Inspiration Profile - Jantine Vaartjes

Well, the week has flown by and it has been a busy one - including being on a crew for a TV commercial shoot on Wednesday! I will let you know more about that later.
I am 'officially' finishing work today and I am really looking forward to a relaxing Christmas Day with my family next week.
Staying on the Christmas theme, this week's Inspiration Profile has done some great and cosy Christmas styling and is all the way from The Netherlands. Read and enjoy.
I would like to wish you all a safe and Merry Christmas. Take care and see you soon.

Jantine Vaartjes

X-mas by April and May.

Name:Jantine – April and May

What do you do: Stylist/interior designer and owner of April and May, a styling agency focusing on interior. Besides my job as a stylist I am also author of the blogs April and May STUDIOand April and May MINI where I share my inspiration in the field of interior, lifestyle and design. A home, a story, a feeling and a smile that's where April and May is all about.
New this year is the web shop byaprilandmay offering vintage and unique products of selected designers and our own collection made by April and May. We hope to inspire people with all our activities and show them the beauty of all things simple, basic, graphic and personal. I started my company and after that my blog in 2008.

Where do you live: I live in the Netherlands in a town called The Beemster. It is a just 30 minutes away from Amsterdam.  The Beemster is on the word heritage list and a beautiful place with lots of green, nature and space.

What are you working on:  I am working on several interior projects that vary from interiors for private homes to work related areas. It can by a complete interior design with all the furniture included or just a part of an interior related field. Besides that there is the online shop that involves sales, photography etc. And we have our own collection made by April and May which will be extended the next couple of months and next year. We are working on some great ideas and really love having our own product line.

Products from byaprilandmay online store.

 

Who/what inspires me: I can be inspired by little things around me, but also magazine, blogs, pinterest and for example instagram inspires me. And I have some great people around me who really are passionate about their work, interior and styling. If you do things with passion…it makes me smile and really gives me positive energy.

I work best: not really a specific moment…I am not a very early person. And in the evening I sometimes get a work flow. But try to avoid that a bit because I am pregnant now of our second child and I have to take my moments of rest also.

What I do when I’m stuck for inspiration: Well I tend to force myself in finding things which is not the most right thing to do. It is better to take a moment of doing something else and then the inspiration will come in the most unexpected moment. But sometimes I do not allow myself the time for doing that. I am getting better in doing that though…

The best advice I have been given is: follow your heart and don’t try to be someone else or pretend to be different.

My latest discovery is: instagram…I am using that already some time but am finding it more and more inspiring lately…meeting lots of other creative people.

X-mas by April and May

 

Books that I get inspiration from: not really books…more magazines or blogs and pinterest boards that inspire me.

Magazines that inspire me: RUM, ELLE deco, VTwonen

Blogs that I enjoy: The Style Files, A MerryMishap, Elv’s, Vosges Paris, Bloesem, Annaleenas Hem, Emma’s Design blog, Loppelilla, Trendenser, Moastidrom and many more…

My favourite room at home is: our living room I think…but really like all the spaces in our home

My office is: at home at the top floor and is really my work studio. Black wooden floor, lots of magazines, my computer…the place where everything happens…

What am I looking forward to: Launching the new products for our made by collection with two great designers. Really excited about this. And of course our second child arriving around March 2013. Can’t wait to see this unique and small little boy and our son Storm seeing his little brother for the first time. Because in the end that is all that counts…

April and May MINI - all about kids...

All photographs are used with permission by Jantine Vaartjes and April and May.

Grey by Studio Bakker

Spotted on Emma's Design blog - these gorgeous and restful grey interiors by Stef Bakker, a Dutch interior designer, stylist and art director. Nice.
Photographs via Studio Bakker.

Maison Rika Guest House in Amsterdam

Here is Maison Rika, a guest house above the Rika fashion showroom in Amsterdam. The mastermind behind the Rika store and guest house is Ulrika Lundgren, a Swedish-born former fashion stylist now designer. This is one great and stylish place to stay at.
Photographs via The Constant Traveller.

At Home with Christien Starkenburg

I have featured the home of Dutch designer, Christien Starkenburg from Slow Wood on this blog before - however, it is always nice to re-visit and see how a home evolves over time. Here it is as featured in Interieur magazine.
Photographs via Slow Wood.

The Elegant Showroom of Slow Wood.

I have previously featured the lovely Slow Wood furniture range by Christien Starkenburg on this blog (see it here). Recently, I came across these visuals of her elegant showroom, which shows off her collection rather nicely.
Photographs via Slow Wood.

Slow Wood

Dutch Interior designer Christien Starkenburg and her tables.

The stunning Slow Wood visuals are styled by Studio Aandacht.

Here is Slow Wood - the brain child of interior designer Christien Starkenburg. The MUN collection consists of different side tables - a family of models which can work together or separately. Slow Wood aims for timeless pieces of furniture which are made by local craftsmen. They are simple, natural and elegant. The pieces are made with 100% natural finishes and mineral paint.
Photograhs via Slow Wood.

Blonde Wood



From the home of Dutch designer, Christien Starkenburg.



Table is from the MUN collection at Slow Wood.

Here are some images from the lovely home of Dutch designer, Christien Starkenburg. It's great to see the use of blonde wood and it looks so fresh in this interior - very Scandinavian. The tables in both images are from Starkenburg's cool MUN table collection from Slow Wood.
Photographs via Bloesem.