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Follow stylist Pia Jane Bijkerk’s ten “wanders” through Amsterdam to the places where she sources the props, accessories, and objects that she uses in the sets and photographs she creates. You’ll find jewelry, clothing, home furnishings, antiques, collectibles, and more, all made by hand. Along the way, discover the real Amsterdam (Pia lives there—on a houseboat!).

This is the second Made by Hand guide by Pia. The first, Paris: Made by Hand, received an ecstatic reception around the world from magazines such as British House & Garden and Vogue Living, and on dozens and dozens of design blogs from design*sponge to decor8.

Pia describes her book the best:
“As a stylist, I am always on the lookout for objects that are distinctive and alluring—which is why I adore all things handmade. Amsterdam: Made by Hand is an insider’s guide where you’ll discover Dutch ateliers tucked away on the cobble stoned backstreets of the old canal district, and boutiques that Dutch designers and stylists have kept well-hidden inside their black books…until now. Between its pages you can expect to find woodworkers, jewelry designers, dressmakers, ceramicists, and more: with the backdrop of Amsterdam’s beautiful canals and wonky buildings, you can expect to see this quaint old city in a whole new light.”

This is a book for all professional designers and decorators and lovers of design and decorating, lovers of all things handmade, the chic and unique, and, of course, Amsterdam.


Pia Jane Bijkerk is an Australian stylist and photographer specializing in still life, food, interiors, and lifestyle imagery. She has a special interest in forecasting design trends. She lives in Amsterdam and Paris, and works internationally for magazines and advertising agencies. Clients include Vogue Entertaining & Travel, Real Simple, Marie Claire, and Saatchi & Saatchi. Her work can be seen at piajanebijkerk.com.
Paperback; color photographs throughout
6 x 6 inches, 176 pages
ISBN 978-1892145-84-0
Retail price: $18.95
Price: $14.21 (25% off)

"Page through Bijkerk's new book for a host of great sources, photographed to draw you into another world where you'll find jewelers, ceramicists, hat-makers, and more." —Traditional Home

"Amsterdam: Made By Hand is a compact guidebook.....it captures how Amsterdam looks and feels through her eyes along with some of her most cherished shop suggestions. This book is ideal for those looking for a bit of an 'off the beaten path' guide to where one can find shops catering more to the handmade, upcycled, vintage-loving crowd. " —Decor8 : Fresh Finds for Hip Spaces

I may be a little biased because this is my neighborhood, but I’m sure others agree that the grachtengordel zuid (the southern girdle of canals) is one of the most charming quarters of Amsterdam. As I wander through these particular canal streets and gaze up at the unchanged seventeenth-century houses, I always find something utterly delightful—something that inevitably catches my imagination and inspiration. In this wander, I have chosen four handmade havens that will provide the perfect inspirational stops as you stroll between the canals. And as you wander from place to place, take your time. Stand on a bridge and watch the boats pass by underneath, or take a rest on a bench to soak in the old-world atmosphere. Perhaps you will hear the chiming of one of the nearby churches, or the soft bell of a passing bike.

The Frozen Fountain
Prinsengracht 645
TELEPHONE + 31 (0)20 6229375
Monday 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm
Tuesday through Saturday 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
Sunday 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm
www.frozenfountain.nl

The Frozen Fountain is a design destination where many new craftspeople and designers from the Netherlands and Europe are presented, thanks to the owners Dick Dankers and Cok de Rooy, who, since the store’s inception fifteen years ago, have been scouting Dutch design academies for emerging designers.

The collection at The Frozen Fountain grows weekly, and seems to include everything and anything. Some of my favorite designers are Piet Hein Eek, a woodworker who makes sought-after chairs, tables, and sofas from rescued wood; Hella Jongerius, who uses traditional techniques to create a large line of ceramics; and Claudy Jongstra, who uses the wool from her own sheep for large felt wall hangings and rugs.

This distinguished shop is frequented by both local and international stylists; photographers and design journalists seem to visit daily. It is not out of the ordinary to see a TV cameraman following a presenter, slowly meandering through the store to show viewers the best of the best in European design and craft—much of it is exclusive to The Frozen Fountain. What I love most about Frozen Fountain is that the collection is eclectic and wide, and is not just focused on high-end design. The owners’ discerning eyes seek not only ambitious young Dutch designers with international aspirations, but also those content to continue working on their own, in their own studio with their own two hands. It’s quite unusual in Amsterdam for high design and handmade to be shown together, but The Frozen Fountain is one of the rare places that mixes both, and beautifully so.

Den Haan & Wagenmakers BV – Dutch Quilts
Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 97-99
TELEPHONE + 31 (0)20 6202525
Tuesday through Saturday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
www.dutchquilts.com

On the corner of Sint Nicolaasstraat and the almost unpronounceable Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal is a little set of stone stairs with a traditional Dutch door at the landing. As you open the door and step inside, you will find an unusually shaped old-fashioned room swathed from floor to ceiling in seemingly every style of Dutch quilting fabric available. This is the retail headquarters for the world-renowned Dutch reproduction fabric company Den Haan & Wagenmakers BV, more familiarly known in English simply as Dutch Quilts. Recently handed over to new owners Petra Prins and Nel Kooiman, Dutch Quilts has been in business for twenty-five years, showcasing a vast collection of cotton chintzes based on original hand-printed designs that were brought to Dutch shores by the East India Company during the seventeenth century.

The original designs were primarily used in the Netherlands for interior furnishings such as cushion covers, drapes, and wall coverings, as well as for national costumes. In the 1700s, the floral cotton chintzes became popular for clothing. Today, the designs are widely used by quilters and fabric enthusiasts around the world. This is a treasure chest for illustrators, color consultants, fashion designers, and decorators as well.

Within the boutique are all sorts of examples of how the fabric can be used, from a number of patchwork quilts in varying colors hanging from balustrades, doors, and hooks, to curtains, stitched ornaments, and traditional garments, as well as a dramatic floor-to-ceiling wall covering that lines the front windows (look behind you as you first enter the space). Upstairs are dozens of boxes filled with fabric bundles in hundreds of colors and designs, carefully arranged and beautifully styled. The fabrics themselves beckon to be touched and viewed up close. There is a wall of American patchwork fabrics as well, giving the local clientele an immense selection from which to choose.

The fabrics are priced from 22€ to 35€ per meter and are sold in small or large quantities, depending on your needs.