Object Rotterdam is always one of my favorite fairs to take part in, and in the first leg of new post-Covid possibilities, the athmosphere was absolutely radiant.

The work at show in the gorgeous HAKA building was all bright colors and positive attitude.
And with designers and artists excited to showcase their projects again, visitors were treated to the best cultural day trip in more than a year.

As always, Object Rotterdam was organized incredibly well and staffed with the sweetest hosts.
​Even though they had to be strict about walking routes this edition, everybody remained friendly at all times.

With a few remaining Covid rules in place, the flow of visitors was well regulated and people came up to our second floor in constant waves. 

We spent the whole fair on our feet talking about our House of Thol collection and easy green living, and were happy to notice that people remembered us from previous editions.

Visitors responded enthusiastically to our established collection with Helios and Flower Constellations. We even sold out our Waterworks-sets on Saturday, and people learning about the 95% circular ReCabinet were amazed by the heritage of our contemporary cupboard.
​
But the Poma/Olera series with both the Patera Magna and Patera Media (fresh out of the kiln ;-)) were front and centre, and the absolute showstopper of our presentation.
We explained our throats away about storing your fruits and vegetables in a better way and keeping them fresh for longer.

​Not surprisingly, we are both quite exhausted at this moment.
But boy, did we have a blast!

We're getting ready to open up and can't wait to show you our work again in real life!

With Europe slowly resurfacing after a long Covid Crisis, we have a couple of shows lined up for the next months (Object Rotterdam in July and Masterly Milano in early September).

To kick off a new season of showcases however, we'd first like to welcome you to our House of Thol Headquarters, and show you what we've been up to in the last 12 months in our own natural habitat.

Looking forward to getting out of the house and can use a green break? 
Come by and we'll tell you how we aim to make your life greener and easier with Dutch Design.
We'll take you on the research and development journey with us and show you how we work and make products that are sold around the world.

​Added bonus: our neighbour Wilfrie Linssen is opening up her doors as well, so it's two for the price of one! (or no price, actually, since entrance is free!)

Open House @ House of Thol Headquarters
Parksesteeg 8
6611 KH Overasselt (near Nijmegen)

Saturday 26th & Sunday 27th of June
10:30 - 17:00 both days

Please note: the workshop will be open to visit, other activities will mostly take place in a spacious outdoor setting.​

Object Rotterdam, usually held in February, was the last fair we got to participate in before the first wave of Covid hit. In the 'Before' we could say. What a different world it was.
We're looking forward to making Object the first public fair in a new different world. One where we can start to move on to a post-covid time.

Will we meet you there?
​Open from Thursday July 1st until Sunday July 4th from 10:00 to 19:00 daily.
More information will follow!

A while ago we were super hopeful that the world would be open for business again around the end of winter.

Alas, the new varieties of Covid are interfering, and thrown back into uncertainty, the ShowUP spring edition has been cancelled.

Seems like sadly we'll have to wait a bit longer before getting to show our latest projects to an audience.

Still, i'm fully convinced that by spring, we will be on the road of recovery and have a few new shows on the calendar.

Looking forward to seeing you soon!

What is that saying? 'The night is always darkest before the dawn?'
Well, although the vaccination programmes are about to start (or even have started, in the UK), with the dark months of winter ahead of us, the Covid situation will probably get worse before it gets better.

I'm sooooo done with this! I guess everybody is, by now.
That's why we've decided to gloss over the depressing coming months, and focus on what will happen when we're about to enter a new spring: ShowUP!

Originally planned in February, the ShowUP organization decided to better be safe than sorry and moved the trade show to March 14-15.
With the vaccination programme in the Netherlands in full swing by then, we're confident the trade show will take place and we're looking forward to meeting many of you there.

Would be great to see you in Vijfhuizen when the spring is getting ready to bloom!

In many ways, this years' ShowUP (fall edition) couldn't have been scheduled at a better place or time: the forced venue-move to Brabanthallen Den Bosch meant many more professionals from Belgium and Germany braved the trip to the Netherlands. 
Whereas if ShowUP would've taken place in the normal location of Vijfhuizen, the international guests might have skipped the fair altogether to avoid the -at the time- Covid-red district around Amsterdam.

And, let's be clear: the fair took place just in time. And i mean JUST...
Thomas and i dismantled our display Monday evening while listening to the new Covid-measures by Prime Minister Rutte in the latest Corona press conference.
I'm not sure if ShowUP could've taken place had it been scheduled a week later.   

But it did: we got to go there and lots of people showed up and we got to meet so many interesting entrepreneurs and professionals!
Great to see so many people are not letting themselves get knocked down: Even in these trying times, many shops were ready and even eager to place orders for the gift-giving season that's ahead.
We will be updating our store locator soon!

Here you'll find a few images of the presentation we set up and the novelties we showcased.
We even had an Expo movie made to give you an idea of the athmosphere. It turned out a bit orange, and somehow Thomas managed to duck the camera, but at least you get an idea about the athmosphere.
Scroll down to check it out!

Couldn't make it to the fair and would love to learn more about wholesale possibilities of our designs, don't hesitate to get in touch!​

It's almost time to show up at ShowUP!
The Brabanthallen in Den Bosch will turn into an indy-brand trade show on Sunday September 27th and Monday September 28th, and we'll be part of it!

We're so happy that this trade show for Home & Gift is going to happen!
(At least, i'm writing this with less than two weeks to go, and we don't know what the situation will be in a few weeks, but for now it's all systems go!)

While we're frantically designing the booth and getting everything ready for a showcase of the House of Thol collection, we wanted to officially invite you to the show!
​
Entrance is free, but: ShowUP is a Trade Show and only accessible for professionals from the segments Home Deco, Gifts, Lifestyle and Kids.
Click the link below to visit the ShowUP page and register. 
Please note: this time the fair is taking place in the Brabanthallen in Den Bosch, so don't accidentally drive to Vijfhuizen...

We'd love to see you in the Brabanthallen and reconnect.
These past months have not been easy for anyone, and it looks like we're going to deal with the current situation for a while longer.
It'll be great to just talk to people and see how everyone is dealing with Corona and making the best of it in these trying times.
Both Thomas and i will be there both days and are looking forward to having a chat!

Won't be able to make it?
We'd love to be in touch and send you our catalogue.
Prefer to meet face to face? We'd love to chat via a video-connection.
Just pop us an e-mail to set it up!

ShowUP @ Brabanthallen
Diezekade 2
5222 AK Den Bosch

Opening hours:
Sunday September 27, 09:00 - 13:30 and 14:00 - 19:00 hrs
Monday September 28, 09:00 - 13:30 and 14:00 - 19:00 hrs
NB register soon to get yourself the best timeslot!

While working on the preparations for ShowUP Today, I stumbled upon a few old photographs and a blog-post from two years ago.
Turns out we officially launched the Flower Constellations on August 27th 2018. That's two years ago to the day!
Happy Birthday Flower Constellations!

On one hand the launch seems like Yesterday, while on the other i can hardly remember when we didn't have the Flower Constellations in our collection!
(Kind of like with kids, but without the actual humans growing)
(Come to think of it: hopefully without the terrible two's)

Over the last two years, the Flower Constellations brought us so much: not only a product to share with people all over the world, it also contributed to us winning the MKB Export Award last year and more recently to Thomas being able to quit his 1,5 day side-hussle as a teacher at the Willem de Kooning Academy and having both of us working (more than) full-time for House of Thol.⁣

Therefore we'd like to thank each and everyone of you who helped sharing the story of our Flower Constellations. ⁣
Together we can spread the love for easy green living.⁣
Thank you guys! On to the next crazy times!

To celebrate the Flower Constellations' birthday with you and help you spread the love, we've created a special discount code making it possible to order two Flower Constellations for €35,-: Keep one and gift one!

To get the discount, order your two Flower Constellations at shophouseofthol.nl and make sure to enter code '2for35' in the box on the bottom left at check-out.
Happy giving! 

Although at this moment it is not 100% certain ShowUP will be able to take place in September, we're very much hoping it will!
And we're hoping to see you there!

The organization set up a Covid-proof plan, there will be a route to follow, and visitor numbers will be managed.
Fingers crossed!

This is the first time the Tradefair will take place in the Brabanthallen in Den Bosch, which is a lot closer to the House of Thol headquarters than the Expo Haarlemmermeer. 

The fair will take place on Sunday September 27th and Monday September 28th, and can be visited by a professional audience between 09:00 and 18:00 both days.
More details will follow as soon as we know more about the fair happening!

For the latest news around ShowUP, check out <their website>.

Back in the Before, we shot this video for ABN AMRO with Freek Zonderland and his team. 
​We wrote this post about the 'making of', remember?
Oh what a different time it was: the middle of winter and no clue about Corona coming our way.
​
Some of the shots were already incorporated in this ABN AMRO promo that was launched halfway February.

After that Everything Changed, and ABN AMRO understandably waited for better times to launch the personal video's.
​
Although the current Corona mayhem is far from over, we're all looking forward fresh starts and positivity, which is why ABN AMRO released this video Today!

We hadn't seen the final cut before this either, and we're very happy with the way our sustainable House of Thol story comes across even in this short clip.
Also, the kids are super excited they're in this.

Many things changed since shooting the video.
In the world, obviously, but also at the House of Thol headquarters.
Out of necessity we upgraded the computer station to a full office (with a door), the workshop isn't nearly as organized as it was, and Thomas' hair grew to his shoulders.

We can't wait to be able to get to full working weeks again and steam on.
​This film coming out now, is a perfect boost for that.
Thank you ABN AMRO and everyone involved!

In the midst of our Dutch 'intelligent lockdown' we suddenly found ourselves in The Hague, albeit virtually.

The morning started with a frantic connection dance trying to get the video-calling to work, but by 11:00 we were all set for The Call.
Not just any call: The Call with Minister Sigrid Kaag for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation.

We were honoured that Minister Kaag would take the time to have a little chat with us about the way we're impacted by the current situation, and in a graceful way officially pronounced us winners of the MKB Export Award.

Such a special moment!
Thank you to all parties involved: MKB Nederland, RVO, TNT, Language institute Regina Coeli and of course the Dutch Ministery of Foreign Affairs.

And we even managed to take a photograph with the minister. or.. kind of... 

The Jury of the MKB Export Award says in its (Dutch) press release we won because of the "beautiful combination of Dutch Design, sustainability and practical usability, that will do especially well abroad".

As a winner of the MKB Export Award we're receiving:
- A €15.000,- transport credit with TNT - giving us access to the worldwide shipping network on the road and in the air of TNT and FedEx Express.
- A one-year membership of MKB Nederland
- A Language course at language Institute Regina Coeli
- A Business Partner scan by RVO Netherlands  
And of course the exposure and PR attention that comes with winning this award.

Thank you very much MKB Export Award!
​We're aiming to work hard and make the most of the opportunities you're giving us.

Although winning the MKB Export Award in the middle of a global pandemic might not be ideal timing, we're confident that we will be able to share our work with the rest of the world, even if we couldn't make it to Milan this year. 

​In the conversation Minister Kaag mentioned possibilities of virtual trade missions. Which is something we would be very open towards. Not only at this moment of worldwide lockdowns, but also as a way to avoid unnecessary airtravel in the future.

With all large fairs cancelled, most prominently the Salone Del Mobile, it would be great if we could come up with an alternative to getting Dutch Designs out to the world.

The pandemic will probably influence our lives for the year to come, but with many countries adapting and economies re-opening all over the world, we're confident we'll be able to make good use of the award prizes.

We are looking forward to working closely with all parties involved to take the next steps and get the Sustainable House of Thol collection out there to a worldwide audience, making green living easier all over the globe.

<Read the official (Dutch) press release by the MKB Export Award here>

Download our press releases here:
<NEDERLANDS> // <ENGLISH>

For a while there we were hoping we could just hold tight for a few months and everything would be back to normal...
By now we are well aware this will take a bit longer to overcome, but we're not deterred in our international mission and signed right up for the Salone Del Mobile in Milan next year.

We are setting our sights to a new spring when the world will be slowly getting back to -what we hope will be a greener and more sustainable- new reality.

So hang in there.
We're looking forward to seeing you at the Palazzo in April 2021! 

Ok, officially it's not summer from June 16th to 21st, but the weather will hopefully be sunny and bright around the summer solstice.

With nothern Italy being one of the first Covid-19 epicentres of Europe, all major events for the coming months have been cancelled or postponed.
As is the Salone Del Mobile, originally planned April 20-26th, it was rescheduled two months later, to June.

Let´s hope the virus will have withered out when the temperatures start to rise and in June we'll have nothing more to worry about in Milan than where to get the best antipasti in town. 

Being born and raised in Loon op Zand, where the first official Dutch patient is from, and with a large part of my family living there, Covid-19 is already closer to me personally than i had hoped.

The fast spread of the virus is worrying, but the spread of the fear surrounding it, might be more dangerous still.
We're quite remote at the headquarters so it'll be business as usual here.  
We had a small delay with a brass delivery from Hong Kong, but thus far, that's all we noticed.

We're hopefull that come June, we'll indeed be enjoying a Milan summer breeze! Looking forward to seeing you there!

The one downside to being at Passagen (click) in Cologne, was that we couldn't also be at Maison & Objet in Paris, taking place around the same time a few hundred kilometers away.

It would have been great to be in Paris while our friends from Ay Illuminate launched the new bamboo versions of the Wren & Kiwi lamps.
We worked our hands to the bone finishing the series in time for the show and are super happy with the response so far/

What we love most about the Wren and Kiwi lamps is that they're all handmade in the Netherlands with sustainable materials.

The series started out with perforated strips of recycled aluminum, which turns a surprisingly sustainable corporate material into an unexpected warm glowing centerpiece.

The new bamboo lamps added to the series are more of a bridge between the contemporary first series and the airy eclectic athmosphere Ay Illuminate is so well known for.