ARTY INTERIOR DESIGN
As a mechanical engineer, I have gradually 'lost my faith'; because during my studies it was metal, metal and more metal with all its processing methods, but more and more I developed a true passion for woodworking. The natural origin, the beautiful grain structure and the enormous versatility with which wood can be worked and giving a 'second life' to this organic material has fascinated me since my youth.
I always found it a challenge to push the boundaries of woodworking; Whether it was a garden pergola, bathroom furniture or a suspended kitchen ceiling, curved wooden panels were the ultimate challenge. Because you have to make molds in advance, in which the glue can harden between the forced curved 'sandwich panels', you spent almost twice as much time on the end result. But that didn't matter and bother me, because after completing the feat, you also felt disproportionately more satisfied....
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Although not an interior project, it is an extremely challenging wood frame project in 2023 that I did not think I could realize beyond my wildest dreams. Namely a carport with a roof area of 60 m2, the entire basic construction of which is made of Douglas wood with mortise and tenon connections; the application of this ancient craft with an extremely sturdy and astonishing result filled me with enormous satisfaction and pride. And proved once again that we can do much more than we think; shedding modesty & diffidence, delving deeper into the subject, perseverance and visioning the end result once again proved to be the guides during the creation process.
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A small anecdote about interior design to prove that everyone has a creative talent: At some point I wanted to apply the special Tadelact plasterwork (frequently used, especially in North African countries because of the appealing color shades) to an acrylic bathtub. But because the plaster was brittle in nature, it could not be applied to the flexible acrylic bath; because that would lead to cracks and therefore leaks in no time. When I explained the problem to my wife Ellen in frustration during the next coffee break, she suddenly said simply: 'why don't you put a mosaic strip between the acrylic bath and the plasterwork; then you can rub the plasterwork against that strip and spray silicone sealant between the bath and the mosaic strip. The coffee trickled down my face in pure amazement and it was the last time I accused my wife of having two left hands...
