Rotterdam has a thriving design scene. Designers have embraced the city, and fairs such as the internationally renowned Object and museums and galleries are increasingly putting design in the spotlight. The City on the Maas also boasts excellent design shops offering unique products, furniture, objects and accessories.
Zoho, the Zomerhofkwartier, is teeming with creative studios, coffee shops and speciality stores. Shop and interior design studio Pantoufle specialises in what it calls slow design: timeless products and objects that last a lifetime and never get boring. The focus is on Japanese and Scandinavian design. So lots of light colours, materials that only get more beautiful with age and minimal fuss.
When you step into the botanical warehouse ‘s Zomers, you enter a lush, colourful, sweet-smelling world full of inspiration. This wonderland will overwhelm your senses. You will find the city’s most gorgeous (silk) flowers, plants and trees. And much more beauty for indoors and outdoors. Vases, bowls and pots. But also furniture, home perfumes and small artworks.
Femkeido aan de Pannekoekstraat
If your interior could use a splash of colour, drop by Femkeido on the Pannenkoekstraat. Furniture and accessories from well-known brands such as Muuto, HAY, &Tradition, Louis Pausen and Foscarini are conveniently brought together under one roof. This mix of Dutch, Scandinavian and Italian labels creates a look and feel that is as playful and optimistic as it is sophisticatedly cool.
Ceramic artist Angel Cheung-Kwok and her husband Manfung Cheung opened hotel âme in one of the few neo-classical buildings in the heart of Rotterdam, around the corner from Museumpark. On the ground floor, you will find a café with a carefully curated concept store which will delight fans of the Japandi living style, which combines Scandinavian sobriety and Japanese wabi-sabi. Kwok sells handmade ceramics from her own Studio Kurē and objects she brings back from faraway places.
Rotterdam is a magnet for designers. It is also a magnet for design lovers. The city’s raw character offers plenty of inspiration. But where do you go if you want to discover exciting new work? These five galleries are in unusual places, from a former school to a skyscraper.
