As a product of my parents, creativity is in my being. Because of lack of money, a lot was homemade in my childhood home. My father made my room’s furniture, the ‘hard’ wares like cupboards, stools and my bed and my mother made the ‘soft’ bits like the curtains, cushions and lampshade. Making the best of what is.

When I was a young kid, I wanted to become an architect. Later on I wanted to be an interior designer. I graduated from the Design Academy Eindhoven, started my own company and became a designer. And an interior designer. And an artist. Why should you choose?

In my work I often combine these two opposites, sometimes in a way you wouldn’t expect when fluid or soft things turn solid or hard for example. Besides that, I want to preserve the old handicrafts by bringing them to the present. Changing the size or scale, changing the combination of materials, or just by modernizing them: changing colors, shapes and patterns. Mostly with diverse, natural materials in basic colors. Unique items. Making the best of what is.

People often ask me where I get my inspiration from. Most of the time, I can’t explain this. It’s in the air and I just breathe it in. I feel the urge to think (a lot) about this or that, learn a technique (old or new), experiment with materials and combine this in a product I want to be surrounded by myself. I make choices and in that I follow my instincts.

Instinctus is Latin for inspiration. I would like to make the world just a bit nicer, with happier people. Happier because they’re surrounded by beautiful items, products with a story they feel a connection with. Or get inspired by.

dream – create – inspire

Jessica van den Heuvel