Creative Work Spaces: Amazingly Bold Design in Amsterdam

Color lovers unite, this one's for you.

The moment I laid eyes on interior design firm Atelier ND in Amsterdam and one of the properties they’d designed, I suspected I wasn’t in Kansas anymore. No more beige interiors and colorless rooms. These interiors are warm, personal, a little bonkers, and edgy. The creat

ive energy behind this firm are Nicole Dohmen and Andrea van Well along with their small, courageous design team. These ladies have an incredible eye for color and pattern mixing plus a boatload of courage to execute their vision.

Most of us only dream of the ways they can decorate a space.

I mean, secretly you may love to go a bit bolder at home. But it’s scary, right?

Maybe these two spaces will give you a nudge.

Pink bookcases and sumptous velvet textiles are what dreams are made of but they “aren’t practical” we tell ourselves, or “the husband and kids won’t be down with it”.

Start small.

Add a little drama and boldness with some throw pillows, throws, vases, artwork and wild wallpaper in the guest bathroom or entryway.

Break yourself and the family in slowly. :)

About their incredible office space, “We have created the most colorful place with a lot of extra elements. We have tried to show our clients as much as possible. All the fabrics, wallpapers, lights, materials and furniture is based on our database of brands. We are so lucky to work in such an amazing and bold atmosphere.”

I want a magazine nook like this in my home, you too? And this wall pattern is fab, it looks hand drawn.

This sofa tho. Those drapes. ALL THE THINGS. It’s very dramatic and fun! I honestly would have never mixed these objects and patterns together. But it works. IT JUST WORKS.

Dreamy. Some of the textiles shown are from Morris & Co., Cole & Son,

Really incredible sense of style.

Kitchen area near the dining space.

Color crush in the office kitchen. Coral cabinets, yesssss!

Would you like to see an example of a space designed for their residential client Carice van Houten? You can see the whole tour on their website here and a few of my favorite zones below. Especially this entry. Oh my.

About this project, Atelier ND claims it’s a gem in their crown for sure, “It’s one of our most exciting and colorful projects. We are in love! Together with the sparkling Carice we built this beautiful, crazy and warm home.”

The Dutch are so tuned in to aesthetics culturally, it’s inspiring to live so close by to the border and to visit regularly. We have a train connection in my city that is direct to Amsterdam in 4 hours, which is faster than when I used to drive from Boston to NYC. I like to visit Eindhoven each year for Dutch Design Week to get a peek into what’s next for interiors. I first went to DDW in 2006 on assignment for Domino magazine while I still lived in Boston. I was in awe by what I saw and it still inspires me so many years later. I just love the Dutch spirit and their design DNA.

What do you think of this office space? The home? What about bold living and work spaces in general? Do you consider yourself a bold decorator?