Noortje had always dreamt of designing her own home! A dream she was able to realize when, together with her boyfriend, video technician Jorn Bergmans, she got the chance to turn an old Utrecht pub into their own apartment.
Anja Neidhardt describes Noortje’s vision for this space and the creative process it lead to perfectly in the article ‘Private Utopias’in Form magazine No 269 :
‘The resulting residence is a place in which work and home life feed off each other. The open space at its heart, for instance, is furnished in such a way that all the pieces can be moved or removed at any time to accommodate photo shoots, pop-up exhibitions or large dinner parties. Inspired by (and primarily intended for) her own home, Noortje has also developed a range of hand-printed textiles. Although their individual motifs appear minimalist and austere, on cushions, blankets, and tablecloths they result in playful patterns. “This reflects not just on my work, but on my character as well,” she says, “the ‘stripe shape’ is my need for perfection and the ‘unique print’ is my longing to let go.”’
Photography Mirjam Bleeker, Styling Frank Visser