Store Tour: Mariska Meijers Amsterdam

Mariska Meijers, a creative tour-de-force based in Amsterdam, has recently opened her premier bricks and mortar store in the city and it's just as colourful and vibrant as her established online store. Located just between the Jordaan’s 9 Straatjes (9 Streets) and the Bloemenmarkt (or Flower Market), the creative aesthetic of artist and designer Mariska Meijers is a perfect fit for the area as it matches the eclectic attitude of the 9 Streets, and the colourful floral theme of the market. Be sure to stop by and shop Mariska’s original designs across a mix of home accessories and furniture, all complimented by an ever-evolving collection of art, antiques and vintage furniture. The traditional delft blue of Amsterdam had just gained another punch of hot pink and I for one am all the happier for it! What do you like about Mariska's store?
// Photography Marjo van Rooyen | Styling Ann Christine Hartman

Mr. Bazaar's Colourful View of Amsterdam

From the moment I stepped foot off the train I was charmed by the colourful building facades I saw across the city. Add in the ever-present rumble of the trams passing below and then you really know you’re in Amsterdam. It’s a great city to visit with loose plans; enjoy taking the time to aimlessly stroll the tree lined canal banks, popping in and out of small, independent boutiques as you do. Earlier this month I was in the city for two days to shoot my inspirations for Eurostar's photo campaign across London Underground screens. I tried to capture something beyond the cliched shots of the canals, focusing on my main love - colour!

Possibly one of the best city hotels I’ve ever stayed in, the citizenM city hotel in Amsterdam is decked out in colourful designer furniture from Vitra, including my favourite Hang It All Coat Rack - luxury on a budget! You can shop the citizenM look over on Nest as they stock pretty much everything I saw in the hotel.

Café George has perfected the balance between feeling fancy not pompous, and welcoming not scruffy. Go for brunch on a lazy Sunday morning to pick something tasty from their striking, typographical menus.

A veritable feast of colourful home and cookware, Kitsch Kitchen is the ideal place to pick up a fun yet practical memento from your trip. Their in-store mural is a must see for colour inspiration! I picked up a pair of sweet little yellow and white ceramics (seen above).

This Italian restaurant and cocktail bar in the heart of the city has a relaxed yet cosmopolitan vibe. Flavours are just as they should be - simple and bold; the interior is an atmospheric, theatrical treat.

The ideal store to stock up on some interior style, Nordic New is an inspiring stop to add to your itinerary for ideas on introducing bright colour accents to your home through lighting and furniture.

Raw Materials is like an Aladdin’s Cave for any vintage maven. Expect to find rustic industrial homewares, vintage signs and packaging and weathered textures a plenty. (Pssst! There I am in action shooting these very snaps!)

Photography by Will Taylor

And that, my friends, was Mr. Bazaar's colourful inspirations from the lovely city of Amsterdam. Have you ever been? What inspires you about the city?

A Quick 'Hello' From Amsterdam

This past weekend I've been in Amsterdam shooting images of the city for Eurostar to display on screens across London Underground. It's been a bit of a whirlwind with so much squeezed into just a handful of days, including breakfast on Sunday morning with the darling Mariska Meijiers. I'll be sharing the full tales of my trip to Amsterdam soon, but in the meantime I wanted to pop in to say 'hello' and share these behind the scenes peeks of my trip. Have a fantastic week, friends!