Rafa-kids at Maison&Object 4-8 September 2015

We are back after 5 days in Paris! 

Rafa-kids was presenting their collection at the prestigious Maison&Object fair 

from 4th-8th of September 2015. 

The enorm positive feedback from people visiting the fair, meeting in person our stockists and also getting to know all new store owners was absolutely wonderful experience. We also had a chance to chat and meet other brands showing on the fair. We exchanged experiences and laughed a lot together. The M&O fair attracts business people from all over the world, so during these 5 days we welcomed on our stand companies from France, Belgium, Germany, UK , Switzerland , Denmark, Finland….South Korea or Dubai…

Rafa-kids have created two different rooms on their stand. One was a children room with F bunk bed and R toddler bed on a white wooden floor where we added a playful accessories with a splash of yellow. The second room was made on a black concrete floor and dedicated to a teenager . We showed A teen bed and K desk with stool in natural wood finish. The atmosphere was homey and cosy, and we definitely stood out in a little corner of Hall6 / kids section with our playful , high quality furniture for children in monochrome colours. 

Rafa-kids was also presenting for the first time the 4 new prototype shelfs, which were a big succes! We can’t wait to add it to our collection and show you new pictures next week!  It was first time for us to show our collection in such a huge event and to be confronted with hundreds of people. It was a blast for us and we are full of positive energy and have full hands of work now. 

We would like to THANK you all who made an effort to came and see Rafa-kids furniture and meet us in person in Paris. It all made it so worth to be there!  

Graphic work for the stand / Asia Gwis - kavkadesign

photos by Rafa-kids 

Only 1 week left ......

We have been busy preparing for the upcoming edition of Maison&Object in Paris the past weeks. 
The Show will start on Friday 4th of September. 
If you miss news from me here, please just step by Rafa-kids’ Instagram, 
when we try to show our recent activities. There is a lot of going on! 

When we will be back I hope to tell you all…..
for now, cross your fingers for us or maybe come to meet us in Paris! 

Rafa-kids would gladly welcome you in HALL 6 - STAND S144

IMPS&ELFS flagship store in Amsterdam

Last Friday I took a little trip to Amsterdam…the weather was absolutely wonderful, so I walked a lot ( 10km! ) but there is no regret. I always avoid the tourist hustle and go into more quiet parts of the city. This amazing first flagship store of IMPS&ELFS is a perfect example of a hidden diamond for me. Old garage, which is adopted to a boutique and a head office of the brand. The interior itself has all the original industrial elements which make the space so unique. 

The store was opened in 2007 by Fons Cohen who is founder of the brand, together with the creative director Jacqueline Streng . The first collection came in 1997, with a lot of dark grey and even black colours for kids! the name was Angels&Demons…which was very soon changed. The brand has had no success right away, but now they sold at about 500 high quality multi brand boutiques and department stores worldwide. They try to look from a perspective of a child….and like you can see on the pictures it doesn’t look like a kids’ fashion store at all, since IMPS&ELFS offer a wide range of kids’ deco products too. I just couldn’t leave the space….

pictures from  IMPS&ELFS store  in Amsterdam  / Sloterkade 41-44

Lloyd Industrials Rotterdam

Last week we bought two amazing lamps for our house. Yes, I am very proud of our new treasures… For the last four years I had to look at the hanging light bulb above my working space and in our library … but, you know, after having second child we had a bit different priorities. Now we are slowly getting back on track, fixing small things in the house that we never had time for before. It makes me very happy….

Coming back to these amazing industrial lamps. We got them from Lloyd Industrials, a starting business from our neighbourhood.  We both have our studio in the Hofbogen Rotterdam. All the lamps are coming from a factory in France and are brought back into their glory by hand. All the hard work is made with respect for details and high quality of the original, industrial design. Co-founder René has such a pasion and enthusiasm for his work, that taking these lamps to our house was definitely made with no doubts. 

Rafa-kids at ACTUS - Tokyo

It took me a long time to write this post, since I didn’t know where to start. 

I have a weakness for Japanese culture since my study time. I never had a chance to visit this amazing country, but I always knew it would come one day….Two years ago we had a special visit from Japan in our Rafa-kids’ studio.  ACTUS is a well known representative interior store in Japan, with 40 locations.  They were one of the first stores which imported Scandinavian furniture to Japan and collaborated with many European furniture brands. Their plan was to expand their collection of children's products and Rafa-kids was invited to take part…. We were very exited! 

The new store with design for children opened it’s doors last month. We could not be more proud to see our Rafa-kids’ beds standing in this fresh ACTUS store. There is no way, that we are not going to see it in real, maybe still this year….we will let you know!

dream kitchen

I dream of an open kitchen with a big table and a lot of space around it….

exactly like the one you see on the pictures. This amazing space belongs to Maamke en Rob, who rebuilt a city farm in Workum, The Netherlands. Their every day life concentrate around this unique space and they just like so much to hang out with friends and family around it. The little details, which make this kitchen/dining room so durable :  concrete floor, black industrial window frames, the mix of different chairs, even the flowers on the table put so carelessly.... Cosy, warm and so natural.

I just wish to be there for a moment, to grab this coffee.  I blame the spring air , you know….

Happy and relax weekend to all of you!  

all picture’s: vtwonen - binnenkijken

Anna Pops - hippe schoenen voor kinderen

A little cute store with trendy shoes based in Belgium: Anna Pops. 

She started a small project with children's clothes store in her own house. Meanwhile, they grown and got a little sister; online shop where you can purchase entire collection. Environmentally friendly use of the material and the production process guarantee high quality footwear. The collection is  not only beautiful and very carefully  made but it looks absolutely fabulous and trendy !  I always struggle to get good shoes for my boys, so this store is now on my very favourite list. Which one will be your favourite?  

photo credit with child ©Amelia Hambrook and ©quinandfox Instagram

Instagram find - kid's store Tea and Kate

“ .....I would like to think of Tea and Kate as a small emporium selling the best stuff! I have sourced collections from around the world, many of whom manufacture their goods in the traditional way and to their original designs. The products i source are often a little bit eccentric, sometimes indulgent and always charming but mostly inspirational.(....) Tea and Kate will continually strive to bring you new and exciting products some totally new to the market for you our customers to enjoy! ..."

This weekend I’m into kids’ shops on Instagram and today I would like to show you a very personal and cosy place - Tea and Kate based in UK. When I discovered this Instagram feed, I had the feeling that someone just invited me to her home and would like to show me all this beautiful little items she has in her store. Maybe that’s the secret of  this store Instagram success, since she reached 50.000 followers! 

Tea and Kate is a very cute, warm and cosy place,  filled with unique designs, and so well curated and shown. Instagram seems to me, such a direct place and being personal looks like natural part of it. 

place - Couleur Locale in Knokke

Last weekend we made a little trip to Belgium. 

One of the reason was the curiosity how the Couleur Locale store in Knokke looks like and how  Rafa-kids' bed feels out there . I met Ruth, the founder of the store during a photo sesion at our studio for  Happy Lights some time ago, remember this post  Happy lights kids E-catalogue ? 

 We were so surprised to see our A teen bed standing in a front window! and then discover this charming store. What a great mix of modern design, special objects from travel journeys of Ruth and her partner, and then also a bit of products for kids. The happy lights lamps give the store such a colorful vibe and positive energy! 

The street was so busy and packed that we escaped to the  beach pretty fast, 

which is just around the corner,  with the best ice cream ever for our kids.