Composed; In a city where space is scarce and ideas are constantly evolving, existing buildings are increasingly being given a new lease of life as creative workplaces. Former garages, chapels, or theaters are being transformed into inspiring spaces where working, meeting, and creating come together. The character of these places remains palpable: high ceilings, robust materials, and unexpected floor plans give each workplace its own identity. Reusing existing buildings not only creates space for new ideas, but also a sustainable way of developing. In this way, a new work culture emerges from the past, where history and creativity reinforce each other. Read more here.
In her home in Amsterdam Oud-Zuid, Marian Cramer developed a gallery practice that deviates from the classical model. Here, working and living are not separate domains, but together form the framework within which art is displayed, discussed, and followed. The proximity of the home changes the way we look at art: less formally, more personally, and with room for time. For Marian, it's all about taking time, looking, and guiding artists over the long term. Read more here
Aernoud Bourdrez operates in a world where art and law constantly intersect. As a lawyer, he represents artists, but as a collector, he allows himself to be shaped by them. His office is a studio full of stories, his practice a search for unexpected solutions. In this portrait, he explains how art sharpens his gaze and gives conflicts new directions. And why an X-ray from Jackass is more than just a curiosity to him.
Spotlight: 'Aatje'. In the heart of Amsterdam's creative and lively Wittenburg district stands a building full of character. It is the former studio and home of renowned artist Aat Veldhoen, known as a pioneer of graphic art in the Netherlands and a leading figure in the Amsterdam art scene of the 1960s and 1970s. In recent years, Eilandenboulevard has developed into a sought-after place to live and work, with a mix of historical charm and creative activity. Take a look at this unique building and find inspiration in the neighborhood guide.
Ten years of Shortlist Amsterdam: an anniversary with simple recipes for success. Amsterdam has matured as a food city, and Shortlist Amsterdam has grown with it over the past ten years. Sisters Famke and Floor van Praag are celebrating the anniversary of their cookbook series about great restaurants with a brand-new edition full of simple recipes for success. Classics with character, recipes that any home cook can make, and restaurants that guard the soul of the city. Read more here.
Light is never just light. For Dimitri Saddi, founder of PSLab, it is a language with which you tell stories. From their studios in Amsterdam, Antwerp, Paris, London, Bologna, Berlin, and their home base in Beirut, the team works on lighting plans that do not start with a lamp, but with people. "Everyone has their own relationship with light," says Dimitri. "It touches on habits, memories, and emotions." In this edition of The Edit, Dimitri, Taco (Amsterdam), and An (Antwerp) delve deeper into their way of working: how dialogue, technique, and reflection come together in a lighting plan that is never generic, but always a Immediately translation of someone's life. Be inspired
Meet the entrepreneur, in this series interior designer Anita Fraser. Anita has a passion for architecture, design and creating spaces that envelop its inhabitants with positive energy. In her work, she is constantly looking for the right balance between form, function and materiality. After a career as a process lawyer, she studied interior design at the University of Arts London. She now collaborates with other designers, architects and Project developers to refine both living and working spaces. Read and view more here
Meet the entrepreneur, in this series Maud Moody. Toscanini has been a household name in Amsterdam for forty years. Not only because of the tasteful, homely Italian cuisine, but also because of the people behind the business. Maud Moody, one of the founders, tells how it all started – and how a holiday in Rome led to one of the city's most beloved restaurants. Read the whole story
Looking inside, a stately mansion gets a new soul. Vivian Hartog, brand strategist and designer of Griffe Studio, was involved from the start in the transformation of Birkenstock's Benelux headquarters on Sarphatistraat. What was once a classic mansion is now a place where history and contemporary design meet - with great attention to detail, materials and atmosphere. Read and see more here
The art of craft. In The Edit – The art of craft, we highlight craftsmen who work to preserve and restore historical heritage. Their dedication to artisanal techniques, from marble stucco to gilding, shows that heritage is only truly future-proof when tradition and craftsmanship come together. One of those craftsmen is Barry Zardoni, a restoration plasterer pur sang. Read and view more here
Spotlight: 'The Gentleman'. Working in the historic heart of Amsterdam, on the Grachtengordel-Zuid – who wouldn't want that? This inspiring area buzzes with creativity and attracts a diverse mix of artists, writers, designers, and entrepreneurs. With cultural hotspots such as De Bazel, FOAM, the Rijksmuseum, and the Kleine Komedie within easy reach, this location offers the perfect balance between working and networking.
Be inspired by the dynamism of the neighborhood and the tranquility of an exclusive workplace in a monumental canal house. The hidden gem? A sunny south-facing garden with elegant gravel paths and classic boxwood hedges – an oasis of greenery in the middle of the city. Read more here
The Creative Advantages of Working in Amsterdam; Amsterdam is much more than a city of canals, bicycles, and tulips. It is a vibrant hub for creativity, innovation, and collaboration. For companies, startups, and independent creatives, this city offers a unique breeding ground for ideas to flourish. But what makes working in Amsterdam so special? Read more
Meet the entrepreneur, in this series designers Xander Vervoort and Leon van Boxtel of x + l design. In their online store, they present handmade products that they have made themselves. Most are one of a kind. Loose objects and limited series that go together with handmade finds from their travels. Xander and Leo love the irregularity in the products: the human touch gives it an extra dimension.
Read and view more here
‘Scent nerd, that’s my nickname’
My fascination, or what motivates me to get out of bed, is the wonder of what scent does to you. Even as a child, I was fascinated by the senses. Taste, smell, scent, and touch. The soft senses. Not because they have a soft impact, but because they are not cognitive. On the other hand, I was also a science kid. I wanted to do something technical. That's how I ended up in chemistry. After my studies, I wanted to combine these two loves, which led me to the cosmetics and perfume industry. After working for large companies in the field of product development and fragrance innovation, I felt the need to start my own business. In my company Annindriya, I focus on creating and advising on fragrances for companies and organizations and what fragrance can add to a brand or organization. During this process, I am concerned with the question of how a brand or company smells, because a brand is also a personality. In addition, we have a store with a range of the most exceptional perfumes in the world, where we also offer personal fragrance advice.
"Using perfume profiling, we help people discover the scents that suit them."
Your sense of smell is the most powerful and emotional of all the senses.
This is due to the direct connection between your nose and the oldest part of your brain. This part of your brain, which is already formed in the embryonic stage, is called the limbic system, also known as the primitive brain. This is where our emotions and memories are stored. There is no language, socially desirable behavior, or cognitive skills. There is only primal feeling. Fear, anger, lust, etc. You are born blank, with only your mother's body odor. You already know this smell in the womb, and it forms the first 'book' in your own scent library. Throughout your life, various books are added to this library. The scents you smell are inextricably linked to the emotion you feel at the moment of smelling them. Both positive and negative emotions. Your first kiss, crayons at school, holidays, nature, food, drink.
“A Proustian memory.”
In his work "A la recherche du temps perdu," the renowned novelist Marcel Proust described a scent experience that transported him back to his childhood. He dipped a madeleine into blossom tea, and the scent he had not smelled in a long time activated his memory (the so-called mémoire involontaire), and slowly all his memories of the village of Combray came flooding back. This works the same way with all scents. For example, if vanilla custard makes you feel nauseous, then vanilla is in the wrong corner. If you had a sweet aunt who wore rose perfume, then the scent of roses is in the sweet corner. In principle, every preference for a scent can be traced back to a moment in time.
There are a few scents, and this is still being researched, that are universally associated with something negative. The smell of decay and the smell of fire. You can also learn to experience these scents as less negative, but that is something you have to teach yourself. For example, with fermented food or cheese that smells bad but tastes good. A scent that is generally perceived as positive worldwide is real vanilla. Vanilla is found in many cookies and desserts, which are reminiscent of childhood, but also because there is a hint of vanilla in breast milk. As a result, vanilla is a sign of security for many people.
“You can see scent as the fourth dimension in a space.”
Fourth dimension.
“It adds something that is not visible or tangible. You can use scent in a room in various ways. Of course, the first thing is that it must not smell unpleasant. There are quite a few rooms where you can smell the sewer or sanitary facilities, where there has been a lot of smoking, or where the ventilation is poor and it smells of food. The first step is therefore to ensure good ventilation, extraction, and to solve the source of the problem. The simplest way to use scent in your home is to make it smell clean. Many people associate cleaning or detergent with a clean, tidy, and well-kept home. You can also use scent to set the mood. Just like with light and music, you can soften or enhance the atmosphere. You can make it smell very homely or very modern. Rustic or artistic. Or very minimalistic or intimate. Perfumes are often made up of 30-40 and sometimes as many as 100 ingredients. A minimalist space, on the other hand, can be enhanced with a minimalist scent. A scent like this is made up of a maximum of two or three accords. This makes it more of a hint Location a scent Location a perfume. It then becomes almost an abstract scent.
Something can smell avant-garde, for example. It might smell mineral, stony, or dry and smoky. The ingredients might smell like metal and concrete or pink pepper, which has a smoky scent.
Many people choose scents that represent the good life: whiskey, cognac, chocolate, caramel. The grounding of your home, homeliness, and security can be emphasized with woody scents. Wood comes from a tree trunk, and the roots are in the ground. These are literally earthy scents that can emphasize solidity. In addition, you confirm that you have chosen beautiful materials for a space. The same applies to leather. The scent of leather exudes high quality and luxury. You only consciously smell the nest scent of a house when you return from vacation, for example. The unfortunate thing about our sense of smell is that your brain is only interested in changes. This enables us to suddenly smell fire, for example, but the disadvantage is that at some point you no longer smell your own home. It is therefore wise to change scents regularly. The experience of each room is different. The bathroom, bedroom, dining room, and living room are used in different ways. It is nice to emphasize this with a matching scent. You can ask yourself what you want to emphasize in each room. The feeling of cleanliness or, conversely, a mini spa feeling. Relaxing or active. Warm and intimate. Or welcoming. You can turn scents in your home on and off just like music. Sometimes you need silence in terms of both scent and sound. Other times, you turn it on. That's how you create atmosphere."
Perfume Lounge
Cornelis Krusemanstraat 25