working hard’. That is pure and real!

 

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

I am a bit too ambitious at times and have a real drive to go for something! Having Evy Leigh has taught me to be live in the now more and enjoy the moment. I do still want too much in too little time, and I plan everything in too tightly, which makes me having to rush all the time. But I am getting better at this…

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

Inspiration is a feeling. I get inspired by all kinds of things. By fashion in the street, by nice packaging of cookies, etc. I love to visit different blogs, like April and May… I like looking at blogs with nice images. It inspires me.

 

 The Mae collection is available at BijzonderMooi ~ in Dutch ~ in English ~ in German

..Mae Engelgeer

..all images by Vorstin 

Photographer Marjon Hoogervorst has made many more beautiful images for this series if you would like to use some for a publication please drop her an email. 

..translation by xPattyCake