Hans Kuijten: An interior like a warm blanket

The large bookcase in his office has room for all his heroes and sources of inspiration. Designer Hans Kuijten collects books by his favourite designers and films. His biggest example? Walt Disney. "This is often not understood, but Disney was the master of storytelling. He knew better than anyone else that the overall story has to be right."

Designing is in Kuijten's blood. As a child, he was always drawing. "I drew attractions, amusement parks or a fairground. As a little boy, I also built these, from Lego or with cardboard and paper. What I came up with, I could build as a maquette. After secondary school, I studied Spatial Design at SintLucas. Here I could do what I was good at. I then also started working in set and stand construction."

Design talent and materials knowledge

Kuijten's career thus began in the entertainment world. "Before I started for myself, I worked a lot in practice, although I also kept sketching and drawing. Now I benefit a lot from my practical knowledge because I know exactly how things work. A beautiful design is one thing but you also have to be able to make it, within a certain budget. Material knowledge is indispensable here, which is often lacking among young designers." 

In a natural way, Kuijten's design talent gradually gains more space in his work. His work is also shifting towards private and hospitality projects. More and more often, he is chief designer. Yet the moment he starts working for himself comes rather abruptly, when the advertising agency where he is employed goes bankrupt. "Fortunately, I had a good start because many clients went with me. My network is still my very biggest capital."

Warmth and homeliness

September marks 20 years since Kuijten started his own business. His designs, which he often still draws himself, are very recognisable. Every interior by his hand radiates warmth and homeliness. "When you enter, you should feel at home. A cosy, Brabant atmosphere, like a warm blanket, that's what we stand for." Laughing, Kuijten says he is allergic to white. "With my designs, I show that dark colours don't have to be sombre. On the contrary, they give warmth." Choosing this, he says, requires courage. "Our customers are very happy when we show how different colours and materials fit together. We do this in our design, but also by showing the materials on large samples. Putting these together really gives you an idea of the end result. This is almost always a hit."

Whether Kuijten designs an interior for a hotel chain or a boutique hotel, the story of the hotel is central for him. "I don't design for one particular type of guest. However, we don't furnish budget hotels because we do want to have the means to tell the story. This has to be right from A to Z, which is why we also think laterally about other things, such as the logo, the clothing of the staff, or how it looks from the outside." 

To achieve the best result, the click between and designer and client is essential, according to the designer." You often go into a development process together.  

That can take two to three years. During that time, you have to be able to work together in a pleasant way because my client is actually also my colleague." This usually goes well, but of course not always. "With a design you can sometimes miss the mark, but that can then be adjusted by listening carefully to the client. Sometimes, however, there is just no match with the client. In the past, I would still try to bring the project to a successful conclusion. Now I know that sometimes you have to recognise when not to do something."

Environment woven into the interior

An example of a collaboration that actually turned out very well is the one with hotel Blendin in Bloemendaal. "For this design, we worked with a storyteller who came up with a story for the hotel. The work of a Dutch poet who wrote about the plants, flowers and animals of the area formed the basis. Drawings of this were incorporated into the hotel concept. In this hotel, we used slightly lighter colours because of the light from the beach. The hotel is a great example of how storytelling is interwoven with design. For instance, the wings of an insect can be seen in certain parts of the hotel and even the knobs of the cabinets are part of the overall concept." In Austria, Kuijten was commissioned by Mountain Residences to furnish several resorts. "I am super proud of this, these resorts turned out really cool. Of course wood plays an important role here, but in a more modern, darker way. We have received very good feedback on this."

Sources of inspiration

Hans Kuijten really gets his inspiration from everywhere. From films, music, food and cities, but mostly from people. "I admire designers like Marcel Wolterink and Marcel Wanders. Wanders is super creative, although his style is not quite mine. I also think what Piet Boon does is cool and I admire the work of (interior) architectural firm Kabaz. Whenever possible, I visit hotels to see what they do. I can recommend that to everyone! New York is really my city in that respect. You really find atmosphere, hospitality and design with a rawer edge in its elaboration. Las Vegas is a great inspiration in terms of hospitality. The Nomad and The Beekman inspire me a lot. Ace Hotels is also a cool chain. They create a living room atmosphere by using a lot of wallpaper. In Amsterdam, I also find
The Hoxton hotel very nice."

Kuijten is also enthusiastic about the various Van der Valk hotels he has worked for. "These hotels, including those in Apeldoorn and Dordrecht, have turned out very well. In Duiven, we recently completely renovated the ground floor. The lobby, bar and public areas have been given a completely new style. Here, we thought carefully about the combination between practical matters and the look and feel. We always choose a maximum of four to six materials that recur throughout, to create a whole. This gives a sense of recognisability and calmness." A striking feature is the marble counter that adorns the lobby. "An eye-catcher like this really makes a statement."

According to him, using the right materials creates a sense of warmth and luxury, without having to cost the principal. "Marble is a precious material, but other materials can also be very decisive. For example, we work a lot with wall coverings. There are lots of cool, luxurious wallpaper patterns that are not very expensive. I can put a lot of my creativity into that. Combined with furniture, it creates a real hotel atmosphere. Good lighting is also very important. Do you use white light or warmer shades? Where do you apply the luminaires? We are currently developing our own lighting collection in collaboration with manufacturer Maretti. This series should be available by the end of this year. The starting point is one modular design that can be used standing or as a pendant, but also as a spotlight. The luminaires can be used separately or bundled to create a chandelier." Hans Kuijten's furniture collection will also be extended with a bed and a bar stool.  

Tips from Hans Kuijten

- Use wallpaper for a luxurious ambience that doesn't have to cost a lot.
- Limit the amount of colours and materials to a maximum of six.
- Makes a statement with a limited number of eye-catchers.
- Large elements give a space character all at once.
- Leather is a great product for furniture, but also for walls, cabinets or even the ceiling.