Showing posts with label my life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label my life. Show all posts

Tuesday, 15 December 2015

You are my star and 2 weeks break

kerstspecial 2015 vtwonen  Anke Helmich van StyleCookie

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.  

kerstspecial 2015 vtwonen Anke Helmich van StyleCookie
kerstspecial 2015 vtwonen Anke Helmich van StyleCookie
kerstspecial 2015  vtwonen Anke Helmich van StyleCookie

Saturday, 5 December 2015

Living in an old school

old school adoption for family  house
old school adoption for family  house
old school adoption for family  house
old school adoption for family  house / pictures Jansje Klazinga , styling by Suzanne de Jong

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 ViviĆ«n 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

old school adoption for family  house / pictures Jansje Klazinga , styling by Suzanne
old school adoption for family  house / pictures Jansje Klazinga , styling by Suzanne
old school adoption for family  house / pictures Jansje Klazinga , styling by Suzanne

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. 


old school adoption for family  house / rotterdam


Sunday, 25 October 2015

Autumn with kids

Autumn with kids
Autumn with kids
Autumn with kids

It’s my favourite season of the year. 
I like the fresh air, the sunny and a bit cold days. I like to walk with the boys, to look, to play and watch the nature changing…..

Autumn with kids
Autumn with kids
Autumn with kids

Wednesday, 14 October 2015

Party time….

garlands from Atelier Sukha's celebration box
garlands from Atelier Sukha's celebration box
garlands from Atelier Sukha's celebration box

What a party time in my life at the moment! 
My older son turned 9 on the 29th of September and today we celebrated birthday of our 5 years old Robert. I think you can imagine how much planning and arrangements it takes…. especially with entertaining a group of toddlers or a team of nine-year old. Well, I like the celebration vibe at home so much.  Decorating with garlands and balloons, makes me smile, so that’s why I’m showing you few of my favourite at the moment….The beautiful garlands are from Atelier Sukha's packed in celebration box and the stars and circles are from Engelpunt
Today we are also starting a 10 days school holiday. 
I’m more than happy to slow down a bit and to get cosy and warm at home with my boys…

Atelier Sukha Amstredam
girlands stars from engelpunt
girlands from engelpunt

Thursday, 25 June 2015

Lloyd Industrials Rotterdam

Lloyd Industrials Rotterdam industrial original lamps
Lloyd Industrials Rotterdam industrial original lamps

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 RenĆ© has such a pasion and enthusiasm for his work, that taking these lamps to our house was definitely made with no doubts. 

Lloyd Industrials Rotterdam industrial original lamps
Lloyd Industrials Rotterdam industrial original lamps

Sunday, 21 June 2015

daddy.....

Rafa-kids owner with his son

Happy Father's Day 
to all wonderful , strong and caring Daddys out there! 

I feel so lucky to watch my 2 boys growing with their loving and positive, full of energy dad. 
I think he has a natural talent to play, to take care and be with them whenever they need him…
it’s sometimes a very , very hard work too, so please give your daddys an extra hug today ! 

Friday, 15 May 2015

day at Avifauna

Loris parrots in avifauna in the Netherlands

After 2 weeks of holiday we have few days off again. Like you see on the pictures, we didn’t have to go to Australia to feed this little australians Loris parrots….Avifauna is a park with birds from all around the world and I can highly recommend it for a visit with kids. The place is small and you can easy walk around even with smaller kids and discover the world of exotic animals and even feed them! Loris parrots are eating nectar from flowers. In Avifauna you can get a little cup with magic mixture for this colourful parrots…and you will get trouble to drive away from them! My boys absolutely loved it. 
Happy weekend to all of you! 

Loris parrots in avifauna in the Netherlands
Loris parrots in avifauna in the Netherlands
Loris parrots in avifauna in the Netherlands

Wednesday, 22 April 2015

switch off


There will be a little break and silence in the coming 2 weeks here on the blog. 
I decided to ‘switch off ’ my internet channels and activities. 
I noticed that I’m very much addicted to an online world and I need to step out of it to get some distance. In a week time we are leaving for a short holiday with all our family, so I just wish to leave my phone home and be somewhere without the internet connection. 
I think this way I could find a rest, recharged and find a new energy for the creativity. 
See you in a while. 

photo by Matthew Scherfenberg

Wednesday, 11 March 2015

small tour into our house

garden in city of Rotterdam / photo Binti-Home
garden in city of Rotterdam / photo Binti-Home
Rafa-kids family at home in their garden - photo Souraya Hassan / Binti-Home

Today I open the door of our house and I will show you a bit of our space. 
We live in Rotterdam, at the north side of the city , in an old building from 1930.  We have moved here 5 years ago. Our apartment is on the ground floor and it used to be a local store with a garage for bicycles at the back. Now we have our garden there! I didn’t know I had ‘green hands’ or that I will be gardening in the middle of the city. The garden is wild, with a lot of bamboo, grasses and plants, which don’t need a lot of care. (that was my plan) Our apartment is more clean and organise  with a monochrome colour palet and here and there some splash of little colour accent.  It’s not a big space, but has a high ceilings, which make the space full of light…You can see on the pictures our little kitchen, dining room, library and a bit of working space. It’s one open space with no doors or walls…and that’s what I like so much about this house…. 

all picture’s are made by Souraya Hassan /Binti-Home
Rafa-kids family  home / kitchen - photo Souraya Hassan / Binti-Home
Rafa-kids family  home / kitchen - photo Souraya Hassan / Binti-Home
Rafa-kids family  home / kitchen - photo Souraya Hassan / Binti-Home
Rafa-kids family  home /dining room - photo Souraya Hassan / Binti-Home
Rafa-kids family  home / library- photo Souraya Hassan / Binti-Home
Rafa-kids family  home / working space - photo Souraya Hassan / Binti-Home

Thursday, 8 January 2015

welcome 2015


I wish you all a good 2015! 

It feels so much like a new beginning and I  would like to clean, organise and change so many things….
I wish this year will be more planned and under control than the previous one. One of my new year’s resolution was to keep life more simple and to appreciate things we already have and cherish them every day.

Since yesterday’s terrible attack in Paris I didn’t feel like posting anything here, 
and have many mix feelings and thoughts at the moment, but as one of the illustrators we’ve lost said,  

 "Love is stronger than hate."  and I would like to stay with that for the coming year even more.



This 2015 calendar you can download here: cautiouslyobsessed

Friday, 26 December 2014

Rafa-kids - year 2014 - thank you

K desk + x stool Rafa-kids


The year 2014 is going to end soon.  
Do you want to look back with us and see some of  Rafa-kids favourite moments?

The new year always gives us a boost of energy and we started the 2014 with testing, brain storming for our new design. In May we got the first prototype K desk and X stool and with new pictures  made in our studio, were proud to launch it.  It looks so simple but there is many months of hard work and design, behind this beautiful piece.  

K desk + x stool Rafa-kids





In summer 2013 our house was photographed, but it took a year before we finally could see the publication. We rebuilt and redesigned many elements of the house, also the first Rafa-kids’ bed was made for it few years ago. Since the boys outgrew the bunk bed this summer, and we had to change it, this magazine’s photos of the boy’s room are even more special for us. 

house of the Rafa-kids owners
house of the Rafa-kids owners - boys room with the bunk bed
pictures  | Souraya Hassan



We have had the honour of receiving the Junior Design Awards 2014
 for Best Furniture Collection, SHORTLISTED.

good design kids product acts milk japan

RaFa kids was selected for a very unique project in Japan! 

Blueprint is a new collaboration between a lifestyle brand ACTUS and Kids' magazine MilK Japon
They have started this new project to present a selection of children's furniture under a theme "Good Design Kids Products" As a first step 12 Japanese and International designers were selected for their personality, abilities, concept and outstanding designs. Their products were presented at the first design event taking place in Tokyo in September in Futako Tamagawa Rise/Galleria.

good design kids product acts milk japan excision in tokyo
good design kids product acts milk japan excision in tokyo

Which is an fascinating new social media and wonderful community. It gives us a chance to see our furniture in different parts of the world, starting from England, France, The Netherlands…and fly above the ocean to Australia or America. We are learning how to share with you our every day work and inspiration. 

rafakids on instagram
rafakids on instagram

We are so touched to see our beds in real children’s rooms , with their own personal toys and style. 
We always like to hear our customers’ feedback and stories. We started Rafa-kids customer reviews on our website, to share so many nice words about our products with others. 

R toddler bed rafa-kids in child room in malmo
picture  | pauletpaula
R toddler bed rafa-kids in child room in Australia
picture  | catherineandgrace
A teen bed rafa-kids in child room in Australia
picture  | thelittledesigncorner

We like to work in our studio a lot. 
Doesn’t matter so much if we need to make a new product photo of a basket or bedding, or to style the whole child’s room with our Rafa-kids furniture

K desk black and F bunk bed whitewash rafa-kids
rafa-kids studio in Rotterdam

Our K desk was welcomed so well in the press in 2014 : 
but we also get in our hands two new books with our design. How special is that! 
“Kids’ design”  is coming from braun-publishing in Switzerland featuring many wonderful kids’ design products of our time. I was writing about it here: braun-publishing - kids-design

kids' design book
kids' design book


In the summer we had a special visit of a photographer Kiyomi Yui with her husband. They worked for a visual book about Dutch kids’ room and the spaces for children.  21 rooms were selected for the publication, and our boy’s room was one of them! My older son is so proud of it that he shows this book to all his colleagues. 
The book is available at amazon here: amazon.co.jp
and it is absolutely unique to see the selection of Dutch kids’ rooms. You will find colourful, playful, full of creative DIY ideas for kids’ rooms out there. 

dutch children's rooms book
at home of Rafa-kids owners
book about children's rooms in The Netherlands

The Autumn came to Rafa-kids with a new linen, baskets and blanket collection
We would like to keep cosy and warm with style this winter. 

linen collection at Rafa-kids
beds for kids sharing one room - Rafa-kids F&A set whitewash

We look back and see a good year but we are ready to fight for more! 
We had many up and down moments too,  struggling this year mainly with productions issues, not enough stock, but we are happy to tackle the issues and start freshly the new year. 

We would like to thank this year especially:  

Our Rafa-kids’ blog visitors, who reach almost 22.000 every month, and we hope to keep you inspired in 2015. The blog community has supported us a lot this year, featuring our designs, which we appreciate a lot.  
Just to mention few:  

Last but not the least we would like to thank all our clients 
for their trust and support of our family brand. 

We hope to grow and bring even more beautiful and well designed products for our kids!
thank you note
If you are interested: