Rafa-kids - year 2015 - thank you

The year 2015 is going to end soon.  

Would you like to look back with us and see some of  Rafa-kids’ favourite moments?

After a great success of our K desk in natural finish in 2014 we decided to introduce whitewash and black finish.  In January we got the first models and   Paulina Arcklin photographer and stylist made new pictures in her amazing home in Amsterdam. 

Two of Rafa-kids K desks were selected by one of our favourite Australian stylist Jessica Hanson 

for a photoshoot for InsideOut magazine. How great is that?  We were over the moon to see this colourful room created by Jessica and photographed by Sam McAdam-Cooper.

Spring came to us blossoming our long relation with a Japanese partner actus-interior store. 

After 2 years of preparations, tests , meeting and discussions , 

the first container was taken and sailed to Tokyo. 

Actus decided to extend their well known interior design collection with children’s design furniture. 

Rafa-kids was one of the designers selected for the ‘Debute’. 

We could not be more happy to have such a professional and  trustworthy partner 

on the other site of the world. 

Yes, we are very proud. 

We planned for a long time to have little online book with our range. 

In 2015 it finally happened - FIRST Rafa-kids ONLINE CATALOGE.

Graphics designer Asia Gwis took it into her hands and the final effect is just so beautiful. Asia created for the first issue also a new animals that we called Rafa-kids friends : a Bear, a Fox and an Armadillo. We are taking them with us into 2016 - wait for more news! 

Rafa-kids studio is a very busy place with frequently changing scenery.  

Creating new rooms with our furniture to inspire our customers is Rafa-kids speciality.  

This photo session with R toddler bed in dark finish and industrial touch, was made for na American magazine Lapetitemag.  Paulina Arcklin was so kind to come over and help us. 

It was difficult to choose just one room that we created last year! 

After the summer holiday we started to prepare for Maison&Object fair in Paris. 

For the first time we had the opportunity to show all our collection to the public. 

The exhibition took a place in September with 3.000 exhibitors and 80.000 visitors. 

These five days was such an amazing experience for us. You can read more about it here. 

At the Maison&Object fair in Paris we launched Rafa-kids NEW SHELVES collection. 

This time we worked not only with plywood but also added metal elements , 

which are going to be later available in 3 different colours. 

The shelves are a perfect addition to our beds and desk with a new function for storage and display. The new shelves are still in production faze and planned to be in stock at the end of January 2016. 

NEW SHELVES collection, which includes : 

S shelf

 M shelf 

 L shelf and XL shelf .

Rafa-kids is growing very fast, sometimes we have a feeling that we can not catch up with this high speed train. Of course we look back and would like to remember all the good things, but there are also low points. After 3 years, we are about to set a few very important decisions, which will help us to make our work more efficient and find a better balance in our family life and own business. 

We hope you will stay with us and enjoy this journey. 

Rafa-kids would like to thank this year especially : 

ACTUS -interior store for support and great partnership. 

Jacinda Malloy from Hide&Sleep for trust and promoting Rafa-kids in Australia. 

We can’t wait to see more of your projects in the near future. 

Paulina Arcklin photographer and stylist for leading and endless inspiration. 

Last but not the least we would like to thank all our customers 

for their trust and support and getting part of Rafa-kids into their lifes. 

We are ready to bring you so much more! 

If you would like to see other Rafa-kids years here they are :  2014 and 2013 

You are my star and 2 weeks break

Are you also so busy ? 

The days seem to short to me and there is so many things to plan and to do.  My “ To Do List” is growing every day instead of getting shorter. Do I do something wrong?  On Friday 18th I will take a 2 weeks real break to enjoy my family and friends.  ‘Off is a new luxury’ don’t you agree?   I need so badly to just be present in my life, to switch off and to recharge my batteries for the new start of the year. Following my obsession with blue at the moment, hereby few inspiring ideas created by Anke Helmich from Studio StyleCookie / photo's by Dana van Leeuwen.  

and the winner is…..

Thank you so much for your time to take a part in my giveaway and your feed back, I really like it! 

The happy winner is number 4.  Congratulation Karen! 

Could you please send me your address to info@rafa-kids.com so the warm blanket will be on time with you and your kids?  

The most interesting message for me was that many of you wish to see more from my creative process and what interests and motivates me. That’s a very nice surprise! I’ve also got privet messages with tips, which gave me a great boost. New year is around the corner and it feels like ‘the wind of change’ .

Thank you again for staying with me and sharing my journey. 

Monday inspiration: built-in beds in children’s rooms

I’m trying to get back to you regularly on Mondays with inspiration for children’s rooms. 

Today, I would like to convince you that the built-in furniture is interesting not only for small spaces. I will even suggest to try to build it in a big room, especially beds or cupboards, to make a cosy corner for a child.  What do you think about a little niche, like the one on the first picture? What we need to accept, is the fact, that it will be difficult to change it when the child will grow and there is no chance to move it around when we would like to try something new… A bigger size bed, like 200cm long can by used for many years and also more simple design would be easier to use longer. Of course it's a smart way to use space, but also a great challenge to all off you who like to do things by hand. 

Thank you for pictures and inspiration : 1 - 2 /3 /4 - 5 / 6 / 7 /8

Living in an old school

I have  a new dream. I would like to move to a new place….and not just ‘a place’ I would mostly like to adopt an old school for a new home for our family. High ceilings, big windows and character of old details, it is something that speaks to me a lot. I’m showing you today an example of amazing adaptation of free standing school in the countryside close to Amsterdam. I’m not surprised that Viviën en Robin fell for this space and put all their energy to create this amazing 300m2 new home for their family. Pictures are made by Jansje Klazinga , styling by Suzanne de Jong. 

Thank you for the pictures: ensuus -binnenkijken-vtwonen-dorpsschool

I do not want to move out of Rotterdam, so I’m looking for an old school in our reach. Happily there are few projects run by city of Rotterdam including adopting old buildings. The old schools which are not in use any more are a great option for creating a new apartment for people who are looking for something unique. We already visited two of the schools and are so exited! …. Of course it’s a long and a challenging way to get it, but we are very determined. Hereby few pictures from one of the schools, we really like. 

Owl Wool Blanket - Giveaway

The year 2015 is very close to an end and this make me always very sentimental.  I’m blogging since March 2011 and I noticed that the year 2015 was the most quiet one with the smallest number of posts. I think my busy working days are taking me away from here.  Since I work with a lot of intuition and spontaneously, I never have a strong planning when I should post or which subject should I select. I like to share what’s inspire me and what Rafa-kids is up to at the moment. 

I wish to change many things out here, not only the graphics look ( which is a bit out of date)  but also the content. That’s why I decided to give this beautiful NEW Owl on the Moon Wool Blanket to one of my readers. I know there is many of you, taking time to visit me here every week….so I would like to hear you. 

Please leave a comment, telling me what you like at my blog and what do you miss?

 Maybe there is something you can’t stand?  Would you like to see more behind the scene pictures of Rafa-kids ? A bit more of my own life ?  Do you like mostly children’s room inspirations. Do you look for any specific subject?  I’m open to hear what you like. Every comment is very important to me and I will take it into account. 

The Giveaway will be run from 1 till 8 December 2015. 

Please have a seat in this cosy corner and talk to me…