Category: Made In The Netherlands

Sustainable design on the kitchen counter - House of Thol in Today's AD

29/9/2021

"With the Patera-series you won't ever have to bin overripe fruits and spoiled vegetables again."

We are over the moon with this beautiful full page article in the 'Living & Interior' annex of Today's AD and its regional newspapers (Brabants Dagblad, Eindhovens Dagblad, Tubantia, BN De Stem, De Stentor & de Gelderlander).

The text is in Dutch (obviously), and it would take too long to translate in full.
Here's a super quick recap: the article is about how as House of Thol we design solutions for our own problems, the research that went into developing our Poma/Olera series, how the Patera Magna works and how it will help you to avoid food waste.

For all Dutch readers: open a PDF of the full page via the link below.

Thank you for a wonderful article Annet de Groot and AD!

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Eindhoven in Autumn: visit us at Piet Hein Eek during the DDW

14/9/2021

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Save the date: October 16-24 / House of Thol @ Piet Hein Eek

House of Thol @ Piet Hein Eek DDW 2021 / photograph by Masha Bakker Photography

The last time we were exhibiting at Piet Hein Eek during the Dutch Design Week was October 2017.
We were super happy with the location and fully expected to be back the next year.

Alas, the plans changed: in 2018 we were part of the Driving Dutch Design Expo at Strijp S, in 2019 we showcased the first prototypes of our Poma/Olera series in the ABN AMRO Gamechangers pavilion, and in 2020.... well, let's just forget about 2020, shall we?

We are living in 2021 now and are more than ready to get back in the game at our favorite DDW location: Piet Hein Eek.

True to our brand of greenery lovers, we reserved one of the greenhouses located inside the Eventspace to create our own House of Thol world.

More will follow, but for now, save the date: October 16-24
Although our DDW event states differently, Piet Hein Eek is open from 10:00 - 20:00 all days except Sunday the 24th, when the exhibition closes at 18:00.

Keeping my fingers crossed for a sunny week in autumn and hope to see you there!

Check out our event on DDW.nl

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Let there be spring: time to sow the Seeds of Love!

19/3/2021

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Seeds of Love: gift tags containing one square meter of wildflowers by House of Thol - photograph by House of Thol

Yearning for sunshine

Seldomly have i been longing for spring as much as i do this year.
Then again: don't we all?!
Well, the season of bright green is around the corner, and although we have yet to round the bend on Covid, we can at least spot a brighter day on the horizon.

Since spring is the perfect time to sow wildflower seeds and create a haven for both your own eyes as well as your local pollinators, we're adding 'Seeds of Love' wildflower labels to each order of at least €15,- for the next month!

Happy Bee + Happy Me

Each Seeds of Love labels has a seed pack containing about 2-3 grams of wildflower seeds, more than enough for 1 square meter of wildflowers.

We order our seeds in bulk at a bee-loving company in the Netherlands and created a personal mix with an assortment of local wildflowers.

The mix contains:
lupine, sunflower, borage, phacelia, buckwheat, cornflower, california poppy, snakeworth flower, tall melilot, dragonhead, corn marigold, large poppy, alfalfa, mustard seed, yellow mustard, coriander, missy-in-the-green, marigold, mallow, dill, serradella, french clover, cosmea and black mustard.

We carefully mix all seeds together and fill each seed bag by hand, so it is impossible to say which of the before-mentioned flowers will end up growing in your little meadow.

Since these are all varieties bees, butterflies and their buzzing friends love, you'll create a colorful and pollinator friendly patch regardless.

Public domain image by Pixaline via Pixabay - thank you @pixaline!

Spreading the love

When you place an order for at least €15,- in our webshop this coming month (until April 21st), you'll receive one Seeds of Love gift tag for absolutely free!*

No need to click on anything or fill out a discount code, simply place your order and we'll make sure to add a wildflower label to the package when we ship it!

It's our way of saying thank you for supporting our small sustainable business. <3

Also, we love to spread colorful patches of nature across Europe to create a more bio-diverse environment and help our most important allies in nature: pollinating insects.
Because sadly, our flying friends need all the help they can get (click).

We designed the labels to double as a gift-tag, adding an extra bright floral touch to any present.

Would like to receive more seed-pack labels?
We've just added the Seeds of Love labels to our webshop as well, so order away!

*(Please note: EU only, due to regulations about shipping seeds)

Visit the House of Thol webshop

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Cone & Water - the new Waterworks manual

30/1/2021

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Waterworks manual | Product design & graphic design by House of Thol

Made in Overasselt

Something fresh to brighten a dreary day: The new Waterworks manuals came in!
When the manuals started running low, we decided it was time to freshen up the design.

Most important change: We added the advice to lay the cone in water before placing it in the soil as a first step.
That way, the wet cone creates a connection with the surrounding soil more easily, and starts distributing its moisture level straight away, creating a better flow.

Also, move to the back of the manual, and there it is: House of Thol, Overasselt - The Netherlands.
A shout-out to the super tiny village we're happy to be based in.

Knowing that people all the way across the glode, in a country like the US for example, will see 'Overasselt' on there, gives me an inexplicable amount of joy.
Many Waterworks users might not even read the manual, let alone notice the village.
Yet, if i get only one person to ever google Overasselt, the Netherlands because of this, it's all worth it.

Read all about Waterworks <here> or buy <here>.

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saving food from the bin - check out this lovely post about the Patera Magnus

27/1/2021

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Patera Magnus - een bijzondere fruitschaal | blogpost by Huize Chaos // Design by House of Thol, photography by Huize Chaos

Patera Magnus - a special fruit bowl

We were super happy with this blogpost by 'Huize Chaos', one of the first happy users of our Patera Magnus.

Since we make each Patera Magnus by hand (quite an extensive proces), and the high demand means we're still producing orders from last year, the Patera Magnus in use is still quite a rare sight.
(We're working on it!!)

In this Dutch blogpost, user Marieska describes how she uses the special fruit bowl and how it indeed helps her to eat more fruit and vegetables while less food ends up in the bin.

Read the full Dutch post <here>, and read all about our Patera Magnus and the Poma/Olera series <here>.

All photographs in this post by Huize Chaos

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A hint of spring on a bleak day // All about tulips and keeping them fresh for longer

14/1/2021

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All about tulips and keeping them fresh for longer // Flower Constellation by House of Thol | photograph by Masha Bakker photography

image by Masha Bakker Photography

Yearning for color

I don't know about you, but i've seldomly been looking forward to the sunshine of spring more than this year.
Although we still have a few months to go before the bright green starts to pop, tulip season has in fact already started.
Time to bring a hint of freshness into the home!

Luckily, tulips are sold at both supermarkets and convenience stores as well as flower shops, so even in a partial lockdown, you should be able to get your hands on them.
That said, the taller stemmed French tulips you see on this photograph are usually found in more luxurious flower shops.

Being Dutch, it is about time to learn more about our national flower and how to properly care for them. Read on to find out what i learned.

From Central Asia mountains to Dutch Mania

though we very much hijacked the tulip as our Dutch national flower, the bulbs originate from Central Asia.
The word 'Tulip' is said to be derived from the word 'Turban', (because of the similarities in shape), and it wasn't until the 16th Century that the Ottoman empire brought the flower to the attention of the West.

The Europeans, with the rich Dutch in particular, were so smitten with the novelty flower, a Tulip Mania ensued, with prices for tulips in the Netherlands going through the roof (a bulb going for a house) before dramatically collapsing.

After a short crisis, the prizes stabalized again, and the Dutch have remained the leading producer of commercial tulip plants ever since, creating an abundance of colors and varieties and producing over 2 billion flowers and bulbs annually.

All about tulips and keeping them fresh for longer // Tulip field // Public Domain image via Pixabay

Dutch tulip field, image via Pixabay

All about tulips and keeping them fresh for longer // stillife with flowers by Hans Bollongier, 1926 / via Rijksstudio

Stilleven met bloemen, Hans Bollongier, 1639

A national symbol

Since the mania in the Dutch 'golden age' (debate is on about whether we should still call it that, as the riches of the Dutch empire were won mostly from slavery, exploitation and claimed foreign land)....
Anyway, since the Dutch 'Golden Age' master painters often depicted tulips in their works and the tulip trade was here to stay, the tulip became our nation's symbol.

Since 2019 we even have a stylised orange tulip in our official country logo (click).

Tulips were so valuable back in the day, enormous stacked tulip vases were designed specifically to showcase each individual expensive flower.

Tulip Vases - via The Hague art museum

Tulip taxonomy & a beautiful virus

The tulip is a genus of the Lilly family and is taxonomically divided into 4 subgenera: Clusianae, Orithyia, Tulipa and Eriostemones (more here), with by far most cultivars in the Tulipa group.

However, modern day practicality kicked in, and a new division of 15 groups, based on flower type, size and blooming period was made (see them all here).

The red/white striped petals seen on the botanical drawing here, are the result of a virus 'breaking' the tulip.

These were the most sought after flowers during the Tulip Mania, and one bulb of the depicted 'Semper Augustus' could cost as much as a house.

All about tulips and keeping them fresh for longer // Two tulips by Jacob Marrel / Via Rijksstudio

Two Tulips (Semper Augustus), Jacob Marrel, ca 1640

Sadly, the beautiful virus impacts the tulip negatively, and each next generation of bulbs becomes weaker and weaker, until eventually too weak to bloom. As a result, many of the old 'broken' breeds have gone extinct, as did the valuable Semper Augustus.

Although a few breeds survived, like 'Zomerschoon' (Summer's Beauty') and the golden/brown Absalom, 'broken' flowers are considered a threat to gardens and industry nowadays, and the Dutch government has banned the sale of infected bulbs.

Instead, breeders have succeeded in creating extravagant striped, flamed, variegated (multi-colored) and even fringed tulips, like a.o. Rembrandt Tulips (a nod to Tulip Mania), the large Parrot tulips and the Creme Upstar Tulip in beautiful powdery pink and creme. (see more varieties here).

Via Tulips.com

bulb-planting & the green flower

Tulips are a great addition to any garden, and super easy to plant.
That is: if you remember to plant the bulbs at the appropriate time...
Most bulbs should be planted from September to December, and will start to bloom in early spring to give your garden that pop of color.
Here's a guide about do's and don'ts when planting tulip bulbs.

If you don't have a garden, or -like me- forgot to plant your bulbs (again), you can still enjoy the tulip as a cut flower.

In the Netherlands, tulip season is festively launched around the middle of January each year.
Since tulips are grown locally and on open ground, they are considered one of the most sustainable cut flowers in the Netherlands and are available from October to May. (more about that on Milieucentraal)

7 steps to keep your tulips fresh for longer

A while ago, we created the 'Rookie's guide to Flower Care' as an easy tutorial to keep cut flowers fresh for longer (read the full guide here).

Tulips can have a vase-life of up to 10 days when cared for properly, and although tulip care is quite similar to most flowers, there are a few things specific to tulips that you should take into account to keep your flowers fresh for longer.

All about tulips and keeping them fresh for longer // A rookie's guide to flower care by House of Thol

1. Start with picking the right tulips: choose the ones with tall, strong stems and buds that are still closed and mostly green.
Make sure to handle the flowers carefully when bringing them home, as stems and leaves are easily snapped.
Ideally place them in a vase immediately.
If you can't, keep the tulips in their sleeve and place the stems in cold water until you're ready to arrange them.

2. Choose a vase as tall as at least half the length of the flowers to prevent stooping. Clean the vase thoroughly and prepare with cold water with mixed in flower food.

photograph by Roza Schous

3. Remove any leaves lower on the tulip stems (leave no foliage under water) and diagonally cut about a centimeter off the bottom of the stem with a sharp knife before placing in the water. (read more about the why and the how of the angular cut here)

4. Arrange your tulips spaciously in the vase, making sure the stems are not squashed together.
If you like, you can use a Flower Constellation to arrange your tulips in a playful and spacious way, like i do on the photograph. Make sure to choose the right hole for each stem, and be careful not to damage them.

image by Masha Bakker Photography

5. Here's the thing you should be aware of: unlike other cut flowers, tulips tend to keep growing while in the vase.
Since they grow towards the sun, you should check the vase daily and rotate the vase to keep the stems growing straight.

6. Keep an eye on the water level. As they grow, tulips use a lot of water, meaning you should top it up daily.
Ideally refresh the vase every 3-4 days.

7. Place the vase on a cool spot out of direct sunlight or drafts and keep away from the (ethylene emitting) fruitbowl.
If you like, you can move your flowers to a cooler spot overnight, keeping them crisp for longer.

Bonus: I have yet to try this, but apparently you can revive droopy tulips by poking a small hole at the top of the stem, right under the flower head. This releases trapped air and can revive the water flow.

One more thing: Don't mix tulips with daffodils or hyacinths.
Although you'd think they would compliment eachother in a spring-themed arrangement, flowers like daffodils exude a gel-like substance that can clog up the tulip stems, obstructing the waterflow

Finally: I like to keep my tulips in the vase as long as i can: until they start losing their large petals. However, take note: similar to lilly's, tulip pistils can hold quite a lot of pollen, and these can leave stains on a surface!

Edible beauty

Like many flowers, tulips are actually edible.
I wouldn't advice taking a bite out of your store-bought bouquet, as they might be treated with something to keep them looking fresh (you never know). Tulips from your own garden however, can successfully be used in a salad, with dip, or as a stylish edible amuse-holder.

Best thing to eat are the petals, which apparently come in all kinds of flavours depending on the color. Generally they supposed to taste a little like sweet lettuce (source), and you should pick them fresh, as they grow bitter over time.
The Guardian wrote an article about which flowers to grow for your dishes, <read it here>.

As the Dutch found out in WWII, tulip bulbs can be eaten too.
But beware: you have to take out the bitter core, as it is poisonous.
Also, it's notoriously nasty-tasting, and many people forced to eat them during the hunger-winter of 44/45, vowed to never eat them again.

All about tulips and keeping them fresh for longer // Edible tulip salas by Bon Appetit via The Guardian

image by Bon Appetit via The Guardian

image by Wolfgang Brauner via Pixabay

Résumé

Ever since tulips were introduced to the Dutch, the flower has played a part in our history: from the high and subsequent low of tulip mania, to the desperation of surviving by eating tulip bulbs during WWII, the colorful flower was there through the good, the bad ánd the ugly.
Dutch floriculture export is thriving, and we mainly have the tulip to thank for that.

After researching the flower, i would have loved to be able to recognize at least a few different tulip breeds by eye.
Alas, there are just too many cultivars, and new breeds pop up every season.

It was fun to find out about Semper Augustus, the viral infection causing the beautiful coloration on its petals, and the absurd value of a mere bulb.

I'm looking forward to gardens everywhere waking up to spring, and tulips slowly reveiling their splendour and bright color.
But before they do, i'm reviving my own sunny feeling indoors with a bouquet of color.
Going out to get a bouquet for yourself? Don't forget about your neighbourhood florist!

Happy spring-feeling everyone!

Sources: Wikipedia, Rijksstudio, Government of the Netherlands, Amsterdamtulipmuseumonline, Gardentabs, Tulips.com, Milieucentraal, University of Vermont, Maria's Farm Country Kitchen, the Guardian

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Making room for new projects: In the Clouds SALE!

13/1/2021

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In the Clouds handmade porcelain tableware // design by House of Thol // photograph by Masha Bakker photography

Birds & Planes

The In the Clouds series started out as a research project about decorating porcelain during the casting process, as opposed to adding an extra layer by hand in between firings.

Contemporary possibilities of computer aided design and 3d-printing played a major role in the design of the intricate decoration imprinted in the porcelain In The Clouds cups.

The graphic image on the In The Clouds cups is derived from the skyscapes that are often an inconspicuous part of the decoration on both Dutch Delftware as well as Asian Porcelain.
Silhouettes of birds and planes flying in between the clouds, add a contemporary twist to the classic theme.

Making room

We are cleaning up our warehouse to make space for new projects and are getting rid of the current In the Clouds stock.
So, while supplies last, score yourself a lovingly handmade porcelain piece for a great price!

Part of the series are small and larger cups, a medium and large bowl, and matching lids/saucers in four sizes.
Each piece comes in several shades of colored porcelain: white, blue and green.

Please note: since each batch of porcelain is colored separately, hues differ from piece to piece, and as all pieces are handmade, they rarely are perfectly circular.

<Read all about in the Clouds> // <Check out the online Sale>

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Product presentations & the orange expo movie - Read all about a brave ShowUP here

1/10/2020

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Helios presentation during ShowUP 2020 // design & photography by House of Thol

The just-in-time fair

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.

Bee Happy Flower Cards presentation during ShowUP 2020 // design & photography by House of Thol

Happy chats and resilient entrepreneurs

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!

Get in touch

Waterworks presentation during ShowUP 2020 // design & photography by House of Thol

House of Thol presentation during ShowUP 2020 // design & photography by House of Thol

Flower Constellations presentation during ShowUP 2020 // design & photography by House of Thol

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See you in Den Bosch? - ShowUP is coming soon!!

15/9/2020

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House of Thol @ ShowUP - register here // Bee Happy Flower Cards, design & photography by House of Thol

House of Thol @ ShowUP in booth C.140

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...

Let's reconnect!

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!

I'll register

I'm getting in touch

House of Thol at ShowUP - Register here // Waterworks, design by House of Thol - photography by Lynn Henderiks/Wonderwoud

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the mold, the clay & the kiln - about the Patera Magnus production process

26/6/2020

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Patera Magnus - Keep your fruit and vegetables fresh for longer | design & photography by House of Thol

Love, care & a kiln

Patera Magnus is a large terra-cotta fruit and vegetable vessel, consisting of 9 separate ceramic parts.
Did you know that right now we produce all Patera Magnus bowls by hand in our studio in Overasselt (near Nijmegen)?

We are planning on finding a manufacturer for the Patera Magnus soon.
Yet as demand for the design is so high, we did not want to keep you waiting and started production in our workshop.

Let me take you with me into the process of making the molds and producing the Patera Magnus bowls, starting all the way from sketch and computer drawing to the finishing touches of the final product.

Step #1 - research & concept development

Just to have all the steps to this process, let me take you with me to the very beginning of the Poma/Olera series: the ABN AMRO pitch to design a sustainable solution for an everyday situation.

We noticed that we often throw out fruits and vegetables because they turned, and found out that throwing out fresh food is a widespread problem.

We thoroughly researched the ideal way of storing different kinds of fruits and vegetables, and looked into food storing methods in history and other cultures.

Amongst other things, we came across the idea of a 'zeer pot': a way of keeping vegetables fresh in hot conditions by storing them in a large double-walled terracotta pot filled with wet sand between the walls, making use of evaprative cooling.

Step #2 - sketches & technical drawings

The zeer pot idea in hand, we added another thing we discovered research: it's better to store different kinds of fruits and vegetables separate from one another, so ethylene gas from ripening fruits wouldn't negatively impact other fresh produce.

After preliminary sketches by hand, we made computer drawings of the design, and after many, many, many small adjustments, made 3D prints of all the components.

Patera Magnus technical drawings by House of Thol

Patera Magnus component being 3d printed - House of Thol

Step #3 - mold making

Patera Magnus - mold making by House of Thol

After finishing and preparing the printed components by hand, we used them to make plaster molds.

These molds can be used to slipcast liquid clay: after pouring the clay into the mold, the plaster walls extract moisture from the mixture, creating a thickening layer of clay 'slip' against them.

After a set amount of time, the mold is emptied of the remaining liquid clay, leaving behind a perfect cast of the inside of the mold.

Step #4 - slipcasting & finishing

The slipcasting might not be a difficult process, you have to stay focused throughout working with the liquid clay: too long in the mold and the walls become too thick, which can cause problems while drying.
Not enough time, or a mold that was still wet from a last cast, and the walls are too thin, with a large chance the bowl will crack or warp.

After pouring out the remaining clay, the bowls are set to dry upside down: first within their cast, and later with the plaster mold removed.

Thomas casting Patera Magnus components - House of Thol

Patera Magnus outer bowl drying - House of Thol

Step #5 - firing, glazing & firing again

Glazed Poma/Olera pieces, ready for a second firing

After carefully finishing each bowl by hand, everything is fired in the kiln for the first time.

This is the moment the clay is at its most fragile. Especially the large outer bowl is a challenge to dry and finish without creating cracks or bumps.
Once the terracotta is fired for the first time, it is a lot easier to handle.

A layer of glaze is added, and all components go back into the kiln for a second slightly higher firing.

Patera Magnus outer bowl coming out of the kiln after being fired twice - House of Thol

Step #6 - handles & finishing touches

When all components are finished and fired twice, the Patera Magnus is ready to be assembled.
We start with the right fit: double checking to see if none of the components warped or bended during the finishing and firing process.

If everything fits snugly, we make the laminated oak handles and attach them with the brass book screws.
After adding the rubber strips and elastic bands, the Patera Magnus is good to go!

Laminated oak handles for the Patera Magnus - House of Thol

Close up of the brass book screws attaching the Patera Magnus handles - House of Thol

Blooper reel & production pause

Collapsed Patera Magnus outer bowl - House of Thol

Patera Magnus bowl broken in the kiln - House of Thol

Obviously, with so many steps going into the production of the Patera Magnus vessels, things go wrong occasionally.

After a rought start in February and March, we developed a feeling for the process, and things started to run more smoothly.

However... when Covid hit, we found time slipping through our fingers and hardly an opportunity to work on the Patera Magnus production with the focus and attention it needs.

Back in the workshop & picking up the pace

Patera Magnus production - House of Thol

Luckily we're back in the workshop now, and working towards finishing every Patera Magnus with the love and dedication it deserves.

With new orders coming in regularly, we will keep production running throughout summer -save for a little two week break in July-.

Waiting for the Patera Magnus you ordered?
We're delivering everything according to order date.
Feel free to get in touch if you want to know more!

<Read more about the Poma/Olera series>
or
<Order your hand made Patera Magnus now>

NB Production update in September: the kiln-situation

You see that? >>>
That's the inside of our kiln.
The kiln we got for prototyping and producing small products like the Waterworks cones.
Not for a full-fledged production of large interior products.

The sweet kiln has been firing our terracotta and porcelain projects without problems for 6 years, until it didn't...

Large bowls started to crack by the end of August. We figured it had to do with the insane heatwave we were experiencing: the slipcast clay drying out too fast.

Or maybe it was the mold that was the problem? We started up production for a new mold.

After a few weeks and losing 7 large bowls in either the first or second firing, we found out the problem was with the kiln: one of the heating spirals had broken, resulting in an uneven heat distribution throughout the kiln and breaking large bowls.

Well... it's fixed now and we're back into production, so hopefully we'll be on the delivery track again soon.

Get in touch for questions!

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Videocalling with Minister Kaag: We won the MKB Export Award!!

7/5/2020

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Proud and happy to be named winner of the MKB Export Award!

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...

Video Conference with Minister Sigrid Kaag at the House of Thol Headquarters // photograph by House of Thol

During the call

The official Award while video-conferencing between Minister Sigrid Kaag and House of Thol at The Hague // photograph by Ministery of Foreign Affairs

photograph taken from The Hague

The official Award while video-conferencing between Minister Sigrid Kaag and House of Thol at Overasselt // photograph by House of Thol

same situation from Overasselt

Thomas & Jana celebrating the MKB Export Award win at House of Thol headquarters / photograph by House of Thol

Celebrations in the sunshine

Why we won & what we won

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.

The timing of this...

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>

Screenshot of the MKB Export Award website

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Bee Happy Flower Cards now available in a gift-set!

10/12/2019

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Bee Happy gift-set: post cards you can sow / design & photograph by House of Thol

Just in time for the Holidays

Postcards are always a fun gift, and cards that can grow into flowers even more so.
That's why we created the 'Don't worry Bee happy' gift set containing 6 Flower Cards and three envelopes in a nice box with growing paper wrapper.

Compose the set exactly as you like it: choose the 6 cards you like best, or go for one of the mixes we thought up.
You can even choose to add more envelopes or buy the set without envelopes and save a euro.

The set goes for €15,- including 3 envelopes.
NB If you were to buy the 6 cards and envelopes separately that would add to €19,50, so this might just be a great gift for yourself as well :-).

<Get the Bee Happy gift set here>

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When we were game changers - looking back at DDW 2019

19/11/2019

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Poma/Olera at the ABN AMRO Game Changers Pavilion // photograph by House of Thol

The blank page Pavilion

A month ago Today, Eindhoven was the worlds' epicenter of design, and slap bang in the main square of all Dutch Design Week festivities was a large white box stating "Design bepaalt de koers", Dutch for "Design sets the course".

The box was a temporary building designed to represent a blank sheet ready for a the first draft of a new design, and was commissioned by Dutch bank ABN AMRO.
For 9 days this pavilion was the home of 4 Game Changers: designs that can help us live more sustainably daily lives.

One of those Game Changers: our Poma/Olera series.
Brandbase and ABN AMRO gave us the opportunity to come up with a solution for everyday fruit and vegetable storage.
(More about the origins of Poma/Olera can be found here)

Our design was accompanied by the Transformer table (getting better with age), a candle using fat from a water sanitation plant and a filter that takes out the micro-plastics from your washing machine waste water.

Game Changers pavilion by Brandbase for ABN AMRO during Dutch Design Week October 2019 // photograph by House of Thol

Experiencing design

The ABN AMRO Game Changers exhibition was set up as an experience: up to 15 visitors accompanied by a host would be guided along the 4 different Game Changers with a professional voice-over and well timed lighting schedule.

This meant that as a visitor of the Game Changers Pavilion you really experienced design, rather than simply looking at it. Something very different to most other exhibitions and very professionaly executed.

Because of the voice-over directing the pace of the little tour, people didn't really have the time to linger around our work and take photographs to share online.
That's why we snuck in before the show started to get a few pics of the Poma/Olera presentation.

Patera Herba & Patera Maturus at the ABN AMRO Game Changers Pavilion // photograph by House of Thol

Patera Magnus at the ABN AMRO Game Changers Pavilion // photograph by House of Thol

Patera Dauci at the ABN AMRO Game Changers Pavilion // photograph by House of Thol

Reaching a new audience

Having ABN AMRO backing our project meant that we reached audiences we probably would have missed otherwise.

We were very happy we got to tell about House of Thol to a professional audience during a Sustainable investment event and expanded our network tremendously.

Apart from an interview with a journalist from a national newspaper that will hopefully be published in a few months, we had a lovely chat with Francis of Sublime radio, which let into our 60 seconds of radio fame that you can listen to here.

Coming to your house soon!

Not being able to stand next to our designs was new to us, and made for a refreshingly laid back Dutch Design Week.

It also meant we missed out on a lot of direct response to our Poma/Olera series, and that's kind of a shame.
We love getting into conversation about our designs, to clarify the decisions we made and brainstorm about future possibilities.
Luckily a lot of people still managed to reach out to us and tell us what they thought about Poma/Olera via e-mail and social media

Most heard response was: "When will the series be for sale?" and "Where can i get a Poma/Olera fruit bowl?".

With so many specific requests, we're happy to get a move on: We'll be producing a small Poma/Olera series in house meant for direct sales on the short term, while at the same time diving deeper into terracotta production possibilities as close to home as possible.
We're not in this alone: Fonds Kwadraat is helping us with the next step.

Order now

We've currently set the price of a large Poma/Olera bowl (Patera Magnus) at €195,-.
Production will take approximately 4-6 weeks.

Interested in keeping your fresh food fresh?
Get in touch!

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Poma/Olera - the road to the Dutch Design Week

17/10/2019

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A sustainable solution for the everyday

It all started with a phonecall in June: ABN AMRO was looking for designers to come up with a sustainable solution for everyday situations, and if we could pitch an idea in July?

Since our House of Thol slogan is 'Durable products for easy green living' of course we had to participate!
We had a few ideas up our sleeve that could perhaps impact a marker like Earth Overshoot Day.

Earth overshoot day was July 29th 2019 - via overshootday.org

Move the date: Food waste

We took a close look at our own day-to-day and found plenty of things that we still can do better.
One of the things that's a real problem, is food waste: with two young kids with fluctuating appetites in the house, we can't help but throw out food ever so often.
Such a waste! Not only because of the money, but also because of the resources we waste.

And this goes beyond our household: in the Netherlands we throw out 34 kilograms of food each per year, and globally one third of the food produced is wasted.
That's about 1.3 billion tons!

If we could save only a quarter of that amount, we could feed every hungry mouth in the world (source).

Poma/Olera: keep your food fresh

Bringing it back to our own small household: what can we do to avoid food waste in our daily lives?
We noticed we often have trouble with fruits and vegetables: what is the best way to store them, so they stay fresh for longest and we don't have to throw out wrinkled bell peppers?

Poma/Olera - the process by House of Thol

Turns out not every fruit and vegetable plays nice with others, so keeping them all together in one large fruit bowl might not be such a great idea: the ethylene coming from fruits like apples can negatively impact the taste or ripeness of other fruits in the bowl.
Anyway, learning about the best way to store fresh food involved a whole lot of research (spreadsheets, seriously) that deserves its own blog post soon.

The go and the process

Back to the process: We presented our plans in Amsterdam in July and the day after our meeting with the jurors we drove off to the Schwarzwald in a 42°c heat and two eager little boys in a car without airconditioning.

We spent two blissful weeks of summer break, and got the phonecall with the final go for our Poma/Olera project while en route.

These past months, ever since returning home from our break, have been all about Poma/Olera.

The design changed somewhat from the first drafts and we created a series of round vessels specifically designed to store fruits and vegetables in a better way.

The making process involved a lot of sketching,computer drawing, 3d printing, mold making, clay casting, finishing, failing, doing it again, changing the molds, recasting, firing the kiln, glazing tests, new glazing tests, production, production, production.

Well, your typical design process, really.

PicturePoma/Olera - the process by House of Thol

See you in Eindhoven!

We're super happy and proud to be able to showcase the first prototypes of our Poma/Olera series at the Game Changers Pavilion on the Ketelhuisplein during this Dutch Design Week.
We'd love to see you there!

read all about game changers here

Poma/Olera series to store fruits and vegetables better by House of Thol

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Changing the game - Poma / Olera helps you keep fruits fresh

16/10/2019

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Poma/Olera series by House of Thol - store your fresh food better and avoid food waste

34 kilo / €120,-

In the Netherlands we throw out approximately 34 kilo's of food per person every year. (source: Voedingscentrum)
34 kilograms! What a waste!
Not only because this is costing us about €120,- a person every year, but also because we're wasting valuable resources and energy.

A lot of this waste can be prevented. For example by making sure to weigh portions on a scale while cooking, and by finding a way to use leftovers before they go to waste.
What also helps is to store your food in a way to help it stay fresh for as long as possible.

Applegas & bitter bell pepper

Did you know fruits like apples release a gas called ethylene which can influence the ripening process and taste of other fruits and vegetables?
It might not be such a great idea to keep all your fruits and veggies together like we do in a fruitbowl.

Also, did you know you shouldn't keep tomatoes in the fridge?
The same goes for bell peppers. But don't keep these next to the tomatoes, as the ethylene gas tomatoes release can cause the peppers to taste bitter.

Poma/Olera research: Apples - by House of Thol

Poma/Olera research: Tomatoes - by House of Thol

Poma/Olera research: Banana - by House of Thol

Poma/Olera research: Carrots - by House of Thol

Game Changers @ DDW2019

Poma/Olera (Fruit/Green) is a series of products (vessels) that help store fruits and vegetables in a better way and avoid food waste.

The development of the series started with an assignment by ABN AMRO to design a solution for a sustainable daily life and the first prototypes will be presented at the Game Changers Pavilion at the Ketelhuisplein during Dutch Design Week 2019 (Eindhoven, 19-27 October).

Check out the full Poma/Olera series here

Patera Magnus

Patera Maturus

Patera Dauci

Patera Herba

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The bath and the blooms... Masterly The Hague is a wrap!

26/9/2019

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Four days in The Hague

photograph by Chasing Pastels

Last weekend we spent 4 days in sunny The Hague at chique art/design festival 'Masterly The Hague' - Not only was the festival taking place in a beautiful setting, we were blessed with great weather and many enthusiastic and lovely visitors!

We were super happy with the great presentation of our work: the bathtub being flanked by this gorgeous 1930ties silk Kimono that was on loan from the Gemeentemuseum The Hague, and the over all high quality athmosphere at Hoogsteder & Hoogsteder.
Also not too bad to share a room with skillfull glass artist Geir Nustad and be a temporary direct neighbor of Orange or Red, Bibi Smit and Thed Konings.

And, lest i forget: we worked together with Ceramist Henriette Meijer to create a stylish floral setting at the entrance of Museum Bredius.

Since we were pretty much talking all the time, we didn't get to take that many photographs.
Luckily plenty of others did!
Here's a few of the pictures we found online. All images link back to the photographer or account we found them.

Thank you Nicole Uniquole and the Masterly The Hague organisation for a lovely festival!

Nicole Uniquole

Marieke 880

Insideful Interieurontwerp

Emilie ten Donkelaar

House of Thol

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A little something extra for all dads

12/6/2019

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For dads who love to let things grow

Father's Day is around the corner!
And although it might seem all fathers need new Americana accessories for their BBQ, we know for a fact many dads love to let things grow.

That's why we busted our behinds to get the Helios out there in time: the new durable tool to help you grow your pits, bulbs and cuttings on water.
Read all about our Helios Constellation here.

Is your dad more of a houseplant fan?
Why not gift him a Waterworks-set to help keep his indoor greenery happy and healthy.

But that's not actually what this post is about: As a little something extra, we added a few new Father/Family-themed Growing Cards to our collection.

With these cards, you're not only sending your dad a sweet message, you'll also give him something to grow.

The cards have been printed on Growing paper that contains wildflower seeds.
To germinate the seeds, lay the paper in moist soil, place in a sunny spot, cover with a thin layer of earth and keep moist.
Depending on the kind of seed in the paper, you'll see the first tiny green leaves pop out of the earth after about ten days.

Get a free card with your order!

With your order in our webshop, you can add a Fathersday card for free!

Here's what you do: choose the House of Thol product and Fathersday card you'd like to order, and fill out discountcode: 'Vaderdag19' at check-out.
The €3,- for the card will be deducted from the total automagically.

Please note: take delivery times into account when placing your order.

Want to save time and have your present sent directly to your fathers' address?
We can do that! Simply fill out the correct address at check out.

We can even write your Fathersday-card for you.
Let us know what should be on the card (max 5 lines) and we'll make sure to write down your message as neatly as we can.

Make your dad happy

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Hey Mama! - This years' Mothersday special

6/5/2019

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For mothers who love to let flowers bloom

Mothersday is around the corner!
Does your mother like flowers?
Gift her a Flower Constellation this weekend so she can create stunning floral masterpieces every time while saving on flowers.

Because we are huge fans of mothers in general, (and ours in particular), we designed special Mother-celebrating Bee Happy Growing cards for Mothersday.

With these cards, you're not only sending your mom a sweet message, you're also giving her a delayed bouquet of flowers.

The cards have been printed on Growing paper: 240gr recycled paper that contains wildflower seeds.

To germinate the seeds, lay the paper in moist soil, place in a sunny spot, cover with a thin layer of earth and keep moist.
Depending on the kind of seed in the paper, you'll see the first tiny green leaves pop out of the earth after about ten days.

With your order of a Flower Constellation or Waterworks-set in our webshop, you can add a Mothersday card for free!

Which one is your favorite?

Here's how it works

Here's what you do: choose the Flower Constellation (or Waterworks-set and Mothersday card you'd like to order, and fill out discountcode: 'Moederdag19' at check-out.
The €3,- for the card will be deducted from the total automagically.

Please note: take delivery times into account when placing your order.

Want to dave time and have your present sent directly to your mothers' address?
We can do that! Simply fill out the correct address at check out.

We can even write your mothersday-card for you. Let us know what should be on the card (max 5 lines) and we'll make sure to write down your message as neatly as we can.

Make your mom happy!

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In with the spring! the new wrapping paper question

24/1/2019

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Help us decide which masterpiece should be our new wrapping paper

Last fall we wanted to do something special for the Holiday season and designed custom Flower Constellations wrapping paper based on Dutch floral still lifes.
Remember? (click)

You helped us out by letting us know which masterpiece you liked best, and we ended up with lovely rich colored Rachel Ruijsch wrapping paper that turns your Flower Constellation in a super chique present fitting for the Holidays.

fresh spring

We're still in love with the beautiful still life of seventeenth century Dutch master Rachel Ruijsch.
Yet the dark and saturated colors in the painting might be more of a winter thing

With the Holiday period a sweet memory and months of grey looming ahead, let's bring in something fresh to wrap the Flower Constellations!
Something that reminds us of spring...

Will you help us choose again?

We literally spent hours in the public domain (thank you World of Driftwood) to find bright colored paintings that would make good wrapping paper.

This time we looked though the extensive archive of Dutch painters and, with spring colors and brightness in mind, narrowed it down to these two options:

1. Ambrosius Bosschaert | 1573-1621

Bouquet of flowers on a ledge

This Dutch painter was one of the first to specialize in still life floral paintings and started a trend that went on for centuries.

Although his work is highly sought after, Ambrosius Boschaert the elder does not have a large portfolio. His time was mostly spent working as an art-dealer.
Even more reason to make sure his trend-setting work is not forgotten.

2. Vincent van Gogh | 1853-1890

Vase with irises against a yellow background

Van Gogh is one of the most (in)famous artists of our country, and made quite a few floral paintings.

Although happily colored, the timing of this painting of irises in a vase (May 1890), is rather gloomy: Vincent would die from complications after a self-inflicted gun-shot wound two months later.
Maybe not so happy-go-lucky, but an important piece of Dutch art history.

What's your favorite?

So, what do you think?
Should we go for the important Dutch staple Van Gogh, or choose the painting from the master who may have started it all: Ambrosius Bosschaert?

Let us know by January 30th

That way we'll have the new wrapping paper ready to go for Object Rotterdam

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A trip to toast - a few M&O snapshots

23/1/2019

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Launch Wren & Kiwi during M&O jan '19 | photograph by House of Thol

A flying visit to make a toast

This past weekend (18-22 January) Ay Illuminate launched our Wren and Kiwi lamps at Paris tradefair Maison & Objet.

Although it wasn't desperately necessary for us to be there, we definitely didn't want to miss seeing our lamps shining in the Ay Illuminate booth!

It took some organizational skill and a lot of family help to schedule ourselves kid-free and in the south of the country on Saturday and be able to take a day-trip to Paris.

That's making it sound a lot more romantic than it was: What it came down to, was us spending 9 hours in the car for 5 hours at Parc Expositions Villepinte (+ a short joyful stop at a hypermarché).

It was all worth it.
We brought Champagne and cheese to officially celebrate the Wren and Kiwi launch and shared a festive toast with Ay Lin, Casper and the Ay Illuminate crew.

Seeing our designs displayed in the Ay Illuminate booth and how well they fit in with the rest of the Ay Illuminate collection made it all come together, and it was wonderful to experience the response of the M&O public.

After enjoying the company at the booth for a while, we did a quick (three hour) round of the fair that was way too short to see anything yet left us both with sore feet (11.000+ steps according to my phone).

All in all this flying visit took us 14 hours, and i'm so happy we went.
Below you'll find a few more snapshots of the booth and our trip.

Have you been to M&O?
What did you like best?

A toast with Ay Lin of Ay Illuminate during M&O jan '19 | photograph by House of Thol

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New New New! Wren & Kiwi for Ay Illuminate

17/1/2019

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Finally lifting the veil

We had to bite our tongues for sooo long and keep this project under wraps...
But the day has come: We can finally proudly present to you the Wren and Kiwi lightshades we designed for Dutch lighting brand Ay Illuminate.

Over the past two Years, we've been working together with the lovely people from eco- and socially conscious label Ay Illuminate to design a lightshade that would not only be sustainable and reparable, but would also be suitable for production at a social workplace in the Netherlands.

Our workshop is filled with the models and prototypes we made during the different stages of the design and product development proces.

Our brief was simple, yet challenging: design a lamp that is made of sustainable, preferably recycled materials and take into account it has to be produced in the Netherlands by people working at a sheltered work environment.
And of course it has to fit in with the Ay Illuminate collection, best known for its tropical natural feel and artisan craft production methods.

models and material research | photograph by House of Thol

What's going on with House of Thol

"With the Patera-series you won't ever have to bin overripe fruits and spoiled vegetables again."

Save the date: October 16-24 / House of Thol @ Piet Hein Eek

Yearning for sunshine

Happy Bee + Happy Me

Spreading the love

Made in Overasselt

Patera Magnus - a special fruit bowl

Yearning for color

From Central Asia mountains to Dutch Mania

A national symbol

Tulip taxonomy & a beautiful virus

bulb-planting & the green flower

7 steps to keep your tulips fresh for longer

Edible beauty

Résumé

Birds & Planes

Making room

The just-in-time fair

Happy chats and resilient entrepreneurs

House of Thol @ ShowUP in booth C.140

Let's reconnect!

Love, care & a kiln

Step #1 - research & concept development

Step #2 - sketches & technical drawings

Step #3 - mold making

Step #4 - slipcasting & finishing

Step #5 - firing, glazing & firing again

Step #6 - handles & finishing touches

Blooper reel & production pause

Back in the workshop & picking up the pace

NB Production update in September: the kiln-situation

Proud and happy to be named winner of the MKB Export Award!

Why we won & what we won

The timing of this...

Just in time for the Holidays

The blank page Pavilion

Experiencing design

Reaching a new audience

Coming to your house soon!

Order now

A sustainable solution for the everyday

Move the date: Food waste

Poma/Olera: keep your food fresh

The go and the process

See you in Eindhoven!

34 kilo / €120,-

Applegas & bitter bell pepper

Game Changers @ DDW2019

Four days in The Hague

For dads who love to let things grow

Get a free card with your order!

For mothers who love to let flowers bloom

Here's how it works

Help us decide which masterpiece should be our new wrapping paper

fresh spring

Will you help us choose again?

​1. Ambrosius Bosschaert | 1573-1621

2. Vincent van Gogh | 1853-1890

What's your favorite?

Let us know by January 30th

I think you should go for...

A flying visit to make a toast

Finally lifting the veil

1. Ambrosius Bosschaert | 1573-1621