Dutch Design Inspiration
A visual journal from my Amsterdam trip.
I’d normally be sharing a colour montage today, but having just come back from a trip to Amsterdam, I thought I’d mix things up a bit.
This week’s post is a little more visual than usual, with a curated collection of photos from my Amsterdam trip that I hope will inspire you too.
Volkshotel interior
Staying in the south of Amsterdam (Amsterdam Zuid), I checked into the fabulous and quirky Volkshotel.
There’s nothing better than an upgrade when you check in; so I was delighted to be told I’d been moved from an XS room to a spacious L room.
The decor was super-stylish, with bold red accents and a fabulous double-bed suspended from the ceiling.
The space also featured striking wall-art murals and a chain-mail screen leading into the bathroom; seriously cool details.
Even the entrance of the hotel was so cool. It’s no surprise it attracts a buzz of artists and young entrepreneurs making the most of the co-working space.
Red and white was a definite theme throughout; something you’ll have spotted in the colour montage at the start of this post.
And how cool is this….an old motor bike repurposed into a table and bench setup! This seems to be a local trend, as I saw the exact same idea at one of the restaurants I visited.
Head up to the top floor and you’ll find a stunning bar and balcony with panoramic views across Amsterdam. And if that wasn’t enough, the rooftop also features an incredible outside space, complete with a hot tub where you can unwind and take in the city skyline; which I took advantage of, after a run.
Look at this view!
Morning stroll
Just a 30-minute walk from the city centre, I enjoyed a couple of mornings taking a steady stroll into town for my meetings; soaking up the views and drawing inspiration from everything around me.
How fabulous is this black and white striped building; the home of Thonik Studio, a graphic design agency?
You could quite easily miss the architectural impact at first glance. From street level, it appears to be just a striped panel building. But when you look up, the real beauty is revealed; including the striking external staircase that gives the structure its character.
Whenever I travel, I always make a point of looking up; that’s often where the most interesting architectural details can be found.
Completely unexpected, these giant fir cones by Hans van den Ban; made with red optical fibre wire; positioned along the Weesperstraat, adding a playful interruption to the urban landscape.
Continuing the nature-inspired theme is this striking cross-stitch mural on the side of a building, an initiative by Studio Koekoek that invited members of the community to get involved and contribute to its creation.
I mentioned earlier that red accents are a recurring theme in the art and architecture photographed during my visit; and I especially love the bold rustic red shutters on this building, which happens to be the Rembrandt House Museum, once home to the Dutch painter Rembrandt van Rijn.
Even though it was a really overcast morning when I took this photo of Sint Antoniesbreestraat, the playful combination of colours on the buildings felt so uplifting.
If you’ve been reading my new mini-series 50km at 50: The Diary of an Ultramarathon Runner, you’ll know that during my visit to Amsterdam I went for a lovely run along the Amstel River one evening; and that’s when I came across this fabulous piece of street art on the side of a building.
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mi-space
I don’t usually share much about my day job, but the reason for my visit to Amsterdam was to reconnect with a design agency I’ve worked with on past projects for other brands.
Tucked right in the heart of the red light district is the space owned by multiple-identities.
"“A showroom, sometimes an event space, usually an office, occasionally a shop or pop-up”.
The mi-space is just too cool not to share, so here’s a mini montage.
And that concludes my 48-hour visit to Amsterdam. I hope you’ve enjoyed browsing through my visual journal; and I’d love to hear if any of the photos have inspired a future project.
The next edition of 50km at 50: The Diary of an Ultramarathon Runner will be available at 6.00pm (GMT) this Sunday. I hope you’ll have a read to see how week two of my ultramarathon training is shaping up.
Next week I’ll also be sharing my favourite dog-friendly holiday lets. So if you’ve got a four-legged friend and are tired of limited options when it comes to getaways, you won’t want to miss it!
Until then, enjoy the weekend.
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If you’ve enjoyed reading this post, you may also enjoy reading about my visit to Porto, Portugal:
Some amazing shots Sonya. The street art is seriously good though. I’ve only been to Amsterdam once, & it was just for the day, which you can’t appreciate much in that time. Your photos have inspired me to put it on the ‘to do’ list again! 👍
Love the criss-cross stitch mural and the caravan!