HENK Visits Sabrina Meijer
In the series “HENK Visits”, we visit inspiring people to take a look at their daily lives at home. This time, we are visiting online creative Sabrina Meijer-Monteban. Amidst the hustle and bustle of Amsterdam's canals, Sabrina and her husband Kees have created their own oasis of calm. With the garden doors wide open and a gentle breeze flowing through the house, they welcomed us into their warm, contemporary home.
Sabrina first made her name with her popular blog AfterDRK and was one of the first bloggers in the Netherlands. Nowadays, her focus is mainly on REYÈM, her own clothing brand. The couple are also busy creating their dream home in France, where they celebrated their wedding last summer.
How would you describe your interior style?
"I would say that the basis of our interior is quite calm and peaceful. I'm not really into coloured walls — light neutral tones form a nice basis from which to experiment a little more. I really like mixing colours, but always in a mature way, so that it radiates tranquillity and doesn't become too overwhelming. You could call my style contemporary. I really like modern vintage. Not too classic, but fresh and contemporary."
Where do you get your inspiration from?
‘Most of my inspiration comes from Instagram. I also use Pinterest, although you often see a lot of the same things there. Sometimes I just pick up a magazine; I love leafing through them. That way, I sometimes discover new combinations or ideas that you don't often come across online.’
Can you tell us something about REYÈM?
‘REYÈM is my own clothing brand. The idea behind it is that we make “dressed-up” items that look beautiful but are also really comfortable to wear. For me, it's all about clothing that makes you feel good — that is both stylish and practical.’
How do you translate your sense of interior design into fashion and REYÈM?
"Just like with my interior design, I rely heavily on my intuition when it comes to fashion. For me, that's the most important thing — it has to feel right and feel like something of mine. Of course, a house is even more personal than a clothing brand. I would never make anything for REYÈM that I don't like myself, even though there are sometimes items that I personally don't wear as much. It remains a search for the right balance: what does the customer want, what suits the brand and what do I like myself? Colour remains a difficult aspect. We work with one fabric, and some colours don't work as well in it. That's limiting, but it also makes it creative."
What role does sustainability play in your interior design?
‘I really enjoy combining vintage pieces with new products. For our house in France, we scour the flea markets looking for beautiful finds. When I buy something new, it has to be something I can really enjoy for a long time — not an item I'll want to replace next year.’
Do you have a favourite object in your home?
‘My favourite item is the Floris Wubben vase on our coffee table. My husband gave it to me for my birthday. Not only is it a beautiful object, but it also has personal significance.’
Why did you choose the Base Lounge by Studio HENK?
‘Because of its minimalist design and beautiful materials. I really love the wood of the Base Chair — it's exactly my colour of wood. And I love the orange fabric, especially how it matches our rug and marble coffee table. They're surprisingly comfortable, too, which I secretly didn't expect!’
