Bloomming featured in Villas magazine

The influence of Dutch design extends far beyond the Netherlands. In issue 64 of Villas, the French architecture and interior design magazine dedicated a feature to contemporary Dutch designers and innovative furniture concepts. Among the selected projects: Bloomming and the work of founders Bas van Leeuwen and Mireille Meijs.

Dutch design through an international lens

The editorial explores a new generation of Dutch designers who combine functionality, experimentation, and a strong visual identity. Rather than focusing solely on form, the featured designers are presented as thinkers and makers who respond to the changing way we live, work, and experience our surroundings.

Within this context, Bloomming was included as part of a curated selection showcasing the diversity and creativity of Dutch design.

A feature for Bloomming

In the design overview, Bas van Leeuwen and Mireille Meijs appear alongside other emerging Dutch designers whose work attracted international attention. The publication highlights Bloomming’s distinctive approach to geometry, modularity, and spatial design — themes that continue to define the brand today.

The feature also includes the Grip table leg system, an early Bloomming design. Grip was conceived as a flexible stainless-steel table base that can be combined with a wide variety of tabletop materials and dimensions. By separating the tabletop from its supporting structure, the design offers freedom for customization while maintaining a refined architectural appearance.

Recognition beyond borders

For a young design studio, being featured in an international publication such as Villas represented an important milestone. It demonstrated how Dutch design was gaining recognition abroad and how Bloomming’s work resonated with an audience interested in innovation, craftsmanship, and contemporary interiors.

Today, many of the same principles visible in these early projects remain at the heart of Bloomming’s collection: modular thinking, architectural form, and products that transform the way spaces are experienced.

Publication details

Publication: Villas Magazine
Issue: No. 64
Country: France
Feature: Dutch Design (Design des Pays-Bas)
Products featured: Grip table leg system and Bloomming studio work
Designers: Bas van Leeuwen & Mireille Meijs

More than a decade later, these early international publications offer a glimpse into the origins of Bloomming and the design philosophy that continues to shape the brand today.

Elsevier Thema Interieur (October 2009)

Modern Time – Clock Delay by Bloomming

Published in Elsevier Thema Interieur, October 2009

In its overview of contemporary clock design, Elsevier selected Clock Delay by Dutch design studio Bloomming as one of the most remarkable interpretations of timekeeping.

The article explores how modern designers challenge the traditional clock, creating objects that do more than simply display the time. Among designs that use words, minimalist dials and reinterpretations of classic pendulum clocks, Clock Delay stood out for exposing the mechanics of time itself.

Modern Time

The newest generation of clocks does not always reveal the time at a glance. Instead, designers invite users to slow down, observe and interact with the object.

Clock Delay embraces this philosophy by turning timekeeping into a visual experience.

Unlike conventional clocks, Clock Delay consists of three large rotating gear wheels representing:

• Seconds
• Minutes
• Hours

As the gears rotate, the current time can be determined by observing where the three indicators align. Rather than presenting time instantly, the clock encourages a moment of reflection and understanding.

Clock Delay by Bloomming

Elsevier describes Clock Delay as an object that resembles an instrument from a distant era.

Constructed from stainless steel and aluminum, the clock exposes its complete mechanism. Every movement is visible, transforming the hidden workings of a clock into the central design feature.

The result is both functional and sculptural: a mechanical object that continuously demonstrates how time is measured.

Original Article Reference

The publication featured Clock Delay as item number six in its selection of innovative contemporary clocks:

“It looks like an instrument from long-forgotten times, but Delay by the Dutch studio Bloomming is hypermodern. The clock consists of three large gears for the seconds, minutes and hours.”

Product Information

Product: Clock Delay
Designer: Bas van Leeuwen
Studio: Bloomming
Materials: Stainless steel and aluminum
Function: Mechanical time display through rotating gear systems
Year: 2008–2009

Why It Matters

Clock Delay represents an important early Bloomming project and demonstrates the studio’s fascination with revealing hidden systems rather than concealing them.

By exposing the mechanics of time, the design invites users to reconnect with technology and craftsmanship in an age where products increasingly function as closed black boxes.

Publication Details

Publication: Elsevier Thema Interieur
Issue: October 2009
Section: Moderne Tijd (Modern Time)
Featured Product: Clock Delay
Designer: Bas van Leeuwen
Company: Bloomming

Volkskrant Magazine – Lightfacet by Bloomming

Dutch National Newspaper Magazine Features Bloomming’s Geometric Wall Installation

Published in Volkskrant Magazine, April 23, 2011

Dutch national newspaper supplement Volkskrant Magazine featured Lightfacet, the modular wall installation designed by Mireille Meijs for Bloomming, as part of its annual interior design special.

Appearing prominently within a curated selection of contemporary home design trends, the publication highlighted Lightfacet’s distinctive geometric surface and its ability to transform a wall into a dynamic architectural element.

Lightfacet

Lightfacet blurs the boundary between wall decoration, room divider and architectural feature.

Composed of individually adjustable faceted modules, the design creates a constantly changing play of light, shadow and depth. By rotating the elements, users can alter the pattern and transparency of the surface, making every installation unique.

The geometric composition creates a three-dimensional effect that changes throughout the day as natural light interacts with the faceted forms.

Bringing Architecture Indoors

In the feature, Lightfacet was presented alongside contemporary furniture, accessories and interior styling trends that reflected a growing interest in geometric design and architectural surfaces.

Rather than functioning as a conventional decorative object, Lightfacet introduces an architectural layer to the interior. Its faceted structure adds depth, rhythm and visual movement while maintaining a clean and minimalist appearance.

A Signature Bloomming Design

Designed by Mireille Meijs, Lightfacet represents an early exploration of the geometric language that would later evolve into Bloomming’s internationally recognized Facet room divider collection.

The design combines modularity, customization and interaction, allowing users to actively shape the appearance of the installation through the position of the individual elements.

Product Information

Product: Lightfacet
Designer: Mireille Meijs
Brand: Bloomming
Category: Modular wall installation / room divider
Material: Modular faceted elements
Customization: Available in custom dimensions and configurations

Publication Details

Publication: Volkskrant Magazine
Country: The Netherlands
Date: April 23, 2011
Feature: Interior Design Special (Woonspecial)
Featured Product: Lightfacet
Designer: Mireille Meijs
Brand: Bloomming

Original publication summary

“Lightfacet by Bloomming was featured in Volkskrant Magazine’s interior design special as part of a selection of contemporary design trends. The modular installation uses geometric faceted elements to create depth, pattern and visual movement, transforming the wall into an architectural feature.”

Аэрофлот Бортовой Журнал / Aeroflot Inflight Magazine

Aeroflot Inflight Magazine is the official in-flight publication of Aeroflot – Russian Airlines, distributed to passengers across the airline’s domestic and international network. Published monthly, the magazine covers travel, culture, lifestyle, and design, reaching a broad audience of business and leisure travelers throughout Russia and beyond.

The March 2013 issue marks a significant milestone: Aeroflot’s 90th anniversary, celebrated on the cover with archival imagery spanning the airline’s history from Soviet-era propaganda posters to contemporary cabin interiors.

My Other Half – A Design Feature on Romantic Gifts

Pages 102–106 of the issue contain a multi-page design feature titled “Половинка моя!” (“My Other Half!”), written by Katerina Afonchenkova. The article explores how contemporary designers are reimagining romantic gifts — objects that hint at deep feeling while remaining genuinely useful and considered. The feature presents eleven numbered products, each selected for its clever concept and design quality.

The editorial premise is built around the idea of pairing: gifts designed for two people, where each half belongs to the other. Products range from a dual-reservoir teapot by Polish designer Ewa Sendecka, to a heart-shaped anatomical wine decanter, to a set of lovers’ gloves connected by a shared mitten, to a kinetic wooden heart sculpture by British artist Martin Smith.

Bloomming in the Feature

Among the eleven products presented, Bloomming’s interlocking ring collection is featured as item 8. The rings are described as gold or silver jewelry sets from the Dutch team Bloomming. The editorial highlights the defining characteristic of the One collection: each piece can only connect with its own counterpart. The interlocking mechanism means that no two rings from different pairs can be joined — making the set a literal, physical expression of exclusivity and belonging.

The rings are presented alongside a bold red heart sculpture, visually reinforcing the romantic theme of the spread. Their clean, minimal form contrasts with the more elaborate objects in the feature, allowing the concept — rather than decoration — to carry the emotional weight.

The One Collection: Jewelry as Commitment

The One collection by Bloomming translates the idea of a unique bond into a wearable object. The interlocking rings are engineered so that each pair fits together precisely, and only together. This mechanical exclusivity makes the collection not just a piece of jewelry, but a statement: two rings that belong to each other and to no one else.

By including the collection in a feature about romantic design gifts, the Aeroflot editors positioned the One rings alongside some of the most inventive couples-oriented products on the international design market in early 2013.

Reach and Context

As an inflight magazine distributed across Aeroflot’s network, this publication reached a substantial international readership at a moment when Aeroflot was one of Europe’s largest airlines by passenger volume. The March 2013 issue, timed around Valentine’s Day gift-giving, placed Bloomming’s work in front of a diverse, design-aware audience across Russia, Europe, and beyond.

The feature appeared in the “Дело вкуса / Дизайн” (Matter of Taste / Design) section, a recurring editorial slot dedicated to highlighting notable product design from international studios and designers.

Publication details

Publication: Аэрофлот Бортовой Журнал / Aeroflot Inflight Magazine
Section: Дело вкуса / Дизайн (Matter of Taste / Design)
Article title: Половинка моя! (My Other Half!)
Author: Katerina Afonchenkova
Issue: March 2013
Pages: 102–106
Product featured: One – Interlocking Ring Collection
Company: Bloomming
Designers: Bas van Leeuwen & Mireille Meijs
Category: Inflight lifestyle and design magazine

Why this feature mattered

Placement in an airline inflight magazine represents a distinct form of editorial reach. Unlike design press read primarily by industry professionals, inflight publications are consumed by a general audience with broad purchasing power and an appetite for lifestyle and gift ideas. The March 2013 timing — shortly after Valentine’s Day gift guides would have been relevant — meant the One collection was presented to readers in a mindset receptive to meaningful, design-led gifts. The feature reinforced Bloomming’s growing international profile and placed the One collection in a context that emphasized its emotional concept as much as its aesthetic qualities.

Mooi & Bijzonder – Verfijning uit het Verre Oosten

In the Dutch interior magazine Mooi & Bijzonder, Bloomming’s Lightfacet was featured in an editorial exploring the influence of Asian aesthetics on contemporary interiors. The article, titled “Verfijning uit het Verre Oosten”(“Refinement from the Far East”), examines how elements such as symmetry, origami-inspired forms, indigo blue, and craftsmanship continue to shape modern interior design.

Eastern Influences in Contemporary Design

The editorial highlights the enduring impact of Asian cultures on Western interiors. It traces influences from Japanese paper lamps and lacquerware to contemporary furniture and decorative objects, noting how designers continue to draw inspiration from Eastern principles of simplicity, geometry, and balance.

According to the article, one of the defining characteristics of the trend is the growing popularity of furniture and interior elements inspired by origami-like structures and faceted forms.

Lightfacet as an Example of the Trend

To illustrate this movement, the magazine selected Lightfacet as a featured product within the editorial spread. The room divider is shown in a full-page interior styling image, where its geometric composition echoes the folded-paper aesthetics discussed in the article.

The accompanying text states:

“De vorm van meubilair lijkt geïnspireerd op origami-vouwwerk. We zien bijvoorbeeld meubels met scherpe vouwen en facetstructuren.”

Translated:

“The shape of furniture appears inspired by origami folding. We see, for example, furniture with sharp folds and faceted structures.”

Lightfacet’s repeating diamond-shaped modules create a sculptural surface that reflects many of these characteristics, combining geometric precision with a sense of lightness and rhythm.

Geometry, Pattern, and Craftsmanship

The editorial positions faceted forms as part of a broader movement toward carefully crafted interiors that balance modern design with traditional influences. Alongside indigo tones, natural materials, and symmetrical compositions, geometric structures are presented as a defining aesthetic for the season.

Within this context, Lightfacet is not presented merely as a room divider, but as a decorative architectural element that contributes pattern, texture, and visual depth to an interior.

Editorial Recognition

Unlike product advertisements, editorial features are selected by a publication’s editorial team to illustrate design themes and trends. The inclusion of Lightfacet in Mooi & Bijzonder reflects its relevance within the broader discussion of geometry, craftsmanship, and Eastern-inspired design that was influencing interior styling at the time.

Publication details

Publication: Mooi & Bijzonder
Article: Verfijning uit het Verre Oosten
Year: circa 2010
Publisher: Mooi & Bijzonder Magazine
Product featured: Lightfacet
Studio: Bloomming
Designers: Bas van Leeuwen & Mireille Meijs
Category: Editorial trend feature

Why this feature mattered

This editorial connected Lightfacet to a larger international design movement inspired by Asian aesthetics and origami-like geometry. By highlighting the room divider alongside discussions of symmetry, craftsmanship, and faceted forms, Mooi & Bijzonder recognized Lightfacet as an example of how contemporary Dutch design was translating these influences into innovative architectural products.

New Masters: A Design Academy Eindhoven Masterclass with Gerard van den Berg

Published in ELLE Wonen

In this feature, ELLE Wonen highlights the results of an intensive furniture design masterclass led by renowned Dutch designer Gerard van den Berg. Students from Design Academy Eindhoven were challenged to rethink existing furniture concepts and transform them into entirely new designs.

Over the course of eight weeks, participants worked on redesigning pieces from the collection of Dutch furniture manufacturer Label. Rather than starting from a blank sheet of paper, the students were asked to reinterpret existing products through experimentation, craftsmanship, and material research.

Learning Through Making

Unlike many contemporary design processes, the masterclass deliberately avoided computers. Gerard van den Berg encouraged students to work directly with sketches, prototypes, and physical materials.

According to the article, students spent weeks drawing, cutting, gluing, testing, and refining concepts before presenting their ideas to a professional jury. The process emphasized creativity, comfort, innovation, and manufacturability.

Designer Frederik van Heereveld, himself a former student of Design Academy Eindhoven and a collaborator of Gerard van den Berg, explained:

“You develop a much stronger feeling for a piece of furniture when you design it this way.”

Bas van Leeuwen

Among the participating students was Bas van Leeuwen, who is pictured together with Gerard van den Berg during the masterclass.

Bas presented a concept called Pio, a chair inspired by the shape and structure of a bird’s nest.

According to the article, the design was based on an unusual construction principle:

“The inspiration for this design was a bird’s nest. The underside consists of woven wicker, while the cushion is upholstered with furniture fabric.”

The result combined a soft upholstered seating surface with a distinctive handcrafted shell structure, creating a chair that explored the relationship between comfort, craftsmanship, and organic forms.

The Pio Chair

Pio stood out through its contrast between materials and textures.

The woven exterior referenced traditional craft techniques, while the upholstered interior created a comfortable seating experience. The chair demonstrated how natural forms could inspire contemporary furniture design without becoming purely decorative.

The article identified Pio as one of the notable concepts developed during the masterclass.

Other Featured Projects

The article also highlighted several additional furniture concepts created by fellow students.

Among them was Clover, designed by Sofie Hoenselaars, a chair system that could be linked together in multiple configurations. The design featured an exposed lacing detail that added both functionality and a distinctive visual character.

Another project, Slikk by Karin van der Zanden, explored comfort through an oversized, soft seating object inspired by cushions and beanbags.

The article emphasized that all projects remained prototypes at the time of publication, although several attracted significant attention during their presentation at 100% Design Rotterdam.

Design Academy Eindhoven and Dutch Design

The masterclass demonstrated the experimental approach for which Design Academy Eindhoven has become internationally known.

By combining craftsmanship, conceptual thinking, and practical product development, students were encouraged to create designs that were innovative, functional, and commercially viable.

The article presented the results as evidence of a new generation of Dutch designers exploring fresh approaches to furniture design.

Publication Details

Publication: ELLE Wonen
Feature: Nieuwe Meesters (New Masters)
Institution: Design Academy Eindhoven
Masterclass leader: Gerard van den Berg
Featured designer: Bas van Leeuwen
Featured project: Pio Chair
Topics: Furniture design, Dutch design, Design Academy Eindhoven, product design, craftsmanship, masterclass projects

The Best of 2011 – Novelties magazine for architects and other creative professionals

The Best of 2011 (Het Beste van 2011) is a Dutch-language novelties magazine compiled for architects and other creative professionals, published in January 2012. The publication was assembled by advertisers active in the architecture and design sector, and distributed to a professional audience of architects, interior designers, and creative practitioners in the Netherlands. The magazine presents a selection of notable products, materials, and design solutions introduced or highlighted during 2011, serving as a reference tool for professionals seeking innovative solutions for architectural and interior design projects.

Three Dimensions, Endless Possibilities – Three Dimensions, Endless Possibilities

Pages 4 and 5 of the magazine feature a two-page spread for 3form, headlined “Three Dimensions, Endless Possibilities” (Drie Dimensies, Grenzeloze Mogelijkheden). The feature presents three of 3form’s modular three-dimensional product lines — Shapes, Ditto, and Facet — as a cohesive family of architectural solutions that allow designers to play with structure, form, color, shadow, and light using durable and translucent materials.

The opening spread is anchored by a striking full-page photograph of the Ditto system installed as a large-scale screen against a cobalt blue wall, with an Eames DAR chair placed in front, emphasizing the product’s architectural scale and visual presence.

Facet by Bloomming

Within the feature, Facet is described as a fully modular system for dividing spaces or decorating window partitions, with unlimited design possibilities. The article specifically credits the product to the young, talented duo Bas van Leeuwen and Mireille Meijs, from the creative design label Bloomming. This is one of the few instances in the 3form promotional context where Bloomming is named explicitly as the originating design studio, giving the designers direct credit alongside the manufacturer.

The article explains that Facet’s three-dimensional elements can each rotate individually through 360 degrees, allowing users to compose a unique, interactive pattern on an equally unique system. The product is described as ideal for application in restaurants, bars, retail environments, wellness centers, and office interiors. The second page of the spread features a close-up photograph of Facet installed in a restaurant setting, shown alongside a long dining table with pendant lamps, illustrating how the screen functions as both a spatial divider and a decorative surface in a high-end hospitality interior.

3form as Manufacturer and Partner

The feature presents 3form as a leading designer and manufacturer of award-winning, environmentally responsible materials and solutions for architecture and design. The innovative Varia Ecoresin system — the material platform underlying Facet and the other products in the feature — encapsulates fabrics, organic materials, and textures within translucent resin panels, and is applicable for walls, doors, hanging installations, lighting elements, and other innovative architectural applications. The Ditto product, also shown in the spread, is noted as being composed of 40% recycled material, reflecting 3form’s broader commitment to sustainability.

Publication Context

The Best of 2011 was distributed at the start of 2012 as a professional reference for the Dutch architecture and interior design market. Its audience — architects and creative professionals — represents the primary specification audience for products like Facet. Inclusion in a publication of this kind, positioned explicitly as a best-of survey for the year just concluded, placed Facet among the products considered most noteworthy by manufacturers and suppliers active in the Dutch design sector during 2011.

The cover of the magazine itself features a dramatically lit purple installation of another three-dimensional modular wall product, reinforcing the broader editorial theme of texture, light, and spatial transformation that runs through the issue.

Publication Details

Publication: The Best of 2011 – Novelties magazine for architects and other creative professionals
Publisher: compiled by advertisers; distributed to architecture and design professionals
Issue: January 2012
Pages: 4–5
Feature title: Three Dimensions, Endless Possibilities
Product featured: Facet room divider
Designers: Bas van Leeuwen & Mireille Meijs
Company: Bloomming
Manufacturer: 3form
Category: Dutch professional architecture and design novelties magazine

Why this feature mattered

The Best of 2011 reached architects and interior designers at the moment they were assessing new products and planning upcoming projects — making it an effective specification-oriented platform. The explicit naming of Bloomming as the creative design label behind Facet, within what was otherwise a 3form manufacturer feature, was a meaningful acknowledgment of the designers’ role. The feature reinforced Facet’s positioning as a premium architectural product suitable for demanding commercial interiors, and placed it firmly within the professional Dutch design specification market at the start of 2012.

Clover Selected for Production at 100% Design Rotterdam

Published in Frame Magazine, 2004

During 100% Design Rotterdam, Frame Magazine highlighted several promising projects emerging from Design Academy Eindhoven. Among them was Clover, a chair redesign created during a masterclass led by renowned furniture designer Gerard van den Berg.

A Design Academy Eindhoven Masterclass

The project originated from an intensive workshop in which fifteen Design Academy Eindhoven students were challenged to reinterpret existing furniture designs from Gerard van den Berg’s Label collection.

Rather than starting from scratch, students explored how existing designs could be transformed into new products through experimentation, prototyping, and collaboration.

Clover

Designed by Sofie Hoenselaars, Clover introduced a distinctive laced detail running along the backrest, allowing the chair to be visually “dressed” while creating a recognizable identity.

The redesign was selected for production by the manufacturer of Gerard van den Berg’s Label collection, making it one of the most successful outcomes of the masterclass.

From Concept to Production

Unlike many student projects that remain prototypes, Clover progressed through the complete development process and entered production.

The article notes that a team of Design Academy Eindhoven students worked alongside production staff throughout the realization process, providing a rare opportunity to experience furniture manufacturing from concept to finished product.

Bas van Leeuwen’s Involvement

Among the students involved in the Clover project was Bas van Leeuwen, pictured in the article together with fellow team members.

Participation in the project provided first-hand experience in product development, collaboration with industry partners, and the transition from experimental design concept to manufacturable furniture product.

Publication Details

Publication: Frame Magazine
Event: 100% Design Rotterdam
Year: 2004
Featured project: Clover
Lead designer: Sofie Hoenselaars
Institution: Design Academy Eindhoven
Masterclass leaders: Gerard van den Berg and Alain Berteau
Team member featured: Bas van Leeuwen