Later, I bought a painting of a Spanish dancer, her dress seeming to move organically around her body. I saw the painting as I walked out of the hospital after my sixth and final round of chemotherapy. To me, it represented strength, movement, maybe even Spain itself. It marked a point I had reached, even though I still didn’t feel strong at all.
And somehow, it all did become reality.
I learned how to move through life with flow, and many years later I moved to Spain.

Art, or an object, can give you a feeling and become attached to a moment in your life in a way almost nothing else can. You don’t have that with a sofa. Or a flowerpot.
You don’t need art.
But it gives you so much more than necessity ever could.
Often, we don’t buy art because of who we are, but because of who we hope to become.
That photograph of Paris was never really about a kiss to me. It was an opening towards a life that felt bigger than the one I knew at the time. Travel. Lightness. Romance. Becoming a woman who could simply be in Paris.
Only later do you realise that art can sometimes be a glimpse of a life that has yet to exist.

A House Without Art Feels Different

You can create a perfectly designed home without a single artwork. Beautiful materials. A good sofa. Calm colours.
But art brings personality into a space. Layers. Sometimes even tension. It tells a story about what someone longs for, what they have lived through, what moves them deeply. That is what makes a house not just beautiful, but personal.
This is often forgotten, or barely used by interior designers. The owner should choose the artwork — not the designer.
Art is not decoration. It is personality.
Some objects mark who we once were. Others quietly point towards who we may become. A memory of a holiday. A turning point in life.

My objects exist somewhere between functional object and meaningful sculpture.

And as a maker, I place something of myself into every piece. Each object contains a combination of flow, strength, and perhaps even courage. The robust and geometric forms remind me of that, and in a way, I hope to pass that feeling on to others.
Flow is something that makes me deeply happy. When life flows — when movement feels almost effortless, when you seem connected to everything around you.
Maybe that is what all of us are searching for.

Het bericht The Feeling Art Gives You verscheen eerst op Studio Wild Orange.

But I said YES. I said Yes to the opportunity, the challenge and the unknown. My contact at Casa Decor said: you won’t regret it, it’s a hughe opportunity.

I knew Casa Decor because I studied, well still study, interior design at Insenia Design School in Madrid. An online Master in which I have finished the 1st block of three. For me it was an oppurtunity to improve my Spanish, learn Spanish with an object I am really interested in for whole my life. As a former hotel, spa and cooking studio owner. I knew interiors have to stand out to attract your customers. On this online Interior Master I first heard about Casa Decor.

We don’t have the concept in the Netherlands and they can explain it, but actually understanding the concept happens when you’re part of it.
Every year Casa Decor finds a new prestigious building in a Madrid. In this building brands, products, artists and interior designers work and connect together to make an inspirational interior design. You’ll find new ideas, another way of applying materials and so on.
So we had a connection market where you show your products. Many designers were interested in my ceramics. And my contact person helped me with the process and every time she said; you did really a great job. But I had no reference, so didn’t had a clue. I found out about that later.

Me and a friend brought all our ceramics in a minivan to Madrid. It was a crazy where construction workers, tiling, running around with cabinets and 2 chicas walking up and down the stairs searching for their rooms with boxes full of ceramics.
We installed a few totems, but most of the rooms we had to leave our products with the best instructions.

You can’t imagine what can happen in a week from then. The building was finished, all furniture on the right spots, moved again, cleaned and even the professional photo shoots were made. The grand opening for the press was a week later. And we were there again. And I started to understand the concept. It’s about networking, meeting people, compliment each other, meetings about interior design and so much more. I really recommend to visit it. The building by it self is outstanding.
It’s a in a remarkable 19th-century palace located in Madrid’s historic Barrio de las Letras.
The building was originally constructed between 1892 and 1895 as a noble residence for the Marquis of Los Vélez. Over time, the palace has lived many lives — from aristocratic home to convent and school — while preserving its elegant architectural character, including marble floors, stained glass windows and a monumental staircase. The historical context of the building you can find in the different interior concepts.

So, am I glad I said YES to this invitation? Yes. And we’ll see what it brings in the future.

Het bericht Studio Wild Orange at Casa Decor verscheen eerst op Studio Wild Orange.

Totems or vertical sculptures could easily become the next interior trend. At least if it were up to me. I simply love them. These architectural ceramic sculptures instantly give body to a space.

These stacked ceramic forms or sculptural objects can strengthen an interior enormously. They draw attention, add height to a room and bring an artistic vibe.
My totems are inspired by the stones I always stack on the beach, an activity somewhere between balance, shapes, concentration and, above all, the empty spaces. And of course a little competition element: how high can it go before it falls?

In my ceramic totems I stack geometric and organic shapes, searching for balance and unity.

Totems have actually been part of human life for centuries. As ritual or memorial objects. Or in landscapes where you find them as small stone stacks. Especially in mountainous areas, where they are used to mark paths.
These stone stacks are remnants of communication between people in nature. They represent strength, balance, stability and the journey of life.

In short, a totem is not just a sculpture or an interior object, but a versatile symbol.
But how do you choose the right height for a totem?

If you choose a totem that is too small, it disappears into the space. Too large, and it can feel heavy or dominant.
The totems of Studio Wild Orange are made to measure. When I once placed a 200 cm ceramic totem in my living room for a photoshoot, I discovered that it was simply too large for the space.
The object itself was beautiful, but in the room it felt too tall. The vertical line drew too much attention upward and the space became restless. The proportions with the furniture and the ceiling were no longer in balance.
Since then, I always look at the relationship between the object, the space and the furniture.
Below are a few simple guidelines.

Totem in the living room
The living room often contains many pieces of furniture: sofas, tables, cabinets. Because of this, an extremely tall totem does not always work well here.
Ideal height:
90 – 140 cm for a standard ceiling
140 – 170 cm for a more spacious living room
A totem of 200 cm can quickly feel too dominant in an average living room.

Totem in a hallway or entrance
Height actually works very well here.
A hallway usually has fewer pieces of furniture, more vertical space and functions as a first impression of the home.
Ideal height:
150 – 200 cm
A tall totem can almost function as a welcoming sculpture.
If your hallway has ceilings higher than about 3 meters, the totem could even be taller.

Totem in a corner of a large space
In a large living room or open space, a totem can add beautiful verticality.
Ideal height:
170 – 200 cm
Especially when placed next to a wall, in a niche or near a large window.

Spaces with high ceilings
If your ceilings are 3 meters or higher, the proportions change completely.
A totem of 180 – 220 cm can work beautifully because the space absorbs the height.
In a standard living room with ceilings of 240–260 cm, this height often feels out of proportion.

So always keep one thing in mind: proportion.
The perfect height of a totem depends on three things:
• ceiling height
• scale of the furniture
• how much visual calm the space has
A totem should feel like a sculpture that supports the space, not like a tower that demands all the attention.

A tip from the maker
Are you unsure about the height of a sculptural object?
Place a piece of painter’s tape on the wall marking the height of the totem.
This immediately shows whether the scale feels right in the space. And you can always ask me. And I help you to choose your totem.

Interior tip
We make our vertical sculpture in commission. Think about 2 totems made of smaller pieces next to each other with a variation in height. 
We can make them in different colours, shapes etc. 

See our Totems

Het bericht You want a totem in your interior, but what height? verscheen eerst op Studio Wild Orange.

How to unlock your creativity? 
Stop Trying to Be Creative. You are!
The first step to unfold your creativity is surprisingly simple: stop forcing it.
Creativity does not respond to pressure or expectations. It opens when curiosity replaces judgment. Instead of asking “What should I create?”, ask:
What am I drawn to right now?
A color, a texture, a material, a feeling.
Creativity starts with attention. Start sketching. And do not want to make ‘something’. Just see what comes.

Work with your hands to awaken creativity
Another thing that helps to unlock your creativity is working with your hands.
In a digital world, creativity often gets stuck in the head. Hands bring it back into the body. Clay, wood, paint or fabric slow you down and reconnect thinking with feeling.
When you work with natural materials, you enter a dialogue. You respond instead of control. This is where creativity naturally unfolds.
You don’t need to make art.
You need to make something.

Create without an Audience
A major block in the creative process is the invisible audience in our mind.
Questions like:
Is this good enough?
Will others like it?
Is this useful or sellable?
To unfold your creativity, you need moments where nothing is shared, posted or evaluated. Creativity grows in privacy first.

Welcome imperfections and faults
Perfection freezes creativity. Imperfection keeps it alive. Just start. And from one thing you flow into the next creation.
When something is handmade, small irregularities create warmth and character. The same applies to your creative life.
Allow unfinished ideas.
Allow mistakes.
Allow change.
Creativity unfolds when you stop trying to resolve everything.

Change your Environment to support creativity
Your environment deeply influences your creative flow.
Natural light, silence, space, textures and nature are not luxuries, they are creative tools. This is why studios, retreats and workshops often unlock creativity effortlessly.
Sometimes creativity doesn’t need motivation.
It needs a different room. A walk. Pick up stones, walk on a beach. You can get inspiration from everywhere.

Trust small Ideas and quiet signals
Creativity rarely arrives as a big breakthrough. More often, it whispers.
A recurring thought. A subtle dissatisfaction. A gentle pull toward something new.
If an idea keeps returning, it’s asking for attention. Follow it without needing a clear outcome. Sketch it. Puzzle it together.
Unfolding your creativity is not about frustration, it is about happiness.

Creativity Is a practice, not a goal
Creativity is not something you achieve once.
It’s something you practice by slowing down, paying attention and allowing exploration.
When you give creativity time and space, it unfolds naturally, just like clay in your hands.
And once it does, it doesn’t only change what you make.
It changes how you live.

Clay & Stay workshops
During our 1 to 1 workshops we help you to unlock your creativity. We have the environment without distractions and what can fuel the flow of creating. We help you to make a design on your own and dice into your creativity. It is not about the outcome. It is about the process. About unlocking your creativity and finding happiness in it.

Het bericht Studionotes #4: Unlock your creativity verscheen eerst op Studio Wild Orange.

Stylish and functional, explained from an interior designer’s perspective.

If there’s one element that can transform your home more than anything else, it’s lighting. Yet lighting is still treated as something purely functional: hang a ceiling lamp, add a reading light, maybe place a table lamp… and done.
But stylish lighting doesn’t work that way. It’s not “light every corner and you’re good.”
It’s layered, atmospheric, and deeply connected to how you want to feel in your home.
Good lighting supports your rhythm:
– it energizes you in the morning
– it helps you unwind in the evening
– and it creates mood on command

The truth is: many interiors have light, but no vibe.

So what is stylish lighting, really?
Stylish lighting is all about layers and mood. Not about one dramatic overhead lamp.
(The ‘big light’ is, in fact, officially dead.)
A well-designed lighting scheme uses multiple light sources at different heights to create warmth, depth and atmosphere. Think:
– Indirect LED lighting behind furniture, art or mirrors.
– Accent lighting on special walls or architectural details
– Soft table lamps that calm the space
– Varied shapes and scales that add character
It’s not just what you light — it’s how you light it.

Start with your living room: what do you actually want to see?
Before you choose lamps, ask yourself:
‘What do I want to highlight in this space, and how do I want to feel here?’
Your living room should invite you to relax. So why sit under a harsh ceiling lamp?
Instead, focus on:

• illuminating textures and accent walls
• adding subtle light in niches
• using warm, indirect light that bounces softly through the room

This creates a calming, inviting atmosphere,  without sharp shadows or cold brightness.

The art of choosing lamps: scale and style.
Stylish lighting isn’t just about lumens or kelvin values. It’s about shape, size and impact.
Think of Kelly Wearstler: her lamps are sculptural design pieces.
Art during the day. Mood-makers at night.
Large, statement lamps (like handcrafted ceramic lamps 😉) can anchor a room without adding clutter. They bring warmth, personality and texture, even when they’re turned off.

Why you (almost) never need a ceiling light again.
Harsh overhead lighting flattens a room. It makes nothing special and affects how you feel in your space.
A layered lighting scheme works so much better:
– floor lamps
– table lamps
– wall sconces
– indirect LED strips
– sculptural lamps on shelves or consoles
Together, they build depth, atmosphere and that soft, glowing interior you want to come home to.

The quick summary (your lighting life-saver)
To give your home a stylish, functional glow-up:
– Build layers, not just one overhead light
– Light what matters, not everything at once
– Use different heights for depth and mood
– Choose lamps as design objects
– Avoid harsh ceiling lighting whenever possible

Your home deserves a glow that feels warm, soft and soulful, morning to evening. If you have doubts, contact us for advice. 

Het bericht Desginernotes #3: How to style your home with a glow-up lighting verscheen eerst op Studio Wild Orange.

Een lamp is meer dan licht: het is sfeer, balans en stijl in je interieur. Maar hoe weet je nu welke lampenkap past bij je lampenvoet? Te groot en de lamp oogt log, te klein en het geheel voelt uit balans. In dit artikel leg ik je uit hoe je de gulden snede, een eeuwenoude verhouding uit de kunst en architectuur, kunt gebruiken om de perfecte lamp samen te stellen.

Waarom de verhouding belangrijk is

Een lamp bestaat uit twee hoofdonderdelen: de voet en de kap. De juiste verhouding tussen die twee bepaalt of je lamp een eyecatcher wordt of juist wegvalt. Bij interieurontwerp draait alles om harmonie, en ook bij verlichting kun je dat bereiken door simpele regels toe te passen.

Praktische richtlijnen bij het kiezen van een lampenkap

• Tafellampen → vaak wat bredere kappen, omdat ze een centraal punt vormen op een kast of tafel.
• Vloerlampen → hier mag de kap juist wat langer zijn, zodat het licht prettig verspreid wordt.
• Bedlampjes:  liever iets smaller en lager, zodat het licht niet te fel in je ogen schijnt. Houd je nog genoeg ruimte op het nachtkastje over? 

Extra tip: experimenteer met stof en kleur. Een natuurlijke linnen kap geeft zacht licht, terwijl een donkere katoenen kap meer sfeer en intimiteit creëert.
Ook de lampenkapfolie maakt uit. Een goudkleurige folie geeft een zachte moody sfeer en een witte folie een iets heldere. Houd ook rekening met de weefdichtheid van de stof. Onze bogolan stoffen hebben een grove weefstructuur. Het is een kwestie van smaak of je dit mooi vindt of niet. 

De gulden snede toegepast op lampen

De gulden snede is een natuurlijke verhouding van ongeveer 1 : 1,618. Je ziet dit terug in schelpen, zonnebloemen en klassieke kunstwerken. Dit kun je ook toepassen op lampen. Toegepast op lampen werkt dit als volgt:

• Hoogte van de lampenkap: ongeveer 60–65% van de hoogte van de lampenvoet.
  Voorbeeld: is je lampenvoet 40 cm hoog, dan kies je een kap van 24–26 cm hoogte.
• Breedte van de lampenkap: ongeveer 1,5 tot 1,7 keer de breedte van de voet op het breedste punt.
  Voorbeeld: is je lampenvoet 18 cm breed, dan past een kap van 27–30 cm het mooist.

Met deze verhouding creëer je rust en balans, ongeacht of je een tafellamp, vloerlamp of nachtlamp kiest.

Concreet voorbeeld:

Stel: je hebt een lampenvoet van 40 cm hoog en 18 cm breed.

• Hoogte kap volgens gulden snede ≈ 40 × 0,6 = 24 cm hoog.
• Breedte kap volgens gulden snede ≈ 18 × 1,6 = 29 cm breed.

Dan krijg je een lamp die visueel perfect in balans voelt.

Stappenplan (gulden snede) voor bepalen juiste lampenkap bij lampenvoet

1. Meet de lampenvoet
   • Hoogte van de voet (zonder fitting).
   • Breedste diameter/breedte van de voet.

2. Bereken de lampenkap-hoogte

1. • Richtlijn gulden snede: kaphoogte ≈ 0,618 × voethoogte.
   • Praktische bandbreedte: 60–70% van de voethoogte (rond af op hele centimeters).

3. Bereken de lampenkap-breedte (diameter)

1. • Richtlijn gulden snede: kapdiameter ≈ 1,618 × voetbreedte (op het breedste punt).
   • Praktische bandbreedte: 1,5–1,7 × de voetbreedte (kijk wat visueel klopt met kapvorm/ruimte

4. Check totaalbeeld

1. • Kap lager dan of gelijk aan voethoogte oogt rustig; te hoge kappen domineren. Maar dit kan ook iets zijn wat je wilt bereiken. 
   • Bij schaal met meubels: kapdiameter ≈ 60–75% van de breedte van het meubelvlak waarop de lamp staat (nachtkastje, sidetable), zodat het geheel niet “topzwaar” wordt.

5. Fijnslijpen

1. • Ronde kappen verdragen iets grotere diameter; ovale/konische kappen ogen slanker.
   • Stoffen met druk patroon, dan kun je een iets kleinere kap nemen, een effen stof mag je een iets groter kap nemen.

     Probeer een maatje groter (35 cm) of een maatje kleiner (25 cm). En kijk wat het beste staat. Heb je een lampenvoet die wijd, anders, gedetailleerd is dan kun je soms nog een groter kap proberen. Is de lampenvoet klein,  dan past een kleinere lampenkap vaak beter.

      

Neem het volgende mee in je overwegingen als je een nieuwe lampenkap of complete lamp zoekt. 

Waar komt hij te staan? 

Is het in een hoek, op een nachtkastje, in de hal, op een side table?

1. Kijk naar de ruimte rondom de lamp en de ruimte rondom de kap. 
2. Kijk naar de lampenkap. Wil je moody goud van binnen of houd je van iets helderder. Ook de stof werkt met de lampenkapfolie.
3. En dan de stof. Grove stof zoals onze bogolan stoffen zijn grof geweven en dat zie je als je de lamp aanhebt. 
4. Hoe vind je de stof bij daglicht? En bij avondlicht? Donkere stoffen creeëren een moody sfeer terwijl lichte stoffen zacht diffuus licht verspreiden.
5. En dan de vorm van de lampenkap. Houd je van rond of juist van conisch? 
6. Welke lamp doe je erin? Fel licht of juist warmer licht? Probeer verschillende ledlampen.

Lampen van Studio Wild Orange

Bij Studio Wild Orange werk ik dagelijks met deze verhoudingen. Mijn keramiek lampenvoeten worden stuk voor stuk met de hand gevormd, en gecombineerd met unieke kappen van stoffen die ik meebreng van reizen of van designers. Geen twee lampen zijn hetzelfde – maar altijd klopt de balans.

Wij van Studio Wild Orange helpen je graag om voor jou de perfecte lamp te vinden.
Stuur ons gerust:

• de plek waar de lamp komt te staan
• eventueel een foto van de lampenvoet die je al hebt
• maten van de voet
• de stijl waar je van houdt, pinterest ideeën

Wij gaan op zoek naar de perfecte lampenkap voor jou. 

Conclusie

Lampen zijn de heroes van een interieur styling. De juiste lamp en kap kan een ruimte transformeren. Niet alleen ’s avonds, maar ook overdag met de textuur, kleuren, materiaal en als object.
De juiste lampenkap kiezen is geen gokwerk: met de gulden snede heb je een simpele formule in handen. Hou 60–65% van de hoogte van de voet aan voor de kap, en 1,5–1,7 keer de breedte. Zo creëer je een lamp die in elk interieur klopt – of dat nu boho, Scandinavisch, modern of wabi-sabi is.

✨ Op zoek naar een unieke lamp die al in de perfecte verhouding is ontworpen? Bekijk mijn handgemaakte lampen en ontdek welke match bij jouw interieur past.

We hopen dat je met deze tips wat makkelijk je keuze kunt maken en anders helpen we je graag.

Hieronder een aantal voorbeelden. Eerst eigenlijk een te kleine kap, dan een bredere een grotere. 

The Feeling Art Gives You

I bought my first artwork when I moved into my student room. It was a [...]

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May

People of clay…me

I’m going to write again. Not about how to hang a lamp so Google will [...]

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Apr

You want a totem in your interior, but what height?

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Mar

Studio notes #5: Internship

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Studionotes #4: Unlock your creativity

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Desginernotes #3: How to style your home with a glow-up lighting

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Designernotes #2 An interior inspiration trip to Marrakesh

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Het bericht Hoe kies je de juiste verhouding tussen lampenkap en lampenvoet? verscheen eerst op Studio Wild Orange.