Lack of Space: House Boats

Above and below: Amsterdam North.

Walking around in Amsterdam I could notice that the gardens of some house boats are already showing signs of spring. Yes, some house boats do have gardens. Actually they shoudn't be called houseboats (woonboten) for they are sustained by pillars and go nowhere.

I have been into house boats a couple of times. They vary from basic-basic to luxurious - almost a palace on the water, with all the comforts and facilities of an expensive house. After a while, you even forget that your are floating on water. Once, many years ago,  I visited a colleague who lived in such a house. The curtains were closed, we were talking and talking and then I saw the lamp hanging from the ceiling moving to the left... and moving to the right... I though about ghosts and told people in the room about it. They laughed: "We are on water, remember ?!"

Then I stood up and looked for the restroom. I had to hold on some of the furniture on my way to it.

But I think like everything else that is new for you in a house... you end up getting used to it.

Above: house boat located in one of the canals in A'dam.

Above: another house on the same location.

If you had the opportunity... would you like to live in a house boat ?
Maybe even during your vacations ?
Is it charming and cosy ?
Or scary ?

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Jurianne Matter (Paper Design from Holland)

Wishboats, an original idea for parties and a child's room...

Above: the wishboats print set.

Blom in sticks...

The package of a blom.

Mmmm.... paperdesign from Holland. Super delicate and eyecandy made by Jurianne Matter. Cards, lanterns, angels, boats and flowers.

Jurianne completed her studies at the Interior Styling School at Artemis Academy, in Amsterdam. She works as a freelance designer and product stylist. She designs her own paperwork and also patterns for other companies such as &Klevering Amsterdam. You can find her work in many shops and webshops in the Netherlands and abroad. Jurianne told me by e-mail that during her childhood she spent vacations with her parents in Scandinavia - and that area of the world still inspires her work.

Such Sing angels are perfect to decorate my girl's bedroom not only during Christmas but all year long !

A little tree. 

A miniature ode to nature.

All the photos on this entry were sent to me by Jurianne.
Below, a translation of a fragment from an e-mail she sent me:

Hello Ana,


(...) How funny your blog, The Netherlands through Brazilian eyes. It is nice to read what your impressions are ! I have a lot of visitors from Brazil and meanwhile I have discovered why: Brazilians are very good in papercraft ! A Brazilian friend of my got an old magazine, did "raf-raf" en made a pretty Christimas tree for me. She also can make beautiful and resistent baskets with folded newspaper sheets. I have at this moment a free-download piece on my blog and that is very much visited by people in Brazil. (...)

Jurianne, thanks for your openess, your kindness, all the photos and your e-mails !

I love your work !

In order to buy her work visit: www.juriannematter.nl
Her blog, where you can see more of her other design works, tips, trips and comments:

www.juriannematter.blogspot.com

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